1What are the five major classifications of land surveys in the Philippines?
Control, cadastral, isolated, mineral land, and forestland/protected area surveys
2To establish a reference framework for subsequent surveys
Control Survey
3A survey that covers extensive areas and accounts for Earth curvature and the geoid-spheroidal shape
Geodetic Control Survey
4What does the Geodetic Control Survey establish?
The basic reference network, including first- and second-order controls
5A survey that establishes reference positions for projects with limited geographic coverage
Project Control Survey
6What types of areas can a Project Control Survey cover?
A municipality, barangay, settlement, or isolated tract
7What are the three levels of control covered by a Project Control Survey?
Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Control
8To determine the metes and bounds of all parcels within an entire municipality or city for land registration and other purposes
Cadastral Survey
9A cadastral survey where bearings and distances of individual lots are determined from computations based on actual ground survey
Numerical Cadastre
10A cadastral survey where bearings and distances are obtained using transit and stadia, scaling from photo maps, or other graphical methods
Graphical Cadastre
11The subdivision of alienable and disposable lands covering more than 1,500 hectares
Public Land Subdivision
12Surveys of individual or grouped parcels outside a full cadastral project with an area not more than 1,500 hectares
Isolated Surveys
13What are some purposes of isolated surveys?
Agricultural, residential, commercial, resettlement, and other purposes
14A&D land of 1,500 hectares or less containing 50 parcels or more
Group Settlement/Townsite
15An original survey of A&D land not subject to private rights or public use
Public Land Survey
16A survey that changes lot numbers without affecting the original boundary technical description
Amendment Survey
17A survey of land claimed or owned by individuals or organizations for land registration
Private Land Survey
18A survey of parcels administered by or belonging to the government
Government Land Survey
19A survey that converts graphical/cadastral mapping to numerical lots or covers other specific-purpose parcel surveys
Conversion/Other Survey
20Lands purchased by the government from Religious Orders/private corporations from 1904–1913 for distribution under Act 1120
Friar Land Estates
21Surveys of patrimonial property of the State
National Government Lands
22Lands acquired by provincial, city/municipal, or barangay governments that are not needed for public purposes
LGU Lands
23A survey involving provincial, municipal/city, or barangay boundaries
Political Boundary Survey
24A survey that checks reported erroneous surveys, overlaps, or encroachment upon an RTD order
Verification (Vs) Survey
25A survey that segregates 20% or less of a previously surveyed large public-land tract
Segregation (Sgs) Survey
26A survey that resets boundary lines indicated in an approved survey or title
Relocation (Rel) Survey
27A survey that re-surveys an approved lot under specified circumstances
Re-Survey (Rs)
28A survey that locates natural/artificial features and elevations for map making
Topographic Survey
29A survey for scientificeographic investigations or other unlisted surveys under a Special Work Order; it is not for titling
Special Survey
30Surveys of mining claims, quarry applications, sand and gravel applications, and other mineral lands
Mineral Land Surveys
31Under what law are mineral land surveys executed?
RA 7942
32To delimit on the ground the boundaries of forestlands and national parks/protected areas from agricultural (A&D) lands
Forestlands and National Parks/Protected Area surveys
33Who may conduct Forestland and Protected Area surveys?
The Regional Composite Survey Team or qualified private Geodetic Engineers
34Who may execute land surveys for land registration and other purposes?
A Geodetic Engineer pursuant to RA 8560, as amended
35What professional credentials are required of a Geodetic Engineer?
PRC registration, PRC ID, current PTR, and TIN
36What professional association requirement applies to practicing Geodetic Engineers?
They must be active members of a PRC-accredited association of Geodetic Engineers
37A seal required on survey returns submitted to DENR that carries the PRC Registration Number and Date of Issuance
GE Dry Seal
38A record maintained by the Regional Surveys Division containing the identity, registration, specimen signatures/initials, and submitted survey-plan information of each practicing GE
GE Index Card
39A database maintained by the LMB containing official listings of Geodetic Engineers, validated with the PRC Board of Geodetic Engineering
National GE Database
40What are the three key government agencies involved in property surveying?
DENR, Department of Agrarian Reform, and Land Registration Authority
41It generally undertakes cadastral surveys of untitled properties and is responsible for approval of surveys discussed in the guide
DENR Land Management Services
42It undertakes cadastral surveys for lands declared as agrarian reform areas
Department of Agrarian Reform
43It manages records of titled properties and approves subdivision, consolidation, and relocation surveys of titled properties
Land Registration Authority
44Where are titles entered?
