CEBU, Philippines - Residents of Bogo City and neighboring towns will not need to travel to Cebu City to file for a certified true copy or charter mortgage transaction with the opening of the Registry of Deeds Office yesterday at the Bogo City hall.
Officials of the Bogo City government and the Land Registration Authority (LRA) led the opening yesterday of the office, which is a dream come true for the city, according to former Bogo City mayor Junie Martinez.
"You know when you look at the development (of the city) you also try to look at the ingredients nga kinahanglan buhaton para ma- hasten ang development sa usa ka siyudad," he said.
"So one of the very important offices that we would need in order to be able to give immediate service to the incoming businesses here in Bogo is the Land Registration Commission," he added.
Martinez said that before his son, incumbent Mayor Carlos Jose Martinez, took his place, they already started working to have the land registration branch due to Bogo City's rapid development.
LRA officer-in-charge, Robert Nomar Leyretana, disclosed that in 2013, they already planned to have the satellite office in the city. In fact in October 2013, they already had the necessary fixtures for the satellite office.
However, in November, Bogo City was one of the areas badly hit by super typhoon Yolanda.
"But we did not fret. At ngayon pwedi na, ayos na 'yung building. Then I instructed the ROD (Registration of Deeds) from Cebu province, in which records of Cebu should be kept in Cebu province, to segregate inventory – all the titles needed for Bogo City Registry," Leyretana said.
From its initial plan of a satellite office, where limited transactions such as filing of a "certified true copy" are made, they upgraded the idea to a full service office so it can also serve the other towns.
The municipalities of Bantayan, Daan Bantayan, Medellin, San Remigio, Sta. Fe, Madridejos and Tabogon are now under the jurisdiction for registration of Bogo City.
Lawyer Jay-ar Lim, acting OIC of ROD, said the Registry of Deeds Office is part of Mayor Carlos Martinez's "one-stop shop" projects.
"The people could just process everything they need in the City Hall since all offices are already here actively in service," he said. (FREEMAN)