Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Firm sets aside P1.5B for projects

By Katlene O. Cacho
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
A NEW player in the real estate industry is setting aside P1.5 billion as capital expenditures (capex) for its four residential projects for the mid-range market starting this year.
According to Michelle Yu, chief executive officer of Landtraders World Properties Corp., the four projects, three condominiums and a townhouse, will have a total of 2,000 units that will be completed in two years.


Yu said the company will source its funds from banks and in-house financing.
Yu, whose family business is importation of used/surplus trucks, engines, under chassis parts, gen sets and forklifts since 1988, ventured into real estate because of the industry’s strong growth performance.
“We wanted to explore other businesses and one of industries we saw that is growing so fast now is the real estate industry,” Yu said.
She said almost all of their clients in their surplus business, New Partraders Inc., have also ventured into real estate.
According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the steady growth of overseas remittances and the continued growth of the business process outsourcing industries have fueled the growth of the property market in the Philippines.
Landtraders’ flagship project is San Marino Residences, a 420-unit, 20-storey residential condominium on J.de Veyra Avenue at the North Reclamation Area.
Yu said the company invested P520 million for the construction of the project, which will initially cater to the mid-range market with unit prices of P1.4 million for units with 21-22 square meters of space.
Yu said one selling proposition of the project is its location. “San Marino is right across everything like shopping centers, the airport, schools and the port,” she said.
Yu said their company is the first to offer a cheaper rate for condo units in the Cebu market.
“The aim here is also to give a chance to low-income earners to own condominium units,” she said.
San Marino Residences will have a modern Mediterranean-style building. Yu said that despite the low price they are offering, the company will invest on the quality of the project.
“The project management team is headed by my father-in-law, who has a strong background in construction, to ensure the foundation of the project considering its location,” Yu said.
She said they sold 40 units on the first day of their pre-selling period. She said pending inquiries stood at 60 to 80 percent.
San Marino Residences targets local buyers, especially from the overseas Filipino market, young professionals and those from neighboring islands like Bohol and Leyte who wish to work, live or study in Cebu.
Aside from San Marino Residences, Landtraders is currently planning the construction of three more projects, such as the 89 townhouse units to be put up in Mactan and two condominium projects at Andres Abellana and the North Reclamation Area, which will have 600 units and 700 units, respectively.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on April 26, 2012.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

P2B eco-friendly hotel to rise in Makati


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A P2-billion hotel equipped with ecology-friendly feature of negative ion air system, the first in the world, will soon rise in the business district of Makati City.

Hotel H20 President Lim Chee Yong signed the partnership memorandum with Worldhotels for the construction of a 40-story room and five-star Worldhotel and Residences on Kalayaan Avenue, Makati.

The agreement signed on Thursday at the Hotel H20 in Manila covers a 10-year full license agreement on sales and marketing.

Lim said his latest investment is expected to increase tourist arrivals, particularly coming from rich Asian capitals like China, Japan and South Korea.

He said the Worldhotel, to become operational by mid-2013, will be a leisure hotel for business travelers but also will serve as a transient point for inbound tourists who will go to island destinations such as Boracay, Coron and Cebu.

Lim said the Philippines is lacking in hotel infrastructure despite the liquidity in the market.

He lamented that the country’s hotel occupancy rate is 30 percent below of the hotel-room capacity in Bali, Indonesia.

The Worldhotel and Residences is the first in the world that is equipped with Negative ion, natural air system that provides healthy environment for guests.

Negative ion, developed in Japan, protect from free radicals that improves blood circulation. Positive ion usually attracts bacteria and all unhealthy elements.

The installation of negative ion costs 10 percent of the total investment costs that reached P2 billion.

Economy grew 5% in Q1, says think tank


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THE economy may have grown by at least 5 percent in the first quarter, according to local think tank First Metro Investment Corp.-University of Asia and the Pacific (FMIC-UA&P) Capital Market Research Center.

In its latest issue of Market Call that seemed to support the optimism of Trade Secretary Gregory T. Domingo about the economy, the FMIC-UA&P Capital Market Research Center said a growth of 5 percent or more is possible on the back of improved jobs data, increased government spending, exports recovery and benign inflation.

“Economic data made available in the first quarter would indicate a much-improved economy, which lead us to forecast a gross domestic product [GDP] growth of 5 percent or more for the quarter,” the center said.

The FMIC-UA&P Capital Market Research Center noted that in the January 2012 Labor Force Survey (LFS), the economy generated 1.1 million jobs; inflation also slid to a 29-month low of 2.7 percent.

The center also said the national government started the year running with a fiscal deficit of P15.9 billion, despite a strong 12.5-percent increase in tax revenues and exports in January growing by 4 percent, the first positive growth after eight months.

The think tank added that the optimistic outlook and data were supported by the latest Leading Economic Indicators (LEI) released by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).

The NSCB data showed that eight of the 11 economic figures positively contributed to the overall LEI, which reached 0.285, the highest level since the fourth quarter of 2008.

“For the first quarter of 2012, the LEI posted 0.238 from a revised 0.158 in the fourth quarter of 2011. The latest LEI computations show the index in firmer positive territory auguring well for the domestic economy to start off the year of the dragon,” the NSCB said earlier.

The center also said that unlike in previous months, the Greek debt crisis is already showing signs of resolution and
the US economy is already showing signs of a recovery, although at a slower pace.

The center cited McKinsey’s recent global survey of more than 2,000 executives in March. The results showed that 42 percent of the respondents viewed the current economic situation, compared to six months ago, as moderately or substantially better, compared to only 20 percent in December.

The Market Call report said 46 percent of the McKinsey survey expected moderately or substantially better economic conditions in the next six months in March, compared to only 29 percent in December.

Anthony Robbins: It Is Your Choice

Anthony Robbins: It Is Your Choice

Recent Articles by Tony Robbins

Anthony Robbins: It Is Your Choice

Take control of your decisions and your life with these strategies.

What is the single force that shapes the quality of our lives? What power do we have that can change everything? As you and I both know, the answer is the power of choice.

During the past 30 years I’ve had the privilege of working with an incredibly diverse group of people, from presidents of countries to professional athletes, from managers to moms, from gang members to high-powered business executives. I’ve had the unique opportunity to see people in the midst of real challenges, whether it’s the professional athlete who wants to regain his competitive edge, the business leader who wants to expand her influence or the political leader who struggles with a difficult decision. I may not have all the answers (who does?), but after working with so many people and observing the patterns that make them succeed or fail, one thing I am sure of is this: It is our decisions, not our conditions, that determine the quality of our lives.

