Rising along a vast prime property along NLEX, one of the defining features of Northwin Main Street; will be its green and open spaces.
 
Provinces North of Metro Manila are catching up to the South in terms of economic growth and infrastructure development. Bulacan, in particular, is poised to hold its own Global Business District soon.
 
Bulacan, known for being the home to some of the country’s expert craftsmen in the fields of jewelry making, furniture, leather crafts and garments, is slowly but certainly transforming into a modern, world-class business hub.


A Hub for Entrepreneurs looking to expand

Northwin Main Street’s master plan inspired by New York City’s famed Fifth Avenue.
 
Soon to rise and sprawl across the towns of Marilao and Bocaue is Megaworld’s 28th Township, Northwin Global City.  An 85 hectare community wherein 16 hectares will be devoted to its Central Business District, Northwin Main Street.
 
Master-planned like New York’s Fifth Avenue with designs inspired by French Architecture, Northwin Main Street is envisioned to be a sophisticated, “walkable” district that will serve as the link between Metro Manila and business owners from the North, and vice versa.
 
Northwin Main Street will offer 145 Prime Shophouse and Commercial lots interspersed with well-curated green and open spaces. Shophouse lots size ranges from 250sqm to 500sqm, while Commercial lots size ranges from 450sqm to 750sqm.
Ideal for business owners in Metro Manila who are looking to expand operations to Bulacan and offer products to more customers in the North, the business district is open to hosting retails, cafés, restaurants & bars, boutique hotels and outpatient clinics among other establishments.
 
Each Shophouse lot may be built up to three stories high, and the top-most floor may be used for office and residential purposes. Commercial lots, will be exclusive to commercial operations, such as offices or boutique hotels, and may be built up to five stories high.
 
Bridging business to customers

Wide walkways with landscaped patches of green encourage strolling, particularly in the shophouse area.
 
Northwin Main Street in Northwin Global City, aim to bridge the geographical gap between businesses in Metro Manila and potential customers in Bulacan and neighboring cities in Pampanga. While we do live in an increasingly virtually connected society, many business still need a physical touch point where its customers can experience products and services fully.
 
Conveniently located along North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Northwin Global City will be the nearest business district outside of Metro Manila at only 20km away.
Noli D. Hernandez, Executive Vice President for Sales and Marketing, also notes that the township will soon only be 20 minutes away from the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan, which is scheduled for completion in 2026.
 
The community will be carefully master-planned with promenades and walking parks for connectivity and mobility. 44% percent will be allotted for green spaces.
Megaworld has also anticipated increased traffic activity that comes with any thriving commercial space, and is building main roads and avenues as wide as 30 meters or 8 lanes on both sides.
 
One of the main stations of the Manila-Clark Railway project, scheduled to be fully operational in 2024, will also be located inside the township, providing a convenient commute for residents and business owners.
 
 
Bulacan’s Global Business District

Soon, all roads will lead to Bulacan’s first true Global City
 
The Php98B township, due for turnover in 2026, will be designed to draw maximum foot traffic and opportunities for entrepreneurs. It will also host residential condominiums, malls, hotels, mixed-use commercial buildings, educational institutions and office buildings including BPOs.
 
Among its other features include green innovation and sustainable iTownship facilities, such as storm water detention facility for flood prevention, fiber optic and underground cabling systems for utilities, LED and solar-powered street lights, a sewage treatment plant, central material recovery facility for waste recycling, and its own Intermodal transport terminal and biking network facilities.
 
As the famous proverb goes, good design is good business. For those looking to expand their operations and find new opportunities outside of Metro Manila, it may be worth checking out the North. Within a much-anticipated Global Business District soon to rise, as well as an International Airport and a Railway System underway Northwin Global City seems to be a sound place to lay down new roots.

Source: The Philippine Star posted January 31, 2022

The 16-hectare Northwin Main Street will offer prime commercial and shophouse lots surrounded by parks and gardens for businesses, multinational companies

​Just a month after it announced its 28th township, the 85-hectare Northwin Global City in Marilao and Bocaue in Bulacan, Megaworld is developing around 16 hectares of land to become the township’s central business district (CBD), which will be aptly called the Northwin Main Street.

