The new project the 600-unit “Signa Designer Residences,” is a joint venture with Security Land Corp., the real estate unit of Security Bank Corp. that owns the one-hectare project site at the corner of Valero and Rufino Streets in Salcedo Village.

During the unveiling of the project Monday night, RLC president Frederick Go said the new project was not only sitting on a prime location in Makati City but also offered a unique urban community based on a pioneering concept in the country – the first and only designer residences.

Designer residences feature, Layug, Cobonpue

He noted that the project incorporated elements of architecture, interior and space design, and furniture designm harnessing the expertise of three renowned names in Philippine design and architecture: Furniture and space designer Antonio “Budji” Layug, architect Royal Pineda and furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue.

“The project sets the tone for an artist-inspired environment that promotes a well-balanced lifestyle,” the project primer said. It added that look and feel would be “thoroughly organic and exquisitely tropical” reflective of the three famous Filipino designers philosophies.

The units are priced at a range of P4 million to P12 million, offering single, two- and three-bedroom units ranging from 33 to 93 square meters.

“The buyer has the choice to purchase a standard finish, designer finish and upgrade further to Cobonpue series,” Go said.

Go said discerning buyers were willing to pay a premium for high-quality development. Buyers may choose to shell out an additional P750,000.00 to P1.6 million depending on their choice of “luxe,” “designer luxe” or “Cobonpue” finish.

Cobonpue, who trained in New York, Italy and Germany, is an internationally recognized furniture designer, having won the 2005 Design for Asia of Hong Kong, Asia’s highest award, for his “Lolah” chair.

Layug is a celebrated furniture and interior designer across Asia and the United States after designing his first collection of bamboo furniture 30 years ago. He was the first Filipino designer to be featured in Bloomingdale’s “The China Exhibit” and keeps a formidable presence overseas with shops in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, showrooms in San Francisco and Los Angeles and various representative stores across the globe.

Renowned architect Pineda is the managing and designing partner at Budgi Layug + Royal Pineda Design Architects who trained at the firm of National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin. He was the creator of a number of luxury projects in the Philippines and in Asia such as The Trees in Bangkok, The Copper in Kuala Lumpur and Grand Napalai in Phuket.

RLC is one of the country’s biggest property developers but previous high-rise residential projects have mostly focused on the middle income market. This is its first venture into the luxury condominium market.
By Doris C. Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer

From his humble beginnings as a peanut vendor in Cebu, he grew his business until he became one of the country’s few billionaires. Through the years, however, he has supported education efforts through donations to various universities and scholarship grants.

On August 29, 2007, a book that immortalizes Gokongwei’s entrepreneurial efforts, successes, wisdom and secrets was unveiled at the Escaler Hall of the Ateneo Loyola Heights campus.
The book, titled “The Path of Entrepreneurship,” was written by Dr. Marites A. Khanser, “corporate historian” and assistant professor in the Department of Leadership and Strategy of the John Gokongwei School of Management (JGSOM), and published by the Ateneo de Manila University-Loyola Schools.
According to Dr. Khanser, the book took two years to make and is a collaborative work between herself and her subject, Gokongwei. She said her interview sessions with Gokongwei had been “fun” because her interviewee possessed “charm” and was a “good conversationalist.” The most important discovery of Khanser during the making of the book, however, was the God-given strength she did not know she had, a strength which enabled her to finish the book.

During the launch, Dr. Germelino M. Bautista, professor in the Economics Department, spoke about how he admired Khanser’s work, her “competencies, passion and drive” as well as her “artistic eye and literary heart.”

JGSOM Dean Rodolfo P. Ang, meanwhile, recounted how JGSOM’s launch in 2002 was “more than a financial transaction” but a partnership between the Ateneo and the JGSHI to “raise the bar of education in the country.” The night’s book launch, however, raised the partnership to a higher level. As a “textbook for everyone,” the book delves into the mind of Gokongwei “to provide inspiration for young people,” Ang said.

