A house may be the purchase, but the community around it often determines whether it becomes a good place to live. For Filipino families, questions about access, space, utilities, connectivity, work opportunities, and proximity to relatives can be just as important as the property itself.
These changing expectations were among the issues discussed at the 34th National Developers Convention of the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA), held September 16 and 17 at Marquis Events Place in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
34th SHDA National Developers Convention (2026)
The convention brought together more than 400 stakeholders from government, finance, and the housing industry. National policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, and industry leaders joined the two-day event, which carried the theme “Elevate: Sustaining Progress through Collaboration and Strategic Housing Innovations.”
At the close of the convention, SHDA adopted a seven-point resolution roadmap intended to give the sector a clearer direction on housing delivery and development.
The roadmap includes continued engagement with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), stronger ease-of-doing-business measures, and participation in Technical Working Groups for the Joint Memorandum Circular involving 15 agencies on housing permitting and licensing.
It also supports digitizing government-to-government transactions and computerizing land-titling processes. On housing taxation, SHDA is pushing for stronger efforts that include reviewing the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act and land valuation.
Affordable and sustainable housing is another major priority. The resolutions also call for maximizing economic corridor opportunities while considering the services that make communities workable, including solid waste management, water, electricity, and connectivity.
SHDA’s final priority is to encourage new and innovative housing developments and interventions that can respond to changes in demographics, social and economic conditions, preferences, and demand.
The agenda was informed by a range of discussions during the convention. Dr. Winston Conrad Padojinog, Senior Economist at CRC Foundation Inc. and Associate Professor at the University of Asia & the Pacific, presented an update on the Collaborative Philippine Housing Roadmap 2025–2040.
He cited improvements in developer permitting standards, including a mandatory 15-day service-level agreement for License to Sell approvals, a zero-backlog initiative across regional offices, and 100% digital tracking for development permits. Other roadmap targets remain in progress.
[L-R] SHDA Chairman Engr. Francis Richmond Villegas, Asst. Corp. Secretary and 2026 National Developers Convention Chairperson Clarissa de Joya, and National President Kerwin V. Padua formally declared the opening of the two-day convention.
Housing affordability and the cost of doing business were also part of the program. Bureau of Internal Revenue Deputy Commissioner Atty. Larry Barcelo discussed tax issuances and compliance requirements. Philippine Institute for Development Studies Vice President Dr. Marife Ballesteros examined affordability, while Colliers Philippines Research Director Joey Bondoc gave an outlook on the property market beyond 2026.
The convention also looked at the experience of people and companies navigating government requirements. Anti-Red Tape Authority Deputy Director General for Operations Undersecretary Dr. Lea Grace Salcedo presented JMC No. 1, s. 2026 under the National Effort for Harmonization of Efficient Measures of Inter-related Agencies, or NEHEMIA. The initiative is aimed at streamlining housing processes and supporting an electronic housing one-stop shop.
Land acquisition and conversion, digital government services, 4PH project processes, and eNotarization were included in the sessions. The discussions also covered the Luzon Economic Corridor, waste management, circular economy practices, and electricity solutions.
Then came the consumer side of the housing equation. Philippine Survey Research Center Research Director Andrea Dizon presented findings showing that 61% of Filipinos planning to buy a house within the next three years prefer to live just outside the city.
The findings suggest that buyers are not necessarily choosing between city life and suburban living. Many appear to be looking for a combination of the two. Seventy-eight percent cited opportunity as a consideration, while 57% preferred to be within 30 minutes of family.
That points to a preference for homes with more space, but without losing access to city corridors, jobs, services, and relatives.
Innovation was another part of the discussion. Jacinto C. Ng Jr., Founder and Group Executive Officer of Joy~Nostalg Group | Raemulan Lands Inc., talked about NING*NING, which features the world’s first grid-connected, utility-scale solar rooftop installation integrated into a socialized housing community.
Globe Telecom Vice President Abigail Cardino highlighted connectivity as a feature of modern communities. GIGIL Founding Partner Badong Abesamis and Plus 63 Co-Founder Dan Matutina discussed creative strategy and design thinking, particularly in relation to a newer generation of homebuyers.
The event also looked at lessons from a mature urban district. Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation Chief Operating Officer Enrique Manuel shared insights from three decades of developing Bonifacio Global City, including planning, infrastructure, estate management, mobility, smart-city development, and sustainability.
PGAA Creative Design Principal Archt. Paulo Alcazaren examined the evolution of Philippine subdivision planning and discussed the importance of walkable and sustainable communities with better public spaces.
For SHDA, the seven points are intended to be more than a summary of the convention.
“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,” SHDA Chairman Engr. Francis Richmond Villegas said.
Assistant Corporate Secretary and Convention Overall Chairperson Clarissa de Joya noted that the event stood out because commitments were more specific, including work on permitting reforms, property valuation law, and changing consumer behavior.
National President Kerwin Padua also stressed that discussions need to be followed by action. “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,” he said.
SHDA said it will continue working with DHSUD and other key government partners as the resolutions are carried forward. For consumers, the direction is toward a housing sector that understands not just the demand for houses, but the everyday needs and expectations of the people who will live in them.
2026 SHDA National Officers, Chapter Presidents, Board of Governors and Advisors
ABOUT THE SUBDIVISION AND HOUSING DEVELOPERS ASSOCIATION, INC. (SHDA)
The Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA), Inc. is the foremost industry association for housing and development in the Philippines. With 350 members nationwide and eight regional chapters, SHDA maintains strong connections among the country’s top players and a dynamic national network of small and medium developers.
As the largest and leading industry association for housing and urban development in the Philippines, SHDA has actively partnered with the nation’s housing policymakers, key shelter agencies, and stakeholders for over 50 years, thereby playing a pivotal role in developing and strengthening the industry’s capabilities. SHDA member developers are responsible for building 80% of the homes produced annually in the country, giving the organization unparalleled reach among Philippine homebuyers.
For more information, visit shda.ph.