Take a look at your own life. Are you where you want to be? Are you as healthy or financially secure or as happy in your relationships as you would like to be? Or, even if things are going well, are you looking for that extra edge to retain the competitive advantage? Perhaps you feel that in spite of your success, there’s more out there for you, but for some reason, you haven’t grasped it yet. Your first instinct may be to blame the economy, or the housing market, or someone who has treated you unfairly.

Before we go any further, we need to understand that we are where we are today because of the decisions we’ve made—decisions about what to focus on, decisions about where to place our priorities, decisions about what things mean and decisions about what to do. For example, if your business or career has been affected by the recession, do you feel that you are being punished or challenged to find a new path? What are you going to do about it? Are you going to give up or give more? No matter what we have experienced in the past, our history is not our destiny—we all have the power to make new decisions today.

Here’s another way to look at it: Success is a result of good judgment; good judgment is a result of experience, in most cases. And what about experience? Yes, experience is most often a result of bad judgment.

So here’s the good news: The experience gained from bad judgment and bad decisions is unbelievably valuable—it’s priceless! So don’t waste time beating yourself up over poor decisions you’ve made; learn from the experiences. Really, failure is actually one of the best ways we learn. When people succeed, they celebrate. When they fail, they ponder. They stop and think, What happened here? What could I have done differently? It’s only through self-evaluation that we learn how to make better decisions. So, when you make mistakes, learn from them; use your experience to improve your judgment and make better decisions.


The Path to Freedom—Financial or Otherwise

We’re living in extraordinarily difficult times. Every day we read about and experience more challenges, often related to things we can’t control, whether it’s the economy, the environment or unemployment. We can allow the stress and uncertainty caused by these events to overwhelm us or we can transform our lives by making different decisions.

One of the decisions we can make is to live with a mindset of abundance. What I mean by this is if we live as though wealth has more to do with what’s in our minds than what’s in our wallets, if we understand that how we feel is more important than what we have, we can discover an immense sense of freedom and happiness.

Think about it: Do you know anyone who has a lot of money but doesn’t feel free, doesn’t feel loved, doesn’t feel like he has a choice? Sure you do. You may even feel that way yourself. That feeling happens when you’re not in control of your emotions because you’re looking for someone or something external to fill internal needs.

I don’t care what you’ve achieved or how much money you’ve earned, if you live with an attitude of scarcity and limitation, if you wait for someone or something else to fulfill you, you’re not going to be happy. You must make the decision to live with a mentality of abundance, and you will experience true freedom.


It’s Your Time

Everything that happens in your life—what you’re thrilled with and what you’re challenged by—began with a decision. Your life is the outcome of the decisions you’ve made and the actions you’ve taken as a result of those decisions. Different decisions produce different results.

If you want to control the direction of your life, you must consistently make good decisions. It’s not what you do once in a while that has an impact on the direction of your life—it’s what you do consistently. Make decisions today about how you are going to live in the years to come. For your decisions to really make a difference in your life it’s imperative to decide what results you’re committed to—and know specifically how these results will transform your life. It’s equally critical to decide what kind of person you’re committed to becoming. Get clear about what you want to be, do and have, and what your life will be like after you accomplish this. With that clarity, you’ll find it becomes easier to make the kinds of decisions that will move you in the direction you desire.

What are your standards? What will you demand from life? Decide today if you’ll accept life as it is or if you’ll live your life on your own terms, at the edge and at the highest level.



Thursday, April 19, 2012

Oakwood taps Cebu market

By Katlene O. Cacho

Thursday, April 19, 2012

MANILA - based high-end serviced apartment facility Oakwood Premier Joy Nostalg Center Manila is tapping the Cebu market for its weekend business.

In an interview yesterday, Oakwood Premier director of sales and marketing Anna Fernandez said they hope to get a good chunk of Cebuano guests to increase their leisure traffic.

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“Although we are positioned as a corporate hotel, a bigger portion or 65 percent of our clients are considered short-staying guests who stay three to four nights. They boost the hotel’s leisure traffic,” Fernandez said during the company’s media briefing held in Radisson Blu Hotel Cebu.

She said the company also eyes the expat market and key executives of BPO companies.

“Some of our corporate clients in Manila are from the BPO industry and we observed that these companies also have sites here, so we are also hoping to get a chunk of this market when they come and visit Manila,” Fernandez said.

Oakwood Premier’s top clients are corporate executives from the United States, Australia and Singapore.

Luxury, style

Oakwood Premier is the high-end product category offered by Oakwood Asia Pacific, a division of US-based Oakwood Worldwide.

Oakwood Premier is designed for international travelers “who demand luxury and style.” According to the company, the facility combines “impressive apartments with amenities and services of luxury hotels.”

Its premier facilities are located in Bangkok, Beijing, Guangzhou, Jakarta, Manila, Mumbia, Pune, Seoul and Tokyo.

The Oakwood Premier Joy Nostalg Center Manila, which opened in September 2009, has 223 rooms of studios and suites. It has 56 studios (41 square meters); 143 deluxe one-bedroom suites (85-94 sqm); 24 two-bedroom suites (130 sqm); nine three-bedroom suites (182 sqm) and one presidential suite (282 sqm).

Among its amenities are a 25-meter lap pool, business center, two function rooms that can accommodate up to 150 people; three meeting rooms; recreation and fitness facility. Each room is also equipped with a kitchen and modern entertainment showcase.

To attract more guests, Oakwood Premier Manila general manager Rick Erdos said they will be maximizing the use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter to further strengthen the company’s presence in the country.

“We are driving on a new direction to compete head-on with our competitors. The hotel will be introducing new ideas and concept in all of our amenities particularly in the food and beverage,” Erdos said.

According to Fernandez social media works best in supporting the promotional activities for the hotel’s food and beverage but the hotel still banks on traditional media like print and radio for marketing and promotions of their rooms.

Fernandez said Oakwood Asia Pacific is also eyeing some locations for possible expansion in the Philippines. “Oakwood Asia Pacific is aggressively expanding and Visayas is one of the key locations they are looking into,” she said.

Occupancy

Oakwood Premier has an average of 85 percent occupancy in the first quarter of this year. Fernandez said that is already a good indicator of the hotel’s performance for the entire year.

“The market demand in the hospitality industry is increasing, especially in Metro Manila,” she said.

Other products of Oakwood Asia Pacific are Oakwood Residences and Oakwood Apartments.

Other products in the pipeline are Oakwood Premier Resorts and Oakwood Resorts brands.

