Condo Central August 2008 Issue

Flexibility In Interior Design The condo as the New Dormitory Choosing the right tenant How to become a real estate tycoon

The Man behind Pag-Ibig’s Success

Discover a Better Lifestyle The Exchange Regency

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DISPLAY UNTIL SEPTEMBER 15

Published by

Adriatico Gardens grand launch at Aloha Hotel last 30 May. Photo shows (l-r) AVP for Marketing Jerry R. Rubis, Suntrust Properties, Inc. President Aty Harry Paltongan, Senior Vice President for Finance and Operation Deanna Jean A. Claveria, and AVP for Sales Manny Estrella.

A Landmark in Manila

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ne good project leads to another. Having been involved in numerous projects that help uplift the morale of the Manileños and boost the promotion of this national landmark’s innate beauty, such as the creation of the successful UN Gardens, Suntrust Properties Inc. has not only helped in the beautification of Manila by utilizing the city’s idle lands, but has also proven itself as a partner of the society in providing housing needs to the low and medium market. As a follow-up to its maiden venture, Suntrust Properties Inc. embarks once again on another joint

project with the City of Manila, focusing this time at the Malate area – the Adriatico Gardens. Set to rise above Adriatico Street in Malate, the three-tower Adriatico Gardens takes pride in its modern contemporary architectural design as well as an excellent location. Whether by foot, private transport or commute, Adriatico Gardens gives you convenient access to schools and universities, malls, parks, museums, offices, the hottest dining and entertainment strips – the finest scenes and spots Manila has to offer.

Affordability and quality living have always been the keywords in Suntrust Properties Inc.’s projects. Catering to the low-to-moderate-income Filipino families, Adriatico Gardens’ executive studios’ (21 square meters) and twobedroom units’ (30 square meters) well thought-out design features focus on space-saving and functionality while delivering a high standard of comfort and style at par with more high-end developments. “Despite the affordability, it is a low density project,” Atty. Harrison Paltongan, President of Suntrust

Properties Inc., states. Adriatico Gardens is designed to offer convenient traffic in the use of its common facilities. Its many amenities include roundthe-clock security, provision for an internet-ready telephone line and cable TV lines, a total of six elevators, two levels of parking space per tower, and an automatic fire sprinkler system. The groundbreaking of Adriatico Gardens, last June 23, coincided with the celebration of Araw ng Maynila and is expected to be completed in 2011, Adriatico Gardens is undoubtedly, the choice address for the new Manileños.

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Editor’s note Review Central The hottest lifestyle picks Condo guide Your condominium hypermarket central Market Classified ads Happenings SEA Residences groundbreaking ceremony Pacquiao vs. Diaz live at the Fairways Tower All set for the 2nd Philippine Real Estate Festival

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Columns Legal OPTIONS Legal issues in renting out your condo units Atty. Edwin Calica Cacayorin, Jr.

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The Condo Café How to become a real estate tycoon Renne Isidro

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The Global Pinoy Touching base Daniel R. dela Cruz

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Multiple Meaning Flexi-homes, flexi-towns, flexi-nation Ariel N. Valerio

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COV E R

S TO RY

26 Discover a

better lifestyle

A home at The Exchange Regency is where you can live securely and affordably in the lap of luxury.

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Designer’s Corner Flexibility in interior design Reveal Eco-Roof Garden is here Italianize your home

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48 50 52 54 58 32 67 70

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Dweller Yeller Higher learning

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Epilogue City acrobats

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Tips Color therapy fo the home Wall tiles–decorative entrance Bathroom lights Space saving ideas

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SOAR Baguio of my heart

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Features Dormitory upgrade The balikbayan’s choice The right match Juggling act

Man on top Reluctant leader, accidental hero

Spotlight A home and his dreams

Preview There’s always space for green The future of condominiums: Indulgent living The luxury of a prime location A modern tropical gem Transforming Makati Avenue’s landscape

FLEXIBILITY IN INTERIOR DESIGN THE CONDO AS THE NEW DORMITORY CHOOSING THE RIGHT TENANT

editor’s note

HOW TO BECOME A REAL ESTATE TYCOON

THE MAN BEHIND PAGIBIG’S SUCCESS

Discover a Better Lifestyle THE EXCHANGE REGENCY

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Published by

Vol. II Nos. 9 & 10 July-August 2008 Editorial

Danilo R. dela Cruz, Jr. Publisher and COO

Arnold A. Altamira Editor in chief

Danilova R. Molintas Managing editor

Godwin S. Nerona Senior layout artist and chief photographer

Katrina Pallon Layout artist

Edwin Calica Cacayorin, Jr. Renne Isidro Columnists

Jigs Adefuin Amy Cavosora Ivy Magparangalan Rosalie Matilac Beth Orense Euanne Torres Contributing writers

Sheryllene F. Escobar moetwain Noel Salazar Contributing photographers

Ariel N. Valerio Editorial consultant

Chrysler R. de Guzman Creative consultant

Sales and marketing

Cherie Mae M. Ayongao Marketing director

Lucy Clemente Nizzel Labador Grace Organeza Cyd V. Ponce Account executives

Circulation

Guiller M. Ramos Mark Jofferson M. Ramos Circulation assistants

Support

Alfred Matrimonio Web designer

is published monthly by MediaCentral, Inc.; 2nd Floor P&L Building, 116 Legazpi St., Makati City 1229, Philippines; Tel number (632) 812-3333; Fax number (632) 893-8134; E-mail [email protected]; Website www. condocentral.com.ph. Opinions expressed in Condo Central are solely those of the writers and are not necessarily endorsed by MediaCentral, Inc. We welcome unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. Kindly accompany them with a self-addressed stamped envelope if they are to be returned. While every reasonable care will be taken by the editors, no responsibility is assumed for the said materials. Copyright © 2006-2008 MediaCentral, Inc. All rights reserved. Ipinagmamalaki, gawang Filipino. Distributed by A-Z Direct Marketing, Inc.

Note: Translation is mine. onversations with taxi drivers are almost always interesting, if not enlightening. For a bunch who will modestly admit to not knowing a whole lot about life’s goings-on, they sure voice out and cling to their beliefs with unrelenting ferocity. That is why I usually initiate such freewheeling chats with them. And when it is they who instigate, I welcome it with affable anticipation. Except when I’m in deep thought. Except when I’m writing in my head. This cab driver would just not stay quiet. First, he provoked me into a discussion by complaining about soaring fuel prices. I resisted engaging so I just replied with semi-inaudible grunts. Then, he pestered me with queries on how to reach Makati from Timog without skimming EDSA or Ortigas. I was forced to converse, not really out of politeness, but because my fare depended on it. Persistent yet amiable, he then asked me as we passed by New Manila: “Do you believe in the white lady of Balete drive?” Much as I’d wanted to indulge the fellow, I was really preoccupied writing mentally my (this) editorial note. I was busy substantiating the outline I had earlier made. I was absorbed enumerating the various options that owning a condo and being a broker/agent presented. But he would not stop. “A fellow driver told me that she came from treetops. She would unexpectedly appear and would flag you down. Naturally, you’d be scared and speed off. But then, if you don’t give her a ride, you’ll suddenly find her in your backseat. What would you do in such case?” I doubt if he was interested in getting my opinion as he was in extracting any form of reaction just so he won’t look loony talking to himself. I just shrugged. He repeated the white lady spiel. I wish I had driven myself to work. He went on. Exasperated that my mental exercise had been completely sabotaged, I retorted. It does not matter. Whether you stop or not, she’ll eventually end up in your back seat. Just avoid Balete Drive altogether. He went mum, realizing perhaps how mundane his dilemma was. He seemed stunned into silence. But not for very long. When he recovered his bearings, he fired off once again. “What if the passenger asks specifically to be brought to Balete Drive?” That was when I resolved that if there was no way to extricate from chewing the fat with this sprightly young man, at least I can decide the topic

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and I dictate the tempo. So instead of illuminating him on the phenomenon of white ladies and taxi passengers being in cahoots, I redirected the chitchat to what I believe was a more pertinent subject matter. What do you think of all these condominium buildings rising all over the metro? “I think it’s good for the rich people who are staying in the subdivisions so they will have alternative places to stay. Also for those coming form the provinces since not everyone has relatives in Manila.” Yes, but don’t you know that condos are not just for rich people? And that a lot of families make the condo their primary home? “Really? But how can ordinary folks afford such luxury?” Well, it can’t really be considered a luxury anymore. It is practical. It gives you a home in the heart of the city. It is easier to maintain and security is not a problem. “But it still is expensive.” Not all. Although a lot of developments really are lavish, a good number are meant for the middle-income market. Besides, banks and other financing agencies give flexible terms that make it easy for buyers to acquire. “Hmm…But isn’t space too small?” There are really small cuts for those who need them. But there are large ones as well. In some developments, you can even combine several units to suit your needs. Tear down walls if you need bigger space.” “That would be one big box.” It is only a box if you let it be one. Design and furnish it smartly and it becomes a thing of beauty. “Well, okay. But I think I’m not cut to live in a condo. I believe I’m a ‘house’ person.” You can always rent it out. You can either find your own tenant, or in some cases, an independent operator takes care of renting out your unit. Or, you can buy during the pre-selling stage and unload it when it’s turned over to you. Value can appreciate quickly.” “Hehe. I’m almost tempted to buy. But sorry, sir, not right now. No budget.” But you can sell. “But I already have a job.” You can switch or you can do it on the side. It has proven to be profitable… And just like that, we reached the office. And just like that, this page is complete.

Arnold A. Altamira

[email protected]

designer’s corner

Flexibility in interior design Jigs Ranada Adefuin, PIID, dispenses helpful pointers on how to apply attractive and resilient interior design concepts

KEEPING IT SIMPLE. Straight, clean, classic, neutral are the keys to a flexible design.

When designing or remodeling your condominium unit, always aim to reconfigure the area with due consideration for future enhancements. Moreover, refurbishment should be done without sacrificing space, and of course, without burning a hole in your pocket. Here are some sensible ideas on how to beautify your homes and still manage to be adaptable in an everchanging design world: Use neutral colors. Use them on practically everything — walls, furniture, flooring, area rugs, throw pillows, curtains, beddings, etc. Neutral colors may be labeled as “safe,” and normally, a lot of interior designers don’t like safe. But if you want to achieve a look that is flexible, going

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neutral is the right way to start. You may choose from black, white, gray, gold and silver; or beige, flesh, and brown in all tints, tones, and shades. Green may be a secondary color but is sometimes considered neutral depending on how you use it. You may put all the neutral colors mentioned together in a room and it would still look like it’s well put together. You may be surprised how updated your condo unit may look year after year by simply using just the neutrals. Look for straight, clean and classic lines when choosing your furniture pieces. Furniture pieces that possess such characteristics are usually the ones that are resilient to change and the test of time. Sofas that are reconfigurable could also help because you will have

a lot of options in arranging your living room. Always consider ergonomics as well, because your furniture pieces should always be in proportion to the size of your space. Do not get a headboard. Get a bed frame that has storage space under instead. By doing this, you are

opening yourself to unlimited options as to how to fix your bed. You could just layer pillows in different sizes and use it as your headboard; or put humongous artwork on top of your bed frame; an old panel screen could also serve as a headboard. All of these ideas are not permanent and yet by doing this you are undergoing a design process until you are decided as to what you finally want. Choose fabrics that are simple and that are of neutral colors — the plainer, the better. When you choose these types of fabrics you will realize how easy it is to blend with the rest of your concept - just make sure that you do the layering, wherein you put lighter shades over dark, or vice versa. Use paint. Using paint gives you more freedom for future enhancements. Paint will give you unlimited options in terms of colors and texture – from flat wall finishes, to semi gloss,

tips

to color wash, to crackle finish. It is also always inexpensive to use paint than any other type of wall coverings, so when you want to change the color of your surroundings, you could always opt to repaint your walls. But make sure that you use low-or-no-VOC (volatile organic compound), or better yet, water-based paints. Quality should always be a priority. Never compromise quality over quantity because quality items — from fabrics to furniture pieces to pillows and decors — would normally last longer than those with inferior characteristics. Go Green. Going green is definitely in fashion. Not only are you are making your surroundings safe for you and your family, but you also help protect our environment. How to do it? Use environmentally friendly products, replace your existing lighting with compact fluorescent bulbs, use recycled materials avoid using materials that are not a renewable resource and most importantly, do research and be concerned with our environment. You may be surprised as to how fashionable it can be to be green.

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reveal

Eco-Roof Garden is here Discover the various benefits of a European innovation that’s about to become a staple of modern architecture Eco-roofs, or green roofs, are basically thin layers of living vegetation installed on top of conventional flat or sloping roofs. Green roofs add a wide range of ecological and aesthetic benefits. They are a powerful tool in combating the

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adverse impacts of overdevelopment and the loss of open space, which have resulted in problems like global warming and heat waves. An Eco-Roof Garden cools surrounding areas by minimizing the “urban island heat effect,” or the state

where a metropolis is significantly warmer than its surroundings due to pollution, concrete structures and other overdevelopment issues. Eco-Roof Gardens also offers exceptional insulation from the sun, minimizing, or even totally eliminating, the amount of artificial cooling needed. With rising gas and electricity prices, this is a good way to reduce cooling costs, which have soared astronomically. Apart from the cooling effect, EcoRoof Gardens offer other advantages: For one, they typically last at least twice as long as your ordinary roof. This is because the roofing substrate and waterproofing underneath is protected from the harsh sun and lashing rains. An Eco-Roof Garden is also an effective noise insulator. When there’s

a downpour, you actually have to look out the window to confirm if it’s raining. This is so unlike the noisy clatter of a G.I. Roof. In contrast to a world of increasing noise pollution, studies show that a roof garden can reduce noise from street traffic by as much as 40%. This is because plants absorb and break up sound waves— allowing the indoors to be hushed up nicely. Excellent air quality is another factor that makes choosing an EcoRoof Garden an attractive option. Plants “inhale” carbon dioxide and give off oxygen, filtering the air around your house and making your home a healthier place to live in. Air pollution is greatly minimized around a house equipped with an Eco-Roof Garden. In Europe, city planners are using Eco-Roof Gardens for another more

Types of

Green Roofs 1. Extensive: Extensive garden roofs are typically not designed for foot traffic except for maintenance. They are designed to minimize the additional load on the roof structure – with only 2-4 inches of soil, they have minimal plant diversity and require minimal maintenance. A sprinkler system is usually installed along with the roofs, so that watering is as easy as turning on a faucet. In the Philippines, where it rains almost half of the year, regular watering is an even easier chore.

practical reason — to ease the pressure on the public sewerage systems. In many cities around the world, storm sewers handle both the overflow from rainstorms and the water flushed out of toilets. Heavy rains can overwhelm these sewerage systems and push raw sewage into waterways. This means that clean rainwater is forced to mix with pathogens like bacteria and other germs in canals, rendering our waterways inhospitable to other human activities like swimming, boating and fishing. With an Eco-Roof Garden, rainwater is trapped and released slowly, instead of letting it rush straight to a sewage system. Some of the rainwater does not even make it to the sewer at all, but evaporates when the sun comes out. This

prevents rainwater from going into the canals in a sudden surge, in turn reducing flooding after big storms. Indeed, governments in other countries are taking the lead in the use of roof gardens. In Munich, Germany for example, the government has promoted garden roofs through tax credits and other incentives. These subsidies have led to the “greening” of more than 40 hectares of urban roofs in the last 15 years! Green roofs can restore the experience of open space in even the most highly urbanized communities. They soften the appearance of the urban landscape. When they are installed on top of concrete roof decks, they provide open space for public recreation, and create intimate private areas. In fact, the experience of being on a green roof is exhilarating

because it combines the intimacy of private space with an openness to the elements and to nature. Attitudes can be hard to change though. Most people think roof gardens are problematic. A classic question is: “Is it going to leak or fall apart?” But the case is just the opposite. They actually leak less. In Europe, it is not uncommon to see roof gardens which are still in use 30, 40 or 50 years after they were installed. Unlike a typical roof which is built to resist the environment, plants are built to embrace the environment and live outdoors in its natural setting. Not all roofs can support an EcoRoof Garden, however. The most important consideration is the load bearing capacity of the structure. A structural engineer will calculate for this and answer if the house is able

2. Intensive: Intensive garden roofs may be as accessible as a roof garden, and are typically placed in buildings with roof decks. This type of roof garden will have deeper soil, and will therefore be heavier. The deeper soil allows more plant diversity, and will require higher maintenance than extensive roof gardens. Soil depth is typically between 4-12 inches. Intensive roofs typically have more assorted plants than extensive roofs and are irrigated depending on soil depth, plant selection and location.

to support the roof. A good rule of thumb is: if the house is built to support roof tiles, then it should be able to support an (extensive) EcoRoof Garden. Maintenance is also an important issue. Eco-Roof Garden types can range from those that are virtually self-maintaining to those that require a lot of attention. Plenty of options exist between those two ends of the spectrum.

For more information about Eco-Roof Gardens, send an email to [email protected] or call 0917-329-6073.

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reveal

Italianize your home Euanne Torres drops by the country’s leading distributor of authentic Italian tiles and discovers how these fine products increase the value of one’s home considerably

Tiles provide the cool floorings perfect for subtropical and Mediterranean climates alike.

