Filprimehomes

Globe enters Profriends Suntech Ipark Development

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 14:30:00 +0000

Property Company of Friends Inc., (Pro-Friends) remains a trailblazer in the Philippine real estate industry with its newest master-planned 25-hectare commercial, business and lifestyle township community called Downtown Lancaster, located right in the heart of the 1,400-hectare Lancaster New City in General Trias, Cavite.

Downtown Lancaster is composed of two major developments: Suntech iPark and The Square. Suntech iPark is Cavite’s first BPO office development which will house 17,500 BPO employees, while The Square is the commercial and retail section that will complement the needs of Suntech iPark and nearby residences. Downtown Lancaster will be delivered in phases: Phase 1 will cover the construction of four BPO buildings and seven retail buildings while Phase 2 will be the development of the remaining seven BPO buildings and ten retail buildings.

With this major development, Pro-Friends has turned to Globe Business, the information and communications technology (ICT) arm of Globe Telecom and preferred ICT partner of the country’s top BPO companies, for its connectivity requirements, specifically for its wireline data services. Globe Business is expected to provide secure, fast, and cutting-edge connectivity for thousands of BPO employees as well as the different commercial and retail establishments in Downtown Lancaster.

Formalizing the partnership between Globe and Pro-Friends are Globe Chief Technology and Information Officer Gil Genio (2nd from the left) and Pro-Friends Senior Executive Vice President Jocelyn Guzman (3rd from the left). With them are Globe New Projects Development Head Jessie Alano (leftmost) and Pro-Friends Vice President for Commercial and Retail Development Karen Parungo (rightmost).

“We put our trust in Globe Business because we believe that our employees and retail tenants will experience reliable and seamless service,” shared Pro-Friends Vice President for Commercial and Retail Development Karen Parungo. “We are very excited for the partnership and we look forward to the different ways Globe Business can help improve our operations.”

Globe Chief Technology and Information Officer Gil Genio noted that enterprise customers will soon benefit from the company’s network transformation program, which is set to modernize its wireline data network. “Customers like Pro-Friends which is expanding to build a BPO hub in Cavite will definitely experience connectivity that is up to par with first-world countries, as we embark on another infrastructure build that will enhance the internet experience within homes and businesses.”

In 2015, Globe Business has driven the revenue growth of leading Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs) companies in the Philippines based on statistics by Call Center Focus. It has served the country’s top IT-BPO companies, seven of which were in the top 10 earners in terms of revenue in Philippine peso (Php) Billions. In addition, Globe Business also recorded an 81% penetration of IT-BPO companies that are provided with business products and solutions.

Source: Business Inquirer

GT Capital increases stake in Profriends

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 23:34:00 +0000

GT CAPITAL Holdings, Inc., the holding company for tycoon George S.K. Ty’s businesses, is raising its stake in mass housing developer Property Company of Friends, Inc. (PCFI) starting this year.

GT Capital President Carmelo Maria Luza Bautista said in a mobile phone message last week the conglomerate will exercise its option to increase its direct ownership in the real estate firm to 51%.

“The plan is to increase first to 42% within the first half of the year and then to 51% by the first quarter of next year,” Mr. Bautista said.

In August last year, GT Capital signed an agreement to acquire 22.68% of PCFI for P7.24 billion, subject to closing conditions, with an option to boost its stake to 51% within the next three years.

Profriends Group, Inc., which was planning on undertaking a P7.7-billion initial public offering (IPO), owns 98.51% of the issued and outstanding capital of PCFI, an affordable housing firm.

Asked if PCFI will pursue the IPO, Mr. Bautista said: “Not in the near future.”

Based on its previous filing, Profriends was planning to sell 385.750 million primary common shares, representing 11% of the company’s outstanding capital stock, at maximum price of P20 apiece to finance the development of its projects and land banking initiatives.

Profriends obtained the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch the equity offering, but failed to secure the go-signal from the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE).

Profriends had tapped First Metro Investment Corp. (FMIC) as its underwriter for the IPO. FMIC is the investment banking arm of Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., which is part of GT Capital.

PCFI netted P2.1 billion last year after booking P7 billion in total revenues. GT Capital started consolidating its financial performance in September.

“GT Capital’s recent acquisition of PCFI further expands the group’s range of products and market presence in the property development sector,” Federal Land, Inc. Chairman Alfred V. Ty said in a statement last week.

Aside from Federal Land and Metrobank, GT Capital has interests in Toyota Motor Philippines Corp.; Toyota Manila Bay Corp.; Toyota Cubao, Inc.; Toyota Financial Services Philippines Corp.; Global Business Power Corp.; Philippine AXA Life Insurance Corp.; and Charter Ping An Insurance Corp.

The conglomerate reported a 32% uptick in bottomline to P12.1 billion last year from P9.2 billion in 2015, driven by the strength of its automotive and power generation businesses.

Shares in GT Capital added P16 or 1.12% to close at P1,450 each last Wednesday.

Source: Business World

Cavite extension LRT project to begin construction this year.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 10:12:00 +0000

MANILA, Philippines — With Metro Manila’s insufficient network of trains, the consortium of Ayala Corporation and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) brings good news to commuters: The construction of the P64.9-billion ($1.37-billion) Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1) extension from Baclaran to Bacoor, Cavite will begin in June.

House and Lot for Sale

This was after the group of Ayala and MPIC – Light Rail Manila Consortium (LRMC) – on Friday, February 12, signed the P24-billion ($506.02-million) loan facility and the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) agreement for the LRT1 Cavite extension deal.

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) awarded the LRT1 Cavite extension project to the LRMC in September 2014.

"These milestone agreements give us significant headway towards the construction and commissioning of the much-awaited Cavite Extension which will benefit an additional 300,000 passengers from four big cities in southern Manila," LRMC president and CEO Jesus Francisco said.

LRMC signed the 15-year Omnibus Loan and Security Agreement with Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company (Metrobank), Security Bank Corporation and Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), with P15.3 billion ($322.59-million) of the total loan amount allocated for the Cavite extension and P8.7 billion ($183.44-million) for the rehabilitation of the existing LRT1 system.

Stalled relocation of illegal settlers

But according to Francisco, unfinished right-of-way acquisition and stalled relocation of illegal settlers take a toll on the construction of the LRT1 Cavite extension.

"Our main concern is that there are still some ISFs – illegal settlers. But we got the report of the grantors that by April, they expect to do relocation of most of them, if not all of them," Francisco said.

As of today, the chief of LRMC said the government has delivered about 95% of the right-of-way acquisition.

IMUS HOUSE FOR SALE

"We think that the stations will come later, but first we have to start building the carriage way. April is when they said they would address the problems of the ISF. If they can really move, by June 1 we will be able to start," Francisco told reporters on the sidelines of a briefing in Makati City.

French firms as contractors

LRMC took on French companies Bouygues Travaux Publics and Alstom Transport Private Limited to help build the extension.

Francisco said that LRMC and contractors Bouyges Travaux Publics and Alstom Transport are set to commence the construction of the 11.7-kilometer Cavite extension once right of way is delivered by the DOTC and Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA).

The extension is targeted for completion in about 4 years after the delivery of right-of-way.

The 11.7-kilometer Cavite extension will link with the existing system immediately south of the Baclaran Station, and run in a generally southerly direction to Niog, Cavite.

Eight new stations will be provided with 3 intermodal facilities across Pasay City, Paranaque City, Las Pinas City and Cavite.

The new stations are Aseana, MIA, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino, Dr Santos, Las Piñas, Zapote and Niog. The intermodal facilities will be located at Dr Santos, Zapote, and Niog.

The commercial speed of the Cavite extension will be 60 kilometers per hour.

LRMC said the new stations will be accessible to and from nearby community facilities such as shops, schools, stadium, and park.

Bouygues Travaux Publics, which will provide the railway infrastructure, is known globally for complex projects involving tunnels, engineering structures and road, port and rail infrastructure.

Among its recent projects are the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, the Port of Miami Tunnel, and the Nîmes-Montpellier rail bypass in France.

Under the agreement, Alstom will provide system integration and project management; build a new train depot; extend the existing depot complete with track works; and establish a new power supply, catenary lines, and signaling and telecommunications system.

