9 Reasons on why Bonifacio Global City (BGC) is the best location for your condo investment

The growth in the Philippine real estate industry is very bullish! At the Bonifacio Global City alone, you can feel the good vibes for the industry!

I have compiled here several news articles from major Philippine broadsheets (ie, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Manila Bulletin, Business World, Business Mirror) regarding the ongoing and future developments at Bonifacio Global City (BGC/aka Fort Bonifacio.)

All these reinforces the idea that Bonifacio Global City (BGC) is the best location for your condominium investment!

1)    The construction of the St. Luke?s Hospital is full-blast. Based on news reports, St. Luke?s Hospital will be finished by 2009.

Fort Boni Consultancy (FBC) Comment: Admittedly, this is a relief - construction of the hospital was delayed for more than a year!

The presence of a first-class hospital at Bonifacio Global City will further strengthen its bid as a new Central Business District (CBD) in the Philippines.

2)    The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) said that its board has authorized the management to enter into a memorandum of understanding with two property developers for a joint development of the bourse's headquarters in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.

Actually, a 2,182 sqm lot has already been donated by the Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation to the PSE. However, they can swap this lot for office spaces which will be equivalent in value that Ayala Land will construct at the BGC area.

FBC Comment: Good news indeed! Currently, the PSE has 2 trading floors, one in Ortigas Centre (ie, Philippine Stock Exchange Centre, formerly called Tektite Towers) and another one at the Makati Central Business District (ie, Ayala Tower One at Ayala Avenue).

The presence of a unified trading floor will really make Bonifacio Global City (BGC) a true-blue Central Business District.

Ayala Land may construct an office tower at BGC equivalent to the Ayala Tower One at Makati City and turn over the "x" square meters of office space to this unified exchange.

I've heard that this might happen in 2010. It's about time!!!! Let's see!


3)     The Ascot Group of Singapore, the hotel group which purchased the former Oakwood Premier Hotel (at $ 54 Million) located at the Ayala Center, Makati City, is considering the Bonifacio Global City as one of the locations of their hotel operations. No specific details were provided.

FBC Comment: At the moment, there's no hotel at the BGC. I'm really looking forward to this new development!

4)    SHIMAO Group, a developer owned by China's fifth-richest man, Xu Rongmao, will put up a hotel at Fort Bonifacio.

Shimao International Holdings Ltd Chairman Hui Wing Mau has signed an agreement to lease at least one Manila property from state-controlled Bases Conversion Development Authority, Trade Secretary Favila said. The property, which covers at least seven hectares, is in Manila's Fort Bonifacio district, Favila said, declining to provide more details.

FBC Comment: Good news! Just imagine how many jobs this can provide!

I believe that aside from the Ascot and Shimao Groups, there are also other hotel groups which are "silently" exploring the BGC area.

5)    American business process outsourcing provider PeopleSupport Philippines, Inc. has acquired a 2,700-square meter lot in Taguig from the Fort Bonifacio Development Corp. (FBDC) as part of its plan to expand its operations in the country.

Company President Rainiero Borja said the property will house a 25-storey call center building.

PeopleSupport expects to break ground this year, Mr. Borja said.

FBC Comment: The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry in the Philippines is indeed growing. Honestly, the current supply of office space is not enough to meet the needs of this industry.

Most office buildings now at the BGC are occupied by these BPO companies.

6) Singaporean company invests P2b for IT building

Singaporean real estate developer Ascendas and the Net group, a consortium led by the Rufino Group, are infusing P2 billion to construct a new office building designed for business process outsourcing companies and call centers at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

Ascendas president and chief executive Chong Siak Ching said the construction of the 36,000-square meter Net Quad, the fourth in the series of boutique Net buildings, was in response to the growing demand for high-quality business space in the Philippines amid a boom in call center and BPO sector.

Carlos Rufino, president of the Net Group, said the Net Quad building had been 100 percent leased out even before its groundbreaking ceremony yesterday attended by Singaporean President Sellapan Rama Nathan.

FBC Comment: This group has practically dominated the construction of office buildings at the BGC. There's Net One, Net Square, Net Cube (under construction and will be finished this 2007) and the latest is Net Quad.

According to some insiders, this group will be constructing buildings up to Net 8!!!!

7)    Federal Land to complete master plan for northern part of Fort Bonifacio

Federal Land, Inc. tapped global design firm Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, Inc. (HOK) International Ltd. to complete a master plan to develop the northern part of the Bonifacio Global City in Fort Bonifacio.

In a statement, Federal Land President Alfred Ty said the master plan covering 25 hectares in North Bonifacio is expected to be completed in 15 weeks. It will consist of a 10.4-hectare property owned by the country?s largest lender Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company (Metrobank) and two lots totaling 15.3 hectares of state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

FBC Comment: I heard that Federal Land will be putting up an office building targetting the BPO industry.

8) Science museum to rise on former military base

THE AYALA Group will be putting up a science museum at the Bonifacio Global City, to bring to it a measure of art and culture.

Officials said during the launch of Bonifacio High Street late last week that the science museum, which is still in the early planning stages, will be located across the group's upscale Bonifacio High Street development--a kilometer-long strip of chic shops and restaurants a stone's throw away from The Fort and Market! Market!

FBC Comment: This will be really cool! On the other hand, I'm also looking forward to an Art Museum at BGC - something similar to the Metropolitan Museum of Art at Manhattan!

9) 3 Developers keen on Big Delta property in BGC
THE THREE GROUPS ARE TARGETING PRIME LOTS
FOR BIG COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT

THREE international developers have expressed interest in the 1.2-hectare Big Delta property inside the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) which the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) did not manage to dispose last year due to a failed bidding.

Aileen Zosa, vice president for business development of the BCDA, refused to reveal the names of the three firms, although she said these groups are targeting the prime lots for grand commercial development.

One of these firms, she said, is planning to build a six-star hotel there.

The Big Delta property, located inside the BGC?s City Center, is being offered for lease or joint venture development with the BCDA, she said.

FBC Comment: Looking forward to this "grand commercial development" at Big Delta!

Bonifacio Global City (BGC) is poised to be the next Central Business District (CBD); it is a master-planned CBD and based on these new developments, condo buyers and investors will defintely benefit in the property value appreciation at BGC.

Hands down, Bonifacio Global City (BGC) is the BEST CHOICE for your property investment!

FILIPINO, LET?S HELP OUR COUNTRY MOVE FORWARD!