NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL LAW WITH LAND

TITLE AND DEEDS

ATTY. ROWELL D. ILAGAN

Course Description

A study of the constitutional provisions and special law governing natural

resources, their use and disposition. The study includes systems and methods of
registration of titles and deeds to real property

I. NATURE OF REGISTRATION PROCEEDINGS AND JURISDICTION OF

COURTS

1. Concept of Regalian Doctrine

a. Cruz v. Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, G.R. No. 135383, 6
December 2000
b. Secretary of DENR v. Yap, G.R. No. 167707, 8 October 2008
2. Torrens System of Registration
a. Nature and Purpose of the Torrens System
b. Background and advantages of the Torrens system
3. A view of the past and present legislation on land registration
a. The Public Land Act (CA No. 141)
b. The Land Registration Act (Act No. 496)
c. The Cadastral Act (Act No. 496)
d. The Property Registration Decree (P.D. 1529)
e. Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (RA No. 8371)
4. Regional Trial Courts have exclusive jurisdiction over land registration
cases
a. Jurisdiction in civil cases involving title to property
b. Distinction between the court’s general and limited jurisdiction
1. Junio v. De los Santos, G.R. No. L-35744, 28 September 1984
2. Arceo v. Court of Appeals, G. R. No. 81401, 18 May 1990
c. Delegated jurisdiction of inferior courts in cadastral and land
registration cases

II. THE LAND REGISTRATION COMMISSION AND REGISTRIES OF

DEEDS

1. The Land Registration Authority

a. Functions of the Authority
b. Functions of the Administrator
2. Office of the Register of Deeds
a. The Registry of Property
 b. Effect of registration
c. General functions of the Register of Deeds
1. Office of the Register of Deeds
2. Ministerial duties of Register of Deeds
a. Baranda v. Gustilo, G.R. No. 81153, 26 September 1988.
b. Almirol v. Register of Deeds of Agusan, G.R. No. L-22486, 20 March
1968.
3. Instances when Register of Deeds may deny registration

III. MODES OF REGISTERING LAND TITLES

1. Citizenship requirement
a. Krivenko Doctrine
a. Krivenko v. Register of Deeds, G.R. No. L-630, 15 November 1957.
b. Halili v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 113539, 12 March 1998.
b. Acquisition of agricultural lands of the public domain limited to
Filipino citizens
c. Aliens may lease private land
a. Llantino v. Co Liong Chong, G.R. No. 292663, 20 August 1990.
d. A corporation sole may acquire and register private agricultural land
a. Roman Catholic Apostolic Administrator of Davao, Inc. v. Land
Registration Commission
e. Donation in favor of a religious corporation controlled by non-Filipinos
non registrable.
a. Register of Deeds of Rizal v. Ung Sui Si Temple, G.R. No. L-6776, 21 May
1955.
f. Land sold to an alien which is now in the hands of a Filipino may no
longer be annulled.
a. De Castro v. Tan, G.R. No. L-31956, 30 April 1984.
b. Republic V. Intermediate Appellate Court and Gonzalves, G.R No. 74170,
18 July 1989.
g. Recover of land sold to an alien
a. Rellosa v. Gaw Chee Hun, G.R. No. L-1411, 29 September 1953.
b. Philippine Banking Corporation v. Lui She, G.R. No. L-17587, 12 September
1967
h. Rights of former natural-born Filipino citizens to acquire lands
a. Article XII, Section 8 of the Constitution
b. Batas Pambansa 185
c. Republic Act 7042, as amended by Republic Act 8179

2. Classification of Public Land

a. Classification of public land is an executive prerogative
b. Only alienable lands of the public domain may be the subject of
disposition
 a. Chavez v. Public Estates Authority, G.R. No. 133250, 9 July 2002.
b. Bureau of Forestry v. Court of Appeals and Gallo, G. R. No. L-37995, 31
August 1987.
c. Director of Lands v. Court of Appeals and Bisnar, G. R No. 83609, 26 October
1989.
c. “Public lands” and “government land” distinguished
a. Montano v. Insular Government, G.R. No. 3714, 26 January 26, 1909.

