24/02/2026
No โ condominiums in the Philippines do not automatically expire after 50 years. That idea is a common misunderstanding.
๐ต๐ญ What the law actually says
Under the Philippine Condominium Act (Republic Act No. 4726):
A condo project continues to exist as long as the condominium corporation owns the land and the building is usable.
A condo can be dissolved only in specific cases such as:
1. The building becomes unsafe or obsolete and more than 50%โ70% of owners vote to dissolve the condo corporation.
2. The land lease expires (this happens in rare leasehold projects).
3. Damage or destruction where rebuilding is not practical.
4. When the project conditions in the master deed allow termination.
Why people say โ50 yearsโ
This comes from several things:
1. Building lifespan estimate
Engineers sometimes estimate 40โ60 years before major redevelopment, but buildings can last much longer with proper maintenance.
2. Corporate term confusion
Before the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines (2019), corporations often had a 50-year term. Now corporations can exist perpetually, including condo corporations.
3. Leasehold land projects
Some condos are built on land leased for 25โ50 years, but this is project-specific and clearly stated in documents.
Real examples
Many condos in places like Makati and Manila are already 30โ40+ years old and still operating.
In prime areas, older condos sometimes become more valuable because the land appreciates.
What actually matters more than โageโ
When evaluating a condo investment:
โข Quality of the developer
โข Property management
โข Location
โข Condo corporation finances
โข Maintenance of common areas
These affect value more than the building age itself.
Investor insight
In strong locations, old condos are sometimes bought out for redevelopment, and owners receive payouts or new units.
This has happened in parts of Makati and Bonifacio Global City.
Simple rule
Condos donโt expire like milk.
They continue as long as the owners maintain them and the corporation exists.
