Philippine Property Registration Laws

Presidential Decree No. 1529

• Decree aims to update the Land Registration Act and codify laws related to property registration to facilitate effective implementation
• Safeguards are adopted to prevent anomalous titling of real property and streamline registration proceedings and issuance of certificates of title

General Provisions

• This decree is known as the PROPERTY REGISTRATION DECREE
• Judicial proceedings for land registration are in rem and based on the Torrens system
• Courts of First Instance have exclusive jurisdiction over applications for original registration of title to lands and petitions filed after original registration
• The court clerk shall furnish the Land Registration Commission with certified copies of pleadings, exhibits, orders, and decisions

Status of Other Pre-Existing Land Registration Systems

• The system of registration under the Spanish Mortgage Law is discontinued
• Lands recorded under the Spanish Mortgage Law system which are not yet covered by Torrens title are considered unregistered lands
• Instruments affecting lands originally registered under the Spanish Mortgage Law may be recorded until the land is brought under the Torrens system
• Books of registration for unregistered lands continue to remain in force, but instruments shall be registered under Section 113 of this Decree

The Land Registration Commission and Its Registries of Deeds

• The Land Registration Commission is created to execute laws related to land registration efficiently
• The Commission is under the executive supervision of the Department of Justice
• The Commission has a Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, appointed by the President, with qualifications and ranks similar to a Judge of the Court of First Instance