John C. Maxwell: How to Create a Culture of Innovation

You can develop a work environment that nurtures creativity

John C. Maxwell

A few YEARS AGO an Argentinian mechanic named Jorge Odón saw a YouTube video showing how to extract a cork from inside a wine bottle by inserting a plastic bag, inflating it so it surrounds the cork and then pulling it out. He and a friend tried it out over dinner. It worked!

For most of us that parlor trick would be good for a few chuckles. But Odón woke the next day to a lightbulb moment. He theorized that the same method for extracting wine corks could be applied to delivering difficult babies. Odón developed a prototype and shared it with an obstetrician who encouraged him to pursue research and development. Today the Odón Device is hailed as the most revolutionary development in obstetrics in the last century—a low-cost lifesaver in developing countries and a means of reducing Caesarean births in developed ones.

The story is a reminder of the importance of innovation. If a mechanic with no medical background can transform obstetrics, then each of us is capable of changing the world in some way. As leaders we can encourage our teams to find their inner “Odóns” by establishing an environment that values and rewards innovation.

Let’s consider how to challenge the status quo, create a culture of creativity and develop a workplace that’s nimble and adaptable to change.

To create a culture of innovation...

Model it. “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower,” Steve Jobs said. He’s right. Leaders must act on opportunities quickly and decisively. Their decisions must reflect where their businesses are going, not where they are today. If you want to see creativity in your team, you need to demonstrate a forward-thinking mindset.

Encourage positive failure. Failure is a critical part of success. My best ideas are rarely my new ones, and my first attempts at anything important are usually miserable. But that doesn’t stop me from trying. My success has been the result of many spoiled attempts that eventually resulted in triumph. Praise creative problem-solving even when the end result isn’t quite what you’d hoped.

Embrace option-thinking. Creative people are comfortable with change and risk. Great ideas are born from uncertainty. I mean, look at Odón. His own wife at first told him he was crazy! But innovators like Odón look for options, no matter how off-the-wall. Those are the people I want on my team.

Insist on solution-thinking. Almost nothing bothers me more than a person who complains without thinking up a solution. I trained my people long ago to bring three solutions for every problem they identify. This not only minimized the issues that came across my desk, but it also gave my team members ownership over challenges.

Harness the power of fresh perspectives. One of the best ways to remain innovative and flexible is to make the most of new team members’ perspectives. Keep fresh eyes around you and listen closely to their observations. You may be surprised by how much they bring to the table.

Celebrate good ideas. I often say that a great idea is simply the combination of many good ideas. That takes the burden off any individual to have the “perfect” proposal. Celebrate good ideas, acknowledge the people who bring them forward, and you’ll find yourself with a never-ending supply of leading-edge suggestions.

***

When I learned about Jorge Odón, I discovered that his birthing device was not his first invention—he already had eight mechanical patents. He told interviewers that he frequently wakes up with solutions to the problems he had on his mind when he went to bed.

“Capital isn’t so important in business,” American industrialist Harvey Firestone said. “Experience isn’t so important…. What is important is ideas. If you have ideas, you have the main asset you need, and there isn’t any limit to what you can do with your business and your life.”

If you don’t have a “thinking team” in your organization, now might be the time to consider recruiting one. If this hasn’t been an area of focus for you, I have good news: Innovative thinking is a skill that can be learned and developed. I am confident that when you invest in great people and great ideas, these lightbulb moments will become a regular and profitable part of your business!

- See more at: http://www.success.com/article/john-c-maxwell-how-to-create-a-culture-of-innovation#sthash.BYWCJAqR.dpuf

10 Things Successful People Never Do Again

We all make mistakes but the people who thrive from their mistakes are the successful ones.

Dr. Henry Cloud

Never go back.” What does that mean? From observations of successful people, clinical psychologist and author of Never Go Back: 10 Things You'll Never Do Again (Howard Books, June 2014), Dr. Henry Cloud has discovered certain “awakenings” that people have—in life and in business—that once they have them, they never go back to the old way of doing things. And when that happens, they are never the same. In short, they got it.