3. Non-Registrable Properties
a. Property of public domain
1. Article 419, 420, 421 and 422, 423, 424, 425 of the Civil Code
2. Martinez v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. L-31271, 29 April 1974.
3. Laurel v. Garcia, G.R. No. 92013, 25 July 1990.
4. Republic v. Alagad, G.R. No. 66807, 26 Januaryy 1989.
5. Section 60 of CA No. 141
b. Forest Lands
1. Republic v. Court of Appeals and Lastimado, G. R. No. L-39473, 30
April 1979.
c. Watersheds
1. Tan v. Director of Forestry
d. Mangrove swamps
1. Director of Forestry v. Villareal, G.R. No. L-32266, 27 February 1989.
e. Mineral lands
1. Atok-Big Wedge Mining Co. v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 88883, 18
January 1991.
f. National Parks
1. Palomo v. Court of Appeals, G. R. No. 95608, 21 January 1997.
g. Military or naval reservation
1. Republic v. Marcos, G.R. No. L-29675, 30 September 1969.
h. Foreshore ands and reclaimed lands
1. Republic v. Alagad, G.R. No. 66807, 26 January 1989.
i. Lakes
j. Navigable rivers
k. Creeks
l. Reservation for public and semi-public purposes

IV. JUDICIAL CONFIRMATION OF IMPERFECT OR INCOMPLETE

TITLES
A. Applicable Provisions and Amendments
1. Section 47 and 48 of the Public Land Act
2. Republic Act No. 1942
3. Republic Act No. 3872
4. Presidential Decree No. 1073
5. Republic Act No. 9176
 b. Requisites for availment of Chapter VIII of the Public Land Act
a. Republic v. Alconaba, G.R. No. 155012, 4 April 2004.
c. Compliance with all requirements for a government grant ipso jure
converts land to private property
a. Oh Cho v. Director of Lands, G.R. No. 48321, 31 August 1946.
d. Land acquisition by private corporations
a. Director of Lands v. Intermediate Appellate Court and Acme Plywood
& Veneer Co., Inc., G.R. No. 73002, 29 December 1986.
b. Natividad v. Court of Appeals and Republic, G.R. No. 88233, 4
October 1991.
e. Land declared public land in a previous registration case may be the
subject of judicial confirmation
f. Decision of the cadastral court declaring and as public land odes not
constitute res judicata
g. Application must conform to the requirements of the Property
Registration Decree

V. REGISTRATION UNDER THE PROPERTY REGISTRATION DECREE

a. Who may apply

b. Section 14(2) authorizes acquisition of ownership by prescription
c. Acquisition of private lands or abandoned river beds by right of
accession or accretion
c. Acquisition of ownership in any other manner provided by for law
a. International Hardwood and Veneer Co. v. University of the
Philippines, G.R. No. 521518, 13 August 1991.

VI. REGISTRATION UNDER THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES RIGHTS

ACT

a. The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act

1. Constitutional provision
2. Constitutionality of IPRA
b. Modes of Acquisition
c. Resolution of conflicts
d. Ancestral Domains Office
e. National Commission on Indigenous People
f. Option to secure certificate of title under the Public Land Act or the
Property Registration Decree

VII. FORM AND CONTENTS, DEALINGS WITH LAND

a. Section 15 of PD 1529
1. Form and contents of the application
 b. Section 16 of PD 1529
2. Non-resident applicant
c. Section 17 of PD 1529
1. What and where to file
d. Section 18 of PD 1529
1. Application covering two or more parcels
e. Section 19 of PD 1529
1. Amendments
f. Section 20 of PD 1529
1. When land applied for borders on road
g. Section 21 of PD 1529
1. Requirement of additional facts and papers; ocular inspection
h. Section 22 of PD 1529
1. Dealings with land pending original registration

VIII. PUBLICATION, OPPOSITION AND DEFAULT

a. Section 23 of PD 1529
1. Notice of initial hearing, publication etc.
b. Section 24 of PD 1529
1. Proof of publication and notice
c. Section 25 of PD 1529
1. Opposition to application in ordinary registration
d. Section 26 of PD 1529
1. Order of default; effect

IX. HEARING, JUDGMENT AND DECREE OF REGISTRATION

a. Section 27 of PD 1529
1. Speedy hearing; reference to a referee

X. SPECIFIC EVIDENCE OF OWNERSHIP

a. Proof of ownership, generally

b. Survey plan
c. Possession and occupation
d. Tax Declaration; tax receipts
e. Section 28 of PD 1529 (Partial Judgment)
f. Section 29 of PD 1529 (Judgment confirming title)
g. Section 30 of PD 1529 (When judgment becomes final)
h. Section 31 of PD 1529 ( Decree of registration)
XI. REMEDIES

a. Review of decree of registration; Innocent purchaser for value

1. New trial or reconsideration
2. Relief form judgment; relief form denial
3. Appeals
4. Review of decree of registration
5. Reconveyance
6. Action for damages
7. Action for reversion
8. Cancellation of title
9. Recovery from the Assurance Fund
10. Appeal from Judgment
11. Rules of Procedure

