DHSUD-7 defends permit delays over CLI housing projects

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Housing regulators in Central Visayas pushed back against suggestions that regulatory delays were to blame for a sharp slowdown in project launches by Cebu Landmasters, Inc. (CLI).

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Regional Office here (DHSUD-7), in a statement, said it issued Notices of Deficiency of Requirements (NDRs) to CLI for several of its projects after finding non-compliant applications for licenses to sell.

Director Mark Anthony Lindugan said the NDRs stemmed from discrepancies in building permit classifications, issues converting temporary licenses to sell into regular licenses, and pending documentary requirements.

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“It is inaccurate to put blame on the delays to regulators when they submitted deficient applications,” he pointed out.

Some projects had been flagged over incomplete submissions, non-compliance with standards, or the need for technical corrections and referral back to concerned local government units, the agency said.

READ MORE: Housing permit backlog puts PH growth, investments at risk

Among the CLI developments affected are North Grove at Pristina Town (Towers 1 and 2), Alto Ranudo, Mirani Homes Bogo, and Casa Mira South Phase 4B.3.

DHSUD-7 is bound to strictly enforce existing rules “without shortcuts” to protect the integrity of project development, Lindugan added.

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Furthermore, the agency said full compliance rests with CLI.

The statement follows remarks attributed to CLI President and CEO Jose Franco Soberano, who disclosed that the company deferred the launch of at least four development projects while its licenses to sell remained pending.

The delay contributed to an 82 percent drop in project launches for the developer compared with the previous year.

In a separate statement, CLI offered additional context on the deferred launches, which it said were disclosed during a recent investors and analysts briefing.

The company said the delays were “primarily attributable” to regulatory requirements tied to DHSUD’s ongoing efforts to tighten the licensing and permitting process for developers, and said those requirements “have since been hurdled.”

CLI said it is preparing to launch 11 projects comprising more than 5,600 units, with a combined sales value of roughly ₱25 billion, in the coming months across Cebu, Mactan, Ormoc, Butuan, Davao and Panglao.

Soberano, in the meantime, expressed support for DHSUD’s regulatory push, adding the requirements were meant to strengthen industry standards.

He also reiterated CLI’s commitment to working with the agency and other government bodies as it moves forward with its second-half project launches.

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