Which of the following actions falls under the exclusive original jurisdiction of the Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) based on real property value alone?

• A. An action for breach of contract where the amount in controversy is 350,000
• B. An action involving title or possession of real property where the assessed value exceeds 400,000
• C. A defamation case with damages of 1,000,000
• D. An action for quieting of title where the property is valued at 350,000

Answer: (B)

The key idea is which civil actions over real property fall under RTC’s exclusive original jurisdiction based on value. In Philippine law, the Regional Trial Courts have exclusive original jurisdiction over actions involving title to or possession of real property when the property's value exceeds 400,000. That threshold determines whether the case must be filed in the RTC rather than the MTC.

The option describing a dispute over title or possession of real property where the assessed value exceeds 400,000 fits this rule precisely, so it is the correct choice. The other scenarios either involve non-property matters (defamation) or real property actions with values at or below 400,000 (where the MTC would have jurisdiction), or involve a real property action not clearly above the threshold.