Manila Board in 75 Years

Manila Board in 75 Years

HISTORIC MOMENTS

First there was ONE

Manila Board of Realtors, the first and foremost board in the Philippines, was organized on November 7, 1938.  It was originally named the “Manila Realty Board.”  Its founders were:  Macario Arabejo, Jose Araneta, Federico Calero, Jose Felix, Colin Hoskins, Rosendo Subido Jr., J. Perez de Tagle, and Tomas de Vera.

Then there were TWO

MBR members Lucio Ildefonso, Federico Calero and Aurelio Aquino took the first bold steps to spread realtorism in the country.  With their help, the Davao Realty Board was organized and eventually incorporated with the SEC in 1951.

In 1952, the Manila Board itself registered with the SEC as the “Manila Board of Realtors, Incorporated.”  At that time, it was already the country’s exclusive affiliate board of the prestigious National Association of Real Estate Boards (NAREB), USA and was given the right to use the term and trademark  “Realtors.”  Among the incorporators of MBRI were:  Federico Calero, Colin Hoskins, Lucio Ildefonso, Teodoro Kalaw, Jr., Gervacio de Ocampo, Jr., Rosendo Subido, Antonio Varias, Artemio Valencia, and Tomas de Vera.  All of them, except one, eventually served as president of MBR.

In 1953, Antonio Varias succeeded Calero as MBR president.  He felt that the two boards (Manila and Davao) were not enough to constitute a truly national association. Varias wanted more boards organized in other urban centers of the country.  In 1955, he appointed a committee to organize more REALTOR Boards. An intensive campaign was launched. People who wanted to become real estate brokers were taught and made to take the broker's licensing examination. Five years later 7 more boards were formed. 

And then there NINE.

It takes nine months to make a baby.  It took nine boards to give birth to PAREB. Five years later the Philippine Association of Realtors Boards (PAREB) was born. The organizing members were leaders from 9 Boards and 6 individuals.

The first PAREB member boards were -- Manila Board of Realtors, Davao City Realtors Board, Quezon City Board of Realtors,  Pasay City Realtors Board, Baguio Realtors Board,  Bicol Realtors Board,  Cavite Realtors Board, Cebu Board of Realtors,  and Negros Realtors Board.  The individual founding members were -- Ernesto G. Castaneda; Ramon F. Cuervo, Jr.; Alberto E. Filamor; Artemio U. Valencia; Rosendo V. Donida; Ciriaco N. Montano

A formal signing of the PAREB Articles of Incorporation, which was held on April 29, 1960, and it was formally notarized on May 15, 1960 (adopted as the birthday of PAREB) and approved by the SEC on June 2, 1960.

  

The individuals listed and signing as incorporators were --  Marcelo S. Balatbat; Alfredo Buot; Federico Calero; Juan Espolong; Colin M. Hoskins; Lucio Ildefonso; Teodoro Kalaw, Jr.; Aurelio Locsin; Macario Mariano; Domingo Pascual; Juan M. Ruiz; Rosendo O. Subido; Antonio Varias; Tomas de Vera; Juan F. Zarate

Notably, 7 out of the 15 were past presidents of Manila Board. 

For decades, Manila Board continues to be at the forefront of “realtorism” in the country.  That tradition goes on.  Year after year, MBR has led in conducting review seminars for agents taking the DTI licensing examinations and increasing their ranks as the real estate economy grows.  Today, MBR continues to be one of the most respected and largest realty associations in the country with about 300 members.

For 2013, the Manila Board is led by President Wilfredo Segovia, a real estate broker, appraiser and civil engineer.  With the strong support of 16 past presidents who are still active members, MBR celebrates its 75^th anniversary in 2013 with the theme – “Serving real estate 75 years”.

The history of the Manila Board of Realtors will not be complete without mentioning the names of its dedicated leaders, the Past Presidents –

 The linkage with NAR

The Manila Board of Realtors brought the REALTOR trademark to our country. 

On February 3, 1953 NAREB recognized MBR as a national organization and elected REALTOR Federico Calero as a NAREB Director.

Manila Board was accredited as an affiliate of the National Association of Realtors Board of the USA (NAREB, now the NAR-USA).   MBR members were given the right to use of the trademark REALTOR® in doing real estate business in the Philippines. The trademark was patented to NAREB and registered with the U. S. Patent Office  (Document Nos. 519780 and 515200) and with the Philippines Patent Office (Document No. 5385).

But when the national association PAREB became reality, Manila Board turned over its exclusive accreditation and shared it with all other member boards of the national association. 

On November 2, 1960, NAREB signed an agreement with PAREB. The agreement effected recognition of PAREB as a national association and as NAREB's sole affiliate in the Philippines. Also, the agreement passed on from the Manila Board of Realtors to PAREB, its constituent boards and members the authority to use the trademark REALTOR® and the block "R" logo in doing real estate business in the Philippines. NAREB president C. Arnel Nutter signed for NAREB and PAREB president Antonio Varias for PAREB. Witnessing the signing, which was held at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang Palace, were Philippine President Carlos P. Garcia and U.S. Ambassador John Heckerson. 

Over the years, PAREB grew to become the largest organization of real estate service practitioners in the country.  But along the way, the historic affiliation with NAR was not renewed and in 2011, NAR shifted its local affiliation from PAREB to CREBA.