“Years ago, a bad business decision of mine led to an interesting discussion with my mentor,” Dr. Cloud says. “I had learned a valuable lesson the hard way, and he reassured me: ‘The good thing is once you learn that lesson, you never go back. You never do it again.’

“I wondered, what are the key awakenings that successful people go through that forever change how they do things, which propel them to succeed in business, relationships, and life? I began to study these awakenings, researching them over the years.”

Although life and business have many lessons to teach us, Dr. Cloud observed 10 “doorways” of learning that high performers go through, never to return again.

Successful people never again…

1. Return to what hasn’t worked. Whether a job, or a broken relationship that was ended for a good reason, we should never go back to the same thing, expecting different results, without something being different.

2. Do anything that requires them to be someone they are not. In everything we do, we have to ask ourselves, “Why am I doing this? Am I suited for it? Does it fit me? Is it sustainable?” If the answer is no to any of these questions, you better have a very good reason to proceed.

3. Try to change another person. When you realize that you cannot force someone into doing something, you give him or her freedom and allow them to experience the consequences. In doing so, you find your own freedom as well.

4. Believe they can please everyone. Once you get that it truly is impossible to please everyone, you begin to live purposefully, trying to please the right people.

5. Choose short-term comfort over long-term benefit. Once successful people know they want something that requires a painful, time-limited step, they do not mind the painful step because it gets them to a long-term benefit. Living out this principle is one of the most fundamental differences between successful and unsuccessful people, both personally and professionally.

6. Trust someone or something that appears flawless. It’s natural for us to be drawn to things and people that appear "incredible." We love excellence and should always be looking for it. We should pursue people who are great at what they do, employees who are high performers, dates who are exceptional people, friends who have stellar character, and companies that excel. But when someone or something looks too good to be true, he, she, or it is. The world is imperfect. Period. No one and no thing is without flaw, and if they appear that way, hit pause.

7. Take their eyes off the big picture. We function better emotionally and perform better in our lives when we can see the big picture. For successful people, no one event is ever the whole story. Winners remember that – each and every day.

8. Neglect to do due diligence. No matter how good something looks on the outside, it is only by taking a deeper, diligent, and honest look that we will find out what we truly need to know: the reality that we owe ourselves.

9. Fail to ask why they are where they find themselves. One of the biggest differences between successful people and others is that in love and in life, in relationships and in business, successful people always ask themselves, what part am I playing in this situation? Said another way, they do not see themselves only as victims, even when they are.

10. Forget that their inner life determines their outer success. The good life sometimes has little to do with outside circumstances. We are happy and fulfilled mostly by who we are on the inside. Research validates that. And our internal lives largely contribute to producing many of our external circumstances.

And, the converse is true: people who are still trying to find success in various areas of life can almost always point to one or more of these patterns as a reason they are repeating the same mistakes.

Everyone makes mistakes…even the most successful people out there. But, what achievers do better than others is recognize the patterns that are causing those mistakes and never repeat them again. In short, they learn from pain—their own and the pain of others.

A good thing to remember is this: pain is unavoidable, but repeating the same pain twice, when we could choose to learn and do something different, is certainly avoidable. I like to say, “we don’t need new ways to fail….the old ones are working just fine!” Our task, in business and in life, is to observe what they are, and never go back to doing them again.

- See more at: http://www.success.com/article/10-things-successful-people-never-do-again#sthash.Gh74lMBB.dpuf

16 Rich Habits

Your autopilot mode can make you wealthy or poor.

Tom Corley

Intelligence, talent and charm are great, but more often than not these aren’t what separate the wealthiest among us from the poorest.

Instead, the differences are in our daily habits. Do you realize that these subconscious, second-nature activities make up 40 percent of our waking hours? That means that two out of every five minutes, all day and every day, we operate on autopilot. It’s true: Habits are neural pathways stored in the basal ganglia, a golf ball-size mass of tissue right in the center of our brains, in the limbic system.

This neural fast lane is meant to save the brain energy: When a habit is formed and stored in this region, the parts of the brain involved in deeper decision-making cease to fully participate in the activity. However, we all know there are good habits and bad habits.