According to the company, the Oakwood brand has grown to be the largest service apartment operator in the world with close to 25,000 apartments throughout North America, Asia and Europe, and a multinational client base that includes 80 percent of the world’s largest companies.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on April 20, 2012.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Solid Group Inc. Innovates with steel technology to make affordable modern urban housing


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Solid Group Inc. (SGI) continues to explore new Filipino brand business ventures after championing the first Filipino mobile phone, My|Phone, which has now emerged as the leading mobile phone in the country. This time, SGI aims to revolutionize the Philippines’s housing industry through a modular insulated steel housing technology under the My|House brand.

SGI Chairman Atty. Elena S. Lim can still remember how she spent her younger years. “We were seven in the family, living in a 20-square-meter room, and it’s very uncomfortable to live in that kind of house. Because of that experience, we thought of helping to improve the lives of many Filipinos by expanding into a housing technology to give hope to the young working-class Filipinos, especially civil servants and teachers, by providing them a dignified home they could call their own. With our modular steel housing system, they don’t have to rent a small room and share with other persons. We can build houses that will uplift the spirit of young Filipinos who choose to stay here in the Philippines to work instead of abroad. It is time to give back by helping the next Filipino generation. I, along with my husband Mr. Joseph Lim, are very excited that my children, headed by Susan Lim Tan, chairman, and the rest of her siblings, are very passionate in pursuing this vision. With this new venture, we will be able to provide hope, dignity and pride to the Filipino people,” said Lim.

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Solid Manila Corp. a wholly-owned subsidiary SGI is the lead organization responsible for pursuing this vision, led by its chairman, Mr. Jason S. Lim, as the real estate arm of SGI. The Solid Manila Corp. team consists of young architects and engineers who are focused on understanding the growing housing needs of the Filipino working class, such as teachers, civil servants and government employees, working within their budgets and enabling small developers to also invest in small housing projects as well.

Why steel technology is the innovative choice for modern housing

Beda T. Mañalac, the president of My|House, said, “In My|House, we believe that steel will be the future of innovations in modular building technology. As seen in landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Juanico Bridge, and even ocean liners and airplanes, steel provides strength and long-term durability. Because of technology advancements, steel products have become stronger, more affordable, lighter and more attractive—perfect for the modular building technology. My|House’s technology makes residential steel buildings that are built to last as long as the steel landmarks we admire so much. This is why this modular steel building technology is fast becoming a viable alternative to traditional concrete in many markets.

Steel sandwich panels make a cool environment

Steel sandwich panels have a special powder paint coating to keep them attractive and rustproofed for years. It has factory-installed, high-grade insulation to repel heat, keeping the house cool even without airconditioning. The My|House steel structure strength is certified to withstand strong winds, typhoons, earthquakes, and to be fire- and pest-resistant. But like other metal and concrete structures, proper maintenance is still the key to preserving the life and quality of the structure.

SGI has built more than 50 years‘ business experience in marketing some of the leading brands, like Sony, Samsung, TCL and more recently My|Phone, supported by Solid’s strength of its own nationwide after-sales service network and data system. It is now using this total service system as pillar to support new businesses with the same commitment of after-sales support to My|House customers. The My|House after-sales support system will use a detailed database of all installations and provide regular service alerts that will remind customers of the regular service activities needed for their installations. This specialized data warehousing software will provide scheduled after-sales service reminders and keep detailed repair and replacement information of every steel panel and column, glass, screws and bolts, and other informations for the owner of the structure using state-of-the-art Enterprise Resource Planning system through SAP, one of the world's best software company. My|House, through professional third-party insurance companies, can arrange up to three-year insurance protection for their installed units when required in case of damage from accidents, fire, flood, typhoon and any other disasters.

Architect Gil Coscolluela, one of the leading young architects in the country, is a passionate advocate for the use of modular steel technology to uplift our young working class with dignified urban housing. “It will certainly become a major tool for quicker construction of homes and schools to help improve Filipino lives faster,“ he states. He has been volunteering his time and expertise to help create ways to maximize the strength, affordability and environment-friendliness of the My|House technology in designs that will appeal to Filipinos. He hopes to help eliminate the old misconceptions and problems of using steel structures to clear the way for its growth in industry acceptance.

As early as last year, My|House has already developed a number of building projects in school classrooms and daycare centers for the public in partnership with very active institutions such as the city of Taguig, under the leadership of Mayor Lani Cayetano; the Security Bank Foundation, led by its chairman, Rafael F. Simpao Jr.; and Caritas, led by Fr. Anton Pascual.

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The world’s No. 1 modular building company

“While we are new to the housing industry, we have partnered with Yahgee Corp. the biggest modular building technology provider in the world. Chinese modular construction standards are of international quality and serve markets around the world,” said Mañalac. “So our objective is to bring this technology and adapt it for the Filipino community needs and address our shortage in classrooms, housing and disaster-relocation communities.

Yahgee Corp. has shown great support and understanding in all our projects, sharing our heart‘s desire to better the lives of Filipinos as their goal as well. Our goal is to use this technology to build whole communities of young working-class Filipinos.” Yahgee Corp. has the manufacturing capacity to produce 200 million sq m of steel housing per year. An example of this enormous capacity was the

relocation work last 2008 after an earthquake hit Sichuan, China, killing 68,000 people and leaving thousands of families homeless. As part of the relocation effort, Yahgee was able to build a total of 80,000 houses in a period of one month. As part of its total quality control, Yahgee Corp. submitted its products to TUV certification tests and other quality, environmental management systems and product safety.

Technology builds real public-private partnership

Beda T. Mañalac has great hopes for this project, especially now that the local government is showing great support for this endeavor. And SGI Chairman Emeritus Elena S. Lim, because of her own experiences and struggles, continues to inspire My|House to give the young Filipinos the hope to have a home in their own land and uplift the dignity of their own life.

“We are honored that the Philippine government has been very supportive of our efforts. Following President Noynoy Aquino’s direction and under the leadership of Vice President Jejomar Binay as the country’s housing czar through HUDCC [Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council] as the main coordinating office, government agencies and departments such the National Housing Authority General Manager Chito Cruz, through its new technology accreditation Housing Development Technology Office head Architect Beth Regala, have extended valuable assistance in making the technology more available with the needed government recognition and accreditation. The Pag-IBIG Fund, through the proactive team of Atty. Darlene Marie B. Berberabe, is also working with us to develop dignified housing and provide financing to make monthly amortizations more affordable for young government employees,” Mañalac said.

“Following the direction of Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista and the leadership of Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, our first planned project in Tandang Sora, Quezon City, has already gained overwhelming interest from groups such as the Teacher’s Welfare Group of the Department of Education and the Civil Service Housing group. They like the project because it will remove their two-hour commutes and expensive bed-spacing cost. With their P10,000-to-P18,000 salary per month, they now turn their commute expense into a worthy real-estate investment. At a bigger picture, if they own their own home in this country, they will not be forced to seek employment outside the country,” Mañalac added.