Alstom will also modernize the signaling system of the existing 20.7-kilometer line, which runs from Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City to Baclaran.
Source: Rappler.com

Some Helpful Things about Power Bank

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 19 Dec 2015 06:55:00 +0000

A power bank is essentially an external battery in a sealed case. Powerbanks come with a USB cable; you connect it to a power source such as a laptop to charge the powerbank. Some charge via flip out blades for plugging into the wall. Here are more information about this wonderful gadget;

1) What’s power bank?

Power bank serve as an ‘extra battery’ or external charger for your phone or other electronic devices.

2) Where is power bank made from?

Majority of the power banks in the market are actually made in China.

3) How do I charge the power bank?

You can charge your power bank via the charger that came with your phone, computer usb port or using other power bank

4) How long do I need to charge the power bank?

It’s depending on the REAL CAPACITY of the power bank. The larger REAL CAPACITY, the longer charging time may required. Different charging methods may result different charging time as well. Charging with the original charger will be faster than charging with computer usb port.

5) Why sometime I need longer time to charge the same power bank?

Even though using the same charging method, the charging time may be differ due to environment,temperature, power flow and etc

6) What is mAh?

mAh mean milli Ampere Hour, the capacity of the power bank is measure with mAh

7) A 12000mAh REAL CAPACITY power bank, able to charge a 1500mAh capacity phone for 8 times full?

This is a common mistake make by most of the people. For rough calculation of the total charge time, kindly use this formula

REAL CAPACITY * conversion rate * phone battery health / phone capacity = total charge times

EXAMPLE: 12000 x 0.8 x 0.8 / 1500 = 5.12 charge times (0.5-1 times plus minus)

8) What’s conversation rate?

Conversation rate is the remaining percentage of the battery after the battery lost in heat or PCB operation.

9) What’s phone battery health?

In simple, it’s mean how‘healthy’ your phone battery is. Phone battery storage capacity will be lower and lower. That’s also the reason why our phone can last longer when it’s newly bought than after 3-6 months we used it. Different mobile phone models also will affect the calculation as some phone drain battery faster than the other.

10) What’s PCB?

PCB means Printed Circuit Board,its control all the operation flow inside the power bank. A good quality PCB will allow the power bank to charge more and have better durability

11) What’s 18650 power bank and what’s Li-Polymer power bank?

The common type will be 18650 and a better type will be Li-Polymer

12) What’s the different between 18650 and Li-Polymer?

- 18650 size and dimension are fix. Li-Polymer size and dimension are flexible.

- 18650 produce more heat. Li-Polymer are much more safer

- 18650 are cheaper. Li-Polymer are more expensive

- 18650 have higher self discharge rate.Li-Polymer have a very low self discharge rate

- 18650 battery durability will drop faster. Li-Polymer battery capacity are more durable

13) What’s the common mAh use in 18650?

Common mAh use in 18650 is around 1300mAh to 2200mAh.

14) What’s the common REAL CAPACITY in 18650 power bank in the market?

- Power bank using 1pcs 18650 is 1200mAh – 2600mAh

- Power bank using 2pcs 18650 is 2500mAh – 4400mAh

- Power bank using 3pcs 18650 is 3750mAh – 6600mAh

- Power bank using 4pcs 18650 is 5200mAh – 8800mAh

- Power bank using 5pcs 18650 is 6500mAh –11000mAh

- Power bank using 6pcs 18650 is 7800mAh –13200mAh

- Power bank using 7pcs 18650 (no info)

- Power bank using 8pcs 18650 is 10400mAh –14400mAh

15) Is there any power bank use higher than 2200mAh per 18650?

Yes. There are, but it’s not common due to the expensive pricing.

16) What’s the different between branded power bank and generic power bank?

Branded power bank mostly sell in REAL CAPACITY. Generic power bank mostly sell in MARKING CAPACITY. That’s the reason why you will never see any branded power bank (standard size) have anything as high as 30000mAh – 50000mAh. That’s also the reason why a good 12000-13000mAh power bank are able to charge more or about the same like the market 30000-50000mAh power bank

17) Is it true branded power bank won’t explode and generic power bank will explode?

Anything to do with battery, will have chance to explode. No matter it’s branded power bank or generic power bank.But chances for both branded and generic power bank to explode are near to 0%.If power bank is easy to explode, everyone will use power bank in war instead of bomb.

Source: Styefree Asia fb.

4 Amazing House and Lot Renovations to Increase Property Value ~ Filprimehomes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 01:21:00 +0000

4 Amazing House and Lot Renovations to Increase Property Value

4 Amazing House and Lot Renovations to Increase Property Value

If you are looking for a business that earns big profits instantly, buying and selling house and lot is worth a try. I know some individuals who started to accumulate their fortune by doing this business that’s why it has been my dream to be involved in this business someday. Though it’s a very expensive business to start, having the right attitude, proper mindset and proper planning can still get the job done.

For House and Lot Videos, please go to https://www.youtube.com/user/Filprimehomes

So if you want to start to buy and sell house and lot in the Philippines, here are the things that you can do to increase the value of your property:

Basic Updates/Renovations

This is the most important upgrade to start with. Typically, as a buyer one of your main questions are the basic things like: Is the roof leaking? Does the house look good? Is it properly painted? Is the wood still sturdy enough? Does it need replacement? Are there termites that should be treated? Are the pipes in a good condition? Are the wiring still safe for use? We all know that buyers want a healthy, safe home that can be lived with the most minimal maintenance. Addressing these problems earlier, will help you increase or at least maintain your house’s value over time and save money.

Create Space

Houses with a wide open floor plan are attractive for buyers. Maximize the current space that you have to add additional space inside the house. If you have an attic, present it as an additional work area, study room, bed room, family room or even a library.

Also, under-utilized spaces like under stairways spaces can be converted into storage spaces for shoes, bags or even kitchen supplies.

Upgrade your Bathroom and Kitchen

In the US, almost all brokers agree that enhancing your kitchen and bathroom is good way of increasing your house’s value.

For the bathroom, replace old, dripping and rust faucets, clean the grout, change the seat cover, replace or repair the non-working flush, paint the cabinets and clean everything as if it would look as new as possible.

For the kitchen, repaint or re-varnish kitchen cabinets, clean or paint the walls, replace old faucets and make sure that the pipes do not have leaks.

Outdoor Upgrades

The façade of a house is the most important upgrade here. If you will put yourself on a buyer’s position, the front door or the façade is the first thing that you will notice. Before putting your house on sale, make sure that everything outside the house looks good and ready for selling. Make it look like that the house looks vibrant and inviting.

For a vibrant and inviting house, you can do the following:

Replace the front door if needed, if not repaint or re-varnish it. You can also consider repaint jobs on your front gate.

Make sure that the lights and door bell outside the house is working.

Invest on landscape. If you have a garden outside, make sure that the trees, plants, mini pond looks desirable.

Doing these things will greatly increase the appeal of your house to potential buyers. With a properly maintained house, everything will be in place. You will sell your house instantly at a high reasonable price.

Ayala bags P4B ITS-South terminal project

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 01:46:00 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – Ayala Land Incorporated (ALI) has been awarded the P4-billion ($84-million) Integrated Transport System South Terminal project of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).

In August, the firm sought a P278-million ($5.89-million) annual grantor payment (AGP) – a fee the government will pay the winning concessionaire. ALI's offer was lower than the amount sought by its rival, Filinvest Land, Incorporated.

“This is the second ITS Project that we have awarded. Our goal here is to give passengers coming from the south seamless transfers to other modes of transportation, as well as help decongest traffic in the metro,” Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said in a statement on Monday, November 16.

Under the 35-year concession agreement for the project, ALI will operate and maintain a terminal for Manila-bound commuters coming from Laguna and Batangas.

The firm will be responsible for the terminal's design and construction, to be situated in a 5.57-hectare property along FTI Compound in Taguig City.

Construction is scheduled to begin in August 2016, with completion expected in January 2018.

The terminal is expected to be operational by February 2018.
Source: Rappler.com

4 Amazing House and Lot Renovations to Increase Property Value

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 01:13:00 +0000

4 Amazing House and Lot Renovations to Increase Property Value

If you are looking for a business that earns big profits instantly, buying and selling house and lot is worth a try. I know some individuals who started to accumulate their fortune by doing this business that’s why it has been my dream to be involved in this business someday. Though it’s a very expensive business to start, having the right attitude, proper mindset and proper planning can still get the job done.