I spent years studying the difference between the habits of our country’s rich and poor, questioning hundreds of individuals. On the rich side, these were people with annual gross income north of $160,000 and net liquid assets of $3.2 million or more. I defined the lesser-off as those with gross income of $35,000 or less and no more than $5,000 in liquid assets. When I was done, I analyzed the results of my research and boiled down the responses to create a picture of what allows the wealthy to prosper where others do not. My ensuing book became a sort of instruction manual for how to become wealthy.

The gulf between Rich Habits and Poverty Habits is staggering. If you’re well off already, chances are you already adhere to most of these Rich Habits. Integrating the ones you’ve neglected will push you further. But be assured: If you’re doing fine now without minding these principles, it’ll catch up to you.

Some of the differences between rich and poor are obvious, while others are a little more surprising. Here are the most important Rich Habits you can take up to reach and maintain your wealth potential.

1. Live within your means.

Wealthy people avoid overspending by paying their future selves first. They save 20 percent of their net income and live on the remaining 80 percent.

Among those who are struggling financially, almost all are living above their means. They spend more than they earn, and their debt is overwhelming them. If you want to end your financial struggles, you need to make a habit of saving and budgeting what you spend. Here are some sensible ways to budget your monthly net pay:

▲Spend no more than 25 percent on housing, no matter if you own or rent.
▲Spend no more than 15 percent on food.
▲Limit entertainment—bars, movies, miniature golf, whatever—to no more than 10  percent of your spending. Vacations should account for no more than 5 percent of your annual net pay.
▲Spend no more than 5 percent on auto loans, and never lease. Ninety-four percent of the wealthy buy instead of leasing. These folks keep their cars until the wheels fall off, taking great care along the way so that they save money in the long run.
▲Stay away from accumulating credit card debt. If you are doing this, it’s a clear sign that you need to cut back somewhere.
▲ Think of savings and investments as two completely different things. You should never lose money on your savings. Try to stash six months of living expenses in an emergency fund in case you lose your job or your business goes belly-up.
▲ Contribute as much as you can afford to a retirement plan. If you work for a company that matches your contributions up to a certain percentage, great. Always take that free money when you can get it.

2. Don’t gamble.

Talk about a sucker bet: Every week, 77 percent of those who struggle financially play the lottery. Hardly anyone who is wealthy plays the numbers. Wealthy people do not rely on random good luck for their wealth. They create their own good luck. If you still want to bet after knowing the risk, use money from your entertainment budget.

3. Read every day.

Reading information that will increase your knowledge about your business or career will make you more valuable to colleagues, customers or clients. Among wealthy people, 88 percent read 30 minutes or more every day. Just as important, they make good use of their reading time:

▲ 63 percent listen to audiobooks during their commute.
▲ 79 percent read educational career-related material.
▲ 55 percent read for personal development.
▲ 58 percent read biographies of successful people.
▲ 94 percent read current events.
▲ 51 percent read about history.
▲ 11 percent—only 11 percent—read purely for entertainment purposes.

The reason successful people read is to improve themselves. This separates them from the competition. By increasing their knowledge, they are able to see more opportunities, which translate into more money. Comparatively speaking, only one in 50 of those struggling financially engages in this daily self-improvement reading, and as a result the poor don’t grow professionally and are among the first to be fired or downsized.

4. Forget the boob tube and spend less time surfing the Internet.

How much of your valuable time do you lose parked in front of a screen? Two-thirds of wealthy people watch less than an hour of TV a day and almost that many—63  percent—spend less than an hour a day on the Internet unless it is job-related.

Instead, these successful people use their free time engaged in personal development, networking, volunteering, working side jobs or side businesses, or pursuing some goal that will lead to rewards down the road. But 77 percent of those struggling financially spend an hour or more a day watching TV, and 74 percent spend an hour or more a day using the Internet recreationally.

5. Control your emotions.

Not every thought needs to come out of your mouth. Not every emotion needs to be expressed. When you say whatever is on your mind, you risk hurting others. Loose lips are a habit for 69 percent of those who struggle financially. Conversely, 94 percent of wealthy people filter their emotions. They understand that letting emotions control them can destroy relationships at work and at home. Wait to say what’s on your mind until you’re calm and have had time to look at the situation objectively.

