Chamber of Real Estate and Builders' Associations (CREBA) is a private non-stock, non-profit organization that serves as the umbrella association for the Philippine real estate and housing industry. Founded in October 1973, CREBA represents over 4,000 member firms, individuals, and associations involved in land and housing development, building construction, and allied professional services.

CREBA operates under the guiding philosophy of "Business with a Social Conscience" and advocates for "A Home for Every Filipino." You can think of CREBA as the collective voice of the Philippine property sector when engaging with government bodies like the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, and Congress.

Core Mandate

CREBA's legal mandate centers on:

Promoting awareness that land and real property ownership is imbued with public interest
Integrating and harmonizing member activities to promote national economic stability
Initiating studies on affordable housing solutions for Filipino families
Maintaining cooperation with government toward policies that foster housing development

Key Services

CREBA provides members with critical industry services:

Advocacy and Representation – Direct engagement with government agencies on legislation affecting the real estate development sector
Professional Education – The Executive Diploma Program in Real Estate Management (EDPREM) in partnership with De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde
Land Title Verification – Through CREBALAND, a GIS-integrated mapping system that helps detect fraudulent land titles
International Realtor Designation – Partnership with the National Association of Realtors (NAR) for REALTOR® certification
Industry Information – Research, publications, and webinars on tax regulations, Philippine Financial Reporting Standards, and housing policies

Jurisdiction

CREBA maintains 32 chapters throughout the Philippines and 7 overseas chapters. The organization is headquartered in Quezon City at the CREBA Building on Don Alejandro Roces Avenue.

Membership includes:

Land and property developers
Real estate brokers and salespersons
Building contractors
Urban planners, architects, and engineers
Property appraisers and financial advisors
Suppliers of construction materials

Legislative Achievements

CREBA has been instrumental in shaping Philippine real estate law:

PD 957 (1975) – Subdivision and Condominium Buyers' Protective Decree
BP 220 (1982) – First social housing law enabling smaller lot sizes
RA 7835 (1994) – Comprehensive Shelter Finance Act
RA 10884 (2016) – Reduced balanced housing requirement from 20% to 15%
RA 11201 (2018) – Creation of DHSUD
VAT exemption advocacy – Successful campaigns to raise VAT exemption thresholds for housing packages

Relevance to Philippine Real Estate Firms

Real estate brokerages and developers benefit from CREBA membership through:

Access to BIR tax regulation updates and compliance guidance
Training programs that fulfill Continuing Professional Development requirements under the Real Estate Service Act
Land title verification services that protect against fraud
Networking with over 4,000 industry professionals

For firms using accounting software or CRM systems, CREBA's guidance on PFRS compliance helps ensure proper recognition of real estate revenue, especially for pre-selling transactions and contract to sell arrangements.

Official Resources

Official Website: CREBA
Contact: (02) 8373-2273
Address: CREBA Building, Don Alejandro Roces Avenue, Quezon City

Chamber of Real Estate and Builders' Associations