TOP developers from Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao and their respective projects will be recognized in this year’s Philippines Property Awards, the country’s biggest real-estate awards program, on April 7 at the Fairmont Makati.
Widely recognized in the industry for its fairness and transparency, the Philippines Property Awards is running on its fourth consecutive year. Free to enter, the awards process began six months ago, with nominations coming from developers and the general public. All entries were supervised by BDO, one of the world’s biggest auditing firms.
For this year, Megaworld Corp. and SM Group led with a combined 26 nominations. The Dr. Andrew L. Tan-led firm received an unprecedented 16 nods, while the Henry Sy-led SM Group is equally impressive with its 10 nominations for its various subsidiaries.
Megaworld is the odds-on front-runner to win in several Development and Design categories, with notable projects in its Uptown Bonifacio development alone receiving a total of six nods, including Best Luxury Condo Development (Metro Manila) for Uptown Ritz, Best Retail Development for Uptown Mall and Best Office Architectural Design for Uptown Tower 3; while SM Development Corp. (SMDC), the SM Group’s affordable condominium subsidiary, is again a favorite to win at the Best Affordable Condo Development (Metro Manila), with two nominations. The rest of SM Group’s nominations are for its commercial development arm, SM Prime Holdings, which came in strong in the hotel, retail and office subcategories.
This year’s awards has also seen an overwhelming number of entries received, not only from Manila but also from Cebu and Davao, as well as in the office categories. More than 200 entries were accepted.
“This year we’ve seen approximately double the number of entries than last year, which shows the awards is becoming recognized nationwide,” said Lindsay J. Orr, chief operating officer of Jones Lang LaSalle Philippines and chairman of the independent panel of judges.
“While there is still an emphasis on Metro Manila, there is an increase in the number of entries from Cebu and also Davao,” he added. “What we need to do now is to continue to bang the drums and build the awareness for the Philippines Property Awards so that next year we make sure that we’ll have an even larger section of entries from other regions.”
Some regional firms will even compete against themselves, including Primary Homes Inc., with two nominations in the Best Condo Development (Cebu) category, and Cebu Land Masters, with two nods for the Best Housing Development (Cebu) award. Major Manila-based developers are also broadening their property investments across the country. For instance, four-time nominees Alveo Land and Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc. will go up against Megaworld for the Best Residential Development (Davao) award.
“It’s definitely a priority to widen the scope of the Philippines Property Awards each year, and in 2016 we have found a great selection of entries from Cebu and Davao,” said Terry Blackburn, founder of the Asia Property Awards and managing director of awards organizer PropertyGuru International. “We also recently launched the awards in Cebu City to show our commitment to look beyond Metro Manila in rewarding the nation’s finest.”
The top winners from the country this year will get the chance for international acclaim when they compete with their counterparts from eight Asean countries of the Asia Property Awards at the grand finals in Singapore in November, at the Southeast Asia Property Awards 2016. They will be vying against winners from other countries like Indonesia, Singapore, Myanmar and Vietnam. Two years ago the Ayala Group bested these other countries and bagged the Best Developer Southeast Asia award.
“Beginning this year, we’re also thrilled to be part of PropertyGuru, Asia’s leading online property group. With their 14 million real-estate consumers, the most exceptional developers in the Philippines will get the proper international exposure for their world-class developments,” Blackburn said.
The Philippines Property Awards, presented by Property Report, Asia’s leading luxury real estate, architecture and design magazine, will also recognize former Senate President Manuel B. Villar Jr., founder of the Vista Land Group, as the Real Estate Personality of the Year. The self-made billionaire, who has been a presence in the real-estate industry for four decades now, has won the hearts of Filipinos for his master-planned communities for families, having built quality housing in 35 provinces and 85 cities and municipalities across the country.
