Ayala to develop 526-ha Habini Bay

The Ayala group is spending an initial P3.8 billion to groom Habini Bay, a 526-hectare masterplanned estate in Misamis Oriental, into a center of trade and commerce in Northern Mindanao.

For the first phase of development, Ayala Land aims to create 2,580 new jobs while potential employment generation mainly by locators is seen to hit 40,000.

Located in the municipalities of Alubijid and Laguindingan, Habini Bay is strategically connected to the Laguindingan airport and boasts of natural landscapes and coastal views.

The estate is a joint venture between Ayala Land Inc. and parent firm Ayala Corp., which acquired the property in the 1960s and donated 183 hectares to form part of the airport.

Habini Bay’s masterplan will be anchored by an industrial park to be managed by Laguna Technopark Inc. (LTI), the country’s foremost industrial estate developer which brought in the world’s leading manufacturers of electronics, automotive, pharmaceuticals, and consumer products. Affordable residential developments will also be built in the estate, together with mixed-use commercial lots.

“Over the years, Ayala Land has been committed to enriching the way we live and to enhancing land nationwide,” said Jun Bisnar, vice president and chief operating officer of ALI Visayas-Mindanao group.

“We focus on inclusive growth, sharing our expertise as a full-line property developer to communities around the country. We remain a committed partner in nation-building and in improving the quality of life of our fellow Filipinos in the various regions where we invest,” he added.

The municipal government of Laguindingan will relocate and build a new municipal government center within the estate. Other projects include a provincial bus terminal which will provide convenient access to and from neighboring towns and cities, and a technical school that supports the push for quality education in the region.

A 30-meter-wide road right of way and along the coastline of the property connecting to the airport will allow easy access to Habini Bay’s industrial and mixed-use commercial sites, a sea port and other transport facilities. Habini Bay is likewise designed to have pedestrian and bike-friendly roads to encourage a healthy modern lifestyle in an integrated and sustainable estate.

Ayala Land’s presence in Mindanao was established about a decade ago through Abreeza estate in Davao and Alegria Hills in Cagayan de Oro.