XII. CADASTRAL REGISTRATION PROCEEDINGS

a. Order for Speedy Settlement and Adjudication; Survey; Notices

1. Section 35 of PD 1529 (Cadastral Survey Preparatory to filing a
petition)
b. Petition: Lot Numbers
1. Section 36 of PD 1529 (Petition for registration)
c. Answer
1. Section 37 of PD 1529 (Answer to petition in cadastral
proceedings)
d. Hearing; Judgment; Decree
1. Section 38 of PD 1529
a. Nature and purpose of cadastral proceedings
b. Procedure leading to the adjudication of property through
adastral proceedings
c. Actions undertaken in cadastral proceedings

XIII. CERTIFICATE OF TITLE

a. Preparation of decree and Certificate of Title

b. Entry of Original Certificate of Title
c. Owner’s duplicate Certificate of Title
d. Registration Books
e. Transfer Certificate of Title
f. Statutory liens affecting title
g. Statement of personal circumstances in the certificate
h. General incidents of registered land
i. Registered land not subject to prescription
j. Certificate not subject to collateral attack
 k. Splitting or consolidation of titles
l. Subdivision and consolidation plans

XIV. SUBSEQUENT REGISTRATION

I. VOLUNTARY DEALINGS WITH REGISTERED LANDS

1. Conveyance and other dealings by registered owners

a. Formal requirements of contracts involving real property
b. Act of registration is the operative at to convey or affect
registered land
2. Constructive notice upon registration
3. Presentation of owner’s duplication upon entry of new certificate
4. Dealings less than ownership, how registered
5. Grantee’s name, nationality, etc., to be stated
6. Primary Entry Book; fees; certified copies

A. CONVEYANCES AND TRANSFERS

1. Procedure in registration of conveyances

2. Procedure where conveyance involves portion of land
3. Carry cover of encumbrances

B. MORTGAGES AND LEASES

1. Mortgage or lease of registered lands

2. Registration
3. Discharge or cancellation
4. Foreclosure of Mortgage

C. POWER OF ATTORNEY; TRUST

1. Power of Attorney
2. Trusts in registered land
3. Trust with power of sale
4. Judicial appointment of new trustee
5. Implied trust

II. INVOLUNTARY DEALINGS

1. Attachments
2. Adverse claim
3. Surrender of certificate in involuntary dealings
4. Dissolution of attachment
 5. Registration of orders of court
6. Enforcement of liens on registered land
7. Application for new certificate upon expiration of redemption
period
8. Notice of lis pendens
a. Nature and purpose of lis pendens
b. When appropriate
c. Contents of notice
d. Principle of primus tempore, potior jure;
e. Cary over of notice on subsequent titles
f. Cancellation of lis pendens

XV. PETITIONS AND ACTIONS AFTER ORIGINAL REGISTRATION

a. Surrender of withheld duplicate certificates

b. Amendment and alteration of certificates
c. Notice and replacement of lost duplicate certificate
1. Section 109 governs replacement of lost duplicate certificate
2. Petition for replacement
d. Reconstitution of lost or destroyed original Torrens title
1. Judicial reconstitution under RA No. 26
a. Sources of reconstitution
1. For original certificates of title
2. For transfer certificates of title
3. For liens and encumbrances
4. Meaning of “any other document”
2. Administrative reconstitution

