DHSUD reviewing rules on erring real estate firms penalties

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) said Monday it is reviewing decades-old rules on fines against real estate firms and practitioners to increase penalties to better protect homebuyers and law-abiding developers.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said the move is in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s push for more proactive government. He has tasked Senior Undersecretary Sharon Faith Paquiz to lead the review of previous laws and government penalties.

"We need to revisit our laws and policies to ensure relevance and responsiveness in the present times," Aliling said.

"We cannot be tied to outdated policies and to better serve the public," he said.

The DHSUD is reviewing the implementing rules and regulations, guidelines, administrative fines and penalties on Presidential Decree 957 of 1976 and Batas Pambansa 220, along with the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992.

"This is to protect the interests of all our stakeholders—homebuyers and the decent developers who diligently follow the laws and policies," Aliling said.

Paquiz said the review, led by the DHSUD's Housing and Real Estate Development and Regulation Bureau, would assess whether current fines and penalties are still relevant to the state of the housing and real estate industry.

"Initially, we have already identified some provisions that need to be updated and amended," Paquiz said.

"For those that we can immediately revise within our authority, we will do so as soon as possible," Paquiz said.

Among the proposals is the imposition of stiffer administrative penalties and fines against developers and real estate practitioners who sell projects without the necessary registration and licenses.