Davao developers eye child-friendly villages
(Source: Edge Davao/14 September 2009)

WHILE building of high-end subdivisions and condominiums is a trend in Davao, real property builders are also keeping their task of building low-end housing projects for tens of thousands of poor and middle-income families still without homes.

Carlos Vargas, president of the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders Associations (Creba), said there are low-cost housing projects already ongoing in different parts of the region as developers want to reach out to all sectors and help in the building of communities.
DMCI project manager Leonora Gutierrez said their low-end projects whose horizontal development has started are located in a two-and a-half hectare property in barangay Lizada, in Toril District, Davao City and another one-a-half hectare in Bato-bato, San Isidro, Davao Oriental.

She said DMCI also donated to the Davao City government a 10-hectare lot in Mintal that will be devoted to projects that will benefit the general public.

The company’s 50-hectare durian farm in Catalunan Pequeno district is scheduled to be converted into an upscale residential subdivision. This is a unique project as the lots will include an orchard of fruits, such a durian farm.

She said they have other projects and this include medium-rise condominium buildings just outside of Davao City’s downtown area.

Marydict Togonon-Vicente, CREBA vice president and head of MT Properties Management and Brokerage, said her firm is currently negotiating for lands in barangay Indangan in Buhangin District. The lots owned by different persons add up to 35 hectares that would be good for a housing project.

Ms Vicente said her company will give emphasis on the development of child-friendly villages which will have enough spaces for playground and picnic areas other than the usual clubhouse and swimming pool.

She said these villages would also be used to revive Pinoy games that kids love to play.
Property developers have realized that home buyers are now know what amenities to look for in subdivisions being offered to them, Ms Vicente said.

Vargas said the trend now is for the developers to showcase the subdivision facilities and amenities to buyers. “Buyers now are keen on this and they really ask and look for it,” he said

Gutierrez said as far as their company is concerned, they put in first the amenities so the buyers would see for themselves and check on these structures even as she said that it really helped them in their marketing.

CREBA is not only an association of companies that deals with the construction of housing units but also embarks on advocacies that would mobilize the communities and come up with projects related to concerns for the general welfare like environment and livelihood.
The CREBA he said is building its membership of real property builders and among those that are already part of the group are the Alsons Properties, DMCI, Camella Homes, Robinsons, 8990 -Deca Homes, Sta. Lucia, Filinvest Land, Inc. and many more

The law requires that homebuilders must allocate about 20 percent to low-end housing projects.