SMC beefs up realty business

MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Corp. (SMC) formally announced its foray into real estate via its wholly owned subsidiary, San Miguel Properties, which aims to fully capitalize on the vast opportunities inproperty development as well as tourism promotion.

At the recently concluded Philippine Real Estate Fair (PREF), San Miguel Properties took a major step in re-branding and re-launching itself by announcing its ambitious plans for its current and upcoming projects that have gotten the whole real estate industry abuzz. Even before the formal opening of the fair, San Miguel Properties was at the forefront, inviting “Healing Priest” Rev. Fr. Fernando Suarez to officiate the holy mass and bless the event and the participants – and later on, fulfilling his role as one of San Miguel Properties’ corporate partners, endorsers, and guest speakers.

The first among its ambitious real estate tourism efforts is the MonteMaria project. Situated in the town of Amuyong in Alfonso, Cavite, this venture is a multi-faceted development envisioned to serve as the country’s hub for “spiritual tourism”. A collaborative brainchild of Fr. Fernando Suarez and SMC president and CEO Ramon Ang, MonteMaria is envisioned as San Miguel Properties’ initial venture into building up the country into a “spiritual mecca”. This is in line with the Department of Tourism’s objective to provide quality over quantity when it comes to tourism spots in the country. Unofficially dubbed as San Miguel Properties’ “New Jerusalem,” the project will cover a vast 33-hectare area, with spacious venues for weddings, baptisms, and other religious ceremonies, several retreat houses, and most amazingly, the world’s largest statue of the Virgin Mary. Rivaling the famous statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro and towering over the Tagaytay ridge, the over-100-meter statue will serve as a beacon to attract the faithful from all over Asia, if not the world. 

With the “Only in the Philippines” campaign, San Miguel will promote its projects in Boracay, Busuanga, and Baguio. In Boracay, the project will be situated in Puka Beach, an undeveloped 28-hectare strip of white sand. As for Busuanga, similarly low-impact projects will be put up, with the difference being that “it will be hi-tech, and will be like nothing you have ever seen in Asia, if not in the world,” Ang said. In Baguio, it intends to develop low-impact condotels along Outlook Drive, right between Mines View Park and Baguio Country Club and an enclave of vacation homes set right in the center of a pine forest.

 San Miguel Properties also re-introduced to the market its current real estate developments: Bel Aldea, Maravilla, and Muralla in Cavite and Wedgewoods in Sta. Rosa Laguna. It also introduced San Francisco Laketown, a development that will recreate the beauty of San Francisco City, USA right at the heart of bustling Cavite. San Miguel Properties’ endorsers for its projects are CNN Hero of the Year 2009, Efren Penaflorida for Bel Aldea, and lawyer, philanthropist, and author of the best-selling book, “12 Things Every Filipino Can Do to Help the Country,” Alex Lacson for Maravilla and Muralla.

Finally, the company also announced its full support for the global design competition, “Design Against the Elements” or D.A.t.E., which is spearheaded by social entrepreneur and inventor and Ten Outstanding Young People in the World awardee, Illac Diaz.

For inquiries, please visit www.sanmiguelproperties.com.ph, or you may call at 632 2313 or 632 3270 or 0917-863-5106.