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Developments: DMCI launches another project that will surely be a winner

The joke was that the name came from a famous street Leveriza that traverses Manila and Pasay. 

The project's name is La Verti.  It is located along Taft avenue and a stone throw away to Buendia MRT station.

Selling starts on August 15, 2010.  Turnover is on  March 2014 (Ready for Occupancy).

Price range: P1.847 M for studio unit (24 sq.m.) at 7th floor to P5.027 M for 3 BR Penthouse unit at 42nd floor (66 sq.m.)

 

 

Posted Wednesday, August 04, 2010 11:31 AM by Odilon (Ody) dela Merced | 0 Comments

Single Story For Sale in Don Bosco

Price reduced to P6.9 Million or $149,000.00 from P7.3 Milion or P158,700.00 ($9,700.00 savings).

Enjoy a breath taking panoramic view of Manila Bay at 40th floor!

• 70 sq. m., 1 bath, 3 bdrm single story

Don Bosco, Pasong Tamo  -  Units 4022 & 4023 are combined condominium units of Roces Tower, Beacon, Makati City.

It has 70 sq.m. of floor area and is located at the 40th floor facing the east. It has a spectacular view of the Manila Bay and its famous sunset.

This residential resort condominium project is located at corner Chino Roces and Arnaiz Sts. beside Makati' Central Business District's Legaspi Village. Right across Roces Avenue is Don Bosco Primary and Secondary School. Across the corner is Walter Mart, the biggest supermarket in the area.

Just 5 minutes drive away is Greenbelt and Glorietta shopping centers and also via skyway it is only 10 minutes away from Manila International Airport.

It is very conveniently located, and one reserved parking space is included

The unit will be ready for occupancy by June 2011.

Construction update on Roces Tower as of May 31, 2010:
1. Precast installation is done up to the 40th floor;
2. Masonry works is now being done on the 25th floor;
3. Skim coating is being applied from the 14th to the 22nd floors.

Property information

 

 

Owner's comments follows:

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I am the owner of this condo. I just wanted to add my comments about it, giving you all of the information that I have on it that I think you might be interested in, or might want to know. I have been to The Beacon's construction site several times personally to check on the progress of it, and it is going great. The first time I saw the site there was nothing there but a hole in the ground. It sure has come a long way since then.

 

First though, a bit of personal history to explain my reason for selling. I had originally planned to retire to The Philippines five or six years from now, ten years from now at the latest, and I had planned to live in Makati. Makati of course is the financial centre and high end district of Manila. So, I bought the condo about two and a half years ago. My plan was to rent it out until I was ready to move there myself, as this condo would have positive cash flow. It would pay for itself over time from the rental income, given that Makati is the high rent district in Manila. I would guess that maybe a diplomat or some other foreign government or corporate entity or personnel would be the type of client that would rent such a condo, usually on a minimum one year lease. So that was my plan. Since then, my son James was born in Davao City in Mindanao last January 31st so my plans have had to change, and I now will move to Mindanao instead of Manila. I have been single without children all my life and I really expected to remain that way for the rest of my days. It just didn't work out that way and I could not be more thrilled about it. Since the birth of my son five months ago, I bought a beautiful beach lot in Mati in Mindanao and I will build my house on that lot. I have been working with an architect there on the layout of the house, and we are just about ready to begin construction on it. I just need to recoup my money out of the Makati condo in order to build it. So, I want to sell the condo now, get the house built and get moved to the southern part of the country to live with and raise my son as quickly as possible. I hope by the end of this year. I am what you would call a motivated seller.

 

I bought this condo as a pre sell, meaning that I bought the condo before construction had even begun, about two and a half years ago. That is a bit of a risk as the danger is that the building will not get built and there is no refund paid if that happens. The risk is offset by the reward, which of course is the profit margin. The value of a condo when it is completed and ready to move into is always more than the pre sell price offered before construction begins. During the time it takes to build it, the value starts to rise. In most cases, the value will at least double by the time they are finished. The risky period is over now, as the building is totally up and completed, and they are just working on the interiors. It will be ready to move into less than a year from now, not long at all. I have the option of course of just holding onto it for another year and reaping the big profit, but I really don't want to wait that long to be with my son. As it is, I am probably going to miss most of the first year of his life, and that's enough. A boy needs his father!