For House and Lot Videos, please go to https://www.youtube.com/user/Filprimehomes
For Home Choices: www.filprimehomes.com

So if you want to start to buy and sell house and lot in the Philippines, here are the things that you can do to increase the value of your property:

Basic Updates/Renovations

This is the most important upgrade to start with. Typically, as a buyer one of your main questions are the basic things like: Is the roof leaking? Does the house look good? Is it properly painted? Is the wood still sturdy enough? Does it need replacement? Are there termites that should be treated? Are the pipes in a good condition? Are the wiring still safe for use? We all know that buyers want a healthy, safe home that can be lived with the most minimal maintenance. Addressing these problems earlier, will help you increase or at least maintain your house’s value over time and save money.

Create Space

Houses with a wide open floor plan are attractive for buyers. Maximize the current space that you have to add additional space inside the house. If you have an attic, present it as an additional work area, study room, bed room, family room or even a library.

Also, under-utilized spaces like under stairways spaces can be converted into storage spaces for shoes, bags or even kitchen supplies.

Upgrade your Bathroom and Kitchen

In the US, almost all brokers agree that enhancing your kitchen and bathroom is good way of increasing your house’s value.

For the bathroom, replace old, dripping and rust faucets, clean the grout, change the seat cover, replace or repair the non-working flush, paint the cabinets and clean everything as if it would look as new as possible.

For the kitchen, repaint or re-varnish kitchen cabinets, clean or paint the walls, replace old faucets and make sure that the pipes do not have leaks.

Outdoor Upgrades

The façade of a house is the most important upgrade here. If you will put yourself on a buyer’s position, the front door or the façade is the first thing that you will notice. Before putting your house on sale, make sure that everything outside the house looks good and ready for selling. Make it look like that the house looks vibrant and inviting.

For a vibrant and inviting house, you can do the following:

Replace the front door if needed, if not repaint or re-varnish it. You can also consider repaint jobs on your front gate.

Make sure that the lights and door bell outside the house is working.

Invest on landscape. If you have a garden outside, make sure that the trees, plants, mini pond looks desirable.

Doing these things will greatly increase the appeal of your house to potential buyers. With a properly maintained house, everything will be in place. You will sell your house instantly at a high reasonable price.

Source: blogspot.com

Developer offers jobs near homes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 06 Nov 2015 22:57:00 +0000

Every Filipino visiting Tokyo should nurse an envy at the sight of a metropolis so well governed.

I frequented this city many times in the past. Each time I visit, the city seems to be cleaner and more efficient.

Tokyo has about the same population as Metro Manila, although it is easy to imagine her population shuffles about more intensively than people do here. The reason is simple: they can.

As a victim of Manila’s horrendous traffic jams, it was a thrill last week to actually go to four separate places in Greater Tokyo between lunch and dinner. In Manila, one can no longer have four appointments in different places in one afternoon.

Even during rush hours, traffic moves in Tokyo. The reason for this, apart from a thoroughly developed subway system, Tokyo just kept on building elevated expressways crisscrossing the metropolitan area. In many places, there are as many as four decks of elevated roadway in this city.

Five days in this city, I have not seen a single traffic enforcer. There is simply no need for them in a place where everyone so scrupulously observes the rules.

Even in small alleys, there are pedestrian stoplights. Needless to say, they, too, are scrupulously observed.

No one smokes in the streets of Tokyo these days. One may smoke only in specifically designated cubicles equipped with air filters.

No one litters in the streets of this city – not because there are stiff fines as in Singapore but because that is the right thing to do. Notwithstanding, the streets are washed every night.

Tokyo sets a high standard for how a metropolis ought to be governed. Future infra needs are anticipated and set in place before congestion happens. The Japanese are proud of their trains, and for good reasons. Japan Railways reports a cumulative delay of only a few seconds for all its train services each year. A breakdown in the rail system, which happens regularly with the MRT, will be a national scandal soothed only by the resignation of the top rail officials.

Because this is such a well-governed metropolis, productivity is imaginably high. Urban efficiency and high productivity constitute a virtuous cycle. The key to that is the quality of governance provided.

Metropolitan Manila and Metropolitan Tokyo are on two ends of the spectrum of urban governance. A four-hour flight took me from one extreme to the other.

The descent back to the Third World was quick. Back at the Manila airport, I saw passengers wrapping their baggage in duct tape to protect from thieves and extortionists. Phone calls dropped. Internet service was slow. The streets were grimy. Governance remains substandard.

Close to midnight, traffic was still at a crawl. I looked at the forlorn faces of commuters unable to get a ride. I knew I was home.

Townships

If Metro Manila had a reliable rail service, it would be easy for much of the city’s working population to live out of the city.

An efficient rail system explains why there are few high-density housing complexes within Metropolitan Tokyo itself. Because Metro Manila failed to build an efficient mass transit system, the trend here is towards high-rise, high-density mass housing. Meanwhile, the urban transport system remains primitive, producing the traffic nightmare we now endure daily.

Since we are not about to build a comprehensive mass transit system in the foreseeable future, the next best solution to the problem is to build townships that are as self-contained as possible. One such township is the Lancaster New City now being built over 1,107 hectares in Kawit and General Trias in Cavite province. The Property Company of Friends or Pro-Friends is engineering this sprawling project.

For years, our housing developers have been building low-cost housing projects in the provinces surrounding Metro Manila. The economists at Pro-Friends, however, realized that people who buy in these housing developments continue to commute to the city for work, spending a large bulk of their income on transportation.

The Lancaster New City, with its scale, is planned to attract BPO companies to its property development so that jobs will be available to people who invest in housing in the community. BPO companies, after all, are trying to disperse out of the city to bring down costs and attract more talent.

With jobs brought closer to the homes, residents will now be spending less on transport and more for raising their quality of life. This is, no doubt, an attractive proposition for those wishing to flee the infernal traffic jams in the metropolitan area.

Pro-Friends, with this project, sets a new standard for property development. The challenge now is to build economically self-sustaining communities, reducing the need to travel to work and reducing the carbon footprint for residents.

It is an attractive proposition for me to be sure, considering how much gas I consume daily and how much exasperation I endure getting to and from work. It will be an attractive proposition for the younger generation seeking lifestyles with a smaller carbon footprint.

This economically contained township concept will have to be planned on a certain scale. It is a project scale that requires robust financing.

Fortunately for Pro-Friends and their ambitious township project, a large banking conglomerate found the idea of a self-contained community an attractive and viable one. This banking group took out a stake in Pro-Friends, bringing the Lancaster New City development several steps closer to completion.

With our banking system now able to finance large developments in a lower interest rate environment, it should be possible to replicate this township concept elsewhere.

Source: Alex Magno - http://www.philstar.com/

What if Henry Sy donates his wealth to Poor Pinoys?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 22:20:00 +0000

If Sy’s family were to equally distribute their $12.3 billion to the poor, each person would receive $492, the amount an average Filipino worker would earn in five years and eight months.

See how Philippines' wealthiest man, Henry Sy and his family compared to other selected Asian countries using the measurement : the Hoover index -- commonly known as the Robin Hood index. This index measures the amount of income inequality in a country by hypothetically distributing the wealth of the rich to the poor.

To see how this applies in Asian countries with significant wealth inequality, the Superrich Team applied the Robin Hood index for seven Asian countries -- South Korea, Hong Kong, Philippines, Thailand, India, Malaysia and Singapore -- and found that if the richest families gave their wealth to their poor (whose disposable income is less than half of that of the middle class), most would receive a little more than the average monthly wages of their respective countries, according to the International Labor Organization.

South Korea
Korea has considerable wealth inequality, with the top 10 percent owning 62.8 percent of the total wealth and earning 10.1 times that of the lowest 10 percent, according to the OECD’s 2013 data. Additionally, 16.4 percent of the population is in poverty, according to Statistics Korea.

The richest family in Korea is the Lee family of Samsung Group. Forbes estimated last month that Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-hee had a total of $26.6 billion -- 944,871 times more than Koreans’ average annual income, according to the ILO.