The Northwin Main Street will be masterplanned like New York City’s Fifth Avenue where corporate buildings, shophouses, hotels, and commercial towers abound while keeping the walkability of the district.  It will offer 145 prime shophouse and commercial lots lined up in pedestrian-friendly streets surrounded with well-curated gardens and parks. 

Shophouse lot sizes range from 250 square meters to 550 square meters while commercial lot sizes range from 450 square meters to 750 square meters. 

Due for turnover in 2026, the company’s projected sales from this project will reach around P6-billion. 
With designs inspired by French architecture, shophouses may be built up to three-storeys high for retail, food and beverage outlets such as cafes, restaurants and bars, boutique hotels, and even outpatient clinics. The topmost floor of shophouses may be used for residential or office purposes.  Commercial buildings, on the other hand, may be built up to five-storeys high exclusively for commercial purposes only such as office or boutique hotels. 

“Since the township is just conveniently located along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), and just 20 kilometers away from Metro Manila, this will be the nearest business district outside of the capital where companies and businesses can build their shops and offices. We also encourage entrepreneurs to become part of this global business district, which will soon be just 20 minutes away from the much-anticipated New Manila International Airport in Bulacan,” says Noli D. Hernandez, executive vice president for sales and marketing, Megaworld. 

The Northwin Main Street will be carefully masterplanned for connectivity and mobility with promenades and walking parks to be integrated between blocks of the district. Around 44% of the district will be allocated for green and open spaces. Leading to the district are main roads and avenues that will be as wide as 30 meters or eight lanes for both sides.

One of the main stations of the Manila-Clark Railway project will also be located inside the township, offering convenient accessibility to the future workers and residents of Northwin Global City. 
​
Positioned as Bulacan’s global business district, the P98-billion township will also host residential condominiums, hotels, malls, mixed-use commercial buildings, educational institutions, and state-of-the-art office towers for BPOs and corporate headquarters. 

It will also feature green innovations and sustainable ‘iTownship’ facilities such as storm water detention facility for flood prevention, fiber optic and underground cabling system for utilities, LED and solar-powered streetlights, sewage treatment plant, central material recovery facility for waste recycling, as well its own Intermodal Transport Terminal and biking network facilities.

Source:
https://www.megaworldcorp.com/news-and-updates/megaworld-develop-p6-b-shophouse-commercial-district-inside-northwin-global-city
Date Posted: Nov. 22, 2021

The 85-hectare ‘NORTHWIN GLOBAL CITY’ in Marilao and Bocaue will be Megaworld’s 28th township

​Property giant Megaworld is developing 85-hectares of land along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in the municipalities of Marilao and Bocaue in Bulacan to transform it into a ‘global business district’ that will give the province its first-ever metropolitan hub for business and lifestyle. 

Northwin Global City will be strategically located just 20 kilometers north of Metro Manila and can be accessed via Marilao Exit of NLEX. It will also be just 20 minutes away from the proposed New Manila International Airport in Bulacan, and just five minutes away from the Philippine Arena. 

Megaworld is allocating P98-billion to develop this new integrated urban township in the next 15 to 20 years. 

The township will have its own themed commercial district, high-rise residential condominiums, hotels, malls, mixed-use commercial buildings, educational institutions, and state-of-the-art office towers.
Forty percent (40%) of the entire township development will be dedicated to green and open spaces such as landscaped parks.

The company will also be integrating its iTownship features into Northwin Global City such as the installation of solar-powered and LED streetlights, underground cabling system, fiber optic cabling, bike lanes, storm water detention facility for flood prevention, intermodal transport terminal, and other sustainable infrastructure for mobility and connectivity.

“Finally, our vision of having a truly modern and global business district for Bulacan is coming to a reality. This is like building a new city that will put the province of Bulacan in the global business map because we envision huge multinational companies to be operating here once our commercial district and our office towers will be completed. Northwin Global City’s close proximity to Metro Manila and its ideal location just along NLEX and the major transport infrastructure will be very favorable for the future locators and residents of this township,” says Kevin L. Tan, chief strategy officer, Megaworld. 