 

I looked at an awful lot of condo projects in many neighborhoods in Manila before deciding to buy this one. I want to highlight the reasons I chose this one over all the others, as those reasons may be what motivates you to buy as well, once you know about them. First and foremost was that beautiful view of Manila Bay. From 40 floors up, that view will be nothing less than SPECTACULAR. It might interest you to know that I did my homework before buying, and travelled the land between The Beacon site and Manila Bay. The distance is not that far, and there is no place that is big enough or solid enough to place another high rise between The Beacon and Manila Bay. Had there even been the remotest chance of that happening, I would not have bought it in the first place. Neither of the other two buildings that will go up on this site and complete The Beacon project will have the unobstructed view of Manila Bay. The third building on the site will have one side of the building facing the Bay, but that view will be obstructed by the other two buildings. The Manila Bay view in this unit will be seen along the entire length of the great room or living room/dining room combo wall, and also from one of the three bedrooms. The side view from the windows in two of the bedrooms will feature the Makati Skyline which is also a nice view, and you will also be able to see a bit of the bay from those windows. There are now no more units available direct from the builder that feature the Manila Bay view. They are all sold out and even if there were some still available, they would be priced higher than this one is. They price their units at current market value. This one is less that that.

 

Second was location, location, location. The location of this building is terrific. It is situated in the heart of Makati, and is only about 2 km from Glorietta Mall. It is also only about 2km from Manila Bay. It kind of sits right in the middle between those two key spots. There are shopping, dining and entertainment venues located within walking distance of the front doors. An absolutely terrific location, right where you want to be.

 

Then I looked at the featured amenities in this building. I was so impressed by those. There is the standard and typical pool and walkways that most other high end luxury buildings have, but the added amenities that swayed me were the Roofdeck and Skylounge on top of the building, and the private movie theatre. You would be able to reserve the private movie theatre in advance, invite your guests for your movie night, and show a movie or a business presentation or a great music concert or whatever you want, on DVD. That's pretty cool when you think about it. Pretty impressive. As well, there are the gardens, the jogging paths, the workout gym, the playground facilities for kids, the kiddie pool and the toddler's pool, the emergency medical clinic, the spa, concierge service, and more. All of these are impressive and overall there are more and better amenities included in this building than in the others I looked at, but for me it was the private movie theatre and the Rooftop Skylounge that really struck me as being top notch, first class features.

 

Last, but certainly not the least of my considerations, was the price. In New York or Hong Kong or London or Vancouver or Seattle, a unit like this one with this kind of view would be priced in the millions of DOLLARS. Condo's with ocean views are in high demand the world over, and it is no different in Manila. That bodes well for the future value of this unit as there will always be a demand for a condo with an ocean view. For what you are going to get for your hard earned money, I think it is going to be extremely difficult to find a better condo value in all of Manila. I would encourage you to shop around. Have a look at all the other listings that feature the things you want in a condo. Ask Ody all the questions that you might have. Gather all the information that is important to you. Then come on back and have a look at this one again. I do not think you will find a better condo for the money anywhere. This one has everything you might want in a great investment. It is a good size at close to 70 sq meters, it has the view of Manila Bay, it has the three bedrooms, it has the great amenities, it also includes one parking spot, and it is on a high floor. This building has four of what they call The Penthouse Floors, the top four floors. The units on those floors were sold out a long time ago and were REALLY expensive. This unit is the on the very next floor below the penthouse floors. You might even be excused if you were to tell your friends and family that the top five floors are the penthouse floors, and you have a penthouse. Heh heh heh. All of these things bode well for a future return on your investment, whether it be from monthly rental income, or from flipping it when the time is right for you or from the appreciation in value that will happen naturally as you enjoy living in it over the years.

Given that you are already looking on these pages, you probably already know that Asia is the place to invest these days. The Philippines was one of only a few nations to show economic growth last year, all of which are in Asia. CAFTA (the China Asean Free Trade Agreement) went into effect last January first, and The Phillipines is an ASEAN member nation. So the future looks very bright indeed for The Philippines, and now is the time to get your stake in it. It might interest you to know that the estimates that I have received from GEO Estates (the builder) are that this condo will be worth in the neighborhood of 10 to 12 million pesos once it is completed and ready to move into. Maybe more. A pretty good return in less than a year if you are thinking of buying it now and flipping it once it is done. You might also be interested in knowing that the current fair market value of this condo is 8 million and 16 thousand pesos. None of the current or future market value numbers that I have mentioned are my taken from my imagination or my dreams. They are all documented and confirmed by knowledgeable and professional third parties. Ask Ody for further information on the numbers. Given my motivations and my future plans, I am able to offer this unit at a pre sell price for an almost completed building that is not very far from being ready to occupy. So do your comparative shopping, check out whatever you want to check out and I am confident that you will see what a great deal this one is. Seize the moment!

