23/04/2026
đź”´ REBAP AT THE SENATE | SBN 1377 TWG HEARING
Today, REBAP National President CRB Carla Calleja served as Resource Person before the Technical Working Group on Housing of the Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement, representing the voice of Filipino real estate brokers in the discussions on Senate Bill No. 1377 — the proposed amendment to the Maceda Law (RA 6552).
The Maceda Law is the law that protects the buyers — when you purchase a home on installment. Any change to it affects every Filipino who is paying for a condo, a house and lot, or a lot on monthly amortization. That is why REBAP showed up at the table.
đź“Ś Here is what REBAP formally asked the Senate to reconsider:
1. Give buyers more time. SBN 1377 reduces the grace period to just 30 days. REBAP said NO — buyers need at minimum 90 days (3 months) to recover from a missed payment, and sellers must be required to discuss restructuring options before canceling any contract.
2. Protect the refund. Under the original Maceda Law, a buyer who defaults gets back 50% to 90% of what they paid. SBN 1377’s new formula could leave a buyer who paid for 7 years with almost nothing after deductions. REBAP called this out as a huge red flag — and asked for a non-waivable refund floor.
3. Be realistic about title transfer. SBN 1377 says sellers must transfer the title in 30 days. But the BIR alone takes 2 to 4 weeks just to process tax clearance — and the Registry of Deeds needs a minimum of 45 working days on top of that. REBAP proposed a two-tier framework that holds developers accountable without setting them up to fail due to government processing timelines beyond their control.
4. Fix the farm lot classification error. SBN 1377 calls farm lots “residential property.” Under RA 9646 — the Real Estate Service Act — farm lots are classified as AGRICULTURAL, not residential. REBAP asked the Senate to correct this before it creates confusion and legal disputes for buyers of agricultural land.
5. Require a licensed broker on every contract. REBAP proposed that all Contracts to Sell and Deeds of Sale must carry the signature and PRC license number of the broker who handled the transaction. Because when a licensed professional signs, there is disclosure. There is accountability. There is protection — for the buyer, and for you.
đź’¬ In the words of NPres Carla before the Committee:
“We do not come before this Committee to obstruct reform. We come as partners in it. A broker’s signature on the contract is not bureaucracy. It is accountability.”
REBAP has always been — and will always be — the professional voice that stands between a Filipino family and an unfair contract. 🏠❤️
We will keep showing up. In the hearing rooms. At the table. On the screen. For our members, for our clients, and for every Filipino who deserves a fair shot at owning a home.
