Monday, April 23, 2012

"Other" Top Philippine Cities

The previous weeks, Inquirer Property revealed the Philippine cities ideal for young professionals, as chosen by several property analysts. These cities were: Metro Cebu, where the investments and opportunities have consistently been pouring in due to its strategic location; Taguig (Bonifacio Global City), whose city chic, modern and sporty qualities attract the international community; Makati, the “traditional business district” where most businesses thrive and mature property developments are located; Muntinlupa (Alabang), where the first live-work-play concept was put to action; The Clark-Subic corridor, for the availability of developable land, as well as a superior level of infrastructure links (air, land and water transport); Santa Rosa, Laguna, the investors’ favorite; and Davao City, for its relatively secure environment.

Inquirer Property also laid down the criteria for the ideal cities, as explained by property analysts. These are: the cost of living index; affordability of rental and home ownership; a well master-planned community; accessibility; job opportunities; connectivity; security and rapid emergency response; empowerment of property buyers, environment and air quality; diversity for global market; and policies to attract outside capital.

In the conclusion of the series, Inquirer Property has sifted through readers’ e-mail. Now, in no particular order, here are the most-liked cities, fresh from the inbox: Dumaguete, Ormoc, Cebu, Lucena City, Manila, San Carlos (Negros Occidental), Cagayan de Oro, Puerto Princesa and Bacolod.

More for less in Ormoc City

“I have lived in Manila and Cebu and the fast-paced lifestyle really eats up your time. Here in the provinces, you have more time to do what you want—be it spending time with your friends and family, your hobbies, interest, health, business. All these at a fraction of a cost if you do it in Manila or Cebu,” wrote a male resident of Ormoc City in his late 30s (name withheld upon request), who has four kids. He lists his priorities as “personal time,” schools, peace and order, Internet connectivity (a must, because he engages in online stock market trading) and proximity to major cities.

Right now, I live in Ormoc, but ideally I would want to live in Dumaguete City. It’s also my first choice followed by Ormoc, Cebu, then Manila. I have lived in all four of these cities.”

A ‘livable’ Cebu

An e-mail from a reader who claims to be Sabino Dapat (Sabino.Dapat@cpkelco.com), the past president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and chair of the Cebu Business Council of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, wrote: “There are ongoing advocacies on improving the infrastructure of Cebu to address the increasing tourism business not only for Cebu City but the whole province. The study is granted by the Research Education and Institutional Development Foundation. There is also another advocacy proposed for Mega Cebu. If you come down to it, all these advocacies will harmonize itself, as we move forward toward the future.”

The e-mail cited the advocacy of a multisector group called the Movement for Livable Cebu. On May 18, 2011, the Cebu Daily News published a story on the signing of a memorandum of agreement during the launch of Public-Private Partnership for Better Infrastructure, or PBI, in Cebu. The story indicated that the REID Foundation would work in partnership with the Cebu Business Club to advocate for better infrastructure in Cebu. REID Foundation would provide technical assistance through a series of workshops on the national and regional economy, national budget, and procurement, among others. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through The Asia Foundation (TAF) is supporting these activities.

Historical San Carlos City

JG, who e-mailed that he is a New York-based Filipino, wrote: “It is not only the amenities itself but the originality and the scope of what a visitor wants to see and feel encompasses the validity of an ideal city. It is not about how tall the buildings are, or the presence of technology.”

In his e-mail, he recommended the inclusion of San Carlos City in Negros Occidental, for being the “biggest little city in the Philippines.”

 The city has been the sugar hub during the Magsaysay era, and now a booming aquaculture industry. Glimpses of the past can still be seen, such as houses during World War 2, the Azcona and Atienza ancestral home, the Jovencio Broce mansion and the famous San Carlos Milling Co.”

Peaceful Lucena City

Dominic Romero wrote that Lucena City should be in the top 20 cities in the Philippines.

Romero wrote that “it has the lowest crime rate compared to its counterparts around the country, has the most number of financial and educational institutions, is far less crowded, excellent water and electricity supplies, and a booming real estate and leisure industry. It is also far less polluted and more convenient in terms of public infrastructures.”

Clean, green Puerto Princesa, CDO

Reader Tony S., who claims to have traveled halfway around the world, said the best livable clean cities in the country are Puerto Princesa in Palawan and Cagayan de Oro.
The best urban livable cities are Cebu, Cagayan de Oro and Davao. The other ideal cities with the best urban lifestyle options are Bacolod and Dumaguete.


