Recorder of deeds

The principles of statutory, case, and common law are given effect by the recorder of deeds, insofar as it relates to vested ownership in land and other real rights.

Because estate in land can be held in so many complex ways, a single deeds registry provides some clarity, even though it cannot "guarantee" those real property rights.

Certainty of title is the basis for the investment of massive amounts of money in real estate development for residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural use each year.

Each document recorded against title to real estate can be examined and the portion of the bundle of rights that it includes can be determined.

These records can assist interested parties in researching the history of land and the chain of title for any property and purpose.

The Registry of Deeds exists in almost all cities and municipalities in the Philippines and it has a primary duty of registering and keeping all documents pertaining to transfer of real property and issuance of certificates of land title, whether original, transfer or condominium as well as chattel mortgage papers.

Portrait of Frederick Douglass in the D.C. Recorder of Deeds Building. Frederick Douglass was the first recorder of deeds for the District of Columbia .