ALREADY a thriving community, CDC Holdings’ 1.9-hectare Lions Park Residences in Sun Valley, Parañaque City is home to scores of OFWs and their families.
As a banker, manufacturing executive and real estate developer, Elsie Chua has been a frequent visitor to the Middle East, Europe, Japan and the Unites States.
On many such occasions, the president and CEO of CDC Holdings, a real estate developer, would often meet Filipinos who were struggling to make ends meet as their families back home mismanaged their hard-earned money or he himself fell victim to some get-rich-quick scheme while abroad.
“Most of the time they would shun offers that us developers present. It’s understandable: A lot of these individuals lack the acumen to do business or take on risks intelligently. So instead of just offering them projects, I decided to offer them basic financial advice, telling them it’s prudent to invest in something that appreciate and gain value over time, that they have to set aside a percentage of their earnings (especially if the family back home cannot be trusted to make sound financial decisions) or the fact that if it sounds too good to be true, then it is most likely to be a financial scam,” Chua said.
She recalled that the OFWs were disillusioned and reluctant as most of them were no longer convinced that the country’s property sector will improve or could no longer be relied on.
Reorient
“During those times, it was no longer so much in selling homes and properties, but in reorienting these OFWs to believe in the Philippines once more, help them realize the importance of saving money as well as making sound investment,” explained Chua who several years ago began a series of information campaigns abroad.
Once Chua was able to convince a handful of OFWs, she was able to show others that it’s not all bad news in the Philippine property sector.
“Those who were able to buy house and lot packages or condo units were able to tell others the value of what I have been telling them during my information campaigns,” she recalled.
She added that she was able to assist them become entrepreneurs. “Real estate is not just a roof over one’s head, it’s also a business. It can give the hardworking OFW recurring income and stable cash flow that enables them to come home to the Philippines and enjoy the fruits of their labor, and ultimately be their own boss,” she added.
Helping OFWs
She believed early on that assisting OFWs make the right financial decision could further help improve the country’s property sector. “The continuous remittances of OFWs could become a powerful source of investment to spur if not sustain economic development here,” Chua said.
She noted that OFW remittances have increased over a billion dollars in the last two years. A Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data showed that remittances from overseas-based Filipinos reached $1.7 billion (P71 billion) in April, up 5.3 percent from $1.62 billion (P68 billion) posted in the same month last year.
“If OFWs are more financially stable, it would be much easier for us to offer them our various projects. This is one market that my group will always support since they have the capacity to improve the life of their families here and in the process uplift standard of living of Filipinos,” Chua said.
25 years
As the company celebrates its 25th year, CDC Holdings has come up with a new tagline—We make it easy—that will serve as its guideline for its current and upcoming projects.
“This phrase describes the company’s efforts to make owning a home easier for the Filipino whether they are here or still working abroad. Whether it’s a high-rise condominium, a subdivision, a townhouse, or a mid-rise community development, our properties are built and designed to represent the most valuable real estate investment that our clients can make,” she said.
The company’s earliest developments such as Quadrillion Mansions in Pasig City, Somerset Millennium Suites and Millennium Plaza Serviced Residences in Makati City, and Platinum 1000 and Platinum 2000 in Annapolis, Greenhills serve as examples of what sort of innovative residential projects CDC Holdings could deliver.
“These developments established us as a trendsetter when it comes to real estate concepts. We pioneered the condotel and hotel serviced apartment movement in the country. In the last 25 years, CDC Holdings has grown and expanded its set of core businesses to meet clients’ specific needs and uphold its commitment by delivering almost 10,000 quality investments,” Chua said.
Today, CDC Holdings maintains a team of over 300 sales professionals and more than 140 marketing representatives in various global offices who continuously foster positive relationships with OFWs and exercise responsible stewardship of their investments.
More enticing projects
“This time, we have more enticing projects to offer. With the economy now improving these OFWs have a number of projects to choose from: the recently completed La Joya De Sta. Rosa, a Spanish-Mediterranean-inspired subdivision in Laguna; Lions Park Residences, a vibrant 1.9-hectare community of 11 low-rise condominiums in Sun Valley, Parañaque; and the Manila RiverCity Residences, a 1.4-hectare riverside condo community with nine buildings set on the scenic banks of Pasig River in Sta. Ana, Manila,” Chua enumerated.
In addition, CDC Holdings is also set to launch two major projects for 2012: Sentrale on Dian Sreet, Makati and Rivergreen Residences in Sta. Ana Manila.
“While each boasts its own unique architectural and design inspiration, the developments all carry the signature qualities of CDC Holdings’ work: concept innovation, excellent investment potential (especially for OFWs), and the unwavering support of a company known for transforming prime real estate into dream homes for every Filipino,” Chua promised.