Italians are known around the world for their taste for good quality materials that spell class and sophistication. This is why wide-ranging products such as cars, leather shoes, bags and wines are imported by many countries from Italy. Ceramic tiles are no exception. Italy accounts for 83.38% of all ceramic tiles produced in the world in 2006, and currently pulls in 566.3 million euros from that industry. This is not surprising because not only do authentic Italian tiles lend a look of class to any surface—they also have superior quality and durability. So how can you buy top quality Italian tiles without going to Italy? The Internet perhaps? But why, when you can just proceed to an authentic Italian tile showroom where you can actually see, touch and feel the texture of the tiles for yourself, and select? Galileo Ceramiche allows you this experience — along with a bit of professional advice from the full-blooded Italian architect and gracious owner, Gaetano Vitrano. Gaetano put up Galileo Trading and Services (an umbrella company that also includes Galileo Italian Restaurant Enoteca and Deli) in the Philippines in 2001 when he decided to settle here with his Filipina wife and their kids. The cozy little store offers one of the widest arrays of pavimenti (flooring), rivestimenti (walling) and arredamenti per interni (for interior design) tiles in the country today. It carries the world’s top architect and designerpreferred brands such as Lea Cerami-

che, Mirage, Graniti Fiandre, Ceramica Sant'Agostino, Provenza and Majorca. These authentic, high-quality, Italian tiles do not fade or lose shine or gloss even after years of exposure to ultra-violet rays and harsh weather conditions. They are anti-slip and easy to clean. They are harder and resistant to stain, scratching, trampling, chipping, wearing, and even to alkali and acid spills. They are likewise dirt resistant making them easy to maintain. They are available in sizes ranging from 30x30, 30x60, 60x60, to as big as 60x120 cm. for countertops. The company’s clientele has steadily

grown over the years. From only a handful of customers starting out, regulars now include the country’s top real estate companies, as well as eminent architects and design practitioners. Gaetano adds that their market is now even starting to develop in the middleincome segment, which is comprised of practical buyers who appreciate the value of excellent quality.

Galileo Trading & Services #13 Sanggumay St., Plainview Mandaluyong CityTels. No.: (63-2)578-3832/5328237 Telefax No.: (63-2)5325360 Email: [email protected]

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A range of tile styles allow more flexibility in flooring design.

Tile styles at

Galileo Ceramiche Full-body homogenous tiles have a matte-looking finish and have the same color from top to bottom, creating that classic elegant look for both indoors and outdoors. These are polished with an exclusive mechanical process that does not involve any harmful chemical substance. Their brightness comes from the hardness and homogeneity of the raw materials and not from artificial gloss polish. These come in their natural state and have not undergone any alteration to the natural composition. This type of tiles is best used indoors in living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, and even hotel lobbies. Shiny glazed homogenous tiles are beveled, meaning they have provisions for gaps in between tiles to prevent them from chipping. Rectified technoquartz tiles, meanwhile, come with straight finishing and look exactly like natural stones. They are not products of quarrying but rather of artificial processing in manufacturing plants, thereby sparing the environment from more degradation. Green honed tiles have excellent resistance to scratches, wear and stains. During the phase when tiles are heated to harden, the surfaces of these tiles are completely vitrified, preventing any surface porosity. Thus, no dirt or stain can stick or penetrate the tiles, making them very easy to clean. This type, used as flooring for Ferrari and Maseratti luxury showrooms, is best suited for living rooms, lanais, palace gardens, and plazas. For elegant lavatories and “low traffic” areas, there are fine white body homogenous tiles for walling and flooring. Lea techno-quartz tiles are rough, resemble natural stones, yet feel good to the feet. They can be used for both indoor and outdoor designs and come in eight different tones. Other tiles are also available for any design theme, be it Zen, oriental style, Victorian, avant-garde, cosmopolitan, minimalist or modern.

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man on top

Reluctant leader, accidental hero

“Something that I’ve learned from my wife is that in anything you do, regardless of whether it is a big or small thing, you have to give it your very best and try to enjoy it. Success will naturally follow.” Pag-IBIG Fund’s CEO Atty. Romero F.S. Quimbo grants Dani Molintas a glimpse into his heart Photography by Noel Salazar

All leaders have their defining moments and their crossroads, and for many these come, not once or twice, but many times in a lifetime.­

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ONE of life’s curious ironies is that those who are the most fit to lead, are also those who are the most hesitant to take power. Or, as they themselves seem to know subconsciously (that it slips out of their lips in unguarded moments) leadership is a push-andpull thing, a tug-of-war between private longings for a placid life, and a persistent, ingrained, and inescapable desire to serve. Such is the uncomplicated theme of the life of Atty. Romero F.S. Quimbo, today the CEO and President of the Pag-IBIG Fund—the country’s largest provider of housing loans and the agency leading the solutions to our huge shelter crisis. Two years shy of turning 40, this determined achiever—recognized many times over for academic excellence, his student activism in post-EDSA I days, his work in law school, and in past years, for turning the Fund into an oasis of efficiency in a desert of government corruption— finds himself at a crossroads, once again. That may come as a surprise only to him. But for those of us who stalk the lives of charlatans and icons, the power-hungry and reluctant heroes alike, this is common stuff. Heroes go through dark times; this is what myths are made of. Or does it really come as a surprise to him? Leaders are wont to know their worth and their calling, even intuitively. “Leaders are not born, but are created by the moments that they are called to take on roles others don’t want to take,” he reflects pensively after our lengthy interview for Condo Central. It’s too late in the day to be a prepared quote, and is more a sudden flash of insight brought on probably by the fact that I remind him of his college days. By now, the recorder is switched off,

he has finished his beer, and we have already gone through an hour’s talk. He waxes nostalgic about his activist days: In 1986, during his freshman year, he joined an anti-bases rally of students, and it was about to be dispersed. As the anti-riot forces closed in on the students gathered in front of the US Embassy, they began to panic, and it suddenly dawned on him that no one was about to take charge of the group’s safety. Walang gagalaw! Walang gagalaw! He called out. The students, set to flee, stopped, stepped back into their ranks and sat down. The danger had passed. Quimbo was 16 at that time. “Despite my being a newbie, they actually listened to me,” he said simply. At that moment, he accepted his calling. All leaders have their defining moments and their crossroads, and for many these come, not once or twice, but many times in a lifetime. That rally was one defining moment for Quimbo. A few years after, choosing to leave the student movement he felt so deeply about was the sad crisis he had to face. “These were moments in my life, from the time I was 16 up to the time I was 21, that every part of my being up to the last strand of hair was motivated, impelled by one singular belief… of liberating this country. Everything I did, the way I wrote, the way I dressed, the way I dealt with other people. It was like being in a state of Zen. Those were very exciting times.” TODAY we live in times where the hero has been replaced by the celebrity. Where once our leaders were nobler versions of ourselves, now they are just like us, flaws and all, wrought larger on a giant screen, only botoxed, made-up, and better looking.

ACTIVIST AT HEART. “People become leaders when they take on responsible roles others don’t want to take.”

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Too bad for his detractors, but Quimbo is both potential hero and celebrity. Well at least he looks like a celebrity. I am sitting across him in a small table for two at the Schwarzwalder, conveniently located at the ground floor of the Atrium in Makati, where the Fund holds office. Taking a break from the interview with this pesky writer, Quimbo asks the young waitress for peanuts and lets her leave, but only after flashing her a lingering smile and splashing her with a huge dose of his boyish charm. I had stalked him from morning. I had been up at 5am to be on time for a photo shoot, and it is now close to 9pm. I’m hot, sticky, and dirty from a long day of coverage, I’m beat, and disheveled. Quimbo still wears the shirt he wore that morning, a pin-striped white, lavender and mauve dress shirt, sleeves rolled up, exposing black rubber bands encircling his wrists like it would a college kid. He looks impeccable, like a movie star. He is handsome in the clean, boy-nextdoor, take-home-to-your mother kind of way. But the people who know him will tell you that he isn’t stuck up, and that he doesn’t take himself too seriously. He is even quite the funny guy with the irreverent wit, who knows when to deliver his punchlines: CC: So it’s a challenging job, but do you also find it fun? Atty. Quimbo: Oh it’s fun. It’s absolutely fun. Yeah it’s fun. Yeah, I like it that in every step of the way, people will call you “sir”. CC: (laughs) Or getting saluted by the guards, no?

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PRETTY BOY, MAN OF SUBSTANCE. He may look like a harmless boy-nextdoor, but this man can play hard ball.

Atty. Quimbo: Or getting saluted, yah—etcetera. No no no no. Yeah it’s fun. It’s fun because you have in your grasp the ability to shape an organization, to shape its mindset and to create a collective leadership. That’s the most difficult thing. I believe in a collective leadership, but to be able to do that (your employees) have to be able to see through you and to your intentions. You have to be transparent. At the same time, you have to be somebody they can trust and believe in. You have to be a leader. I mean you have to go to war. I tell everybody, this is a war here. This war is to combat corruption, to combat bad service to our owners. It’s a war you have to wage daily. And people will sometimes have to just embrace what you say and throw caution to the wind when they believe in you. You convince them, and it’s risky. But they need to be know that, at any point in time, when the struggle begins, you’ll be there beside them. Not behind them, not in front of them, but actually beside them. You know that’s something I actually aspire to: That I am the first to take the risk. Hindi ako pumapayag na parang, yung cover your ass mentality—that’s the last thing that I am. I am the first to take the risk. In fact, kapag may problema, I’ll be the first to say: Akong pipirma, kung takot ka. Kung tama para sa tao, para sa empleyado… that’s fun! CC: You’re serious? Atty. Quimbo: Yes. (emphatically). It has to be fun because if there’s no fun what’s the sense of embracing and enduring the struggle. CC: So the revolution was fun?

(referring to his student activist days) Atty Quimbo: The revolution was fun, the revolution continues. (Laughs)

Unpopular Stands Taking the heat. Making tough decisions. Taking risks. Not using people as pawns to achieve one’s own agenda. Such noble strivings make Quimbo larger-than-life. True to his own standards of leadership, Quimbo is unafraid to take unpopular stands. Noting that food security is vital to any country’s economic and political stability, he is still unafraid to point out that the current moratorium on land conversion is “hysterical”. He supports the stand of CREBA (Chamber of Real Estate and Builders Association) urging a lifting of the moratorium. “Few people realize that so little of our arable lands—from 1 to 2 percent —have actually been converted to real estate. In fact, in the last five years, I don’t think any irrigated land has been actually converted for real estate purposes.” To ensure food security, Quimbo says the solution is not to prevent (real estate) development, but to improve farm production by supporting farmers, giving them needed facilities, farm-to-market roads, and dismantling middle men merchant monopolies. Yet another unpopular stand Quimbo is brave enough to make is his call for policy makers to study CARP dispassionately and reevaluate: has the lot of the country’s farmers improved under it? “We’ve always said that giving farmers ownership of the land makes them take care of it. But that position

presupposes that the farmer has the needed support systems, education, accounting skills. Without these, should it be wise to extend CARP?” The plucky CEO is also bold enough to call for an aggressive population control policy to tackle the food security issue: “Because, however productive our lands or economy become, if population growth outpaces growth or production, we won’t develop. The growth we have now is not even enough to offset the current poverty levels, what more if you keep adding to that population?” “Sadly, I don’t think there’s anyone who has the balls to actually carry out such policies.” However unpopular their positions, leaders are called to balance this with a large measure of realism. That is what Quimbo believes. “You also have to balance, of course with realpolitik. Meaning, you need to be able to know when to pull, when to release—it’s a push-and-pull thing essentially.” Patience, negotiation, consensus building, and working with power blocks are things Quimbo learned early on, growing up the youngest — and as a child naturally the smallest — in a middle-income family dominated by boys. “Being the youngest, you’ve got to fight for every nook and cranny. No quarters are given. Especially when you’re dealing with boys. You know the teasing…it was difficult. I loved it! I love my family. I owe everything I am today to them.” SUCH skills, well honed, could turn one into a Machiavelli. Some of the worst crimes in history were committed by Machiavellis seeking power to plug up yawning blackholes

in their psyches. Stalin and Hitler lead the pack, having wrecked large-scale damage. We have our local, even village, versions in our history. As I stalk Quimbo for this profile, I get a sense of him as a whole, complete person, raised by decent parents, surrounded by people who love him. No huge psychic holes to fill here. This boy-next-door is really that; no skeletons are hiding. Quimbo is also a reluctant leader, who takes on leadership positions out of a sheer sense of responsibility. Sure, he says this himself, but there’s no aggrandizing there: Atty. Quimbo: The funny thing is that all positions of leadership I’ve come to hold, from being class treasurer in Grade 1, to those I hold now… I never sought them. Being part of the UP student council— I never even wanted that. I ran for chairmanship of the UP Student Council in 1991 —but I did not want it. CC: So why did you run? Atty. Quimbo: I was thrust— CC: (laughs) Atty. Quimbo: Yes, thrust by people sharing the same cause, people who wanted the pro-people agenda to be carried by the UP student council, and they felt like I was the best person to carry it. Which, up to a certain point, I felt that—there were so many other people better than me. Assuming the CEO position of the Pag-IBIG—I was forced. I was absolutely forced. I mean seriously, it was something I did not want to do. It was something I did not want to have, primarily because I was replacing a person that I was supportive of. I did not want him to think that I snuck

Citizen Miro is playful and funny You know I’ve been CEO for 7 years, I think, come 2010, when the President steps down, somebody else should be able to take my place. Maybe somebody with better ideas… I doubt it, but…(laughs) — Speaking about what comes after his work at Pag-Ibig Fund

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tips under his bed and took out his pillow.

LOYALTY just follows when you work by example. When people see that your motivations are clean, they will be loyal.

CC: What finally convinces you to take responsible positions you don’t want? Atty. Quimbo: You know what? What finally convinces me is the peer pressure. Yeah! Because I’ve always been convinced that you don’t need to be in a lofty position to serve. I firmly believe that even a street sweeper can be a leader, can be somebody who can do public service. By being a role model, being an example to your children, paying your taxes, not cheating, being honest. That’s being a leader, leading your life in an honest and dignified way. But what impels me to accept is just the sheer realization that it would seem that I’m the best person to do it. There is a greater calling to execute something or to carry out a cause, a philosophy, and it seems like I’m the best person to do it. I mean if you see, I never refer to the things that I’ve done in the past at­­Pag-IBIG. I never say I did this, I did that. It’s always “we.” Meaning, it’s a collective effort. “So what really convinces me is

really a higher calling…that I am but a small part of a greater whole. You know if I don’t take on that responsibility or role, whatever movement or belief we’re pursuing will be hampered.” In 2006, Quimbo was awarded the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) award for government service. It was bestowed on him for exemplifying the qualities of good effective leadership, excellence and public service that the prestigious award seeks to recognize. The award grants Quimbo the recognition that he truly deserves. But it is only a small pat in the back for a man who has done much, has pure intentions—and most importantly, has the potential to become a heroic leader that our country so sorely needs. That is, if he listens to the voices calling him. If he does choose to become the leader we deserve, we will owe it to these: A childhood at once exposed to poverty around him, but sheltered by loving parents, bred in him a compassion for those with less in life. Growing up in a large family taught him the discipline and determination he needs to lead in such trying times.

Being raised by an honest man taught him the value of integrity. Having a loving wife keeps him grounded. Of the poverty he saw as he grew up in Catbalogan, Samar, (still one of the country’s poorest provinces), he says: “I felt that life shouldn’t be this way. And I learned early on that the institutional barriers for people to get out of poverty are practically insurmountable. Unless one is lucky enough to be brilliant, to get to the best public schools—it’s really just very, very difficult. And for many of us, what is required is just a fair opportunity or fair chance to be able to shine. “ Now we witness Quimbo at his crossroads, at a time when he is a bit weary of government service, and contemplating a simple life. We can only hope that he will remember the things that inspired him to take up charity work as a lad, activism as a young man, and government service as a mature one. And as a wish for luck, these are our parting words: Shine, Quimbo, shine for all of us.

Tapat sa Pag-IBIG

M

iro—as those closest to him call him—is refreshingly candid and proud of what the Fund has been able to achieve under his term. “I think the proof of the pudding is really in the eating. Just look at how we’ve grown in the last 7 years.” “Our asset base has doubled. What took us 21 years from 1980- 2001—that we were able to do from 2001-2007. So in one third of the time, without increasing our contributions, look at what we’ve been able to achieve.” There’s no aggrandizing here, but thankfully, no false modesty. “We have become a top 10 corporation in terms of income, we are a triple A rated company, our housing loans, our short term loans have increased by 600 percent from 2001. Can you imagine? From PhP3.1 billion in 2001, it’s going to be PhP30 billion this year. In short term loans, from maybe around PhP10 billion in 2001, it’s going to be PhP32 billion this year.” Indeed, from 2001 to 2007 the Fund has sought to improve the quality of Filipino lives through quality housing. To reach this lofty goal, Quimbo set about in 2001 to rationalize the Fund’s operations. He began by setting high standards and targets, and establishing a nation-wide system to monitor that those targets are met.