Northwin Global City will also host one of the stations of the Manila-Clark Railway Project. Once completed, future residents, locators, and even visitors of the township will have the most convenient access to and from Metro Manila as well as to and from Clark International Airport. 

“Once completed, Northwin Global City will have convenient access to three international airports in Bulacan, Clark, and even in Metro Manila. By then, we hope to be able to create more jobs for Filipinos especially in that part of Central Luzon,” adds Tan.

From the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Makati Central Business District, and Bonifacio Global City, Northwin Global City can also be easily accessed via the Skyway 3 towards NLEX, which will only take around an hour during normal traffic.

Source:
www.megaworldcorp.com/news-and-updates/megaworld-build-p98-b-global-business-district-bulacan
Posted October 6, 2021

Property giant Megaworld is optimistic that it can recover quickly from the pandemic next year following reports of coronavirus vaccines to be released before year-end.

In his message at the company’s Annual Stockholders’ Meeting via live webcast, Megaworld chairman and CEO Dr. Andrew L. Tan said the company is ready to bounce back as it ‘adjusts to the new demands of the diverse market.’

“Our strong financial standing puts us in an exceptionally good position to weather the crisis and take advantage of the opportunities that will arise once recovery begins. The crisis also served to highlight the value of our offerings,” Dr. Tan said.

To jumpstart the company’s recovery plans, Megaworld is rolling out a 4-point guide to ensure a strategic path towards accelerated growth by next year.

During his presentation, Megaworld chief strategy officer Kevin L. Tan laid down the R.I.S.E plan:

• Resilience

This tried and tested strategy has allowed Megaworld to weather five (5) major crises since it was incorporated 31 years ago, namely:  Coup attempts in the early 90s, the July 1990 Luzon earthquake, the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption, the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, and the 2007 global financial crisis. Under this plan, the company puts financial prudence as its top priority through adjustments in capital spending, temporary deferment of projects, streamlining of operations, and other programs to preserve cash.

• Innovation

The company will further accelerate its digitalization programs and technology investments across all its businesses to align with the changes in the behaviors and lifestyles of different types of customers even post-pandemic. Through its technology investment arm, Agile Digital Ventures, Megaworld will further expand its digital footprint to support its various key businesses, and to start up digital innovation products to support the country’s economic segments such as retailers, and small and micro enterprises. Internally, the company will continue to fast track the shift to full digitalization of its business processes, particularly in sales and marketing, customer services, property and building management, and finance.

• Stability

The company will focus in ensuring a consistently strong balance sheet, strengthening of land banking initiatives through strategic acquisitions and partnerships, completing and delivering committed projects on-time, reinforcing a stable recurring income stream, and expanding the township concept by adding sustainable and crisis-resilient features.

• Empathy

The health, safety, well-being, and general welfare of its employees will remain to be Megaworld’s priority during this time. The company has been closely monitoring the health status of its employees, and provided the necessary support such as distribution of customized personal protective equipment and vitamin supplements, all throughout the quarantine period. It also initiated professional training programs for skill enhancement and personality development, including emotional and wellness workshops, available for free on virtual formats to its employees. The company also continuously provides full salaries to its employees, and during the strict lockdown period, it has deferred the payments of employees’ loans and other deductions to help everyone cope with the crisis.

On the community and society at large, Megaworld remains committed to continue its support to government programs in the fight against coronavirus, and in the efforts of both the public and private sectors to help the country move towards economic recovery.

“Today, more than ever, we remain grateful to the trust and confidence of all of our customers,  including our stockholders. Despite the impact of the pandemic that hit most businesses, our first half was not as bad as we expected it to be,” Tan points out as he also highlighted the contribution of  employee and personnel frontliners assigned in the company’s malls, offices, and various townships across the country during the pandemic.

During his presentation to stockholders, Tan illustrated how Megaworld experienced remarkable growth momentum across all its businesses from 2010-2019, following the five simultaneous (5) major crises that the company faced prior to this decade.

