Old street in Davao City witnesses construction frenzy

Businessworld -- The old Claveria street renamed as Claro M. Recto at this city’s central business district is going through a revival with new structures on the rise.

Between now and next year, two business hotels are expected to open on the street, just among the many changes taking place.

Hotel Uno of 3S Realty Corp. will open within this month in time for the annual ‘Kadayawan sa Dabaw,’ said Jason C. Magnaye, chief of the Davao City Investment and Promotions Center.

Early next year, Davao Rogienel Corp. will then open its three-storey, 50-room Brooklyn and Walters Hotel, the company’s second hotel on the stretch.

It already opened last year the 50-room Blue Velvet hotel located just two blocks from the planned structure.

The P80-million Hotel Uno, which sits on a 3,726-square-meter lot, has 148 rooms, said Mr. Magnaye.

Neil S. Oropesa, president of Davao Rogienel, told BusinessWorld his company is committed to “revive” the old Claveria St., saying and that the new hotel’s inauguration would coincide with the opening of a small shopping mall on the same street also run by his company.

The mall, which will have about 3,800 square meters in leasable space, is near the three largest universities in the Davao Region and just a short walk from city hall.

Mr. Oropesa said his company decided to evaluate the investment prospects of Claveria St. noting he wants to “make a difference” in making the city’s old business enclave maintain its relevance.

Also investing in a project along the street is Avida Land, Inc., a subsidiary of Ayala Land Inc.

The firm nannounced it would build a twin-tower condominium in the area after it acquired a 6,000-square-meter lot from the Bank of Philippine Islands, also an Ayala company.

The project, the second for Avida Land in this part of the country, will have 1,053 residential units and would have modern amenities.

The company, whose timetable is to start the project early next year or late this year, is still waiting for the approval of its application for permits from city hall, said Apollo B. Tanco, its strategic management head.

Regarded as the busiest thoroughfare here notwithstanding its old structures, including some which are now dilapidated, Claveria St. is host to close to 40 bank offices, with most banking institutions maintaining two branches in a stretch less than a kilometer long. The street also hosts Marco Polo Hotel and Ateneo de Davao University.

For latest update on real estate development and its RA 9646, the Real Estate Service Act of 2009, visit www.ra9646.com.

Good for 11.7 MONTHS OF IMPORTS: July int’l reserves hit $79.3B

Manila Standard - The country’s preliminary gross international reserves (GIR) rose to $79.3 billion as of end-July 2012, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed.

This is higher by $3.2 billion than the end-June 2012 GIR of $76.1 billion.  It has already breached BSP’s full-year forecast of between $77.5 and $78 billion.

BSP Governor Amando Tetangco said that the end-July 2012 GIR level could adequately cover 11.7 months worth of imports of goods and payments of services and income.
It is also equivalent to 10.7 times the country’s short-term external debt based on original maturity and 6.4 times based on residual maturity.2

Short-term debt based on residual maturity refers to outstanding external debt with original maturity of one year or less, plus principal payments on medium- and long-term loans of the public and private sectors falling due within the next 12 months.

He said that the increase in the end-July 2012 GIR level was due mainly to the foreign exchange operations of the BSP, foreign currency deposits by the Treasurer of the Philippines (TOP), income from investments abroad of the BSP, and revaluation gains on the BSP’s gold holdings arising from the increase in the price of gold in the international market.

 “These were partially offset, however, by outflows for the payments by the National Government (NG) of its maturing foreign exchange obligations and foreign currency withdrawals by authorized agent banks (AABs),” Tetangco said.

Net international reserves (NIR), which include revaluation of reserve assets, increased by $3.2 billion to reach $79.3 billion as of end-July 2012, compared to the end-June 2012 NIR of $76.1 billion.
NIR refers to the difference between the BSP’s GIR and total short-term liabilities.

Tetangco said that the country’s external payments position “continue to benefit from large OFW remittances, rising BPO earnings and the strong capital inflows.”

Remittances coursed through banks during the first five months of the year amounted to $8.3 billion, higher by 5.3 percent relative to the level registered in the same period a year ago.
Fund transfers from land-based workers increased by 2.8 percent to $6.4 billion while those from sea-based workers grew by 14.6 percent to $1.9 billion.

Meanwhile, the Philippines registered lower balance of payments (BOP) surplus last June at $14 million, lower than year-ago’s $222 million and month-ago’s $138 million.

