The forms and contents needed when dealing with lands in the Philippines are provided for

under P.D. No. 1529 (AMENDING AND CODIFYING THE LAWS RELATIVE TO
REGISTRATION OF PROPERTY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES).

Specifically, Sec. 15 of the said decree provides that:

SEC. 15. Form and contents. - The application for land registration shall be in writing, signed
by the applicant or the person duly authorized in his behalf, and sworn to before any officer
authorized to administer oaths for the province or city where the application was actually signed.
If there Is more than one applicant, the application shall be signed and sworn to by and on behalf
of each. The application shall contain a description of the land and shall state the citizenship and
civil status of the applicant, whether single or married, and, if married, the name of the wife or
husband, and, if the marriage has been legally dissolved, when and how the marriage relation
terminated. It shall also state the full names and addresses of all occupants of the land and those
of the adjoining owners, if known, and, if not known, it shall state the extent of the search made
to find them.
The Philippines uses the Torrens system of land registration. Under this system, a Torrens title is
conclusive against third parties, including the government. A holder of a Torrens title in good
faith is guaranteed that his/her title is indefeasible, unassailable and imprescriptible.

The Land Registration Authority (LRA) exists for the sole purpose of implementing and
protecting the Torrens system of land titling and registration, as well as registration of
transactions involving personal properties. Through its Registry Offices, it constitutes as the
central repository of all land records involving registered or titled lands as well as registered
transactions involving unregistered or untitled lands.

It issues decrees of registration pursuant to final judgment of the courts in land registration
proceedings and causes the issuance by a registrar of deeds the corresponding certificate of title.

It is tasked to issue all subsequent or transfer certificates of title. It keeps the title history or
records of transactions involving titled or registered lands. It provides legal and technical
assistance to the courts relative to land registration cases, and to other government agencies with
respect to registration of administratively issued titles. It likewise extends assistance to DAR in
the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
 1. REQUISITE STEPS IN BRINGING LANDS UNDER THE TORRENS SYSTEM.

In order that land may be brought under the operation of the Torrens system, the following steps
should be observed:
a. Survey of land by the Lands Management Bureau or a duly licensed private
surveyor;
b. Filingof application for registration by the applicant;
c. Setting of the date· for the initial hearing of the application by the court;
d. Transmittal of the application and the date of initial hearing together with all the
documents or other evidences attached thereto by the Clerk of Court to the Land
Registration Authority;
e. Publication of the notice of the filing of the application and date and place of the hearing
in the Official Gazette and in a newspaper of general circulation;
f. Service by mailing of notice upon contiguous owners, occupants and those known to
have interests in the PI"?perty;
g. Posting by the sheriff of the notice in a conspicuous place on the land and in the bulletin
board of the municipal building or city where the land is situated;
h. Filing of answer to the application by any person whether named in the notice or not;
i. Hearing of the case by the court;
j. Promulgation of judgment by the court;
k. Issuance of an order for the issuance of a decree declaring the decision final and
instructing the Land Registration Authority to issue the decree of confirmation and
registration;
l. Entry of the decree of registration in the Land Registration Authority;
m. Sending of copy of the decree of registration to the Register of Deeds; and
n. Transcription in the registration book/issuance of duplicate certificate.

NOTE that failure to comply with the foregoing requirements will justify the court to deny the
application for registration.

2. FORMS AND CONTENTS OF THE APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION.

Section 15 requires that the application for land registration shall be in writing, signed by the
applicant or the person duly authorized in his behalf, and sworn to before any officer authorized
to administer oaths for the province or city where the application was actually signed. If there is
more than one (1) applicant, the application shall be signed and sworn to by and on behalf of
each. It shall provide information on the following:
a. Full description of the land as evidenced by a survey plan duly approved by the
Director of Lands, surveyor's certificate, and technical description;
b. Citizenship and civil status of the applicant, whether single or married, and, if
married, the name of the wife or husband, and. if the marriage has been legally
dissolved, when and how the marriage relation terminated;
c. Full names and addresses of all occupants of the land and those of the adjoining
owners, if known, and, if not known, it shall state the extent of the search made to
find them;
 d. Assessed value of the land and the buildings and improvements thereon;
e. Whether or not there are mortgages or encumbrances of any kind whatsoever
affecting the land. or any other person having any interest therein, legal or
equitable, or in possession, thereof;
f. The manner by which the applicant has acquired the land (refer to Section 14, PD
No. 1529);
g. Whether or not the property is conjugal, paraphernal or exclusive property of the
applicant;
h. Names of all occupants of the land, if any;
i. Original muniments of title and other related documents supporting applicant's
claim of ownership; and if the land is bounded by a public or private way or road,
whether or not the applicant claims any and what portion of the land within the
limits of the way or road, and whether the applicant desires to have the line of the
way or road determined.

The application for registration shall be filed pursuant to the "Manual of Instructions to be
Observed by Clerks of Court of Regional Trial Courts in Ordinary and Cadastral Land
Registration Cases" issued by the Land Registration Authority on February 20, 1991.

WHAT IF THE APPLICANT IS A NON-RESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES?

Where the applicant is not a resident of the Philippines, he shall file his application through a
duly authorized representative or attorney-in-fact, whose authority as such shall accompany the
application.

WHERE SHOULD YOU FILE THE APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION?

The regional trial courts "shall have exclusive jurisdiction over all applications for original
registration of title to lands, including improvements and interests therein, and over all petitions
filed after original registration of title, with power to hear and determine all questions arising
upon such applications or petitions."
However, first level courts (Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts in Cities,
Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts) may also be assigned to handle
original registration cases in the instances provided by RA No. 7691 dated March 26, 1994,
amending Section 34 of BP Blg. 129, to wit:
a. Where the lot is not the subject of controversy or opposition; or
b. Where the lot is contested but the value thereof does not exceed Pl00,000.00.

NOTE that an application may Include two or more parcels of land belonging to the
appllcant/s provided they are situated within the same province or city. The court may also
require facts to be stated In the application in addition to those prescribed by this Decree not
Inconsistent therewith and may require the filing of any additional papers. It may also
conduct an ocular Inspection, If necessary.
Provided below is a sample application for land registration, to wit:
 REFERENCES

https://resourcehub.bakermckenzie.com/en/resources/global-corporate-real-estate-guide/asia-
pacific/philippines/topics/real-estate-law#:~:text=The%20Philippines%20uses%20the
%20Torrens,is%20indefeasible%2C%20unassailable%20and%20imprescriptible.
https://lra.gov.ph/vision-and-mission/
Property Registration Decree and Related Laws by Agcaoili (2018)