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

1. Environmental degradation
2. Legal Framework
a. Constitution
1. Article 1 (National Territory)
a. Magallona, et al v. Executive Secretary Ermita, et al., G.R No.
187167, 16 July 2011.
2. Article II (Declaration of State Principles and Policies)
a. Section 15
1. Hilarion M. Henares, Jr. v. LTFRB and DOTC, G.R. No.
158290, 23 October 2006
b. Section 16
1. Minors Oposa, et al. v. DENR Secretary Factoran, et al., G.R.
No. 101083, 30 July 1993.
2. Felipe Ysmael, Jr. v. Secretary of Environment and Natural
 Resources, G.R. No. 79538, 18 October 1990
c. Section 22
1. Carino v. Insular Government, 212 US 449, 23 February 1909
2. Cruz v. NCIP, G.R. No. 135385, 6 December 2000
d. Section 25
1. SJS v. Atienza, G.R. No. 156052, 7 March 2007
3. Article 3 (Bill of Rights)
a. Chavez v. Public Estates Authority and Amari Coastal Bay
Development Corporation, G.R. No. 133250, 9 July 2002
b. Valmonte v. Belmonte, G.R. No. 74930, 13 February 1989
c. Legaspi v. CSC, G.R. No. L-72119, 29 May 1987
4. Article X (Local Government)
a. Section 4
1. Tano v. Socrates, G.R. No. 110249, 21 August 1997
b. Section 15
1. Chiongbian et al. v. Orbos et al, G.R. No. 96754, 22
June 1995
2. Sultan Mohamad Ali B. Dimaporo v. COMELEC, G.R.
No. 93201-04, 26 June 1990
5. Article XII (National Economy)
a. Section 1
1. Manila Prince Hotel v. GSIS, G.R. No. 122156, 3
February 1997
b. Section 2
1. Aranda v. Republic GR No. 172331, 24 August 2011
2. Miners Association of the Philippines, Inc. v. Factoran,
Jr. G.R. No. 98332, 6 January 1995
3. Heherson Alvarez v. PICOP Resources, G.R. Nos.
162243, 164516 & 171875, 3 December 2009.
c. Section 3
1. Cruz v. NCIP, G.R. No. 135385, 6 December 2000
2. Republic of the Philippines v. Naguiat, G.R. No.
134209, 4 January 2006
d. Section 4
1.Province of Rizal v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No.
129546, 13 December 2005.
e. Section 5
1. Alcantara v. Commission on the Settlement of Land
Problems, et al., G.R. No. 145838, 20 July 2001.
f. Section 7
1. Cheesman v. IAC, G.R. No. 74833, 21 January 1991.
6. Article XIII (Social Justice and Human Rights)
a. Section 6
1. Gavino Corpuz v. Sps. Gorospe, G.R. No. 135297, 8
 June 2000.

b. Section 7
1. People v. Maximo Maceren et al., G.R. No. L-32166, 18
October 1977.
b. National legislation and administrative issuances

3. Institutional Framework for Environment and Natural Resources

a. Executive Branch
b. Congress and local legislature
1. MMDA et al. v. Concerned Citizens of Manila Bay, G.R. No. 171947-
48, 18 December 2008
c. Quasi-Judicial Agencies
d. Non-Government Institutions

4. Environmental Impact Assessment and Development Planning

a. Presidential Decree No. 1151
b. DENR Administrative Order No. 2003-30
1. Republic v. City of Davao, G.R. No. 148622, 12 September 2002
2. Boracay Foundation Inc. v. The Province of Aklan represented by
Governor Carlito S. Marquez

5. Revised Forestry Code (Presidential Decree No. 705)

a. Evolution of Forest Policies
b. Governing law
c. State Policy
1. Multiple land use
d. Criminal Offenses and Penalties
1. Cutting, gathering and/or collecting timber or other products
without license
a. Two distinct offenses punished under Section 68, PD No.
705, as amended
b. Violations of Section 68977) is punished as qualified theft
c. Lumber is processed log or timber
d. DENR has jurisdiction over the confiscation of forest
products and conveyances used in the commission of the offense
e. Confiscation proceedings under AO No. 59 different from
the confiscation under the RPC, which is an additional penalty
imposed in the event of conviction
2. Unlawful occupation or destruction of forest lands
3. Pasturing livestock
4. Illegal occupation of national parks system and recreation
areas and vandalism therein
5. Survey by unauthorized persons
 6. Misclassification and survey by government official or
employee
7. Arrest; institution of criminal action
a. Search and seizure without warrant
b. Forest products and other items seized and confiscation
upon authority of the DENR Secretary is beyond the reach of
replevin

1. People of the Philippines v. Alfonso Dator and Benito

Genol, G. R. No. 136142, 24 October 2000
2. Paat v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 111107, 10 January
1997
3. Mustang Lumber v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 104988,
18 June 1996