“We are hoping to help the working-class Filipinos eventually realize their dream. We are building communities, not just individual houses, and we will be calling them My|Rainbow.Place. Our pilot project is in Tandang Sora, Quezon City, targeting to highlight the celebration of the 200th birthday of Tandang Sora, known as the Mother of the Katipunan. It is just the first of a series of our developments to serve young, working-class Filipinos,” said Manalac.

Affordable high-tech homes in urban areas

All of the Tandang Sora 200 My|Rainbow Place units are carpeted, fully furnished, including especially designed toilet with built-in FM radio, kitchenette and basic furnishing, to provide the buyers with a “step-up” in their lifestyle. All the units are steel-structured with high-grade insulation, for temperature comfort, fire safety and pest protection. With this development, ordinary civil servants can achieve dignified lifestyle at an affordable monthly cost, with price ranging from P2,000 to P5,000 per month, through Pag-ibig financing with zero down payment. My|House’s units, with various designs and construction types, are the best investment young professionals, customized to fit their specific needs and budget in affordable housing.

A call for a greener, more beneficial land use

My|House continues to work with national and local government agencies to address the concerns impeding our progress. “Our aim is to provide affordable and safe housing for working-class Filipinos near their place of work to create savings in travel time, cost of commuting, bed-spacing cost and lessen physical strain of travel. This segment of our population, which is more than 90 percent of our working population, are commuters and do not own vehicles nor need parking,” Mañalac explained. “As such, we are working with the different local government units to adjust the parking space requirements to remove unnecessary building costs like parking, which only burden the working-class Filipino even more.”

My|House community designs promote an eco-friendly community through incorporating more trees that will give shade and add greenery to the city. It is the design philosophy of My|House that the city needs more green trees than cement parking lots. We believe that this design emphasis on eco-friendliness is key to preserving our environment even in urban areas.

“We are also working with the same government agencies to adjust the zoning restrictions on densities in certain areas to enable this kind of affordable housing to be built in places that are safe, near to their work and accessible to public transportation for these young commuting Filipinos.Allowing higher densities of these affordable but attractive three-story walk-up condominium-type buildings in such areas will then remove the option of expensive bed spacing or renting in squatter areas as a thing of the past. This gives young working professionals a chance to own very nice units in prime locations like Metro Manila and other similar urban areas. In the near future, these properties will have greater value than the properties in the far suburbs,” Mañalac added, “and can eventually sell it for a good value when they are ready to upgrade or expand their living space requirements."

My|House would like to share its modular steel technologies to help build communities and individual structures in cooperation with both private and government entities, including homes, classrooms, dormitories, warehouses and offices. It provides information on any of its products or projects on its website http://www.myhouse.net.ph as well as upon request through its e-mail inquiry@myhouse.net.ph.

Real-estate industry showing signs of oversupply; ‘careful monitoring’ needed


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THE World Bank is urging the national government to “carefully monitor” the real-estate industry as the country’s real-estate market may be showing signs of oversupply, which could jack up vacancy rates and mute rental growth starting this year until 2014.

In a special section in the Philippine Quarterly Update (PQU), the World Bank said that this year until 2014, an average of 470,000 sq m of new office spaces are lined up. However, only around 250,000 to 300,000 sq m are expected to be taken up and will cause higher vacancies and lower rental rate growth.

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“The Philippine real-estate market today is largely driven by BPOs [business-process outsourcing firms] and remittances and less on investors seeking higher returns. Borrower leverage is low and banks have more prudential measures in place. Overall, systemic risks are fairly low, although the residential segment may face downside risks arising from oversupply, hence, the need for careful monitoring,” said the World Bank.

The World Bank also said the average new condominium supply for 2011 to 2015 is around 26,000 units. This is more than five times the average in the period covering 1999 to 2010. Last year alone, the rental space supply in major residential districts in Metro Manila increased by about 53 percent to 6,000 units.

With this, some real-estate developers are offering discount rates of up to 40 percent on selected units, which narrows the profit margins of developers. In 2011, the bank noted, the average price of luxury three-bedroom condominiums in the Makati Business District posted a growth of only 4 percent.

While growth in the BPO industry’s demand for space will continue, the World Bank warned that other factors like the unrest in the Middle East, reduced overseas Filipino worker (OFW) deployment to Saudi Arabia, the crisis in the US and Europe, and reduced private spending due to higher oil prices could slow real-estate demand.

However, the World Bank said the real-estate industry does not yet “pose systemic financial risks at the moment.” It explained that the commercial property sector, as of September 2011, only accounts for two-thirds of the bank’s outstanding loans and the residential sector accounts for the balance and are lower than during the global financial crisis.

It can be noted that the 2009 global financial crisis, which stemmed from subprime loans in the US, was deemed the worst global economic crisis since World War II. The 1997 Asian financial crisis also stemmed from problems in the real-estate sector in Thailand.

“Given the limited leverage, the property sector on the aggregate does not pose systemic financial risks at the moment,” said the World Bank.

Meanwhile, the World Bank said the Philippine government needs to increase its revenues. It reiterated its call to strengthen tax administration and push for the immediate passage of the tobacco and alcohol excise, and fiscal incentives bills are steps in the right direction.

External risks such as slow global economic growth due to the crisis in the US and Europe and a possibility of slower domestic demand due to lower remittances will make higher public spending necessary to meet the growth objectives of the government this year and in the coming years.

“Accelerating structural reforms to enhance global competitiveness will improve the level and quality of employment in the country,” said Karl Kendrick Chua, World Bank country economist and main author of the report. “Moreover, successful implementation of these reforms would allow the country to take advantage of new opportunities arising from the global economic rebalancing and attract more investments as multinational companies relocate to other countries given rising production costs in China and other middle-income countries.”

The bank said appropriate fiscal and monetary policy responses are expected to boost growth to 4.2 percent and 5 percent in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

This, the bank said, assumes sustained growth in consumption and some improvement in investments and exports.

World Bank lead economist Rogier J.E. van den Brink said employment prospects this year will see some improvements, given higher public spending and continued growth in some industries.

“Higher infrastructure spending is expected to create tens of thousands of new jobs in the construction and trade subsectors, while continuous growth of the BPO industry is expected to generate 100,000 new jobs this year. However, structural reforms are needed to create more and better jobs in the year ahead,” said Van den Brink.

Prepared by the World Bank’s Poverty and Economic Management (PREM) team, the PQU provides updates on key economic and social developments as well as policies in the Philippines. It also presents findings from recent World Bank studies on the country.

More PPP projects planned


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With additional funds for public-private partnership (PPP) projects from three donors expected in the next few months, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said more projects may be rolled out this year.

