Bicol Saro Partylist Representative Brian Raymund Yamsuan wants new legislation that would mandate the creation of conciliation committees within homeowners’ associations (HOAs) to amicably settle disputes among their members.  Yamsuan said the measure, as outlined under House Bill (HB) 10908, aims to provide HOAs with a “simplified and inexpensive means” of resolving disagreements among their members, which, in turn, would promote harmonious and unified communities.     Read the article…………………………….

UNDERSTANDABLY, frustrations abound with the homeowners of Fiesta Communities Tabun Mabalacat City Homeowners Association, Inc. (FCTMCHAI) due to the uncertainty of the results of the election of the new set of Board of Directors of the Association.    https://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/opinion/frustrations-abound-at-the-hoa

The ongoing dispute between two factions vying for control of the Multinational Village Homeowners Association (MVHA) has resulted in the freezing of the association’s accounts at BDO Unibank Inc. and China Banking Corporation.    Read the article…………………………….

The Revised IRR of the Charter for Homeowners’ Association took effect on Oct. 25, 2021. Whether you are a member, officer or trustee of a homeowner’s association, federation, confederation or involved as a developer, contractor, engineer, architect, security agency, vendor, utility company, financing institution, government agency who needs to deal with homeowner associations, or a lawyer, LGU official, member of the bench, mediator, or arbitrator who is involved in resolving issues, disputes, adjudications, it is your business to learn and ...

THE preamble of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (the Code) states that “the existence of a free and independent society depends upon the recognition of the concept that justice is based on the rule of law” and a lawyer’s “failure to abide by the Code results in sanctions.”    Read the article…………………………….

The Center for Global Best Practices will host a two-session training program titled “Condominium Law of the Philippines” on July 17 and 18, from 1:30 to 4:45 p.m. via Zoom.  This program will guide unit owners, condominium association, investors, landowners, contractors, property developers, brokers and lawyers on condominium-related issues such as property development, ownership and leasing to construction, property management, maintenance, quarrels among condominium association directors and members, among others.   Read the article…………………………….

AT THE Aprobado sa Konseho meeting on Thursday, Councilor Bai Hundra Cassandra “Sweet” Advincula advised Verdon Parc residents to lodge complaints with the Human Settlements Adjudication Commission (HSAC) while awaiting the Office of the Building Official’s (Ocbo’s) inspection results.    Read the article…………………………….

Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan has introduced a measure mandating local government units (LGUs) to convene twice a year with homeowners’ associations (HOAs) within their jurisdiction to establish a regular line of communication to address issues of mutual concern.   Read the article…………………………….

The measure providing for the redevelopment of condominiums in the country has been unanimously approved on third and final reading by the House of Representatives.  On the strength of 188 affirmative votes, the House gave final approval to House Bill (HB) No. 10173, also known as the proposed Condominium Redevelopment Act, during a recent plenary session.    Read the article…………………………….

Cebu City Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover filed a criminal complaint against members of the Homeowners Association of Beverly Hills, Lahug after they allegedly installed another barricade at their gates that bars the entry of the public anew.   Read the article…………………………….

A HOMEOWNERS association based in Barangay Banilad, Cebu City, has lodged a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas against Cebu City Legal Officer Carlo Vincent Gimena and 11 other lawyers for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.   Read the article…………………………….

Cebu City’s housing summit finally pushed through with various homeowners from different associations in attendance, hoping to finally settle concerns involving their lots, particularly those identified as Capitol-owned properties.  Close to 70 officials from different homeowners, especially those with some lot issues and concern, gathered at the Community Hall of the Cebu City Hall last Saturday.    Read the article…………………………….

The management of a condominium unit mentioned in an alleged leaked report of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has been subpoenaed by a Senate panel to attend its next hearing.  In its letter to the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, Rockwell Residential Towers Condominium Corp. invoked the Data Privacy Act in refusing to disclose details about the condo unit.    Read the article…………………………….

A leadership battle involving abogados, milyonaryos and veteran bankers is shaping up inside Dasmariñas Village, home to some bilyonaryos and celebrities.  Two camps are fighting for control of the homeowners association inside one of the most exclusive enclaves in the country, where prices of properties range from P110 million to P1.3 billion.   Read the article…………………………….

Dear PAO,  I am a homeowner in an exclusive subdivision. I have been paying the annual dues regularly until 2021, when I eventually decided to lease it out to my friend. The lease period is five years, and annexed to our contract is a document in which I expressly authorize the lessee to be a member of our association, considering that he will be staying there for five years. Last month, I inquired from the homeowners’ association management if I ...