Good luck!

 

Larry Vantreen

Posted Thursday, June 03, 2010 1:26 PM by Odilon (Ody) dela Merced | 3 Comments

Remittances seen to grow by 10% in Q2

Remittances seen to growing by 10% in Q2 BY JIMMY CALAPATI

Think-tank First Metro Investment Corp. (FMIC) yesterday said that OFW remittances are likely to grow between 8-10 percent for the second quarter, but must offset the expected slowdown in foreign investments, which are on hold due to the May elections.

"OFW remittances are definitely on their way to stability. After the minimal growth in 2009, 10-month single digit growth, persistent pick up has been felt. In fact, January remittances jumped by 8.5 percent from 0.2 percent a year ago," FMIC said in the latest Market Call. FMIC said that OFW remittances Up by 8.5 percent in January, totaling $1.4 billion.

"It was the remittances from sea-based workers that rallied this growth complemented by the land-based workers, as Filipino seamen retained their first preference position," FMIC said.

Year-on-year growth rates of 18.1 percent and 6.3 percent respectively were observed from the two sources last January. FMIC said that the continued need of host countries for skilled laborers in the fields of healthcare, education and services was one of the reasons for this growth.

"However, labor recruiters are finding it difficult to fill in orders due to the lack of experience of Filipino applicants (mostly new graduates). Even though deployments are still rising, better remittances from infrastructure and services — better availability of services which cater to remitters — are also helping the steady inflow of these remittances," FMIC said.

In peso terms, remittances grew by 5.7 percent year-on-year. "We will notice that this is way below the 15.5 percent growth observed last January 2009. But note that the increase last year was not due to the actual growth of dollar remittances but due to the hefty 15.3 percent year-on-year peso depreciation," FMIC said.

The January 2010’s growth was coupled with a 2.5 percent appreciation of the peso which somewhat lessened the effects of remittances on domestic spending. "We see that remittances will still have favorable growth for the coming month. Coupled with the news from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration that 19 percent of the job orders made during the first two months of the year have been approved already, we believe that this will open more job opportunities for migrant workers," FMIC said.

On the other hand, FMIC said the sustained appreciation of the peso may hinder these remittances from fully boosting local consumption and residential construction. BSP said that money sent home by OFs grew by 5.6 percent to $17.3 billion in 2009, higher than BSP’s forecast of $17.1 billion remittance flows or a 4.0 percent growth for the year.

For 2010, BSP sees remittances growing by at least 6 percent. The central bank said that remittances remained resilient amid the recent global financial crisis, providing strong support to domestic demand, accounting for 10.8 percent of the country’s gross domestic product last year.

Remittances are a pillar of the Philippine economy as these flows, equivalent to about a tenth of gross domestic product, support private consumption, the peso currency and the country’s balance of payments. According to recent studies, the Philippines is the world’s fourth largest recipient of remittances next to India, China and Mexico.

The central bank expects remittances to boost the country’s foreign exchange reserves this year despite the outflow of portfolio investments, a trade deficit, and the slowdown in foreign direct investments.

In 2008, remittances reached a record $16.4 billion.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/04072010/busi8.html

 

 

Posted Wednesday, April 07, 2010 2:17 AM by Odilon (Ody) dela Merced | 0 Comments

Home run after May 2010 election

Everything seems to be on hold for prospective investors in the Philippines because of the coming elections. But to me this election will probably be the start of the most exciting years of my life as a Filipino.

I must confess that the first President I ever supported was Ferdinand Marcos. He was brilliant, an orator, a valiant defender of democracy, military hero and was fighting graft and corruption as one of his platforms when he ran against the incumbent President Diosdado Macapagal. In that 1965 election, I was too young to vote.