Fear is perhaps the most important negative emotion to control. Any change, even positive changes such as marriage or a promotion, can prompt feelings of fear. Wealthy people have conditioned their minds to overcome these thoughts, while those who struggle financially give in to fear and allow it to hold them back.

Whether you fear change, making mistakes, taking risks or simply failure, conquering these emotions is about leaning in just a little until you build up confidence. It’s amazing how much confidence helps.

6. Network and volunteer regularly.

You’ll build valuable relationships that can result in more customers or clients, or help you land a better job if you spend time pressing the flesh and giving back in your community. Almost three-quarters of wealthy people network and volunteer a minimum of five hours a month. Among those struggling financially, only one in 10 does this.

One perk of volunteering is the company you’ll keep. Very often the boards and committees of nonprofits are made up of wealthy, successful people. Developing personal relationships with these folks will often result in future business relationships.

7. Go above and beyond in work and business.

Unsuccessful people have “it’s not in my job description” syndrome. Consequently, they are never given more responsibility, and their wages grow very little from year to year—if they keep their jobs at all. Wealthy individuals, on the other hand, make themselves invaluable to their employers or customers, writing articles related to their industry, speaking at industry events and networking. Successful people work hard to achieve the mutual goals of their employers or their businesses.

8. Set goals, not wishes.

You cannot control the outcome of a wish, but you can control the outcome of a goal.

Every year, 70 percent of the wealthy pursue at least one major goal. Only 3 percent of those struggling to make ends meet do this.

9. Avoid procrastination.

Successful people understand that procrastination impairs quality; creates dissatisfied employers, customers or clients; and damages other nonbusiness relationships. Here are five strategies that will help you avoid procrastination:

▲ Create daily “to-do” lists. These are your daily goals. You want to complete 70 percent or more of your “to-do” items every day.
▲ Have a “daily five.” These activities represent the crucial things that will help you get closer to realizing some major purpose or goal.
▲ Set and communicate artificial deadlines. There’s nothing wrong with finishing early.
▲ Have accountability partners. These are people you team with to pursue a big goal. Communicate with them at least every week, and make sure they hold your feet to the fire.
▲ Say a “do it now” affirmation. This is a self-nagging technique. Repeat the words “do it now” over and over again until you begin a task or project.

10. Talk less and listen more.

A 5-to-1 ratio is about right: You should listen to others five minutes for every one minute that you speak. Wealthy people are good communicators because they are good listeners. They understand that you can learn and educate yourself only by listening to what other people have to say. The more you learn about your relationships, the more you can help them.

11. Avoid toxic people.

We are only as successful as the people we spend the most time with. Of wealthy, successful people, 86 percent associate with other successful people. But 96 percent of those struggling financially stick with others struggling financially.

If you want to end your financial struggles, you need to evaluate each of your relationships and determine if they are a Rich Relationship (with someone who can help you up) or a Poverty Relationship (with someone holding you back). Start spending more and more time on your Rich Relationships and less on your Poverty Relationships. Rich Relationships can help you find a better job, refer new business to you or open doors of opportunity.

12. Don’t give up.

Those who are successful in life have three things in common: focus, persistence and patience. They simply do not quit chasing their big goals. Those who struggle financially stop short.

13. Set aside the self-limiting beliefs holding you back.

If you’re hurting financially, you’ve probably told yourself some of these untruths before: Poor people can’t become rich. Rich people have good luck and poor people have bad luck. I’m not smart. I can’t do anything right. I fail at everything I try.

Each one of these self-limiting beliefs alters your behavior in a negative way. Almost four out of five wealthy people attribute their success in life to their beliefs. Change your negative beliefs into positive affirmations by reading lessons from the greats of personal development, like Napoleon Hill, Dale Carnegie and Jim Rohn.

14. Get a mentor.

Among the wealthy, 93 percent who had a mentor attributed their success to that person. Mentors regularly and actively participate in your growth by teaching you what to do and what not to do. Finding such a teacher is one of the best and least painful ways to become rich.

If you know your goals, find someone who has already achieved them. You’ll be amazed by how many people want to lend a helping hand.