Gov. Gabriel C. Singson, first governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, deemed it “a pleasure and a privilege” to write the foreword of the book for his “close and loyal friend” of over 20 years. He said he hopes for the book to “inspire future entrepreneurs of this country.” The book, he said, is also a part of the legacy of education where people, the youth especially, are taught how to lead. Dr. Ma. Assunta C. Cuyegkeng, VP for the Loyola Schools, and Dr. Antonette P. Angeles, academic vice president of the Ateneo also offered grateful messages to the people who worked on the book project.

Gokongwei responded by acknowledging that although entrepreneurship is not an easy path to take. He encouraged all, especially the youth, to dream, to conquer their fears and to rely on themselves. He ended his speech in jest when he said “I didn’t write the book but at least I participated in it.”

Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres, SJ, Ateneo president, capped the book launch by recognizing Gokongwei’s power to inspire. He quoted alumna and marketing wiz Roslyn Chua (BS Management 2006), marketing analyst for DHL Asia Pacific in Singapore, in a newspaper article as saying: “In the Philippines he (Gokongwei) is my idol. Like him, I want to help my fellow Filipinos by providing them with jobs.”

By Michelle Camille Correa
Acknowledgment: Anna Galvez, JGSOM

Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) and Security Land, a Security Bank subsidiary, have entered into a partnership to build Signa Designer Residences, a two-tower, high-rise, and upscale residential condominium in Makati City.

Located at the corner of Valero and Rufino streets in the Philippines’ premier financial district, the project is RLC’s first Makati City development and Security Land’s first such foray in Metro Manila.

Previously, both have partnered to construct a housing project in Davao City, an executive said.

The project is Security Land’s first major development, Jose Ma. G. Montinola, Security Land general manager, told reporters at the project’s launch held at Crowne Plaza in Ortigas, Pasig City.

Security Land owns the 2,570-square-meter property in Makati City while RLC will undertake the project’s construction.

Signa Residences will have 700 units, Mybelle Aragon-GoBio, RLC vice president for business development, said.

The smallest single-bedroom unit, with an area of 33 square meters, will be sold at P3.5 million. A two-bedroom unit with an area of 70 square meters will be sold between P6 million and P7 million. Buyers who want to have an area of 100 square meters will have to pay between P10 million and P12 million.

Turnover of the units is expected in 2015.

Various payment schemes and bank financing would be available for buyers. Pre-selling would start in the next few weeks, RLC officials said.

Both parties may also be launching a commercial, office building project in a 3,000-square-meter property owned by Security Land along Ayala Avenue in Makati City, officials said.

“This will all depend on market conditions,” Aragon Gobio said.

Besides pursuing a partnership with RLC, Security Land said it may also choose to develop its own project or partner with other developers too.

Moreover, RLC has tapped prominent Filipino architects and designers for the residential development, the first time it handpicked an exclusively Filipino team for a project.

The team will be led by architect Royal Pineda, furniture and space designer Antonio “Budji” Layug, and furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue.

In partnership with Layug, Pineda’s works go beyond Manila to span the region, including projects in Asia such as The Trees, Bangkok; Grand Napalai, Phuket; The Copper, Kuala Lumpur.

Cobonpue won in 2005 Design for Asia Award of Hong Kong, Asia’s highest award, for his Lolah chair.

Prior to this, he won 12 Mugna Awards and four Katha Awards for design excellence at the annual Philippine International Furniture Exhibition, plus a Japan Good Design Award and the first prize at the Singapore International Design Competition.

He studied industrial design at the Pratt Institute in New York, and furniture marketing and production at the Export-Akademie Baden Württemberg in Germany, and apprenticed for a leather and wood workshop in Florence, Italy.

Among Cobonpue’s clients include actor Brad Pitt and Warner Brothers.

THE GOKONGWEIS ROBINSONS LAND CORP. (RLC) yesterday launched an upscale mid-rise condominium development in Pasig, targeting young families seeking an exclusive residential enclave near the Ortigas central business district.

RLC’s new pocket development, Vimana Verde Residences, occupies a 5,255-square meter property along St. Martin St. near Valle Verde 1.

It will have three seven-story residential buildings with 80 condominium units to be sold for P5.1 million (72-square meter two-bedroom unit, including parking) to P11 million (three-bedroom two-story penthouse suites.)