At the time, the Philippines was the leading nation in the Far East.  Our educational system was the best in Asia and our economy has never been as robust in its entire young life as an independent nation especially during the first term of President Marcos.

In 1971 a constitutional convention was held paving the way for a semi parliamentary form of government giving the President 8 years with unlimited term extension but by election.

At the time a year before the end of Marcos term 1972-1973, communism appeared to become very strong. It infiltrated most student and labor organizations and with the necessary chaos by which communism normally earn its way to power, classes were suspended almost every other week. Everything seemed to be in disarray. Yeah it was fun for most of us but we were going nowhere.

When Martial law was declared, congress was dissolved and I was one of those who agreed that Martial law was the right solution. And aha, Marcos my hero would still be President.

True enough, peace and order finally reigned.

Far from my mind was what would happen during the ensuing years. With his absolute power, Marcos turned greedy to be polite about it. Everyone knows what happened next. He created and lead his Kilusang Bagong Lipunan movement trying to change society by subtle force and indoctrination. I remember getting exempted from ROTC by going aboard an education tour by love boat cruising all over the Visayas. "Whoowie, this is life!" I thought.

It turned out to be a mind conditioning trip. We were asked to attend 8 hours of class a day for one week to convince us that Martial law was the necessary foundation for economic progress.

Since Marcos was not elected into power, his legitimacy was largely put in doubt not only domestically but also elsewhere. So he called for a national election. He won by a landslide against someone by the name of ... by the name of ... what's his name again? Ah yes Alejo Santos (I had to google search to find his name). I exercised my right to vote and went for Marcos ...strike one.

Everything that was developing seemed to point towards putting Marcos in power indefinitely. Naturally, there was unrest with Senator Ninoy Aquino from the U.S. leading the pack of his opponents. In 1983 he decided to return and was killed in the airport.

Cory Aquino after series of protests became President by people power in 1986 now known as EDSA I.

As penance for the wrong choice I made I suppose, I was lead with my wife to sleep inside our car that we parked at the EDSA gate of camp Aguinaldo on the first night that Cardinal Sin radioed for help. I remember that first night, the support was very thin and disorganized and kidding aside, I thought our car was the only one parked in front of the Camp Aguinaldo gate by around 4:00 AM.  When we woke up at about 7:00AM, we were surprised by the sheer number of supporters that kept coming in between camps Aguinaldo and Crame.  I thought our small car could not be able to leave EDSA for lack of space to drive on.

My wife and I were ecstatic with hope and so did most Filipinos.

The revolutionary government of President Cory gave rise to the opportunity to put in place a constitutional convention shielded from political influence as the delegates were appointed by an independent commission based on expertise and barely by connection.  The result was an outstanding, though not perfect, constitution that we are sworn to follow up to this day. 

A peaceful election in 1992 took place and my new President Fidel Ramos took over. It was one of the most progressive periods in my life time only to be messed up by a popular but very incompetent President actor Joseph Estrada who won by a landslide against my candidate Jose de Venecia in 1998.

President Joseph did not last long as he was forced out of power by what is now known as EDSA II out of allegations of corruption, stock manipulation, benefiting from illegal gambling, etc.

Come GMA by succession. She was very popular for so many years until she confessed that she tried to influence the COMELEC officials in Mindanao which provided her crucial votes to win the presidential election in 2004 against another popular actor Fernando Poe Jr.

From then on her popularity deteriorated and up to now never recovered not even after pardoning Joseph Estrada who was convicted of plunder with the hope that Estrada supporters will help improve her popularity. Her legacy was a government bereft of dignity and clean governance. Oh, I voted for her ...strike two.

Now I feel that I am on the home base once again aiming this time for a home run because all indications are that my candidate is going to win and he conveyed convincingly the image that he was substantially for clean and no-nonsense governance. The economy is healthy thanks to the independent Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. The world economy is on its way to recovery. The timing of it all is perfect.

This is why I am excited. For the first time since EDSA I, my hope has never been this high that the Filipinos now have a better than average batting chance to turn this great nation around and become a leading economy once again in this part of the globe.

So what next after the May elections? I would say more work for us Filipinos because we have a budget to balance in six years time. Our economy has a good chance that it might do an India if not a China. And if everything goes well, the next President in 2016 who I hope will win in this May election as Vice President of the land will continue on this legacy of good governance.

