Frequently Asked Questions

Foreigners cannot own land in the Philippines under the 1987 Constitution. However, they can own a condominium unit (up to 40% of the total units in a building), or lease land for up to 50 years (renewable for another 25 years). Foreign nationals can also purchase property through a Filipino spouse or through a Philippine-registered corporation where Filipinos hold at least 60% of the equity.

Yes. OFWs are Filipino citizens and are fully entitled to own land and property in the Philippines. You can purchase in person or authorize a trusted representative through a Special Power of Attorney (SPA) notarized and authenticated at the Philippine Consulate in your country.

CADT stands for Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title. Some areas in Palawan fall within ancestral domain territories of indigenous peoples (IP). Land inside a CADT cannot be privately owned by non-IP members. Always verify whether a property is inside a CADT at the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) before purchasing.

Visit the Registry of Deeds (RD) in Puerto Princesa City and request a certified true copy of the title. Check for any annotations, liens, mortgages, or encumbrances on the back of the title. Also verify with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) that real property taxes are up to date, and check at the local Assessor Office for the latest Tax Declaration.

A TCT (Transfer Certificate of Title) is issued every time a property is sold and transferred to a new owner — it is the most common title type. An OCT (Original Certificate of Title) is the first title issued when land is originally registered under the Torrens system. Both are valid and clean titles if free from annotations.

You should verify: (1) Certified True Copy of the title from the Registry of Deeds, (2) Tax Declaration from the Assessor Office, (3) Real Property Tax clearance from the Treasurer Office, (4) BIR Certificate Authorizing Registration (CAR) for the previous sale, (5) Lot plan and technical description from a licensed geodetic engineer, and (6) Seller valid government IDs and proof of ownership.

The process involves: (1) Property viewing and negotiation, (2) Signing a Reservation Agreement and paying a reservation fee, (3) Due diligence — title verification, tax checks, boundary survey, (4) Signing the Deed of Absolute Sale notarized by a notary public, (5) Paying taxes (Capital Gains Tax and Documentary Stamp Tax) at the BIR, (6) Securing a Certificate Authorizing Registration (CAR) from the BIR, (7) Paying transfer tax at the local government, (8) Filing for title transfer at the Registry of Deeds, and (9) Updating the Tax Declaration at the Assessor Office.

The complete title transfer process in Palawan typically takes 3 to 6 months depending on the completeness of documents and the workload at the Registry of Deeds, BIR, and local government offices. Delays are common if taxes have not been paid on time or if documents are incomplete. Working with a licensed broker helps ensure all requirements are prepared correctly.

The main costs include: Capital Gains Tax (6% of the selling price or zonal value, whichever is higher) — paid by the seller but sometimes negotiated; Documentary Stamp Tax (1.5%) — paid by the buyer; Transfer Tax (0.5% to 0.75%) — paid at the local government; Registration Fee — paid at the Registry of Deeds based on a schedule; Notarial Fee — typically 1% to 2% of the contract price. Budget approximately 8% to 10% of the property price for total transaction costs.

Yes. Options include: bank financing through major Philippine banks (BDO, BPI, Metrobank, Land Bank) with typical terms of 5 to 20 years; Pag-IBIG Fund housing loans for eligible members; in-house developer financing for subdivision lots; and seller financing for direct seller transactions. Note that raw land without improvements is harder to finance through banks — most banks prefer to finance titled residential lots with existing structures.