Memorial facility breaks ground in Lapu-Lapu City

CEBU, Philippines — Rizon Property Holdings Corporation broke ground on its latest development, the Serenity Viewing Chapel, a modern, three-story funeral facility poised to transform end-of-life services in Lapu-Lapu City and the wider Metro Cebu region.

The project, unveiled in a ceremonial blessing and groundbreaking on-site, marks a significant expansion for “Haven of Peace Memorial Garden,” a rising player in the increasingly active Philippine memorial park real estate sector.

Positioned as a serene, accessible sanctuary for bereaved families, Serenity Viewing Chapel underscores Rizon Property’s ambition to meet growing urban demand for dignified, community-based memorial services—an offering historically centralized in Metro Cebu and nearby hubs.

The new facility will house 11 viewing chapels, including 2 luxury rooms with private amenities, 9 standard air-conditioned rooms, and shared features such as public lounges, a convenience store, and over 25 parking bays, some of which are designed for PWD accessibility. Elevators, a designated funeral vehicle garage, and a skylight-inspired architectural concept further reflect a modernized approach to funeral planning.

The development arrives as the Philippine memorial real estate market experiences structural shifts driven by population growth, urban sprawl, and rising middle-class incomes.

According to Colliers Philippines, memorial parks have shown consistent appreciation in land values, especially in urban and peri-urban areas, posting annual gains of 5 percent to 8 percent in select provinces, including Cebu.

Rural-to-urban migration and evolving cultural attitudes around death care have fueled demand for end-of-life facilities that combine function, aesthetics, and emotional support.

Serenity Viewing Chapel directly addresses these needs, offering residents of Lapu-Lapu a local alternative to congested and costly city-based memorial chapels.

The ceremony was graced by key figures from Rizon Property Holdings Corporation, led by Founder and CEO Mario Rizon, along with CFO Cecilia Rizon, General Manager Marc Angelo S. Rizon, and Architect Carl Clement S. Rizon, all of whom serve on the company’s Board of Directors. Their presence highlighted the family-led vision driving the company’s strategic growth.

“Serenity Viewing Chapel reflects our belief that compassion and accessibility must define every step of the memorial experience," said Mario Rizon during the event.

Rizon Property’s expansion signals a broader trend in Philippine niche real estate investment, where developers are diversifying into non-traditional assets such as memorial parks, columbariums, and crematoriums—sectors once dominated by legacy operators.

While memorial parks are rarely headline-grabbing assets, industry analysts note they offer steady long-term yields, driven by pre-need sales and low operational volatility. Unlike residential or commercial properties, death care real estate is both necessity-driven and culturally embedded, creating a robust demand profile, especially in densely populated provinces like Cebu.

According to Rizon, with Serenity Viewing Chapel, Rizon Property is not merely developing infrastructure—“it is actively redefining the geography of grief, bringing high-caliber memorial services closer to home, and capturing a market segment with untapped potential.”

Rizon added that as more property developers look beyond traditional verticals, Haven of Peace may well serve as a blueprint for how compassion, design, and commerce can converge in one of the most enduring real estate niches in the country. — (FREEMAN)