Top VisMin Locations You Should Invest in Real Estate Now

Looking for a condo for sale in Visayas or Mindanao? Check out these top locations you should consider looking into for your next real estate investment. By Rizza Sta. Ana 

There is no denying the fact that the trend in local real estate development today is still going up. And the effects are definitely expanding not just in Metro Manila, but in major cities all over the Philippines.

Wong+Bernstein Group (W+B) executive director and corporate turnaround advisor Eric Soriano even observed how newbie developers and builders go head to head with established, more recognizable brands when it comes to gaining majority shares in regional real estate markets outside Luzon. He even noted residential home seekers look beyond the developer name when it comes to seeking their next real estate investment.

Earlier on, we recommended the best locations in Metro Manila for you to make your real estate investment. But if you’re on the hunt for a property to invest in Visayas or Mindanao, we decided to expand our coverage with this brand new list on where to look outside Luzon for your next real estate investment.

1. Cebu City

Rental yield: 4.91%

Accessibility: Located in the Central Visayas, Cebu can be accessed via air, land, or sea transport. Cebu also has an international airport (Mactan-Cebu International Airport), attracting tourists from all over the world. The city also has a color-coded Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ) system, where you can go from one point to another by taking the colored jeepney offering that specific route. You can also rent a car or hail a taxi.

Neighborhood quality: Urban planning is still suburban style, with residential subdivisions and house and lots located in cul-de-sacs or areas a bit away from commercial areas. You still have to commute to go to certain points of interest like shopping malls, entertainment complexes, and even historical attractions.

Economic potential: The city of Cebu is experiencing a continuous economic boom, thanks to its many beautiful islands, white sand beaches, luxury hotel and resorts, diving locations and heritage sites. But as the real estate market of Cebu continues to grow, specifically the condominium units market, we will be expecting mixed-use developments that will embed residential projects within urban landscapes, like the Cebu IT Park.

Avida Towers Riala at Cebu IT Park, now selling its 4th Tower, is the perfect urban address for people wishing to be steps away metropolitan Cebu City has to offer.

2. Iloilo City

Rental Yield: 3.38%

Accessibility: Iloilo City is a coastal city located on Panay island. Jeepneys are the main transportation mode in main roads, although you can take a metered taxi. The tricycle is used to commute to secondary roads. The large “passads” and buses are used to travel from the city to the rest of the Iloilo province and Panay Island. If you want to travel outside the city, you can do so at any of the five major integrated transport terminals bordering the perimeters of the city, through a railroad system connecting to nearby Roxas City, an international airport and a premier seaport.

Neighborhood Quality: The urban planning and architecture in Iloilo is a mix of Spanish-era and modern influences. Majority of the districts have common spaces called plazas, which are surrounded by several commercial establishments and facilities. However, real estate development has added a lot of office and retail real estate in the city. Vertical residences are also being developed near or within commercial areas and business parks.

Economic Potential: Iloilo City is the premier urban hub in the Western Visayas region. Trade, banking, commerce, finance, technology, medical tourism, hospitality, real estate, and tourism businesses are some of the businesses that have set shop in this Next-Wave city. In the last few years, information technology and business process outsourcing are thriving in Iloilo, spurring more employment, improved public facilities and utilities, and increase in city GDP or gross domestic product.

A condo for sale in Iloilo such as Avida Storeys Atria in the Atria Park District will be perfect for anyone who wants to live in the middle of everything.

Some of the Best Airpoorts in the Philippines

Philippines has a lot of potential in terms of tourism and airport are the best gateway. Below are my top 5 best airport.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Filipino: Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Ninoy Aquino) or NAIA /ˈnaɪ.ə/, also known as Manila International Airport (IATA: MNL, ICAO: RPLL), is the airport serving Manila and its surrounding metropolitan area. Located along the border between the cities of Pasay and Parañaque, about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) south of Manila proper and southwest of Makati, NAIA is the main international gateway for travelers to the Philippines and serves as a hub for AirAsia Philippines, Cebgo, Cebu Pacific, PAL Express, and Philippine Airlines. It is managed by the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), a branch of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

Good for business

It is a big relief to know there are still many in the business sector who believe President Duterte and his tough campaign against illegal drugs is good for business.