SOURCE; INQUIRER.NET

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Everyday is a Holiday
Beach Resort Condominium at Punta Engano Mactan
Units Available include RFO and Preselling
Life's Simple Joys are Always Within Reach
Convenient Business and Leisure Living at the Heart of Cebu
Currently Preselling!


Quality Projects of One of the Pioneering Developers in the Country


Flexible payment terms available!
For inquiries please call 09065549505 or 09229452718 and look for Ray.
You can also email at raymund.baroy@yahoo.com

=========================




Best Regards, 

Raymund B. Baroy
Account Manager
Robinsons Land Corp. - Cebu Sales Force
Call/SMS:
Local: 09065549505 / 09229452718
International :  +639065549505 / +639229452718      
Azalea Place: Azalea Place


Saturday, April 14, 2012

Property experts name top Philippine cities for yuppies

Last March 31, before the country went into the Holy Week break, Inquirer Property revealed the 11 top criteria for ideal cities to settle into, according to property analysts.

In that story, Enrique Soriano, Ateneo program director for real estate and senior adviser for Wong+Bernstein Business Advisory, David Leechiu, country head of Jones Lang LaSalle Leechiu, Lui Matti, executive director for asset services, CB Richard Ellis Philippines, and Claro dG Cordero Jr., Jones Lang LaSalle Leechiu’s head of research, consulting and valuation, explained that for the mid-level, upwardly mobile yuppies, the ideal cities should offer the quality of life that enhances the following: uncongested spaces, with the right balance of greens/fresh air and cosmopolitan lifestyle); job opportunities; peace and order; proximity to business contacts, malls, cultural places, theaters, meetings for intellectual discourse, and hospitals.

Cordero clarified, however, that, “Ideally, a formal survey/study should be conducted and a well-defined metric should be in place to rank cities in the Philippines; however, what we mentioned here are only indications and are based from the information that are readily available to us at this time.”

So, given these conditions, what are these most liveable cities for the young generation? Here they are, in no particular order:

Cebu (Metro Cebu)

The “Queen City of the South” is Soriano and Matti’s top pick, and Cordero’s fifth. They explain that in Metro Cebu, the investments and opportunities are pouring in due to its strategic location. Cordero said that “similar to Davao, the masterplanning should be significantly improved to ensure sustainable and efficient growth of various systems (infrastructure, crime prevention and ability to service the basic needs in the long run).”

Matti picked Cebu as a serious option (for young professionals like him to settle into). He described Cebu as “cosmopolitan enough to be interesting for someone from a big city, with a booming local economy, and thus, plenty of job options. The cost of living seems to be lower than in Manila, as well. Traffic is an issue, but still better than in Metro Manila.”

He added that Cebu is also a good jumping point to other places of interest like Iloilo, Bohol and Cagayan de Oro. “The international airport is also a plus. They also have good schools and nearby beaches.”

Taguig (particularly Bonifacio Global City)

Taguig, and in particular BGC, is Soriano’s third pick, while BGC is Leechiu’s top choice. Leechiu said BGC is a prime example of an ideal district. He said that in BGC, “you have everything one needs, full of symmetry and balance of developments, and culture; backed up by strong infrastructure and strong policies and strong owners.” BGC, he said, has the following qualities: the city chic, new buildings, sporty lifestyle and an international community.

BGC is Cordero’s second pick due to its “world-class design for infrastructure (controlled development density, underground facilities, transportation and sustainable designs and practices (i.e., recycling of non-potable water, presence of advanced sewage systems).”

Makati

The city that is home to the financial heart and soul of the Philippines is Cordero’s top pick, mainly for being the “traditional business district where most businesses thrive and mature property developments are located.”

MAKATI is considered the traditional business district where ‘most businesses thrive and mature property developments are located.’ 

Makati is Soriano’s seventh, and Leechiu’s fourth. “Yes, it’s severely congested today, but gradually that should improve as Ayala Land puts more infrastructure in place. My hope is that Makati and BGC is integrated as one district. This will require a lot of effort and resources, but this is the inevitable direction,” Leechiu said.

