MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has ruled that corporations owning units in a condominium are entitled to send representatives to sit on a condominium corporation’s Board of Directors — even if those representatives are not unit owners themselves.

In a decision written by Associate Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh, the Court’s Third Division upheld the validity of the election of Gregorio Pastorfide, Ramona Matibag, Cecil L. Monteblanco, and Roland Agustin Angeles to the Board of the Medical Plaza Makati Condominium Corporation (MPMCC). The four were elected as official representatives of corporations that own units in the building.

The ruling stemmed from a complaint filed by unit owner Peter Rico F. Rodriguez, who argued before a Regional Trial Court (RTC) that only actual unit owners — natural persons — should be allowed to sit on the Board. The RTC ruled in favor of Rodriguez, declaring the election invalid.

However, the Court of Appeals overturned the RTC ruling, and the Supreme Court affirmed the appellate court’s decision.

According to the High Court, it is the corporation — not the individual — that holds membership in the condominium corporation. Since corporations act only through authorized individuals, their representatives must be allowed to exercise corporate rights, including participation in board elections and governance.

“To disqualify the representatives of member-corporations from participating would be unfair and unreasonable,” the SC said, noting that the MPMCC’s By-Laws grant corporate representatives full authority over matters involving their respective corporations.

The Court also warned that preventing such representation would lead to “an absurd situation” where corporations are deprived of their essential ownership rights.

“Surely, the By-Laws of MPMCC does not intend to strip a member of one of the most important rights of membership by the mere fact that the member is a juridical person and not a natural person,” it added.

The decision was released by the Supreme Court’s Office of the Spokesperson.