Neda Director General Cayetano Paderanga Jr. said the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) disclosure of a possible total of $18.5-million grant for the PPP projects from the Australian and Canadian governments and the Manila-based multilateral development bank itself is a “vote of confidence” for PPP initiatives of the Aquino administration.

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Canberra’s share would come from the Australian Agency for International Development (Ausaid) and Ottawa’s from the Canadian International Development Agency (Cida).

For 2012, the Neda and the PPP Center expect to roll out a minimum of eight PPP projects. But the Neda could not say outright if the additional funds meant more projects were possible.

“They’ve been very helpful, ADB, Ausaid and Cida, in helping us to equip ourselves to be able to be more effective in the lines of developing projects. So we think of this [$18.5-million grant] as a vote of confidence in what the Philippines has been doing and [in President Aquino’s] program on public-private partnerships,” Paderanga said.

He added that counterpart funding for the $18.5-million grant will be covered by the P160 million in PPP allotment in the government’s 2012 budget and by PPP funds of the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Agriculture, and the Project Development Monitoring Fund (PDMF) of P550 million.

The PPP Center disclosed that among the projects expected for rollout this year as of March 2012 are the Automatic Fare Collection System, Balara Water Hub, Cala Expressway (Cavite and Laguna Side), Cold-Chain Systems Covering Strategic Areas in the Philippines; Grains Central Project and Mactan-Cebu International Airport Passenger Terminal Building.

Other projects include Modernization of Philippine Orthopedic Center, New Bohol (Panglao) Airport, New Centennial Water Supply Source, North Luzon Expressway-South Luzon Expressway Connector Road, Operation and Maintenance of Angat Hydroelectric Power Plant Auxilliary Turbines 4 and 5; Operation and Maintenance of Laguindingan Airport, Operation and Maintenance of Puerto Princesa Airport and Vaccine Self-Sufficiency Project Phase II.

Documents obtained by the BusinessMirror earlier showed that another 43 PPP projects are in the pipeline, including 15 projects to be implemented by the Department of Transportation and Communications, around nine by the Department of Public Works and Highways, eight by local government units and two each by the Department of Agriculture and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System.

Also in the pipeline are one project each for the education, justice, finance, foreign affairs and national defense departments; Technical Education and Skills Development Authority; Land Transportation Office; National Irrigation Administration; and Office of the Solicitor General.

Jan.-Feb. remittances totaled $3.1B


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Money sent home by up to 10 million overseas Filipinos exceeded expectations in February by growing 5.8 percent to $1.6 billion instead of 5.2 percent as forecast by experts at Barclays in Hong Kong, for instance.

As a result, the two-month remittance flows for January and February totaled $3.1 billion, up 5.6 percent from year-ago level, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said on Monday.

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The latest numbers validated the view that while remittances this year might be lower than in 2011, they would continue to expand to support domestic consumption, a key economic driver.

The continued inflow of remittances is supported by the sustained demand for Filipino manpower in various foreign labor markets, the BSP said.

The bulk of the remittances originated from countries as the United States, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the United Kingdom, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Germany and Hong Kong.

According to BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr., the countries cited accounted for 86.3 percent of the total fund transfers reported by banks.

About three-fourths, equal to 76.1 percent or $1.2 billion of the total cash transfers for the month, were sent by land-based workers while nearly one-fourth, equal to 23.9 percent or $0.4 billion were from sea-based workers, Tetangco added.

Actual remittance growth last year exceeded forecasts, having actually grown by 7.2 percent to $20.1 billion instead of just 7 percent as anticipated.

The forecast remittance growth was traced to robust earnings sent back to recipient families in the Philippines by land- and sea-based workers whose skills were superior to colleagues from other countries.

The cash transfers equaled more or less 10 percent of local output or gross domestic product (GDP), helping stimulate domestic demand.

“Moreover, local banks and other financial institutions continued to expand their presence abroad to serve the remittance needs of Filipino workers. The improved accessibility of remittance centers and the wider array of financial products on offer, supported the increase in remittances and encouraged more overseas Filipinos to send money to their families and other beneficiaries in the Philippines,” Tetangco said.

Job orders for Filipino professional and technical, service and production workers also increased by 24.6 percent to 200,010 during the January to March period compared to last year, he said.

That local banks and other financial institutions continued to expand their presence abroad to serve the remittance needs of Filipino workers helped boost the flow of the foreign currency earnings of overseas Filipinos, according to Tetangco.

IMF sees higher growth in 2013


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The Philippines was seen to continue expanding in 2013 when local output, measured as gross domestic product (GDP), was forecast to accelerate further to 4.7 percent, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Wednesday.

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In its World Economic Outlook (WEO) report, the IMF added that the Philippines should show accelerated growth next year even though inflation, or the rate of change in prices, was also seen as accelerating.

Inflation, which averaged 4.7 percent last year, was seen moderating to only 3.4 percent this year but likely to rise again to 4.1 percent by next year.

Higher forecast inflation was in line with forecasts by such entities as Barclays Capital, HSBC and other experts anticipating price pressures resulting from rising food and energy prices in the Philippines.

Higher forecast growth, on the other hand, was based on continued growth in domestic demand, fed for the most part by money sent home by some 10 million overseas Filipinos whose combined foreign earnings this year were also seen growing by more or less 5 percent.

Consumption is a key growth driver for the Philippines and this development has raised concern among economists at the IMF who prescribed more investment activities happening over the near term to make long-haul growth sustainable.

The country’s economic managers, led by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, had been bullish about the country’s growth prospects, noting, for instance, the uptrend in revenue collection the past three years, collections seen translating to greater and more meaningful government service down the line.

This view was boosted by observations by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr., who noted revenue flows had gone up year-on-year by 7.5 percent in 2009 to P1.123 trillion and by 12.6 percent just last year to P1.359 trillion.

This development helped reduce the budget imbalance averaging 3.7 percent of GDP in 2009 to only 3.5 percent of GDP in 2010 and only 2 percent of GDP just last year.

The fiscal performance was noted by Moody’s Investor Service that said, “Much of the improvement [was attributable] to the progress made in fiscal consolidation by the new Aquino administration.”

Standard & Poor’s cited the “strength of the country’s external balance sheet,” while Fitch Ratings also noted the “progress on fiscal consolidation…, broadly favorable economic prospects and strengthening external finances,” which were comments inspired by the likelihood of a credit upgrade for the Philippines at some point in the near term.

Tetangco said weak economic prospects in the euro-area countries and in the United States helped boost the country’s foreign-exchange reserves as foreign capital shifted from developed market economies to emerging economies like the Philippines.