6. Philippine Mining Act of 1995 (Republic Act No. 7942)

a. Governing law
b. Evolution of pertinent mining laws
c. Ownership of mineral resources
d. Rights of a locator to a perfected mining claim
e. Mineral reservations
f. Penal Provisions
1. False Statements
2. Illegal exploration
3. Theft of minerals
4. Destruction of mining structures
5. Mines arson
6. Willful damage to a mine
7. Illegal obstruction to permittees or contractors
8. Violation of the terms and conditions of the
environmental compliance certificate
9. Obstruction of government officials
10. Other violations
1. La Bugal-B’laan Tribal Association v. Ramos, G.R. No.
127882, 1 December 2004
2. Didipio Earth-Saver’s Multi-Purpose Association v.
Gozun, G.R. No. 157882, 30 March 2006

7. Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 (Republic Act No. 8550)

a. Municipal Fisheries
1. Jurisdiction of municipal/city governments
a. Tano et al., v. Socrates, et al., G.R No. 110249, 21 August
1997.
 2. Uses of municipal waters
3. Registry of municipal fisherfolks
4. Priority of resident municipal fisherfolks
5. The “preferential right” of subsistence or marginal
fishermen to the user of water resources not absolute
b. Commercial Fisheries
c. Aquaculture
d. Fishery Reserves, Refuge and Sanctuaries
e. Prohibition and Penalties
1. Unauthorized fishing or engaging in other unauthorized
fisheries activites
2. Poaching in Philippine waters
3. Other violations
4. Executive control
5. Enactment of ordinances by LGUs
6. Seizure without warrant of fishing vessels breaching
fishery laws

8. Industrial, Air and Water Pollution

a. Waste Management and Sanitation
1. Sec. 3, Par. C, RA 7924 creating the Metro Manila Development
Authority
2. Sec. 19, RA 9275 (Clean Water Act of 2004)
3. Sec. 48 of RA 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of
2000)
4. Sec. 4 of PD 601 (Revised Coast Guard Law of 1974)
5. Sec. 17 and 20 of the Environment Code (PD 1152)
b. Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001
6. ERB abolished, powers and functions of the ERB transferred
to ERC
a. A public utility must submit to government
regulations
b. ERC has authority to issue provisional rate increases
c. Application for rate adjustment or any relief
affecting the consumers must be verified and
published
b. Philippine Clean Air Act ( Republic Act No. 8749)
1. Henares v. Land Franchising and Regulatory Board, G.R.
No. 158290, 23 October 2006.
2. MMDA v. JANCOM Environmental Corporation, G.R.
No 14746, 30 January 2002
a. Pollution from Stationary Sources
b. Pollution from Motor Vehicles
c. Pollution from Other Sources
 a. Pollution form smoking
b. Pollution from other mobile sources
d. Other Pollutants
a. Ozone Depleting substances
b. Greenhouse gases
c. Radioactive emissions
e. Citizen suits
f. Suits and Strategies Legal Actions against Public
Participation (SLAPP) and the Enforcement of the Act
c. Philippine Clean Water Act (Republic Act No. 9275)
a. Water quality management area
b. Management of non-attainment areas
c. Domestic sewage collection, treatment and disposal
d. The Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB) is the agency
generally charged with the determination and resolution of pollution cases
1. Cease and Desist Order
2. Temporary Lifting Order
3. Arbitration
4. Adjudication of pollution cases generally pertains
to the PAB unless a special law provides for another forum

8. Rules of Procedure for Environmental Cases

1. Objectives
2. Salient Features
3. Surveys of Writ of Kalikasan
a. Arigo v. Swift, G.R. No. 206510, 16 September 2014
b. International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech
Applications Inc. V. Greenpeace Southeast Asia (Phils), G.R. No. 209271, 209276,
209301 & 209430, 8 December 2015
c. Paje v. Casino, G.R. Nos. 207257, 207276, 207282 & 207366, 3
February 2015
d. Segovia et al. v. Climate Change, G.R. No. 211010, 7 March
2017
e. LNL Archipelago Minerals Inc. v. Agham Party List, G.R. No.
209165, 12 April 2016

REFERENCES:

Peña, Narciso, Registration of Land Titles and Deeds, 2008 ed.

Agcaoili, Oswaldo, Property Registration Decree and Related Laws (Land Titles and Deeds),
2006 ed.
Fernando, Emmanuel, Environmental Ethics and Law, 2012 ed.
Agcaoili, Oswaldo, Law on Natural Resources and Environmental law Developments
La Viña, Antonio G., Philippine Law and Ecology Volume I: National Laws and Policies