ON GENERAL PROPERTY
SMS Global Technologies Inc. urges for a shared infrastructure among telecom operators in order to help improve connectivity and create consistent coverage in high-rise developments.
According to Christian Anthony Angeles, the president of SMS Global Technologies, the company could aid developers design, build, operate, and maintain the common distributed antenna system (CDAS) so that they have a single point of contact. A CDAS is said to be the “solution that amplifies in-building coverage” that can propagate multiple telcos signals.
President Angeles also shares that this aims to have every Filipino stay connected at home in their condominium or at their office. High-speed connectivity is seen as one of the most important necessities in today’s society that must be readily available at all times.
Globe’s vision is “to build a digital Philippines, one building at a time,” president Angeles said.
ON INDUSTRIAL
NLEX Corporation has become the first and only tollway in the Philippines to be ISO 39001-certified.
The tollway firm has passed rigorous audits and has been awarded the ISO 39001: 2012 Road Traffic Safety Management System (TSMS) certification “for effective road safety standards and initiatives, reducing fatalities and serious injuries from road accidents.”
Furthermore, the company has complied with the Five Pillars for Road Safety of the United Nations which are: safety management, safer roads and mobility, safer vehicles, safer road users, and post-crash response.
NLEX has also been recertified for ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018 for its integrated management systems on quality, environment, and occupational health and safety.
ON OFFICE
Philippine office demand for 2021 is already 38% higher than the full-year 2020 figure, considering the year has not yet ended. Currently, the year-to-date office demand is at 539,000 sqm compared to 2020’s figure of 389,000 sqm.
Despite the peaks and drops in demand this year, take-up at year-end will surpass projections according to the study done by Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC). Take-ups would have been higher if it weren’t for the lockdowns in the third quarter.
Take-ups are mostly from IT-Business Process Management (IT-BPM) firms, even during the height of the pandemic. As long as outsourcing remains a viable solution for firms in the West, IT-BPMs will drive demand in the office segment.
LPC’s study projects that IT-BPMs will take up at least 54K sqm of the office space with a projected total demand from this category at 229K sqm.
ON RESIDENTIAL
With the Metro Manila subway stations underway, interest in residential projects near these areas has increased.
Residential properties near bus routes and train rails are usually considered “luxury” properties with prices exceeding P10M.
The Metro Manila Subways is a 36-kilometer rail line that connects Quezon City to Ninoy Aquino International Airport with a reduced travel time of 30 minutes. This is attractive for residents that require a lot of traveling overseas, especially when the pandemic ends.
The 17-station subway is scheduled to be fully operational by 2025. Partial operations of the first three stations are expected as early as 2023.
ON RETAIL
Billionaire Manuel B. Villar plans to aggressively open more branches in 2022 while preparing the initial public offering (IPO) of his famous Coffee Project.
Villar wants to ride the economic recovery in the coming years by targeting to open 10 more branches of AllHome Corporation and newly-listed AllDay Marts Inc. He noted that foot traffic in their retail businesses under AllValue Holdings Corporation has recovered to pre-pandemic levels during the fourth quarter of this year. Their malls under Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc. have also recovered their foot traffic of pre-pandemic levels.
Moreover, Villar is also considering the acquisition of their growing number of upscale cafe-resto concepts by Coffee Project while preparing for its “small” IPO. It is anticipated that by the time of its release, there will be at least 100 branches of Coffee Project by then.
Sources:
Abadilla, E. V. (2021, December 09). NLEX, 1st ISO-Certified Tollway. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from https://mb.com.ph/2021/12/09/nlex-1st-iso-certified-tollway/
Cahiles-Magkilat, B. (2021, December 06). Office demand higher than expected - study. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from https://mb.com.ph/2021/12/06/office-demand-higher-than-expected-study/
Loyola, J. A. (2021, December 05). Villar's retail empire expanding, plans new IPO. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from https://mb.com.ph/2021/12/05/villars-retail-empire-expanding-plans-new-ipo/
Neil. (2021, November 29). Shared telecommunications infrastructure pushed for high-rise developments. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from https://www.bworldonline.com/shared-telecommunications-infrastructure-pushed-for-high-rise-developments/
Residential projects get a boost from planned Metro Manila Subway. (2021, November 22). Retrieved December 13, 2021, from https://www.bworldonline.com/residential-projects-get-a-boost-from-planned-metro-manila-subway/