Register of Deeds offices undergo massive rehabilitation

MANILA, Philippines - Register of Deeds (RDs) offices nationwide have undergone enormous transformation — from a picture of unorganized record management and poor working conditions, to a portrait of efficient, computerized systems and state-of-the-art technology.

The structural and administrative overhaul formed part of the Land Titling Computerization Program (LTCP), a flagship project of the Land Registration Authority (LRA) under the Aquino administration.

The LTCP project aims to eliminate fraudulent land titles and speed up real estate transactions.

The refurbishment of the RDs was also part of a larger plan to digitize systems and interconnect all the RDs to the LRA central office, making land title transactions expeditious and more convenient.

RDs now modern and computerized

One of the recently modernized RDs was the Cavite Provincial RD, reputedly the largest in the country, handling the biggest number of transactions at an estimated average of 400 on a daily basis.

Headed by Registrar Edgar Santos, the Cavite RD stands on a 600-sqm property donated by the provincial government of Cavite.

To date, a total of 135 out of 164 RDs nationwide are now “live” and connected to the LRA Central Office. Such connection allows the public to check the status of their transactions anywhere just by logging on to www.lra.gov.ph, and by visiting any RD across the country. 

No cost to government, less costs to the public

The LTCP was implemented under the Build-Operate-Transfer Law (BOT) with the private partner covering the costs of the entire computerization project.

“The Philippine government did not spend a single centavo to make LRA systems more efficient and secure,” said LRA Administrator Eulalio Diaz III. He underscored the large savings that land title holders can realize through the newly computerized system of the LRA.

With the computerization of the RDs and the LRA central office in place, there was a marked increase in efficiency in terms of time and costs, not only for the government, but also for the transacting public.

The LRA chief explained that those who have properties elsewhere in the country need only go to the nearest RD to request for a certified true copy (CTC) of their land title, thus realizing substantial savings in travel expenses, time, and efforts.

Further, it now only takes three days for a CTC to be issued, given the normal number of transactions. However, RDs with high volume of transactions like Cavite, Quezon City, Calamba and Makati may take more time owing to their larger number of daily transactions.

Challenges

With the LRA’s systems now modernized and more efficient, the next challenge the agency faces is the training of RD personnel in using the computerized system.

“While the systems are now computerized, the people have to be trained to operate the new system and embrace a culture of efficiency in all the RDs,” Diaz said.

He disclosed that they are also hiring additional employees to beef up the existing workforce of the RDs.

“Little by little, we are on our way to a fully computerized system that would provide efficiency and security that our public deserves,” Diaz said.