Kolaboro / Countries / Philippines / How to check
How to check an off-plan project in Philippines
Official registers, what local projects leave out and the questions to ask, from 14 tracked projects.
To check an off-plan project in Philippines, match what the developer tells you against the official record before each payment. Start with the 2 official registers listed below, then ask the questions that the 14 projects we track in Philippines most often leave open.
The check most often missing in Philippines: deposit protection (not public for 14 of 14 projects).
- Official registers
- What projects here leave out
- Questions to ask the developer
- Free check
- Questions and answers
Step 1: official registers in Philippines#
DHSUD License to Sell list (Philippines)
- What it proves
- The project, for the phase stated, is authorised to be sold to the public. Selling a covered project before a License to Sell is issued is not allowed under PD 957. DHSUD also lists projects under cease and desist orders.
- What it does not prove
- Land title, completion of roads and facilities, or coverage of other phases or towers.
- How to search
- Search the DHSUD list of projects with License to Sell by licence number, then project and developer name; check the cease and desist list; ask the regional office in writing if unsure.
No public online search; ask the authority directly.
From our register guide.
Registry of Deeds (land title) (Philippines)
- What it proves
- Who owns the land and whether it carries mortgages, liens or adverse claims.
- What it does not prove
- That the developer may sell units: that is the License to Sell.
- How to search
- Ask for a certified true copy of the title from the Registry of Deeds covering the project location.
No public online search; ask the authority directly.
From our register guide.
Step 2: what off-plan projects in Philippines leave out#
Share of the 14 tracked projects that make each check public, and how many are confirmed by an official register or independent source.
| Check | Public | Not public | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permit or licence number | 11 (79%) | 3 | 11 |
| Deposit protection | 0 (0%) | 14 | 0 |
| Construction progress | 6 (43%) | 8 | 4 |
| Site or floor plans | 11 (79%) | 3 | 0 |
| Developer track record | 12 (86%) | 2 | 8 |
| No guaranteed-return language | 14 (100%) | 0 | 0 |
Step 3: questions to ask the developer#
The questions our research agent raised most often for projects in Philippines, with how many projects they apply to. Each one points at a gap in what the developer publishes.
- No deposit protection published: will your payments go into an escrow or trust account in your name? (14 of 14 projects)
- A permit number is published: does it exist in the official register and match this plot? (11 of 14 projects)
- No building permit mentioned: ask for the number before paying. (11 of 14 projects)
- Completion advertised for 2027: does progress on site match? (11 of 14 projects)
- A building permit is claimed: does it exist in the official system and match this plot? (3 of 14 projects)
- Title type not stated: leasehold, freehold or a company structure? (2 of 14 projects)
Send them in writing: ask the developer with our template.
Step 4: run a free check#
Paste the project page into the free desk review: our agent reads it, quotes every claim and looks it up in the registers above where it can. Then see all projects we track in Philippines.
Questions and answers#
What should I check before buying off-plan in Philippines?
The permit or licence number, deposit protection, construction progress, plans, the developer's track record and any guaranteed-return promise. In Philippines the check most often missing is deposit protection (14 of 14 tracked projects do not publish it).
Is there an official register to check an off-plan project in Philippines?
Yes: DHSUD License to Sell list; Registry of Deeds (land title).
What do developers in Philippines most often leave unanswered?
No deposit protection published: will your payments go into an escrow or trust account in your name? (14 of 14 projects).
Are you the developer, or did we get something wrong? Send documents and we add your reply or correct the record: right of reply · corrections. Every figure here is computed from the open dataset (/data/bali-cases.json, CC BY 4.0) and changes when the data changes.