The housing market is changing along with the way people live, work, travel, and shop. As more families weigh access to jobs, services, transportation, utilities, and space when choosing where to live, housing development is becoming increasingly connected to wider community and economic planning.
The Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA) placed these issues at the center of its 34th National Developers Convention, held September 16 to 17 at Marquis Events Place in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
34th SHDA National Developers Convention (2026)
The event brought together more than 400 stakeholders, including national policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, and industry leaders. With the theme “Elevate: Sustaining Progress through Collaboration and Strategic Housing Innovations,” the convention looked at policy, permitting, affordability, technology, market behavior, and new approaches to development.
It concluded with the adoption of a seven-point resolution roadmap designed to help accelerate housing delivery and make the sector more responsive.
The resolutions, formally presented by SHDA Corporate Secretary Atty. Mena R. Ojeda Jr., start with continued engagement with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD). Another priority is improving ease of doing business and maintaining participation in Technical Working Groups for the Joint Memorandum Circular involving 15 agencies on housing permitting and licensing.
SHDA is also supporting the digitization of government-to-government processes and land-titling computerization. Housing taxation is another area for action, including a review of the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act and land valuation.
The roadmap further calls for closer collaboration on affordable and sustainable housing. It recognizes that developments along economic corridors need more than residential structures, pointing to solid waste management, water, electricity, and connectivity as essential parts of community planning.
The final priority is the pursuit of new and innovative housing developments and interventions that respond to shifting demographics, social and economic conditions, preferences, and demand.
Several speakers during the convention discussed why these changes are becoming more important. 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.
The report included progress in streamlining developer permitting standards. Among the measures cited were 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 goals are still being implemented.
[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.
The cost and regulatory side of development was also examined. 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 discussed housing affordability, while Colliers Philippines Research Director Joey Bondoc provided a view of the property market beyond 2026.
Government efficiency was another major topic. 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 designed to streamline housing processes and support an electronic housing one-stop shop.
Sessions also covered land acquisition and conversion, digital government services, 4PH project processes, and eNotarization. Other discussions looked at the Luzon Economic Corridor, waste management, circular economy practices, and electricity solutions.
The second day focused more heavily on market trends and the changing expectations of homebuyers. Philippine Survey Research Center Research Director Andrea Dizon shared findings showing that 61% of Filipinos planning to purchase a house within the next three years prefer to live just outside the city.
The numbers also point to the importance of access. Seventy-eight percent cited opportunity as a consideration, while 57% said they preferred to live within 30 minutes of family. For developers, the findings highlight demand for communities that provide more space without sacrificing access to city corridors and family networks.
Innovation sessions offered examples of how development can respond to those expectations. Jacinto C. Ng Jr., Founder and Group Executive Officer of Joy~Nostalg Group | Raemulan Lands Inc., spoke 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 discussed connectivity in modern homes and communities. GIGIL Founding Partner Badong Abesamis and Plus 63 Co-Founder Dan Matutina explored creative strategy and design thinking, including how to connect with a modern generation of homebuyers.
The convention also looked at what long-term development can teach the industry. Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation Chief Operating Officer Enrique Manuel shared lessons from three decades of developing Bonifacio Global City. His discussion covered long-term planning, infrastructure, estate management, and the district’s continuing work on smart-city development, mobility, and sustainability.
PGAA Creative Design Principal Archt. Paulo Alcazaren traced the evolution of Philippine subdivision planning and discussed the need for more walkable and sustainable communities, with stronger public spaces.
The event ended with a clear message from SHDA leadership: the resolutions need to lead to action.
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 highlighted the specificity of the commitments made during the event, from permitting reforms and a formal review of property valuation law to discussions about changing consumer behavior.
National President Kerwin Padua also stressed the need to continue the work. “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 government partners as the seven-point resolutions are carried forward. The direction is clear: housing development needs to keep pace not only with the demand for homes, but also with the everyday needs of the communities that will grow around 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.