PD 957 Subdivision & Condominium Rules – Vocabulary

A set of 100 English vocabulary flashcards summarizing essential terms and concepts from the Revised Rules and Regulations Implementing PD 957 on subdivision and condominium projects.

PD 957

Presidential Decree establishing buyer protection in Philippine subdivision and condominium sales.

Subdivision and Condominium Buyer’s Protective Decree

Formal name of PD 957, safeguarding purchasers from fraudulent real-estate practices.

HLURB (Board)

Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board—the agency that implements and enforces PD 957 rules.

Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP)

Local government zoning document that subdivision and condominium projects must comply with.

Zoning Compliance

Requirement that a project be located in areas permitted for its intended residential use.

Physical Suitability

Standard that sites be free from hazards such as flooding, landslides, or unstable soil.

Accessibility

Mandate that the project be reachable by roads linked to public transport with secure right-of-way.

Planned Unit Development (PUD)

A master-planned mixed-use community that must meet the same standards as residential projects.

Open Space

Portion of a subdivision reserved for streets, parks, playgrounds, and other community uses.

Street (Open-Space Component)

Road area within a subdivision providing safe vehicular and pedestrian circulation and utility easements.

Walks

Paved pedestrian paths connecting living units to streets, parking areas, and play zones.

Parks and Playgrounds

Designated recreational areas that must be strategically located and accessible to residents.

Density (Subdivision)

Number of dwelling units per hectare, aligned with local zoning regulations.

Slope (Site Preservation)

Proper grading requirement to drain rainwater and prevent erosion or flooding of adjacent properties.

Easement

Legally required strip of land kept free of structures for utilities, waterways, fault traces, or roads.

Water Code Easement

Setback alongside natural water bodies mandated by Philippine Water Code.

NPC Transmission Line Easement

Clearance zone beneath National Power Corporation high-voltage lines within a subdivision.

Fault Trace

Surface line of an active fault identified by PHIVOLCS where no development is allowed within 5 m.

Right-of-Way (ROW)

Legal access corridor that links a subdivision to the nearest public road.

Hierarchy of Roads

Functional arrangement of major, collector, minor roads, motor courts, service roads, and alleys.

Major Road

Primary traffic artery inside a project; minimum ROW 10 m and runs along the longer site axis.

Collector Road

Road that channels traffic from minor roads to major roads within the development.

Minor Road

Local street providing direct lot access and primarily serving residential traffic.

Motor Court

Cul-de-sac or loop with 6 m ROW and maximum length of 60 m for vehicle turnaround.

Service Road

Internal road distributing traffic among individual lots and amenities.

Alley

2-meter-wide pedestrian passage for emergency use; not intended for vehicle or lot access.

Road ROW (Interconnecting)

10-m-wide access dedicated to LGU when a subdivision is an interior project.

Setback (Subdivision Entrance)

3 m × 5 m clear space on each side of entrance for passenger loading and unloading.

Planting Strip

Roadside green strip reserved for trees and utilities as part of the open-space system.

Road Pavement

Concrete or asphalt surfacing required for all subdivision streets.

Concrete Pavement Thickness

Minimum 150 mm thick, 20.7 MPa compressive-strength concrete for subdivision roads.

Asphalt Pavement Thickness

Minimum 50 mm thick asphalt layer allowable for road surfacing.

Sidewalk Pavement Strength

Minimum 17.2 MPa compressive-strength concrete for sidewalks.

Road Intersection

Junction of roads that should meet at right angles and be spaced ≥20 m apart if offset.

Road Grade

Required crown slope of at least 1.5 % and gutter slope of 7 – 9 %.

Lot Layout

Arrangement of lots considering site assets, orientation, and harmony with surrounding developments.

Single-Detached Home

Free-standing dwelling occupying an individual lot within the subdivision.

Duplex/Single-Attached Home

Dwelling sharing a common wall with one other unit, occupying one lot.

Row House

Series of dwellings sharing side walls, each occupying a narrow lot.

Minimum Lot Area

Smallest permissible lot size for each housing type as set by PD 957 standards.

Saleable Area

Portion of the gross subdivision area (max 70 %) that can be sold as individual lots or units.

Non-Saleable Area

Area (min 30 %) reserved for roads, parks, playgrounds, and community facilities.

Community Facilities

Non-saleable areas set aside for shared amenities such as a neighborhood multi-purpose center.

Neighborhood Multi-Purpose Center

Required community facility space in subdivisions ≥1 hectare for gatherings and services.

Lot Frontage

Width of a lot along the street line, with minimums depending on housing type.

Block Length

Maximum 400 m distance between intersecting streets in a subdivision.

Mid-Length Alley Requirement

Need for a pedestrian alley at mid-point of blocks longer than 250 m.