“As we start another new decade for Megaworld, we will always look back to the times when we have outgrown and surpassed the challenges that we have faced because these are the things that have been motivating us to become stronger as a company,” says Tan.

Source:
https://www.megaworldcorp.com/news-and-updates/megaworld-optimistic-quick-recovery-rolls-out-4-point-plan-rise-pandemic-impact
Posted online on August 23, 2020

CLARK FREEPORT -- Andrew Tan-led Alliance Global Group Inc. (AGI) registered a net profit of P4.1 billion in the first half of 2020, reflecting a 67 percent decline from P12.5 billion the year before.

Net income to owners stood at P3.8 billion, down 53 percent from its year ago level of P8.1 billion.

Consolidated revenues fell 26 percent to P61.4 billion from last year's P82.8 billion, as the conglomerate, which has varied interests spanning real estate developments through property giant Megaworld Corporation; leisure, entertainment and hospitality through Travellers International Hotel Group Inc.; spirits manufacturing through Emperador Inc.; quick service restaurants through Golden Arches Development Corporation (GADC), popularly known as McDonald's Philippines, which is a strategic partnership with the George Yang Group; and infrastructure developments through Infracorp Development Corporation, faces the hurdles caused by the coronavirus pandemic that affected most of its businesses.

"The country's strict two-month lockdown weighed heavily on most of our domestic operations. We take comfort from the fact that we have managed to diversify our sources of income, either by type of products or by geographic contribution, and this has helped us mitigate the impact of this pandemic on our group performance," said Kevin Tan, AGI chief executive officer.

In the first half of 2020, Megaworld, posted a 33 percent decline in attributable net income to P5.4 billion from P8.1 billion a year before. Consolidated revenues fell 25 percent year-on-year to P23.8 billion, as the strict community quarantine weighed on mall rentals, real estate sales, and hotel revenues. Office rentals, however, grew 10 percent to P5.6 billion, proving anew its dominance and strong hold in the country's office sector as it catered mostly to the more resilient BPO industry.

Despite the pandemic, Megaworld also managed to register reservation sales of P38 billion during the semester, of which about P17 billion in sales were accomplished during the second quarter when the country was placed under strict lockdown. This indicates some innate strength in housing demand, particularly in the middle- to high-income segment of the market.

Emperador, the world's biggest brandy producer and owner of the world's fifth largest Scotch whisky manufacturer, recorded a two percent year-on-year improvement in attributable profit to P3.3 billion in the first half this year. Consolidated revenues stood flat at P21.5 billion despite the imposition of the liquor ban during the lockdown which affected domestic liquor sales.

In the second quarter, Emperador' sales and earnings got a boost mainly from its Scotland based Whyte and Mackay operations which saw its whisky revenues jump by 29 percent while more than doubling its profit from year ago levels. Its Scotch whisky operations contributed 31 percent of the group's business in the first half of this year.

Meanwhile, the ongoing community quarantine, which put a temporary halt in casino gaming operations, has taken its toll on Travellers International. The owner and operator of Resorts World Manila (RWM) recorded a net loss of P3.7 billion in the first half this year, a reversal from its P845 million net income the year before. Gross gaming revenues were more than halved to P6.1 billion while its non-gaming revenues fell 44 percent to P1.7 billion, the latter due to limited hotel operations and MICE activities. Overall gross revenues plunged 53 percent year-on-year to P7.8 billion.

The community quarantine also significantly affected GADC's operations which saw its bottomline post a loss of P709 million in the first half this year, reversing the profit of P751 million the year before.

Consolidated revenues declined by 37 percent year-on-year to P9.7 billion during the same period. At the start of the lockdown, only about 38 percent of the McDonald's stores were operational, while activities were limited to take-outs, drive-thru, and delivery services as dining-in was not allowed. The level only improved to 84 percent by May with the easing of the restrictions, but still with limited services. GADC ended the quarter with 668 stores.

