EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session
)
SENATE No. 1931
(In Substitution of Senate Bill Nos. 1268 and 18
jg. J|4overnber^4^2pn
TIME
NDfcX
Prepared by the Committee on Justice and Human Rights 
with Senators Sonny Angara and Richard J. Gordon as authors
AN ACT
IMPROVING CONFIRMATION OF IMPERFECT TITLES, AMENDING FOR THE 
PURPOSE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1529, COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 
141, AND REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9176, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of die Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
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SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - It is the declared policy of the State to
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simplify, update and harmonize similar and related provisions of land laws in order to
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simplify and remove ambiguity in its interpretation and implementation. It is also the
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policy of the State to provide land tenure security by continuing judicial and
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administrative titling processes.
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SEC. 2. Judicial Confirmation of Imperfect Title. - The qualifications
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provided in Section 14 of Presidential Decree No. 1529 and Section 48, Chapter VII of
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Commonwealth Act No. 141, as amended, shall be amended to read as follows:
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"Section 14. Who may apply. The following persons may file in 
the proper [Gourt-of-First-jnstonee] REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 
an application for registration of title to land, NOT EXCEEDING 
TWELVE (12) HECTARES, whether personally or through their 
duly authorized representatives:
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(1) 
Those who by themselves or through their 
predecessors-in-interest have been in open, continuous, 
exciusive and notorious possession and occupation of 
aiienable and disposabie iands of the public domain 
under a bona fide claim of ownership [sinco Juno 12/ 
■1945, or Garlior.] FOR AT LEAST THIRTY (30) 
YEARS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE FILING 
OF THE APPLICATION FOR CONFIRMATION OF 
TITLE EXCEPT WHEN PREVENTED BY WAR OR 
FORCE MAJEURE. THEY SHALL BE 
CONCLUSIVELY PRESUMED TO HAVE 
PERFORMED ALL THE CONDITIONS ESSENTIAL 
TO A GOVERNMENT GRANT AND SHALL BE 
ENTITLED TO A CERTIFICATE OF TITLE UNDER 
THIS SECTION.
(2) 
THOSE WHO HAVE ACQUIRED OWNERSHIP OF 
PRIVATE LANDS OR ABANDONED RIVERBEDS BY 
RIGHT OF ACCESSION OR ACCRETION UNDER 
THE EXISTING LAWS.
(3) 
THOSE WHO HAVE ACQUIRED OWNERSHIP OF 
LAND IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED FOR 
BY LAW."


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"SECTION 48. The following-described citizens of the 
Philippines, occupying iands of the public domain or claiming to 
own any such lands or an interest therein, but whose titles have 
not been perfected or completed, may apply to the [Gourt-of 
First-InstancG of-thc-provincG] REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 
where the land is located for confirmation of their claims and 
the issuance of a certificate of title therefor, under the Land 
Registration Act, to wit:
(1) THOSE WHO BY THEMSELVES OR THROUGH 
THEIR PREDECESSORS-IN-INTEREST HAVE BEEN 
IN OPEN, CONTINUOUS, EXCLUSIVE AND 
NOTORIOUS POSSESSION AND OCCUPATION OF 
ALIENABLE AND DISPOSABLE LANDS OF THE 
PUBLIC DOMAIN UNDER A BONA FIDE CLAIM OF 
OWNERSHIP FOR AT LEAST THIRTY (30) YEARS 
IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE FILING OF THE 
APPLICATION FOR CONFIRMATION OF TITLE 
EXCEPT WHEN PREVENTED BY WAR OR FORCE 
MAJEURE. THEY SHALL BE CONCLUSIVELY 
PRESUMED TO HAVE PERFORMED ALL THE 
CONDITIONS ESSENTIAL TO A GOVERNMENT 
GRANT AND SHALL BE ENTITLED TO A 
CERTIFICATE OF TITLE UNDER THIS SECTION.


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(2) THOSE WHO HAVE ACQUIRED OWNERSHIP OF
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PRIVATE LANDS OR ABANDONED RIVERBEDS BY
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RIGHT OF ACCESSION OR ACCRETION UNDER THE
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EXISTING LAWS.
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(3) THOSE WHO HAVE ACQUIRED OWNERSHIP OF
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LAND IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED FOR BY
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LAW."
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SEC 3. Proof that the Land is Alienable and Disposable - For purposes
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of judicial confirmation of imperfect titles filed under PD No. 1529, a duly signed
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certification by a duly designated DENR Geodetic Engineer that the land is part of
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alienable and disposable agricultural lands of the public domain is sufficient proof that
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the land is alienable. Said certification shall be imprinted in the approved survey plan
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submitted by the applicant in the land registration court. The imprinted certification in
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the plan shall contain a sworn statement by the geodetic engineer that the land is
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within the alienable and disposable lands of the public domain and shall state the
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applicable Administrative Order, DENR Administrative Order, Executive Order,
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Proclamations and the Land Classification Map Project Number covering the land.
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Should there be no available copy of the Forestry Administrative Order,
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Executive Order or Proclamation, it is sufficient that the Land Classification Map
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Number, Project Number, and released classification indicated in the land classification
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map be stated in the sworn statement declaring that said land classification map is
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existing in the inventory of LC Map records of the National Mapping and Resource
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Information Authority (NAMRIA) and is being used by the DENR as land classification
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map.


