In less than two months, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) has resolved more than 1,100 complaints from homebuyers through a series of mass conciliation sessions held in Calamba City and at its Central Office in Quezon City.

Supervising Senior Undersecretary Sharon Faith Paquiz led the latest mass conciliation on Tuesday at the DHSUD Central Office, where homebuyers sought redress for grievances against various property developers. Similar sessions were conducted in Calamba City in recent weeks under the supervision of Undersecretary Odilon Pasaraba.

Launched in May, the mass conciliation program has so far resolved 1,174 complaints filed by homebuyers against developers, providing quicker and more accessible dispute resolution.

All other DHSUD Regional Offices have launched similar efforts to expeditiously and fairly address homebuyers’ concerns within their respective jurisdiction in compliance with the directive of Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling.

Confidence high

Clients who participated in the conciliation proceedings on Tuesday expressed satisfaction with the prompt, transparent and responsive handling of their concerns, reflecting continued public confidence in the government’s strengthened efforts to protect homebuyers and homeowners.

Kim Warren Lim, a design and construction consultant, commended DHSUD for facilitating a balanced mediation process and emphasized the importance of government intervention in addressing legitimate complaints.

“I believe the officer-in-charge did an excellent job mediating the dispute and hearing both the respondent’s and the complainant’s sides. They also facilitated the discussions effectively because they have the authority to step in.

It has to come from the government agency to compel the developer to act on our complaints. So, I’m very satisfied with the process. I’m happy with the outcome of the conciliation.”

“So, it’s very satisfactory. I’m happy with the conciliation,” he said.

Marites Prado likewise praised the conciliating officer for providing clear guidance on the legal process despite the developer’s absence during the proceedings.

“It’s very smooth. Attorney Rigor communicated with us professionally and respectfully, and I could genuinely feel her sincerity and willingness to help. She clearly explained the next steps after the conciliation, which gave us confidence in the process. Hopefully, everything will continue to move forward and lead to a positive outcome,” she said.

For 76-year-old homebuyer Resty Paredes, DHSUD’s assistance gave her a clear understanding of the steps available to recover his payments should the developer fail to comply with their agreement.

“I’m very satisfied because Supervising Senior Undersecretary Paquiz guided us on what to do after the cancellation and explained where we should go next. She clearly outlined the process, so we now know the steps to take if SMDC fails to comply with our agreement,” she said.

Secretary Aliling welcomed the positive feedback from the homebuyers, saying it reflects the Department’s commitment to delivering responsive public service and strengthening trust in government.

“The positive feedback from our stakeholders affirms that responsive public service creates confidence in government. Every concern that receives immediate action strengthens Filipino families’ trust in DHSUD. Through our Zero Backlog Program under the 8-Point Agenda, we will continue ensuring that complaints are resolved faster, and we balanced the rights of both the homebuyers and developers. All our stakeholders should be protected,” Aliling said.