By Richmond S. Mercurio (The
Philippine Star) | Updated August 10, 2015 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines - The Chamber of
Real Estate and Builders’ Associations Inc. (CREBA), the largest umbrella
organization in the country’s real estate and housing industry, is pushing for
the amendment of key provisions of the Real Estate Service Act (RESA Law).
In a statement over the weekend, CREBA
said the amendments would help address the possibility of negative economic
impacts to developers and the thousands of real estate professionals and
salespersons nationwide.
“The title and objectives of the law
are clear and specific. Surprisingly, the subsequent provisions extend beyond
regulation of the real estate service practice. Even developers are now being
regulated against selling their own projects,” CREBA national chairman Charlie
Gorayeb said.
CREBA said RA 9646 was enacted into
law in 2009 to develop “a corps of technically competent, responsible and
respected professional real estate service practitioners” according to
world-class standards.
The law transferred the licensing and
regulation of real estate brokers, appraisers, assessors and consultants, as
well as the registration of agents or salespersons from the Department of Trade
and Industry (DTI) to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
CREBA national president Noel Cariño
said scholastic requirements for real estate salespersons have become
discriminatory for them to get accredited and registered by the Professional
Regulatory Board of Real Estate Service (PRB-RES).
Before RESA came into law, Cariño said
there have been thousands of such agents earning a decent living from
legitimately offering real estate.
“We will be depriving these poor
individuals the chance to partake in the economic benefits of real estate. Many
of them have been there working for so long, and then they will be suddenly
cut-off because they cannot qualify for registration,” Cariño said.
CREBA is suggesting for the reduction
of the academic requirements for salespersons provided they undergo formal training
or are certified to possess the ample experience by the licensed broker
supervising them.
The association likewise moved for the
scrapping of the policy limiting the supervision of only 20 salespersons per
licensed broker.
CREBA said there is no necessity for
such limit as any broker would only handle “as many salespersons under his
supervision as he can manage because the burden and responsibility for the acts
of such salespersons bears upon his shoulders and his own license.”
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