“Makati’s congestion is being solved with more infrastructure projects in the pipeline, such as walkways, bus transits and more parks opening. Legaspi Village has been left behind but now there is an effort for old buildings to give way to new ones. Macea-Ayala needs to invest more in making Legaspi Village more pedestrian-friendly and open up more areas for parks and trees, such as replicating what they did in Greenbelt-Glorietta to the rest of Legaspi Village and Makati,” Leechiu added.

Muntinlupa (particularly Alabang Business District)

Muntinlupa is Soriano’s second most ideal location, and Leechiu’s third, mainly because of the Alabang Business District. Leechiu said: “Combining the Madrigal Business Park, Ayala Alabang, and Filinvest Corporate City, this really was the first live-work-play concept put to action.” He added that the Alabang district has been around for about 25 years and truly brings people from all walks of life and integrates them successfully.

Leechiu added that the plus points for Alabang are: Property values are the cheapest, and present the best value for money. It also has the highest ratio of open spaces to developed land with its various parks and convention areas. The air is cleaner and the location has the most greenery (plants and trees).

Clark Special Economic Zone

Though not a city, CSEZ, according to Soriano, deserves special mention and thus takes his sixth spot. Matti and Cordero also names Clark their third. The latter particularly specified the Clark-Subic corridor mainly for “the availability of developable land, as well as superior level of infrastructure links (air, land and water transport).”
Santa Rosa, Laguna

Not just a place for “enchantment,” Santa Rosa is making a name for itself as the Lion City of South Luzon, and has become top of mind among investors, as it plays host to the thriving Laguna Technopark and other satellite cities and posh subdivisions. Santa Rosa is Soriano’s fourth most ideal city, and Matti’s sixth.

Tagaytay City

Twenty minutes upland of Santa Rosa is the popular summer destination of Tagaytay, where Soriano said he would someday want to relocate to. “Tagaytay represents all the key quality of life elements, from lifestyle to wellness and access to arts and culture, medical services, and world-class education in Sta. Rosa, its next-door city.”

Davao City

Davao City is Soriano’s fifth, Matti’s second, and Cordero’s fourth. Their reason: “The relatively secure environment has been attracting investors to the city (although major infrastructure programs should be implemented in the soonest possible time to address concerns such as traffic and excessive flooding).”

Pasay (particularly Bay City)

Bay City (the centerpiece of which is the SM Mall of Asia) is Leechiu’s second pick. The SM MOA–Bay City, he said, is the “ultimate success story of a district that started with nothing but a dream, and now is the next fastest growing district in the Philippines; having not just office and retail and residential, but massive events venues to showcase the best the country has to offer.”

Other cities mentioned by the analysts were Baguio (Soriano’s sixth, Matti’s fourth) and Iloilo (Soriano’s seventh, and Matti’s fifth).
Much as these aforementioned cities are head and shoulders above their counterparts, Cordero notes “it is still very hard to assess where to settle for good, since these areas still have a wide room for improvement, and each offers unique features that would appeal to my diverse needs.”
So, what is your ideal, most livable city?

SOURCE; INQUIRER.NET

====

Everyday is a Holiday
Beach Resort Condominium at Punta Engano Mactan
Units Available include RFO and Preselling
Life's Simple Joys are Always Within Reach
Convenient Business and Leisure Living at the Heart of Cebu
Currently Preselling!


Quality Projects of One of the Pioneering Developers in the Country


Flexible payment terms available!
For inquiries please call 09065549505 or 09229452718 and look for Ray.
You can also email at raymund.baroy@yahoo.com

=========================




Best Regards, 

Raymund B. Baroy
Account Manager
Robinsons Land Corp. - Cebu Sales Force
Call/SMS:
Local: 09065549505 / 09229452718
International :  +639065549505 / +639229452718      
Azalea Place: Azalea Place

Friday, April 13, 2012

Robinsons Land Exhibit at SM City Cebu

Hello Everyone!

I'm happy to inform you that Robinsons Land Corporation will be having a booth exhibit at SM City Cebu from March 12 to March 18, 2012. Our booth is located near Duty Free Philippines and is open from 10 AM to 9 PM.

For sample computation, questions, or site tours, please look for me, Raymund Baroy. 

We hope to see you there!

Cheers, 

====

Everyday is a Holiday
Beach Resort Condominium at Punta Engano Mactan
Units Available include RFO and Preselling
Life's Simple Joys are Always Within Reach
Convenient Business and Leisure Living at the Heart of Cebu
Currently Preselling!