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But Quimbo will not take all the credit. “The Fund was able to achieve all that because of its employee corps that is honest and proud of being part of the organization. All I did was stroke their (employees’) sense of pride and give them the recognition they deserve.” Realizing that the government did not have the funds to address the country’s colossal shelter crisis, he decided that any meaningful effort must be led by the private sector. Thus, he took on the task of making the Fund more attractive to banks and other investors, and showing them that housing is not a charity, but a viable program that can be profitable. In the process, Quimbo and his Pag-IBIG army (He often says they are at war!) have been able to transform an unheralded government agency into a consistently strong financial institution. Last year, the Fund received the United Nations Scroll of Honour Award, the world’s most prestigious human settlements award, for its achievements in the Philippine shelter industry. These accomplishments are a lasting legacy. They show us all that government can work, and can be true to its promise of being by and for the people. This stunning ray of hope has the power to dispel the apathy and hopelessness engulfing our country today.

NO POPULIST. “You need to be able to take hard positions if you want to be successful in govenment.”

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Better Idea.

Use Compact Fluorescent Lamps instead of incandescent bulbs. They are brighter, last longer, and consume electricity more efficiently. CFLs are cheaper in the long run. For more Electricitips, visit www.meralco.com.ph.

Good Idea?

cover story

Discover a better lifestyle To live securely—and affordably—in the lap of luxury at a modern architectural landmark found smack in the city center. That, and nothing less, is what The Exchange Regency offers TO SURVIVE in today's hypercompetitive world, you need more than just average skills, brains or even the correct pedigree. You need exceptional intelligence, strength, boundless energy, irrepressible optimism, flexibility and standout traits— all in well measured doses—in order to get where you want to go. Such traits should also be embodied by the place where you live. Globalized business has ushered in a new era of exacting 24/7 schedules and rapid turnaround times. Combined, these have spurred a demand for highly integrated urban living spaces, where homes are located close to work and various recreational choices, and where these spaces are seamlessly combined into thriving 21st century communities. As globalization takes hold of the country, it has turned this once laid-back tropical archipelago into a vital cog in the huge global business machine, and one that provides an expanding array of outsourced services. The current condominium boom can only seek to keep pace with that. But while condominium developments seem to sprout in the capital's every nook and cranny, few are truly able to deliver the higher standards of modern living that Filipino workers at the cutting edge of new developments demand – and deserve.

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WELCOME RESPITE. A home at The Exchange Regency grants owners the serenity to recharge and compete in today’s hypercompetitive world.­­

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LUXURIOUS SPACE. All units feature high ceilings and wide windows, creating relaxing places of light, space and energy.

The Exchange Regency

FAST FACTS

Location: Exchange Road corner Meralco Avenue and Jade Drive, Ortigas Center Building Design: ASYA Design Partner Developer: Nobleland Ventures, Inc. 42-storey residential condo 3 levels basement parking 2 commercial floors 1 whole floor for amenities Prices range: PhP1.8m to PhP13.4m Unit Areas range: 22 sqm. to 127sqm.

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The Exchange Regency counts among the few elite condominium developments that provide 21st century Filipinos this new urban lifestyle. From location, to design, to structure, and even payment schemes, the project affords buyers supreme value —at affordable prices. Nobleland Ventures, Inc., the project's developer, has sunk in billions to develop this 42-storey architectural masterpiece that contributes to raising the bar of condominium development in the country. Premium site increases property value For one, few developments can beat The Exchange Regency's prime location. With developers scrambling over such premier spaces, and as buildings continue to rise in the heat of a property boom, this condo's premium site definitely increases its value as an investment. The condominium, now under construction, is set to rise on a threecorner property at the convergence point of Exchange Road, Meralco Avenue and Jade Drive in the busy financial district of Ortigas Center. This

is found right in the center of Metro Manila, making it easily accessible from major commercial and business hubs, educational establishments, medical facilities, and entertainment centers. Architectural masterpiece An exceptional design, which fuses science and the esoteric art of feng shui, is the other factor that sets The Exchange Regency apart from other condominium developments in the city. The tower, designed by ASYA Design Partner, one of Asia's top 10 architectural firms, takes the form of the infinity symbol. The innovative structure is truly striking and one-of-a-kind, and is bound to become one of the city's future architectural landmarks. When viewed from various angles, the building gives the impression of movement — and is thus expected to stand out from the usual block-type condominium structures. Design optimizes energy The design is also powerful—in both symbolic and feng shui terms. Infinity comes from the Latin word

“boundless”, and the structure creates limitless design possibilities for future unit owners. The building's unique shape allows all units to have stunning views, natural light and superior ventilation. Unit owners on the southwest side can expect to be treated to views of the Makati Skyline. West-facing unit owners can delight in expansive views of Manila Bay. While on the east, unbroken views of Antipolo Mountains can be found. And as for feng shui, the design was meticulously planned to allow the flow of both cool air and good energy. The showroom interiors are also designed to match the structure, with a lavish feel created by two of the country's distinguished designers, Lor Calma Design, Inc. and Asuncion Berenguer, Inc. Buyers can choose to have their units patterned after these beautiful interiors.

Project offers flexible options Accessibility, strategic location and stunning architecture aside, it is the flexibility of options that makes The Exchange Regency a good buy. People are unique and have distinct needs, but many condominium

developers are unable to cater to this need for variety. In contrast, The Exchange Regency allows home seekers to choose from various flexible options. Residential units, which all feature high ceilings and wide windows that are usually found in high-end luxury condominiums, are available in 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom flats, and 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 3-bedroom loft configurations. Buyers, however, can combine two or more units to match their specific needs. Unit sizes range from 22sqm to 127sqm and can be delivered as bare, standard or fully furnished. Prices vary from PhP 1.8m to PhP 13.4m— making the development affordable to driven call center agents, successful entrepreneurs, career executives, and overseas contract workers alike. Flexibility is likewise evident in the payment schemes offe­­­red, but the most popular term is 20% in 24 months, with 80% of that covered by bank financing. Moreover, buyers can choose to enroll their units under the development's planned condotel operations.

Smart investment: The Exchange Regency condotel pool Savvy buyers can choose to invest in a unit at The Exchange Regency Condotel pool, and cash in on the sustained high occupancy rate that Ortigas hotels have enjoyed for the past five years. Unlike in other condominium developments, owners of The Exchange Regency units can continue to earn from their investment, even if there are no tenants. This investment is totally hassle-free, as it will be managed for buyers by a professional Condotel Operator, who will take charge of both the day-to-day operations and the active marketing of condotel units. Home of luxury Because of its location, and its full range of facilities, The Exchange Regency is both a restful haven and a portal to exciting recreational events. Some of the facilities found in the condominium are an infinity pool, a kiddie pool, pool bar, shower rooms, a sunken deck, a Jacuzzi, sauna and foot massage facilities,

a gym, a jogging path and kid's playground, cabañas, a landscaped garden, putting green, barbecue area, and game room, function room, library lounge, meditation area and wi-fi enabled units. These grant owners a wide range of recreational choices right in their own homes. The development also boasts of ultramodern security features. Accessibility, a prime location, great design and facilities—all these

MONEY-MAKING ASSET. Smart buyers can choose to invest in a unit at The Exchange Regency Condotel pool that offers good revenue.

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make The Exchange Regency the home of choice for today's global Filipino workers. Having the home that enables them to blend fast-paced activities and relaxing lifestyles will contribute much to helping them reach their ambitious goals in today's competitive world. What’s more, the project’s construction is currently ahead of schedule. The developers, who have

tapped CE Construction Corp. as their general contractor, have started the excavation for the structural foundation of their project. All units will be delivered by December 2010. The Exchange Regency is being developed by Nobleland Ventures, Inc., a Manila-based real estate development and holding company that has developed numerous premier properties in the business districts of Makati, Ortigas, Alabang

and Cebu, as well as the industrial hubs of Cavite and Laguna. For inquiries please call +632 744 5229, +632 727 3569, +632 407 5718, and +632 407 8270, log on to www.noblelandinc.com or visit The Exchange Regency showroom located along Julia Vargas Avenue, between San Miguel Avenue and Meralco Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

FINE DINING, AT HOME. Regency is both a restful haven and a portal to exciting recreational activities.

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The balikbayan’s choice Trader’s Hotel offers Balikbayans a chance to soak in Old Manila’s character—and revel in the pleasures of the modern metropolis, at the same time Overseas Filipinos who are coming home for a visit can discover the new facilities at Traders Hotel, Manila and dine at the stylish Latitude restaurant or share a few drinks with friends and relatives at the Lobby Lounge. With 303 well-appointed guestrooms and suites that offer superb views of the famous Manila Bay and the vibrant Roxas Boulevard, the hotel ensures guests a pleasant leisure or business travel experience.

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Traders Hotel, Manila is conveniently located near the SM Mall of Asia, which allows balikbayans to splurge in gift shopping for their loved ones. The hotel is just a short drive from landmarks such as the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the picturesque walled city of Intramuros and the famed Luneta Park, which provide historical information for their children to appreciate. The newly opened Manila Ocean Park, which features a 25-meter glass aquarium tunnel where visitors may get to see 200

different species of marine life, is also located near the hotel. Balikbayans who can’t avail of a direct flight to their hometowns and need a place to stay in Manila before traveling to the provinces may find comfortable accommodations at Traders Hotel. The hotel, which is just 20 minutes away from both the international and domestic airports, is the perfect place to heal any jetlag, while share a few drinks or a sumptuous meal with friends

and family at the Lobby Lounge or Latitude restaurant. Overseas Filipinos who choose to stay at Traders Hotel Manila are certain to have no lingering concerns during their stay save for what gifts they will take home to their loved ones.

For room reservations, please call (63 2) 523 7011 local 2508 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

spotlight

A home and his dreams For a person of his stature, one would expect this Danish gentleman to be residing at a luxurious, fully -furnished condominium penthouse suite in Legaspi Village or Taguig. He, however, chose to build his home at a quaint, low-key building in Bangkal, Makati. Katrina Pallon pays him a visit Per Stangegaard, founder and president of Filtra Inc., first came to the Philippines in the 1980s as an executive for a Danish trading company. After an eight-year stay, he pursued his career in timber trading for 2-3 more years in Holland, France, Ghana, and finally his native Denmark. But having grown to love the Philippines, he came back in

1999 with the determined mission to use his experience to create new products and services that capitalize on the complementary traditions of Scandinavian design ideas and Filipino raw materials and craftsmanship. This has created more jobs and helped the country’s export industru expand and professionalize. His company has since developed

several export oriented product lines made from indigenous Philippine materials. These products are also sold locally. Today, the Filtra group is a leading distributor of Scandinavian furniture and design. Product lines include Scandwood which distributes outdoor furniture and flooring through home depots, Scandinavia Trend Inc. which is known

for its Danish design classics, and Stangegaard’s own award-winning designs Out d’ Or furniture, and GastroChef kitchen and gift lines. The year he returned, he took up residence in the 30 sq.m. studio at the South Star Pacific Building which he had bought in 1989. This he expanded in 2000-2001 by buying a 70-square meter apartment right next to the

DESIGNER STUFF. A red Borge Mogensen spokeback sofa and a coffee table are illuminated by a Sinus 550 Pendant. The mug is designed by Lin Utson for Rosendahl's Hans Christian Anderson collection, the flooring is solid beech from Denmark.

TAILOR MADE. Only the best materials and accessories are found in this apartment.

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The backdrop of his lavish living space is a bookshelf in solid Narra, where he displays different memorabilia from his travels, a few of which are shown here: a bust from Vietnam, a brass Louis Poulsen Petronalla lamp, a Teak Kay Bojesen monkey from Copenhagen and a photo of Khaya and Odum (named after wood species), the two pet dogs he took care of while living in Ghana.

CUSTOM-BUILT in Philippine mahogany and stainless steel, kitchen shelves are filled with designer Scandinavian accessories from Eva Solo, Eva Trio and Rosendahl, among others.

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This Philippine-made abaca chair was inspired by Arne Jacobsen’s “The Egg”, complementing the other Jacobsen furniture in Stangegaard’s condo unit.

Hanging at the center of his dining space is the famous Louis Poulsen Artichoke designed by Poul Henningsen. The special ellipseshaped dining table by Piet Hein are surrounded by 7 series chairs by Arne Jacobsen. At the center of the table are a vase and a fruit bowl, both designed by Lin Utzon for Rosendahl.

STYLISH OFFICE. The 6 miniature frames contain watercolor paintings by his mother. Both the 7 series office chair and table lamp are designed by Arne Jacobsen, while the Philippine Rosewood table is custom-made by IdeWood, one of Stangegaard’s many ventures.

studio he already owned. It is a European practice, according to him, of buying an old apartment and renovating it instead of buying a new one “which often gives much better value for the investment.” Doing that, he practically created his very own high end apartment from scratch, installing Scandinavian lighting and setting up furniture which he himself had designed. It is, in his words, “tailor-made” for him— from his cozy office corner to the lovely, spacious kitchen. Moreover, the building’s location gave him a very good view of Manila Bay, and made North and South accessible via EDSA and the South Expressway. He advocates using old buildings

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as living spaces. “Renovate like you are living in a high end condo,” is his advise. These old, charming structures can not only be made to meet to one’s present needs but also make for a remarkably good investment. His lavish space is a concrete proof of that. A regular working day for Stangegaard consists of getting up at 6:30 in the morning. He makes himself a cup of coffee, tunes in to BBC world news, and checks his email before leaving for work at around 9:30. He comes home at about 6 in the afternoon after a whole day of meetings with his staff, suppliers, and customers. And if he isn’t dining out, he cooks for himself and catches up on work after dinner. “Most of the work

is also fun, so I don’t really differentiate so much what is work and what is a hobby or interest,” he quips. Asked what leisure time is for him, his answer was: “Developing new products and business ideas is actually just as relaxing for me as reading, painting, or playing games is for others.” Otherwise he can be found playing golf at least twice a week at his much loved Villamor and Navy golf courses—both of which are just a quick drive from his condo. Apart from good movies and massages, the self-confessed food lover also enjoys authentic Italian cuisine at Caruso, the culinary diversity at Sofitel, outdoor barbecues, seafood wharfs, and trying out new restaurants. Makati is his most favorite spot in the country. “I would say that the two countries complement each other more than they are similar,” is his answer when asked if the Philippines and Denmark are alike. While it is the well functioning social system, infrastructure, education level, efficiency, and highly developed democracy that he appreciates most about Denmark, it is the people, the warm climate, and the lower cost of living that he loves most about the

Philippines. These and the beaches, golf courses, mountains, restaurants, and resorts are the things that he has come to love so dearly and are the reasons why he prefers living in the country. In his 25 years of stay in the Philippines, Per Stangegaard has, indeed, become so much of a Filipino that the issues that most Filipinos find pressing are also the concerns he sees that must be addressed. Aside from corruption, natural calamities and poverty, he stresses that the lack of infrastructure and of proper roads and railway systems are major factors that hinder the country’s development. “One of the reasons I wanted to come back was exactly to try to create some good and fair jobs, and in my small way, help build a larger middle class, which is so important for the future development of the country,” he concludes.

For more information about the products in the photos, please visit www.filtra-inc.com or email [email protected].

tips

Color therapy for the home The colors that surround you can influence your moods and your behavior. Design your home in the colors that will uplift your mood, sharpen your mind, make you feel romantic, or bring you inner peace. Writer and therapist Amy Cavosora shows you how Similar to aroma therapy, color therapy is based on the belief that we can achieve wellness and healing through our senses. As you can guess, aroma therapy primarily focuses on the sense of smell to bring forth changes in the human body, although the sense of smell is also tied to our sense of taste. However, color therapy works through the sense of sight, although it also affects our sense of touch. Color therapy is recognized as a form of complementary medicine in the U.S. and Europe, and it is offered in spas abroad as part of their wellness packages. Others combine color with aroma therapy, and some with sound therapy. As with color therapy, you can buy gadgets for color therapy, such as special lamps and light bulbs. These forms of therapy are based on the “chakra system” which originated in India, with the word “chakra” being a Sanskrit term for “wheel”, referring to the shape of the energy center. The human body has seven basic chakras or energy centers, and anyone who’s taken yoga classes or tried Ayurvedic medicine would be familiar with chakra system. In color therapy, each of the seven chakras corresponds to each color in the rainbow. The colors of the rainbow belong to the spectrum of visible light, and an eighth color, magenta, is produced when two rainbows are combined. Here’s a brief rundown of the seven colors, connected to the seven chakras, with keywords for the meaning of each chakra and color. Red—base chakra, refers to identity, survival, instinct, grounding.

Orange—sex chakra, refers to emotions and relationships. Yellow—navel chakra, refers to will power, “digestion” of ideas, purpose, expression, creativity. Green—heart chakra, refers to balancing, compassion, self-love Turquoise—throat chakra, refers to communication, honesty, sound. Indigo—third eye chakra, refers to sixth sense, intuition, insight, and the paranormal. Purple/Violet—crown chakra, refers to wisdom, receptivity, spirituality. When applying the concepts of color therapy to one’s living space, the primary consideration would be the person or persons using the space, including the amount of time the space is used. That’s because color can either heal or hurt a person, depending on one’s level of emotional and mental balance. For example, bright colors are not recommended for autistic children or those prone to ADD or hyperactivity, since they would have stimulating effects on them. Those prone to depression would do well to avoid blue colors since that would add to their depression. But if they have a blue bedroom and they only use their bedroom for sleeping, the color blue would be tolerable. If they like to cocoon in their bedroom all day, however, the prolonged exposure would not be helpful.

