Developers told to help fight corruption in housing sector

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) has called on property developers to play a more active role in combating corruption in the country's housing sector, warning that bribery and under-the-table transactions continue to undermine reforms designed to accelerate project approvals and expand affordable housing supply.

- By Ehda M. Dagooc

Speaking at the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association-Central Visayas (SHDA-CV) Housing Summit 2025 in Cebu, DHSUD Undersecretary Sharon Faith S. Paquiz said the government's new "zero backlog" policy on permit applications was aimed at eliminating delays that have long fueled rent-seeking behavior among officials.

"Please, don't corrupt them," Paquiz said, referring to regional and local housing regulators. "There is no more reason for permits and licenses to be delayed. We are committed to fixed timelines. You don't have to create other mechanisms just to get approvals."

Her remarks form part of the department's eight-point housing agenda, which seeks to streamline permitting, expand digital systems, and improve protections for homebuyers while widening access to socialized housing.