Minimum Floor Area (Open Market)

At least 42 m² of finished space per dwelling unit in open-market housing.

Minimum Floor Area (Medium Cost)

At least 30 m² of finished space per dwelling unit in medium-cost housing.

Firewall

Code-required wall that prevents fire spread; mandatory for duplexes and row-houses.

National Building Code Setback

Minimum yard clearance around buildings as mandated by Philippine law.

Average Daily Demand (ADD)

Standard water consumption rate of 150 liters per capita per day.

Water Tank Capacity

Storage equal to 20 % of ADD plus fire-reserve volume for the subdivision.

MWSS Standards

Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System specifications for water pipes and fittings.

LWUA Standards

Local Water Utilities Administration guidelines for community water systems.

Street Lighting Requirement

Lights must be installed every 50 m or every other pole if spacing is closer.

Septic Tank

Individual sewage treatment unit required where no community system exists.

Drainage System

Network that channels storm water following natural patterns without flooding private lots.

Reinforced Concrete Pipe (RCP)

Durable pipe material specified for subdivision drainage infrastructure.

Minimum Drain Pipe Diameter

Smallest allowed size of 300 mm for subdivision drainage pipes.

Sanitary Refuse Collection

Efficient garbage collection system arranged by the subdivision or LGU.

Residential Condominium

Multi-unit building where each owner holds a unit plus undivided share in common areas.

Space Location (Condo)

Requirement that living, dining, kitchen, and sleeping areas meet Building Code standards.

Minimum Floor Area (Single Occupancy)

At least 18 m² per studio unit (12 m² for urban student housing).

Minimum Floor Area (Family Unit)

At least 36 m² for regular family units and 22 m² for medium-cost projects.

Access Road Width (Condo)

Minimum 8 m ROW—6 m carriageway plus 2 m sidewalk—for condominium sites.

Variance

Authorized deviation from design standards when strict compliance causes undue hardship.

Preliminary Subdivision Development Plan

Optional early submission showing site layout, prepared by licensed professionals.

Subdivision Development Permit

Official approval issued after detailed plans are submitted; valid for three years.

Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA)

Required study for projects ≥30 hectares evaluating effects on surrounding road network.

Condominium Plan

Set of signed architectural drawings and site layouts submitted for condo approval.

Building Specifications

Document detailing materials, finishes, and estimated costs for a condominium project.

Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC)

DENR authorization confirming the project meets environmental standards.

Certificate of Non-Coverage (CNC)

DENR document stating the project is outside requirements for an ECC.

DAR Conversion Order

Department of Agrarian Reform approval converting agricultural land to residential use.

Sworn Registration Statement

HLURB form filed by owners/dealers to register their subdivision or condominium project.

License to Sell

HLURB authorization allowing developers to market and sell lots or units.

Performance Bond

Security filed to guarantee completion of subdivision or condominium facilities.

Surety Bond

Callable bond equal to 20 % of development cost accepted as performance security.

Real Estate Mortgage (Bond Form)

Non-project property pledged to the government as performance security.

Dealer

Person or entity engaged in the business of buying or selling real estate projects.

Broker

Licensed individual who, for a fee, arranges real-estate transactions for others.

Salesman

Natural person employed by a dealer or broker to sell lots or units.

Certificate of Registration (Broker/Salesman)

HLURB document required before practicing real-estate brokerage or salesmanship.

Bond Amount for Broker

₱5,000 cash or surety bond ensuring faithful performance of broker duties.

Bond Amount for Salesman

₱1,000 cash or surety bond guaranteeing faithful performance of salesman duties.

Open Market Housing

Private housing category with higher price ceiling and larger unit floor areas.

Medium Cost Housing

Housing category aimed at moderate-income buyers with specified cost and area limits.

Community Sewer Connection

Mandatory linkage to an existing sewage network if available near the project.

Centralized Water Supply System

Subdivision-owned water distribution network allowed when public system is absent.

Fire Protection Demand

Additional water volume required by the National Fire Code for firefighting purposes.

Street Name/Sign Installation

Developer responsibility to erect signs concurrently with construction of roads.

Certificate of Completion (COG)

Document issued upon completion and turnover of subdivision utilities to the LGU.

Semi-Annual Report on Operations

Twice-yearly submission detailing sales status and corporate changes to HLURB.

Advertisements (Rule)

Marketing materials that must be declared and approved by HLURB before release.

Time for Completion

One-year deadline (or Board-set period) to finish facilities after license issuance.

Alteration of Plans

Change to approved development requiring HLURB approval and homeowner consent.

Non-Forfeiture of Payments

Rule preventing loss of buyer installments if developer fails to finish the project.

Separability Clause

Provision stating that if any rule section is void, the remaining parts stay effective.