Experts Share Key Trends In PH Real Estate

 

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The rise of millennial travelers, Filipinos’ increasing spending power, and aggressive expansion of commercial property developers in cities outside Metro Manila—these are just some of the key trends discussed during the Asia Pacific Real Estate Investment Summit Thursday. Lamudi Philippines (www.lamudi.com.ph) managing director Jacqueline van den Ende moderated the discussion on these key trends.


Retail

According to Lourdes Alano, vice-president for leasing at Robinsons Land Corp., key trends in retail include expansion outside Metro Manila due to rising land values within the capital, the rise of community malls, expansion of convenience store chains driven in part by the 24-hour BPO economy, and the increasing competition due to new retail channels such as podium retail-space in mixed-used condo developments and online channels.


Hospitality

Al Legaspi, chief operating officer of Ayala Land Hotels and Resorts, said that the 10 million foreign visitors target is a bit of a stretch, given that the country has so far only managed to attract half of that number. However, despite this domestic and foreign tourism is growing. Cebu, for example, experiences plenty of demand in hotel rooms, according to Legapsi, where occupancy rates in Ayala’s hotels in the city reaching 80 percent.

DOE Welcomes Zenaida Monsada As Its First Woman Secretary

 

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Energy welcomes its first woman Secretary as President Benigno S. Aquino III sworn in the newly appointed Zenaida Y. Monsada on 23 October 2015 at Malacanan Palace.

Prior to her appointment, Secretary Monsada served as the DOE’s Officer-in-Charge (OIC) since July 2015 and is tasked to make key decisions and set priorities as well as execute operational management of the Department. Alongside the OIC task, she was also the Undersecretary for four frontline Bureaus of the DOE, namely: the Electric Power Industry Management Bureau, Energy Resources Development Bureau, Oil Industry Management Bureau, and the Renewable Energy Management Bureau.

Among her 13 predecessors, Sec. Monsada is also the first DOE head who rose from the ranks. As part of the DOE, she is a member of various inter-agency/international committees and working groups representing the DOE such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (Phil.), Tripartite Council for Biofuels, Technical Committee on Petroleum Products and Additives (Chair), Harmonization of Vehicle Standards and Regulations, and the Partnership for Clean Air/Clean Air Asia Initiative, to name a few.

Sec. Monsada led the creation of the DOE’s national petroleum testing laboratory and the acquisition/operation of the mobile testing facility. She also facilitated the institutionalization of the multi-sectoral advocacy campaign on the downstream oil industry, and was part of the “Benchmarking of Biodiesel Fuel Standardization in East Asia” of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia.

Power Mac Center Launches Apple Watch in the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Get to experience first hand the Apple Watch because the long wait is over. You get to finally hold and wear the different models as you choose among the many varieties which one you will be bringing home to enjoy along with your iPhone.

Apple Watch has finally arrived at Power Mac Center, the premier Apple partner in the Philippines. There were several months of anticipation following its worldwide launch in March and the Philippines only got to have it available to the public on October 23, 2015 at Power Mac Center’s flagship store in Greenbelt 3.

According to the Power Mac Center CEO, Lawrence Sison, the Trinoma branch is also offering them, except for the Apple Watch Edition, simultaneously with the launch at Greenbelt 3. Greenbelt offers all three: Apple Watch Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch Edition.

I happened to be the very first to try them out when it opened to the media and guest during its launch. Celebrity Marc Nelson was first to sign up to try the Apple Watch but I came in second. Fortunately, the watches I requested came first before Marc's so I am proud to say that I was the very first to actually experience wearing the Apple Watch, all three kinds. I took photos and videos so I can boast that I have proof of my statements. Lol!

The cover photo above is (L-R) Anthony George Constantino, Power Mac Center Campaigns Manager, Power Mac Center brand ambassador Champ Lui Pio, and Power Center CEO Lawrence Sison. Champ was the third person to buy an Apple Watch from the store, though technically he may be the second since the first one bought an Apple Watch Sport. Meanwhile, I am still waiting for Santa Claus to grant my wish this Christmas since I have been "nice" and not "naughty" all throughout the year.