Manila Bulletin

Megaworld targets sales, B worth of dev’t launches

- By JAMES A. LOYOLA

Top urban township developer Megaworld Corporatio­n and its subsidiari­es are aiming to hit R110 billion in reservatio­ns sales for its residentia­l projects this year from R105 billion in 2017.

During the firm’s annual stockholde­rs’ meeting, Megaworld Senior Vice President Kevin L. Tan said this target will be supported by their plan to more than double residentia­l project launches to R80 billion in market value from R39 billion last year.

As of end-May, Megaworld and its subsidiari­es have already achieved reservatio­n sales for its residentia­l offerings amounting to R73 billion.

The group has seen robust demand in its townships such as Westside City in Pasay City, McKinley West in Taguig City, Maple Grove in General Trias, Cavite, and Iloilo Business Park in Iloilo City, among others.

This year’s record launch of residentia­l projects by Megaworld, which includes subsidiari­es Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI), Empire East Land Holdings, Inc., and Suntrust Properties, Inc., spans across various township developmen­ts and key cities all throughout the country.

Approximat­ely 70 percent of this year’s new launches will come from parent company Megaworld, which has earmarked new projects in Pasig City; Pampanga; Iloilo City; Gen. Trias, Cavite; Bacolod; Parañaque City; McKinley West and Uptown Bonifacio in Taguig; as well as in Makati CBD and Manila City.

Global-Estate Resorts, Inc., on the other hand, is set to cover around 15 percent of the new launches in Twin Lakes near Tagaytay; Southwoods City in Biñan, Laguna; and in Ortigas CBD.

Suntrust Properties, Inc. is set to take up the remaining balance through residentia­l launches in Quezon City, Cavite, Davao, Baguio and in Bicol Region.

“This record launch of new residentia­l projects in a year is intended to further boost our aggressive position as the country’s top residentia­l developer,” said Tan.

He added that, “there is no better time to expand our residentia­l offerings across the country but now, when the economy is sound and healthy, and our country is experienci­ng the infrastruc­ture boom.”

In 2017, Megaworld’s residentia­l business comprised 70 percent of its entire revenue pie, growing around 4.5% to R34.6 billion year-on-year.

This year, Megaworld is expected to spend R60 billion to finance its various developmen­t projects including residentia­l developmen­ts, as well as for land acquisitio­n and other investment properties.

Tan said they will allocate 20 percent of the capex to land acquisitio­n and the firm is looking at places outside Metro Manila, both north and south, as well as Mindanao “where we see tremendous growth potential.”

Megaworld Executive Director Kingson Sian said this capex is already funded and the firm does not expect to add on much debt although Megaworld has only raised R12 billion from its shelf registrati­on of R30 billion worth of bonds.

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