MANILA, Philippines — Property hunters, investors and aspiring landowners may soon have another opportunity to acquire real estate through a government-backed online auction as the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) prepares to put 68 properties across 15 Luzon provinces and cities up for electronic public bidding—including assets in Palawan.
The auction is scheduled for September 16 and 17, 2026, with interested buyers required to submit their bids through the official PDIC Assets for Sale e-bidding portal. Bids will be accepted beginning 9 a.m. on September 16 until 1 p.m. on September 17, with the opening of bids set for 2 p.m. on September 17.
The properties span a mix of agricultural, residential, mixed residential/agricultural and commercial assets, potentially giving individual buyers, investors and businesses a range of options to consider.
According to PDIC, the 68 properties include three commercial properties and 65 other assets: 34 agricultural properties, 22 residential properties and nine mixed residential/agricultural properties. Lot sizes range from 189 square meters to 3.9 hectares.
The properties are located in Palawan, Albay, Aurora, Bataan, Batangas, Benguet, Bulacan, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Laguna, La Union, Pangasinan, Rizal, Tarlac and Zambales. The three commercial properties are in Malolos City, Bulacan; Calamba City, Laguna; and Alaminos City, Pangasinan.
Palawan included in the upcoming sale
For property seekers in Palawan, the inclusion of the province is one of the more notable aspects of the upcoming auction.
Rather than conducting the process through a traditional physical auction, PDIC is using its online platform, allowing qualified participants to register and submit their bids electronically.
PDIC said prospective buyers must complete a one-time registration through its Assets for Sale portal. The same portal provides the property catalogue, detailed descriptions, bidding requirements and documentary requirements. Buyers representing another individual or organization can also obtain the prescribed Special Power of Attorney and Secretary’s Certificate forms through the portal.
But buyers should not mistake the auction for a risk-free bargain
One of the most important details for prospective bidders is that the properties are being sold on an “as-is, where-is” basis.
That means buyers are expected to conduct their own due diligence before placing a bid, particularly regarding the property’s physical condition, ownership and legal status. PDIC specifically advises prospective bidders to review the Conditions of Bid and verify relevant details before participating.
Agricultural properties come with additional requirements.
Successful bidders for agricultural properties must submit, within 15 days after the e-bidding, an Affidavit of Aggregate Landholdings and a certification from the local Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer.
The DAR certification must establish that the property is not covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and that no Emancipation Patent or Certificate of Land Ownership Award has been issued for the property.
The affidavit must also establish that the buyer’s total landholdings—including the property acquired through the auction—remain within the five-hectare legal limit.
Why PDIC is selling these properties
The auction is part of PDIC’s broader mandate in dealing with assets of closed banks and corporate properties.
As statutory receiver, PDIC liquidates remaining assets of closed banks to maximize recoveries and help settle the claims of creditors, including depositors whose deposits exceed the amount covered by deposit insurance.
According to PDIC, proceeds from the sale of closed-bank properties are remitted to funds managed by the Corporation for the settlement of creditors’ claims. Proceeds from corporate assets, meanwhile, are added to the Deposit Insurance Fund, which finances valid deposit insurance claims.
The upcoming sale also fits into PDIC’s continuing use of electronic auctions to dispose of properties around the country.
Recent reporting by the Philippine News Agency shows that PDIC has been conducting a series of e-biddings involving residential, agricultural, commercial and mixed-use properties in different parts of the Philippines. In June 2026, for example, PNA reported that PDIC was preparing another Luzon auction involving commercial properties and dozens of residential, agricultural and mixed-use lots across several provinces.
Earlier this year, PNA likewise reported on a PDIC e-bidding that included agricultural and residential properties in areas such as Palawan, Batangas, Bulacan, Isabela, Laguna, La Union, Pangasinan, Quezon, Rizal and Zambales, underscoring the corporation’s continuing disposal of real-estate assets through online bidding.
The deadline buyers should watch
For those seriously considering joining the September auction, the critical dates are straightforward:
September 16, 2026 — 9 a.m.: Bid submission opens.
September 17, 2026 — 1 p.m.: Bid submission closes.
September 17, 2026 — 2 p.m.: Bids are opened through the PDIC e-bidding system.
The official PDIC e-bidding portal currently lists the September 17 auction with 68 real properties, confirming that the sale is an active scheduled bidding event rather than merely an announced future program.
For interested buyers, the biggest takeaway is simple: the opportunity is real, but so is the need for due diligence.
A government auction may attract buyers looking for property opportunities, but the “as-is, where-is” condition means the responsibility for understanding what is actually being purchased ultimately falls heavily on the bidder.
And with properties ranging from relatively small lots to parcels approaching 3.9 hectares, the September auction could draw attention from far more than individual homebuyers—it may also interest agricultural investors, developers and other property buyers looking across Luzon.
The question now is not whether the properties are going up for auction—it is which of the 68 assets will attract the strongest bids when the online auction opens.
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