The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Region 7 has issued Notices of Deficiencies of Requirements (NDRs) to Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI) for non-compliant applications for licenses to sell, citing insufficient documentary requirements and other regulatory deficiencies.
DHSUD-7 Regional Director Mark Anthony Linduangon said Tuesday that some CLI projects in Central Visayas were issued NDRs due to incomplete requirements and non-compliant applications.
He said the non-issuance of licenses was associated with various regulatory and compliance concerns, including discrepancies in building permit classifications, the conversion of Temporary Licenses to Sell (TLS) to regular licenses to sell, and pending documentary requirements.
‘Some projects were likewise issued NDRs due to incomplete submissions, non-compliance with applicable standards or the need for technical rectification and referral back to the concerned Local Government Units,’ Linduangon said in a statement.
Among the projects being developed or co-developed by CLI in Region 7 are North Grove at Pristina Town Towers 1 and 2, Alto Ranudo, Mirani Homes Bogo, and Casa Mira South Phase 4B.3.
Linduangon stressed that full compliance with the requirements remains the responsibility of CLI and is outside the control of DHSUD-7.
His statement came after CLI issued its own official statement clarifying recent reports concerning the deferment of some of its project launches during the first half of the year.
CLI said the deferred launches were primarily due to regulatory requirements that it needed to address as part of DHSUD’s efforts to strengthen the licensing and permitting process for real estate developers.
The company said it has since completed the requirements and secured the necessary approvals, allowing it to proceed with its planned second-half launches.
CLI said it is preparing to launch 11 projects comprising more than 5,600 units, with an estimated sales value of around P25 billion, in the coming months. The projects are planned across Cebu, Mactan, Ormoc, Butuan, Davao and Panglao.
‘The company used the first half of the year to complete the necessary requirements and secure the approvals needed to bring these projects to market,’ CLI said in a separate statement.
CLI President and Chief Executive Officer Jose Franco Soberano was earlier quoted in media reports as saying the company deferred the launch of at least four developments because their licenses to sell remained pending. Linduangon, however, said it would be inaccurate to attribute the delays solely to regulators, stressing that applicants must comply with existing requirements.
‘As regulators, we are mandated to strictly enforce existing laws and regulations without shortcuts to ensure compliance to standards and the integrity of each project development. We cannot approve applications with deficiencies,’ he said.
Meanwhile, CLI said it supports DHSUD’s efforts to promote responsible development and strengthen industry standards.
Soberano also said the company remains committed to working with DHSUD and other government agencies to ensure its projects are delivered responsibly to customers and communities.