General rules however, can apply. Please note that the following can apply to color schemes for the entire room, such as a yellow theme for the kitchen, or only for décor, such as a violet-themed artwork for a study den. Since color therapy aims for balance in energy, try to have a balance in

coloring. Just like with everything else, moderation is the key. If you must absolutely use your favorite blue shade in your bedroom, or you’re forced to stay in your blue-themed bedroom because of sickness, try to have other colors in the mix.

Red—ideal for spots that require energy and action. You might like the idea of a red-walled bedroom if you’re into such sports, but if you also use that bedroom to sleep, it might not be a good idea. Maybe red bed sheets, but not red walls or ceilings. Orange—for spots used to generate happy emotions. Peach of course would be better for toning down the energy, although I’ve seen dark orange living rooms, dining corners and kitchens with nice positive effects. Yellow—for spots that need thinking energy, such as study areas. Since it’s related to the digestive system, it can also be used for the kitchen and dining rooms. If you like to entertain, a yellowthemed living room or den would produce more mental chatter rather than emotion-laden heart-to-heart talks. Unless you include something orangey into the mix. Green—for spots that want to make people feel relaxed. Ideal color for anywhere in the home, actually. If you have a meditation or prayer space, this is a good color since it connects you with your heart chakra, to access

compassion for oneself and others. I would prefer this than to purple and violet, the color of the crown chakra, since this can be too spiritual and un-grounded for some people. Green would be better. Turquoise—for spots that require peaceful energy. It might make visitors sleepy if you use this for your living room or dining area. Better for baths and bedrooms. Indigo—for spots that are used for reflection. Ideal for study areas and bedrooms, but if you’re prone to depression, add some bright touches to the bedroom to tone down indigo. Purple/Violet—for spots to help generate creativity or spiritual concerns. Like green, this can be used for anywhere in the home, but it might dampen social activities, unless you’re using your space for artistic or spiritual endeavours with other people. If you prefer this for imbuing your space with spiritual energy, try to balance the energy and ground it with either color green or yellow, or anything earthtoned.

tips

Wall tiles – decorative entrance Barbara Tobiasz shares secrets on how to inject color and character into our homes

One of the most common types of wall tiles is ceramic. Ceramic tiles have been made by man for over 4,000 years. They have been found in the pyramids, the ruins of Babylon, and ancient Greek cities. They displayed beautiful sculptures of that period of time. The ceramic tile is made from a mixture of clays that are fired on high temperatures and then are

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generally glazed. They are used to add beautiful accents to your walls and your surroundings. Wall tiles are more durable then any other wall covering. They are easy to clean, stain resistant to most acids, not effected by oxygen and easy to maintain. You can put wall tiles in any room where you need surfaces to be easily maintainable. They help create a sense of freshness and tranquility. They are available in a wide range of designs, colors, materials and patterns. Some materials used are ceramic, porcelain, limestone, metal, slate, marble, granite, cork and glass. There are many sizes, shapes and decorative techniques that are used and you can choose from. Before purchasing the tiles you must measure and make certain you buy enough to cover your surface. Proper preparation makes it easier for you to install the tiles yourself. If “do it yourself” does not work for you, there are many professionals that can install the wall tiles. This job does require special tools, but you must make sure you have everything at hand before you start the project. For instance you will need a saw, tile cutters, nippers, trowels, spreaders, rubber float, and a leveling board. Professionals also apply tiles to walls using a thick bed of mortar. Since your wall tiles won't be walked on you can use ceramic or rustic stone. There is also available in recycled glass, which comes in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes—great for the environmentallyminded individual. Also in this same category you

can purchase metal tiles in panels that are lighter. This material can also be hand painted or antiqued to match your decor, but keep in mind that metal can be harder to install. Anywhere you would like beautiful art on walls you can put up tile murals. They are especially attractive as a back splash in your kitchen above your counter or stove top. It can make any room in your home unique, special, and very comfortable. Decorative techniques are used on tiles. Some examples are unglazed with the color ranging from light sand to brick red. There are also plain glazes such as flint, white lead, china stone and china clay. These are all ground to make the glazes. They add ground metal oxides to form different colors. Last but not least, there are mosaic tiles. These come in a variety of color choices. Yellow, blue, brown, black, turquoise, green and white are the colors they come in. They are carved and cut into small pieces and placed close together into a prepared pattern. They are plastered and hardened into one large single piece. Some other techniques are hand painting, carving, tube lining, modeling, and transfer printing. Porcelain tile is very popular material used in today's homes. It is a newer form of ceramic tile. It is composed of fine porcelain clay that is fired at higher temperatures then ceramic. It is

denser, less porous, and less prone to take in moisture. It is also more stain resistant. The downside is that it is harder to cut then ceramic. Porcelain is suitable for the indoors as well as outdoors. Marble is more high maintenance and very porous. It needs to be resealed every one to two years depending on where it is used. For instance in a shower area where there is heat and steam. Granite wall tiles are stunning and dramatic but very heavy. These can be hard to install because gravity takes over. They must be securely attached, but once hung correctly they are very durable. Cork is another durable and stable material. It is a pure material and it improves indoor air quality. It is elegant and sophisticated and brings warmth to your living quarters. You can enhance the visual essence of natural light and infuse it with a multitude of colors using glass tiles. This method can add pizzazz and charm to your decor. Keep in mind that the price ranges for various wall tiles vary. No matter what choice you finally make, wall tiles all produce the same effect. They inject color, interest and excitement to your life and home. Source: www.articlesbase.com

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tips

Bathroom lighting Decorative lights can liven up your bathroom to an amazing degree. With the arrival of an astonishing variety of bathroom lighting fixtures, it is possible to create just about any effect you wish. Dhaval Suthar writes All of us begin our day with a trip to the bathroom; most of us end it also with a trip to the bathroom. In between, we make a number of trips to this room. Funny then that the bathroom is often ignored when it comes to lighting and décor. One of the reasons is the size of course. Since this is the smallest room in the house, most people think that a single naked bulb is all they need for sufficient illumination. However, this sort of crimping results in inadequate lighting which in turn leads to the under-utilization of bathroom space. In addition to cramping the style of your bathroom, inadequate lighting stops the bathroom from providing its full variety of services. The bathroom is a place where a number of functions are performed. Therefore, proper illumination is vital to its usability. From performing intricate tasks like shaving or putting on makeup to enjoying a relaxing bath, various parts of the bathroom function differently. This demands different kinds of lighting. So, a good bathroom lighting plan is the first step towards enjoying your

bathroom to its fullest. The first step is to identify areas that need clear, focused lighting. Spots like the vanity area in a bathroom demand precise lighting. So, you need bathroom lighting fixtures that provide complete clarity eliminating awkward shadows and dark corners. The best kind of bathroom lighting for this area would be wall-mounted fixtures or sconces, installed on either sides of the mirror. If you have an oversized mirror, you could place mount sconces directly over them. This will create a dazzling classic look. The shower is another equally important area. A light fixture that can light up the shower stall sufficiently prevents nasty accidents or shaving nicks. But since this area is susceptible to moisture, it is important to use light fixtures that can safely be used in wet areas. One of the best ways to transform your bathroom from shabby to elegant is through the use of recessed lighting. Consider using a dimmer controlled recessed lighting fixture directed at the perimeter of

your bathtub, for the times when you need to enjoy a relaxing bath. From light fixtures reminiscent of classic Victorian elegance to stylistic modern designs finished in chrome or bronze, you can transform your bathroom to a place that you enjoy visiting. With bright splashes of color lighting up just the right spots to the right degree of brightness, you can achieve the classic elegance of a designer bathroom in your home. That too, without having to spend a fortune. That is why it is advisable to identify sellers who are direct vendors of manufacturers of leading brands. That way, you will be able to take advantage of stock clearance sales and other discounts. Source: www.ArticleBiz.com

tips

Space saving ideas Laura Davis gives us big ideas on designing small spaces Living in a small condo unit or a rented room can be incredibly difficult, particularly if your living space is both your living room and your bedroom. The advantage of having a small living space is that, given you have less space, you accumulate less belongings, and in theory it should be easier to keep neat and tidy. However the downside, of living in studio apartment for instance, outweighs the plus side, you struggle to fit in a bed and seating, a bed can often look untidy if you are entertaining, and sometimes you need a lot of belongings and you simply do not have anywhere to put these. Here are some options to consider that will offer more space, make your small studio look more spacious, and provide more storage space. If you are living in a studio flat there are several plausible solutions for you to consider, the most obvious option would be to fit a small bed and a small sofa into the room. However, depending on the size of the room, this may not leave much space for other bedroom or living room furniture, which defeats the pur-

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pose of having a sofa in the first place. If you cannot socialize in the room comfortably, then you are probably better simply having a bed in the room, push it against a wall and place pillows on the wall when visitors are around to give the impression of a sofa. The key is to choose furniture that is not obviously bedroom furniture, get rid of all teddies and bedroom paraphernalia, keep the bed linen very simple and when guests are visiting throw a heavy weight throw over the bed and scatter pillows on it to give the impression that it is a seat. There are several bed frames on the market that are a divan/day bed style with support on the back and sides of the bed, making it look closer to a sofa than to a place to sleep. This idea of having a smart bed double as a seating area is also a good idea for students living in student accommodation where you have one room for yourself. Another option for students is buying a sofa bed or futon, the advantage being that if you do want people around then you can fold it back up to give you more space. Again, sofa beds can be a good

option for a studio apartment for its functionality, but it may not be the comfiest of beds in the world. If you have bought a studio flat, or if your bedroom is particularly small, it may be wise to do something more drastic, not only to give you more space but doing so may increase the value of the property. A mezzanine is a very clever way of getting more storage space for a small bedroom and can create a whole new area for living space. A mezzanine is an intermediate floor constructed between the main floors of a building, in a single room. How much room a mezzanine can give you is entirely dependant upon the height on the ceilings. The most common practice is to place a mattress and sleeping area up on the "second" floor providing you with a new bedroom with an alcove area that can be used for wardrobes or cupboards. However, how well a mezzanine works is entirely dependent upon the size of the existing room and getting a good architect. If anything just raising your bed to chest height will give you enough extra space to put in some

high quality storage. If your bedroom is still too small for this, then another option is a Murphy's pull down bed; a bed that is usually hidden vertically inside a cupboard but can then be pulled down into a horizontal position for sleeping. The benefit of this is obviously that when the bed is hidden away, duvet and all, the bedroom can transform into a living area giving you the best of both worlds. Murphy's beds are best placed in a cupboard unit that stretches an entire wall so you can have the bed and wardrobes on either side, so that when vertical there is no hint of a bed at all. If you can fit a bed into your room, and a sofa, but not really your clothes or your CDs, then you can purchase a divan bed with drawers underneath, or as suggested above pay for a second floor to be built under which you can use for storage.

Source: www.articlesbase.com

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There’s always space for green Refreshing and reinvigorating elements of nature are cleverly integrated into the master plan of this modern urban sanctuary In the name of expediency and progress, the city has inevitably become less and less green. In lieu of towering trees, we have soaring structures of glass and steel;

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instead of sprawling fields, we have the intricate interlace of concrete thoroughfares. In attentive recognition of our need and yearning for elements of nature,

DMCI Homes has constantly looked at incorporating “green’ in its numerous projects, while still embracing the convenience of the city life. Nothing better encapsulates this dedication as the verdant Podium Garden that will soon be a major highlight in the charming development that is Rosewood Pointe. Rosewood Pointe is the only Neo-Asian family condominium community that adheres to the core oriental value of tranquility and gentleness. Its distinct architectural design, together with generous open spaces and resort-like amenities, all make for a relaxed and unhurried home environment. Rosewood Pointe is composed of eight mid-rise residential buildings that are now fully constructed and are slowly being filled up. In addition, two high-rise structures are

currently being built, completing the development’s elaborate master plan. Jade and Ivory towers rise 21 storeys high, with the top three levels featuring bigger-sized, penthouse units. Both buildings boast of grand, hotel-like lobbies and central promenade greeneries can be found every five floors where refreshing elements of the outdoors are brought inside the buildings. A sky lounge is also located at Ivory Tower which offers spectacular, unobstructed views of the cityscape. A link of foliage Connecting Jade and Ivory towers is a lush Podium Garden which features an attractive array of well-arranged trees, shrubs and flowering plants such as bamboos, frangipani trees, creeping junifer, tropical ficus and evergreen podocarpus plants, eugenia, jasmine vines, kamuning

shrubs all intended to lessen the cold, hard concrete surfaces of the podium’s structural frames. The soft transition of between the spaces is achieved by maximizing open spaces and blending landscapes. Truly, the Podium Garden, which also serves as extension of ground level amenities, is a soothing sanctuary for residents who have to keep up with the fast-paced, stressfilled urban lifestyle. It is a welcome respite after a tiring day, and can likewise prepare the spirit for a tough journey ahead. Situated on a breezy 3.9-hectare expanse just off the C5 Road in the progressive city of Taguig, Rosewood Pointe is mere minutes away from the Makati Central Business District and the Bonifacio Global City. It is very near popular malls, classy restaurants, exclusive shops

and high-end boutiques, modern hospitals, as well as the international and domestic airports. DMCI Homes is the country's first Triple A builder/developer that offers middle income families optimum value for their money by providing quality homes with exceptional features and amenities, worldstandard level of craftsmanship borne out of over 50 years experience in the construction and development industry. For inquiries on Rosewood Pointe and other DMCI Homes projects, please call 888-3333 or visit www. dmcihomes.com.

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The future of condominiums:

Indulgent living More than a stylish home in a sought-after location, this prime development promises enhanced overall well-being for its residents

Condominiums make staying at home sheer bliss.

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Today, the upwardly mobile indulge by purchasing a designer outfit, buying a sports car, or escaping to a Caribbean cruise. In no time however, just staying home can be a pleasurable and indulgent experience. This is because recent studies conducted by HSBC show that individuals are seeking wealth not just for wealth's sake, but to find the kind of life that enables them to rear a family, and gives them freedom to pursue their interests and hobbies amid fastpaced living. Banking on these new findings are different real estate developers, now scrambling to develop residential spaces that offer discerning city dwellers a chance to enhance their well-being through empowered and indulgent living. At the forefront of these is Senta, the latest project of Community Innovations, an Ayala Land Company. A 39-storey residential tower facing the greenery of the Legazpi and W.Sycip Parks, Senta is set to be an icon for high-powered living in the middle of the country's premier financial district. "The new affluent are looking for a different kind of fortune—things that can make their lives better and help them develop into holistic individuals. They are looking for a quick refuge after a hectic day; they want to appreciate nature and have the luxury of time to be with their families and friends, they want to achieve their other dreams aside from their careers while remaining plugged into the fast

life of business and commerce," says Community Innovations President Dan Abando. Blurring distance. Most urban achievers, especially those who are at the top of their game, are looking for residential spaces that are a stone's throw away from commercial and corporate hubs, medical establishments, educational institutions, shopping destinations, as well as unique dining and retail options. This saves them from the stress brought about by heavy traffic that eats up a lot of time that could have been used for pleasurable endeavors like a swim in the pool or a gym workout. Staying true to Community Innovations' track record of building sound residential communities in highly networked places, Senta will rise a few steps from the world-class retail experiences offered by Greenbelt where urbanites can explore redefined and refreshing ways of shopping, leisure, dining and recreation. It is also walking distance from the rest of Makati Central Business. Inspiring aesthetics and indulgent amenities. Senta is set to be an icon in the distinct glamorous landscape of Legazpi Village with its elegant facade of full vertical glass corner panels. "Good aesthetics is inspiring and stirs positive emotions in people," explains Abando. An elegant lobby designed by renowned interior designer Ed Calma gives a soothing prelude to what

Senta holds. A fusion of intricate, contemporary design and homey ambience, Senta's art museum-inspired lobby renders a relaxing and visually enticing atmosphere to both residents and guests. Abando also says that what makes Senta unique are the different water elements and amenities that are present in the condominium. "Water has a relaxing effect on people. Just hearing it and watching the fluidity of its movement is very calming," notes Abando. Senta's podium level features three different swimming pools for urbanites who relieve their stress by plunging into water: a lap pool for hardcore serious swimmers; a children's pool for kids who are starting to love water sports; and a lounge pool with heated Jacuzzis. A private outdoor theatre—an unprecedented

facility in condominiums — is expected to elevate the concept of "passing time" to a whole new level. Gym buffs can also engage in an adrenaline pumping work out, medi-

cally proven to release endorphins in the brain that make people feel better. Senta's fully-equipped gym overlooks the serene greenery of Legazpi and W.Sycip Park. The podium also houses

a children's playground that features modern play equipment that allow kids to explore the world and develop their creativity in a safe environment. Likewise, deck areas are present for laidback afternoons - ideal for busy individuals seeking a quiet refuge. Relaxing on a green roof. Completing Senta's multi-sensory living experience are the different facilities found in its roof deck. Utilizing the principles of green roofing technology, Senta's roof deck merges top-of-the-line amenities and natural elements. A putting green provides private and intimate putting exercises that can clear the minds of busy executives while a Zeninspired rock garden is an ideal venue to savor the simple things in life. A multi-purpose garden is also at hand to host different events for nightcaps

with colleagues and family which can provide a boost of energy for burnedout urban achievers. The center of power and pleasure. From its strategic location, state-ofthe-art amenities, green elements, to its beautiful structure and façade, Senta's potential of improving the overall well-being of its future residents is very likely. Through Community Innovations' forward thinking, expect urban achievers to soon find a residential niche in the metro that exemplifies their successes and amplifies their wellness.

