Although English is one of the official languages of the Philippines, unfamiliar terms and abbreviations may be used within the property market. Here’s our round-up of some of the key terms. 

National Housing Authority
The National Housing Authority (NHA) is the government agency responsible for public housing in the Philippines. 

Land Registration Authority
The Land Registration Authority (LRA), also referred to as the Registry of Deeds, is an agency of the Department of Justice and, as the name suggests, is responsible for registration of real estate titles. The LRA is in the process of upgrading manually-issued titles to “eTitles”, issued by its new online system. The program aims to maintain current, accurate information which will safeguard records and aid in detection of fake titles. In the meantime, it may be necessary to visit a local office to verify certificates of title. Office locations may be found in the LRA directory here.  

Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board 
The Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) is the lead government agency for matters relating to condominium developments. Prospective buyers can use the HLURB database to check whether their preferred condominiums have been issued a certificate of registration and a license to sell prior to signing a contract.

Certificate of Registration/License to Sell
Property developers are required by Presidential Decree to register their projects with the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board, and are then issued a Certificate of Registration. This assures potential buyers that the project meets the agency’s building standards. However, they are not authorised to sell any units in that project until they have obtained a license to sell. Penalties apply to properties sold without a license to sell, payable by the seller.  

The Condominium Act
The Condominium Act was created to define the term ‘condominium’, establish requirements for the creation of new condominiums, and govern any incidents.

According to the Act, a condominium is a separate interest in a unit in a residential, industrial or commercial building and an undivided interest in common directly or indirectly, in the land which it is located and in other common areas of the building. 

The Act allows for the ownership of condominium units by foreign investors or multinational corporations in some situations. If the common areas of a condominium project are co-owned by the owners of individual units, the units may be conveyed or transferred only in favour of Filipino citizens (except in cases of hereditary succession) and Filipino corporations. Where the common areas are held by a corporation, the transfer or conveyance of units to non-Filipinos is allowed, provided that the foreigners’ interest in the project does not exceed a limit of 40 per cent. 

Condominium Certificate of Title  
This is the title that provides evidence of ownership of a condominium. Verification and registration of title certificates is done through the local Land Registration Authority.

Transfer Certificate of Title 
This is the title that provides evidence of ownership of a property. Verification and registration of title certificates is done through the local Land Registration Authority.

Barangay 
Municipalities in the Philippines are subdivided into barangays, which is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward. Though this is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines, in some areas there may smaller informal subdivisions called puroks or zones. According to the Philippines Statistics Authority there were 42,029 barangays in the Philippines as of June 2015.

Unit of measurement
The Metric system has been used in the Philippines for over 150 years. Property areas are presented in square metres (sqm). 

According to Savills, the most commonly used measurement terms within agreements are: 
•    Gross area: the total area within the building, including common areas and areas used for other purposes such as parking or comfort rooms. 
•    Total leasable area: the area available to lease to tenants. 
•    Floorplate: the size of each floor, typically measured in sqm. 

Local knowledge – Public Holidays  
The government of the Philippines recognizes two types of holidays: Regular Holidays and Nationwide Special Days, with different rates of pay applicable for each. The differences can be found on the Government of the Philippines website here. The holidays below are regular holidays unless specified. Other local special days may also occur, depending on region.

Easter: Maundy Thursday + Good Friday
A predominantly Catholic country, Easter is a large celebration in the Philippines, with a movable date based on the full moon. Generally it falls between March and April. Maundy Thursday marks the beginning of the main Easter celebrations, with many locals visiting churches and witnessing reenactments of the Lord’s Supper with feet-washing rites. On Good Friday there are church services and parades, with a small number of Filipino Christians famously recreating scenes from the Bible, including being whipped or nailed to wooden crosses.

Araw ng Kagitingan (Bataan and Corregidor Day)
Also known as Day of Valor, April 9 commemorates the Battle of Bataan, the peak of the Japanese invasion of the Philippines during the Second World War. Parades and speeches are held, honoring the countries veterans.

Labor Day
International Workers Day on May 1 is commemorated in the Philippines. Union may stage rallies to bring their grievances to the attention of the government. 

Independence Day 
Independence Day on June 12 marks the anniversary of the proclamation of the Philippine Declaration of Independence in 1898 from Spanish colonial rule.

National Heroes Day 
The last Sunday of August is set aside to acknowledge those men and women in Philippine history whose actions aided the Philippines as a nation. Local memorials host parades and wreaths are laid at shrines to pay tribute to both known and unknown heroes.

Eidul Fitr
Although a predominantly Catholic country, the Philippines has officially observed this Muslim holiday since 2002. Eidul Fitr marks the end of fasting during the Muslim month of Ramadan. The date is based on the Islamic lunar calendar but typically in June.

All Saints Day 
November 1 is a Nationwide Special Day marking the traditional Catholic day of the dead. Catholics remembers their ancestors with family reunions and visits to family cemetery plots.

Bonifacio Day 
November 30 celebrates the birthday of Andrés Bonifacio, one of the leading figures in the revolution against Spanish rule.

Christmas Day 
Christmas is one of the most celebrated holidays in the Philippines, culminating in a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25. Attending mass, giving gifts to each other and feasting with family members are traditional ways to spend the day.

Rizal Day 
December 30 commemorates Philippine hero José Rizal, a writer jailed for treason following publication of novels critical of Spanish rule. His subsequent execution on December 30 1896 was one of the influences to trigger the Philippine revolution against the Spanish. 

End of the Calendar Year
December 31 is a nationwide special day, while 1 January is a regular national holiday.

Similar to this:

Introduction to Philippines real estate

Renting property in the Philippines

Property taxes in the Philippines

Obtaining finance in the Philippines

Buying property in the Philippines