The continued strengthening of the external sector helped sustain the continued flow of foreign capital supplementing locally generated investments and other activities generating even more growth potential for the Philippines down the line, Tetangco said.

Taft City Hall didn’t require a traffic plan




THE developer of the Horizons 101 condominium project in General Maxilom Avenue said there was no traffic plan because the Cebu city government didn't require one.

Vincent Tomaneng, lawyer of developer Taft Property Development Corp., said this as he clarified that they haven't applied for permits for Tower 2 yet.

He said they secured permits for Tower 1, the project being developed, whose excavation wall partly collapsed last week.

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Engineer Josefa Ylanan, chief of the Office of the Building Official (OBO), confirmed that Mayor Michael Rama recently issued an order requiring traffic plans from developers of high-rise buildings in traffic-prone areas.

The Cebu City Integrated Traffic Operations Management (Citom) earlier said they received a resolution from the City Council to conduct a traffic impact assessment on the second phase of Horizons 101.

That’s when Citom chairman Sylvan Jakosalem experssed concern about adding pressure on worsening traffic on Gen. Maxilom Avenue and other narrow streets in uptown Cebu City, where he said there was no budget for road widening.

Jakosalem said a comprehensive traffic study has to be made first.

Plans for the two towers of Horizons 101 provide for 1,500 condominium units in the tallest buildings to be erected in Cebu City.

“Mayor Michael Rama issued the order recently. If there is no traffic plan, then there's no locational clearance and no building permit,” Ylanan of OBO said.

She said this order caused the suspension of work on a major store in Mambaling, Cebu City.

Ylanan said both structures of Horizons 101, a project of Taft Property Development Corp., didn't have traffic plans because there was no order yet from Rama requiring developers to make one.

The issuance of the building permit was based on the National Building Code.

Ylanan said it's a “general” code and there's no amendment by the city government requiring a traffic plan for high-rise buildings.

Ylanan said there's no coordination between her office, Citom and the City Planning and Development Office.

“For all contractors, it's mandatory to verify the area before they proceed to excavation,” she said.

She also said the rehabilitation plan submitted by Taft Property on the collapsed retaining wall on Tower 1 of its project is much clearer.

Taft Property public relations officer Cerwin Eviota said Tower 1 is presently their concern.

“This (Tower 2) is still hypothetical. Tower 2 is just a dream. It has not even reached the drawing board,” Eviota said. Correspondents Tweeny M. Malinao and Jessa Chrisna Marie J. Agua

Remittances up 5.8%: BSP

By Katlene O. Cacho

Monday, April 16, 2012

MONEY sent home by overseas Filipinos rose to $1.6 billion in February, posting a year-on-year growth of 5.8 percent, according to records of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

The BSP said the bulk of the total cash transfers, at 76.1 percent or $1.2 billion, were sent by land-based workers while 23.9 percent or $0.4 billion came from sea-based workers.

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Top ten source countries of cash remittances are US, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Japan, UK, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Italy, Germany and Hong Kong. Banks said these countries account for 86.3 percent of total fund transfers.

The cumulative remittances for the first two months of 2012 reached $3.1 billion, higher by 5.6 percent than what was recorded in the same period last year.

Manpower demand

The BSP said the continued inflow of overseas Filipino remittances is supported by the sustained demand for Filipino manpower in various foreign labor markets.

Latest data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) showed that for January to March, job orders for professional and technical, service and production workers increased by 24.6 percent to 200,010 for postings in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Taiwan, Kuwait, Singapore and Hong Kong.

The lifting of the ban imposed by POEA on deployment to Nigeria, Libya and South Sudan, following improved security conditions in these countries, could provide additional employment prospects abroad for Filipino manpower.

The BSP said local banks and other financial institutions continued to expand their presence abroad to serve the remittance needs of Filipino workers.

Universal bank United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) said in a statement that it has been forging tie-ups with both internet- and office-based remittance companies to boost its operations.

UCPB, which hopes, to achieve a P4 billion net income this year, will bank on creating more technology-driven products while expanding its loan portfolio, remittance business, fee income and branch network to drive revenue growth.

The bank will also open five new branches this year as part of its efforts to reach out to more clients.

“The improved accessibility of remittance centers, and the wider array of financial products on offer, supported the increase in remittances and encouraged more overseas Filipinos to send money to their families and other beneficiaries in the Philippines,” the BSP said.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on April 17, 2012.

FLI plans BPO component

Mia A. Aznar

Sunday, April 15, 2012

AS it topped off the first building of its condominium project at the South Road Properties, Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI) also announced plans to include four office buildings to house business process outsourcing companies in the area.

Tristan Las Marias, FLI first vice president, said that if the City Government approves, the four buildings will offer 40,000 square meters of office space. Each building will be five storeys.

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He admitted the BPO complex was not in the original plans for its joint venture with Cebu City, Citta de Mare, the master-planned community that includes San Remo Oasis.

However, he believes the condominium units will attract rentals from BPO employees, which would delight investors who purchased units to attract the rentals market.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama welcomed the proposal, saying the real intention of the SRP is to create job generating developments. A BPO complex such as what FLI is planning could easily employ 30,000, he said.

Officials said San Remo Oasis, a cluster of five-storey buildings, is the more affordable option at Citta de Mare, second to Amalfi Oasis which is for the high-end segment.

It offers studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units ranging from P1 million to P2.5 million and 22 to 45 square meters.

Las Marias said the first batch of residents are expected to move in. He also assured that the promised amenities, such as the swimming pool, clubhouse and parks, will be finished when residents move in.

Meanwhile, the proposed BPO complex is expected to be completed in 12 months.

Las Marias said Citta de Mare was envisioned to be a residential housing community that is “unique and the first of its kind in terms of lifestyle, location and amenities.”

It follows a seaside resort concept, with 10 hectares set aside for a 1.8 kilometer promenade and shopping complex, amusement center and amphitheater with a laser light show each night. They will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for this area next month.

FLI considers Citta de Mare the “biggest and grandest” of its eight developments in Cebu.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on April 16, 2012.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Realtor bullish about demand

By Mia A. Aznar

Thursday, April 12, 2012

IF AN industry player is to make an assessment, Cebu will be home to more foreign retirees in the coming years.

As Cebu promotes itself as a second home destination, four condominium towers have already sold out to foreigners even before completion, said Realty Options president and chief executive officer Samuel Lao.

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Lao, who is also past president of the Society of Cebu Realty Firm Inc., revealed that a four-tower project by Megaworld in Lapu-Lapu City has been sold to Japanese and European retirees.

Lao, who was a guest speaker at Tuesday’s 888 News Forum, said the units were marketed outside of the country to retirees seeking more bang for their buck.

