The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) is facing calls to speed up the release of Licenses to Sell (LLS) amid concerns that approval delays are starting to affect property launches and housing supply across the country, including in key Visayas and Mindanao markets.
Anthony Leuterio, founder of Filipino Homes, said developers have been raising concerns over the slowdown, with some waiting for months for approvals even after completing the required documents.
He said the transfer of approvals from local offices to the national level has worsened the bottleneck.
“No LTS for so many months. Approval is super delayed,” Leuterio said.
According to him, the centralization of the process has created pressure on the national office, resulting in delays in the rollout of new residential projects.
The impact is being felt most in the primary market, where pre-selling remains a major driver of residential development.
“Primary sales are very vital in the development of a city. These are projects that offer five- to six-year payment terms, which most buyers prefer so they can afford to own property,” he said.
Without an LTS, developers cannot legally sell pre-selling units, forcing some projects originally targeted for launch in March and April to remain on hold.
“Developers are crying now. All are delayed,” Leuterio said, adding that some firms are still waiting for several project approvals.
He said the delays are also affecting brokers and agents who depend on fresh inventory to sustain sales. Among the markets waiting for new launches are Cebu, Bohol, Dumaguete, Bacolod, Manila, Davao City, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan and Ormoc.
Leuterio added that prolonged delays could also affect access to affordable housing, particularly for overseas Filipino workers who often prefer pre-selling projects because of longer and more manageable payment terms.
“Philippines needs new projects. These are affordable and designed for long-term payments, especially for OFWs,” he said.
He said that while there are prescribed timelines for processing once requirements are completed, approvals still depend on DHSUD’s action.
“DHSUD must expedite the approval. Developers are now at the mercy of waiting,” he said.
Cebu Business News