The project site is near some of Metro Manila’s top schools such as La Salle Green Hills, Poveda, St. Paul’s Pasig and Lourdes. It also has easy access to the Ortigas central business district.

The project also offers cost-savings to home buyers, because the units will have bare fit-outs and can therefore be customized according to the owners’ style and preference.

The bare finish style is a key innovation that allows buyers to save about P10,000 per square meter on fit-outs that they will likely tear down anyway, RLC president Frederic Go said.

Based on recent studies by RLC, about 70-80 percent of buyers of finished condominium units prefer to bring along their personal interior decorators, so they just tear down most of what come along the unit when they are delivered.

As such, RLC is incorporating only the basic utilities to be able to price the units at Vimana lower than a completely finished unit.

The target market includes people in their late 20s to 40s with a combined monthly household income of P150,000 to P300,000, or those in the AB income segments, who can afford a monthly amortization of P50,000 to P100,000.

A minimum down payment of 20 percent is required but this can be amortized for two years. Long-term financing can be tapped for the remaining 80-percent payment.

LISTED PROPERTY developer Robinsons Land Corp. is set to launch its fifth high-rise condominium project in the upscale Bonifacio Global City in Taguig within the next three months.

Mybelle V. Aragon-Gobio, Robinsons Land vice-president for business development, said the company is scheduled to unveil a twin-tower residential project by the second quarter of this year.

Frederick D. Go, Robinsons Land president and chief operating officer, told BusinessWorld in an interview Thursday night that the company envisions a “luxury” project, with units costing a minimum of P5 million each.

“It will be called St. Regis, a name synonymous to luxury and timeless elegance,” Mr. Go said.

Last property with a view

He said St. Regis will be located at the vacant 9,118-square-meter lot located along the Millionaire’s row at the corner of McKinley Drive and Fifth Avenue, in Bonifacio Global City.

“It [the property] is seen as the last remaining premier lots that has superior vantage point in the whole Global City complex with a spectacular viewpoint of Manila Golf and Manila Polo Club,” Mr. Go said.

Planned as the “lifestyle gateway” to Global City, Robinsons Land said the lot is composed of two mega-block lots — the first measuring 5,747 square meters, and the second block measuring 3,371 square meters. Mr. Go however declined to say how much has the company allotted for the construction of St. Regis.

Robinsons Land, the real estate development arm of the family of taipan John Gokongwei, currently has three sold-out projects in Bonifacio Global City.

These are the 38-storey Fifth Avenue Place, the 43-storey Mckinley Park Residences and the 43-storey Fort Residences. Since the projects are already sold-out, Ms. Aragon-Gobio said Robinsons Land has decided to begin preselling its forth project in Fort Bonifacio, the 49-storey The Trion Towers.

MANILA, Philippines – Robinsons Land Corp. is developing seven business process outsourcing (BPO) and call center sites this year, as it takes advantage of call centers’ expansion into the provinces.

BPO and call center firms are rapidly expanding into the regions due to lower operational costs, a larger manpower pool and lower employee turnover rates.

Most firms and locators want to undertake pioneering efforts in their region of choice.

The relatively lower cost of operations here have also encouraged many firms in the US and Western Europe to outsource their operations to the Philippines, making these sites even more desirable and lucrative, Robinsons said in a statement.

“We are also giving these BPOs an opportunity to undertake pioneering efforts in our sites, a move that is very much encouraged and supported by the local government units that host our malls and office buildings,” it added.

Robinsons Land business unit General Manager Henry Yap said they are incorporating office spaces intended for BPOs and call center operators in their shopping mall developments, specifically Robinsons Luisita in Tarlac City, Robinsons Cybergate Cebu between Cebu’s Chong Hua Hospital and Fuente Osmeña.

Robinsons Cybergate Davao, along J. P. Laurel in the Bajada District, and Robinsons Cybergate Plaza in Mandaluyong City are also under construction and will be ready for occupancy by next year.

These projects are in addition to two recently completed projects in Robinsons Otis in Manila and Cybergate Tower 3 in Mandaluyong City — both now ready for occupancy.

