For people looking to buy a home, the experience is shaped by more than the property they eventually choose. Location, access to opportunities, proximity to family, utilities, and the quality of the surrounding community can all influence whether a housing development feels right.
These considerations were reflected in the discussions at the 34th National Developers Convention of the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA), held September 16 to 17 at Marquis Events Place in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
34th SHDA National Developers Convention (2026)
More than 400 stakeholders attended the event, including policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, and industry leaders. With the theme “Elevate: Sustaining Progress through Collaboration and Strategic Housing Innovations,” the convention focused on the steps needed to make housing delivery more efficient and more responsive to changing needs.
The event ended with the adoption of a seven-point resolution roadmap that lays out the industry’s priorities moving forward.
One of the first priorities is continued engagement with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD). SHDA also wants to strengthen ease of doing business and remain involved in Technical Working Groups for the Joint Memorandum Circular covering 15 agencies involved in housing permitting and licensing.
For consumers, efforts to make these processes more efficient can eventually affect how projects are approved and delivered. The roadmap therefore includes support for digitizing government-to-government transactions and computerizing land-titling processes.
The resolutions also cover housing taxation, including a review of the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act and land valuation. At the same time, SHDA is calling for stronger collaboration around affordable and sustainable housing.
The group also sees economic corridors as opportunities for housing growth, provided that developments are planned alongside essential services. Solid waste management, water, electricity, and connectivity were specifically identified as part of the broader requirements for communities.
Finally, the roadmap calls for new and innovative housing developments that can respond to changing demographics, social and economic conditions, housing preferences, and demand.
The need for these changes was highlighted by several sessions during the convention. Dr. Winston Conrad Padojinog, Senior Economist at CRC Foundation Inc. and Associate Professor at the University of Asia & the Pacific, gave an update on the Collaborative Philippine Housing Roadmap 2025–2040.
[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.
He cited progress in streamlining 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 goals under the roadmap are still being worked on.
The financial side of home development also came into focus. 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 tackled housing affordability, while Colliers Philippines Research Director Joey Bondoc shared an outlook for the property market beyond 2026.
Another discussion centered on government processes. 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 aims to streamline housing processes and support an electronic housing one-stop shop.
The convention also discussed land acquisition and conversion, digital government services, 4PH project processes, and eNotarization. Wider concerns such as the Luzon Economic Corridor, waste management, circular economy practices, and electricity solutions were included in the program.
On the second day, the focus moved toward the preferences of future homebuyers. Philippine Survey Research Center Research Director Andrea Dizon shared research showing that 61% of Filipinos who plan to buy a house within the next three years prefer to live just outside the city.
Accessibility remains important. Seventy-eight percent cited opportunity as a consideration, while 57% preferred to be within 30 minutes of family. The results suggest that many buyers are looking for a middle ground: a home with more space, but still close enough to the city, opportunities, and relatives.
Innovation was also discussed through examples from the private sector. Jacinto C. Ng Jr., Founder and Group Executive Officer of Joy~Nostalg Group | Raemulan Lands Inc., presented 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 talked about connectivity in modern homes and communities. GIGIL Founding Partner Badong Abesamis and Plus 63 Co-Founder Dan Matutina explored creative strategy and design thinking and how these can help the industry connect with today’s homebuyers.
There were also lessons from established urban developments. Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation Chief Operating Officer Enrique Manuel shared insights from three decades of developing Bonifacio Global City, including the role of planning, infrastructure, estate management, mobility, smart-city development, and sustainability.
PGAA Creative Design Principal Archt. Paulo Alcazaren looked at the evolution of Philippine subdivision planning and the importance of more walkable and sustainable communities with better public spaces.
For SHDA, the resolutions are meant to carry the work beyond the convention itself.
SHDA Chairman Engr. Francis Richmond Villegas said, “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.”
Assistant Corporate Secretary and Convention Overall Chairperson Clarissa de Joya said the convention was marked by more specific commitments, including permitting reforms, a formal review of property valuation law, and discussions about changing consumer behavior.
National President Kerwin Padua likewise emphasized 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 its collaboration with DHSUD and other government partners as the resolutions are pursued. For homebuyers, the larger direction points toward a housing sector that is easier to navigate, more responsive to real needs, and better connected to the communities where Filipinos want to live.
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