If the Samsung family’s wealth were to go to 8.3 million of Korea’s poor who make an average of $6,226 a year, each of those people could receive $3,217, which is approximately 1.4 times the average monthly wage recorded by the ILO.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong, which runs an independent economic system from China as a Special Administrative Region, has the highest wealth inequality among the seven Asian countries: Hong Kong’s top 10 percent own 77.5 percent of the total wealth and earn 63.4 times more than the lowest 10 percent.

Lee Shau Kee, founder, chairman and managing director of real estate company Henderson Land Development, has assets of $24.1 billion, or 597,000 times an average Hong Konger’s annual wage.

If this money were to be distributed to Hong Kong’s 972,000 poor, each person would have $24,700, which is 7.38 times the average monthly wage in Hong Kong.

Philippines

The top 10 percent of the Philippines owns 76 percent of the total wealth and earns 13.4 times more than the bottom 10 percent. Nearly a quarter of the country (25.2 percent) is in poverty.

The richest family in the country is that of Henry Sy, chairman and CEO of SM Investments Corporation, SM Development Corporation and SM Prime Holdings.

If Sy’s family were to equally distribute their $12.3 billion to the poor, each person would receive $492, the amount an average Filipino worker would earn in five years and eight months.

Thailand

The top 10 percent of Thailand owns 75 percent of the nation’s wealth and earns 11 times more than the bottom 10 percent. Although the poverty rate in Thailand is only 13.2 percent, nearly 44 percent of Thai people live on $5 per day.

The Chearavanont family is the richest in Thailand, with Dhanin Chearavanont having $19.9 billion as the CEO & chairman of CP Group.

If the wealth was given to 8.9 million of Thailand’s poorest, each person would get $2,226, about six months’ wages for an average Thai worker.

India

In India, the top 10 percent holds 74 percent of all wealth. The country also has the largest number of people in poverty due to its population: according to the Reserve Bank of India in 2012, 269.7 million, or 21.9 percent of the total population, are poor.

The family of Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Limited, is currently the richest in India with $21.5 billion.

Due to the high number of poor, each person would only end up with $80 if Ambani’s family gave away all their wealth, but the amount would still be higher than what 508 million people in India earn in a month ($37.50).

Malaysia

Malaysia has considerable wealth inequality despite its high gross national income ($10,760), with the top 10 percent holding 71.8 percent of all wealth and earning 20 times more than the lowest 10 percent, according to the World Bank. Additionally, 17.9 percent of the population live under $4 a day.

Quek Leng Chan is one of the richest people in Malaysia as the chairman of Hong Leong Group, which his uncle, the late Kwek Hong Png, founded in 1941.

If this family, who has $18.9 billion, donated their wealth to the poor, each person would have $3,531, which is 7.5 times higher than a Malaysian worker's average monthly wage.

Singapore

Singapore had the highest rate of poverty out of the seven countries. According to the Singapore Central Provident Fund in 2011, 26 percent of the population is in poverty, and the top 10 percent has 59.6 percent of the wealth and earns 24.9 times more than the lowest 10 percent, according to MoneySmart.

The Kuok family is the richest in Singapore. Malaysian Chinese Robert Kuok grew his businesses ranging from sugarcane plantations to mining, finance, publishing and more, expanding to nearby Asian countries. His nephew, Kuok Khoon Hong, cofounded Wilmar International and is the richest person in Singapore.

If the family assets of $10.9 billion were to go to the 1.4 million poor, each person would have $7,665, or 2.9 times that of an average worker’s monthly wage.

Although an extreme speculation, the Robin Hood index shows that distributing the money of the superrich is enough to elevate the poorest of a country into middle class. Although there are arguments that financial assistance would decrease people’s willingness to work, studies have shown that it was not the case. Abhijit Banerjee, professor and founder of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, released a paper last month saying that after an analysis of cash transfer programs in six countries, there was no evidence of assistance discouraging work.

Source: http://www.koreaherald.com/

Palafox plans on decongesting Metro Manila

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 23:12:00 +0000

The urban planner Jun Palafox, who admits that all his proposals to the Aquino administration have been ignored, has suggested that the Philippines needs 200 more cities to decongest urban centers like Metro Manila. It’s not a bad idea—and it’s something that businesses and mass-housing developers are already implementing with no help from government.

Many manufacturers and service providers in the business process outsourcing industry are already relocating the bulk of their operations to the countryside, mostly in nearby provinces like Cavite, Laguna and Batangas.

With the virtual collapse of the traffic and transport system in Metro Manila and the chronic congestion in highways leading to the metropolis, coupled with the lack of new public infrastructure development, Filipinos will have to wait for future administrations to do the job that this one spectacularly failed to do.

In the meantime, developers like Pro-Friends or the Property Company of Friends in Cavite are intent on making it unnecessary for people to travel far for work or school each day, by locating their developments outside of Metro Manila.

Pro-Friends’ huge Lancaster New City project, started in 2007 on 1,107 hectares in Kawit, Imus and General Trias in Cavite, was envisioned as a self-sustaining development project complete with housing, leisure, commercial and industrial elements. About 14,800 families have already moved to their own houses in Lancaster New City, which is still conveniently 30 minutes away from Baclaran or Mall of Asia through the Cavitex toll road.

Lancaster will also have its own industrial enclave in the Suntech iPark, where many BPO and manufacturers could relocate in the future. Since 1999, Pro-Friends has completed 17 low and middle-income housing developments and has nine ongoing projects, including a six-tower, mid-rise condominium complex in Quezon City scheduled for turnover this year.

Source: Jojo Robles - http://thestandard.com.ph/

Government suspends Cavitex toll hike

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 01:18:00 +0000

Subsidiaries of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) are set to file arbitration cases against the government over its inaction on pending petitions for toll-fee adjustments, in gross violation of their separate concession deals with Malacañang.

Mall near Cavitex

In a recent forum, MPIC President-CEO Jose Ma. Lim said the conglomerate might initiate arbitration proceedings against the government as a last resort over the long-delayed toll-rate petitions by the Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) and the Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. (CIC). MNTC and CIC respectively operate the North Luzon Expressway (Nlex) and the Cavite Expressway (Cavitex).

House near Cavitex

Lim said the government’s failure to honor its contracts with MNTC and CIC affects the competitiveness of MPIC’s participation in major infrastructure auctions under the Public-Private Partnership Program.

MPIC said the continued freeze on toll-rate increases is affecting the financial viability of its infrastructure projects because MNTC has four years’ worth of inflation adjustments pending for Nlex, while CIC has six years of inflation adjustments for Cavitex, equivalent to 19 percent and 23 percent, respectively.

“These inflation adjustments are embedded in the concession agreements, but getting the regulator to act on our applications has been a futile exercise,” Lim said. “In order to enforce our rights, we have issued a formal demand that may end up in an arbitration with the regulator.”

The regulator in this case is the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), which has rejected the MNTC petition to claim from the government about P2.4 billion in foregone revenues.

“We have a provision in our concession agreement that the government would adjust the toll rates in accordance to the contract,” Franco said. “Pursuant to the provisions of the contract, we were just claiming from government lost revenues—that was rejected by the TRB.”

“We are technically on the mandatory amicable settlement stage after which we will go to mediation. Arbitration will come after,” Franco said. “We want to see what progress they will generate from their toll-rate review process.”

Source: Business Mirror

Thousands Still Homeless after Yolanda

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 10:02:00 +0000

TWO years after super-typhoon Yolanda devastated Eastern and Central Visayas in 2013, only 16,544 housing units out of 205,128 targeted for the typhoon victims – very much less than one-tenth – have been completed, the House of Representatives was informed at a hearing the other day.

The principal reason, the Pag ibig Loans said, was that less than half of the P61.2 billion earmarked for the undertaking had been released by the national government. The amount released was P26.9 billion, out of the total P61.2-billion budget for the project.

Funding was only part of the problem. The other part was delay caused by difficulties in purchasing land for the housing projects. This in turn was blamed on conflicting presidential directives on safety zones, unsafe zones, and no-dwelling zones, governing the sites for the projects.