He said three of the towers were sold to Japanese retirees while the fourth tower was
marketed to Europeans.

He noted that European retirees can enjoy much of their retirement pensions in Cebu because of a lower cost of living compared with European cities. He said the average monthly pension of 1,000 to 1,500 Euros a month, about P60,000 to P90,000, goes a long way if spent here.

Lao said that with the help of the Philippine Retirement Authority, Cebu will attract more tourists, especially retirees.

This, he said, will further drive growth for the local real estate industry. He credits the real estate boom in Cebu to the continued remittances from overseas Filipino workers, increased tourism activities and the continued rise of business process outsourcing.

A report from the Cebu Investment Promotions Center (CIPC), which was taken from Colliers International’s Cebu Real Estate Market Report, stated that Cebu had 4,511 residential condominiums as of December 2011. The same report stated that 2012 will add 1,317 units while 1,961 units will be added in 2013.

The growth of business process outsourcing (BPO), Lao said, has allowed more buildings to be built and given residents more job opportunities. He added that the presence of all these companies is attracting residents from other provinces to migrate, fueling the need for more residential spaces.

“All this money is circulating in Cebu.”

Lao also said that entrepreneurs have cashed in on the phenomenon by buying more properties and leasing them to tenants because it earns more for them than just parking their money with the bank.

“In fact, we are even seeing new players in real estate. Instead of just buying one or two units from new developments, local entrepreneurs are becoming developers themselves.”

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on April 12, 2012.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

City Hall stops excavation for twin 50-storey condos


4/11/2012


There was a loud crash past 1 p.m., then the second floor of the house tilted.

“My nephews thought there was an earthquake because the house moved,” said 29-year-old house renter Jonah Pacheco in Cebuano.

The two boys, an uncle and a teenage neighbor, were lucky to get out alive.

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A meter away, a retention wall collapsed in the excavation site for a twin 50-story condominium project of Taft Property in barangay Cogon Ramos, Cebu City.

Eight other houses of light materials near the edge of the excavation pit also collapsed. No one was injured as most of the occupants were out at work.

The Office of the Building Official (OBO) under the Cebu City mayor's office immediately issued a cease-and-desist order stopping excavation work until safety measures are in place and an investigation is made.

Cebu City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete said the order was issued against Taft Property Venture Development Corp. whose management promised to pay for the damaged houses.

Poblete, who is a civil engineer and lawyer, said the “weight” and “strength” of the “retaining wall” may have been inadequate.

The excavation, part of the foundation of the tower condominiums, appear deep enough to fit a three-story building at 30 meters tall and 15 meters wide.

Lawyer Vincent Tomaneng, Taft Property spokesman, said the company will undertake “corrective measures” and send experts to prevent further damage. He identified the contractor for the excavation work as ASDEC Corp., a Manila-based firm.

“We are doing everything we can. We will take care of the families affected. . . We will shoulder the necessary expenses,” said the lawyer.

“We conducted a soil test before we did the excavation.”

The twin condominium towers called Horizons 101 is designed to be the tallest commercial building in Cebu City when completed, even higher than the Crown Regency hotel a few blocks away.

The concrete wall was a “slope protection structure.”

Cogon-Central Ramos barangay captain Omar Durano said 20 affected families in eight houses in the Dela Rama Compound near the excavation site were relocated to pension houses in Cebu City paid for by Taft Property. The houses were about one meter away from the excavation wall that crumbled.

Sitio Sta. Teresita has about 1,500 residents and is the biggest sitio in the barangay, said Durano.

Other residents living within 15 meters from the excavation wall have to move out as a preventive measure, said Alvin Santillan, head of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.

A cordon was already set up around the site when Cebu Daily News visited.

“May’ gani naa ko sa gawas (Good thing I was outside the house.),” said Pacheco, who rents a two-story house beside the wall.

Pacheco said that she's lived in the house in sitio Sta. Teresita for more than 20 years.

She was chatting with neighbors in a sari-sari store three meters from the house when the wall collapsed.

Pacheco recalled hearing a loud crash.

Her elder brother Jade and her two visiting nephews aged 17 and 9 together with an 11-year-old neighbor were watching television in the bedroom on the second floor.

The boys quickly locked the bedroom door and hid under the table. Jade, 37, later led them out to safety.

“They panicked. I was worried because the appliances were left on. I told my brother to turn off the electric switch,” Pacheco said.

The house is still standing but appears tilted.

When the second floor slanted, Pacheco said her washing machine and gas stove were thrown down the pit.

The house renter said she belatedly noticed cracks in their concrete floor last February, something she linked to the excavation work in sitio Teresita, which started August last year.

She said she didn't immediately notice the cracks because the floor was covered with a carpet.

Pacheco said the family complained to Taft Property about the cracks and the company repaired them.

Excavation work at the site went on 24 hours a day, a noisy operation that would make her house shake, said Pacheco and several neighbors.

“Naanad nalang mi (We just got used to it),” Pacheco said.

“Nakuyawan pud mi pero kumpiyansa lang (We got scared but we were just complacent about).” /Rhea Ruth V. Rosell, Correspondent

Martinez: Develop the whole province, not just Metro Cebu



By Grace Melanie I. Lacamiento (The Freeman) Updated April 11, 2012 12:00 AM View comments

CEBU, Philippines - “Develop the entire province of Cebu, not just metro Cebu or other urbanized cities,” an official said.

Stating that Cebu City is already concentrated in its limited landscape, Bogo City Mayor Celestino “Junie” Martinez Jr. noted that putting up a highway that would connect Cebu City to the northern and southern parts of the province would enable the countryside to taste the growth and development of the whole province.

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The highway, he added, can promote the convenience of migration and can save time since it would be more accessible and speedy. For instance, a trip of 3 hours or more from Cebu City to Bogo can be shortened to 30-40 minutes through the proposed highway.

Martinez also encouraged the provincial and national government to initiate the move to bring forth such advancement in the countryside, resulting to the addition of jobs offered, prevention of traffic, lesser congestion and more economic opportunities in the rural areas.

“I feel disgusted. Why are we just talking about metro Cebu? Why not the whole province of Cebu,” he said during the 888 News Forum at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu yesterday.

Instead of just the mere “Suroy-suroy sa Sugbo”, he said that focusing more on infrastructures leading to beach resorts and golf courses in various areas can uphold the entire province to be a more visible and possible tourist destination.

Martinez said they are planning to open up a new parking area that can accommodate their clients since the parking space in Bogo City, particularly in Gaisano Bogo, is an issue after all. Attending to such problem, he added, can also attract more investors and business establishments such as malls, hotels and banks, to be established in the area.