BOP is the difference between a country’s foreign exchange inflows and outflows on a particular period and represents the country’s total transactions with the rest of the world.

Last June, the central bank trimmed, among others, the BOP target for this year to $2.6 billion from $2.8 billion on account of the weak global economy.

For latest update on real estate development and its RA 9646, the Real Estate Service Act of 2009, visit www.ra9646.com.

Housing starts rise in July

Businessworld - BUILDERS BEGAN work on 35% more housing projects last month than in June despite the onset of the rainy season, industry researcher BCI Asia said in a statement last week.

Construction starts in the residential sector reportedly increased to P5.6 billion in July from P4.1 billion in June.

“Residential construction starts short-term growth can be partly attributed to perceived economic growth of our country, and stable OFW (overseas Filipino workers’) remittances,” Ian Paolo Reyes, chief data analyst of BCI Asia Philippines, said in the statement.

Based on BCI Asia research, 85% of residential construction start projects in July were classified as small, while 4% were medium, and 11% were large projects.

“Small residential projects are helping to push the growth of residential construction,” Mr. Reyes said.

“These small projects are very responsive to economic conditions. They have short lead time from concept stage to construction stage, meaning they start soon after being planned,” he said.

“This is also to say that when economic short-term performance is good, we usually see more of these types of projects,” he added.

“[With] large projects, we cannot expect [construction for] them to start right away because stakeholders would want to assure that the long term demand in housing is continuous and stable,” he said further.

Earlier, the firm said total construction starts in June, which includes the public sector’s projects, totaled P4.5 billion, a 56% increase from May.

For latest update on real estate development and its RA 9646, the Real Estate Service Act of 2009, visit www.ra9646.com.

Interesting Times With President Aquino

Chaff from the Grain By FORMER PRESS SECRETARY HECTOR R.R. VILLANUEVA

August 6, 2012

 

“There is only one step from the sublime to the ridiculous.”
— Napoleon Bonaparte

PRESIDENT Benigno Simeon Aquino III, like a man possessed, promises exciting times and more fun for his “bosses,” the masses, except those caught in the crosshair of his ire.

As John Steinbeck, in his best-selling novel “The Grapes of Wrath” on the tragic hardships of the Great Depression of the nineteen-thirties, had written, “A man got to do what he got to do.” Thus, President Benigno Aquino, in his zeal to pursue his straight-path mantra, seems bent not only on upsetting traditional institutions and norms but also on upending the etiquette of good manners and right conduct.

When President Aquino deliberately snubbed and ignored the sitting Chief Justice at his inauguration, and successfully engineered the impeachment and ouster of the same Chief Justice, and short-circuited the detention and incarceration of former President Gloria Arroyo, it was a classic example of the arrogant exercise of power.

In the process, the President is not only revising the political rules of engagement, to the chagrin of many politicians, but is also beginning to reveal an authoritarian streak, inherited from his “cacique” upbringing, which must have been repressed or dormant during his unremarkable and forgettable years in the House of Representatives and the Philippines Senate.

Be that as it may, the Philippines for the first time ever, has a maverick leader who not only appears disinterested in serving beyond 2016 but is also revealing previously undetected personality traits. He is obdurate, unafraid, unimpressed, and unintimidated by money, political dynasties, Big Business, taipans, power brokers, rebels, or trapo politicians.

In fact, President Benigno Aquino III appears diffident and does not seem to care, or give a hoot, towards any of these pressure groups as he focuses mainly on his perceived political enemies, detractors, and critics from the previous administration.

On the contrary, it is the traditional pressure groups, whether tycoons, political dynasts, senators, congressmen, justices, judges, parvenus, has-beens, and religious sects that appear intimidated by President Aquino’s penchant for rudeness and ruthlessness. Most have opted for prudence and a wait-and-see attitude.

Thus far, whatever President Aquino wants, Mr. Aquino gets, by whatever means that will justify the ends,  which is highly alarming.

In brief, any business conglomerate bigwig with vast holdings to conserve, or political dynasties with constituencies to protect, will not dare tangle with, or cross swords with President Aquino at this time.
While these novel and refreshing developments are revitalizing the nation which should result in less corruption and better governance, the propensity of President Aquino to use and mobilize the entire resources of the government to persecute his political foes regardless of the means and the rule of law, is symptomatic of autocratic tendencies that will put freedom at risk.