Dear PAO,  I own a house and lot inside a subdivision in Pasig City, where I am a member of the Board of Directors of its registered homeowner’s association (HOA). Last month, I bought another residential property in the neighboring subdivision where my current house is. I would like to know if, as a member of the HOA of the subdivision where my second property is located, I am qualified to be a member of its Board of Directors even ...

HOMEOWNERS of Sunberry Homes in Sudtonggan, Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City continue to complain about exorbitant water rates a year after raising the matter before the government.  Now, they have a new axe to grind: they are accusing the developer of preventing them from using the subdivision’s facilities.   Read the article…………………………….

IF a volunteer-dentist offers to serve the needs of an impoverished community on a certain day and time and comes in two hours late, would you fault him for that? Some people say no. The dentist is offering his free time and services, so better ignore that minor lapse. In a homeowners’ association, if a retired accountant volunteers her expertise to prepare their financial statements and she fails to do her job, would you blame her for that?    Read the ...

A unit owner, choosing to remain anonymous, disclosed in a Messenger interview with SunStar Davao that they have already evacuated their unit. They sought repairs for the unit after feeling an intensity 4 earthquake in the city on Friday afternoon, November 17.    Read the article…………………………

A total of 174 individuals residing around the construction site of the high-rise condominium tower The Paragon Davao of Cebu Landmasters were advised to vacate after a crane collapsed in the magnitude-6.8 earthquake that rocked this city and a southern Mindanao on Friday, November 17.   Read the article……………………………….

Remember that posh and gated subdivision in Pasig hounded by problems such as the alleged lack of transparency from its homeowners’ association? I wrote about it last June 27 in a column titled “Problems hound posh residential subdivision.”  That story seemingly opened a can of worms. It turns out, so say readers, many residential villages, condominiums, subdivisions, etc. have been dealing with similar problems.    Read the Op/Ed…………………………….

It took a while before Ilonggos started to get a hang of “condo-living.” For the longest time, even if in Metro Manila, condominiums were already all over, people from Iloilo City still literally had their feet planted on the ground by living in bungalows.   Read the article………………………..

THE Quezon City government will inspect businesses located inside subdivisions following the deadly August 31 fire that razed a house that was converted into a business establishment.   Read the article………………………..

WHAT JUST HAPPENED regarding the controversy between the Beverly Homeowners Association on one hand and the Cebu City Government and commuters using or wanting to use subdivision roads on the other: Mayor Michael Rama reportedly gave a “marching order” to start “recovering all public roads” that have been used “exclusively” by some subdivisions in the city.   Read the article………………………..

Volunteers and supporters of a group dedicated to caring for community cats of their condominium residence in Bonifacio Global City are voicing out their concern regarding the condo’s management and property developers have reportedly been taking action to remove these cats from its premises.  Read the article………………………..

The fight between Senator Cynthia A. Villar and the BF Resort Village Homeowners Association in Las Pinas City may go into its second round.  Villar said she would talk with her lawyer on filing a suit over several issues such as the construction by BFRV of a gate barring entry into her composting plant and removal of signages in the subdivision.   Read the article………………………..

MULTIPLE concerns have been raised by unit owners of the condominium building next to the one in Grand Residences that was hit by fire on April 14, 2023, and among these was the fire alarm sounding only 40 minutes to one hour after the fire had started and their now being made to return to a fire-damaged building.   Read the article………………………..

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) yesterday warned condominium owners against harboring illegal foreign nationals after Sen. Risa Hontiveros reported that some condominiums in Metro Manila are being used in crypto currency scam operations.    Read the article………………………..

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is now looking to review the capabilities of the Cebu City Fire Office (CCFO) and other local fire brigades, following the severe damage brought by the fire.  In an interview with SunStar Cebu on Saturday, April 15, Rama said this review aims to improve the capabilities of firefighters in the city in responding to fire incidents, especially those involving high-rise buildings.   Read the article………………………..

Q: The officers of the homeowner’s association in our subdivision decided to put another basketball court in the common area of our subdivision. Do they have the right to decide on this without even consulting us, the homeowners?   Read the Q&A……………………………….

Location remains an integral qualifier in the selection of property to buy or lease. Property within walking distance from work or school saves time and money. As most engagements are in major cities, the trend is for developers to build high-rise properties over limited land. For young professionals and startup families in search of a condominium, here are 10 other factors to keep in mind.   Read the article………………………..