In its third quarter report, Pinnacle Real Estate Consulting Services noted that while the President has intensified his anti-illegal drugs campaign to a level where hundreds have died and thousands have surrendered, a fact which has alarmed some, it still pales compared to the campaigns in Mexico, Colombo and other countries.

Cities in the Philippines (outside Metro Manila) with Hi-rise Buildings

With the rapid growth of urbanity, Philippine cities (outside the capital Manila) have been erecting multi-level buildings to cater the needs of residential, office & vacation spaces.

On top of the list is Cebu City being the second city next to Manila in terms of the number of hi-rise buildings.  Factors that made building owners to build multi-level building are the presence of  business process outsourcing companies, the increase number of tourism & for some this is a good way to invest for condominium.

Cebu Pacific adds flight frequencies from Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, and Davao

Those flying between Cebu and Iloilo can choose among 16 weekly flights, with some flights upgraded from ATR to Airbus A320 aircraft to increase the number of available seats.

Within the first week of April, CEB also aims to meet robust passenger traffic in Visayas and Mindanao with additional three weekly frequencies between Iloilo and Davao, and two weekly frequencies between Davao and Zamboanga. Four weekly frequencies between Zamboanga and Tawi-Tawi will also be added starting May 1.

Meanwhile, passengers heading to Singapore can avail of more travel options as CEB ramps up its flights from both Iloilo and Davao to the Lion City. Beginning March 30, 2016, the airline will add one flight per week from Iloilo to Singapore, and another flight per week from Davao to Singapore starting April 2, 2016.

CEB’s Iloilo and Davao hubs will then operate three weekly flights each to Singapore.

Five PH cities in 'Top 100' outsourcing destinations

Iloilo City: Rising BPO Center of the Philippines

MANILA CITY , METRO MANILA – Five cities in the Philippines were cited among the top 100 destinations for information technology and business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) services  in a report by technology investment and research firm Tholons.

Tholon's January 2012 report states that the Southeast Asian region, particularly the Philippines, remains a “dominant figure” in the global outsourcing industry.

Metro Manila is in fourth ranking in the Top 100, followed by Cebu City (9th), Davao City (69th) and Sta. Rosa, Laguna (86th). Iloilo City,  meanwhile, is ranked 92nd improved by six notches.

PHILIPPINES: The Next Dragon Cities in BPO Industry

No. 4 is Metro Manila

By Danny B. Dangcalan (The Philippine Star) 

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines  – The information technology – business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) industry in the Philippines is growing by about 25 percent a year, and investors see the country as the “next Asian dragon,” Commissioner Ivan John Enrile Uy of the Commission on ICT (information and communications technology) said last week.

No. 9 is Cebu City

Uy said many of the world’s largest companies operate the biggest services centers in the Philippines, which is why the IT-BPO industry here continues to grow. As of last year, the industry employed about 525,000 people and had generated more than $9.1 billion in export revenues, he added.

Uy, who was in Bacolod for the Negros Occidental First ICT Summit last Thursday, lauded Bacolod for being cited as the 3rd Next Wave City in the Philippines and Tholons International’s top 100th city in the world for outsourcing.

No. 69 is Davao City

“That is a very, very good accomplishment for Bacolod to be ranked among the top 100th out of thousands of cities around the world,” he said.

Uy foresees that with the support of local officials the growth of the IT-BPO industry in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City will progress very fast.

Uy said it is the goal of CICT to strengthen the readiness of cities and regions outside Metro Manila to become preferred destinations for IT-BPO investors.

No. 88 is Sta Rosa

 “With this strategy, we will decongest Metro Manila, spread economic growth opportunities to other parts of the country, and capitalize on the abundant and globally competitive workforce available in many parts of the country,” he said.

Approximately 20 percent of the IT-BPO industry is now located outside the main metropolitan areas of Manila and Cebu and this trend is expected to continue, he said.

The country is now witnessing the impact of the IT-BPO industry on rural communities, as other cities outside Metro Manila emerge as new IT-BPO hubs or the Next Wave Cities, he said.

No. 98 is Iloilo

Uy pointed out that Tholons, a renowned international research firm, in its 2010 Top 100 Cities in the World for Outsourcing ranked Manila as No. 4 and Cebu as No. 9.

The country’s Next Wave Cities that also made it on the list, are Davao - No. 69, Sta. Rosa (Laguna) - No. 88, Iloilo - No. 98 and Bacolod - No. 100.