Into the Register of Deeds in the relevant administrative subdivision
45Lands not clearly within private ownership are presumed to belong to the State
Regalian Doctrine
46Can a GE survey public-domain land without the required SA or SO?
No
47Is an SA or SO required for titled and privately owned land?
No
48Who may authorize a GE to survey private land?
The owner, legal claimant, authorized representative, or a court order
49An instruction issued by the concerned DENR official to a government or private GE to conduct a survey over public-domain land or a survey project for a specific purpose
Survey Order (SO)
50A permit issued by the concerned DENR official to a private Geodetic Engineer to conduct an isolated survey over public lands for public-land application purposes
Survey Authority (SA)
51What is the key difference between SO and SA?
An SO is an instruction for a survey/project, while an SA is a permit for a private GE to conduct an isolated public-land survey
52SO for Protected-area or watershed delimitation covering two or more regions
DENR Secretary
53SO for Inter-regional provincial boundary disputes
Director of LMB
54SA for isolated surveys under special law or proclamation giving LMB jurisdiction
Director of LMB
55SA for Delimitation surveys on land classification
NAMRIA Administrator
56SO for Mineral land surveys
Regional Director
57SO for Protected-area surveys of 5,000 hectares and above
Regional Executive Director
58SO for Political boundary surveys with no inter-regional dispute
Regional Executive Director
59SO for Same-region watershed reservation surveys of 5,000 hectares and above
Regional Executive Director
60SO for Reclamation projects of 100 hectares and above
Regional Executive Director
61SO for Isolated land surveys of more than 100 hectares
Regional Executive Director
62SO for LGU lands of more than 100 hectares
Regional Executive Director
63SA for Foreshore land surveys of more than 100 hectares
Regional Executive Director
64SO for Barangay political boundaries within the same city/municipality, public land subdivision, reclamation below 100 ha, townsiteroup settlement ≤1,500 ha, isolated surveys >12 to 100 ha, and LGU lands ≤100 ha
RTD for Lands
65SA for foreshore surveys from 12 to 100 hectares
RTD for Lands
66SO for Forestry watershed reservation delimitation in the same region below 5,000 ha and protected-area delimitation below 5,000 ha
RTD for Forestry/PAWCZMS
67SA for isolated land surveys of 12 hectares and below
CENRO
68SA for foreshore land surveys of 12 hectares and below
CENRO
69Who issues survey authority for lands under another government agency?
The head of the concerned agency or an authorized representative
70What must accompany survey returns for lands under another government agency?
Pertinent laws or legal documents establishing jurisdiction or ownership
71What must accompany survey returns for private lands?
Proof of ownership or the basis of the private claim
72What is required when private land is subject to an encumbrance?
Written authorization from the beneficiary
73What is required when private land is under ongoing court litigation?
Written court authorization
74What conditions must a parcel meet before granting Survey Authority?
It must be within an A&D area, have no existing claims/conflicts, be outside civil/military/other reservations, not be under a pending land-registration case/litigation, and not be within an ongoing cadastral or public-land subdivision project
75What does a Survey Order require before it can be granted?
Clearance and/or endorsement from agencies having jurisdiction over the parcel
76What is required if a parcel subject to an SO is under litigation?
A copy of the court order
77How long is a Survey Authority valid?
Six months from issuance up to submission of the corresponding survey returns
78How long is a Survey Order valid?
Within the period stipulated in the Survey Order
79What should be checked first before fieldwork?
The title or land status
80What should be identified after checking land status?
The survey purpose and area
81What should be determined after identifying the survey purpose and area?
The required Survey Authority or Survey Order
82What should be done after determining the required SA or SO?
Go to the proper issuing office
83When should the survey be conducted?
Within the validity period of the SA or SO
84What are the key factors to identify before fieldwork?
Land status, survey purpose, area, and jurisdiction
85What survey classification applies to all parcels in an entire municipality?
Cadastral
86What survey classification applies to one private parcel for land registration?
Isolated – Private Land
87What survey classification applies to a reference network for a barangay project?
Project Control
88What survey classification applies to the boundary of a protected area versus A&D land?
Forestland / Protected Area
89What survey classification applies to a mining claim or quarry application?
Mineral Land