The Senta Showroom is at the 3rd level of Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Ayala Ave., Makati City.

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The luxury of a prime location A spectacular location, world-class facilities, and comfortable living form the crux of the newest property investment opportunity in Makati City

The Beacon, with its three iconic towers, is set to redefine Makati’s skyline. Its resort-blending lifestyle and innovative living concepts, set in expansive gardens and balconies, and with a full range of amenities, make The Beacon a sought-after address in Makati. Strategically located on the corner of Don Chino Roces and Arnaiz avenues, The Beacon residents get easy access to everything essential — schools, hospitals, churches, offices and malls. It is a mere three-minute walk to Walter Mart

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Supermarket and Makati Cinema Square, and a five-minute drive to the Makati Central Business District and EDSA. Resting on almost one hectare of land, The Beacon offers the luxury of space and full-sized amenities not common among developments in the Makati area. Its vast range of options satisfy every customer requirement, whether it’s a studio, 1 bedroom loft unit, 2 bedroom corner loft unit, penthouse or garden unit. Units come with high ceilings and large windows

for optimum natural lightning and cross-ventilation. The ground floor will also be open for various commercial establishments. The Beacon is about affordable stylish living while maintaining an active lifestyle. A 300-meter jogging trail awaits residents wanting to be in good physical shape. Dive into the 450-sqm resort-style swimming pool. Cool out at the sunken deck while children explore the expansive playground. Catch a movie with family and friends at the private 20seater theater. Shed excess pounds

and tone muscles at the bi-level gym which comes with shower rooms, sauna and massage areas. Cap the day with a quiet time at the meditation garden or read a book in the gazebo. The Beacon is Geo Estate’s offering in delivering fresh perspective to property development.

For more information, log on to www.thebeacon.com.ph or visit the showroom at the corner of Don Chino Roces and Arnaiz Avenue, Makati City or call 401-2881/82.

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A modern tropical gem At least PhP3 billion is alloted for this inspired and inspiring condo project of sea-facing homes

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HOMES BY THE SEA. Residencies by the Sea offer buyers a chance to live in exclusive buildings in a Gold Coast-like community.

SM Development Corporation (SMDC), the premium middle-income property unit of the SM Group, is spending at least PhP3 billion for its new residential condominium project, Sea Residences, to be built at the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City. This modern tropical condominium complex will rise on a 1.8-hectare lot along Diokno Boulevard. It consists of 2,580 units in six 15-storey towers that are designed in a “modern tropical Australian architecture” inspired by the subtropical city of Gold Coast, found in Australia’s east coast. Like most homes in that coastal city, most units at the Sea Residences will have a balcony granting owners a chance to enjoy stunning views of Manila Bay’s world-famous sunset, as well as the South China Sea in all its changing moods. Of the 2,188 one-bedroom units, 1,580 of these will have a balcony, as well as 280 of the condo’s 392 two-bedroom units. The Sea Residences also feature the latest in green design where buildings maximize natural lighting and ventilation, and waste water is treated and reused to water the landscaped lawns and podium areas. There are more windows and open spaces, and buildings are positioned to maximize natural airflow. The Sea Residences is SMDC’s sixth residential project within Metro Manila and the first of planned residential developments that will rise at the Mall of Asia Complex. It offers affordability, strategic location and high-quality amenities and services such as a wet play area, a children’s play area, a pavilion-style clubhouse, a spa facility and commercial spaces. The Sea Residences is strategically located close to the SM Mall of Asia and the planned entertainment city of PAGCOR, which makes it “a good market for residential units.”

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Transforming Makati Avenue’s landscape A leading hotel management firm opens the doors of a striking, distinctive and stylish sanctuary in the heart of the financial district The brand-new A. Venue Hotel Suites, proudly managed by Genesis Hotels & Resorts Corp, renews Makati’s landscape with its exciting options. It offers a striking, distinctive and stylish urban sanctuary at the heart of the city. Now fully operational, the A.Venue Hotel Suites offers 126 all-suites guest rooms to its already enthusiastic and eager clientele. From the welcoming splendor and elegance of the hotel’s main lobby to the tastefully opulent but homey interiors of every room, the A.Venue Hotel Suites takes great care to offer each guest the elegance and luxury to meet the most discriminating of tastes. Each suite is a masterpiece of exquisite form and detail which, although grand in scale, retains the casual elegance and comfort of a private residence complemented by a host of sophisticated hotel services, perks and amenities. The A.Venue Hotel Suites also offers smart facilities and amenities such as a grand ballroom (Via Veneto), function rooms for intimate meetings and gatherings, (Via Condotti, Via Toscana & Via Rafaelo), a cozy, classy coffee shop with gastronomic indulgence (Granvia Café), a

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rejuvenating spa (Stresscape), a fully equipped and functional business center, Internet connectivity, Wi-fi facilities, Infinity pool, library, kiddie activity pool, indoor game room & a fitness center. Deluxe hotel services include formal reception, concierge service, room service, PABX system (NDD/IDD Access), cable television, Genesis Hotels Laundry Service, banquet arrangements, housekeeping, transportation and valet service. The A.Venue Hotel Suites boasts of 3 levels of secure guest parking with valet service, 2 high-speed state of the art passenger lifts, 1 high-capacity service lift and full back-up generator system.

Situated right along cosmopolitan Makati Avenue, the A.Venue Hotel Suites is centrally located in the newest and most exciting destination in the metropolis, the Antel Lifestyle City. The sprawling 1.7 hectare Antel Lifestyle City boasts of the A.Venue Events Mall, a one-stop destination of upscale dining outlets, bars, clubs, coffee shops, sazzy boutiques, and trendy recreational facilities to a 1,800 capacity Events Hall. Within the Antel Lifestyle City, the A.Venue Hotel Suites possesses an enviable position offering celebrated cuisine, ultimate comfort, and a preferred venue for fun, recreation, relaxation and business.

Convenient location, secure and cosmopolitan surroundings, superb and personalized service, elegant and matchless accommodations, timeless ambience and deluxe hotel- style comfort and service— all these and more you are sure to enjoy at the A.Venue Hotel Suites.

The A.Venue Hotel Suites is located at the Antel Lifestyle City, 7829 Makati Avenue, Makati City. For inquiries and reservations, please call 403-0865 and 3817888. Visit their website at www. avenuehotelsuites.com and www. genesishotels.com.

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Disney Comes Alive with DMC Cross-stitch

C

an you remember the time you would watch with amazement stitchers busily cross stitch a classic angel? How about that beautiful landscape they magically stitched into the cloth? You watched them skillfully work on colorful threads and create that beautiful cross-stitch picture still hanging on your wall or your parent’s bedroom. You wished you were old enough to stitch with them, or have fun patterns you yourself will enjoy stitching! DMC, makers of world’s finest embroidery threads now lets you relive your cross-stitching fantasies and enjoy this favorite hobby with kids. Kids and those young-at-heart will surely have fun stitching as

DMC partners with yet another classic – your favorite Disney characters! Play with Winnie the Pooh and friends, tag along with the adventures of Mickey Mouse, and revive those magical moments with Disney’s Princesses. DMC captures the fun and exciting moments of Disney’s favorite characters in easy-to-follow patterns. Kids will be amazed at how easyly they can stitch the patterns themselves and witness their favorite characters come alive in their fabric. Encourage every child to enjoy this hobby with their friends. Choose your favorite Disney characters and let DMC cross-stitch take you to the magical world of Disney.

Dormitory upgrade More and more residential condominiums are sprouting near Metro Manila’s leading universities. Beth Orense shares the upsides of high-rise living for students CONDORMITORIES. More and more urban students discover that living in condominiums grant them a genuinely independent lifestyle.

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It doesn’t really take long before any college student living away from his/her family realizes that independence and freedom are entirely two different things. At first, you ask for independence. And then you yearn for freedom. Twenty four-year old Kate Bunag, whose family is based in Cavite says, “It was in the dorm where I initially experienced how to look after myself. I was responsible for the upkeep of my

own area. Everyday, I woke up earlier to prepare breakfast. I commuted from my Katipunan dorm going to UP. I also took care of sorting my dirty laundry for pickup, and buying myself groceries.” She was a college student living happily, independently. On her Junior year, she and her closest friends decided to try the condo. Instantly, she understood what she had been missing in her first two years in

college. “Kapag sa dorm, even if you say you live independently, there are still a lot of restrictions—curfew, landlady and other rules. Kapag sa condo, you feel more like a grownup and responsible person. Though you’re renting, you feel like you own the place so it’s like home na rin. After exam weeks and when we feel like unwinding from schoolwork, we can party, have sleepovers and invite friends over anytime we want to.”

Today, Kate is a self-employed TV segment producer for a morning program in GMA-7. Her work setup, wherein she is not tied to the office for 10 hours everyday, is ideal for what she has grown used to in her college condo. In particular, it is in that kind of freedom to balance independence, personal responsibility, time for others and take upon a lifestyle that belonged to her and not to the dorm or condo she lived in.

While Kate had to explore for the perfect place during her college years, Chiara Mesiona, who is currently in her senior year, had a very smooth transition from leaving her home in Davao to going to college in Ateneo. This is because Chiara simply had to follow the footsteps of her two older sisters who came to study in UP and the other one in Ateneo a few years ahead of her. She says that since her two sisters are already very much settled in the Katipunan condo unit the family had been renting, living on-campus was no option for her. Chiara, who describes herself as a grade-conscious student and a fun-loving person, says that condoliving fits her personality very well. “Sa condo, pwede kang magdala ng kahit anong appliance, walang maraming house rules, pwedeng kang alis-balik, walang curfew, mas malaki ang space,

free ka kahit anong gawin mo. Also, it is convenient. Malapit lahat like the groceries, laundry house, the convenience stores.” Interestingly, Katipunan Avenue, which is very close to UP, Ateneo and Miriam depicts a very significant picture of convenience of the “student culture”, wherein almost all establishments thrive pimarily to fulfill the students’ needs—food establishments, coffee shops, tutorial centers, internet and copy shops and even places to unwind such as salons and spas, posh date places, bars serving relatively inexpensive drinks, a wii house, scrapbooking and hobby shops, etc. While living in a condo allows a student to stay outside as much as he/ she likes and enjoy the convenience of such a set-up, Chiara says “One can really have fun inside the condo on less busy days. I can invite my closest

friends, who are studying in UP, UST and UPLB, to stay overnight anytime. And also whenever my parents are visiting from the province, they can just stay whether if it is just for one day or a month without the need to ask permission from the management. And last but not the least, I love baking so I had my Mom buy me a small electric oven which I can freely use in the condo.” The different sorts of freedom obtained from condo-living, in fact, have a strong bearing on maintaining personal responsibility. “Living in the condo and having fun with friends can be good but can also be a threat to your studies. Pero depende na sa ‘yo ‘-yun. Me, I’m having the best of college life and the condo is a big factor in it….When my future kids go to college here in Manila, I’ll also send them to a condo too, I think,” the 20 year-old Chiara giggles.

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watches

Chronomaster Playing shade against light, the extraordinary design of this watch perfectly illustrates the fusion of Tradition and Modernity. The cloisonné guilloche dial, appliqués and sword-shaped hands that sing the praises of the great classics, are transcended by resolutely modern touches. On the dial, subtly smoked cut-outs give a transparent effect, allowing a glimpse of the pearly plate beneath and the 3 patented discs of the Grande Date. Finally, the opening in the dial, so symbolic of the design, reveals the new complication, the El Primero 4039 movement, and shows us the mystery of time. This timepiece is endowed with

more than one radiant face. The rose gold cases offer silver dials while the stainless steel cases have either black or silver versions. They are available in two sizes, diameter XT –45 mm or T –40 mm, and are dressed with a new integral alligator strap to produce a more contemporary line with maximum comfort.

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An up close and personal encounter

Sony Philippines opens its doors to the public through its exclusive press launch of the W400 Full Range Full HD Bravia LCD TV Series. The Sony Team headed by President and Managing Director Toshiya Kagita personally welcomed the guests to their "home" and visually treated them with their highest picture quality in Full HD offerings packaged in 32, 40, 46 and 52 inch LCD Screens. High definition meets inspiration In an age where the market is gradually shifting to high-definition (HD)

displays, Sony Philippines continues to lead the pack through an expansion of their line of LCD TVs, signalled by the introduction of the new Bravia W400Series—a next generation all-around LCD TV like no other. "Bravia LCD TVs are primarily known for superior picture and sound quality. Then came cutting edge style and color variations," said Arnold Balao, Sony Philippines Deputy Director for Home Audio Video Marketing. "But with the release of the W400Series, we offer Filipinos the chance to realize and experience Bravia's continued evolution as we strive for perfection." The new Full HD Bravia W400Series comes in variety of sizes, 52", 46", 40" and now even in the 32" size segment. Driven by the new and improved Bravia Engine 2, a digital pictureenhancement mechanism leveraging advanced algorithms, the W400Series showcases its full 1920 x 1080 HD display with further improved color contrast for more vibrant, crisp, and true-to-life images. Added with Sony's Live Color Creation Technology, remarkable color reproduction is achieved with deep, accurate tones. Also packed with Intelligent Picture, worrying about weak analogue signals is a thing of the past as it automatically adjusts to reduce signal noise for higher picture clarity.

"With a new design concept fittingly called "Draw the Line", the Bravia W400 is the epitome of perfection. Its Midnight Blue finish and sleek form is inspired by the brilliant horizon on the beautiful starry midnight sky. Top it up with Sony-unique technologies and you get the ideal blend of inspiration and innovation," said Rhiana Toledo, Sony Philippines Marketing Officer for Bravia. Redefining extreme performance What's great about the W400Series is that enhancements don't end with display, but extends to all other aspects you could think of! Improved connectivity with a wide range of Sony and other compatible products is a breakthrough for the W400-Series. Enjoy with the convenience of Bravia Sync, making use and control of Handycam or Sony home entertainment products possible with a single remote. Also newly incorporated is a Digital Media Port that lets you enjoy and manage files from your walkman, media players, and other Bluetooth enabled products like mobile phones—all via a Bravia remote! Sound versatility is another element considered as the W400-Series features an Advanced S-Force Surround Sound, providing exceptional virtual surround sound while utilizing only its built-in speakers; and Voice Zoom for

speech volume control while maintaining ambient sound levels. Lastly, Sony is constantly thinking of ways to help Mother Earth in terms of manufacturing and product features. With the Bravia W400-Series, you can be assured that your LCD TV has one of the industry's lowest standby power consumption, plus a brightness sensor to detect your environment's lighting conditions for optimum screen brightness and power conservation. Guided by this mentality, their plan has flown with flying colors. In 2006 alone, the company has reused up to 16,000 tons of plastic during production, making them the number 1 recycler in the industry. "Without sacrificing our trademark superior picture quality and ingenious design, the W400-Series signals Sony's success in significantly reducing environmental waste impact by as much as 60 percent compared to the same-size models from five years back," Balao cited.

The Sony Bravia W400-Series LCD TV is available in all Sony Squares and other authorized dealers. For more information, please call (02) 878-7600 or 0917-8077669, email info. [email protected], or log on to www. sony.com.ph.

review central

books

The Wao factor

music

Carrie the tune Big-budget films call for bigbudget soundtracks, so the silver screen 2008 debut of Sex and the City gets a much splashier treatment than the 2004 soundtrack to the television series. That 2004 set struck a balance between New York cabaret and club, with just a hint of feminist pop in Aimee Mann and Imani Coppola. The 2008 Sex and the City is decidedly splashier, cutting out Bette Midler and replacing her with a heaping dose of hipsters of all kinds, ranging from wannabe indie rockers Morningwood to the inescapable bling soul-pop of Fergie, whose grotesque "Labels or Love"

perverts both the S&TC themes, musical and meaning. Some might say that the film itself perverts the show but whether it does or not, it's not an issue with the soundtrack, which is kind of its own entity, as much as a movie tie-in can be. It would be a mixed bag regardless of whether or not the movie was any good, as it mixes a new cut from the movie's co-star Jennifer Hudson ("All Dressed in Love," her first big tune since Dreamgirls) and a track from neo-folkies the Weepies with India.Arie singing Don Henley, a dorky Nina Simone remix, and two Bee Gees covers -- the Bird and

the Bee tackle "How Deep Is Your Love" and Al Green duets with Joss Stone on "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart." Some cuts feel as if they serve the film (why else have "Auld Lang Syne" on the record? Or Run-D.M.C.'s "Walk This Way" in this context?), much feels as if it's here only because there's a girl singer (only "Walk This Way" is all testosterone), and it's hard to imagine listening to it from beginning to end, but cherry-picking the best moments makes for a pleasurable experience that may wind up making it an appropriate soundtrack to the movie itself.

