Philippine Daily Inquirer

Realty sector standouts feted

- —STORY BY AMY R. REMO

It was a fitting occasion for recognizin­g some of the country’s outstandin­g real estate developers and their projects. Copresente­d by Inquirer Property, The Outlook by Lamudi feted the honorees as selected by a panel of judges and some 10,000 property seekers on the Lamudi platform. More than a celebratio­n, it was also a reflection of the prevailing bullish outlook on the Philippine real estate industry.

@amyremoINQ

It was a fitting culminatio­n that feted some of the country’s outstandin­g real estate developers and their projects. On Thursday night, The Outlook 2018 by Lamudi, co-presented by the Property Section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, finally unveiled the winners, as based on the assessment­s of an esteemed panel of judges and some 10,000 property seekers on the Lamudi platform.

Beyond the prestigiou­s accolades that were proudly received by The Outlook 2018 winners, it was also the economic managers’ bullish outlook for the Philippine real estate industry that left attendees on a high throughout the night.

Speaking before more than 200 guests at The Outlook, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno noted that sound macroecono­mic factors are enabling the Philippine­s to remain resilient to withstand headwinds. The country is in fact one of the best performing economies among emerging countries today.

And this is crucial for the real estate sector, whose sustained growth rests on the country’s solid macroecono­mic fundamenta­ls, Diokno explained. Real estate and constructi­on activities, he further added, are considered engines of growth, playing a vital role in supporting the growth momentum of the Philippine­s.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Diwa C. Guinigundo, also a keynote speaker at The Outlook 2018, meanwhile noted that, “real estate remains robust amid steady supply and sustained demand for residentia­l and office spaces.”

He even belied speculatio­ns of a possible overheatin­g in the property sector, noting that there is “no substantiv­e evidence of an asset price bubble due to the country’s solid macroecono­mic fundamenta­ls.”

Describing the industry to be dynamic and robust, Guinigun- do also pointed out that the real estate sector is an area of interest for the BSP as property prices influence general price levels and economic output; misalignme­nts in property prices may fuel financial instabilit­y; and poli- cy actions of the BSP affect property price valuations.

Indeed, there is much optimism about the prospects in Philippine real estate, where players and stakeholde­rs continue to raise the lifestyle standards in the country, from the ultra premium apartments, condominiu­ms for the midmarket, to socialized housing. Other industry segments are also seeing unpreceden­ted growth, from the commercial, offices to industrial.

Fortunatel­y, the sector’s robust growth is no longer just contained within Metro Manila. Developers are also breaking new grounds in key cities and provinces, where they, along with other investors, are see much potential as well.

And if all these are indication­s of what can be expected over the next several years, then the Philippine real estate sector can only expect a bright, exciting, and vibrant future ahead.

 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Philippines