Section 16. Jurisdiction of Regional Adjudicators.— The Regional Adjudicators shall exercise original and exclusive jurisdiction to hear and decide cases involving the following:

1. Cases involving subdivisions, condominiums, memorial parks and similar real estate developments:

   1. Actions concerning unsound real estate business practices filed by buyers or homeowners against the project owner or developer, which cause prejudice to the buyers or committed with bad faith and disregard of the buyers’ rights;

   2. Claims for refund, and other claims filed by subdivision lot or condominium unit buyer against the project owner, developer, dealer, broker or salesman: Provided, That when the cause of action arises from the buyer’s rights under Section 23 of Presidential Decree No. 957 and the purchase price of the property is paid through a housing loan from a bank or other financing institutions, the latter shall be impleaded as necessary party;

   3. Cases involving specific performance or contractual and statutory obligations arising from the sale of the lot or unit and development of the subdivision or condominium project;

   4. Disputes involving the open spaces or common areas and their use filed by the project owner or developer or the duly registered HOA, including the eviction of informal settlers therein, in accordance with the requirements of law, and the rules and regulations promulgated by duly constituted authorities;

   5. Suits to declare subdivision, condominium or other real estate developments within the regulatory jurisdiction of the Department as abandoned, as defined under Section 3 of this Act for the purpose of Section 35 of Presidential Decree No. 957;

   6. Disputes involving easements within or among subdivision projects; and

   7. Actions to annul mortgages executed in violation of Section 18 of Presidential Decree No. 957 filed by a subdivision lot or condominium unit buyer against the project owner and/or developer and the mortgagee.

2. Cases involving Homeowners Associations:

   1. Controversies involving the registration and regulation of HOAs;

   2. Intra-association disputes or controversies arising out of the relations between and among members of HOAs; between any or all of them and the HOA of which they are members;

   3. Inter-association disputes or controversies arising out of the relations between and among two (2) or more HOAs between and among federations and other umbrella organizations, on matters pertaining to the exercise of their rights, duties and functions; and

   4. Disputes between such HOA and the State, insofar as it concerns their individual franchise or right to exist and those which are intrinsically connected with the regulation of HOAs or dealing with the internal affairs of such entity.

3. Disputes involving the implementation of Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7279, as amended, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.

4. Disputes or controversies involving laws and regulations being implemented by the Department except those cases falling within the jurisdiction of other judicial or quasi-judicial body.