At long last I am going to witness this progress in my lifetime!!! If this isn't exciting, I don't know what is. This time, it will probably be a home run.

Posted Friday, March 19, 2010 2:25 AM by Odilon (Ody) dela Merced | 0 Comments

Bureau of Internal Revenue to lose P6 billion due to optional deduction

By Iris C. Gonzales (The Philippine Star) Updated March 12, 2010 12:00 AM

 

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) expects to lose up to P6 billion this year from the Optional Standard Deduction privilege allowed under RA 9504 or the Minimum Wage Law.

 

OSD allows corporations and individuals a 40-percent maximum deduction on gross sales or gross receipts in the case of self-employed and professionals and a standard deduction of not more than 40 percent on gross income for corporations. The deduction would result in a reduction in income tax obligations to the BIR.

 

The system was put in place, supposedly to simplify the filing of income-tax returns and benefits for professionals and micro, small and medium entrepreneurs. It was also designed to encourage businesses in the underground economy to pay taxes.

 

However, according to the BIR, the revenue losses of P6 billion would leave a huge dent on state coffers. As such, the BIR is pushing for an amendment in the reduction of OSD for corporations from 40 percent to 10 percent.

 

The P6 billion estimated foregone revenue is higher than the previous estimate of P4.1 billion.

 

As part of the implementation of the OSD provision, the BIR issued Revenue Memorandum Circular 16-2010 to remind taxpayers of the requirement to disclose their option to avail of the 40 percent OSD provision for taxable year 2009 which is due to be filed or paid for this year.

 

BIR Commissioner Joel Tan-Torres said that if the taxpayer decides to use OSD it should be used for the succeeding quarterly returns and in the final ITR for the taxable year. The decision to avail of the OSD as signified in the return shall be irrevocable for the taxable year 2009, he also said.

 

He also said that taxpayers who choose to avail of the OSD are required to indicate whether they are adopting a calendar or fiscal period. Furthermore, Tan said, failure to indicate the decision to use OSD would be considered as having availed of the Itemized Deduction or the other option in computing gross sales and receipts.

 

Newly-registered taxpayers should also disclose their election to avail of the OSD in their initial quarterly income tax return which is required to be filed for the taxable year 2009.

Bureau of Internal Revenue to lose P6 billion due to optional deduction

 

Posted Friday, March 12, 2010 3:25 PM by Odilon (Ody) dela Merced | 0 Comments

New law attracts foreigners

New law attracts foreigners by Joel Zurbano

MEMBERS of various foreign chambers in the Philippines would support passage of the proposed Philippine immigration act now pending in Congress, for the benefit of the tourism industry.

Officials of the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines, in a meeting with Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan, said the proposed bill, which makes the immigration law more responsive to world trends in tourism and economic development, would encourage more foreigners to visit and do business in the country.

Robert Sears, American Chamber of Commerce executive director, said the proposed law provides for additional visa classifications for foreigners, making it easier to get visas based on specific needs, activities, profession or line of business.

The new immigration act would make the country a magnet for tourism and economic development, as foreigners wanting to stay and set up businesses would get more choices as to the type of visas they would want and need, Sears said.

As a prime tourist and investment destination, the Philippines would gain medical tourism, as more foreigners would prefer to undergo medical treatment here, he said.

Libanan also got a briefing on the Retirement and Healthcare Coalition, a non-stock, non-profit organization that promotes the retirement and healthcare facilities in the Philippines.

Immigration technical staff chief Patch Arbas said the bureau supports such initiatives that encourage foreigners to use country’s medical facilities and programs for foreign retirees.

“Under the proposed bill, medical tourists may now be given an initial stay of six months instead of the existing two-month initial extension,” Arbas said.

Also with Sears in the meeting were Henry Schumacher, executive vice president of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Japan Chamber of Commerce vice president Nonuo Fujii, Korean Chamber of Commerce president Edward Eun-Gap Chang and Korean businessman Kim Young Ki. Joel Zurbano

Posted Saturday, February 27, 2010 1:12 AM by Odilon (Ody) dela Merced | 0 Comments

Property market to grow by at least 10% in 2010

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By Irma Isip

Malayan.com.ph

February 19, 2010

 

Real Estate service firm CB Richard Ellis Philippine sees an uptake in the property market growing by at least 10% this year pushed by liquidity, election spending, bank lending and the enactment of the REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) law.