"This global health crisis has brought us new learnings. We have modified our product offerings and acquired new skills to adapt to the changes in consumer behavior. Likewise, our move to transform our operations under a digital strategy, an undertaking we have started only last year, has supported most of our businesses especially during the strictest period of the community quarantine," Tan said.

Source:
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1866945/Pampanga/Business/Alliance-Global-H1-profit-hits-P41-billion
Written by Charlene A. Cayabyab - August 14, 2020

Megaworld, the country’s leading developer of integrated urban townships, posted a 34% drop in its net income during the first half of the year, from P8.9-billion to P5.9-billion. Consolidated revenues for the first six months declined by 25% year-on-year to P23.8-billion from P31.7-billion last year.  

The company, on the other hand, recorded P2.1-billion net profit during the second quarter this year, a 56% decline from P4.8-billion during the same period last year, as the country was reeling from the impact of the nationwide lockdown that affected most businesses.  

“Just as the pandemic began in the last month of the first quarter, we already anticipated a decline in our earnings in the second quarter, but what actually surprised us was the fact that the drop wasn’t as bad as we have expected it to be, and it remains manageable. Our strategic decision of further strengthening our office leasing business way before the pandemic started is now evidently making us more resilient,” says Kevin L. Tan, chief strategy officer, Megaworld.

Leasing revenues from Megaworld Premier Offices, the company’s office leasing arm, was up 10% during the first six months from P5.1-billion last year to P5.6-billion during the same period this year. Contribution of Megaworld Premier Offices now stands at 78% of the company’s total rental income, which mitigated the impact of partial operations of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls due to the pandemic. 

This year, the company is set to complete construction of five new office developments in its various townships, particularly in Iloilo Business Park in Iloilo City, Arcovia City in Pasig City, Westside City in Parañaque City, McKinley West and Uptown Bonifacio in Taguig City, adding around 213,000 square meters of completed projects in the company’s leasable office portfolio. To date, these projects are already 90% pre-leased on the average. 

“Business process outsourcing (BPO) companies and traditional offices such as corporate headquarters of multinational companies still occupy around 90% of our spaces, which still continued their operations even at the height of the lockdown. We are closing some deals from many Metro Manila-based BPO companies that require an immediate expansion in our provincial townships due to eased quarantine rules there. Our current portfolio of active BPO tenant partners is still huge, and these are our first-line takers in our provincial developments,” Tan points out.

Megaworld is expected to end the year with 70 completed office developments covering 1.4 million square meters of leasable office inventory, excluding those that have already been sold. 

Megaworld’s rental income for the first half of 2020 declined by only 11% at P7.2-billion, while hotel revenues were down 29% to P917.9-million from P1.3-billion. Megaworld Hotels, which currently operates 10 hotel properties with around 3,500 rooms under its homegrown brands of Richmonde, Belmont, Savoy, Hotel Lucky Chinatown, and Twin Lakes Hotels, continued serving pre-booked guests from BPO companies as well as balikbayans during the lockdown.

Even as the lockdown limited selling activities for residential projects, Megaworld’s reservation sales during the first half of the year reached P38-billion, which peaked during the second quarter when most parts of the country was placed under ‘enhanced community quarantine.’ 

Real estate sales during the first six months reached P14.3-billion, reflecting a 29% decline from P20.2-billion during the same period last year, as the company implemented ‘more flexibility’ in payment terms during the quarantine period. 