Meanwhile, Gov. Alfredo Marañon said the construction of IT buildings on lot properties owned by the Negros Occidental provincial government is expected to create about 41,000 new BPO jobs here.

SM Prime Holdings has proposed to put up 10 buildings for BPO companies on a provincial government property along Gatuslao St. that will provide 40,000 jobs, he said, adding that the buildings will surround a convention center that SM plans to build in the area along with two hotels.

No. 100 is Bacolod

The provincial government is also establishing the Negros First CyberPark, a mixed-used complex consisting of more than 12,000 square meters of space for BPO services at a three-story building to be built at the Paglaum Sports Complex, which will provide more than 1,000 jobs, he added.

Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg Occ., 3rd District), who was also at the summit, said he will help tap government resources for infrastructure and academic support for the IT-BPO industry.

Benitez also said he is supporting the efforts to create a Department of ICT, and the passage of bills to ensure data privacy and to curb cyber crime.

source:

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=66&articleId=693354#comments

New Outsourcing Hot Spot Cities

Top Outsourcing Hot Spots according to businessweek.com:

1. Buenos Aires, Argentina

Located in roughly the same time zone as the East Coast of the U.S. (it depends on the time of year), Argentina's huge capital offers a cheap alternative for companies looking to provide customer service for American consumers. IBM and Hewlett Packard already have IT operations in Buenos Aires, which also has a large talent pool of Spanish, English, and Portuguese speakers.
2. Campinas, Brazil

Campinas, in Brazil's northeast region, is an R&D center, tapping a large pool of engineering and technology graduates from the local University of Campina. Compared with congested São Paulo, the laid-back city with a population just over a million provides a high quality of life for both local and expat employees.

3. Curitiba, Brazil 

Already home to customer service centers for the likes of HSBC, Siemens, and ExxonMobil, Curitiba, located in Brazil's southeast, churns out almost 20,000 IT-trained graduates from local colleges. City authorities also have upgraded the telecom and energy infrastructure, creating a brand new outsourcing park for technology-focused companies.

4. Calgary, Canada

Calgary boasts the highest immigration rate of any Canadian city, ensuring it a fast-growing pool of talent. The city also offers tax breaks and research funding for companies that set up shop there, and a large percentage of the workforce is bilingual in English and French.

5. Winnipeg, Canada

The Canadian city outstrips domestic rivals when it comes to overall business competitiveness. High-quality infrastructure, such as state-of-the-art office space and IT parks, helps offset the higher labor costs compared to rivals in the developing world.

6. Santiago, Chile

The Chilean government has set up lucrative financial and technological support to entice high-tech companies to the country's capital. Citigroup and Yahoo! already operate in Santiago, which offers lower operating and living costs compared with cities in the developed world.



7. Guadalajara, Mexico
 

 Despite the recent spate of violence across Mexico, Guadalajara, inland from the country's Pacific coast, continues to attract foreign companies. Roughly 18,000 IT-trained graduates enter the local workforce each year, which has led to a growing hub of software and engineering design centers funded by the likes of Intel.


8. Queretaro, Mexico
Located in southern Mexico, Queretaro is quickly becoming an alternative to other domestic outsourcing hubs, such as Monterrey in the north. Local authorities are spending millions to upgrade transport and industrial infrastructure in the hopes of turning the city into an IT service center.

9. Boise, Idaho
Alongside a highly trained graduate pool from Boise State University, Idaho's capital also has a bustling startup scene, which has created a culture of entrepreneurship. The city's lower cost-of-living compared with other U.S. rivals doesn't mean it is a culture backwater. Boise routinely ranks near the top of best U.S. cities in which to live.

10. Indianapolis, Ind.

 
Not only is Indianapolis located near a number of large U.S. cities, such as Chicago, but Indiana's capital offers several local centers of excellence. The city is well known for its life-science industry and is home to a large IT-trained talent pool of graduates from local colleges. Consultants KPMG also ranked Indianapolis third in a nationwide survey of cities with the most cost-effective tax structure.

11. Sofia, Bulgaria
 
To make Sofia into an IT hub, city officials have offered tax breaks and other incentives to companies relocating to Bulgaria's capital. Within easy reach of Western Europe, Sofia's labor costs are roughly 10% less than those in Germany, but still twice the Bulgarian average.