The NHA officials said they hope to complete the 205,128 housing units by 2017, but Rep. Rodel Botocabe, chairman of the House Special Committee on Climate Change, said that at the rate the work is proceeding, that deadline won’t be met.

The Senate Committee on Planning, Housing, and Resettlement headed by Sen. JV Ejercito had also met to look into the issue. He said he understood the problems of the NHA, principally because of the funding. He appealed to the heads of the NHA and the other government agencies and officials involved in the typhoon rehabilitation program to consider the feelings of the survivors – for whom every day remains a struggle for survival – and to do everything possible to speed things up.

The Yolanda housing problem is actually only a small part of the overall housing shortage in the country where, according to the Chamber of Real Estate and Retailers Associations (CREBA), some 5.5 million families are still homeless. It expects the shortage to balloon to 6.5 million by 2030. But that calls for a separate undertaking that will take hundreds of billions of pesos and an extended period of time. The next administration can perhaps draw up a program for this.

Today, we must concentrate on the more immediate need to help the victims of super-typhoon Yolanda. It has been two years since over 6,000 people were killed in that calamity and thousands of families lost their homes and their livelihood. The plans to rebuild their homes were approved long ago. All possible means must be taken to complete them and end the ordeal of the homeless victims.

Source: Tempo.com

Cybercrime Law brings Precedent-Setting Case

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 02:12:00 +0000

THE country’s newly minted Cybercrime Law may soon be tested. Word on the street is that a mass housing developer is contemplating filing online libel charges against those behind what it calls “vicious Internet and social media attacks” on its projects.

While the developer—Pro-Friends—has yet to file what could be an important precedent-setting case against those using Internet platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to disparage it, the firm has already set the ball in motion.

Pro-Friends, in fact, won round one of its effort to combat a “syndicated effort” to destroy its reputation when the Regional Trial Court of Mandaluyong City issued a warrant for the arrest of several persons for grave slander and oral defamation.

Interestingly, one Biz Buzz source pointed out that there’s a force associated with the family of a realtor-politician behind the concerted attacks on Pro-Friends, so business rivalry could be the root of this issue.

If this is true, to whom does the hidden hand behind the defamatory campaign against Pro-Friends belong?

In fact, what Pro-Friends calls a “demolition job” against it has been going on for sometime now. The property firm believes it isn’t a spontaneous outpouring of protest by disgruntled clients, but rather a “well-funded and orchestrated by unseen hands who want to run the property development company to the ground so they can have a monopoly of the market.”

“The black propaganda campaign has been stretched by hiring ‘professional protesters’ to mount lightning mass actions complete with placards carrying libelous slogans against Pro-Friends,” said one source familiar with the reality firm’s side of the issue.

If rumors are to be believed, this developer politician has even used his political power to initiate investigations in both houses of Congress to pressure Pro-Friends, supposedly in a bid to cripple its marketing program—all while the politician’s firm pirated key marketing people of the beleaguered real estate firm to work in his own.

Luckily for Pro-Friends, it was thrown a lifeline and a vote of confidence by GT Capital through a capital infusion of P7.24 billion, with the announced interest to acquire a controlling 51-percent stake in three years.

Source: Business Inquirer

AQUINO APPOINTS NEW NHA CHIEF

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 26 Sep 2015 11:39:00 +0000

President Benigno Aquino III has appointed a new general manager and chief executive officer for the National Housing Authority (NHA).

Sinforoso Pagunsan will serve from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016, according to appointment papers signed by Aquino last September 11 and released to the media on Thursday.

He will replace Chito Cruz, whose term ended last July.
Before his appointment, Pagunsan was Cruz’s chief of staff.
Pagunsan is a lawyer who ranked ninth in the 1989 bar examinations.
He received his law degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and his Master of Science in Economics degree from De La Salle University.

SOURCE: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net

RFO Rent to Own in Cavite - House in Philppines Real Estate

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 26 Sep 2015 11:31:00 +0000

MURANG READY FOR OCCUPANCY HOUSES SA CAVITE

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pz7Zmma5tA
Only P10,000 Cash-Out Lipat Agad Promo!
Plus FREE Motorbike pa! Tawag na!
Hurry! Til Sept. 30 Only!

TAWAG NA. MESSAGE US NOW
Viber / Whatsapp / IMO / Skype
Globe: (+63) 927-386-6521
Smart: (+63) 919-948-6003
Sun: (+63) 932-860-8685

ANG HOUSING PROJECT NA BINEBENTA
Village Name - Bella Vista Subdivision
Location - Arnaldo Highway, Barangay Santiago, General Trias City, Cavite
Type ng Bahay - 2-Storey Townhouse

MGA DETALYE NG BAHAY
Lot Area - 50 sqm. ( inner unit).
Floor Area - 53 sqm. (fixed ang sukat kahit malaki ang lote)
Toilet & Bath - 1 (may floor tiles na at pintura. See photo)
Car Garage - 1 (malaki ang lote sa harapan for future expansion)
Bedroom - Provision for 2. (Walang partition or divider ang second floor para magawa ninyo ang gustong design.

BAKIT MAGANDA BUMILI SA BELLA VISTA?
1. Pinakamababang downpayment sa isang single home. Puedeng makalipat lipat agad in 4-5 months.
2. Guaranteed Flood-Free! (mataas ang location ng village kaya siguradong hindi babaha)
3. Guaranteed Earthquake-Fault Free! (Wala ding fault line)
4. May hospital, school at malaking mall na itatayo sa unahan ng Bella Vista.

SAAN BANDA ANG BELLA VISTA SUBDIVISION?
Ang Location: Arnaldo Highway (formerly Sta. Clara), Barangay Santiago, General Trias, Cavite
> 8.5 km. from The District Mall (E. Aguinaldo Highway). Mga 15 minutes ride.
> 10.5 km. from SM Dasmarinas Pala-pala. Mga 15 minutes ride.
> 26 km. from South Station, Alabang, Muntilupa City. Mga 45 minutes ride.
> 34 km. from Mall of Asia, Pasay City. Mga 1 hour ride thru Tejero or Aguinaldo Highway.
> 35 km. from NAIA Airport. Mga 1 hour and 15 mins. ride thru Tejero or Aguinaldo Highway.

ALAM MO BA?
Makikita ang entrance ng Bella Vista subdivision thru Google Streetview Map. subukan mo.

MAGKANO ANG HALAGA NG BAHAY SA BELLA VISTA VILLAGE?
Ang Total Contract Price - Php 1,008,000.00

SAMPLE COMPUTATION - TOWNHOUSE
Total Contract Price - Php 1,008,000.00 (includes misc. fees & title transfer)
Less:
Reservation - 10,000.00

BALANCE LOANABLE TO PAGIBIG - Php 998,000.00

AMORTIZATION
Inhouse amortization muna (3 months lang) - Php9,460.00 (hindi kasama ang insurance)
Pag-ibig amortization (start after 3 months) - Php 6,908.00 (30 yrs to pay with insurance na)

MAGKANO ANG RESERVATION FEE?
> Ang Reservation Fee ay Php 10,000.00 para sa lahat: Seaman or OFW or Locally Employed.
> Kailangan bayaran ang reservation fee sa Cashier’s Office ng Developer para siguradong sa inyo na nakapangalan ang bahay.

EXAMPLE KUNG PAPAANO ANG PAGBABAYAD
Eto ang babayaran mo kung ikaw ay Seaman, OFW or Locally Employed.

Halimbawa ikaw ay nagreserve ngayong buwan:
Sept. 2015 - Bayaran ang reservation fee - Php 10,000
Oct. 2015 - Bayaran ang 1st Inhouse Amortization - 9,934.00
Nov. 2015 - Bayaran ang 2nd Inhouse Amortization - 9,934.00
Dec. 2015 - Bayaran ang 3rd Inhouse Amortization - 9,934.00
Jan. 2016 - Pag-ibig amortization na ang babayaran - 6,908.00
Feb. 2016 - Pag-ibig amortization na ang babayaran - 6,908.00
Mar. 2016 - Mar 2046 - Bayaran ang Pag-ibig Amortization hanggang 30 yrs. sa halagang Php6,908.00/ month

KAILAN MAKALIPAT SA BAHAY?
1. Estimated date na makalipat ay Nov. 2015
2. Kailangan lang maisubmit ang kompletong requirements within 7 days.