To date, Megaworld has 26 masterplanned integrated urban townships, integrated lifestyle communities, and lifestyle estates across the country, namely: Eastwood City in Libis, Quezon City, (18.5 hectares); Newport City in Pasay City (25 hectares); McKinley Hill (50 hectares), McKinley West (34.5 hectares), Uptown Bonifacio (15.4 hectares) and Forbes Town (5 hectares), all in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City; Lucky Chinatown in Binondo, Manila (3 hectares); The Mactan Newtown in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu (30 hectares); Iloilo Business Park in Mandurriao, Iloilo City (72 hectares); Sta. Barbara Heights in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo (173 hectares); Boracay Newcoast in Boracay Island (150 hectares); Twin Lakes in Alfonso, Batangas near Tagaytay (1,300 hectares); ArcoVia City in Pasig City (12.3 hectares); Southwoods City in the boundaries of Cavite and Laguna (561 hectares); Davao Park District in Lanang, Davao City (11 hectares); Alabang West in Las Piñas City (62 hectares); Eastland Heights in Antipolo, Rizal (640 hectares); Suntrust Ecotown in Tanza, Cavite (350 hectares); Maple Grove in General Trias, Cavite (140 hectares); The Hamptons Caliraya in Lumban-Cavinti, Laguna (300 hectares); The Upper East (34 hectares) and Northill Gateway (50 hectares) both in Negros Occidental; Capital Town Pampanga beside the Pampanga Provincial Capitol in the City of San Fernando (35.6-hectares); Westside City in the Entertainment City in Paranaque City (31 hectares); Empire East Highland City in Antipolo, Rizal (24 hectares), Arden Botanical Estate in the boundaries of Trece Martires and Tanza, Cavite (251 hectares). 

Source: 
​https://www.megaworldcorp.com/news-and-updates/megaworld-grows-office-business-even-during-pandemic
Online content posted on August 13, 2020

It’s another opportunity to indulge in a much sought live-work-play-beach lifestyle that remains unrivaled in the country today.

The Pearl Global Residences— a 20-storey residential tower to rise within The Mactan Newtown in Lapu Lapu City, Cebu—offers more coveted spaces for those who aspire to either settle down and set their roots, or invest in a thriving community that aptly places a premium on the quality of life and convenience of having practically everything within easy reach.

“The Pearl Global Residences will showcase the Filipino pride to the world. We got the name from the country’s title of ‘Pearl of the Orient’. As we expect more visitors and tourists to come to The Mactan Newtown in the coming years, we want this tower to be one of the icons of Filipino pride inside our development,” said Noli D. Hernandez, president of Megaworld Cebu Properties, Inc.

Coveted address

This latest project from property giant Megaworld is the fifth residential development and the 11th residential tower to rise in this sprawling township. It will offer a total of 222 units, which will add to the existing 1,836-unit inventory inside The Mactan Newtown. As with the other high rises here, The Pearl Global Residences will surely be one the most coveted addresses in Cebu today.

How so? Foremost is fact that The Pearl Global Residences, which will near the road leading to the historic Lapu-Lapu Shrine, is part of a thriving 30-hectare township that offers a modern urban landscape and natural attractions. The Mactan Newtown itself presents the quintessential lifestyle of the modern urban dweller, given its complete offering of top-grade office sites, retail and commercial centers, upscale residential developments, hotels, a reputable academic institution, and its very own beachfront, reportedly a unique facet in a township setting.

Today, Megaworld has already launched a total of 11 residential towers. It is home to five office towers with a total inventory of around 81,000 sqm, and the 547-room Savoy Hotel Mactan, the first hotel to open here. Two more hotels and the Mactan Newtown Beach Walk, a unique concept of mall development on a cliff by the seaside, are set to open over the next several years.

Anyone who thus wants to be part of The Mactan Newtown’s dynamic, robust growth would surely aspire to be here, to grab this latest opportunity to own a home in such a community.

Homebuyers and investors can choose from The Pearl Global Residences’ generous mix of unit choices with sizes ranging from 40 sqm to 116 sqm: it can be an executive studio with either a balcony or a lanai; a one-bedroom and executive one-bedroom with balcony; a two-bedroom with balcony or lanai; or a three-bedroom with balcony.

Apart from the prospect of having that distinct advantage of living within one of the most dynamic townships in Cebu, future residents will also get to enjoy first rate amenities that The Pearl Global Residences will offer.

To help provide a more holistic lifestyle for future residents, this residential high rise will have an adult pool and kiddie pool, a fitness center, outdoor lounge and seating areas, children’s play area, function room, game room, reading nook, and co-working spaces.

