ALDC to codevelop low-cost housing in Pampanga

By Roderick L. Abad

AMALAYSIAN conglomer - ate, with its real estate unit, has joined in the effort to address the perennial housing backlog in the Philippines, by entering a joint venture (JV) with a local developer.

The Synergy International Group of Companies from Malaysia, through its property development division Synergy International Realtors Sdn Bhd, has tied up with Aquira Land Development Corp. (ALDC) to codevelop the ongoing 57-hectare, low-cost housing project in Mexico, Pampanga.

Located along Barangay Pandacaqui, this residential development will have 6,150 affordable residential units in line with the government’s target to build 1 million new low-cost and/or socialized houses by the end of the year.

“Its for open market but we are primarily offering it to military and police personnel,” ALDC Chief Executive o f ficer (CE o) E rick Armigos told the BusinessMirror in an e-mail interview. “We have the option to offer it to o F WS [overseas Filipino workers] in Malaysia and Singapore.”

This is why Synergy decided to have this JV as its first foray in the country. The company’s mission is to cater to the millions of oF Ws who often come back to the country and can afford decent homes yet not mostly catered to by developers, as shown with only a few available options to own houses with what they have saved up abroad.

“It has always been our goal to enter property development in the Philippines. It is only fitting

AT the formal signing of the Memorandum of Agreement for the codevelopment of the 57-hectare

Pampanga, low-cost to start off with a project that has a social aspect and that aims to offer decent but affordable housing to a long underserved market,” Synergy CE o Vijay Kumar noted. o n its part, the local developer welcomes its collaboration with an international partner like Synergy, which has both the expertise to create an impact not only in the nation’s real estate industry, but also to homeowners who have long been deprived of sensibly priced yet decent dwellings.

“Malaysia has a large contingent of overseas Filipino workers, a big reason we chose this particular project is to give these workers more housing options when they come home to retire, or even just to buy for their families here,” he added.

“The participation of Synergy will allow us to deliver livable units in the shortest amount of time,” said Armigos. “o u r objective has always been to be involved in as many low-cost and socialized housing projects as we can and to build and deliver as many livable units as quickly as we can.” which has been operating in the mall since 2015.

This residential project will offer single detached (100 sq m to 150 sq m at P3.45 million), single attached (80 sq m at P2.95 million), duplex (60 sq m at P2.45 million) and 2-storey townhouse (44 sq m at P1.95 million).

ALDC’s low-cost residential development in Pampanga is its second affordable housing project, following a deal it closed early last year to develop a 16-hectare community in Tanay, Rizal.

“Currently, we are building the main gate and clubhouse. Then, we will build the model units. After that, we will start with the land development first. Then, construction of housing units will start by o c tober 2023,” Armigos said, adding that completion for phase one is by December 2025.

Italianni’s will surely be a hit among Filipinos who love to eat Italian food such as the classics like the Spinach Artichoke Formaggio, Spaghetti Meatballs, Quattro Stagioni and Chicken Italianni’s.

For steak lovers, Texas Roadhouse is the place as it serves handcut steaks, fall-off-the-bone ribs, made-from-scratch sides and their famous freshly-baked bread. Expect also an occasional line dance from the staff to keep the dining energy up.

The ever reliable Denny’s is ready to satisfy the hunger pangs from breakfast to lunch, snacks, dinner and late-night All-American Slam, Mom’s Spaghetti, South Carolina Fried Chicken and Denny’s Share Four All.

Located at the Royalton, Capitol Commons, TGIFridays is a lovely place to unwind for folks who are looking for Americanthemed food, legendary drinks, and genuine personalized service, bartenders who possess a highlycharged vibe.

LA’s iconic donuts, Randy’s, provide that delightful sweetness from fluffier, airier and ginormous donuts for the sweet tooth.

