The Register of Deeds of Rizal, 

Petitioner-Appellee
-vs -

UNG SIU SI TEMPLE, 

Respondent-Appellant

Facts of the case:

For resolution is an appeal of RTC’s decision upholding the action of the Register
of Deeds of Rizal refusing to accept for record a deed of donation executed by a Filipino
citizen, in favor of a religious organization whose trustees are non-Filipinos.
Jesus Dy, a Filipino citizen executed a deed of donation in favor UNG SIU
TEMPLE, a religious organization operated by Chinese nationality. This donation conveys
a partial of residential land in Caloocan, Rizal. However, the Register of Deeds of Rizal
refused to accept the deed of donation executed in due form. The refusal was elevated to
the Court of First Instance of Manila affirming the action made by the Register of Deeds
on the ground that the Constitution provides that acquisition of land is limited to Filipino
citizens, or to corporations or associations at least sixty per centum of the capital stock of
which is owned by such citizens.

Issue: Whether a deed of donation of a parcel of land executed in favor of a religious

organization whose founder, trustees and administrator are Chinese citizens should be
registered or not.

Held:
The Court affirmed the resolution of the Court of First Instance. Section 5, Title
XIII, of the Constitution provides that save in cases of hereditary succession, no private
agricultural land shall be transferred or assigned except to individuals, corporations or
associations qualified to acquire or hold lands of the public domain in the Philippines. This
does not make any exception relative to religious associations.
The UNG SIU SI TEMPLE which is operated by foreign nationality is
encompassed by the Constitutional inhibition of not permitting religious associations
controlled by non-Filipinos to acquire the subject land. Hence, the Court ruled that the
same should not be admitted for registration.