Sustaining economic and tourism growth through connectivity

MANILA, Philippines —  From its roots as Mandurriao Airport to Iloilo Business Park, property giant Megaworld is making waves in Western Visayas with the addition of a P350-million transport hub.

Carving out a total of 8,000 square meters of the 72-hectare township development, the Iloilo Business Park Transport Hubs takes inspiration from its origins with departure and arrival terminals. As a hub, these will be centrally located along the main artery, Megaworld Boulevard, across the Festive Walk Mall.

Jose Arnulfo Batac, Megaworld head of estate management, shares, “We aim to provide world-class and convenient service in land transport for the local and international travelers in and out of Iloilo City.” He adds, “Hopefully, this will serve as a model for other transport hubs in the region.”

With an eye towards planning for the expected influx of travelers, each terminal has been allocated a generous 4,000 sqm. lot and a 3-story structure. With both local and international passengers passing through the Iloilo Business Park, a key feature is the Traveler’s Lounge. One each for the Departure Terminal and Arrival Terminal.  A great convenience for daytrips to or through Iloilo when on personal business!

The Traveler’s Lounge, a seeming signature Megaworld wants to create with another one at Resorts World Manila, will be an air-conditioned facility where passengers can comfortably await their selected scheduled departures, transits, or pick-up vehicles upon arrival. With shower rooms and toilets, there’s even time to freshen up or change for the next order of business whether coming in to or leaving Iloilo. Even better, while waiting for your transit out of the business park, free WiFi access and Breastfeeding Stations are provided at the Departure Terminal lounge.

Ticketing Booths at the Traveler’s Lounge of the Departure Terminal facilitate booking and purchasing of tickets for departures and transits. If you are driving yourself to the terminal, both the Departure and Arrival Terminals will have 200 parking slots available for free at the second and third levels. If you left too early for breakfast or arrive craving for a snack or refreshment, a Food Park is included in the mix.

The 72-hectare Iloilo Business Park, envisioned to be the next central business district in Iloilo City, currently houses 8 office towers and 2 hotels. Also a tourist destination, the ILOMOCA or Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art can also be found at the heart of IBP.

Connectivity is a priority element in every Megaworld township, and this has been evident in the way the property developer designed the likes of Eastwood City, Uptown Bonifacio, and McKinley Hill. By working with different stakeholders to provide people who live, work, and play within its developments with various modes of transportation options, Megaworld enables unparalleled convenience and connectivity as catalysts of growth in areas where it is present.

The Iloilo Business Park Transport Hub is perfectly-timed as Western Visayas is considered one of the fastest growing regions in the Philippines. Citing the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Colliers International Q1 2019 report reflected a 6.1 percent expansion in the 2018 economy of Western Visayas. “The services sector, which covers outsourcing activities and stokes demand for modern residential accommodations, accounts for about 58 percent of the region’s economy, followed by the industrial sector (e.g. manufacturing and construction) which covers 25 percent of the region’s annual economic output.”

The report adds further that Mandurriao currently accounts for 80 percent of Iloilo’s office stock representing 87,800 sqm. of the city’s total inventory of 109,400 sqm. “Megaworld offers 60,800 square meters of leasable office space, and benefits from having Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) status, hence, all buildings within its Iloilo Business Park are PEZA-proclaimed, enabling outsourcing occupants to avail themselves of tax and non-tax perks.”

Ahead of Administrative Order No. 18 on Accelerating Rural Progress Through Robust Development of Special Economic Zones in the Countryside, Megaworld has designed the Iloilo Business Park as a gateway to economic development.

With the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in Region 6 rolling out the first premium Point-to-Point (P2P) buses in Western Visayas, Iloilo Business Park has been selected as the main hub in Panay Island.

Considered one of the most accessible provinces, Iloilo serves as a gateway via air and sea ports, and positions the province as a connection to economic and tourism growth in Western Visayas. Coupled with the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), ease of access and transit is further enabled.

Spearheaded by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), around 106 P2P buses, equipped with an auto-pay system, will service the following destinations to and from Iloilo Business Park: Iloilo Airport, Roxas Airport, Kalibo Airport and Caticlan Airport (Boracay). An additional 365 taxis and 165 jeepneys, modernized and equipped with an auto-pay system, are also in forward plans of LTFRB Region 6.

106 Premium Point-to-Point (P2P) buses a two-way from Iloilo Business Park to Roxas Airport, Kalibo Airport and Caticlan Airport (Boracay).

“All of our townships, especially those in urban centers, serve as convergence points of motorists and commuters. Thus, we integrate transport hubs in our developments to meet the transport needs of the local community,” explains Batac. “We thank the LTFRB Region 6 for this partnership, and we hope that we are able to contribute to the success of this modernization campaign, for the betterment of the country’s transport industry.”

With a township of residential condominiums, 60,800 sqm. of office space, the bustling Festive Walk Mall, the charming 1.1-kilometer Festive Walk Parade, two first-class hotels with Courtyard by Marriott and Richmonde Hotel, the Iloilo Convention Center (ICON), the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA), the upcoming Commercial and Boutique Hotel District, an 8,000 sqm. Transport Hub, the Iloilo Business Park has transformed Mandurriao from one of a formerly busiest domestic terminal in the country to the rising gateway of connectivity to economic development and international tourism in Western Visayas.