PAANO BUMILI NGA BAHAY SA BELLA VISTA VILLAGE?
Step 1 - Kontakin kami para masamahan namin kayo sa pagbisita ng location. Magdala ng ID at 1 mo. Payslip or Job Contract at Billing ng Meralco or Maynila or Cable para ma-evaluate ang inyong gross income.
Step 2 - Kapag nagustuhan ninyo ang bahay, pumili ng block at lot number.
Step 3 - Maaring puntahan ang actual location ng Block and Lot No. na napili ninyo.
Step 4. - Magfill-up ng Reservation Form sa Developer's Office.
Step 4 - Bayaran ang Reservation Fee na Php10,000.00 sa Cashier's Office ng Developer.
Step 5 - Isubmit ang complete requirements within 7 days.
Step 6 - Mag-umpisang bayaran ang amortization pag natake-out na ang loan sa Pag-ibig. Tatawagan kayo ng Developer.
Step 7 – Maari ng lumipat sa bahay.
Step 8 – Maglaan ng Php7,000 para sa pag-apply ng Meralco at Php3,500 para sa tubig.
Step 9 – Kung ang Meralco meter na i-aapply ninyo ay yong LOAD Type, walang bayad ang pag-install neto. Tubig installation na lang ang babayaran ninyo.

ANO ANG SASAKYAN PAPUNTANG BELLA VISTA?
1. May multi-cab mula The District Mall – Trece Martirez signboard. Php 25.00 fare.
2. May jeep mula sa EPZA Rosario, Cavite – SM Palapala signboard. Dadaan ito ng Bella Vista. Fare 25.00
3. May jeep mula sa SM Dasmarinas - Tejero. Dadaan ito ng Bella Vista. Fare 25.00
4. May multi-cab mula SM Molino to Trece Martirez signboard. Dadaan ito ng Bella Vista.Php 30.00 fare.

ANO ANG MGA DAANAN PAPUNTANG BELLA VISTA?
1. From Daang-Hari Road then Open Canal Road then turn left to Arnaldo Highway.
2. From Emilio Aguinaldo Highway thru Open Canal then turn left to Arnaldo Highway.
3. From Cavitex then left turn to Tejero straight to Arnaldo Highway.
4. From Governor's Drive,SM and Robinsons Dasmarinas then turn right to Arnaldo Highway going to General Trias.

ANO ANG KAILANGANG DALHIN PARA MAKAPAGRESERVE NGAYON?
1. 2 Valid ID
2. Billing ng Meralco or Cable or Maynila or PLDt.
3. Cash Php10,000 for Reservation Fee
4. Latest One Full Month Payslip or Job Contract or Vouchers or other Proof of Income
5. Proof of Billing tulad ng Meralco or PLDT or Cable or Maynilad or Credit Card Billing or Smart/Globe/Sun Billing.

ANO ANG MGA REQUIREMENTS NA KAILANGAN ISUBMIT AGAD?
(To be submitted within 10 days from Reservation Date)

For OFW, SEAMAN, LOCALLY EMPLOYED:
1. 6 pcs. 1x1 ID pictures
2. 2 Gov’t. Issued Valid ID ng Mag-asawa
3. Birth Certificate (If Single) or Marriage Contract (If Married)
4. Proof of Income - (Job Contract or Certificate of Employment w/ Compensation or Payslips or Income Tax Return -ITR)
5. Proof of Billing - (Electric or Water or Phone or Internet or Cable or Credit Card Bills)
6. Post Dated Checks - (PDC)

PAANO KUNG KULANG PA ANG MGA REQUIREMENTS?
1. Puedeng to-follow na lang ang ibang requirements.

PAANO KUNG WALANG CHECKING ACCOUNT?
1. Tutulungan kayo ng developer na maka-open ng checking account sa MAYBANK.
2. Kailangan ang mga requirements na ito:
2 Valid ID
2pcs 1x1 picture
Proof of billing ng Meralco or PLDT or Cable or Maynilad or Credit Card Billing or Smart/Globe/Sun Billing.
3. Kung hindi nakapangalan sayo ang bill ng Meralco or PLDT or Cable or Smart/Globe/Sun Billing, humingi lang ng CERTIFICATION mula sa may-ari ng bill na magpapatunay na ikaw ay nakatira sa address na ginamit mo sa pagkuha ng bahay.

SINO ANG DEVELOPER / OWNER NG BELLA VISTA?
> Developer/Owner: 8990 Holdings, Inc./Deca Homes
> Established: Since 2005
> Developer's License to Sell No. 22920
> Developer's HLURB Registration No. 07909
> Developer's Website: http://8990housing.com/project/bella-vista/
> Developer's Awards: http://8990holdings.com/awards.html
> Developer's Videos: http://8990holdings.com/videos.html

TAWAG NA!
Kung Hindi Ngayon, Kailan Pa?
Viber / Whatsapp / IMO / Skype
Globe: (+63) 927-386-6521
Smart: (+63) 919-948-6003
Sun: (+63) 932-860-8685
Website: www.filprimehomes.com
Email: filprimehomes@yahoo.com
Real Estate Broker License No.: 0020499
Member: Las Pinas City Real Estate Board, Inc. (LPCRB)
Member: Philippine Association of Real Estate Board, Inc. (PAREB - Las Pinas Chapter)
HULRB Registered

'Bakit Nangungupahan Ka Pa, Kung Puede Namang Magkabahay Na?"

REMINDER:
Kung sa amin kayo mag-inquire, Guaranteed FREE ang tripping, house viewing, sample computation, consultation, advise, documentation at inspection assistance hanggang sa makalipat kayo sa inyong bahay.

For your peace of mind in your investment, always deal with a PRC licensed real estate broker. Nakakasiguro kayong protektahan ang inyong investment. Have a nice day and God bless.!

PANGARAP MONG BAHAY- Townvilla 2 Tanza, Cavite

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 10:01:00 +0000

ITO NA ANG BAHAY NA HANAP MO!!!

AMAYA BREEZE is located at Amaya, Tanza, Cavite in between Epza 1 and Epza 2 , near Puregold Tanza. 30 minutes away from Man
ila, NO Traffic via CAVITEX, NO flooding, Safe from earthquake fault line.

PANGARAP MONG BAHAY...
MAY GRANITE TILES NA AT ANALOK WINDOWS PA!
Only Php 6,555 per month!
Hurry! Limited Units Only!
Call/Text
FILPRIMEHOMES
09328608685

SAMPLE COMPUTATION (PAG IBIG)
Total Contract Price Php 1,087,443.93
Net Down Payment 123,744.93
Reservation 5,000.00
Monthly Down Payment 36 mos. 3,437.36
AMORTIZATION
15 years 8,351.30
20 years 7,432.78
25 years 6,775.89

Call:
Filprimehomes
Cell Nos:
Sun/Viber/Chikka +63932-860-8685
Smart +63919-948-6003
Globe/Viber +63927-386-6521
Landline: PLDT (046) 418 4873
Email Address: filprimehomes@yahoo.com
Please add us in your:
YM :filprimehomes
Skype :filprimehomes.Ph

Website: www.filprimehomes.com

Bacoor-Dasma LRT, etc. up for final approval

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 01:26:00 +0000

MANILA, Philippines – The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board is expected to approve at least 3 public-private partnership (PPP) projects – including two elevated railways and an airport rehabilitation – as part of the Aquino administration's attempt to lock in more infrastructure deals before its term ends.

Asked if the NEDA Board, chaired by President Benigno Aquino III, will meet soon, PPP Center Executive Director Cosette Canilao replied on Thursday, September 3: "Yes, we'll have it tomorrow."

Confirming that "there will be a NEDA Board meeting tomorrow, September 4," Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said in a separate media briefing in Pasay on Thursday, "We'll have 3 PPP projects and other civil works deals that will be up for final approval."

Canilao told reporters on the sidelines of a media briefing in Quezon City on Thursday that the following, among other projects, are tabled for approval:

P50.15-billion ($1.07-billion) LRT Line 4 (LRT4) project
P64.71-billion ($1.38-billion) Light Rail Transit Line 6 (LRT6) project
P74.56-billion ($1.59-billion) Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Development project
The LRT4 project would build an 11-km railway from Taytay, Rizal, to Ortigas Avenue along EDSA, where a transfer station would be put up to link the proposed train system to the Metro Rail Transit line 3.