For Chinese cuisine lovers, Modern Shanghai hits the spot when on the lookout for dishes that are delicious, comforting and familiar such as Braised Pork Knuckle and Braised Pork Belly; Xiao Long Bao, Steamed Hakaw Shrimp Dumpling, Roasted Crispy Pork, among others.

Capturing the retail opportunities

Co L LIERS urged retailers and landlords to capture the low-hanging retail opportunities. For the retailers, Bondoc urged them to lock-in spaces in prime locations, capture rising consumer interest for experiential retail, take advantage of the increase in disposable incomes and tourist arrivals and spending and ramp up omnichannel strategies. Meanwhile, landlords should expand transit-oriented retail in key areas outside Metro Manila, establish flexible workspaces in malls, explore the viability of retail REITs and seize the demand from foreign realtors entering the Philippine market.

RLC Residences sees high demand from millennial investors, launches 4th building of Sierra Valley Gardens

IN a s tudy conducted by online property portal Lamudi, a growing number of millennials have been searching for condominiums online. This age group is now entering their prime years for home buying and has an increased desire to manage their finances through investments that can generate income. Similarly, RLC Residences is also observing the same trend especially with the recent sales performance of its residential development Sierra Valley Gardens, a smart investment with multiple unique features located in Cainta, Rizal.

Located within the Sierra Valley destination estate along o r tigas Avenue Extension, Sierra Valley Gardens is an investment-worthy condo development due to its accessibility to retail shops and soon-to-rise mall and office buildings within the estate. To date, the condo’s first three buildings are now 96 percent sold, with majority of the buyers are within 25-35 age range. Building on this success, RLC Residences officially introduced the development’s fourth building, empowering more young professionals to make their smart move through real estate investment.

“Condominium units are a great choice for millennial investors, one reason being is it appreciates in value quickly than other investment options. Plus, there’s that convenience of having options to rent it out for passive income source or you can use it as your home when ready. It’s a stable investment choice, especially if the project you choose is from a reputable developer, who understands the value that comes from land development and urbanization,” says RLC Residences Marketing Head and Chief Integration o f ficer Karen Cesario.

The smart move for millennials o n t op of these, Sierra Valley Gardens also has a plethora of indoor and outdoor amenities that are designed to help them move free on their career, fitness, and wellness goals. These include a three-level Clubhouse, Function Rooms, Game Room, Fitness Center and Dance Studio, Work/Study Area, Lap Pool, Jog Trail, and Landscaped Areas to name a few.

W I TH m ost millennials gravitating towards city views, easy access to amenities and proximity to life’s essentials, Sierra Valley Gardens officially opened its fourth building—with all these preferences present—to help millennials make their smart move in real estate investment.

Sierra Valley Gardens is home to well-spaced studio, one-, and twobedroom units with balcony options. Ranging from 22 to 66 sq m, these flats offer options to the growing need of millennials based on their needs and space requirements. Additionally, these units are equipped with smart home features including Smart Lock, Audio-Video Intercom, Smart Switch, and Infrared Emitter—all offering a high level of convenience, energy efficiency, security, cost savings, increased home value, and sustainability. In fact, the Sierra Valley Gardens won the Best Sustainable Residential Development at the D o T P roperty Southeast Asia Awards 2022 held in Bangkok, Thailand.

The property is also designed to incorporate fiber optic technology in all of its buildings to ensure fast and reliable connection.

“In designing Sierra Valley Gardens, we envisioned a property that millennials will be proud to call their smart investment. That’s why we incorporated all these features, because these are helpful in ensuring that this asset will exponentially grow with them in the coming years, until such time that Sierra Valley Gardens is fully built and ready to live in,” shares Cesario.

With Sierra Valley Gardens’ newest building, millennials can choose to invest in one of its units starting at P4 million. Making this an even appealing investment option, RLC Residences also offers flexible payment terms and even special promos that interested investors may take advantage of. Simply connect to a Property Specialist via rlcresidences.com or follow RLC Residences on Facebook and Instagram for more updates.