“Imbis mamalit ngadto (Gaisano), mo-adto nalang og laing lugar. If you cannot influence the decision of businessmen, let the local government do the move,” he said.

Furthermore, to be in line with other urbanized cities such as Cebu City, Mandaue City, Cordova and Lapu-Lapu, Martinez said that they are already working out on the rehabilitation of the roads in the northern part of the province, from Carmen to Daanbantayan, and will be made more accessible soon.

While Samuel Lao, past president of The Society of Cebu Realty Firms Inc., suggested that the government and the private sector can merge in promoting the big master plan of Cebu as a business and financial zone. — Grace Melanie I. Lacamiento

He also commended that Cebu has entrepreneurial government leaders, dynamic business chambers and active non-government organizations that are considered as assets and wealth of the province.

“Let’s come together and promote Cebu as one. We have to market Cebu as the second home and industrial hub, not just among other provinces and cities in the country but also among other countries in the world,” Lao stated.

He cited that the different areas of Cebu is ideal for several economic zones such as the southern part as a tourism and residential area, the northern and western side as the industrial zone while the eastern part of Cebu is good for retirement facilities and health.

Lao added that development in Talisay City and traffic congestion in Consolacion and Liloan must also be given attention for Cebu to have a bigger picture of its strong direction towards economic growth. — (FREEMAN)


CEBU BUSINESS FORUM - SECTION ON MEDICAL TOURISM

June 22, 2006 - DTI-Cebu Chamber of Commerce's Business Month ended with a big bang today. The main venue is the convention center of Waterfront-Lahug where many activities happened simultaneously, including a very extensive exhibit of Cebu's major trade players and conferences in different venues on different aspects of Cebu Business.

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One of the bigger conference was the section on Medical Tourism. The existing major players in Cebu's infant medical tourism business presented interesting perspectives on the issue. Dr. Amores presented "Medical Tourism - the Experience at Cosmetic Surgery Center of Asia". A very interesting discussion followed the presentation.

It became too apparent during the conference that if ever the Philippines wants to get serious about medical tourism, it faces the serious task of institutionalizing this novel segment of medicine. It can start by integrating the disjointed (and at times haphazard) efforts of DTI, DOH and DOT.

Lasik eye surgery, Medical Tourism

cebumedicaltourism-eye-surgery

7 Days / 6 Nights

Rate: US$ 2,635

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Description:

A full service package of Lasik treatment, spa experience, relaxing stay in Cebu’s most popular hotels, cultural city tour and personal service by Cebu Health and Wellness representatives.

Inclusions:

  1. Pre-screening check-up, Lasik Procedure, Post-op check-up, Medicine Kit
  2. Hotel accommodation for 7 Days/ 6 Nights with breakfast: 4 Nights at Marco Polo Plaza Hotel | 2 Nights at Plantation Bay Resort and Spa, or equivalent De Luxe resort
  3. Arts, Culture and Heritage Tour
  4. A soothing Philippine spa experience for 1 person
  5. Airport assistance upon arrival and departure
  6. Car service to hospital or clinic for check- ups
  7. Personal Assistant – a Cebu Health and Wellness representative to set appointments and accompany the client for treatments.

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Cosmetic Dental - Cebu Medical tourism

cebumedicaltourism-dental-cosmetics15 Days City Stay

Rate: US$ 4,177

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Description:

You will smile away all the way after this smile holiday. A comprehensive diagnostics and dental treatment, combined with a relaxing stay in one of Cebu’s iconic city hotels, a culture and heritage tour and soothing spa experience and personal service.

Inclusions:

  1. Comprehensive Dental Check Up in a fully equipped Dental Clinic.
  2. Panoramic xray, oral prophylaxis, Porcelain Veneer and Bridges
  3. Treatment schedule as necessary
  4. Hotel Accommodation at MarcoPolo Plaza Hotel or equivalent hotel category
  5. Cebu City Culture and Heritage Tour
  6. A soothing Philippine Spa experience for 1 person
  7. Airport assistance upon arrival and departure
  8. Car service to hospital or clinic for check- ups
  9. Personal Assistant – a Cebu Health and Wellness representative to set appointments and accompany the client for treatments.


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Success Story from Cebu Medical Tourist

“I’ve been wearing glasses and contacts for 16 years.
My poor vision was very frustrating and I was tired of relying on contacts and glasses.
It’s amazing how a few minutes completely change my life.
Thank you Cebu Doctors ‘University Hospital Centre for Sight and your wonderful staff.
You just gave me my priceless possession CLEAR VISION.”

Wilma M. Tuñacao, D.D.M
Tunacao Dental Clinic

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“I had been “half blind” all my life and never in my wildest dreams that could see clearly. I can’t live without my glasses or contact lenses before, it has always been a hassle for me and I could say its part of my lifestyle already, but when I found out that there was a remedy for my case, I’ve researched a lot and finally decided to undergo LASIK. After the surgery I felt amazed to see clearly all the things that’s surrounds me without the aid of glasses nor contact lenses and I am more confident now and I felt that this start of a new life. LASIK was really a life changing experience and this is one of the best decisions I made in my life. Thank you to your wonderful team for being so sympathetic and warm to their patients. Job well done for all the staff of Cebu Doctors’ University Hospital Centre for Sight!”

Honey Margaret Alviola –Lepalam
U.A.E.

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“In my life I had lot of decisions-but my decision to get a LASIK at Cebu Doctors’ Hospital Larrazabal Eye was definitely one of my best! The surgeon and his wonderful team are absolutely professional, lovely and made an excellent job. But the best is: I CAN SEE WITHOUT MY GLASSES! Thank you so much.”

Rouven Bӧse
Germany

In Cebu, my counterpart advised the dental services of Perpetual Succour Hospital. Dr. Clarissa made me a new tooth which till today makes my Dutch dentist jealous!

Klaas de Boer
The Netherlands

Alfons van DuijvenbodeThe resort and spa facilities in Cebu are amazing. A world class experience of premium service at incredibly low cost. I rate Cebu as one of the top destinations for the combination of holiday, health and wellness! It’s not only the quality standards and the natural beauty, it is most of all the hospitality of the people that give you an unforgettable experience.

Alfons van Duijvenbode
The Netherlands

Wouter PutThe dental procedures in the Perpetual Succour Dental Clinic were outstanding! High quality, extraordinary service and amazingly low cost. I can recommend the dental treatments wholeheartedly.

Wouter Put
The Netherlands

Cosmetic Medical Tourism

Smile Holiday – Dental Cosmetic

Smile Holiday – Dental Cosmetic

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15 Days City Stay
Rate: US$ 4,177
Description:…
You will smile away all the way after this smile holiday.

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