Quality Projects of One of the Pioneering Developers in the Country


Flexible payment terms available!
For inquiries please call 09065549505 or 09229452718 and look for Ray.
You can also email at raymund.baroy@yahoo.com

=========================




Best Regards, 

Raymund B. Baroy
Account Manager
Robinsons Land Corp. - Cebu Sales Force
Call/SMS:
Local: 09065549505 / 09229452718
International :  +639065549505 / +639229452718      
Azalea Place: Azalea Place

New Price Increase Set for May 1, 2012

Dear Home Buyers, Investors, and Referrals,

I would like to inform you that Robinsons Land Corporation, one of the country's premier real estate developer, will be officially increasing its prices for AmiSa and Azalea Place projects in Cebu, effective May 1, 2012.

Indeed, this is great news for investors and for the buyers who have decided to acquire assets early. Time is gold.

For sample computation, inquiries, and site tours, please SMS or call me at 09065549505 / 09229452718

====

Everyday is a Holiday
Beach Resort Condominium at Punta Engano Mactan
Units Available include RFO and Preselling
Life's Simple Joys are Always Within Reach
Convenient Business and Leisure Living at the Heart of Cebu
Currently Preselling!


Quality Projects of One of the Pioneering Developers in the Country


Flexible payment terms available!
For inquiries please call 09065549505 or 09229452718 and look for Ray.
You can also email at raymund.baroy@yahoo.com

=========================


Best Regards, 

Raymund B. Baroy
Account Manager
Robinsons Land Corp. - Cebu Sales Force
Call/SMS:
Local: 09065549505 / 09229452718
International :  +639065549505 / +639229452718      
Azalea Place: Azalea Place

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Robinsons Land to open 3 new malls, expand 2 others

MANILA, Philippines - Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) the property development arm of tycoon John Gokongwei’s flagship firm JG Summit Holdings Inc., will open three new malls and expand two existing ones to boost its steadily growing chain of commercial centers.

In March, RLC opened its first full service mall in Calasiao, Pangasinan. The company is slated to open Robinsons Place Palawan in May and Robinsons Magnolia in July.

RLC recently completed two mall expansion projects in Tacloban and Bacolod.

Together with the two expansion projects, RLC’s gross leasable area will reach 917,000 square meters at end-September this year. In 2013, RLC will add another 100,000 sqm of GLA with four new malls and one expansion, all of which will be outside Metro Manila.

The company has alloted P13 billion for capital expenditures this year, most of which will go to construction of new malls,office buildings and hotels. Funding will come from internally-generated cash and borrowings.

RLC is currently putting up two office buildings in Ortigas with a GLA of 40,000 sqm each. These projects, when completed in mid-2013, will boost the firm’s total office GLA by 41 percent to 274,000 sqm.

Aside from this, the group is planning to open two more GoHotels this year, located in Tacloban and Bacolod. It already opened in Palawan and Dumaguete in the first quarter of the year.

These four hotels will add 416 rooms to its existing 223-room GoHotel in Pioneer, which is currently enjoying a 90 percent occupancy rate.

Citiseconline’s Richard Laneda said the hotel segment of RLC holds strong potential for growth given the company’s rapid expansion. “We believe its new hotels will also enjoy high occupancy rates given the lack of good hotels in the provinces,” he said.

RLC is spending P6 billion to build 30 GoHotels across the country over a five-year period or until 2016. Each hotel will require an investment of around P200 million.

Aside from GoHotels, the group also operates Crowne Plaza, Galleria Manila, Holiday Inn Galleria, Summit Circle Cebu and Summit Ridge Hotel.

SOURCE: PHILSTAR

====

Everyday is a Holiday
Beach Resort Condominium at Punta Engano Mactan
Units Available include RFO and Preselling
Life's Simple Joys are Always Within Reach
Convenient Business and Leisure Living at the Heart of Cebu
Currently Preselling!


Quality Projects of One of the Pioneering Developers in the Country


Flexible payment terms available!
For inquiries please call 09065549505 or 09229452718 and look for Ray.
You can also email at raymund.baroy@yahoo.com

=========================


Best Regards, 

Raymund B. Baroy
Account Manager
Robinsons Land Corp. - Cebu Sales Force
Call/SMS:
Local: 09065549505 / 09229452718
International :  +639065549505 / +639229452718      
Azalea Place: Azalea Place