Ten years after his acclaimed short story collection Drowned, Junot Diaz returns with a lollapalooza of a debut novel centered on a grotesquely overweight DominicanAmerican teenager named Oscar. Lonely, loveless, and living almost completely inside his own head, Oscar is a "ghetto nerd" whose multiple obsessions include comic books, fantasy fiction, and supremely unobtainable women. In a story that moves back and forth between the Dominican Republic and Paterson, New Jersey, Diaz illuminates the tragic arc of Dominican history (especially under the brutal Trujillo regime) in the lives of Oscar's sister, mother, grandmother, and aunt. Shot through with witty cultural footnotes, scabrous slang, and touches of magic realism, this heartbreaking family saga is a work of brave originality.

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review central

cars

A heavy Chevy Chevrolet announced the 2009 Traverse crossover will carry a MSRP of $28,990, including a $735 destination charge, for the 2WD LS model. It goes on sale this fall. "With its great styling, leading fuel economy and comprehensive roster of equipment, the Traverse is a great expression of Chevrolet value," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. The 2009 Chevrolet Traverse is an expressively styled, well-equipped crossover that delivers peoplehauling and cargo-carrying capability typically found in larger SUVs. It is offered in LS, LT and LTZ models, in both front-wheel-drive and allwheel-drive configurations. Product highlights include:

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• Expressive styling

inspired by the 2008 Malibu

• Optimized aerodynamics that

enhance fuel economy and reduce wind noise • Four-wheel independent suspension system • StabiliTrak electronic stability control system • Family of 17-, 18- and 20-inch wheels • Seating for up to eight adults • Second-row Smart Slide seat feature, for easy access to the third-row seats • Rear-seat entertainment system with second-row controls • Six standard air bags, including

side curtain air bags that deploy over all three seating rows • OnStar with Turn-by-Turn Navigation and Direction Download and eNav (with navigation system) • XM Satellite Radio including NavTraffic real-time traffic feature (with navigation system) • Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity Traverse is powered by a 3.6L engine with direct injection technology that helps produce power similar to many V-8 engines, but delivers better-than-expected fuel economy and a 25-percent reduction in coldstart emissions. The 3.6L engine is mated to the fuel-saving Hydra-

Matic 6T75 six-speed automatic transmission. Chevrolet is one of America's best-known and best-selling automotive brands. With the largest dealer network in the United States, Chevy is the leader in full-size trucks and the leader in sales of vehicles priced $35,000 and above. Chevrolet delivers more-than-expected value in every vehicle category, offering cars and trucks priced from $12,120 to $103,300. Chevy delivers expressive design, spirited performance and great value with standard features usually found only on more expensive vehicles. More information on Chevrolet can be found at www. chevrolet.com.

review central

tech

Apple previews Mac OS X Snow Leopard to developers

Apple® recently previewed Mac OS® X Snow Leopard, which builds on the incredible success of OS X Leopard and is the next major version of the world's most advanced operating system. Rather than focusing primarily on new features, Snow Leopard will enhance the performance of OS X, set a new standard for quality and lay the foundation for future OS X innovation. Snow Leopard is optimized for multi-core processors, taps into the vast computing power of graphic processing units (GPUs), enables breakthrough amounts of RAM and features a new, modern media platform with QuickTime® X. Snow Leopard includes out-of-thebox support for Microsoft Exchange 2007 and is scheduled to ship in about a year. "We have delivered more than a thousand new features to OS X in

just seven years and Snow Leopard lays the foundation for thousands more," said Bertrand Serlet, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering. "In our continued effort to deliver the best user experience, we hit the pause button on new features to focus on perfecting the world's most advanced operating system." Snow Leopard delivers unrivaled support for multi-core processors with a new technology code-named "Grand Central," making it easy for developers to create programs that take full advantage of the power of multi-core Macs. Snow Leopard further extends support for modern hardware with Open Computing Language (OpenCL), which lets any application tap into the vast gigaflops of GPU computing power previously available only to graphics applications. OpenCL is based on the C program-

ming language and has been proposed as an open standard. Furthering OS X's lead in 64-bit technology, Snow Leopard raises the software limit on system memory up to a theoretical 16TB of RAM. Using media technology pioneered in OS X iPhone™, Snow Leopard introduces QuickTime X, which optimizes support for modern audio and video formats resulting in extremely efficient media playback. Snow Leopard also includes Safari® with the fastest implementation of JavaScript ever, increasing performance by 53 percent, making Web 2.0 applications feel more responsive.* For the first time, OS X includes native support for Microsoft Exchange 2007 in OS X applications Mail, iCal® and Address Book, making it even easier to integrate Macs into organizations of any size.

*Performance will vary based on system configuration, network connection and other factors. Benchmark based on the SunSpider JavaScript Performance test on an iMac® 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system running Mac OS X Snow Leopard, with 2GB of RAM. Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online.

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Legal issues in renting out your condo units Legal Options

Atty. Edwin Calica Cacayorin, Jr.

Renting out your condo unit is a profitable activity that does not require a lot of your time and attention. It can also be a steady source of income without much stress, provided that the person to whom you are renting it out is a good lessee who pays rent on time and does not unreasonably complain on a regular basis. How to determine a potentially good lessee depends on your own personal assessment. I have enumerated below some of the issues that may be a source of conflict in a rental or lease agreement. I do hope it may help you out.

a. Monthly rent. With the constant increase of the price of basic commodities, always set at least a 10% annual increase in rent. Keep in mind the weekly one peso increase in gas prices now being implemented. b. Terms of payment. Do request for post-dated checks in advance to cover the monthly rent for at least one year. Checks will provide you less stress in

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rent collection and an additional legal remedy to avail of.

c. Use of the condo unit. Clearly state in your agreement that it must only be use for residential purposes; and that the lessee cannot sublease the unit to a third party. The more people come and go to your condo the faster is its wear and tear. d. Pre-termination. Always negotiate for a forfeiture of the advance rent deposit (usually equivalent to 2 or 3 monthly rent) in case the lessee terminates the contract before the agreed expiration date. This is a fair clause; the advance deposit shall cover your loss of potential profit. e. Duration of rent agreement. You may agree upon a definite term like 1 or 2 years. Or you may choose to include an automatic renewal upon the expiration of the contract. Without this automatic renewal clause the law sets in to transform your agreement from one of annual to a month-tomonth basis.

f. Breach of contract. Always notify the lessee in writing about the breach. If he or she does not want to receive the letter from you, have it posted at the door of the condo unit and take a shot of the letter posted together with a newspaper showing the present date to establish the date of its posting. Why are the date and the written letter necessary to be established? Because they are mandatory requirements in an ejectment case to prove that you notified the lessee in writing at least 15 days before the date you ask them (1) to vacate the unit and (2) to pay you the unpaid monthly rentals due. g. Notarization. Finally, a lease contract is not required to be acknowledged before a notary public. It may not even be in writing; you can orally agree upon it. The reason why a contract is commonly acknowledged before a notary public is one of evidentiary purpose, i.e., to convert it from a private document to a public document.

The right match Finding the ideal tenant, as Rosalie Matilac relays, is not as simple as it seems Renting out your own condominium unit is a fairly sure way to live a life of leisure even before the age of retirement. Rent payments come in without fail, as constant as the waxing and waning of the moon. Truly, in times of volatile economy, you feel so blessed to own such a stable income-generating property. Until one sunny day, you find out that the lessee’s check bounces. So there, a tiny problem begins to muddle your head, but not yet big enough to befuddle your composure. It can just be life’s way of testing your sobriety. Anyway, the lessee—a rich student supported by his parents abroad, promises to pay as soon as the remittance comes. He was, after all, a good payer and you know his parents very well. But what if the checks bounce for 6 months? This calls for some real action like written notices, demand letters, and, finally, judicial action by virtue of Batas Pambansa Blg. 22, also known as the “Anti-Bouncing Checks Law.” Then again, there are other things to consider if the recalcitrant lessee is, as in the case above, the son of a friend. “It’s not worth the trouble filing a case in court,” says a lady owner of a condo unit in Mandaluyong City. “Even with dishonored checks of

up to 12 months, I did not file legal charges.” Her reason is that legal proceedings are exceedingly slow and tedious. “If the occupant cannot pay, there’s no use suing him if all you really want is to collect payment.” This condominium owner also considered the fact that the delinquent payer is a close friend of her daughter. “He was a freelance artist who was then earning much from advertising stints and as regular actor in a TV soap opera. Then, all of a sudden, his checks bounced.” Ultimately, the condo owner opted to condone

lessee’s debts, charged to experience. Then, after another case of delinquent payments from the next Pinoy occupant, she finally decided to rent her condo out to foreigners, mostly couples with no children, through an agent. Perhaps it is better to deal with unfamiliar persons rather than with friends or relatives when it comes to renting out the unit. In the end, finding the right lessor-lessee relationship is a mix of luck, destiny, good screening methods, foolproof legal agreement and good judgment.

How to become a real estate tycoon The Condo Café

Renne Isidro

I am presently enrolled at De La Salle-College of St. Benilde’s School of Professional and Continuing Education, taking up a diploma course in Real Estate Management. And I would like to share with my classmates this article, which I hope will be useful to them in furthering their career. All of the top billionaires in the Philippines are in real estate and here’s what you can learn from their lifestyles and business styles. • Stay out of politics. Be a kingmaker and not the king. Among Philippine real estate tycoons only one is involved in politics – and we know who he is. All the rest are busy expanding their real estate and other business empires. • Real estate tycoons do not sell one home or one condo at a time. They succeed by owning and operating a diversified portfolio of real estate properties, ranging from condominiums, shopping centers, hotels and schools. • Buying property then sitting back and waiting for its value to appreciate is not the way to make billions. You need to enhance property value. This

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is one reason why some developers choose the people who invest in their projects—a good community increases property values. • Real estate billionaires do not let obstacles keep them from achieving their goals. Just because you fail does not mean that you cannot succeed in the end. Many developers failed in their first projects, but you will see them striving and continuing to make deals. • People are by nature jealous of successful people. Do not let criticism of your work deter you from reaching for your goals. • Do more research than your competitors and do your homework well and you will have an advantage in your transactions. • Only one in three among the real estate billionaires inherited and then grew their fortunes. The rest earned their success through sharp business acumen and hard work. • Most of the real estate tycoons are family-oriented. They are married and they have children to succeed them. In fact, many of those who made it recently in real estate are training their children to succeed them in the future.

There are several people in our class whose parents or family are in the real estate business. To my valued readers, this CREBASt. Benilde diploma in real estate has designed a six-module diploma course in Real Estate. I recommend this to those who are in the real estate industry as brokers, research analysts, construction or in any allied field.

Starting next month I will start my radio talk show “Usapang Real Estate” with co-host Daniel dela Cruz. This will be aired on DWIZ 882khz AM Radio. For our inaugural broadcast starting in August 3, from 1-2pm, we have the privilege of presenting as our guest CREBA President Reghis Romero and CREBA past president Mr. Pete Tario. I hope my professor Popoy Magno will join us in succeeding weeks. If you have any topic that you want me to discuss in this column, email me at [email protected].

dweller yeller

dweller yeller

Architect Marie Yvonne Apad, President, Intech Property Appraisal, Inc. Continuing education on real estate.

Ambassado Rafael A. Gonzales, Chairman and President, Worldmaster Cup and Worldmaster Real Estate Development Corp. To know more about real estate development, the laws and regulations. To meet like-minded persons who are in the real estate business.

Higher learning Condo Central asks these accomplished individuals about their motivations for enrolling in the CREBA-St. Benilde diploma in real estate manafement program

Marilyn Rivera-Seelin, President, Reach Out Realty, Inc. JC S. Leviste, Vice president, LEMANS, Inc. To educate myself on the intricacies of real estate development and to keep abreast on the various subindustries of real estate.

Purita R. Soliven, EVP-COO, V.V. Soliven Group of Co’s. To update my knowledge in the latest trend in the real estate business.

To be an expert in real estate, continuing education is a MUST!

Gimo Asuncion, President, Greendot Realty Corp For continuous education, updates, learning!

Susan H. Punzalan, Owner, Avanti Realt Corp. To gain in-depth knowledge about the industry and to be updated on the systems and trends.

Jaymie Coloma, Rural Bank of Zambales To know the latest trend in the real estate industry.

Juggling act Ivy Magparangalan finds out how flexi-time brokerage can pull in high yields, among other fulfilling rewards IT TAKES three Ps—presence, perseverance, and patience—and only two hours a week to succeed in real estate brokerage. This is the advice Julius Topacio, current president of the Real Estate Brokers Association of the Philippines (REBAP) Inc. and former chief accountant of former President Joseph Estrada and former Senator Luisa Estrada, has for budding brokers. It also takes a very high level of time management skills: Apart from his role as top man in REBAP, Topacio is also the Deputy Executive Director of Movie Workers Welfare Foundation (Mowelfund), Inc., and runs various other businesses. His week is divided thus: twice a week, he spends two to four hours handling the finance, administrative, social welfare and income generation work for Mowelfund. Twice a week, he spends two to three hours to execute his functions at the REBAP Office. Five to six hours daily are spent as chief accountant for a group of companies. And real estate brokerage? He only squeezes it in between the other jobs. Still, of all these jobs, he finds brokerage to be the most profitable— bringing in six figure incomes. Topacio’s grand luck stems from a real estate boom that has lasted the last two years in the country—and is forecast to last for another three. While accounting is his first and true love (he was an accountant for 20

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years) the challenges–and profitability –of real estate brokerage have now hooked him. He has his wife Irma, a real estate agent, to thank for this success. In 1997, Irma had encouraged him to undergo a seminar on real estate brokerage in Valle Verde, Pasig. Little did he know that he would reap a six figure ROI on a seminar fee of P2,800—in so little time. Julius Topacio specializes in project selling. This requires an effective sales force of real estate brokers. Fueled by his advocacy for network selling, he founded the REBAP1 National Cooperative Marketing Network. Exclusively for REBAP members only, this multi-purpose cooperative offers: • higher level commissions for those who successfully market exclusive projects • additional incentives on top of standard commission for nonexclusive projects • early commission from other marketing tie-ups with various suppliers • discounts in a range of business establishments • the opportunity to become a subscriber and to do business on the REBAP website (www.rebap.net) For its first townhouse project of 30 units in Las Piñas under Keys

Realty Development Corporation, the network took part in even the conceptualization and design stage, all in a bid to ensure the quality of units built. The team began selling the project in December 2007 and just six months after, all units were sold out. Topacio has three additional pointers for budding brokers: 1. focus on one project 2. apply network selling 3. use the internet. Following agreements made during the REBAP1 National Cooperative Marketing Network, brokers must focus on selling exclusive projects through a network of effective sales and marketing teams, using

internet subscription to accomplish transactions more quickly. Today, Topacio handles a lowrise resort condotel project, Crown Regency Resort and Convention Center that stretches over a 16,000sqm-wide stretch of white sand beach in Barangay Balabag, Boracay. The condotel of 457 fully furnished units is offered at prices ranging from PhP5.2million to PhP9 million. The project is being developed by Fuente Triangle Realty Development, a subsidiary of Cebu-based J. King & Sons Co. Inc. Crown Regency Resort and Convention Center offers leisure travelers, expats and overseas workers a unique chance to take pleasure world-class amenities in one of the world’s top recreational paradises.

Touching base The Global Pinoy

Daniel R. dela Cruz

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"There is no place like home," an old saying goes. There is no place like the Philippines, if I may now rephrase it. Storms can ravage our houses or wreck plants and trees around us, floods may drench us to the bones or devour entire communities, the seas may release tsunamis and sweep away entire villages — but the Philippines will remain a paradise that cradles all our dreams. In my travels abroad, I have seen how a new environment, or strange working conditions, or language barriers or racial discrimination, pose challenges to Filipinos, but I have never seen any of our countrymen sulk in one corner and cry a river of tears. Instead, Filipinos tend to fight it out to the last drop of blood and make

apparent miracles in the process. We fight it out the way Pacquiao has done so far — humble in the company of fellowmen, fierce against a relentless opponent. We can also use our charms to make things work the way KC Concepcion is currently campaigning for food security worldwide. We also utilize our skills and talent to advance a cause or demonstrate the limitless potentials of Filipinos the way Lea Salonga is again conquering the world as the magical Cinderella. We may be in the middle of a rice crisis, of rising prices, of controversies in the bureaucracy, of hostage-taking for ransom, of rampant criminality — the way most nations in the world are anyway — but we will remain unflinching in the face of adversities. Some say Filipinos survive because

of our unquenchable love and spirituality as a people. But I feel there is something more. It is our rootedness — or perhaps our capacity to grasp the interrelationships of everything that we are as human beings — that make us survive. And live. And love. And triumph. This is what I expect to see in Europe as I embark on another trip to touch base with the Global Filipinos. London will be filled with more than 100,000 of our compatriots from 15-22 July for the Barrio Fiesta sa London, a major event in Europe every year. Of course the market potential is great. But beyond that, I would love to be with them this time of the year and be proud that we all belong to the Philippines. After all, there is nobody in the world like a Filipino.

