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How infrastructure is reshaping housing choices in the Philippines

 https://business.inquirer.net/513837/how-infrastructure-is-reshaping-housing-choices-in-the-philippines

 

The way Filipinos choose where to live is changing, and infrastructure development is at the heart of this transformation.

With an estimated P1.54 trillion allocated to major infrastructure projects in 2024 alone, the country is seeing massive improvements in road networks, transport systems, and interregional connectivity.

These developments are expanding housing options beyond Metro Manila, creating new residential hubs and investment opportunities in emerging cities.
From congestion to connectivity

In the past, homeownership in the Philippines was largely dictated by proximity to Metro Manila’s business districts. Daily commutes were long, and limited transport options made city living a necessity despite higher property prices.

However, recent infrastructure developments are reducing travel times and reshaping buyer preferences. When infrastructure is developed, jobs are created; and where jobs are created, people can start building their lives. This cycle fosters the development of vibrant communities as new opportunities attract employees and their families seeking stability and growth.

With the availability of jobs, people are more likely to settle in these new areas, so the need for retail establishments, entertainment centers, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and other support developments also follows.

Over time, these communities flourish, offering residents a higher quality of life that can simulate city-like services in a suburban environment. This encourages more development outside Metro Manila and boosts the local economy.
traffic

Metro Manila is known for its traffic congestion, ranking 27th in terms of congestion level and 14th in terms of travel time out of 500 cities analyzed in the TomTom Traffic Index for 2024.
Traffic congestion in Metro Manila

Metro Manila is known for its traffic congestion, ranking 27th in terms of congestion level and 14th in terms of travel time out of 500 cities analyzed in the TomTom Traffic Index for 2024.

The index stated that 127 hours are lost per year at rush hours and the average travel time per 10 kilometers is 32 minutes and 10 seconds in the capital region.

With more efficient routes, homebuyers no longer feel confined to urban centers. Provinces like Bulacan, Pampanga, Laguna, Cavite, and Batangas are witnessing a surge in demand as they become more accessible to Metro Manila. The completion of major projects like the North-South Commuter Railway, Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAx), and Metro Manila Subway is making suburban living more attractive than ever.
Township living

As connectivity improves, developers are focusing on masterplanned communities that integrate residential, commercial, and office spaces in a single location. Currently, there are over 120 townships spanning approximately 134,000 hectares across the country, offering homebuyers the convenience of living near workplaces, retail hubs, and leisure areas.

These developments cater to the evolving preferences of Filipino buyers, who now prioritize walkability, sustainability, and smart living features. With work-from-home and hybrid work arrangements becoming the norm, homes in these integrated communities provide the flexibility needed for modern living.
emerging city

Metro Manila remains a key residential market but emerging cities are rapidly catching up.
Where are Filipinos moving?

Metro Manila remains a key residential market, but homebuyers are increasingly looking beyond the capital. The three major central business districts (CBDs) in Makati, Ortigas, and Taguig still dominate the urban landscape, but emerging cities are rapidly catching up.
The future of housing

With improved roads, rail systems, and airport expansions, the Philippine real estate market is poised for continued growth. Homeownership is no longer just about choosing between a house-and-lot or a condominium in the city—it is now about location flexibility and lifestyle alignment.

For homebuyers, emerging locations present exciting new opportunities. These areas often offer more affordable housing options compared to Metro Manila, with the added advantage of larger living spaces.

Beyond affordability, they also provide a higher quality of life, featuring greener environments, modern amenities, and less congestion. As infrastructure projects continue to enhance accessibility and economic activity, property values in these regions are expected to appreciate over time, making them attractive for long term investment.
Making strategic housing choices

For those planning to buy a home, understanding how infrastructure developments impact real estate is crucial.

Locations that are currently more affordable but have ongoing transport projects will likely see significant price appreciation in the coming years. By staying informed and investing early, buyers can maximize their homes’ long term value while enjoying improved connectivity and lifestyle benefits.

As the Philippines continues to expand its infrastructure, the dream of homeownership is no longer confined to Metro Manila.

The future of housing lies in accessibility, mobility, and well-planned communities, where Filipinos can live, work, and thrive in a seamlessly connected nation.

The author is an associate director and the head of Research at Leechiu Property Consultants Inc., the country’s premier real estate advisory firm

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Buyers beware when purchasing homes, condos

 https://opinion.inquirer.net/181660/buyers-beware-when-purchasing-homes-condos

In Manalese v. Ferreras (Nov. 25, 2024, per J. Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, Third Division, 5-0), the Supreme Court stressed the hornbook doctrine that buyers must examine very well the property, item, or goods being sold; the relevant deeds of sale; and the original record of the titles of the property they are buying.

IN REITERATING THIS PRINCIPLE, the Court cautioned buyers of real estate like lots and condominiums not to be satisfied with the verbal or written assurances of sellers and their agents. They should insist on an examination of the face of, and the entries in, the owners’ “transfer certificate of title” (TCT). More importantly, they should examine, better still scrutinize by themselves or by their lawyers and/or trusted agents, the original certificate of title (OCT) at the Office of the Register of Deeds of the province or city where the real property is located.

Sometimes, on its face, a TCT may contain unusual entries. That should be enough for buyers to desist from dealing with the asset, unless they or better still their lawyers, are satisfied with the explanation of the unusual entries. At other times, though the TCT may look genuine and authentic, there could be liens on the property which are annotated on the OCT but are not on the TCT. And even if shown on the TCT, they could be coached in technical terms and/or printed in hardly readable fonts.

The Court, in the present case, noted certain indicia of irregularities or of fraud, like (1) the sellers were already dead long before the deed of sale was executed; and (2) there is a great disparity between the price paid by the seller in acquiring the property and the price it is being resold—in this case, the acquisition price was only P250,000, yet the reselling price was an extra high P3.3 million.

Moreover, the Court instructed the Integrated Bar of the Philippines to investigate the Register of Deeds of Angeles City (Atty. Bayani Maniquis) for possible violations of the Code of Professional Responsibility for his indispensable role as a lawyer in the issuance of the TCTs covering the contested sale.

THE COURT LAMENTED that though a statute (Republic Act No. 6732) prescribes a criminal penalty on those who use fraud or deceit in obtaining a reconstituted title and on any public officer or employee who knowingly approves or assists them in securing the decision for this, there is “apparently a dearth if not absence of prosecution” against the culprits. I believe this is a wake-up call for the Department of Justice which should start an honest-to-goodness investigation of the criminal minds and hands who perpetuate these shenanigans.

In yet another case (Kaw v. Nodalo, Nov. 27, 2024, per J. Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, Third Division, 5-0) promulgated two days after Manalese v. Ferreras, Justice Caguioa, a recognized civil law expert, rendered a concurring opinion that I believe sellers and buyers of real estate must be aware of.
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He explained that sales—whether of personal or real property like lots and condos—are perfected at the moment there is (1) a meeting of the minds, that is, a consent to transfer ownership of (2) a determinate thing, (3) upon a price certain in money or its equivalent.
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OWING TO THE CONSENSUAL NATURE OF CONTRACTS OF SALE, a stipulation that the buyer must first pay before the seller could be compelled to transfer the ownership of the thing, would not divest an agreement of its character as a contract of sale.

Nonetheless, jurisprudence starting in 1960 created the “contract to sell” (apart from a “contract of sale”) concept in which the title remains with the seller until the full payment of the purchase price.
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In a contract of sale, the intent to reserve the ownership of the thing in the seller pending payment by the buyer must be evident. As a rule, the seller’s delivery (or to use a technical term, “tradition”) of the thing transfers ownership to the buyer. Moreover, the execution of a public or notarized document is equivalent to actual or physical delivery. However, the notarized deed may clearly or inferentially reserve ownership to the seller until full payment is received.

To repeat, buyers gain ownership at the moment the three cited elements are satisfied. Consequently, they may occupy, use, rent out, repair, mortgage, pledge, or otherwise deal with property as they desire. Moreover, they cannot be evicted from the property even if they may not have paid the full price. All that the seller gets is the right to collect the full payment but not the ownership of the thing.

Jurisprudence has ruled that a deed is a “contract to sell,” not a “contract of sale,” when (1) a separate deed of absolute sale is needed upon full payment of the price, (2) the seller is granted a unilateral right to cancel the contract, and (3) when the buyer shall be a mere lessee of the property until full payment of the price.

Finally, the mere denomination of an agreement as a “contract to sell” will not necessarily determine its true nature. What would determine its nature are its provisions, not its title. In like manner, a beauty title does not necessarily determine the inner character of the lady.

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