The Chamber of Real Estate and Builders’ Associations (CREBA) is pushing for housing reforms that protect buyers while keeping homebuilding commercially viable, warning that excessive regulation and tax uncertainty could ultimately squeeze housing supply.
CREBA National President Noel “Toti” Cariño said developers support the government’s socialized housing goals but need policies that are practical, predictable, and consistent with existing laws.
“We believe that balanced housing policies must ultimately encourage more housing production, not make it more difficult to build homes and communities,” Cariño said during the group’s general membership meeting.
CREBA has raised concerns over escrow requirements, reassessment of projects that have already secured compliance clearances, and restrictions involving temporary licenses to sell.
While some rules have been recalibrated, Cariño said the industry continues to press for non-retroactivity, protection of vested rights, and compliance requirements that developers can realistically meet.
The group is also seeking changes to the balanced housing provisions of the Urban Development and Housing Act as Congress moves deliberations to the Senate.
CREBA wants the proposed amendments to preserve flexibility in meeting socialized housing obligations while recognizing land costs, financing requirements, and the realities of developing increasingly expensive urban areas.
The organization is likewise seeking amendments to the nearly four-decade-old Maceda Law, which governs installment purchases of real estate. CREBA said reforms should preserve protections for buyers while clarifying provisions that have contributed to disputes and uncertainty for developers.
Cariño also welcomed the deferment of the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act, saying the additional preparation period should be used for wider consultations, stronger local government capacity, and more reliable valuation systems.
The law could affect property costs and, ultimately, housing prices and investment, he said, making careful assessment important before implementation.
For CREBA, the policy challenge is straightforward but consequential: protect homebuyers without making homes harder to build. With the country facing persistent housing needs, the group said regulation should help expand supply rather than unintentionally make it more expensive or difficult to deliver.