The LRT6 project, meanwhile, involves a 19-kilometer (km) railway from Bacoor to Dasmariñas City in Cavite, which would connect the cities to the LRT1 Cavite Extension project already awarded by the government.

The NAIA Development deal is intended to upgrade all terminals in the Metro Manila airport, bringing them in line with international standards.

Changes in terms

The chief of PPP Center added that the P122.80-billion ($2.62-billion) Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike project will also need another NEDA board approval for some changes in the terms.

Canilao added the changes are in the ramping up of the operations of the expressway, ahead of the other components, plus the mechanics on schedule of transfer of the reclaimed real estate.

The Laguna Lakeshore project involves the construction of a 47-kilometer flood control dike. On top of which will be a 6-lane expressway starting from Taguig, passing through Muntinlupa and Calamba, and ending in Los Baños at its boundary in Bay, Laguna.
The PPP deal also includes the reclamation of about 700 hectares of foreshore and offshore areas, west of the dike, in Taguig and Muntinlupa.

Non-PPP deals for green light

Other than these PPP projects, 3 infrastructure projects implemented by the transportation department will also be up for NEDA board approval, Abaya said:

P15.35-billion ($328.15-million) Clark International Airport Low Cost Carrier Passenger Terminal Building
P4.88-billion ($104.32-million) Metro Manila Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
P3.5-billion ($74.82-million) Naga Airport Development Project
DOTC said that the Clark International Airport deal, targeted for completion in 2016, will be divided into two phases.

Its first phase will boost the terminal's capacity to 5 million passengers per year from the current 2.5 million. Its second phase will hike that further to 8 million passengers annually.

The proposal for the Metro Manila BRT, which will run from Manila to Quezon City, was discussed by the NEDA board in a previous meeting. But it will be re-submitted on Friday after the NEDA board instructed the transportation department to shorten the route to avoid overlapping with a portion of the planned Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT7).

"So it's now Manila City Hall to Quezon Circle Philcoa (Philippine Coconut Authority), instead of Manila all the way to Fairview Commonwealth," Abaya explained.

The Naga Airport Development Project in Camarines Sur, which includes the rehabilitation of its apron, will also be re-submitted to the NEDA board, after it asked the transportation department to look for ways to cheapen the cost.

"The NEDA board asked us to compare the cost of merely extending the runway and making a new runway. The new runway is cheaper, so it's now P3.5 billion ($34.77 million) compared to the [original cost of] P5.3 billion ($113.86 million)," Abaya said.

To date, the Aquino administration has awarded PPP projects worth around P189 billion ($4.17 billion). Source: http://www.rappler.com/business/industries/208-infrastructure/104637-lrt-projects-naia-neda-board-approval

Profriends invites GT Capital as new partner

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 19:16:00 +0000

GT Capital buys into Profriends for P7.24-B

MANILA - GT Capital Holdings Inc. is buying a minority stake in low-cost housing developer Property Company of Friends Inc. (PCFI) for P7.24 billion to expand its real estate portfolio.

GT Capital said it signed a deal to acquire 22.68 percent of PCFI, with an option to increase its direct shareholding to 51 percent within the next three years, the company disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange.

The acquisition marks the entry of GT Capital into affordable housing, as the country faces a supply shortage of more than three million homes.

PCFI is a subsidiary of Profriends Group Inc., which has postponed a planned 7.7 billion pesos initial public offer.

PCFI has built and sold over 36,000 affordable homes in Cavite and Iloilo. Its flagship project is Lancaster New City, which spans the areas of Kawit, Imus, and General Trias in Cavite.

“The low-cost housing segment is the real sweet spot in the country’s property sector, with a supply shortage of over three million homes, which continues to grow annually. Our partnership with GT Capital will strengthen our ability to be a leading player in serving this urgent market need.

Moreover, the potential synergies of working with other component companies in the GT Capital group will enable us to offer our live, work, learn, play, and worship estates to many more middle income Filipino families,” PCFI chairman Guillermo Choa said in a statement.

Owned by the Philippines' sixth richest man George Ty, GT Capital owns Federal Land Inc, a developer of mid-income and high-end apartments in Manila.

Source: ABS-CBN News/business

Who's who in Philippine Real Estate Industry

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 19:07:00 +0000

Top 10 Property Developers In The Philippines

10. Rockwell Land Corporation

Founded by the Lopez Group, Rockwell Land has experienced remarkable growth in its first two years of operations. Established in 1995, Rockwell Land transformed a former thermal power plant site into a new living environment which is now the Rockwell Center.

A member of the Lopez Group of Companies, Rockwell Land continues to raise the standard for living spaces, creating environments that seamlessly harmonize residences, work spaces, and lifestyle hubs, all with the Rockwell signature of innovation, exclusivity and unparalleled quality.

9. Property Company of Friends (Profriends)

Profriends or Property Company of Friends is one of the leading property developers in the country. Headquartered in Mandaluyong City, ProFriends is a Top 500 (Ranked 425th) company as counted by Business World in their top grossers list in 2011. Currently, ProFriends is considered as one of the players in Real Estate here in the Philippines.

From small pocket developments, to medium rise condominiums and townhouses, Profriends has ventured into estate development to meet the different tastes and needs of the Filipino home buyers.

8. Century Properties

Century Properties is the name behind some of the most recognizable projects in Metro Manila in recent years: Azure Urban Residences in Parañaque, Trump Tower Manila in Century City, and Acqua Private Residences in Mandaluyong, to name just a few.

Starting 2010, the Company has completed 6 buildings totaling 5,009 units and 354,313 GFA up to December 31, 2014. This is in addition to the 19 buildings totaling 3,768 units and 518,634 GFA that were completed prior to 2010 by the founding principals’ prior development companies, the Meridien group of companies.

7. Greenfield Development Corporation

Greenfield Dev’t Corp. is one of the most diversified real estate companies in the country that begins in 1972. It engages the expertise of world-renowned consultants-Pei Cobb Freed & Partners; Robert Lambhart, Ltd.; Wallace, Roberts & Todd; PKF Consultants; Fisher Friedman Associates; SWA Group; Skidmore Owings & Merril International Ltd.; EDGE Design Studios; Robert Trent Jones and EDAW EA, Ltd.

Anchored by vast landholdings, financial strength, strategic alliances, and supported by world-renowned consultants, Greenfield Development Corporation is one of the Philippines’s most diversified real estate companies, rapidly expanding through aggressive developments in industrial, commercial, residential, recreational and infrastructure projects.

6. DMCI Homes

DMCI Homes is the real estate arm of DMCI Holdings, Inc. through its wholly owned subsidiary DMCI Project Developers, Inc. (PDI). It was incorporated and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on April 27, 1995. It ranked #146 in the Business World Top 1000 Corporations for 2014.

Through continuing research, DMCI became a pioneer in several advanced construction application technology in the Philippines. Taking this into account, DMCI enjoys the patronage of both new and repeat institutional clients whose businesses have benefited from DMCI’s on-or-ahead-of-schedule completion philosophy.

5. Filinvest Land

Filinvest Land, Inc. (FLI) is one of the leading real estate developers in the Philippines. It is a subsidiary of Filinvest Development Corporation (FDC), which has more than 40 years of experience in real estate development.

Filinvest Land’s core business of affordable and middle-income housing grew to become one of the Philippines’ most diversified real estate developer: high-rise condos, medium-rise projects, BPO buildings, shopping centers, and leisure developments.

4. Vista Land And Lifescapes

Vista Land and Lifescapes, Inc. is a real estate company in the Philippines. It is owned by Manny Villar, a senator of the Philippines. Its condominium projects are primarily built in Metro Manila. It is the only real estate firm in the Philippines to operate on a nationwide scale with projects present in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao islands. The company’s mall units is planning to develop malls in all its horizontal residential projects.

Operating through its five distinct subsidiaries, Vista Land is the one of the leading homebuilder in the Philippines. Vista Land provides a wide range of housing products to its customers across all income segments.

