SHDA backs DOJ move to ease land acquisition for housing
THE Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA) is backing a Department of Justice (DOJ) opinion removing a clearance requirement for certain private agricultural land transactions, saying the move...
THE Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA) is backing a Department of Justice (DOJ) opinion removing a clearance requirement for certain private agricultural land transactions, saying the move could help speed up housing development and expand the supply of affordable homes.
DOJ Legal Opinion 16, series of 2026, states that private agricultural land transactions without an existing notice of coverage (NOC) no longer require a Land Transfer Clearance (LTC) from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). The DOJ said the five-hectare retention limit that had served as the legal basis for the clearance ceased to be effective after the June 30, 2014, statutory deadline under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms.
For housing developers, the removal of the LTC requirement could reduce administrative delays in land acquisition, allowing projects to move more quickly toward title transfer, financing, permitting, site preparation and construction. “Predictability in land administration is important to keeping housing projects moving,” SHDA chairman of the Board Francis Richmond Z.
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Villegas said. “A clear and consistent process allows developers and other stakeholders to make informed decisions, manage project timelines, and pursue investments with confidence,” he added. SHDA said the removal of the clearance requirement would not mean reduced compliance with existing regulations.
Developers would still be required to comply with land-use conversion rules of the DAR, local zoning ordinances, Department of Environment and Natural Resources requirements, and other housing development regulations. SHDA members account for about 80 percent of homes produced in the Philippines each year, making the streamlining of land transactions potentially significant to the country’s housing supply.
The group, however, said consistent implementation of the DOJ opinion will be critical to ensuring that the policy translates into faster transactions on the ground. It urged the DAR, Land Registration Authority (LRA) and Registers of Deeds (RODs) to issue joint administrative guidelines that would standardize procedures and documentary requirements nationwide.
“The DOJ opinion gives the industry legal clarity. What we need now is the same clarity on the ground,” SHDA national president Kerwin V. Padua said.
“Joint guidelines from DAR, LRA, and the RODs will ensure that every office applies the ruling the same way, so landowners, developers, and financial institutions can move forward with certainty,” he added. SHDA said reducing transaction costs and administrative delays would help developers bring housing projects to market more efficiently, while maintaining compliance with existing laws and regulations.
The association said it would continue working with government agencies to develop a more predictable land administration framework that supports responsible housing development and addresses the country’s housing shortage. / KOC
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