LRA Circular No. 388 issued on February  4, 1981 prohibits the issuance of xerox copies of certificates of title in view of the perception that the xerox copies is are used as reference in the preparation of forged of fake owner's duplicates of certificates of title which are later offered as genuine to unsuspecting buyers or encumbrancers.  Thus, under the circular only typewritten copies of certificates of title were allowed to be issued.  However, in response to urgent requests of landowners and other interested parties for a speedy issuance of certified copies of certificates of title, LRA Circular No. 388 was amended by LRA Circular No. 39, dated November 8, 1991, allowing the issuance of xerox copies of titles prepared on judicial forms printed by the Central Bank of the Philippines which, in view of their distinct security features, can be easily distinguished from counterfeit forms.

The amending circular notwithstanding, reports continue to reach this Authority that the registries of deeds cannot expeditiously respond to the increasing number of requests for certified copies of certificates of title due to surmounting volume of work, complicated by limited manpower, not to mention the fact that in may cases the typewritten copies of certificates of title contain substantial errors brought about by typing or clerical mistakes.

In view thereof, and considering that fake or spurious owner's duplicates, which can be prepared not only on the basis of xerox copies but on typewritten copies of genuine certificates of title as well, when presented to the registries can be detected by a wary and vigilant registrar, the prohibition against issuing certified xerox copies of certificates of title is hereby lifted.  Henceforth, Registers of Deeds and branch Registers of Deeds may issue xerox/machine/photo or typewritten copies of certificates of title subject to the following guidelines:

1. Requests for certified or plain copies of titles must be in writing, stating therein  the full name and address of party making the request, the title number, name of registered owner, lot/plan number of the property described in the title, and the purpose for which the copy of the title is requested.

2.  Certified or plain copies of titles shall be dated and subsequently numbered beginning with No. 001.  Such number shall be preceded by a registry code consisting of not more than three letters and the last two digits of the year when the certified copy of the title was issued.  Eg.: MLA 93-001 for Mania; QC 93-001 for Quezon City, etc.

3.  The  sequential number assigned to the certified or plain copy of the title shall be indorsed on the written request of the party in interest which, in turn, shall be complied by the registry consecutively in accordance with the sequential number indicated thereon.

4.  the corresponding fee shall collected and duly receipted for every certification issued by the Register of Deeds.  Where the registry has a copying machine, a cost of duplication fee of P3.50 for every page reproduced thereon shall be assessed and collected and for which an official receipt shall also be issued pursuant to DOJ Circular No. 48 dated 4 August 1993 and implemented by LRA Circular No. 57, issued on 6 September 1993, in addition to the certification fee.  The official receipt numbers, indicated fee.  The official receipt numbers, the date and the request for certified or plain copy of the title and on the certification issued by the Register of Deeds.

5.  The P3.50 per page cost of duplication fee shall not be charged if the title is reproduced on a machine outside of the registry, or payment thereof, may be waived when the request for a record is made by a government agency, by a noncommercial or education institutions for academic or research purposes, or by a representative of the news media.

Strict compliance herewith is enjoined.

Adopted: 7 Dec. 1993

(Sgd.) REYNALDO Y. MAULIT
Administrator