‘Major’ investment opportunity

The 4-ha Ravenna offers an idyllic community setting that features generous open spaces.

What’s up with North?

Over the last several years, there has been a rush towards the northern part of Metro Manila, with investors taking renewed interest in the opportunities that can be tapped. From the province of Bulacan going up towards Ilocos, the North has clearly caught the attention of diverse industries, from manufacturing to real estate.

It also helped that much has been abuzz about the planned New Clark City—a 9,450 ha expanse of land that spans across Pampanga and Tarlac, and which the government has been aggressively offering to prospective investors. Such developments are making the provinces up north even more attractive not only to businesses but to homebuyers as well.

So whether you’re looking for a new business opportunity or an alternative suburban community, there are enough reasons to make a strong case for you to consider the north. Here are some of them.

Infrastructure developments

The ushering in of the “golden age of infrastructure” as well as the administration’s decentralization push are expected to unlock land values and spur development in the provinces.

For instance, the government has lined up a number of infrastructure projects that will make provinces in Central and North Luzon more accessible from Metro Manila, on top of existing road networks that include the  Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) and the Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway (TPLEx).

One of the much awaited infrastructure projects is the P211-billion Philippine National Railway North 2 Project. The 69.5-kilometer extension of the PNR North 1 from Malolos, Bulacan, to the Clark International Airport and the sprawling Clark Green City is expected to break ground this year and is eyed for completion in 2024.

New job opportunities

Provinces up north have increasingly become a more attractive, viable location for an industrial hub, proof of which is the growing presence of property developers putting up industrial parks in these areas.

DoubleDragon had announced that it acquired a 6.2-ha lot in Luisita Industrial Park in Tarlac while the Xu Liang Dragon Group has committed to develop a 3,000-ha special economic zone in Pangasinan. More industrial parks are set to rise in Porac and New Clark City.

These ecozones and parks are seen to attract new investors that will set up offices and manufacturing facilities, which will generate fresh job opportunities for those within the vicinity and nearby communities.

New property projects

As Metro Manila becomes increasingly congested, more property developers are also choosing to go for provincial developments where vast parcels of land will allow them to create new and better communities, estates and townships.

A real estate consultancy firm had said that Pampanga in particular is seen to corner the bulk of the township-related investments in the region given the government’s commitment to develop the North Luzon.

One of the developments in Pampanga that is currently on the market would be Ravenna by Major Homes, a full-service real estate development firm.

Strategically located along Ninoy Aquino Road in Mabalacat, Pampanga, the 4-ha Ravenna offers an idyllic community setting that features generous open spaces, functional amenities and a retail strip—all perfect for nurturing relationships with families and friends.

This gated community will also provide future residents with key amenities including a clubhouse, a swimming pool, function hall, and basketball court among others. Buyers can choose from a two-storey townhouse, a duplex, single attached, and townhouse with loft.