More than 400 real estate developers, regulators, and financial sector leaders adopted a strategic seven-point resolution roadmap to accelerate residential development across the Philippines during the 34th Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA) National Developers Convention at the Marquis Events Place in Bonifacio Global City.
The newly adopted roadmap commits industry stakeholders to concrete policy reforms, including deeper collaboration with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), digital land-titling integration, and an active review of property taxation and land valuation under the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act (RPVARA).
The initiative comes as government agencies push to eliminate administrative bottlenecks in residential development. Reporting on the Collaborative Philippine Housing Roadmap 2025–2040, Dr. Winston Conrad Padojinog, Senior Economist at CRC Foundation Inc. and Associate Professor at the University of Asia & the Pacific, confirmed key permitting advancements already under way:
- A mandatory 15-day service-level agreement for License to Sell approvals
- A zero-backlog initiative active across regional government offices
- 100% digital tracking for development permits
To further eliminate red tape, Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Deputy Director General Undersecretary Dr. Lea Grace Salcedo detailed Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1, s. 2026 under the National Effort for Harmonization of Efficient Measures of Inter-related Agencies (NEHEMIA) program. The circular coordinates 15 separate government agencies to establish an electronic housing one-stop shop for permitting and licensing.
In addition to regulatory discussions, market data presented at the convention highlighted significant shifts in consumer location preferences. Andrea Dizon, Research Director at the Philippine Survey Research Center, revealed survey data indicating that 61% of Filipinos planning to purchase a home within the next three years prefer locations outside dense urban centers.
The survey underscored key drivers shaping home selection across generations:
- Accessibility and opportunity: 78% of respondents prioritized location and corridor connectivity to the city.
- Proximity to family: 57% expressed a preference to live within 30 minutes of relatives.
- Space requirements: Homebuyers are seeking larger living spaces situated along major transit corridors.
The seven-point resolution formally presented by SHDA Corporate Secretary Atty. Mena R. Ojeda Jr. addresses these market shifts by targeting seven key operational areas:
- Sustaining direct policy engagement with DHSUD.
- Expanding participation in inter-agency Technical Working Groups for streamlined licensing.
- Accelerating government-to-government digitization and computerized land-titling.
- Reviewing national housing taxation, land valuation, and RPVARA implementation.
- Expanding cross-sector partnerships for sustainable and affordable housing projects.
- Capitalizing on economic corridors while securing utility infrastructure for water, electricity, and digital connectivity.
- Developing new residential models aligned with shifting demographic trends and consumer preferences.
Industry leadership underscored that execution will determine the success of the policy agreements.
“A convention is only as good as what happens after it ends. These resolutions give our members, and the agencies we work with, something concrete to hold each other to,” said SHDA Chairman Engr. Francis Richmond Villegas.
Clarissa de Joya, Assistant Corporate Secretary and Convention Overall Chairperson, highlighted the specificity of the public sector commitments. “What stood out this year wasn’t just how many agencies showed up, it was how specific their commitments were, from permitting reforms to a formal review of the property valuation law, while also bringing new perspectives on shifting consumer behavior. That clarity is what will actually move things for the housing community.”
“Two days of dialogue mean nothing if we don’t act on them. These resolutions are how we make sure this convention outlasts the days it happened in,” added SHDA National President Kerwin Padua.
For more information on SHDA membership, initiatives, and advocacy, visit shda.ph or contact the SHDA Secretariat at shda.secretariat@gmail.com.
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