PHINMA Properties wins big at The Outlook

It was a fitting tribute to its pioneering efforts in the Philippine housing segment.

PHINMA Property Holdings Corp. recently bagged the Best Boutique Developer-Luzon Award—one of the top honors at The Outlook Awards 2019, which recognized some of the Philippine real estate industry’s frontrunners and trailblazers for their commitment to innovation and excellence as showcased in their respective projects.

Winners at The Outlook Awards 2019—which was presented by Lamudi, in partnership with the Property Section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Holcim—were shortlisted by an esteemed panel of judges, and were then selected based on a survey conducted on 10,000 active property seekers on the Lamudi platform.

“The advantage of being a purist developer is that we get to customize and tailor fit our developments to the niche market. Becoming customer-centric, data-driven, and being sensitive to price which our market can afford are key aspects that we think made us win the Best Boutique Developer in Luzon,” said PHINMA Properties president and CEO Raphael B. Felix.

Pioneer developer

As the real estate arm of Philippine conglomerate PHINMA Corp., PHINMA Properties pioneered the affordable housing segment in the country in the mid-90s, in line with its goal of making lives better for Filipinos. It then created affordable residences, providing quality homes and a convenient lifestyle to a broader market of Filipino families.

It later shifted from “horizontal” suburban development to “vertical” urban housing, which led to its adoption of medium rise residential condominiums as basis for subsequent projects.

In its almost three decades of building quality homes, PHINMA Properties was able to carve a niche in an underserved segment at that time. By utilizing the internationally-recognized construction method of “tunnel forms” (buhos), the company was able to set a standard for low-cost housing—units that could be constructed faster, sturdier and at a lesser cost.

Today, in light of the recent earthquakes that wreaked havoc in certain parts of the country, these tunnel forms have proven to be an advantage, again as it demonstrated the stability of projects by PHINMA Properties.

This technology also allowed its developments to have larger living spaces compared to industry standards.

“[This] resulted in the entry of other big developers in the same market. In spite of the influx and tight competition, PHINMA Properties remained steadfast. We are always in search for opportunities and market trends. We continuously evolve in order to match or exceed the dynamic needs of the market. Although time will tell, perhaps are entry into the shared economy will prove to be our next most important achievement,” Felix explained.

Luzon projects

Among PHINMA’s existing projects in Metro Manila include Arezzo Place in Pasig, Hacienda Balai in North Quezon City, L’ Oasis in Malabon, Solano Hills in Sucat, Parañaque, and Asia Enclaves in Alabang, Muntinlupa.

“For our Hacienda Balai Quezon City and Arezzo Place Pasig, our market is composed of first-time home buyers who were previously leasing or those who live with their relatives. In seeing our well-priced condos and comparing it to the amount they pay for their rent, the prospect of owning their own ideal place in our developments is an opportunity too good to pass up. This is made possible by offering easy payment terms and quality products priced and designed right,” Felix explained.

Beyond existing projects, PHINMA Properties is also looking to further strengthen its foothold in Las Piñas and Batangas by next year. Beyond 2020, Felix said they are eyeing to expand their footprint in new locations in Laguna, other areas in Luzon and Visayas.

“In the next two to three years, we will be launching five new projects in Las Piñas, Cebu, Davao and Batangas,” Felix said. “At such time, we expect our product offerings to evolve as well. Our rebranding efforts are underway to create some disruption in a very competitive market.”

“Over the long term, PHINMA Properties plans to provide a lifestyle destination in many key cities in the country. We will go into mixed-use township developments and go heavier into the shared-economy business to cater to the evolving needs of today’s urban dwellers,” Felix concluded.