On the other hand, the masses do not care one way or the other, provided there is food on the table, regardless of the political system in place, or, to paraphrase again a dictum of President John F. Kennedy, “A free society that cannot help the many who are poor will not be able to save the few who are rich.”
When all is said and done, these are exciting times that bear close watching as President Benigno Aquino thrashes and slashes away at the weeds of corruption and at his political foes that can lead to abuse of power and loss of liberty.

There is method in his madness.

You be the judge.

For latest update on real estate development and its RA 9646, the Real Estate Service Act of 2009, visit www.ra9646.com.

The Building By The River

Lobby of the Post Office

Manila Bulletin - Earlier this year, the Manila Central Post Office was in the news.  A leading hotel chain was reportedly interested in leasing the structure to convert it into a hotel. First, it was all rumors and names of various hoteliers cropped up. But it was not too long ago, and perhaps after a few pundits have guessed correctly, that it was the group behind Fullerton Hotel. It was not too hard to guess, for Fullerton in Singapore is housed in a former Post Office building.

If an international hotel brand was interested in the Manila Post Office, I suddenly became curious about the building. I remember when I was in college, going home from school, I take the LRT daily at around 5 p.m. After Central Station, the train goes to Carriedo. In that short span of time and length between two stations and the Pasig River, the view becomes majestic: The Manila Central Post Office suddenly breaks the concrete gray landscape bringing a golden glow to the panoramic windows of the train. I don’t know if it has something to do with sunsets but the Post Office stood majestically along the Pasig River, as if it is new.  It is a view I love, and anticipate every time I pass by.

So one afternoon, I met with PhilPost Postmaster General Josie dela Cruz, who was former Governor of Bulacan.

“Actually, there are various reports about the conversion of the Post Office building into a hotel. However, these are all speculations as Malacañang, that is President Aquino who formed a Task Force, who has the final say on how this building will be utilized in the future,” said Ms. Dela Cruz. “It will take a lot of consideration but the utmost priority is that the structure should be preserved as this is a heritage building. To be clear about it, the building would not be demolished.”

A heritage building, the Manila Post Office is not a posh destination. If you are expecting chandeliers, carpeted marble floors, or an airconditioned lobby, better head to the Manila Hotel. But if you want to see architecture, read history, or feel the grandness of a Neo-Classical building, then a visit to this part of Manila is a must.

The first time I stepped inside, what really impressed me was the high ceiling. It was a hot afternoon yet a soft breeze circulated in the air. Even though age and tear seemed to appear in some cracks in the walls or floors, the overall feeling of grandness and strength was there.  I can only assume that it is the vision of noted Architect Juan M. Arellano, who was trained in the U.S. in 1927 and influenced by the Art Deco movement of that era.

The building was finished in 1931, destroyed during the WW2, and reconstructed again in the late 40’s.  It has a rectangular shape with two semi-circular drums on each end and has an atrium in the middle that provides natural ventilation and light.

The “American” style of the Post Office Building can be seen as you walk pass the mighty columns. Looking up, it soars above and carries a majestic roof. Anyone who will pass by these columns would feel important—perhaps also underscoring the importance of communications through letters and the urgency of hearing from someone so far away.

“The PhilPost is very privileged to be housed in such a storied structure. However, with the changing times and streamlining of our operations, PhilPost can function efficiently even with half of the space provided to us by the present building,” said Ms. Dela Cruz.

She added that the upkeep of the structure and the utilities cost are very enormous that’s why it was recommended that the Manila Post Office Building be leased out to a company or another government agency who can better utilize its five floors.

As of press time, PhilPost is still waiting for Malacañang’s directive, yet for the meantime, Ma’am Josie has already pushed the agency forward by introducing new reforms and making the postal system work efficiently once again, even amidst modern technology.  But for the rest of us, whether we are architecture, history, or stamp enthusiasts, the Manila Post Office reminds us of a time when there were grand things in plan for Manila.

Whatever the future may bring, the building will hopefully stand as a gleaming beacon for generations of Filipinos to appreciate, from sunrise to sunset.

For latest update on real estate development and its RA 9646, the Real Estate Service Act of 2009, visit www.ra9646.com.

The alternative workplace

Philippine Daily Inquirer - The rising cost of prime property, an unpredictable world economy and the need to improve profit margins within a global market of constantly changing technology have driven businesses to rethink the way they configure their office spaces. Enter the Alternative Workplace Strategies.