15. Eliminate “bad luck” from your vocabulary.

Those struggling financially in life have a way of creating bad luck for themselves. It’s a byproduct of their habits. Poverty Habits, repeated over and over are like snowflakes on a mountainside. In time, these snowflakes build up until the inevitable avalanche—a preventable medical problem, a lost job, a failed marriage, a broken business relationship or a bankruptcy.

Conversely, successful people create their own unique type of good luck. Their positive habits lead to opportunities such as promotions, bonuses, new business and good health.

16. Know your main purpose.

It’s the last Rich Habit, but it might be the most important. Those people who pursue a dream or a main purpose in life are by far the wealthiest and happiest among us. Because they love what they do for a living, they are happy to devote more hours each day driving toward their purpose.

Odds are, if you are not making sufficient income at your job, it is because you are doing something you do not particularly like. When you can earn a sufficient income doing something you enjoy, you have found your main purpose.

Believe it or not, finding this purpose is easy. Here’s the process:

1. Make a list of everything you can remember that made you happy.
2. Highlight those items on your list that involve a skill, and identify that skill.
3. Rank the top 10 highlighted items in the order of joy they bring to you. Whatever makes you happiest of all gets 10 big points.
4. Now rank the top 10 highlighted items in terms of their income potential. The most lucrative skill of all is worth 10 points.
5. Total the two ranked columns. The highest score represents a potential main purpose in your life. Presto!

As you can see, the differences between rich and poor are simple—sometimes intuitive—but not insignificant. Aim to take up all 16 of these habits, and you’re almost guaranteed to become better off.

- See more at: http://www.success.com/article/16-rich-habits#sthash.dcayVYMj.dpuf

5 Strategies for Overcoming Conflict

And why avoiding conflict isn’t the solution.

Les Brown 

Speaker Les Brown says it’s time to stop avoiding conflict and instead look for ways to conflict more effectively. Here are some tips for resolving conflict in your workplace and professional life.

1. Don’t be afraid of conflict. Too many of us become agitated when we encounter conflict or disagreement out of concern and fear. It’s odd when you think about it because conflict is a part of nature, a part of life, and unless you are a hermit, odds are that it’s inescapable.

You need to approach conflict calmly, as an expected part of dealing with others. Consider conflict as a way of learning to see things in a more clear way.

2. Abandon the concept of winning and losing when faced with conflict. Instead, adopt a strategy of resolution. Unless you are on a battlefield, chances are the person you come into conflict with is not the enemy, but instead someone whose goals are generally the same as—or at least interrelated with—yours.

So instead of approaching the conflict with the attitude of stopping it, think of redirecting the energy toward a common target. War is part of our nature, but the most successful societies have been built on cooperation. And common goals are great unifiers.

When the other side senses that you are interested in finding a solution—common or not, yet—you likely will have created an ally where a potential adversary once stood. Rather than confrontation, you can work together in collaboration to find a solution that suits both sides.

3. Avoid negative or confrontational language. Stop using “buts” and “you’re wrongs.”

Try using positive language that disarms rather than confronts, like, “I can see your point, and here is where I’m coming from…” or “I understand your position, and…”

4. Talk through the situation with a neutral party to gain perspective and clarity from that person. It is always helpful to get a problem out in the open.

People you trust and who understand your frame of reference can provide valuable input. They can help you better understand what you are going through and tell you, for better or worse, whether they think you have properly judged or handled the situation.

5. Find something to distract you from the conflict. Distance yourself from the problem. Start a new project, plan a family outing or take off on a vacation or weekend getaway.

Sometimes you have to clear your mind. The time allows you to reevaluate your position and maybe even come back with a fresh perspective of how to resolve that nagging conflict.

Start understanding why friction occurs, and identify healthy ways of dealing with it to make your corner of the world a more peaceful place.

- source : www.success.com

Top five tips in finding your perfect home

By Cess Padilla (philstar.com) | Updated October 1, 2014 - 11:31am

MANILA, Philippines - In the quest to find a home with a large garden, a white fence and large bay windows, the important considerations when buying a house often go overlooked. These tips will guide you in finding a property that’s perfect in more ways than one.

