AN ACT TO AMEND SUBSECTION (b) OF SECTION FORTY-EIGHT OF COMMONWEALTH ACT NUMBERED ONE HUNDRED FORTY-ONE

REPUBLIC ACT No. 1942

AN ACT TO AMEND SUBSECTION (b) OF SECTION FORTY-EIGHT OF COMMONWEALTH ACT NUMBERED ONE HUNDRED FORTY-ONE, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE PUBLIC LAND ACT.

Section 1. Subsection (b) of section forty-eight of Commonwealth Act Numbered One hundred forty-one, otherwise known as the Public Land Act, is amended to read as follows:

"(b) Those who by themselves or through their predecessors in interest have been in open, continuous, exclusive, and notorious possession and occupation of agricultural lands of the public domain, under a bona fide claim of acquisition of ownership, for at least thirty years immediately preceding the filing of the application for confirmation of title except when prevented by war or force majeure. These shall be conclusively presumed to have performed all the conditions essential to a Government grant and shall be entitled to a certificate of title under the provisions of this chapter."

Section 2. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: June 22, 1957

Summary of Republic Act No. 1942

Amends Subsection (b) of Section 48 of the Public Land Act

- Grants certificate of title to those who have been in open, continuous, exclusive, and notorious possession and occupation of agricultural lands of the public domain for at least thirty years immediately preceding the filing of the application for confirmation of title. (Section 1)
- The possession and occupation must be under a bona fide claim of acquisition of ownership. (Section 1)
- The thirty-year period is conclusively presumed to have fulfilled all conditions essential to a government grant. (Section 1)
- The exception is when the possession and occupation were prevented by war or force majeure. (Section 1)
- The Act took effect upon its approval on June 22, 1957. (Section 2)