 

In a press conference, CBRE Philippines chairman Rick M. Santos, said the growth would be across the board but it would be let by office followed by residential and retail.

 

Santos said this year’s performance particularly quarter on quarter is an acceleration from 2009.  Numbers for the full year are yet to be available.

 

Santos said the first quarter of 2009 saw a slowdown in property activity following the global financial crisis but he sees this recovering this year.

 

Santos said prices in some sectors may go up in the third or fourth quarters of the year as supplies begin to be taken up.

 

For now, he said, there is more supply that landlords are more flexible in their transactions especially for the office and residential segments.

 

Santos sees this is good for the property market as this would push demand even more.

 

For 2009, Santos said, prices in the office segment slid but they had been flat for residential and retail segments.

 

Santos sees lots of supply for high-end residential leasing.

 

He said he has seen resurgence in activity in the property industry in the first two months of the year which would be sustained for the rest of 2010.

 

Santos said demand for office and commercial space will be supported by the growth of the business process outsourcing industry especially outside Metro Manila although modestly as the global economy recovers.

 

Santos said the implementation of Republic Act 9856 or the REIT Act would be a big boost to the property sector.  Its implementing rules and regulations are still being finalized.

Posted Sunday, February 21, 2010 12:34 AM by Odilon (Ody) dela Merced | 0 Comments

OFW remittances hit record $17.1 billion, top BSP forecast

MONEY SENT HOME by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) rose by 11.4% to $1.65 billion in December, pushing the 2009 tally to a record $17.1 billion.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), which had predicted zero growth earlier in the year as the global crisis worsened, yesterday said the full-year uptick of 5.6% topped its 4% forecast.

"Remittances remained resilient amid the global financial crisis providing support for domestic demand," it said in a statement.

The BSP attributed the remittance result to sustained demand for skilled workers and state efforts to get other countries to open up their labor markets.

It also cited increased bank and non-bank services for migrant workers, noting that commercial bank remittance centers, branches, and partnerships abroad had increased by almost two-fifths to 4,192.

The central bank said 221,548 job orders were approved last year and noted that 310,666 jobs still had to be filled. OFWs being are spread across more countries also added to the resilience of remittances, the BSP said.

The United States, Canada, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Italy and Germany were the major remittance sources.

Asked to comment on the remittance results, Citigroup economist Francisco G. Trinidad, Jr. said last year’s record growth indicated opportunities abroad for Filipino workers.

He said 2010 remittances could grow by 5-6%, in line with the BSP’s 6% outlook. -- DGKC, BusinessWorld Online February 15, 2010 10:52PM

Posted Tuesday, February 16, 2010 2:16 AM by Odilon (Ody) dela Merced | 0 Comments

Economy poised for a rebound in Q1 2010

Economy poised for a rebound in Q1
By Michelle Remo, Ronnel Domingo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:37:00 02/11/2010

Posted Friday, February 12, 2010 5:52 PM by Odilon (Ody) dela Merced | 0 Comments

PSE welcomes passage of REIT Act

PSE welcomes passage of REIT Act
By Zinnia B. Dela Peña (The Philippine Star) Updated December 21, 2009 12:00 AM

Posted Sunday, January 31, 2010 11:49 PM by Odilon (Ody) dela Merced | 0 Comments

Other For Sale in Malugay Street

2 BR units also available

• 48 sq. ft., 1 bath, 1 bdrm other - $65,500 USD - Php 3,541,748.03

Malugay Street, Makati  -  The home you've always dreamt of owning is now within your reach. A well-secured property, Avida Towers Makati West is minutes away from malls, offices, dining establishments, schools, supermarkets and hospitals.

Avida Towers Makati West

Surrounding streets allow for easy access to and from the Makati CBD. Surrounded by lush greenery, it has modern amenities, with Garden units to choose from.* Truly, it is a solid investment, made affordable with flexible payments terms today.

Avida Towers Makati West is a place where you can sit back and enjoy everything the city has to offer without the hassles that go with it.

Property information

Posted Wednesday, January 27, 2010 5:07 PM by Odilon (Ody) dela Merced | 0 Comments

Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) is going full throttle with the development of Nuvali

(The Philippine Star) Updated January 14, 2010 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) is going full throttle with the development of Nuvali, a 1,700-hectare masterplanned community in Canlubang, Laguna, with its newest residential project aimed at setting the standard for the company’s next generation of exclusive neighborhoods.