3. Megaworld Corporation

The Megaworld Corporation is a property-based company which specializes in large-scale township developments in Metro Manila’s prime locations. Founded by its chairman and CEO, Andrew Tan, a Filipino-Chinese businessman, the corporation is considered to be the leading developer of residential condominiums for the upper-middle and high-end market and office projects for the IT and business process outsourcing (BPO) industries.

To date, the company has introduced 18 successful large-scale, master-planned mixed-use townships across the country like Eastwood City in Quezon City (18.5 hectares), which holds the distinction of being the country’s first cyberpark.

2. SM Land Inc.

SM Land, Inc. operates as a holding company and through its subsidiaries engages in the development and management of real estate properties. SM Land, Inc. was formerly known as Shoemart Inc. and changed its name to SM Land, Inc. in October, 2008.

In half a decade, SM Land has evolved from being a white knight investor to a developer in its own right successfully completing, delivering and managing their own developments; In effects creating retail, commercial and residential encalves that today are a vibrant part if the community.

1. Ayala Land

Ayala Land, Inc. is the largest property developer in the Philippines, operating prime commercial spaces throughout the country. It is owned by the Ayala Corporation.

Ayala Land develops residential, retail, office, hotel, and leisure components, within growth centers across strategic areas around Philippines. It is the real estate arm of Ayala Corporation, the country’s oldest and one of its largest conglomerates. From an internal division of Ayala Corporation, it was spun off and incorporated in 1988.

Source: HomeSweethome.com

Is Real Estate Investments Good or Bad for You?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 23:54:00 +0000

Real estate is like gambling - It is suitable for almost everyone and everyone loves it. It gives a better living standard to some and on the other hand the risks take you on a roller coaster ride. It makes or ruins lives. People are skeptical about investing in real estate as they believe that investing in real estate is a sure shot recipe for disaster. But, after careful observation and learning about real estate investments, you might find quite the opposite.

There are both the possibilities with real estate and it depends on many factors. Let me discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this buisness which will give you a better ideas before investing your money.

The advantages of real estate are:-

1. Income stream: - The best way to earn quick money is investing in real estate .It is a secure path to choose which gives you huge benefits. Investment in real estate is good and rental property is in great demand, so through renting property, you can earn money in no time.

2. Secure: - It is very secure to choose real estate because real estate there are not many risks that one needs to handle - like in other businesses .No other business will give that much opportunity.

Investing in real estate is secure because the value does not tend to fluctuate as much as other assets such as stocks and bonds. However, this does not mean that the investor will always break even or earn a profit on their investment. But, the thing about real estate is that once you have a property in hand, you will not need to be worried that its value will change anytime soon.

3. Two ways to earn: - There are two tricks to earn in real estate. As a smart investor, you can own rental houses and rent them out. Then, hopefully you are collecting the differences in your rents and your expenses as profit.

In addition to profiting from renting out your properties, you are also benefiting from its gradual increase in value. So, it is a win-win situation for you at each level.

4. Real Estate Investments are Less Risky: - Without a doubt, real estate is less risky than other investments. Once, the investment done everyone have the fear of losing their money in other businesses. But, real estate investment is a one-time thing which will ensure results even after long periods of time. One just needs patience. Because, the longer you kept your property, the more you will get good amount of benefits and deals. Risk is there in every business. Real estate is less risky because you have to focus on smaller factors which are not at all risky.

The steps which must be follow before investing in real estate:-

Plan it out: - Everything with a plan will always give you a better ideas of benefits.

Suggestion:-Ask for suggestion from an experienced person in real estate investment.

Never hesitate:-Never hesitate to take chances and risk .Because real estate is a game of chances. If you hesitate to take chances you might lose the opportunity to earn big.

Expert advice: -There is always a need to take expert advice before taking any decision. It will always help you to take fast and beneficial decision.

VALUE:-You need to give value to your work money and time. Real estate is based on all of these three factors to get more benefits and earn a good amount of money.

Research:-Before selling or investing in real estate, it's a good idea to search online market about the best value of the place. Do your homework before investing in real estate.

The disadvantages of real estate are:-

Maintenance: - It requires time for maintenance, repair etc. if you have purchased a not so well piece of property. It always seems to be different than what you had planned.
Legal difficulties:-Investing in real estate is easy .But you need to be fully aware about the rules and regulations issued by the government of your country.

3. Property Taxes:-If you want to invest in real estate, taxes is going to be a headache to you. Because the taxes varies on rural and urban areas, it really effects your profit. So awareness about the taxes will be a real life saver.

4. Involvement of Time and money: - Real estate needs a big amount of money for investment and demands attention to property. It sometimes needs more efforts to sell a property with greater benefit. It needs TIME. Real estate Investment is easy to make, but for more benefits and better results it needs your patience. It is sometime costly to manage re-selling and owning a property.

Conclusion: -The only tough part in real estate is that it requires a huge investment of your time and money. Real estate is risky only if you neglect doing a little research on the official government rules and research on the value of your property.

If you want real benefits in real estate, you need to play the game. Every business is like gambling and there is fear of losing. But in this buisness that fear factor is next to nothing and benefits of it are really high. So, make the smart choice and invest in real estate TODAY!
Source: Sooperarticles.com

Profriends invites new partner

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 01:03:00 +0000

MANILA, Philippines — GT Capital Holdings, Incorporated, the listed holding company of business tycoon George Ty, is acquiring 22.68% stake in mass housing developer Property Company of Friends, Incorporated (Pro-Friends) for P7.24 billion ($157.92 million).

GT Capital told the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) that the agreement also provides the company an option to increase its direct shareholdings in Pro-Friends to 51% within the next 3 years.

Its acquisition of a significant stake in Pro-Friends came despite the company’s difficulty in securing approval from the PSE to proceed with its P7.7 billion ($167.96 million) initial public offering (IPO).

Pro-Friends is a unit of Profriend Group, Incorporated, which in 2014 filed an application to conduct an IPO.

Pro-Friends, however, recently pulled out its IPO application.

Meanwhile, the acquisition marks the conglomerate’s venture into mass housing development and is expected to complement its real estate develop unit Federal Land, Incorporated.

"We view this acquisition as a mutually beneficial partnership for both parties. Profriends has the product expertise and the strategic land bank, while GT Capital has the financial resources and access to capital,” GT Capital Chairman Francisco Sebastian said.

"Our partnership adds a new dimension to GT Capital’s property development portfolio and will enable our group to be one of the market leaders in the low-cost housing sector,” he added.
For his part, Profriends Chairman Guillermo Choa welcomed the company’s partnership with GT Capital.

“The low-cost housing segment is the real sweet spot in the country’s property sector, with a supply shortage of over three million homes, which continues to grow annually,” Choa said.

“Our partnership with GT Capital will strengthen our ability to be a leading player in serving this urgent market need. Moreover, the potential synergies of working with other component companies in the GT Capital group will enable us to offer our live, work, learn, play, and worship estates to many more middle income Filipino families,” he added.

Federal Land President Alfred Ty said the acquisition will expand the group’s presence in the property market.

“The GT Capital group will now offer Federal Land’s upper- mid to high-end vertical projects and Profriends' low-cost horizontal and mixed-use townships in key areas near Metro Manila. Our strategic tie-up will thus be a fusion of all property sub-segments,” Ty said.

Last December, Pro-Friends reported an audited net income after tax of P3.61 billion ($78.74 million).filprimehomes
Source: Rappler.com

LANCASTER NEW CITY CAVITE TAP N" RIDE

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 08:15:00 +0000

Another milestone for Lancaster New City was set in order to provide families living inside the development more time for family bonding!

Everyone was very much excited as the Soft Launch of the Lancaster New City Tap N' Ride Transport System Metrolink Buses was held last July 18, 2015, wherein four (4) Metrolink Buses were made ready for the exclusive use of the Lancaster residents and their guests. The Metrolink Buses made use of E-Tap cards and brought resident passengers and their guests from Lancaster New City to Coastal Mall and vice versa.

In a continous effort to improve the Lancaster New city Tap N' Ride Transport System, the entire team and management will be studying and adjusting the bus schedules depending on the requirements of the residents during the entire soft launch.

For Houses at Lancaster New City:

New Models: Link