Land registry e-Title program launched

CEBU, Philippines - Responding to the need of standardization of land titling and higher security level, the Land Registration Authority, in partnership with the Land Registration Systems Inc. launched the Voluntary Title Standardization Program or Electronic Title (e-Title) Program yesterday at Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.

LRA Administrator Eulalio Diaz III said that the program gives the registered landowners the opportunity to replace their existing titles into e-Titles that are printed on security paper with unique technological features.

“Ever since 2008, we already started the computerization, digitalizing all data but that is not the end. We have to standardize the form in a fast, reliable system that can be very convenient to everyone,” he stated.

With e-Title, the Registry copy shall now be electronically stored in the online system to secure it from fraud, tampering, and to protect these from loss and destruction due to age, wear and tear, fire, theft, natural calamities and misfiling of records.

 Atty.Sedfrey Garcia, head of Marikina Registries of Deeds Operations Committee clarified that the electronic titling is a voluntary program for landowners in which there are no major changes in the land titles but shall ensure higher security.

“This allows owners of titled projects to voluntary upgrade their manually-issued certificate of titles into a more secured Philaris format issued by the Central Bank. There will be no alterations or modifications in the content. We are not changing the content of the title, only the form,” Garcia said.

For purposes of tax declaration, he added, the title number will remain the same with the manually-issued title. The original title number will be enclosed in parentheses in the e-title form.

Garcia also mentioned that the e-title program offers more secure Registry Copy and owner’s duplicate copy of the Certificate of Title, faster transaction processing and clearer certified true copies.

The electronically-based land title will also feature a bar code at the bottommost right of the form mirrored in a serial number located at the uppermost left alerting the system; thus making it more secure.

Cebu City Register of Deeds Emmanuel Gimarino said that getting an e-title is easy. Registered landowners, co-owners and/or authorized representatives can file a verified Petition for Voluntary Standardization of Certificate of Title at the Register of Deeds and submit together with a valid copy of government-issued ID, owner’s duplicate Certificate of Title, all issued co-owner’s duplicate Certificate of Title and other required authorized documents for representative of owners.

In case the requesting party is an authorized representative of the registered owner/s, a duly notarized Special Power of attorney is needed and for juridical entity, a notarized Secretary’s Certificate or Board Resolution shall be required.

“What happens to the red manually-issued title upon submission will be stamped as “cancelled” and be kept in vault for security purposes,” Gimarino said.

Processing time for e-titles is five maximum business days and regular rate will be P 817.82 VAT-inclusive.

Gimarino encouraged land titleholders to have their e-titles from January 9, 2012 to July 8, 2012 at a discounted rate for P638.

Meanwhile, Garcia added that e-titles will be stored in three secured databases particularly in the Registry of Deeds, Informant Center in LRA and in an undisclosed and safe place.

“The system continues to update itself in these three databases. If something happens in one database, the other two will be used,” he stated.

Cebu 4th District House Representative Benhur Salimbangon also attended the launching of the program and expressed his support.

“This program is really good. This can protect the general public,” he said.

Upon the congressman’s suggestion in making the program compulsory to landowners, LRA- IT Consultant Raul Crisostomo explained that they are still in the stage of campaigning and educating the program to the public and that they are taking things slowly as part of the learning process.

Having an initial count of 41 land titles already registered as e-title, administrators of program are endeavouring to finish the project this year.

The e-title service is now available at the Registries of Deeds of Cebu City, Cebu Province, Lapu-Lapu City, Danao City and Toledo City. Landowners can also check the LRA website (www.lra.gov.ph) or inquire from the Registries of Deeds. (FREEMAN)