ARTA launches one-stop system for housing permits
Representatives from the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), and other regulatory agencies attend the Housing Forum 2026: Multi-Stakeholder Forum and the launch of Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 1, Series of 2026, at the National Food Authority Central Office in Quezon City on Aug. 4, 2026.
Photograph by Sean Magbanua for DAILY TRIBUNE
The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), in partnership with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and other government agencies, has launched Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 1, Series of 2026, which streamlines and digitalizes the processes for the acquisition, construction, development, and disposition of housing projects nationwide.
"The Joint Memorandum Circular brings together 15 participating agencies [including ARTA] through a coordinated implementation that removes duplication, facilitates housing applications, and enables homes to reach Filipino families within a shorter period," ARTA Secretary and Director General Ernesto Perez said in his opening remarks.
The agreement was also signed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Land Registration Authority (LRA), National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), National Electrification Administration (NEA), and other partner agencies.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Tribune, Perez said the participating agencies worked together to identify redundant requirements and simplify existing procedures.
"We gathered all [other] 14 regulatory agencies through a series of workshops, where we studied and analyzed their processes to determine which requirements could be removed and streamlined," Perez said.
He added that the agencies agreed to reduce the number of documentary requirements for housing applications through a technical working group headed by the DHSUD, with ARTA serving as vice chair.
Perez said the participating agencies will continue engaging with both the public and private sectors to ensure the effective implementation of the joint memorandum.
"Every Filipino dream[s] of having a place they can call home. And through this, we will be able to help the government, according to the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., that every Filipino will have a place they can call home," Perez said.
"The JMC is the first step towards achieving this dream," he added.