The new project, Santierra, is located right beside Nuvali’s residential and commercial district that will offer a combination of natural and suburban living. Surrounded by tree-lined roads and features, Santierra has started selling lots ranging from 600 to 1,000 square meters.

Santierra, which will rise on a 77-hec-tare property within Nuvali, will be developed in two phases with the first one, occupying 47 hectares, to be launched this year. The second phase on the other hand, comprises 30 hectares.

In a press briefing, ALI president Antonino Aquino said sales take-up of Santierra has been brisk with a total of 108 lots already purchased valued at P1.05 billion.

From a little over P11,000 last week, the lots are now selling at a minimum of P12,200 per square meter. Lot sizes range from 600 to 1,200 sqm. with modal lot cut of about 700 sqm.

Aquino said the lots will be clustered in groups of 50 and 80 to control the traffic flow and ensure the security of residents. With only seven residential lots per hectare, Santierra will provide generous space while maintaining privacy of residents.

Aside from Santierra, a new office building and several retail facilities are in the pipeline within Nuvali.

Bobby Dy, president of AyalaLand Premiers and head of the residential business group, said the group is adding 10,000 square meters of retail space which shall be available by December this year or early 2011.

Among Santierra’s amenities include the village clubhouse, multi-purpose covered courts, amphitheater and the great lawn.The contiguous parks surrounding the village will incorporate outdoor exercise trails, two meter wide jogging and biking lanes, and pocket playgrounds tucked in the shades of a wide variety of indigenous trees.

ALI introduced yesterday its fourth brand, Amaya, which shall take charge of the development of socialized units.

The group has committed to inject P1 billion over the next three years to undertake the development of socialized housing units as part of a strategy to expand its market to a broader segment of the population.

The initial capitalization of P1 billion will cover an initial run of six projects in select industrialized rural areas in southern and central Luzon where end-user demand is expected to be strong. The money will also be used to fund operating expenses and the acquisition of potential landbank areas.

Product offerings will comprise mainly house and lot starter home packages with prices ranging from P600,000 to P1.25 million per unit. The new subsidiary expects to launch its first project in Laguna within the first quarter of 2010.

Posted Thursday, January 14, 2010 11:20 AM by Odilon (Ody) dela Merced | 0 Comments

PSE intends to push ahead with an ambitious reform program this year as it rides the crest of one of the best performing periods in its history

PSE sees boost in 2010 from key market reforms
By Daxim Lucas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:07:00 01/03/2010

Posted Monday, January 04, 2010 8:18 AM by Odilon (Ody) dela Merced | 0 Comments

Back in the Black (in the Philippines)

By Tina Arceo-Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 15:53:00 01/02/2010

Posted Sunday, January 03, 2010 8:31 AM by Odilon (Ody) dela Merced | 0 Comments

"the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) recorded a 63% growth this year, the largest annual index growth since 1994 when the bourse first operated as a merged entity."

MANILA, Philippines - With beautiful holiday decorations and a festive atmosphere this Christmas season, one may think that an economic crisis did not hit the Philippines this year.

A number of economists believe that this general optimism reflects a resurgence of consumer confidence in the country, months after the economic slowdown hammered the Philippines in the earlier part of the year.

But according to University of the Philippines economics professor Benjamin Diokno, this so-called recovery may only be a temporary high.

"Hindi pa tayo babalik sa recovery (We won't be recovering yet)," he said.

For one, Diokno said the government still has to contend with the ballooning budget deficit, which is expected to hover around the P300-billion peso level until next year.

As a result, the government would be forced to borrow more from foreign banks. To date, the government's foreign debt is already at $53 billion dollars, data from the central bank showed.

Mixed views

The Philippines is expected to generate more jobs next year as the election season nears. Candidates and their supporters usually hire more people to help them in their respective campaigns.

But since these jobs will no longer be needed once the campaign period is over, Diokno said Filipinos will still have a hard time looking for more permanent jobs next year. This as businessmen opt to be in a wait-and-see mode until the results of the 2010 polls come out.

Despite this, stock market analyst Astro del Castillo said there are still many signs that the economy is improving relative to other countries hit hard by the global recession.