Robinsons Land expects BPO and call center locators to gear their expansion plans towards key regional urban centers. “These areas — Cebu, Davao, Northern Luzon and the Calabarzon areas offer highly skilled human resources from prestigious schools that are highly proficient in English,” Mr. Yap said.

Robinsons Land has built BPOs and call centers in Bacolod in Negros Occidental, Lipa in Batangas, Sta. Rosa in Laguna and Cainta in Rizal. In Metro Manila, it has built Robinsons Novaliches and two Cybergate Towers within the Forum Robinsons Complex in Mandaluyong City.

Today, many of the top BPO and call centers firms in the Philippines are located in a Robinsons Land property, the company said.

“Given the limited free time of the agents, having the mall nearby address their needs like hot meals, coffee, wellness and entertainment courtesy of spas, salons and the cinemas, all offering a relaxing alternative after an eight-hour straight shift,” Mr. Yap said.

Robinsons Land is planning more buildings in the old Medical City site in Mandaluyong; along Ayala Avenue where a recent joint venture deal was entered into by the company, Security Land and Taganito Mining Corp.; and in Tacloban where a mall is now under construction.

MANILA, Philippines – Gokongwei-owned property developer Robinsons Land Corp. is giving prospective clients a virtual walk-through of its condominium projects as it tries to expand its market.

Instead of being shown model units of an unfinished condominium, clients are led to a virtual showroom that features head-mounted displays and joysticks. Flexible payment schemes are then introduced using its property investment calculator dubbed Realty Check.

Raoul E. Littaua, senior vice-president of Robinsons Land’s residential buildings division, said the virtual realty campaign seeks to encourage more interaction with its market by letting guests experience firsthand a walk-through of the company’s condominium projects.

“Virtual Realty serves as a convenient tool for us to feature Robinsons Land condominium units,” he said in a statement.

He added that through the Realty Check feature, interested buyers may gauge the investment options by using the booth’s Flash-based calculator, which gives condominium choices based on buyers’ resources and preferred locations.

“We want to change the landscape of real estate exhibits and take advantage of technology to bring informative and empowering exhibits to the market,” Mr. Littaua said.

Through the Virtual Realty booth, prospective buyers or investors have a chance to see condominium units of Robinsons Land’s three real estate properties, namely Sonata Private Residences in Ortigas Center, Pasig; Woodsville Viverde Mansions in Parañaque; and the Trion Towers located at the corner of 8th Avenue and McKinley Parkway in Taguig.

Reservation fees for condominium units in all projects cost P50,000.

Mr. Littaua said six more real estate projects would be featured in the Virtual Realty scheme in the next quarter.

“We have plans of showcasing not only condominium units, but also the amenities available for each of the projects — viewers would be able to experience walking through our gardens and lounging through our pools,” he said in an interview.

He added that they were looking at including provincial projects in the simulation by next year.

Asked whether the US recession has an impact on the business, Mr. Littaua said: “We have had a cut on American buyers, but with the local market, there has been no problem.”

He added that the company remains strong, with a five-year turnover period — three years for construction and another two years before the units are sold out.

Mall exhibits featuring the Virtual Realty booths will start on July 4 at the Atrium at Robinsons Galleria in Pasig City.

A listed company, Robinsons Land is the Gokongwei group’s corporate vehicle in the property sector.

The company has a diversified portfolio in the housing sector that caters to the upscale, mid-market and mass housing. It has a broad range of residential housing development, including socialized and low-cost housing provided under government programs that encourage home ownership.

Robinsons Land claims to be the country’s largest domestic hotel owner. It owns the Crowne Plaza, Manila Midtown Hotel and Cebu Midtown Hotel.

It also develops and operates the Robinsons shopping complexes, and has embarked on high-rise development with the Robinsons-PCI Bank Tower.

Robinsons Land Corp., the property unit of JG Summit Holdings Inc., yesterday launched its fourth residential tower at Robinsons’ Cybergate City along Pioneer, Mandaluyong.

Robinsons Land president and chief operating officer Frederick Go said the investment for Two Gateway Place was part of the P10-billion capital expenditure programmed for the year.

