Property developers are escalating calls for faster permit approvals, warning that prolonged processing times are constraining housing supply and delaying project rollouts nationwide.
The Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA) raised the issue during a Feb. 23 courtesy call at the Quezon City office of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), citing a “two to 2.5-year gestation period” to secure housing development permits.
SHDA Chairman Engr. Francis Villegas described the timeline as a critical bottleneck, particularly in land conversion. He pointed to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), noting that while a department order states DAR clearance is no longer required for title transfers involving areas of five hectares or less, implementation delays persist on the ground.
SHDA President Kerwin Padua also sought updates on a proposed Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) among oversight agencies designed to streamline approvals. ARTA Director General Secretary Ernesto Perez said the JMC is now being routed for signatures, with five of 15 signatories yet to sign as of the meeting.
These include the Department of Agriculture, DAR, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology. Perez said coordination is ongoing to secure all approvals by end-March 2026.
Developers also flagged outdated Comprehensive Land Use Plans among local government units and compliance gaps with Republic Act No. 7279 on socialized housing.
SHDA reiterated its backing for ARTA’s ease-of-doing-business reforms, stressing that regulatory efficiency is key to accelerating housing delivery and narrowing the country’s growing shelter backlog.