For one, he said the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) recorded a 63% growth this year, the largest annual index growth since 1994 when the bourse first operated as a merged entity.

The PSEi advanced by 1,179.83 points to end at 3,052.68 as of December 29, the bourse's last trading day for the year.

Del Castillo's positive sentiment was echoed by IGC Securities President Ismael Cruz, who said that the bull run will continue next year. "We're seeing the market challenge its all-time high," he said in an interview at ANC.

But even with this development, economists urged the next administration to carefully map out its strategies to ensure a sustained recovery for the Philippines in the years to come.

 

MANILA, Philippines - With beautiful holiday decorations and a festive atmosphere this Christmas season, one may think that an economic crisis did not hit the Philippines this year.

A number of economists believe that this general optimism reflects a resurgence of consumer confidence in the country, months after the economic slowdown hammered the Philippines in the earlier part of the year.

But according to University of the Philippines economics professor Benjamin Diokno, this so-called recovery may only be a temporary high.

"Hindi pa tayo babalik sa recovery (We won't be recovering yet)," he said.

For one, Diokno said the government still has to contend with the ballooning budget deficit, which is expected to hover around the P300-billion peso level until next year.

As a result, the government would be forced to borrow more from foreign banks. To date, the government's foreign debt is already at $53 billion dollars, data from the central bank showed.

Mixed views

The Philippines is expected to generate more jobs next year as the election season nears. Candidates and their supporters usually hire more people to help them in their respective campaigns.

But since these jobs will no longer be needed once the campaign period is over, Diokno said Filipinos will still have a hard time looking for more permanent jobs next year. This as businessmen opt to be in a wait-and-see mode until the results of the 2010 polls come out.

Despite this, stock market analyst Astro del Castillo said there are still many signs that the economy is improving relative to other countries hit hard by the global recession.

For one, he said the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) recorded a 63% growth this year, the largest annual index growth since 1994 when the bourse first operated as a merged entity.

The PSEi advanced by 1,179.83 points to end at 3,052.68 as of December 29, the bourse's last trading day for the year.

Del Castillo's positive sentiment was echoed by IGC Securities President Ismael Cruz, who said that the bull run will continue next year. "We're seeing the market challenge its all-time high," he said in an interview at ANC.

But even with this development, economists urged the next administration to carefully map out its strategies to ensure a sustained recovery for the Philippines in the years to come.

 

MANILA, Philippines - With beautiful holiday decorations and a festive atmosphere this Christmas season, one may think that an economic crisis did not hit the Philippines this year.

A number of economists believe that this general optimism reflects a resurgence of consumer confidence in the country, months after the economic slowdown hammered the Philippines in the earlier part of the year.

But according to University of the Philippines economics professor Benjamin Diokno, this so-called recovery may only be a temporary high.

"Hindi pa tayo babalik sa recovery (We won't be recovering yet)," he said.

For one, Diokno said the government still has to contend with the ballooning budget deficit, which is expected to hover around the P300-billion peso level until next year.

As a result, the government would be forced to borrow more from foreign banks. To date, the government's foreign debt is already at $53 billion dollars, data from the central bank showed.

Mixed views

The Philippines is expected to generate more jobs next year as the election season nears. Candidates and their supporters usually hire more people to help them in their respective campaigns.

But since these jobs will no longer be needed once the campaign period is over, Diokno said Filipinos will still have a hard time looking for more permanent jobs next year. This as businessmen opt to be in a wait-and-see mode until the results of the 2010 polls come out.

Despite this, stock market analyst Astro del Castillo said there are still many signs that the economy is improving relative to other countries hit hard by the global recession.

For one, he said the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) recorded a 63% growth this year, the largest annual index growth since 1994 when the bourse first operated as a merged entity.

The PSEi advanced by 1,179.83 points to end at 3,052.68 as of December 29, the bourse's last trading day for the year.

Del Castillo's positive sentiment was echoed by IGC Securities President Ismael Cruz, who said that the bull run will continue next year. "We're seeing the market challenge its all-time high," he said in an interview at ANC.

But even with this development, economists urged the next administration to carefully map out its strategies to ensure a sustained recovery for the Philippines in the years to come.

 Michelle Orosa, ABS-CBN News | 12/31/2009 6:06 PM

Posted Friday, January 01, 2010 11:58 AM by Odilon (Ody) dela Merced | 0 Comments