The grass (in memorial parks) has indeed become greener
March 3, 2003 | 12:00am
In Metro Manila, the memorial parks developed by Forest Lake Development, Inc. are not well-known. The number of parks developed so far–four–is one reason. Location is another.
FLDI put up its first memorial park on a seven-hectare property in Zamboanga City at the height of the 1996 government offensive against the Abu Sayyaf in Mindanao. Despite the odds, the company sold the bulk of the lots and mausoleums within five years.
Parks were developed in Iloilo City, Davao, and Biñan, Laguna.
A second project in Zamboanga will be opened this year. There are also plans to expand the Iloilo property by another seven hectares.
"It was our group which revolutionized the memorial park business," said vice-president Ma. Cristina Zuluaga. "We veered away from the eeriness and drabness of traditional cemeteries and brought in the elements of nature–well-maintained greeneries and lakes/water sceneries, secured grounds, and always clean surroundings–to the memorial park business."
To make memorial parks affordable to more people, FLDI also designed an installment plan that requires only a 15% down payment. The balance is payable in five years at a monthly rate of P500. The average cost of a plot is P20,000 to P25,000, measuring one meter by 2.44 meters or the size of a coffin.
Since FLDI intends to put up two new memorial parks each year for the next five years, it is eyeing joint ventures with landowners of idle five to 10 hectares of land in the provinces.
"We’re looking for properties that have a gently sloping frontage of more than nine meters, minimal or no bodies of water inside or around the property, and those free from tenants or squatters," said Zuluaga.
To date, FLDI has identified 30 growth areas/cities nationwide.
The joint venture calls for the company to develop the memorial park, sell the plots to buyers, and maintain the property. For his part, the landowner just waits for his monthly share of the plots being amortized for the next five years.
Following the practice of its mother company, Landco Pacific Co., a developer of subdivisions, malls, and condominiums, plot buyers take over as owners of the memorial park after FLDI has completely paid the original owners his/her share of the sales revenues.
"The plot buyers do not have to worry about the maintenance of the park," said Zuluaga. "There’s perpetual care fund that finances the maintenance of the parks even though these are kept open to the public and for recreational activities like jogging and picnics.
FLDI put up its first memorial park on a seven-hectare property in Zamboanga City at the height of the 1996 government offensive against the Abu Sayyaf in Mindanao. Despite the odds, the company sold the bulk of the lots and mausoleums within five years.
Parks were developed in Iloilo City, Davao, and Biñan, Laguna.
A second project in Zamboanga will be opened this year. There are also plans to expand the Iloilo property by another seven hectares.
"It was our group which revolutionized the memorial park business," said vice-president Ma. Cristina Zuluaga. "We veered away from the eeriness and drabness of traditional cemeteries and brought in the elements of nature–well-maintained greeneries and lakes/water sceneries, secured grounds, and always clean surroundings–to the memorial park business."
To make memorial parks affordable to more people, FLDI also designed an installment plan that requires only a 15% down payment. The balance is payable in five years at a monthly rate of P500. The average cost of a plot is P20,000 to P25,000, measuring one meter by 2.44 meters or the size of a coffin.
"We’re looking for properties that have a gently sloping frontage of more than nine meters, minimal or no bodies of water inside or around the property, and those free from tenants or squatters," said Zuluaga.
To date, FLDI has identified 30 growth areas/cities nationwide.
The joint venture calls for the company to develop the memorial park, sell the plots to buyers, and maintain the property. For his part, the landowner just waits for his monthly share of the plots being amortized for the next five years.
Following the practice of its mother company, Landco Pacific Co., a developer of subdivisions, malls, and condominiums, plot buyers take over as owners of the memorial park after FLDI has completely paid the original owners his/her share of the sales revenues.
"The plot buyers do not have to worry about the maintenance of the park," said Zuluaga. "There’s perpetual care fund that finances the maintenance of the parks even though these are kept open to the public and for recreational activities like jogging and picnics.
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