The 33-story residential project will have 331 units, with one or two bedrooms.

A one-bedroom unit occupies 34 square meters while two-bedroom units will fit from a range of 70 to 96 square meters.

Robinsons Land plans to sell the units at an average price of P77,000 per square meter. It aims to complete construction of Two Gateway Place by 2012.

Go said Robinsons Land implemented a 10-percent increase in the prices of the company’s residential condominium units due to higher cost of construction materials, especially cement and steel.

Go said the high cost of construction materials and possible increase in interest rates would significantly affect the growth of real estate industry.

Steel prices have doubled from their year ago levels while those of cement have gone up significantly because of increased demand.

Go said the company had secured long-term contracts with steel and cement suppliers for the company’s ongoing projects.

The six-hectare Robinsons Cybergate City is being developed as a satellite business district. The property will have 10 buildings, made up of four office buildings, one shopping mall and five residential condominiums.

There is a shopping mall, four office buildings for business process outsourcing companies and three residential towers already in place within Robinsons Cybergate City.

The three residential condominiums are One Gateway Place, Gateway Garden Ridge and Gateway Garden Heights while the BPO buildings are Cybergate Center Towers 1-2-3 and Cybergate Plaza.

Robinsons Land Corp., a Philippine real estate industry leader, formally launches The Trion Towers, its largest condominium development project at the Bonifacio Global City (BGC).

The Trion Towers is the first three-tower residential complex in BGC and is highlighted before the property market on the powerful theme of three life-nurturing essentials: Earth, Water and Sky. It is likewise anchored on a tri-axial building design that provides maximum privacy and airiness for home dwellers. All three buildings will tower at 49 storeys each.

Earth represents the wellness amenities related to land like landscaped gardens, jogging paths, bicycle tracks, play and exploring areas for children. Water encompasses aqua-based interactions like swimming, healing moments, gazing at ponds and water features. Sky points to the vast, refreshing views from the homes and Trion’s telescope-equipped Stargazers Garden, and to exquisite night lighting for the towers.

The Trion Towers strategically sits on a 9,819-square meter three-cornered lot at the BGC off the McKinley Parkway “Robinsons Land is once again delighted to present another condominium development masterpiece that fully realizes urban requirements for homes to enhance living in the practical and aesthetic sense,” states Ms. Mybelle GoBio, Robinsons Land Corporation’s Vice President for Business Development.

“Through The Trion Towers, Robinsons Land translates its vision for ‘greenlivability’ – which, for us, is the state of harmonizing home features with our clients’ desire for healthful and productive setups for life,” adds Ms. GoBio
Tri-axial design for enhanced privacy

Through a well-conceived tri-axial design, The Trion Towers radiate from the center and projects outward to make three buildings offer more privacy and more open sides for windows and expansive views

Hallways are well provided with natural lighting and ventilation from three ends. The tri-axial design allows the flexibility to have more units with balconies. The alternating balconies of the towers maximize the design and guarantee views for the residents.

In collaboration with ASYA Design Partners, Robinsons Land summons the stability and stronger stance effected by the tri-axial design on land for healthful condominium dwelling.

Trion centerpoint

At the center of the three towers is an inspiring grand garden. This feature provides a serene backdrop for dwellers coming home for rejuvenation in their Trion units. This garden is a refreshing sight most especially for owners of inner units with windows facing this centerpoint.

From this focal amenity also radiate the various retail establishments that will be set up in the building to provide service, convenience and lifestyle accents for its residents. Cafes, tea houses, health spots, specialty shops, magazine and bookstore will be on the ground floor of the buildings.

Other amenities include a gym, a mini-theater, function rooms, aerobics room, spa, game room, karaoke room, day care and library lounge.

Green Haven at the Bonifacio Global City

Living at The Trion Towers is being in proximity of the world-class distinctions of business, commercial and leisure locators at the BGC, the most modern master-planned urban space in Metro Manila.

The Trion Towers is Robinsons Land’s fourth property development at this city cosmopolis where forward-looking people converge. Bounded on one side by the McKinley Parkway, a major BGC road, The Trion Towers has unparalleled access to the best of BGC offerings, the airport and the Makati central business district.