12. Zagreb, Croatia

 
The Croatian capital has a multilingual workforce, a time zone suitable for servicing Western European customers, and labor costs significantly lower than those in countries like Italy and France. Colleges in Zagreb also turn out thousands of IT-qualified graduates each year, which has attracted firms such as Siemens to set up shop there.

13. Cairo, Egypt

 
With a population proficient in both English and Arabic, Cairo offers outsourcing possibilities for companies from both Western Europe and elsewhere in the Middle East. Local authorities have provided tax incentives for companies establishing bases in the Egyptian capital, which is home to a young, tech-trained population.

14. Belfast, United Kingdom

 
Putting aside its violent history, Belfast is quickly becoming an outsourcing hub for companies serving the British market. Firms like Microsoft and Citigroup are attracted by the city's youthful population (46% are under 30), large pool of IT graduates, and business costs are one-third lower than in the rest of Britain.

15. Port Louis, Mauritius

 
Located just off the coast of Madagascar, Port Louis, the Mauritian capital, is routinely ranked as one of the best places to live in Africa. The city's booming tourism industry means the local workforce is well versed in customer service, and the government is spending millions to upgrade domestic IT and transport infrastructure.

16. Gdansk, Poland
 
An upcoming European soccer tournament means the historic Polish seaside city's infrastructure is getting a major face-lift. That, combined with an IT-trained, local workforce strong in English, German, and Russia, makes Gdansk a cheap alternative to domestic rivals Warsaw and Krakow.

17. Cluj-Napoca, Romania

 
Already home to the largest percentage of students per capita in Romania, Cluj-Napoca benefits from major university-based tech R&D centers and a growing multilingual graduate pool. Local officials also have provided generous tax incentives to entice foreign tech and manufacturing companies to relocate to the country's third-largest city.

18. Rostov-on-Don, Russia

 
Despite Russia's recent economic problems, Rostov-on-Don, in the country's southwest, attracted the third-largest amount of foreign investment of any Russian city in 2008. Key to the interest is Rostov's significantly lower business costs than those of domestic alternatives such as Moscow and St. Petersburg.


19. Belgrade, Serbia

 
Local authorities are working hard to attract foreign companies. That includes a cash grant for every additional job created, and plans to upgrade the city's infrastructure. No wonder companies like Microsoft have set up IT service centers in the Serbian capital.


20. Tunis, Tunisia

With a multilingual population (Arabic, French, English) and close cultural ties to Europe, Tunis is a logical destination for companies looking to service the European market. To add extra incentives, the Tunisian government is planning to spend $3 billion on a financial services business cluster, dubbed the Tunis Financial Harbor, to attract outsourcing clients.

21. Lviv, Ukraine

 
Like Gdansk, Lviv's infrastructure is set for a major upgrade ahead of a European-wide soccer tournament in 2012. The city also is home to a large population of young IT and engineering graduates, and offers business costs far below those of the Ukrainian capital Kiev.


22. Brisbane, Australia

Brisbane, on Australia's eastern coast, is gaining a reputation as a technology R&D hub. The city has a higher number of tech graduates per capita than any other Australian city, and is surprisingly international—16% of households speak a non-English language. Business costs also are roughly 15% lower than in rivals Melbourne and Sydney.


23. Changsha, China

 Already identified by Chinese authorities as one of 13 cities in the nation expected to become outsourcing hubs, Changsha offers benefits well beyond its tech-savvy population and lucrative government incentives. The city, located in central China, is home to nearly 50% of the country's animation companies and is marketing itself as a center for animation outsourcing to the West.

24. Hangzhou, China

With 18,000 IT graduates entering the workforce each year, Hangzhou is fast becoming a center for financial services outsourcing. In the first three quarters of 2008, the sector represented 43% of the city's total outsourcing business in dollar terms—a figure that is expected to rise despite the global recession.

25. Ahmedabad, India

 
With a large population of finance and accounting professionals, Ahmedabad, on India's west coast, is set to become one of the country's major outsourcing centers. The population's English proficiency may not match more-established hubs, but Ahmedabad's business costs are roughly one-third less than cities like Mumbai and Bangalore.

26. Jaipur, India

 Jaipur is home to 64 engineering colleges, and soon will open a business-friendly Special Economic Zone complete with 2 million square meters of IT office space. Recently, the city was ranked third in a World Bank report comparing the ease of doing business in Indian cities.