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SEC 4. Administrative legalization of Free Patents. - Sections 44,
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Chapter VI of Commonwealth Act (CA) No. 141, as amended, is further amended to
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read as follows:
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"SECTION 44. Any natural-born citizen of the Philippines who is
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not the owner of more than twelve (12) hectares and who, for
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at least thirty (30) years prior to the [cffectivity-of—this
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amendatory-Act] FILING OF THE APPLICATION, has
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continuously occupied and cultivated, either by
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himself/HERSELF or through his/HER predecessors-in-
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interest a tract or tracts of ALIENABLE AND DISPOSABLE
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agricultural public lands subject to disposition, AND who shall
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have paid the real estate tax thereon [whilo-the-samG-hos-not
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boon-occupied by any person] shall be entitled, under the
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provisions of this Chapter, to have a free patent Issued to him
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for such tract or tracts of such land not to exceed twelve (12)
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hectares."
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SEC. 5. Section 45, as amended, of CA No. 141 shall be deleted and
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a new Section 45 shall be inserted as follows:
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"SECTION 45. 
PERIOD 
FOR APPLICATION. ALL
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APPLICATIONS SHALL BE FILED AT ANY TIME AFTER
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THE EFFECnVITY OF 
THIS ACT BEFORE THE
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COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT 
AND NATURAL
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RESOURCES OFFICE (CENRO) OR REGION OF THE
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DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL


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RESOURCES (DENR). THE CENRO IS MANDATED TO 
PROCESS THE APPLICATION WITHIN ONE HUNDRED 
AND TWENTY (120) DAYS TO INCLUDE COMPLIANCE 
WITH THE REQUIRED NOTICES AND OTHER LEGAL 
REQUIREMENTS, AND FORWARD THEIR 
RECOMMENDATION TO THE PROVINCIAL 
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES OFFICE 
(PENRO) IF THE AREA OF THE LAND IS BELOW FIVE (5) 
HECTARES; TO THE DENR REGIONAL DIRECTOR IF THE 
AREA OF THE LAND IS FIVE (5) TO TEN (10) HECTARES;
AND TO THE SECRETARY OF DENR IF THE AREA OF THE 
LAND IS MORE THAN 10 TO TWELVE (12) HECTARES,
WHO SHALL HAVE FIVE (5) DAYS TO APPROVE OR 
DISAPPROVE THE PATENT. IN CASE OF APPROVAL, THE 
PATENT SHALL BE ISSUED; IN CASE OF CONFLICTING 
CLAIMS AMONG DIFFERENT CLAIMANTS, THE PARTIES 
MAY SEEK THE PROPER JUDICIAL REMEDIES. 
PROVIDED, THAT IN PROVINCES WITH NO CENRO, THE 
APPLICATION SHALL BE FILED WITH THE PENRO."
SEC. 6. Section 47, Chapter VIII of CA No. 141, as amended by Republic Act
21 No. 9176, is hereby amended to read as follows:
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"Section 47. The persons specified in the next following section 
taro herGby-grontod-timoT-not-to extcnd-beyond-DGecmber 31,
2020 within-which-to] MAY avail of the benefits of this Chapter


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AT ANYTIME. [i-Providcd, That this-poriod-Ghall-apply-only 
whcrc-thG arco applied for docsHTOt-Gxe-GGd twelve (12) hGctorcs:
Provided; further, That the severat-periods-of-time-desfgnated-by
the President in aceordance-with-Section Forty-five of-thiG-Act
shall apply oIgo to the lands comprioed in the-provioions-of-this
GhapterT-but-this-Section-shall-not-be-construed-as prohibiting
any-of-said-persons-from-acting-under-this Chapter at any-time
prior to-the period fixed by the-PresidentT]"
SEC. 7. Removal of Restrictions. -The provisions of Republic Act No. 11231
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shall be applicable to Free Patents issued under this Act.
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SEC. 8. Impiementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days
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from the effectivity of this Act, the Director of the Land Management Bureau of DENR
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shall promulgate the Implementing Rules and Regulations to carry out the provisions
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of this Act, and shall see to it that such are gender responsive.
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SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, executive
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issuances or letters of instruction, rules and regulations or any part thereof
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inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby deemed repealed,
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amended or modified accordingly.
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SEC. 10. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason or reasons, any part or
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parts of this Act shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid by any competent court,
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other parts of this Act shall be thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.
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SEC. 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
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publication in the Officiai Gazette or in at ieast two (2) newspapers of generai
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circulation.


Approved,