Ortigas & Co enters BPO market

Riding on the booming business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, property developer Ortigas & Co. is building a P400-million build-to-suit office building within the 19-hectare Frontera Verde located along C-5 Road bounded by Julia Vargas and Ortigas Avenue.

Cathy Casares-Ko, Ortigas & Co. real estate division head, said the mid-rise building will occupy 5,000 square meters of office space and will start construction in the first quarter of 2007.

Ko said one company has already signified interest to lease space in the yet to be constructed building.

According to Ko, it marks the first time the Ortigas group is putting up a building catering to BPO companies or call center firms.

Frontera Verde will have several components that will be developed over a span of 10 years.

Tiendesitas, which sits on a 30,000-sqm. area, houses 12 Maranao-inspired single-storey buildings with small to medium-sized stalls and a huge central plaza for weekend bazaars and activities. It caters to foreign and domestic shoppers looking for the best Philippine products: native food, fashion wear and accessories, furniture, antiques, handicrafts, personal care and novelty items, pets, plants, and other locally-made products.

Other developments to rise within Frontera Verde are a children’s interactive park, a modern driving range, a gym, a pet zoo, a carousel, an interactive play area as well as function areas for shows and competitions.

Frontera Verde’s major locator, the SM Group, has built a Hypermart beside Tiendesitas.

Meanwhile, Ko said the company will continue to redevelop the Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan into a world-class retail and recreation destination.

She said Shoppesville, for instance, will have a face-lift as part of efforts to attract more shoppers.

The redevelopment of Greenhills Shopping Center, which includes the opening of new stores, restaurants, more parking spaces and refurbishments, has resulted in higher revenues and profits for the Ortigas firm.