MANILA, Philippines – By the time PLDT marks its 100th anniversary in 2028, the local telco giant would have relocated its headquarters to a swanky new Silicon Valley-inspired campus within the Filinvest estate in Alabang.
At least this is what the group of tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP) is targeting as PLDT moves to secure a five-hectare land in Filinvest City, according to the reliable grapevine.
CoverStory.ph reported on March 15 that after years of negotiations, PLDT had found a suitable site for its long-planned P10-billion campus. It reported that the site is “located in the largely forested section of Southgate District, which is just across from Far Eastern University (FEU) Alabang, Bloc 10 Lifestyle Community Center and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.”
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“The property is bounded by South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) and Skyway to the east, Filinvest Avenue to the north, Corporate Avenue to the west, and a private subdivision to the south,” it added.
Our own sources confirmed the Alabang site selection, in line with MVP’s decision to move the head office from the legacy building on Ayala Avenue, Makati to a spacious new campus that will inspire more creativity and innovation like the Google and Apple hubs in Silicon Valley.
Filinvest City is easily accessible to the Makati and BGC central business district as well as the airport via Skyway.
The main building, at least, should be completed by 2028 to coincide with PLDT’s 100th birthday. Aside from the telecom crown jewel, other businesses under MVP group are also expected to eventually relocate to the new campus like one big happy family.— Doris Dumlao-Abadilla
Cosmetics industry puts a gloss on fight vs fakes
The battle against fake cosmetics gets a major boost as the Chamber of Cosmetics Industry of the Philippines (CCIP) officially joins the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines’ (IPOPHL) e-commerce initiative.
IPOPHL said that CCIP signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) last week, further strengthening efforts to crack down on counterfeit beauty products flooding online marketplaces.
“Originally conceived as a stopgap measure, the MOU has proven to be an effective tool that gives us the fighting chance to race against IP violators who flood platforms with fake cosmetic products,” IPOPHL Deputy Director General Nathaniel Arevalo said in a statement.
With the cosmetics industry increasingly targeted by counterfeiters, CCIP’s participation signals a united front in protecting brands and consumers from illicit, potentially harmful products.
The collaboration expands IPOPHL’s network of industry allies, reinforcing its mission to safeguard IP rights and ensure a safer, more trustworthy e-commerce landscape for Filipinos.
According to the IPOPHL, there was an estimated $617.8 million worth of counterfeit goods seized in the country from January to September 2024, exceeding the preceding year’s $471.4 million total. -Alden M. Monzon