The rise of the country’s emerging markets will feature prominently at the Property Report Congress Philippines, a high-level forum that will discuss the past, present and future of the real-estate industry. It will be the first time that the congress will take place in the country, which will welcome speakers from all over the archipelago and overseas, including current and former winners and judges from the Philippines Property Awards.
Official short list of the Philippines Property Awards 2016:
DEVELOPER
Best Boutique Developer
- AppleOne Properties Inc.
- King Properties
DEVELOPMENT
Best Luxury Condo Development (Metro Manila)
- Admiral Grand Suites by Anchor Land Holdings Inc.
- Uptown Ritz by Megaworld Corp.
Best Mid-Range Condo Development (Metro Manila)
- Acqua Private Residences by Century Properties Group Inc.
- Salcedo Square by Vista Residences (A Vista Land company)
- Sorrento Oasis by Filinvest Land Inc.
- The Lerato by Alveo Land
- The Residences Commonwealth by Century Properties Group Inc.
Best Affordable Condo Development (Metro Manila)
- Grace Residences by SMDC
- Hacienda Balai North Quezon City by Phinma Properties
- Suntrust Shanata by Megaworld Corp.
- Trees Residences by SMDC
Best Condo Development (Cebu)
- 8 Newtown Boulevard by Megaworld Corp.
- AppleOne Banawa Heights by AppleOne Properties Inc.
- Avenir by King Properties
Mabolo Garden Flats by Primary Homes Inc.
- The Courtyards at Brookridge by Primary Homes Inc.
Best Housing Development (Cebu)
- Casa Mira Linao by Cebu Land Masters
- Solare by Primary Homes Inc.
- Velmiro Heights by Cebu Land Masters
Best Residential Development (Davao)
- Abreeza Place by Alveo Land
- Northpoint by Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc.
- One Lakeshore Drive by Megaworld Corp.
Best Condo Development (Resort)
- Kasa Luntian by Alveo Land
- Splendido Taal Tower 2 by Sta. Lucia Land
- The Vineyard Residences by Megaworld Corp.
Best Housing Development
- Camella Palawan by Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc.
- Royal Palms Dos by Primary Homes Inc.
Best Hotel Development
- Admiral Hotel by Anchor Land Holdings Inc.
- ANC Hotel Development by Oceanville Hotel and Spa Corp.
- Conrad Manila by SM Prime Holdings Inc.
- Ivywall by Dataland
- Marriott Courtyard Hotel by Megaworld Corp.
Best Office Development
- Arthaland Century Pacific Tower by ArthaLand
- FiveE-comCenter by SM Prime Holdings Inc.
- Menarco Tower by Menarco Tower
- Ore Central by Monte de Tesoro Corp.
Best Office Development (Cebu)
- BPI Cebu Corporate Center by Alveo Land
Best Retail Development
- SM Seaside City Mall by SM Prime Holdings Inc.
- Uptown Mall by Megaworld Corp.
DESIGN
Best Residential Architectural Design
- Salcedo Square by Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc.
- Uptown Parksuites by Megaworld Corp.
- Uptown Ritz by Megaworld Corp.
Best Residential Interior Design
- 8 Newtown Boulevard by Megaworld Corp.
- Admiral Grand Suites by Anchor Land Holdings Inc.
- Salcedo Skysuites by Megaworld Corp.
Best Retail Architectural Design
- SM Seaside City Mall by SM Prime Holdings Inc.
- The Venice Grand Canal Mall by Megaworld Corp.
- Uptown Mall by Megaworld Corp.
Best Office Architectural Design
- ArthaLand Century Pacific Tower by ArthaLand
- FiveE-comCenter by SM Prime Holdings Inc.
- Ore Central by Monte de Tesoro Corp.
- Uptown Tower 3 by Megaworld Corp.
Best Hotel Architectural Design
- Admiral Hotel by Anchor Land Holdings Inc.
- ANC Hotel Development by Oceanville Hotel and Spa Corp.
- Conrad Manila by SM Prime Holdings Inc.
Image credits: Issa Quirante