Philippine Property Roundup: Land Banking, Cebu Caution, and the Push for Affordable Housing

This week's roundup looks at how infrastructure delays are reshaping developer strategy, mixed signals from Cebu's residential market, fresh calls for housing affordability reforms, and Bulacan's rising appeal as an investment hub.

Developers Pursue Land Deals Despite Infrastructure Delays

Despite slow progress on transport infrastructure, property developers are still snapping up land near planned transit corridors outside Metro Manila, even as they delay actual project launches until construction catches up. Colliers' Joey Roi Bondoc suggests the delays offer companies breathing room to scout land outside the capital, while pausing on Metro Manila moves for now. Cushman & Wakefield's Claro Cordero Jr. notes that savvy buyers are zeroing in on sites where construction is clearly progressing and right-of-way issues are mostly settled. Read more from BusinessWorld Online.

Cebu Holds Its Residential Ground

With the BSP policy rate now at 5.5 percent, Metro Cebu's Q2 2026 housing data paints a mixed picture. Housing loans dropped nearly 25 percent year-on-year, hinting at tighter conditions in the broader residential segment, yet condo prices rose about 6.4 percent to a median of P4 million, and condo loans surged over 30 percent quarter-on-quarter. The contrast suggests resilience in Cebu's condo segment even as overall housing credit softens. Full details via Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Lawmaker Pushes Reforms to Bridge Income, Housing Prices

Rep. JP Padiernos is urging tighter collaboration among government agencies, developers, and housing financiers to close the gap between home prices and what ordinary Filipino families can actually afford. He frames the issue as a mismatch between available housing stock and household purchasing power. The push comes against a backdrop of roughly 79,200 unsold Metro Manila condo units as of end-2025 — nearly 30,000 of them ready for occupancy — with vacancy rates projected to climb to 25.6 percent by the end of 2026, per Colliers. Read the full story at Manila Times.

Bulacan: Ripe and Ready for More Property Investments

Bulacan is gaining traction as developers look past Metro Manila and ride Central Luzon's continued growth, offering buyers a broader mix of condos, house-and-lot packages, and lot-only projects. Colliers Philippines describes the province as ready for more development, a shift it expects will diversify the national property market and benefit both investors and end-users. More from BusinessMirror.