27. Nagpur, India 

The Indian city, known for its engineering and medical expertise, already is gaining reputation among international companies. Boeing has established a $185 million maintenance center in Nagpur, and a new 1,220 acre Special Economic Zone being set up near the city's airport will add additional IT office space.

28. Penang, Malaysia


Boasting a large, English-speaking IT workforce, Penang is particularly suited for companies looking for higher-end IT outsourcing, such as in the pharmaceuticals or financial services industries. Penang also is developing into an outsourcing center for Islamic banking. 

29. Davao City, Philippines

 Located in the Philippines' southernmost island, Davao City is home to an English-speaking talent pool with many cultural ties to the U.S. That means the city is well-suited for U.S. consumer support, particularly in technological areas due to various IT colleges established in the city.
 

30. Iloilo City, Philippines 

Already identified by Philippine authorities as one of the next wave of IT outsourcing centers, Iloilo City has received large government grants to upgrade its IT and transport infrastructure. The well-trained, English-speaking population makes the city an ideal option for companies looking for a cheap alternative for U.S. consumer support.


31. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

 Though Vietman is still a communist country, officials plan to turn Ho Chi Minh City into an IT hub by 2010. Big names like IBM and Oracle already have set up shop, taking advantage of lucrative tax breaks and government programs to upgrade the city's infrastructure.

 

source:

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/05/0504_outsourcing_hot_spots/1.htm

Iloilo: The City of Love

Iloilo [/,e-la-we(,)lo] City lies on the south coast of Panay Island in central Philippines. It was made the capital of Iloilo Province in 1673 and a city in 1890. Centuries before Ferdinand Magellan received formal education in Portugal, inhabitants of the city had been trading with Chinese, Arab, Persian and Indian merchants.

The city has a total land area of 11,800 hectares, generally flat with a population of 309,500 and considerably increases during the school season. 

Its naturally-protected port attracted world trade in the 17 th century that by 1878 several foreign commercial houses and foreign consulates were bustling with commercial activities with local manufacturers, farmers and businessmen and the world merchants and traders. At present it boasts of its fine local and international ports. 

Iloilo got its name from the local dialect irong-irong , meaning “nose-like” because the great Iloilo river that divides the city is shaped like a nose if seen from above.

The port is on the southern end of this district where the regional offices of government instrumentalities are located. Many old mansions, houses and structures dot this district, some of which need reconstruction like the once beautiful Laguda colonial mansion and the fabulous Casino Español near Fort San Pedro. 

The great conflagration of February 1966 which burned a vast portion of the City Proper paved the way for a successful redistricting of the city. 

Iloilo City is a vibrant mix of the East and West, old and new, where old Chinese businessmen still prefer to use the abacus , where new architecture soars over ancient mansions and churches. There is so much to see in Iloilo with fascinating Ilonggo traditions and festivals, exciting shopping for local products and trips and excursions to outlying islands and beaches. Although nightlife is more subdued here, high-tech discoteques of hotels are the hosts to the swinging young set while elegant coffee shops, bars, pubs and eateries are strategically located in the city that the Ilonggos invite you to stay an extra day.

OFFICIAL DETAILS :

City Head: Hon. Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog
Land Area: 78.34 sq. km.
Population: 450,000 est. as of 2010
City Classification: Highly Urbanized City
Location: Iloilo, Philippines
Website: http://iloilocity.gov.ph/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iloilo_City

MONIKER:
"The City of Love"
"The Queen City of the South"
"La Muy Leal y Noble Ciudad" (English: The Most Loyal and Noble City) by the Queen Regent of Spain



AWARDS RECEIVED & CITATION:
     1. ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST LIVABLE CITIES, a recognition given by LivCom: The International Awards for Livable Communities in 2010 ^ http://www.livcomawards.com/2010-awards/winners.htm

     2. 2009 Palladium BSC Hall of Fame - Iloilo City is the First Philippine Awardee ^ http://www.thepalladiumgroup.com/about/hof/Pages/HofViewer.aspx?MID=135


          3.  BluPrint Magazine's One of the Worlds Most Livable Places - 1st Issue for 2011


MORE OF ILOILO CITY LINKS HERE:
@ http://allaboutiloilophilippines.blogspot.com
@ http://www.gigsilonggo.com
@ http://www.exploreiloilo.com
@ http://www.iloilodirectory.com



MORE OF ILOILO IMAGES HERE: