Arellano University School of Law

Land Titles and Deeds

Course Outline
Atty. Francis R. Doble

I.Land Titling

A.Introduction Land Administration

a.Land Administration and its component

1. Land Survey and Mapping

2. Land Adjudication
3. Land Registration
4. Cadastre
• Examples of a Cadastre
• Land Classification Maps
• Tax Maps/Tax Rolls
• Land Use Maps
• Geo Hazard Maps

b.Importance of Land Administration

c.Goals

d.Government Agencies involved in Land Administration

1. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)

Cases:

Chavez vs. PEA GR No. 133250, July 9, 2002

Ortua vs. Encarnacion, GR No. 39919, January 30, 1934
Firmalo vs. Tutaan, GR. No. L-35408, Oct. 27, 1973

2. Land Registration Authority (LRA)

3. Registrars’ of Deeds
4. Department of Agrarian Reforms (DAR)
5. National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP)

 6. Judiciary
7. Local Government Units (LGUs)

B.Land Ownership in the Philippines

a.Two Principles of Land Ownership in the Philippines

1.State Ownership (Regallian Doctrine)

Constitutional Basis: Sec. 2, Art. XII
Exception: IPRA Lands-Cruz vs. Sec. of DENR
Ecclesiastical Property

Cases:

Johnson vs. Mackintosh -21 U.S. 543 (1823)

Carino vs. Insular govt.- 212 U. S., 449

Republic vs. Raneses, GR No. 189970, June 9, 2014

Republic vs. Remman Enterprises, GR No. 199390, February 19,

2014

Cruz vs. Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, GR No.

135385, Dec. 6, 2000

Republic vs. CA and Carag, GR No. 155450, August 6, 2008

Krivenko vs. Registry of Deeds, GR No. L-630, November 15, 1947

2.Private Ownership

b.Public Domain Land vs. Private Domain Lands

1.Public Domain Lands- Public Domain Lands are lands

that are owned by the State. These are referred to as lands of the
Public Domain.

a.Kinds of Public Domain Lands:

 1. State Ownership by use

Intended for public use

Intended for some public purpose

2. State ownership in its Private Capacity

(Patrimonial Property)

3. State Ownership by Classification

b.Characteristics of Public Domain Lands

2.Private Domain Lands

C. Land Titles and Land Registration

1.Title is equivalent to Naked Right of Ownership

2.Titled Land as equated to Unregistered land

3.Untitled Land as equated to Unregistered Land

D. History of Land Ownership in the Philippines

1.Pre-Hispanic- Baranggay System

2.Hispanic- (discovery and Conquest/regallian doctrine)

- Spanish titles
3.American-Introduction of the Torrens System (Philippine Bill
of 1902;Act 926 and Act 496
-Recognition of Spanish titles
4.Modern Day Law-PD 1529 and CA 141

E.Land Classification
Rules:
It is an executive function
Executive determines original classification
Congress may reclassify land

 Principle of vested right
Land must be A&D
Land Classification describes the legal nature of the land
Congress to determine the final forest line
Constitutional classification
Agricultural (CA 141)
Forest Land (PD 705)
Mineral Land (RA 7931 Mining Act of 1995)
National Park (RA 7598 NIPAS Act)
Cases:
Mapa vs. Insular Government, G.R. No. L-3793, February 19, 1908
De Aldecoa vs Insular Government (G.R. No. 3894. March 12, 1909)
Sta. Monica Industrial and Development corp. vs. CA, G.R. No.
150327. June 18, 2003
Republic vs. Yap et. al. GR. No. 167707, October 8, 2008

Menguito vs. Republic, GR No. 134308, December 14, 2000-

Director of Lands vs. CA and Bisnar, GR No. 83609, October 26,

1989

Gordula vs. CA, GR No. 127296 January 22, 1998

F.Surveys
Importance of Surveys
Persons Authorized to conduct Surveys
Survey Authority/Survey Orders
Cadastral/Isolated Surveys
Technical Descriptions
Survey Maps/Records

 Procedure in Cadastral Registration Proceedings (Sec. 35 to 38

PD 1529)
Cases:
Cambridge Realty and Resources Corporation vs. Eridanus
Development, Inc. and Chiton Realty Corp., (G.R. No. 152445, July
4, 2008)
Golloy v. Court of Appeals, (G.R. No. 47491, May 4, 1989)

G.Kinds of Land Titles in the Philippines

1.Spanish Titles

Titulo Real
Concession Especial
Titulo de Composition con el estado
Titulo De Compra
Information Possesoria

2.Direct Grants

a.General Requirements for a Public Land Grant

Age
Citizenship
Proof of Land Holding
Survey of Land
Classification of Land

b.Restrictions in Land Awards

On transfers and conveyances
Easements and Servitudes

c.Public Land Grants in Agricultural Lands

Homestead Patents

Cases:

Pascua vs. Talens, G.R. No. L-348 April 30, 1948

 Balboa vs. Farrales, GR No. 27059, February 14, 1928

Susi vs. Razon, GR No. 24066, December 9, 1925-same above

Sales Patent

Case:

Dela Rosa vs. Valdez, GR No. 159101, July 27, 2011

Lease

Free Patents

d.Public Land Grants in Residential, Commercial and

Industrial Lands

Sales Patent (Sec. 60 to 68 of CA 141)

RA 730 Miscellaneous Sales Patent
RA10023 Residential Free Patent

e.Titles under the CARP Law

f.Titles under the IPRA Law

g. Friar Lands

Cases:

Pugeda vs. Trias, GR No. L-16925, March 31, 1962

Manotoc vs. Barque, GR No. 162335, August 24, 2010 and March
6, 2012

g.Procedure in Public Land Applications

3. Indirect Grants

a.Confirmation of Imperfect titles (Sec. 14 P.D. 1529) (Sec. 48B

CA 141)

 Case: Sec 14(1) time immemorial titles

-nature of land possessed

Canete vs. Genuine Ice Company, Inc. GR No. 154080, January 22,
2008

Republic vs. CA and Naguit, GR No. 144057, Jan. 17, 2005

Reiterated in the case of Republic vs. CA and Malabanan

Republic v. Medida, G.R. No. 195097, August 13, 2012

Republic v. Jaralve, G.R. No. 175177, October 24, 2012

Republic v. Aboitiz, G.R. No. 174626, October 23, 2013

Republic v. Capco de Tensuan, G.R. No. 171136, October 23, 2013

Republic v. Sese, G.R. No. 185092, June 4, 2014

Republic v. Remman Enterprises, G.R. No. 199310, February 19, 2014

- Nature, manner and time of possession

Cases:

Republic vs. Eastsilverlane Realty, GR No. 186961, February 20,

2012

Republic vs. Alconaba, GR No. 155012, April 14, 2004

Cornelio Ramos vs. Director of Lands, G.R. No. 13298 November

19, 1918

Republic vs. T.A.N. Properties, GR No. 154953, June 26, 2008

Republic vs. Jaralve, GR No. 175177, October 24, 2012

Republic vs. Santos, GR No. 160453, November 12, 2012

 b.Sec. 14 (2) Prescription

Requisites: Express declaration that the land is:

1.A&D
2.No longer needed for public service or the development
of the national wealth

Cases:

Republic vs. Malabanan GR No. 179987, April 29, 2009

Republic vs. Suburban Realty, GR No. 164408, March 24, 2014

Dream Village Neighborhood Assoc. vs. BCDA, GR No. 192896, July

24, 2013

c.Sec. 14 (3) Accretion

Cases:

Ignacio Grande vs. CA, GR No. L-17652, June 30, 1962

Republic vs. Abrille, GR No. L-39248, May 7, 1976

Fernando vs. Acuna, GR No. 1610, Sent. 14, 2011
d.Sec. 14 (4) “In any other manner provided by law” Other
modes such as a Statute or an executive act

Cases:

Special Patents
Chaves vs. PEA GR No. 133250, July 9, 2002

Reservations
International Hardwood and Veneer Co. vs. UP, G.R. No. L-52518 
August 13, 1991

Republic vs. Doldol, GR No. 132963, Sept. 10, 1998

Palomo vs. Republic, GR No. 95608, January 21, 1997

 4. Non Registrable Properties

Ex.
a.Agricultural Lands
b.Forest or timber Lands
c.Mineral Lands
d.National Park
e.Reservations
f.Foreshore Lands
g.Reclaimed Lands