The roof deck will house an outdoor lounge and garden, a dry bar, and a viewing deck, where residents and guests can enjoy the stunning, priceless views of the Cebu mountains, the Magellan Bay and the Hilutungan Channel, the nearby islands, and the Lapu-Lapu Shrine.

Indeed, there is so much to look forward to when The Pearl Global Residences gets completed by 2025, as it will clearly be the latest showcase as to why Cebu continues to retain its luster and attractiveness as a destination, despite the emergence of many other city centers elsewhere in the country.
​
Beyond just making a sale, Megaworld is more importantly offering a new opportunity to have an enhanced, more holistic lifestyle well suited to meet the demands of an ever evolving landscape.

Source: 
https://business.inquirer.net/290488/the-pearl-global-residences-showcase-of-ph-pride-in-mactan
Written by Amy R. Remo of Philippine Daily Inquirer, 04:00AM February 15, 2020

MANILA, Philippines — Megaworld Corp. is expanding its residential footprint in Cebu amid steady demand brought about by strong economic growth.

The company launched the 20-story The Pearl Global Residences, its fifth residential development inside the 30-hectare The Mactan Newtown in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

The 20-story residential tower is expected to be completed in 2025 and will generate P2.3 billion in sales.
It will add 222 units in the existing 1,836 residential unit inventory in the township.

Megaworld Cebu Properties Inc. president Noli Hernandez said the new project bodes well for the township which continues to attract visitors.

“The Pearl Global Residences will showcase the Filipino pride to the world. We got the name from the country’s title of ‘Pearl of the Orient’, and as we expect more visitors and tourists to come to The Mactan Newtown in the coming years, we want this tower to be one of the icons of Filipino pride inside our development,” Hernandez said.

To date, Megaworld has already launched 10 residential towers from four residential condominium developments in Mactan Newtown.

The township is also home to five office towers with a total office inventory of around 81,000 square meters.

Just last year, Megaworld opened its first hotel in the township, the 547-room Savoy Hotel Mactan.
It is expected to open two more hotels inside the township in the next two years as it continues to ramp up its hotel footprint.

Megaworld said the latest project would be the 11th residential condominium tower to rise inside Mactan Newtown, which has its own beachfront.

The new residential tower offers different sizes: executive studio with either a balcony (up to 40 square meters); one-bedroom and executive one-bedroom with balcony (up to 59 sqm); two-bedroom with balcony or lanai (up to 80 sqm) and three-bedroom with balcony (up to 116 sqm).

The project will rise near the road leading to the historic Lapu-Lapu Shrine and will offer residents with amenities at the second level.

These include adult and kiddie pools, fitness center, outdoor lounge and seating areas, children’s play area, function room, game room, reading nook and co-working spaces.         

Source:
https://www.philstar.com/business/2020/01/15/1984807/megaworld-launches-20-story-pearl-global-residences
Iris Gonzales (The Philippine Star) January 15, 2020, 12:00 AM

As the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic triggers extraordinary volatility in global financial markets, real estate may be a good option for yield-seeking investors looking to hedge against risks, the co-founder of KMC Solutions said.
​
Amanda Carpo of KMC Solutions, provider of private offices, co-working space and staff leasing, said real estate still had strong potential to give its investors good returns no matter the macroeconomic backdrop.

“Real estate investment is a good idea to diversify your investment portfolio. Equities are much more volatile and carry more risk in general, and real estate can help manage volatility and risk and make your investments more efficient,” Carpo said in a statement.
“More than ever, investors need to understand the effects of volatility. That is what we will be experiencing in the near future,” she said.

A survey by global public opinion and data company, YouGov, recently ranked real estate as the third safest investment next to gold and certificates of deposit. Carpo said such confidence came with good reason. “Property gives owners flexibility on how to earn—it is not just about buying or selling. Investors can remodel or renovate for rentals or for lease among many other options,” she said.
It was noted that real estate was historically a better investment than stocks, based on the research “The Rate of Return on Everything, 1870-2015,” which tracked historical data spanning over a century, residential real estate generally delivered better returns than equity at lower volatility and lower correlation to the performance of stocks in the market.