Location matters

Location, location, location didn’t become a popular saying for nothing. The place where your new home is should probably be at the top of your list of factors to consider. Be wise in choosing the location of your house because it will benefit you in the long run. Think about its proximity to your workplace, your kids’ school, hospitals, malls, banks, and all the other places you visit often. A location that’s accessible to everything won’t just cut your travel time; it’ll save you a lot of money on transportation too.

Think long term

Are your kids at the moving-out age? Are your parents living with you? Do you plan to retire in this home eventually? When you’re picking out a home, always look for one that you’ll be living in for at least five years. Occupying a property for a long time will also keep you from wasting a lot of time, money, and effort that one normally spends moving from one house to another. Also, remember that you're not in the business of buying and selling, so look at the property as a homeowner who wants to give their family a secure future, not as an investor looking to make money off of it.

Check for noise and safety issues

Yeah, you love the house, but do you also love the noise your neighbor is making? Regularly pulling night shifts means being home in the day, so you don't want a neighbor that's making a racket while you're trying to get some shut-eye. Also, find out how safe the surroundings of your new house is by asking neighbors about security issues. If you normally take public transport, visit the vicinity at night and see if the path you’ll be taking is well-lighted.

Be smart; buy what you can afford

Nowadays, there are a lot of really affordable properties you can choose from. Be a smart buyer by staying within your means. This way, not all of your money goes into paying off the house, with nothing left to set aside as savings. Face it; it’s much easier to be prepared for unexpected financial difficulties than having to deal with them as they happen. If you’re buying using a housing loan, consider two or more loan providers and choose the one with the best payment terms.

Look for your ideal type

Before settling for one type of property – a house, a condo, or a townhouse – you need to consider your priorities and needs. If you have a family, you might see a house as a better venue for raising your children. But if you’re somebody who lives a fast-paced lifestyle and needs to be in the center of everything, a condo would be a better option.

Do you find these tips useful? Share your opinions below.

BFS reprieves typhoon-hit homeowners

 (The Philippine Star) | Updated October 3, 2014 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Bahay Financial Services (BFS), the country’s only mortgage servicer and special asset management company handling a portfolio of more than 52,000 highly delinquent loan accounts from the National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. (NHMFC), has granted reprieve to homeowners whose properties were damaged by Typhoon Glenda. Setting a number of cases resolved in the last two months, BFS resolved a total of 442 cases – 222 in June and 220 in July, through flexible terms and convenient means to safeguard ownership of homes. “On fortuitous events we have to be more flexible to borrowers. We work together to keep their homes and we are well-equipped to accommodate their needs,” said BFS president Federico Y. Cadiz. BFS exhausts all possible means to a ‘home fix’ by coming up with special rates and offers on a case-to-case basis to provide sound advice to clients for speedy case resolutions.Well-trained and equipped to handle cases, BFS account specialists work to offer to the borrowers the best solutions to keep their homes. Visit any of the BFS offices in Makati, Alabang and Davao, or  call BFS through trunklines756-6230 or 750-3888, the Davao office direct through (082) 221-0809, or call PLDT toll-free outside of Metro Manila and Davao through 1-800-10-2255-BFS (237). BFS is also reachable through text at 0922-9999-BFS, via email at info@bfs.com.ph, and real time online by accessing www.bfs.com.ph and clicking on B-Online.

Megaworld to build Western Visayas’ tallest residential tower in Iloilo Business Park

 (philstar.com) | Updated September 30, 2014 - 6:18pm

ILOILO CITY, Philippines - Megaworld, the country’s leading real estate developer and pioneer of townships, introduces another modern luxury residential condominium that is poised to be the tallest building in the region. Standing 80 meters high at 22 storeys, The Palladium will also be Western Visayas’ first residential tower with its own skygardens in various floors overlooking the spectacular views of the booming city. 

“Since last year, we have been experiencing consistent growth in the demand for residential towers in Iloilo Business Park. Everyday, we get inquiries about new projects and everyone wants the best views and amenities from the condominiums that they look for. That is why selling the four towers of our first two residential projects, One Madison Place and Lafayette Park Square, was very easy. And now, we are on our fifth tower which will be offering another set of unique, first-of-its-kind amenities and features that Ilonggos can boast of,” says Jennifer Palmares-Fong, head of marketing, Iloilo Business Park.

