The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) welcomed on Saturday the simplified application for tax exemption for socialized and economic housing issued by the Department of Finance and the Bureau of Internal Revenue, describing it as a timely boost for housing stakeholders, particularly private developers and home buyers.
DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said the BIR’s issuance of Revenue Memorandum Order 048-2025 complies with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to streamline and simplify processes in the housing and real estate industry.
“This was ordered by President Marcos Jr., who directed me to speed up and simplify processes in the housing sector for the benefit of our countrymen who continue to dream of owning their own homes,” Aliling said.
He described the BIR order as a major boost to the ongoing rollout of President Marcos Jr.’s flagship Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program, which covers all socialized housing projects nationwide.
“This is a big development for all housing stakeholders, especially home buyers. It will further strengthen the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay Program of President Marcos Jr. as it encourages and accelerates socialized housing production by private developers,” Aliling said.
“This is a very welcome development for our countrymen. Its impact will be felt at the start of the New Year, and we can expect a more dynamic 2026 for the housing sector,” he added.
Under the latest BIR order titled “Streamlining of Requirements for the Application of a Certificate of Tax Exemption for Socialized and Economic Housing Projects Pursuant to Republic Act 7279 and Executive Order 226,” only a Socialized Housing Certification is required for private developers to apply for a Certificate of Tax Exemption, to be issued by the deputy commissioner of the BIR’s Legal Group.
The Socialized Housing Certification will be issued by the DHSUD, as provided under Republic Act 10884.
Aliling noted that the simplified process for obtaining tax exemption certificates from the BIR has long been sought by the private sector, citing the previous system as a cause of bottlenecks and bureaucratic red tape.