“These days, it is hard to look at the performance of the stock market and not want to pull your money out. When you pull your money out however, you cement your losses,” said Carpo. “It’s important to stay invested, it’s important to diversify, and real estate can be a good defensive play. There will be economic recovery once society can open up again, and that will happen eventually.”
Carpo sees local real estate turning to be one of the more resilient sectors in the economy despite the COVID-19 health crisis.
On the residential space, sustained real demand for housing from local and foreign workers in the Philippines is seen to keep the market afloat given favorable demographics.
“Condominiums have an advantage over other real estate as developers situate their properties in areas where demand is already strong. This, partnered with the attractive amenities and potential for market appreciation, add to their appeal,” said Carpo.
Further, she said condominium owners could fit their properties to leverage off special industries such as co-living arrangements as well as the strong and steady market for student housing.

“At KMC Solutions we believe there will be sectors of the real estate market that will feel the pain of COVID-19 more than others, such as hotel, hospitality and retail. Industrial, logistics, office and residential will be better off,” Carpo said. “In terms of office space, which is the sector we are in, companies that are now forced to work from home will need to look into distributed workforce and business continuity planning.”

Global companies that are cutting costs will turn to business process outsourcing (BPO) services and automation, which can indicate a good economic turn for the Philippines, she said.
“We believe the Philippines has consistently proven its value over time and more companies will adopt to outsourcing and working with remote teams. We experienced this when we started the company, in the face of the 2008 global recession,” Carpo said.

While the current market situation is causing uncertainty, Carpo said investors must be proactive with their assets. With real estate, this could mean flexibility—adjusting to current demand—while anticipating opportunities for healthier returns as soon as the market bounces back, she stressed.

“KMC has always tried to provide beautiful and healthy workspaces. Companies will be forced to re-think their spaces for safety and sanitation for the safety of their employees, but this will likely be a long-term trend toward spaces that are now more than ever focused on health, well-being and productivity. We could see changes in design as the way we live, work, and interact will be changed by this virus. The underlying value is that health is wealth.” INQ


Source:
https://business.inquirer.net/296360/real-estate-offers-safer-investment-option-study-shows
Written by Doris Dumlao-Abadilla of Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 04, 2020 - 04:05 AM

MANILA, Philippines — After posting double-digit growth in the first quarter, prices of prime residential property in Metro Manila are expected to stabilize amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to real estate consultancy firm Santos Knight Frank.

Jan Custodio, senior director for research and consultancy at Santos Knight Frank, said in an email prices of prime residential property are expected to remain steady.

“Developers still remain confident that they can hold out at this price due to the quality and value of their projects,” he said.

He said developers usually set aside some units which they can put on hold for a long period time for some of their targeted buyers.
As for buyers, he said those who have already purchased are unlikely to sell their property as most of them are not in dire need of cash.
“They may consider selling if the offer is too good to refuse,” he said.

Manila topped Knight Frank’s Prime Global Cities Index for the first quarter as it posted the strongest growth in luxury residential property prices.
Released earlier this month, the index showed Manila placed first in the list of 46 cities as it registered a 15.3 percent increase in luxury residential property prices in the first quarter from the same period last year.

Compared to the previous quarter or the last quarter of 2019, prices in Manila went up by 10.2 percent in the first quarter.
Custodio said selling prices for the prime residential property in Metro Manila were taken just before the government imposed the enhanced community quarantine.
During that time, he said prices were still following their normal trajectory of around 10 percent per annum.

“Most of the prime residential properties launched in 2019 have been sold out, which in a way sets the stage for the price increase given the strong demand,” he said.
He said those actively selling prime residential properties in the first quarter were the beneficiaries as they capitalized on those who missed out in acquiring property last year, and on those who wanted to continue acquiring.
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“This would indicate that prime residential property here in the Philippines is still a safe investment as it provides value for money. Most likely, those who have invested in this segment are highly liquid and seized this opportunity to acquire,” he said.

Source:
https://www.philstar.com/business/2020/05/26/2016445/metro-manila-property-prices-expected-stabilize
The Philippine Star - May 26, 2020