Philenews

Local Authorities Criticize Government's Handling of Building Amnesty

Published February 22, 2026, 12:12
Local Authorities Criticize Government's Handling of Building Amnesty

Provincial Self-Government Organizations (PSGOs) have expressed their dissatisfaction with the government's handling of the building amnesty issue, emphasizing that they were not consulted before the plan was announced. The PSGOs point out that they were already facing significant challenges during the transitional period, such as the transfer and archiving of hundreds of thousands of files, the construction of new workspaces, and the management of problematic software. The PSGOs argue that early consultation would have allowed for better preparation and implementation of the amnesty plan. Furthermore, they state that during the transitional period, they were asked to prioritize many other plans and instructions, without clear prioritization or coordination. Examples include pending building permits, projects of strategic importance to the government, applications for final approvals, the “Photovoltaics for All” plan, the “Rent for Installment” plan, and building applications linked to bank loans. Managing all these issues simultaneously makes it difficult to effectively address the building amnesty. The PSGOs emphasize that when everything is considered a priority, there cannot be effective prioritization and management in practice. The lack of coordination and consultation with the PSGOs led to delays and difficulties in evaluating applications for building amnesty.