Named after one of the earth’s rarest precious elements, The Palladium will be built as a stylish urban oasis with four skygardens where residents can relax and enjoy serene moments with nature. 

A total of 482 units ranging from studio (from 29.50 square meters), executive studio (from 39.50 square meters), one-bedroom (from 49.50 square meters) to two-bedrooms (from 83.50 square meters) will be available at The Palladium which will be divided into North Wing and South Wing. At the topmost floor of the tower, there will be exclusive loft units ranging from 76 square meters to 115 square meters.

Residents of The Palladium will also get to enjoy the state-of-the-art amenities that the tower offers. These include an infinity pool, a children’s pool, outdoor and indoor fitness center, day care center, lawn area for events, and a function hall. 

From the outside, the first two levels of The Palladium will be allocated for commercial and retail shops.

“We are offering a unique living experience at The Palladium. Our loft units will be first-of-its-kind in Iloilo City and the entire Western Visayas, and our amenities will raise the bar of this city’s lifestyle for our future residents,” adds Palmares-Fong.

Iloilo Business Park is a 72-hectare township development, which is poised to be the Western Visayas’ biggest business and tourism hub located at the site of the old airport in Mandurriao district.

Megaworld has allotted P35-billion for the development of the township in the next 10 years, making it the company’s biggest single investment outside Metro Manila. Iloilo Business Park will be home to luxury residential condominiums, state-of-the-art Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) office towers, a Megaworld Center Mall, a 1.1-kilometer Festive Walk commercial and retail strip, open parks, transport hub, first-class hotels such as Richmonde Hotel Iloilo and Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo, and the much-anticipated 3,700-seating Iloilo Convention Center.

The Iloilo Business Park is expected to bring Megaworld’s pioneering ‘LIVE-WORK-PLAY-LEARN’ township to Western Visayas, following the success of other townships such as the 18.5-hectare Eastwood City, known to be the Philippines' first IT park; the 50-hectare McKinley Hill, 34.5-hectare McKinley West in Fort Bonifacio; the 15.4-hectare Uptown Bonifacio and the five-hectare Forbes Town Center in Bonifacio Global City; the 25-hectare Newport City in Pasay City, home of the famous Resorts World Manila; the 12.3-hectare Woodside City in Pasig City; the 11-hectare Davao Park District in Lanang, Davao City; and the 28.8-hectare The Mactan Newtown in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. For Project Inquiry, call +63917.3236123.
 

Bids open for P19-B Kaliwa Dam project

By Richmond S. Mercurio (The Philippine Star) | Updated October 5, 2014 

MANILA, Philippines - The government is eyeing to have a new dam developer by next year after it started the ball rolling on Friday for the bidding of the New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam project in Rizal.

PPP Center executive director Cosette V. Canilao said the government would award the water project next year, possibly within the first half at the earliest.

“Bid submission will probably be next year, but start of the bid process is this year. So prequalification first, after prequalification those who are qualified will proceed to the bidding stage,” Canilao said.

The Kaliwa Dam would serve as a secondary water source for Metro Manila once developed. At present, Metro Manila sources 97 percent of its water requirements from the Angat reservoir in Bulacan.

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) on Friday started seeking prospective bidders for the P19-billion Kaliwa Dam project.

The winning bidder for the Kaliwa project would construct the 600 million-liters-per-day (MLD) dam, a 2,400 MLD water conveyance tunnel, access roads, bridges and drainage to be used in the building of the dam.

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The project would be implemented under a 25-year or a 30-year build-transfer scheme, which would cover project financing and construction.

MWSS earlier said the new dam is being eyed to be completed by 2020.

Sta. Lucia Land Inc. makes waves in Davao City

DAVAO City, the third most populous city in the Philippines, is not only the largest in the world in terms of land area—it is also one of the world’s finest cities with the fastest-growing economies.

In fact, it was cited by the City Mayors Foundation as the 87th fastest-growing city in the world in 2011 with a projected average annual growth of 2.53 percent over a 15-year period. Moreover, Davao is an investor- friendly city, offering the lowest local tax rates for new investments.