Flexi-homes, flexi-towns, flexi-nation

Multiple Meaning

Ariel N. Valerio

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I heard of flexi-homes way back in the 80s. The concept came with the lowcost housing units of BLISS built by the Metro Manila Commission initially for the urban homeless but were eventually bought and rented out by those who can afford them to those who have less resources. The concept of flexi-homes somehow revolutionized the way Filipinos look at housing -- from single detached units to several units in a four-storey building to the now high-rise edifices mushrooming in the metropolis and elsewhere in the Philippines -- and created flexi-towns. Flexi-towns, on the other hand, are communities created artificially at the start by urban mass housing. On the low-end, the Dagat-Dagatan

and the Sapang Palay resettlement areas gave migrant urban settlers a taste of home that soon became a sense of community. On the mid-end Jeff Jeturian's Pila Balde graphically presents a middleclass flexi-town to us and the subculture that evolved from it. On the high-end are exclusive subdivisions that sprouted from virtual grasslands and notorious killing zones which were transformed by real estate developers into safe and secure buildyour-own spaces for the rich and the famous. Soon enough, new towns evolved where new housing units are built, reconfigured the sense of community of every resident family, and prefigured the emergence of flexi-towns. In an ever-changing world, the Phil-

ippines has also become a flexi-nation. Three centuries of Spanish colonization failed to dampen the people's quest for independence that catapulted to the 1896 Revolution. One millennium of direct and indirect American subjugation could not quell the burning desire for egalitarian ideals that bred the EDSA revolt. A few years of Japanese occupation did not conquer the Filipino heart and mind but witnessed instead the flowering of vernacular literature and theater performances. Filipinos may seem gullible and easily bedazzled by flamboyant displays of glitz and glamor but there is a ring of truth around what Edgar Allan Poe says in The Raven that "all that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream" when dealing with them.

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Dasma Village Makati City w/maids room, plus den,lanai, standby water reservoir, w/pool (50sqm.) ,smf, LA : 1,089sqm. FA : 545.4sqm P200,000 Dasma Village Makati City w/ Dens & pool / UNF / aircon only avail. /LA : 600sqm P180,000

COMMERCIAL SPACE Cityland Pasong Tamo, Makati City G/F,48sqm. P35,000 Filipino Building Legaspi village Makati located at 6th floor 270sqm. P320 per sqm. P86,400 Euro Villa I Legaspi village Makati City 179sqm. Bare interior 1 PS P80,500 Center Point Pasong Tamo, 4th floor, 223sqm. P66,900

RESIDENTIAL CONDOMINIUMS Greenbelt Parkplace Makati City Legaspi Village Fully-furnished, 36.4sqm.30th floor, 1 bedroom P35,000/month inclusive of dues Greenbelt Radisson Legaspi Village Makati City Studio, FF, 45sqm. P35,000/month inclusive of dues Oriental Gardens Pasong Tamo Makati City FF, 46sqm., 1 bedroom P30,000/month inclusive of dues Contact person: Aaron dela Cruz Telephone: 8123333 Mobile no.: 09282853144

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soar

Baguio of my heart Dani Molintas takes us on a journey through time to the Baguio that once was, to the the pine-scented, fog-shrouded city in the 1970s Photography by Sheryllene F. Escobar

WHEN the Spanish conquistador, Commandante de Galvey, first laid eyes on that Benguet valley, he knelt in awe at the beauty surrounding him. The sun began to peep shyly from behind blue mountains, turning them into golden ridges and smudging with pink and peach and lavender the morning sky, swiftly turning into a brilliant blue dome unmarred, save for a star, two stars, the crescent moon, all quickly fading. The mists that shrouded the valley like a well-kept secret lifted suddenly, revealing lush swamps and pine stands, interspersed with newly-planted rice fields turned shimmering silver sheets by the morning sun. The cold morning air was soaked with the heady smell of pine. Trinidad, the soldier on his knees muttered, remembering his wife. The fog lifting was so

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reminiscent of the time she first lifted her veil in the quiet, scented church, and flashed him a smile… Growing up in the 1970s in Benguet’s La Trinidad Valley, and in Baguio City a few kilometers away, it was not difficult to imagine that this was how the valley got its name. As a child, each day was a lesson in the bounty and majesty of nature: travel to school was a 15- to 20-minute journey through a road that coiled its way between mountains, fringed with pine trees, whose needles splintered the sun’s rays into shimmering droplets of light. The mountains were tall and mysterious, and in the rainy season, a thick fog shrouded the way home and sent the jeepneys crawling through the mountain pass with only their headlights

cutting a way through the white world. Summers burnt the mountain grass brown and the sky the brightest shade of blue. But it was in the cold season when the mountains burst aflame with color—dotted with golden sunflowers and white Benguet lilies. Traveling downhill along Magsaysay Avenue, toward the intersection with Bokawkan Road where a flyover now stands, Quezon Hill was a dappled yellow mountain of sunflowers abloom. And, at the stretch between Km. 4 and Bell church, the Balili River flowed, first gently, then it gushing suddenly down three cascades. In the stormy season, the waters here thundered.

If i had known as a child what I learned later through study that the biodiversity of the Cordillera ranges is not as rich as that of the lowlands (due mainly to the chemical excreted by the endemic Benguet pine that kills its undergrowth), I would not have believed it. Certainly, there were no jungles in my childhood, but everywhere I went, I was still filled with the bounty of nature. Right beside our elementary school sprawled the hospital grounds of the Notre Dame de Lourdes hospital, and into this secret garden my classmates and I would creep at lunch break, clutching our baons. (Slow-

paced Baguio nursed a baon culture back then). There, we would eat and play amid the daisies, carnations, lazyeyed susans, golden rods and chrysanthemums planted so carefully by the Belgian missionaries, careful to keep away from the bees. An abundance of bees and butterflies swarmed around us as we dug holes in the dark earth with barbecue sticks to search for bugs and earthworms, snails and spiders, that pollination and other secrets of nature were never difficult for us to understand; these concepts merely captured the realities around us. And when we would tire of this spot, there were always many other places

in the city: the terraces bordering what was once the St. Louis Girls’ High School and overlooking Assumption Road were not fenced then as they are now, and they always begged to be climbed. The grounds of the Baguio Cathedral were vast and laid with trees and grassy spots, and the site of the Porta Vaga mall today was then a wooded hill that beckoned to us. And there were other places, too: Burnham Park, Sunshine Park and Camp John Hay—although that was reserved for the truly adventurous among us, and for longer explorations on weekends. The Baguio City of my youth was really a slow and reflective town where

early Ilocano and Kankanaey settlers to the city adopted this quiet nature. Living amid bounty and beauty, the Baguio people seemed to know their humble place in this awesome universe. people knew each other and went about leisurely with their lives. Today, with the traffic and the crowds, time itself seems to have sped up. But as a child, there always seemed to be so much time, a one-hour lunch break was an eternity of time to play.

The slow pace of life, the cool climate and the gentleness of the terrain (compared to the harsher and steeper landscapes of the provinces further north and deeper into the Cordillera ranges) spawned, I believe, a quiet, unassuming and reflective people, who

are by and large, peaceful. The Ibaloi people, the original inhabitants of Kafagway—that turnof-the-century rancheria of about 20 houses on which Baguio City now stands—are known, even until now, to be reticent and peace-loving. Even the

condo Disclaimer: All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Prospective purchasers and renters should verify the information to their satisfaction.

www.condo.com.ph For inquiries and viewing requests:

For rent

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Bonifacio Global City Bonifacio Heights

2

Unfurnished

41 sq.m.

0

P15,000/month

Bonifacio Heights

2

Fully furnished

46 sq.m.

0

P25,000/month

One Mckinley Place

2

Fully furnished

114 sq.m.

1

P100,000/month

Serendra 2

3

Unfurnished

108 sq.m.

0

P110,000/month

Serendra 2

1

Fully furnished

54 sq.m.

0

P50,000/month

Bonifacio Ridge

3

Fully furnished

113 sq.m.

2

P100,000/month

One Mckinley Place

1

Fully furnished

78 sq.m.

1

P70,000/month

One Mckinley Place

2

Fully furnished

110 sq.m.

0

P110,000/month

Rosewood Pointe

2

Unfurnished

49 sq.m.

0

P60,000/month

One Serendra

1

Semi-furnished

79 sq.m.

1

P80,000/month

Kensington Place

Studio

Fully furnished

36 sq.m.

0

P30,000/month

Forbeswood Heights

3

Fully furnished

155 sq.m.

1

P130,000/month

Penhurst

2

Semi-furnished

94 sq.m.

1

P65,000/month

Penhurst

3

Semi-furnished

145 sq.m.

1

P100,000/month

Kensington Place

Studio

Fully furnished

34 sq.m.

0

P30,000/month

One Legaspi Park

2

Fully furnished

90.77 sq.m.

0

P110,000/month

One Legaspi Park

1

Fully furnished

60.25 sq.m.

1

P70,000/month

Greenbelt Parkplace

Studio

Fully furnished

36 sq.m.

0

P35,000/month

Frabella

2

Fully furnished

169 sq.m.

0

P85,000/month

Biltmore

Studio

Bare

62 sq.m.

0

P37,000/month

Biltmore

1

Fully furnished

82 sq.m.

1

P70,000/month

Greenbelt Radisson

Studio

Fully furnished

34.3 sq.m.

0

P30,000/month

Shang Grand Tower

1

Fully furnished

132 sq.m.

0

P130,000/month

One Legaspi Park

2

Fully furnished

96 sq.m.

1

P100,000/month

One Legaspi Park

1

Fully furnished

62 sq.m.

1

P55,000/month

Shang Grand Tower

2

Fully furnished

135 sq.m.

1

P140,000/month

The Asia Tower

2

Fully furnished

75 sq.m.

0

P65,000/month

The Asia Tower

2

Fully furnished

75 sq.m.

0

P65,000/month

Greenbelt Park Place

Studio

Fully furnished

37.1 sq.m.

0

P30,000/month

Greenbelt Park Place

Studio

Fully furnished

36.5 sq.m.

0

P35,000/month

Greenbelt Park Place

Studio

Fully furnished

36.5 sq.m.

0

P27,000/month

Greenbelt Park Place

Studio

Fully furnished

36 sq.m.

0

P35,000/month

Legaspi Village, Makati

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Malate, Manila Pacific Regency

1

Unfurnished

46 sq.m.

0

P15,000/month

Popular Place Condominium

2

Unfurnished

57 sq.m.

1

P16,500/month

Popular Place Condominium

2

Unfurnished

57 sq.m.

1

P16,500/month

Popular Place Condominium

2

Unfurnished

57 sq.m.

1

P16,500/month

Burgundy Transpacific

1

Unfurnished

25 sq.m.

0

P13,500/month

Burgundy Transpacific

1

Unfurnished

28 sq.m.

0

P13,500/month

One Wilson Place

2

Unfurnished

102 sq.m.

1

P24,000/month

Mayfield Park Residences

2

Unfurnished

48 sq.m.

1

P20,000/month

East Ortigas Mansions

2

Semi-furnished

80 sq.m.

1

P15,000/month

Parc Royale

1

Fully furnished

60 sq.m.

0

P35,000/month

California Garden Square

2

Fully furnished

60 sq.m.

0

P16,000/month

California Garden Square

2

Fully furnished

60 sq.m.

0

P35,000/month

California Garden Square

2

Semi-furnished

57.5 sq.m.

0

P14,000/month

Novalesa Millenium Bldg.

Studio

Semi-furnished

30.53 sq.m.

0

P16,000/month

Spazio Bernardo

Studio

Semi-furnished

33 sq.m.

0

P6,000/month

One Orchard Road

2

Fully furnished

73 sq.m.

1

P50,000/month

Grand Eastwood Palazzo

2

Unfurnished

73 sq.m.

1

P35,000/month

Prince David Condominium

2

Semi-furnished

82 sq.m.

0

P25,000/month

Tropical mandarin

2

Fully furnished

146 sq.m.

Tropical mandarin

1

Fully furnished

Salcedo Park

2

Unfurnished

Splendido Gardens

3

Unfurnished

Grand Tower Condo

2

Grand Tower Condo

2

Grand Tower Condo

Mandaluyong City/ Pasig

Quezon City

1

P50,000/month

1

P45,000/month

179 sq.m.

2

P70,000/month

279 sq.m.

0

P120,000/month

Fully furnished

155 sq.m.

0

P75,000/month

Fully furnished

155 sq.m.

0

P75,000/month

2

Fully furnished

155 sq.m.

0

P75,000/month

The Peak

1

Fully furnished

67 sq.m.

0

P27,000/month

Antel Platinum

1

Fully furnished

50 sq.m.

0

P30,000/month

Salcedo Village, Makati

Pasong Tamo/ Dela Rosa/ Ayala Ave./ Rockefeller, Makati Oriental Gardens Lotus Tower

Studio

Fully furnished

37 sq.m.

0

P25,000/month

MET 1

1

Bare

29 sq.m.

0

P13,500/month

Oriental Gardens

Studio

Fully furnished

33 sq.m.

1

P25,000/month

Sison Mansion

Studio

Semi-furnished

25 sq.m.

0

P6,000/month

Sison Mansion

1

Fully furnished

45 sq.m.

0

P15,000/month

The Columns at Ayala

1

Fully furnished

48 sq.m.

1

P40,000/month

Paranaque/ Marikina/ Taguig Chateau Elysee

1

Semi-furnished

28 sq.m.

0

P9,000/month

Picasso @ Presidio Brittany Bay

1

Semi-furnished

49 sq.m.

0

P15,000/month

Marquinton Residences

2

Semi-furnished

49 sq.m.

0

P18,000/month

Vista De Lago Villas

2

Semi-furnished

58 sq.m.

1

P19,000/month

CondoCentral | 83

condo Disclaimer: All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Prospective purchasers and renters should verify the information to their satisfaction.

www.condo.com.ph For inquiries and viewing requests:

For sale

CALL NOW (632) 812-3333

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Baguio City/ Cebu City The Zone Vill

2

Fully furnished

149 sq.m.

1

P8,500,000

The Zone Vill

2

Fully furnished

43 sq.m.

1

P2,500,000

Winland Towers

2

Unfurnished

80 sq.m.

0

P8,000,000

Forbeswood Heights

1

Unfurnished

48 sq.m.

1

P5,200,000

Forbeswood Heights

3

Fully furnished

155 sq.m.

1

P18,500,000

Forbeswood Heights

2

Unfurnished

85 sq.m.

1

P7,600,000

Kensington

2

Bare

65.79 sq.m.

1

P5,900,000

Serendra District 1

2

Semi-furnished

134 sq.m.

2

P16,000,000

Two Serendra

2

Unfurnished

73 sq.m.

1

P10,500,000

Serendra 2

1

Unfurnished

60 sq.m.

0

P6,800,000

Forbeswood Heights

1

Unfurnished

48 sq.m.

0

P3,800,000

South of Market

1

Fully furnished

36sq.m.

1

P4,600,000

South of Market

1

Fully furnished

38 sq.m.

1

P4,800,000

South of Market

1

Fully furnished

39 sq.m.

1

P4,900,000

Fairways Tower

1

Unfurnished

52 sq.m.

0

P5,200,000

Rainbow ridge

Studio

Semi-furnished

37.5 sq.m.

U.R.

P1,250,000

One Mckinley Place

2

Fully furnished

110 sq.m.

1

P10,800,000

Greenbelt Radisson

Studio

Unfurnished

34.3 sq.m.

0

P3,800,000

Greenbelt Parkplace

Studio

Bare

36.5 sq.m.

0

P4,600,000

Greenbelt Parkplace

Studio

Fully furnished

36 sq.m.

1

P5,000,000

One Legaspi Park

1

Fully furnished

66 sq.m.

1

P8,000,000

Greenbelt Parkplace

Studio

Unfurnished

36 sq.m.

1

P5,500,000

Greenbelt Radisson

Studio

Unfurnished

36 sq.m.

0

P3,500,000

Greenbelt Radisson

Studio

Unfurnished

36 sq.m.

0

P3,500,000

Greenbelt Radisson

Studio

Unfurnished

40 sq.m.

0

P4,000,000

The Residences at Greenbelt

3

Unfurnished

187 sq.m.

2

P24,000,000

Bonifacio Global City

Legaspi Village, Makati

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Manila Hampstead Gardens

1

Semi-furnished

36 sq.m.

1

P2,000,000

Burgundy Transpacific Place

1

Unfurnished

25 sq.m.

0

P2,000,000

Ortigas Center/ Mandaluyong/ Greenhills, San Juan/Pasig Megaplaza

1

45 sq.m.

1

P4,000,000

AIC Gold Tower

3

Fully furnished

200 sq.m.

0

P9,000,000

AIC Gold Tower

3

197 sq.m.

1

P10,480,220

Cityland Megaplaza

1

Fully furnished

35.62 sq.m.

East Ortigas Mansions

2

Fully furnished

61 sq.m.

1

P3,800,000

Malayan Plaza

1

Fully furnished

56.66 sq.m.

