Manila: The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) said on Friday that it is close to eliminating years of accumulated and pending regulatory and homeowners' association (HOA) cases under its Zero Backlog Program.
According to Philippines News Agency, DHSUD Undersecretary Sharon Faith Paquiz stated in a Bagong Pilipinas interview that the department aims to close the remaining 600 cases by Aug. 25. Since Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling took office in May, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed him to streamline the processes and permitting of the DHSUD.
Paquiz noted that Aliling prioritized creating an inventory of pending cases and applications, tracking back from 2020. The DHSUD was established in 2019 through Republic Act 11201. "So, noong nag-track kami ng 2020 until 2025 ng June, it came out na ang backlog po ng DHSUD for HOA and regulatory cases ay nasa mga 3,011 (So, when we tracked 2020 until 2025 in June, it came out that DHSUD's backlog for HOA and regulatory cases is around 3,011)," Paquiz explained.
She further mentioned that since the Zero Backlog Program started, and until July 14, the number of piled-up cases decreased to just over 600. "So, we still have one week to target in order for us to zero in the 600 backlogs that was incurred since 2020 until 2025 of June, and by Aug. 25 we're expecting that we will be zeroing our backlog," she added.
Paquiz outlined the main functions of the DHSUD, which include handling and monitoring memorandum of agreement (MOA) cases, issuing licensing permits, development permits, licenses to sell, and certificates of registration to realty developments. However, she explained that many backlog cases involve the department's dual mandate over HOAs and housing regulation.
"In the field of homeowner's associations, our applications, for example, include HOA registration. We have regulatory powers and functions, and we initially address all intra-corporate disputes and intra/inter-association disputes of HOAs so that they can be resolved at the DHSUD level, before they become adjudicatory per se," she said.
The program operates across 13 DHSUD regional offices and utilizes a real-time digital tracking system to monitor case status from filing to resolution. By resolving disputes at the department level, the DHSUD aims to prevent costly and prolonged legal proceedings, Paquiz noted. "Too much delay breeds corruption, and too much delay makes people agitated," she concluded.