Alternative Workplace Strategies is the term coined to define the combination of nontraditional work practices, environments and schedules that supplement or replace the workings of a traditional office work environment. It breaks the seemingly invincible bond between workplace and work performance.

While the conventional model of having the worker present in his workplace is a big factor in the measure of his performance, AWS goes beyond this traditional concept and allows for alternative arrangements and performance metrics, enabling companies to churn out as much productivity from their staff despite their “absence.”

More popular models

With this system, there is an opportunity to reorganize workspace configurations better, utilizing lesser square footage of expensive corporate real estate. Of the various models for AWS, the more popular ones are:

• “Flex-work” arrangements, or “Flexi-time” as locally known, which allows employees to choose the time they will report to work;

• “BYOG,” or “bring your own gadget,” wherein the employees make use of their personal computing equipment for work—giving them more freedom as to where to take their work, and reducing the employer’s concerns on equipment safekeeping, software costs and gadget upgrades;

• “Hoteling or “Hot desking,” where nondedicated and nonpermanent workstations are “booked” on a first-come, first-serve basis;/

• “Free address,” where workers or teams sort out their table assignments or workstations on the workday itself;

• “Desk sharing,” where two or more employees share a table or workstation based on an agreed schedule of use; and,

• “Work from home” programs, wherein employees do just that, and come to the office periodically, for reporting, meetings and other collaborations.

While AWS can drive significant costs out of a business through space reduction, it can also affect the level of productivity, especially when new policies are in and the workforce is still adapting to its unconventional work environment—or seeming lack of it. Aside from HR-related issues and policies that may arise from AWS, a critical factor in the success of the model is the planning of the workplace itself.

Since AWS promotes largely a remote, free-style employee lifestyle, a workplace for AWS must then be able to support activities that enhance the presence of the work team. In effect, it  must encourage a very active environment that fosters discussions, collaborative activities and the sharing of information.

Bring the best out of workforce

As the office space itself has become less necessary, the configuration and aesthetics become even more essential in luring people in and making the work environment still well worth going to. Until such time that businesses can exist without collaboration, office spaces will exist to bring the best out of the workforce.

One person may generate a great idea alone, but it takes highly collaborative, work-life balanced and globally aware teams to make an idea tangible.  So while new AWS concepts may still develop into fresher models with a growing mobile workforce, the inspiring and collaborative office environment will have to forever be there.

Contact the author through designdimensions@abi.ph or through our Asuncion Berenguer Facebook account.

For latest update on real estate development and its RA 9646, the Real Estate Service Act of 2009, visit www.ra9646.com.

VP Binay taps LGUs in campaign against squatting syndicates, professional squatters

Daily Tribune - Vice President Jejomar Binay has tapped local government units in the drive against squatting syndicates and professional squatters, saying the active participation of LGUs is crucial in the national government’s anti-squatting campaign.

“It is the LGUs that can immediately identify and stop these criminal elements at the first sign of illegal activity,” he said.

To encourage LGUs to participate, Binay, the chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), launched the National Drive Against Professional Squatters and Squatting Syndicates’ (NDAPSSS) Best Practices Award for 2012.

The NDAPSSS, established under Executive Order 153 series of 2002, is an inter-agency task force composed of 11 national government agencies with HUDCC as the lead agency. The contest is open to LGUs with existing departments/groups tasked to address the housing concerns of their localities.

The housing czar said  since its establishment, NDAPSSS has been engaged in capacity-building programs that aim to increase awareness of LGUs and government housing project beneficiaries on their role in combating squatting syndicates and professional squatters.

“We conduct seminar-trainings and community dialogs that help the participants detect the modus operandi of squatting syndicates and their cohorts, including detection of fake and spurious land titles,” he said.
The Vice President added winners of the contest will receive plaques and cash awards that may be used to strengthen their programs on anti-squatting.

“For details of the contest mechanics and for more information, interested participants may contact the HUDCC Legal Services Group/ Anti-squatting Group at telephone numbers (02)812-0735 and (02)817-6995 or you may visit their office on 9th and 15th floors, BDO Plaza, Paseo de Roxas corner Makati Avenue, Makati City,” he said.

For latest update on real estate development and its RA 9646, the Real Estate Service Act of 2009, visit www.ra9646.com.