Is closing public roads inside a private village legal?  A family here is asking the city government to help solve the issue after a homeowners association closed the public roads inside a private village in Barangay Mabolo.   Read the article………………………..

More than 11,000 residents of the California Garden Square (CGS) condominium in Mandaluyong City, are intensifying their call on the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for immediate intervention to prevent disconnection of their electricity services.   Read the article………………………..

Trouble has been brewing at the exclusive Tali Beach Resort in Batangas ahead of its homeowners association’s annual elections tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023.  From all indications, a team of nine directors looks likely to retain control of the board of directors of the upscale resort, but several other homeowners are chafing at the voting rules that were put in place by the current administration.  Read the article………………………..

The Confederation of Homeowners Associations of Negros Occidental was formally launched yesterday in Talisay City, making it the first to be organized in Western Visayas, spurred by the Metro 3rd Balay Hilway Program of Third District Rep. Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez.   Read the article………………………..

The Court of Appeals (CA) has turned down a petition filed by condominium unit owners against a company which bought the land where their units are located.  The appellate court dismissed the petition of the owners of 10 units in two buildings of Xavierville Executive Townhouse in Quezon City against Barrington Consumer Distributions Corporation.    Read the article………………………..

Forty-six homeowners’ associations in the third district of Negros Occidental participated in series of orientation workshops for the formation of a Metro Third Housing Confederation, as facilitated by the congressional office of Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez.   Read the article………………………..

The Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) has set aside a tax assessment against a local corporation, the IBM Plaza Condominium Association Inc., for more than PHP50 million due to technical lapses.   Read the article………………………..

A big number of residents of residents of BF Homes Subdivision in Parañaque conducted yesterday a motorcade rally as they continued to oppose the opening of its gates to the public.  Last August, the Human Settlements Adjudication Commission (HSAC) issued an injunction against the subdivision’s “no sticker, no entry” policy.   Read the article………………………..

SINCE Fiesta Communities Tabun Mabalacat City Homeowners Association Inc., (FCTMCHAI) took over full management and operations of Fiesta Communities subdivision from Hausland Estate Management Inc., (HEMI), its former managing agency, FCTMCHAI seems to be coping well with the change in the management affairs of the community.   Read the article………………………..

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno is allowing the Dasmariñas Village Association Inc. (DVAI) to enjoy tax exemptions on its income from association dues and rental fees by reversing an earlier ruling of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).     Read the article………………………..

Sixteen homeowner associations at the BF Homes in Parañaque City launched a simultaneous protest on Monday afternoon to denounce the Human Settlements Adjudication Commission’s (HSAC) decision to order the opening of five gates of the subdivision to the public.    Read the article………………………..

Recently, I received a message from a client asking about the rights and powers of a homeowners’ association. Let me share to you some of the things I discussed in my response.  Read the entire article……………………………….

THE much-awaited/anticipated election of the new set of board of directors (BOD) of the Fiesta Communities Tabun Mabalacat City Homeowners Association, Inc. (FCTMCHAI) was held last Sunday, March 6, 2022, at the HOA premises. Two teams vied for the posts and the Team Tap or Team Tuloy sa Pag-asenso emerged victorious with ten out of thirteen gaining slots in the new Board of Directors.   Read the entire article……………………………….

Presidential candidate and labor leader Leody de Guzman said he was barred from campaigning inside a private subdivision in Antipolo City on Saturday.   Read the entire article……………………………….

The Supreme Court (SC) has stressed that disputes between and among members of homeowners’ associations in villages are within the jurisdiction of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) and not the regional trial court (RTC).   Read the entire article……………………………….

The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, approved on third and final reading the House Bill No. 10388 or “An Act Mandating the Allocation of an Area for Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure and Facilities in Subdivisions and Housing Development Projects.”   Read the entire article……………………………….

Filipinos living in condominiums and subdivisions will no longer qualify to avail of the ‘lifeline subsidy’ or electricity rate discounts extended to financially challenged power consumers.   Read the entire article……………………………….

Not long after the Ayala Alabang Village Association cracked down on abusive tenants from mainland China—many said to be using their rented homes for illegal online gaming activities or as staffhouses—another upscale exclusive residential community has found itself in a similar predicament.     Read the entire article……………………………….

The management of a condominium in this city has denied involvement in the death of a lawyer, who had staged a hunger strike, to protest the imposition of dues, before he was shot last week.  In a statement, the Bamboo Bay Condominium Corp. (BBCC) said it was “shocked” upon learning of the killing of human rights lawyer Rex Jesus Mario Fernandez, 64.   Read the entire article……………………………….