Where BGC succeeds in providing the most green space for urban dwellers, families, and corporate people, The Trion Towers stands out as most complementary on ‘greenlivability’ and the triumph of three — with its deliberate attention on the harmony of Earth, Water and Sky .

The Trion Towers offers one, two and three-bedroom units.

It has been said that memory-that mental ability to store, retain and recall information-is a wonderful thing. In everyday life, it is that place, where we retreat to for all the things that make us feel good… about ourselves, about the people near and dear to our hearts, about this oftentime crazy world in which we live.

It is on the wings of precious memories that Robinsons Land Corp. is furthering its solid reputation as one of the country’s premiere developers of mixed-use properties, office buildings, residential condominiums, as well as land and residential housing developments. To rise soon in quaint New Manila, Quezon City, is The Magnolia Residences, the company’s latest high-rise, mixed-use development that promises to not only provide a lovely refuge from urban life’s hurly-burly without ever having to leave the city, but also stir fond feelings about returning to what may have very well been second home to many individuals.

After all, the four-tower Magnolia Residences will rise where once stood the old Magnolia Ice Cream House, the scene of many lovely moments of post-Sunday mass familial bonding over ice cream floats and yummy cobblers; of fun times with friends after a busy day at school; of important occasions such as birthdays and graduations and reunions that deserved only the sweetest treats that the city can offer.

With The Magnolia Residences, Robinsons Land is providing families and individuals another beautiful platform on which to create more memories to fondly look back on, new ones that will be no less life-affirming. “This new vertical residential development will greatly appeal to young couples and start-up families who have always made Quezon City their home, and are looking to either upgrade from their current rental or establish their own home after living with their parents,” says Robinsons Land senior vice president for sales and marketing Raoul E. Littaua.

And there is much that the future homeowner will find highly appealing, not the least of which is the fact that the residences are part of the master-planned Magnolia Town Square, envisioned to be a self-contained development with a commercial component, specifically a specialty mall, to addresses the lifestyle needs and interests of the residents. Beyond the obvious conveniences in this mixed-use approach to the development, the residential component itself offers plenty of features that will delight the market, including swimming pools for children and adults, Zen gardens, jogging paths, game rooms, multi-purpose rooms, children’s indoor and outdoor playgrounds, library and fitness centers, among others.

“Of course, another strength of Magnolia Residences is its location,” adds Littaua. “It is in a strategic spot in Quezon City, as it provides easy access to various institutions like schools and hospitals, along with key urban hubs such as Makati, Ortigas and Cubao, as well as the major modes of transportation.”

The unit mix of The Magnolia Residences includes one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and executive two- and three-bedroom configurations. The one-bedroom units range from 36 to 38.10 sqm, the two-bedroom units go from 57.15 to 71.10 sqm, while the executive two-bedroom class range from 72.90 to 90.15 sqm and the three-bedroom, from 108.10 to 114.60 sqm. Each unit will have provisions for individual electric and water meters, cable TV line, telephone line, and electrical power for owner-supplied window-type air-conditioners, while some two- and three-bedroom units will have balconies for enchanting moments in the after-hours or the early mornings, plus a utility room with a toilet.

Needless to say, however inviting all these features are of The Magnolia Residences, what potential homeowners will find ultimately most appealing is Robinsons Land’s excellent reputation as a real-estate developer. “Not only does Robinsons Land have a solid track record in terms of on-time delivery, workmanship, architectural integrity and use of high-quality and high-standard materials, but it also has a long history of building the finest master-planned communities,” says Littaua. Among the company’s current mixed-used developments are Galleria Regency in Ortigas, Otis 888 Residences and Adriatico Residences in Manila, Gateway Residences in Mandaluyong, and Woodsville Viverde Mansions in Parañaque, all of which either have sold-out or have only a few units left that haven’t been snapped up by the market.

No doubt, with its excellent features and provisions, and the name of Robinsons Land Corp. behind it, The Magnolia Residences will soon become the home of many families eager to add more to the fond memories they have of the precious spot in New Manila.