The various infrastructure projects in Central Luzon are expected to help stimulate business activities in the region.
There is much optimism riding on the government’s thrust to push development outside the metro.
Apart from the promise of poverty reduction and sustainable, inclusive growth for many Filipinos, this thrust is also expected to give investors, be it local or foreign, a fresh impetus to look to the countryside for their expansion requirements.
That’s because the current administration’s direction to decentralize and build critical infrastructure across the country is seen to help “unlock land values in areas outside of Metro Manila and stimulate business activities in the countryside.”
Fast growing
Take the case of Central Luzon, reportedly one of the country’s fastest growing regions.
In 2016 alone, Central Luzon’s economy grew by 9.5 percent, surpassing the national GDP of 6.5 percent for that year, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
With the different economic zones scattered across the region, Central Luzon remains an attractive location, be it to foreign investors wanting to set up facilities in the country, or to local companies looking to take advantage of the brisk business activities in the area.
But what further draws more new investors to Central Luzon today is the anticipation of key infrastructure projects in the region, specifically the expansion of the Clark International Airport in Pampanga, and the Manila-Clark Railway Project, which is expected to cut the two-hour travel time from Manila to Clark to a mere 55 minutes.
This is perhaps why companies are now betting big in Central Luzon, all scrambling to get a slice of the pie and lock in the opportunities that can be tapped in the area.
For instance, DoubleDragon had recently acquired a 6.2-hectare lot in Luisita Industrial Park in Tarlac, while the Xu Liang Dragon Group had also reportedly committed to develop a 3,000-ha mixed-use special economic zone in Pangasinan, Colliers International Philippines had reported.
The Manila-Clark Railway Project is seen to further draw investors to Central Luzon.
Opportunities
Such opportunities are not lost on property developers, as they too seek to be part of this burgeoning growth up north.
Hence, Central Luzon has begun seeing in recent years a growing presence from the different national property players, bringing in their respective commercial and industrial projects as well as residential developments. From subdivisions, hotels to masterplanned communities, the residents of Central Luzon are now afforded the luxury of choice given this boom.
One such project that investors and end-buyers might want to look into is Sta. Lucia Land’s Green Meadows subdivision in Paniqui, Tarlac.
With its premier location, Green Meadows can provide its residents easy access to key business, leisure, and entertainment establishments and institutions like the municipal hall, fast food chains, banks, hospital, church, schools, and the market. An hour’s drive from here can readily bring one to Baguio, the famed “Summer Capital of the Philippines.”
Despite its proximity to such areas, Green Meadows, however, can still offer a relaxing lifestyle and an atmosphere of calm, given its wide open spaces, lush greenery, spacious clubhouse, and other first class amenities.
Indeed, with its elegantly designed homes and a promise of serene, quality living, Green Meadows is definitely an investment worth taking.