International speakers headline FIABCI forum

MANILA, Philippines — International speakers are set to unravel the emerging economic and market situations in the country and the rest of the world at the forthcoming International Business and Economic Forum of the Philippine Chapter of the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI-Ph).

Citing the event’s theme, “Taking the High Road to Global Excellence,” FIABCI-Ph chairman and special envoy to Japan Reghis Romero II said the topics expected to be discussed include financial and monetary strategies, innovative marketing systems, foreign investment priorities, trade and manufacturing segments of construction and real estate development, and crisis management, among others, all in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, erratic fuel supply and price fluctuations, global inflation stemming from the COVID pandemic, and upticks in US interest rates since March last year.

Among the international forum speakers, according to FIABCI-Ph president Nestor Mangio, are Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas economic research director Lara Romina Ganapin representing Governor Felipe Medalla, director Budiarsa Sastrawinata of Indonesian property conglomerate PT Ciputra Development Tbk and president of PT Damai Indah Golf Tbk and PT Ciputra Residence, Bases Conversion and Development Authority president and CEO Aileen Zosa, senior vice president for Asia Pacific development Vic Toh of Singapore-based APAC Realty Ltd and former vice president for global business development of US-based Anywhere Real Estate Inc. and Realogy Holdings Corp., and vice president Ronilo Balbieran of the economic think tank REID Foundation.

A faculty member of the School of Economics, University of Asia and the Pacific, Balbieran is a licensed environment planner and infrastructure and logistics specialist who headed the technical working group that drafted and prepared the recently launched Philippine Construction Industry Roadmap 2020-2030, and was one of the advisers in updating and crafting the Philippine E-commerce Roadmap 2020-2022.

Slated at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel in Manila on Feb. 21, the International Business and Economic Forum will precede the gala night of the FIABCI-Ph International Property and Real Estate Excellence Awards, which will be staged in the same venue at 5 p.m.

Competing for gold and silver awards are 33 property and real estate projects in 15 categories – residential high- rise, mid-rise, low-rise, sustainable development, office, masterplan, environmental, retail, public infrastructure, industrial, economic/mid-cost housing, affordable, hotel, convention, and specialized/purpose-built. From among the winners will be chosen the Property Developer of the Year and the Property Man of the Year awards.

“Winning the FIABCI-Ph Property and Real Estate Excellence Awards makes the winners eligible to compete in the FIABCI International Prix d’Excellence Awards, which is globally regarded as the ‘Oscars of Real Estate’ and whose criteria involve excellence in all technical, environmental, social, economic and financial aspects of the project,” Romero said.

Constituting FIABCI’s international membership are 48 national and multinational chapters, 90 professional associations (including the Philippine Federation of Real Estate Service Professionals Inc.), 95 public and private academic institutions, over 2,300 regular members, and around a million associate members in more than 70 countries across the globe.