It is, therefore, no wonder that the city is currently under the spotlight of local and foreign investors across industries. One of the big names that have made its mark—and one of the bigger forces to reckon with in the real-estate industry—in Davao City is property developer Sta. Lucia Land Inc. (SLI), which currently has nine developments in the city, including residential and recreational properties.

SLI has developed over 10,000 hectares of land with over 200 horizontal and vertical development projects throughout the country. Since its inception in 1972 by members of the Robles-Santos family, the company focused on building planned residential subdivisions communities that cater to the emerging middle class.

Likewise, it has developed the 10.5-hectare Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall in Cainta, Rizal, as well as a leading developer of golf courses in the Philippines, having developed the largest number of golf courses in the country.

Believing in the potential of Davao

“DAVAO City is the growth center in the south,” said SLI president and chief executive officer Exequiel Robles. “It is also an ideal investment as the city is generally peaceful, making it inviting for investors.” With nine developments under the company across the city, SLI proves to be a driving force when it comes to subdivision developments. Robles cites the stiff competition in the city as there are both Davao-based and the bigger Manila-based developers, but SLI is the biggest, especially in terms of land area.

Davao developments

AS SLI boasts its status as one of the leading developers of golf courses in the country, two of its developments in Davao have golf courses—Rancho Palos Verdes, a 164-hectare master-planned estate located in Mandug, Indangan, complete with a golf course, a golf club, and residential homes with a Spanish-Mediterranean theme; and South Pacific Golf and Leisure Estates, the first exclusive leisure estate in Catalunan Pequeño that will give members unlimited access to both golf and country club and beach.

Rancho Palos Verdes has a 77-hectate, 18-hole all-weather championship golf course that uses Tifton and Tifdwarf grass imported from Atlanta, Georgia. Its golf club has a fine-dining restaurant, locker rooms, multipurpose function hall and massage room. Members can also enjoy lifetime use of the club’s fitness gym with Jacuzzi and sauna rooms and beach-type swimming pool. It also offers other sports amenities like lawn tennis court, indoor badminton and basketball courts, bowling, table tennis and billiards.

South Pacific Golf and Leisure Estates, on the other hand, takes pride in its Arnold Palmer Golf Course, an exquisitely designed 18-hole full-length open course. Aside from the usual amenities that SLI provides its communities such as a swimming pool, basketball court, wide concrete network, underground storm drainage system, and centralized interrelated water system—residents of South Pacific Golf and Leisure Estates get to have the chance of waking up to the sight of the sea’s endless expanse as they are also entitled membership to the Bali Hai Beach Club on Talikud Island.

Meanwhile, Davao Riverfront Corporate City is a 60-hectare community that is master planned to be a self-sufficient city within a city. Corporate offices in a well-secured 45-hectare business park, a 10-hectare residential subdivision, and a five-hectare tourism center are all seamlessly constructed to be Davao’s business center point.

Other residential offerings of SLI in Davao that are ready for occupancy include Alta Monte Residential Estates in Barangay Tigatto, Buhangin; Ciudad Verde in Tugonon; Valle Verde Residential Estates in Panacan; and the 17-hectare South Grove in Matina—all are first-class communities with amenities that are sure to provide security and comfort to its residents.

Lastly is Ponte Verde, a 28-hectare high-end subdivision located along the Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway in Panacan. A stone’s throw away from the Davao International Airport, this well-developed community is strategically accessible to all forms of public transportation and a variety of commercial and recreational establishments.

With the first half of the income target already met, there is no stopping SLI from moving further. “SLI is very active in developments, and we have started venturing into condotels and condominiums,” said Robles. He reports that the company has embarked on a new multibillion-peso condotel project at the top of Punta Engaño in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, and has an ongoing 7.7-hectare property development project in Dagupan City.

He also says that SLI is looking into doing a project in General Santos City and Palawan.

“Our marketing arm, Orchard Property Marketing Corp., is very active as well, with international offices in the United Kingdom, Dubai, Singapore and the US, aside from the local offices nationwide,” he continued.

It is apparent that SLI has a lot in store for the market in the coming years, including a second mall in two years, but Robles says the company is more focused on subdivision development, a segment in the realty industry it has a firm grip on.