Press Release
June 8, 2015

Senate approves creation of Zamboanga Sibugay Registry of Deeds

The Senate today approved on third and final reading a bill creating the Registry of Deeds for the province of Zamboanga Sibugay, which will be situated in the municipality of Ipil.

House Bill No. 586, sponsored by Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, was authored in the House of Representatives by Zamboanga Sibugay Representatives Belma Cabilao ( 1st District) and Ann Hofer (2nd District), Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas (5th District), and Davao City Representative Isidro Ungab (3rd District).

"The Registry of Deeds is intended to be the repository of all instruments affecting registered land. Through the Registry of Deeds, we are able to find out the who, what, when and where of a particular real property," Pimentel said.

"Although Republic Act No. 8973, establishing Zamboanga Sibugay and separating it from Zamboanga del Sur was signed into law in November of 2000, the province has yet to have a Registry of Deeds," Pimentel added.

Pimentel said that the lack of a Registry of Deeds in Zamboanga Sibugay has caused great inconvenience to its constituents, who continue to transact with the Registry of Deeds of Zamboanga del Sur for their property registration concerns. The Registry of Deeds of Zamboanga del Sur is located in Pagadian City, some 130.2 kilometers from Ipil, the capital town of Sibugay.

According to the measure, the Registry of Deeds will have territorial jurisdiction over all municipalities in Zamboanga Sibugay.

Under the proposed measure, the President, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Justice, will appoint the registrar who will be assisted by a staff complement. The Register will also be authorized to collect fees and charges for services rendered in connection with the performance of his duties.

According to the bill, a Deputy Register of Deeds and, in the appropriate case, a Second Deputy Register of Deeds, shall be appointed by the Secretary of Justice upon the recommendation of the Administrator of the Land Registration Authority (LRA), in the event that the amounts collected during its first three (3) years of operation would meet the annual average revenue standards set by Presidential Decree No. 1529, otherwise known as "The Property Registration Decree".

"It is hoped that establishing a Registry of Deeds solely for the purpose of Zamboanga Sibugay will spur economic development in the area," Pimentel added.

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