SHDA Welcomes DOJ Opinion Streamlining Land Transfers, Calls for Uniform Guidelines to Accelerate Affordable Housing

Manila, Philippines – As the country faces a critical need for affordable housing, the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA)—the country's premier housing developers' organization—backs a Department of Justice (DOJ) legal opinion that removes a major bureaucratic hurdle to acquiring land for new communities.

DOJ Legal Opinion No. 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 determined that the five-hectare retention limit, which served as the legal basis for the clearance, ceased to be effective following the statutory cutoff on June 30, 2014, also known as the CARPER Deadline.

For housing development proponents, the LTC has been an added administrative step before land acquisition can move forward. Removing it for unencumbered titles lets developers proceed more efficiently toward title transfer, project financing, permitting, construction, and site preparation. For SHDA, speed does not mean cutting corners. Housing developers remain committed to full compliance with existing national and local laws, including, but not limited to, DAR land use conversion requirements, local zoning ordinances, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) environmental clearance requirements, and other housing development regulations.

“Predictability in land administration is important to keeping housing projects moving,” said Engr. Francis Richmond Z. Villegas, SHDA Chairman of the Board. “A clear and consistent process allows developers and other stakeholders to make informed decisions, manage project timelines, and pursue investments with confidence. We see this as an opportunity to support a framework that is responsive to the needs of the housing industry while remaining aligned with existing laws and regulations.”

SHDA members build 80% of the homes produced in the Philippines each year. The association said that reducing transaction costs and administrative delays is a step toward expanding the supply of affordable homes for Filipino families.

Even with the clearance requirement lifted, SHDA said that consistent implementation will decide whether these gains are felt on the ground. To ensure an orderly transition, the association is urging DAR, the Land Registration Authority (LRA), and Registers of Deeds (RODs) to issue joint administrative guidelines establishing standardized procedures and documentary requirements nationwide.

"The DOJ opinion gives the industry legal clarity. What we need now is the same clarity on the ground. 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," said Mr. Kerwin V. Padua, SHDA National President.

SHDA reiterated its commitment to continued dialogue with government agencies toward a clear, efficient, and predictable land administration framework that supports responsible development and addresses the country's housing needs.