Property Guru Names Cebu Landmasters as 2019 Best Developer
Leading local developer in VisMin Cebu Landmasters Inc. (PSE: CLI) bested established national industry players and was named Best Developer (Philippines) at the 7th Annual Property Guru Philippines Property Awards presented by global brand Kohler last July 5 in Makati.
The listed company is the first-ever winner of the Best Developer (Philippines) title to hail from the Queen City of the South and will represent the country in the prestigious Property Guru Asia Pacificwide grand finals in Bangkok, Thailand in November to be participated by different property markets around the region.
“We are deeply honored to be awarded as the country’s top developer,” said CLI CEO Jose Soberano III. “This would not have been possible without the efforts of our team and the support of our customers and industry partners. This validates the strength of our growing position as the leading player in the Visayas and Mindanao Region. We look forward to more milestones.”
CLI also bagged the top honors for its New York-inspired 38 Park Avenue development, which was also named as Best High-End Condominium Development (Cebu).
Casa Mira Towers Labangon was further cited as Highly Commended for Best Affordable Condominium Development (Cebu), and MesaTierra Garden Residences was Highly Commended for Best Condominium Development (Davao).
The awards’ independent panel of judges pointed out that “Cebu Landmasters’ projects capture the imagination magnificently.”
During the awards night, CLI’s vice president for engineering Engr. Jun Capistrano—who received the award on behalf of the company—said: “We’re just a 15-year-old company and relatively new in the real estate industry. We are overwhelmed to have received these honors.” The company is the firstever winner of the Best Developer (Philippines) title to hail from the Queen City of the South.
From its initial public offering in June 2017 that raised over PhP2.15 billion for the company, Cebu Landmasters expanded rapidly to key VisMin cities and has become the leading developer in the region, according to a 2017 market study of Santos Knight Frank. It has also forged strategic alliances with international and local partners in growing and diversifying its development portfolio.
In 2018, the company launched a wide range of projects and expanded its residential condominiums and subdivisions to key cities in the Visayas-Mindanao area, as well as introduced more hotels and mixed-use projects. Last year, CLI also unveiled its first township development—the Davao Global Township—which is envisioned to transform the Davao Golf Club into an iconic central business district in the emerging growth area of Davao City.
CLI also won “Special Recognition in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)” award. The company sets aside 1% of its net income after tax to its various CSR activities through the Cebu Landmasters Foundation. Its Dual Training System of Center of Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE) program, offers scholarships to mostly out-of-school youth who can also be future employees for CLI’s various projects that require skilled workers and technicians. Each course will run for 15 months for every batch. The pioneer group started the program in June this year.
CLI employees also undertake an annual tree planting initiative in protected watershed areas and near the project locations as well as Charity Runs, a fun run, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Cebu for the benefit of marginalized and special children.
At the recent Annual Stockholders’ Meeting held in Cebu, CLI reported a net income growth of 72% in 2018 to PhP2.17 billion from PhP1.26 billion in 2017. Net income attributable to parent on the other hand increased by 30% to PhP1.67 billion in 2018 from PhP1.28 billion in 2017. The company also saw a 29% hike in reservation sales from PhP7.6 billion in 2017 to PhP9.8 billion. Soberano attributed this growth to the company’s commitment to project delivery.
