Jul 142013
 

MANILA, Philippines – The Land Registration Authority (LRA) said its land titling computerization project (LTCP) continues to go full blast to give its target clientele the optimum security and benefits of state-of-the-art information technology at the soonest possible time.

LRA deputy administrator Ronald Ortile said the installation of the LTCP system in cooperation with the agency’s private partner, the Land Registration Systems Inc. (LARES), “is 93 percent complete, with 134 RDs already live and connected to LRA central office.”

Reacting to reports of delay in the release of certain documents being sought by land owners from the RDs in the provinces, Ortile noted that “the delays may be likened to birth pains since we are introducing a new and ultra-modern concept in land titling services.” 

Moving to a new system also involves the challenge of training existing employees, which may be a contributing factor in delays experienced by specific RDs. While staff training continues, LRA has conveyed its plan to augment manpower in different RDs to help address isolated cases of delay.

But with the refurbished RD offices in place, the public can enjoy the full benefits of the LTCP that could translate into utmost convenience for land owners and other parties availing themselves of LRA’s online services made possible by the computer system. 

Ortile said land owners could actually save time and money by using the LRA’s A2A service. “If a client based in Quezon City wants to obtain a CTC of a land title stored in an RD located in Davao City, all the client needs to do is to go the Quezon City RD and request for such document. He will actually save on travel and accommodation costs,” Ortile explained.

Jan 282013
 
Fake title, fake owners

A prominent lawyer told Spy Bits that a six-hectare property owned by SM Development Corp. is allegedly being claimed by persons holding a land title that was already declared as “fake” by the Land Registration Authority or LRA. The SM property is located in Barangay San Rafael in Pasay City but the claimants – said to be the heirs of a certain Danilo V. Herrera – continue to insist it is theirs on the strength of a reconstituted title that, upon closer scrutiny, happens to cover another property situated in Malibay, also in Pasay. A 2003 report from the LRA said the Register of Deeds declared the claimants’ title spurious or questionable due to irregularities in its issuance, and that the title from which Herrera based his claim was declared as defective and even included among those recommended for nullification. The signature of the Register of Deeds who reportedly issued the title also seems to have been faked according to the National Bureau of Investigation. The lawyer said that what’s really strange is that Pasay RTC Judge Jesus Mupas issued the reconstituted title and a writ of possession favoring the claimants “ex parte” (one sided) without giving notice to SMDC. SM was able to obtain a temporary restraining order from the Court of Appeals last Jan. 24 directing concerned parties to cease and desist from enforcing the Writ of Possession earlier issued by Mupas, but for some reason, the Pasay RTC sheriff disregarded the order and even brought a demolition Read More …