0

P4,200,000

Galleria Regency

2

Fully furnished

87 sq.m.

1

P11,000,000

Wack-wack Twin Tower

3

Fully furnished

165 sq.m.

1

P9,000,000

California Garden Square

2

Bare

57 sq.m.

0

P2,200,000

California Garden Square

2

Semi-furnished

57.5 sq.m.

0

P3,000,000

California Garden Square

2

Bare

57.5 sq.m.

0

P2,500,000

San Francisco Gardens

2

Semi-furnished

88 sq.m.

1

P3,500,000

Cambridge Village

1

Unfurnished

40 sq.m.

0

P1,000,000

Goldhill Tower

3

179 sq.m.

1

P5,000,000

P2,200,000

Quezon City Victoria Station

2

Unfurnished

42 sq.m.

0

P2,150,000

Regalia Park Condominium

2

Unfurnished

62 sq.m.

0

P2,400,000

Prince David Condominium

Studio

Fully furnished

34 sq.m.

0

P2,500,000

Victoria Station

3

Unfurnished

42 sq.m.

0

P2,150,000

Olympic Heights Tower 1

1

Fully furnished

54 sq.m.

0

P4,000,000

Rockwell/ Pasong Tamo/ Makati Ave./ Dela Rosa, Makati City Joya at Rockwell Center

2

Unfurnished

100 sq.m.

2

P12,000,000

CMET 2

3

Unfurnished

120 sq.m.

0

P6,500,000

Millenium Plaza

1

Semi-furnished

59 sq.m.

2

P4,500,000

Oriental Gardens Lotus Tower

Studio

Fully furnished

37 sq.m.

0

P3,000,000

A. Venue Residences

1

Unfurnished

38 sq.m.

0

P4,000,000

CMET 1

1

Unfurnished

29 sq.m.

0

P2,000,000

Makati Prime Tower

Studio

Fully furnished

23 sq.m.

0

P1,500,000

CMET 1

1

Unfurnished

28 sq.m.

0

P1,500,000

CMET 1

Studio

Semi-furnished

20 sq.m.

0

P1,400,000

CMET 1

Studio

Semi-furnished

27.36 sq.m.

0

P1,800,000

Cityland 9

3

Semi-furnished

83 sq.m.

1

P3,300,000

Cityland Pasong Tamo Tower

1

Fully furnished

34 sq.m.

1

P3,700,000

Makati Cinema Square Tower

3

Fully furnished

149 sq.m.

0

P9,000,000

West of Ayala

3

Fully furnished

136 sq.m.

2

P9,500,000

One Lafayette

1

Semi-furnished

60 sq.m.

1

P5,000,000

Easton Place

2

Unfurnished

126 sq.m.

1

P8,500,000

Easton Place

2

Unfurnished

126 sq.m.

0

P8,500,000

Easton Place

3

Unfurnished

189 sq.m.

1

P12,500,000

Prince Tower Condo

1

Fully furnished

61.18 sq.m.

0

P3,000,000

Salcedo Village, Makati

CondoCentral | 85

central market CONDO! CONDO! CONDO! CONDO!

The Collonade Legaspi Village, Makati City 2-BR, 145 sq.m., balcony, fully furnished, 3 T&B, 1 parking slot, P65,000

FOR LEASE

Tropical Palm Legaspi Village, Makati City 2-BR, 150 sq.m, balcony, fully furnished, 3 T&B, 1 parking slot, P70,000

One McKinley Place Bonifacio Global City 2-BR, 103 sq.m., nice view, fully furnished, 2 T&B, 1 parking slot, P110,000 Penhurst Parkplace Bonifacio Global City 2-BR, 97 sq.m., fully furnished, 2 T&B, 1 parking slot, P65,000 Kensington Place Bonifacio Global City 2-BR, 98 sq.m, nice view, fully furnished, 2 T&B, 1 parking slot, P65,000 Frabella Legaspi Village, Makati City 2-BR, 150 sq.m., 3 T&B, 1 parking slot, P150,000 LPL Suites Legaspi Village, Makati City 2-BR, 178 sq.m, balcony, view: Greenbelt 5, fully furnished, 3 T&B, 1 parking slot, P55,000

LUXURY RESIDENCES FOR LEASE

Joya Rockwell, Makati City 2-BR, 125 sq.m., fully furnished, 1 parking slot, P110,000 Two Serendra Bonifacio Global City 2-BR, 92 sq.m., fully furnished, 1 parking slot, P80,000 One Legaspi Park Legaspi Village, Makati City 1-BR, 60 sq.m., fully furnished, 1 parking slot, P60,000 Greenbelt Parkplace Legaspi Village, Makati City 1-BR, 45 sq.m., fully furnished, 1 parking slot, P45,000

FOR SALE

Greenbelt Parkplace Legaspi Village, Makati City 1-BR, 45 sq.m., fully furnished, P5.5M

LPL Center Salcedo Village, Makati City 2-BR, 122 sq.m to 145 sq.m., fully furnished, 3 T&B, 1 parking slot, P50,000 to P65,000 One Lafayette Salcedo Village, Makati City 2-BR, 105 sq.m, fully furnished, 2 T&B, 1 parking slot, P65,000 Grand Tower Salcedo Village, Makati City 2-BR, 145 sq.m, balcony, fully furnished, 3 T&B, 1 parking slot, P75,000

FOR SALE

2-BR, 103 sq.m., unfurnished, 2 T&B, 1 parking slot, P13M The Fairways Tower Bonifacio Global City 2-BR, 82 sq.m., unfurnished, 2 T&B, 1 parking slot, P10M Penhurst Parkplace Bonifacio Global City 2-BR, 97 sq.m., fully furnished, 3 T&B, 1 parking slot, P8M Easton Place Salcedo Village, Makati City 2-BR, 126 sq.m., unfurnished, 3 T&B, 1 parking slot, P8M One Legaspi Legaspi Village, Makati City Bonifacio Global City 2-BR, 103 sq.m., unfurnished, 2 T&B, 1 parking slot, P13M For viewing requests, please call Constantino at +639217699685

One McKinley Place Bonifacio Global City Joya Rockwell, Makati City Studio, 25 sq.m., P3.8M Antel Platinum Salcedo Village, Makati City Studio, 33 sq.m., P3.5M BSA Mansion Legaspi Village, Makati City 1-BR, 56 sq.m., P4.5M Please call or text Grace Geverola at +639278369426

RESALE CONDO UNITS The Fairways Tower 1-BR, 52 sq.m., P6.2M 1-BR, 52 sq.m., P5.9M Forbeswood Heights 1-BR, 48 sq.m., 1 parking slot, P5.5M Bonifacio Ridge 1-BR, 106 sq.m., 1 parking slot, P10.5M

One McKinley 1-BR, 76 sq.m., 1 parking slot, P8M McKinley Park Residences 1-BR, 40 sq.m., P3.6M Please contact Rowena dela Cruz at +639164264928 or (632) 7745582

SECONDARY MARKET Cityland-Vito Cruz Tower II Manila City Studio, 24 sq.m., P1.25M Skyway Twin Tower Pasig City Studio, 32 sq.m., fully furnished, P1.9M Oriental Gardens Makati (Lotus Tower) Chino Roces Ave., Makati City 2-BR, 84 sq.m., fully furnished, P11.5M Call Royce Co at +639177946010

RARE OPPORTUNITY! Forbeswood Heights Bonifacio Global City 1-BR, 36 sq.m., residential, ground floor, high ceiling, P3.3M Fifth Avenue Place Bonifacio Global City 1-BR, 51 sq.m., residential, , ground floor, corner unit, P5.1M Ground floor commercial property Bonifacio Global City Ideal for restaurant, clinic, spa, retail shop, coffee shop, etc. Located along a main road near St. Luke’s Hospital Size: 96.5 sq.m Price: P13.35 Call Anthony at +639178032000 or E-mail him at [email protected]

WHERE INTIMATE AND URBAN COLLIDE

Website: www. aseanbiztimes.com E-mail: [email protected] Telephone No. 524-7495 • Fax No. 522-2277 Pacific Plaza Towers Bonifacio Global City 3-BR, 230 sq.m., fully furnished, 2 parking slots, P200,000

FOR LEASE

Ponte Salcedo Salcedo Village, Makati City 3-BR, 170 sq.m., fully furnished, 1 parking slot, P90,000

One McKinley Place Bonifacio Global City 3-BR, 187 sq.m., fully furnished, P130,000

Easton Place Salcedo Village, Makati City 3-BR, 180 sq.m., fully furnished, 1 parking slot, P90,000

Kensington Place Bonifacio Global City 3-BR, 115 sq.m., fully furnished, P120,000

Antel Platinum Salcedo Village, Makati City 3-BR, 130 sq.m., fully furnished, 1 parking slot, P85,000

Essensa Bonifacio Global City 3-BR, 290 sq.m., fully furnished, 2 parking slots, P180,000

Manhattan Square Salcedo Village, Makati City 3-BR, 160 sq.m., fully furnished, 1 parking slot, P90,000

PHILIPPINE REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT METRO MANILA BUILDINGS FOR SALE OR JOINT VENTURE

Senator Gil Puyat Ave., Makati City 2,000 sq.m. Hidalgo St., Malate, Manila 1,000 sq.m. Ayala Ave., Makati City 1,500 sq.m.

CONDOMINIUM UNITS FOR SALE

F1 City Center Bonifacio Global City Residential units, commercial spaces, condotels The Fairways Towers Bonifacio Global City Different unit types for sale or for lease

Greenbelt Parkplace Legaspi Vilage, Makati City 3-BR, 115 sq.m., fully furnished, 1 parking slot, P85,000 Ritz Tower Ayala, Makati City 3-BR, 180 sq.m., fully furnished, 1 parking slot, P110,000 For viewing requests, call +639198504468

CONDO UNITS FOR SALE Grand Hamptons Tower II Bonifacio Global City One-bedroom with balcony 46 sq.m. P3.3M

Icon Bonifacio Global City Different unit types for sale

REGIONS CONDOMINIUM UNITS FOR SALE Cebu Condotels for sale High-end residential condos Angeles City Condotels for sale Bacolod City Residential condos

LOT FOR CONDOTEL OR CONDOMINIUM Madrigal Business Center

For business meetings, please call Renne Isidro at +639274702964

Vito Cruz Tower Near DLSU-Taft 24 sq.m. P1.2M Call or text Bing Lau at +639209027280

CONDO UNIT FOR SALE One Mckinley Place Bonifacio Global City 2BR, 114 sq. m., fully furnished, view: Manila Golf Course, high floor, nice interior design, P16M Please call Dexter dela Cruz at +639214643185

The Only Event that Provides Business Solutions and Integration of Products and Technologies Incorporating:

PRE-REGISTRATION FORM Name: Company: Designation: Address: Tel: Email: Main Line of Business: Product Line:

For your convenience, please fill-out this pre-registration form and fax to 750-8585. During the exhibit, bring this invitation and your calling card and present it at the registration counter to claim your complimentary visitor’s badge. For more information, you may also contact Global-Link Business Communications (Phils.) Inc. at (632) 750-8588

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happenings

SEA Residences groundbreaking ceremony CLOSE TO SEA. SM Development Corp. (SMDC) recently broke ground for its Sea Residences, a PhP3B modern-tropical condominium complex of six 15-storey towers set to rise at the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City. SMDC president

Rogelio R. Cabuñag (fourth from right) releases doves as a symbol of peace and calmness in the future community. Participating are (from left) VPs Dante T. Pascual and Efren L. Tan, AVP Bernadette M. Ramos, sales directors Augustus C. Locsin and Ana

V. Carpio, AVP Ma. Adelaida E. Cobres, consultant Lee Meng Kong, landscape designer Paolo Alcazaren, principal architect ASYA's Albert S. Yu, Design Coordinates' president Oscar Salvacion and VP Jose T. Gabionza. SMDC is the premium middle-income property

unit of the SM Group. Sea Residences, which promises its unit owners stunning views of Manila Bay, is the first of SMDC’s planned residential developments at the Mall of Asia Complex, and the sixth residential project in Metro Manila.

Pacquiao vs. Diaz live at the Fairways Tower It is no surprise that much excitement and hype brews whenever there is news of a Manny Pacquiao boxing match. Luckily, Philtown Properties brought to sports and adoring fans alike "Lethal Combination", where our very own Filipino boxer and WBC super featherweight champion, Manny Pacquiao went up against David Diaz, the Lightweight champion from Chicago, USA for the title of World Lightweight Champion. Last June 29, 2008, the penthouse of Fairways Tower shook with raucous cheers as unit owners, guests, business leaders, and sports enthusiasts enjoyed a blow by blow live broadcast from Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Everyone was amazed with the transformation of the main function and extension room of the building into an engaging movie theater, that housed over 300 guests, with huge LED screens to showcase the fight of the century. Aside from the live broadcast, those who came to enjoy the match were treated to an array

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of food choices revolvong around Movie House theme. Guests filled up on Kettle Corn popcorn, fries and dips from NYFD, Krispy Kreme coffee and donuts, the variety of juices and iced teas from Sunkist, and brunch from Joey Pepperoni. The Fairways Tower is located at the corner of 5th Avenue and McKinley Road in Bonifacio Global City. Philtown Properties is the developer of other condominium buildings across Metro Manila, such as One McKinley also in Bonifacio Global City, The Metropolitan in Makati, WH Taft Residences along Taft Avenue, and ASIANA Quezon City at the corner of Xaiverville and Esteban Adbada. Indeed, Philtown's social events have become much-anticipated affairs for unit owners and supporters. For inquiries on any of Philtown Properties projects please contact 890-5714 or 09178536539. Email [email protected] or visit www. philtown.net.

happenings

BEAUTIES IN A ROW. The Miss Philippine Real Estate Festival Beauty Pageant is one of the highlights of the threeday affair. Last year’s title holder,Rose-cel Aguilar (third from left), will be on hand as the industry’s next queen is crowned.

All set for the 2nd Philippine Real Estate Festival

Philippine Real Estate Festival chairperson, Rosemarie Custodio Basa.

After a successful debut in July 2007 at the World Trade Center, the Philippine Real Estate Festival (PREF), now an annual affair slated in July of each year, will be having its next staging on July 24-26. This year’s event is anchored on four components: The PREF exhibit, the seminars and lectures, the BREW Awards and the Miss Real Estate Philippines Beauty Pageant, said Rose Basa, chairman of the annual festival Basa said the PREF exhibit, a virtual one-stop shop for all your real estate needs, brings together 150 of the country’s biggest and most trusted

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real estate development companies and projects, finance institutions, suppliers, contractors, home furnishing and service providers, and other industry professionals under one roof’. Part of the program is the launching of the “One Million Homes Program” of the government. “It is important to note that the local marker is on the upward trend, with public revenue and lending policies making the dream of owning a home more attainable than ever. Moreso that the Housing and Urban Development and Coordinating Council (HUDCC), through it’s chairman, Vice President Noli de Castro, and its various KSA (key shelter agencies) are all clearly focused on wiping out homelessness in the country,” Basa explained. Basa added that, last year alone, industry figures show that 60% to 70% of housing loans came from overseasbased workers, in which a third, or $4.2 billion of the total foreign remittances, have been directed to the real estate sector. Through the festival, developers can target their real market—the families of overseas Filipino workers who take

care of their loved one’s investments. And to insure the security of these investments, the festival will present real estate developers that are legitimate and accredited members of reputable organizations like CREBA, SHDA, and NREA. Open to the public and free of charge, the event will also gather real estate experts to conduct lectures and seminars to discuss common concerns, like identifying practical investments, constructing your dream house on a tight budget, detecting fake land titles, how to avail of housing loans, and many more. Pag-IBIG and other public and private financial institutions will be on hand to process loans and answer questions and other related topics. One of the most relevant components of the festival, The BizNews Asia Real Estate Who’s Who (BREW) Awards, was conceived to honor topnotch personalities who have distinguished themselves in moving the industry forward and whose vision, dedication, creative talent, entrepreneurial skills, outstanding business acumen and service to the country have largely contributed to the industry.

BREW Awardees are expected to play significant roles in the realization of maintaining the market boom that the industry currently enjoys. Meanwhile, the Miss Real Estate Beauty Pageant is a beauty-andtalent search that hopes to indentify candidates who best represent the ideals and vision of real estate developers. The candidates are anticipated to be involved deeply in the different projects and vision-implementation of the real estate industry. The grand coronation night of the Miss Real Estate Festival 2008 Pageant will be covered live by ANC/TFC (ABS CBN). The Fiesta Pinoy, set on Day 3 of the festival, combines indoor games, contests, raffles, disco dancing, mini parade and a musical concert for the amusement of exhibitors, patrons and guests. This will serve as the official closing event of the 2008 Philippine Real Estate Festival and sendoff for the festival exhibitors and participants. A grand subastahan super sale of bank–acquired and Pag-IBIG Fund foreclosed real-estate properties will also take place during the event.

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epilogue

City acrobats As people watched in awe of the acrobats' performance, I too was amazed at their malleability. Flexibility, the ability to adapt to different circumstances is key to achieving the goals one sets forth for himself. Life is filled with choices. And there will be the point where the rigidity of one's beliefs and principles is tested. moetwain at Elizabeth St., Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

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