Challenges in the Philippine Housing Industry to be Taken Up at the 25th SHDA Convention

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippines has, in the last few years, experienced consistent economic growth, registering an increase in gross domestic product (GDP) by 6.3% in the last quarter of 2015, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Revenues from the fast-growing IT-BPM (Information Technology and Business Process Management) industry and overseas Filipino remittances are major drivers of the economy. However, with such escalating growth also come accompanying challenges—one of them is housing.

The 25th Subdivision and Housing Developers’ Association (SHDA) National Convention will tackle “The Many Faces of Housing” to address the challenges and respond with appropriate and practicable solutions. It will be held at the Iloilo Convention Center, Megaworld Blvd, Mandurriao, Iloilo City from September 22-23, 2016. This annual event will gather more than 200 members of SHDA from all over the country.

As a partner in nation-building, the housing sector practitioners, of which the SHDA is the biggest organization in the Philippines, appreciate that they play a key role and must be aligned with the Duterte administration’s 10-point socio-economic agenda.

“Since the government, in partnership with the private sector, is mandated to undertake a comprehensive and continuing urban development and housing program under Republic Act 7279 or the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992 —the policy directions of the government agencies, which practitioners in the housing industry deal with—shall be very crucial in crafting short-term as well as long-term plans,” said Rodel Racadio, national president of SHDA. The two-day program is well-crafted to address the needs of the private and public components of the sector.

Participants will be given the Prospects for the Philippine Housing Industry. Aside from the improving economy, an increase in population necessitates roofs over families’ heads. The population is projected to increase by more than a million annually—from about 95 million in 2011 to 126 million by 2030. These translate into 19 million households in 2011 to about 25 million by 2030.

There are many facets of housing that will be discussed during the convention: (1) Housing that is responsive to a family’s needs regardless of economic status, with socialized housing, low-cost housing, and economic housing. These strategies manifest the industry's involvement in ensuring inclusive growth. (2) The human resources to respond to the demands of the development of a housing project. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) even designed its own roadmap to keep pace with the requirements of the housing industry's roadmap. (3) In consideration of sustainability, the industry has espoused green building initiatives to minimize the effects of global warming, at the same time that it addresses the need to preserve nature. Housing developers also undertake activities to further their corporate social responsibility. (4) Adapting a long view, the government’s policy toward the sector is a positive step towards ensuring and enabling an environment that will allow housing developers to sustain their efforts to further grow the housing industry by pushing through with their housing development plans in 2016 and beyond.

Racadio promises that this year’s convention will be a memorable one. “We are optimistic that we can all work together--the government and the private sector—in order to continue advancing toward the fulfillment of goals encapsulated in the Housing Roadmap 2030.” With the concerted effort of the sectors represented, there is hope that the strides already made in the past years will gain and sustain their momentum.

For inquiries, please e-mail the SHDA Secretariat: shda.secretariat@gmail.com.