PLDT mulls campus-type complex to serve as HQ

MANILA, Philippines - Dominant carrier Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) is looking at putting up a “campus type” complex that would serve as the headquarters of the PLDT Group of companies as the planned acquisition of Alphaland Building along Ayala Avenue in Makati may no longer push through.

PLDT president and chief executive officer Napoleon Nazareno told The STAR on the sidelines of the Groupe Speciale Mobile Association (GSMA) mEducation Philippines Forum that the telecom giant is looking at a two- to five-hectare property where the “campus type” complex would be established.

Nazareno said the details of the project, including the cost as well as the time table for the construction, are still being finalized.

He pointed out that the “campus type” complex may be patterned after the headquarters of Google Inc. in California called “Googleplex.”

According to him, the proposed complex would house the member companies of the PLDT Group.

He said the proposal to put up a “campus type” complex was brought up as the company assesses whether to put up a new building or acquire a building that would serve as its new headquarters.

He revealed that the planned acquisition of the Alphaland Building owned by former Trade Minister Roberto Ongpin along Ayala Ave. in Makati City might no longer push through.

Last month, PLDT chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan announced the company’s plan to dispose of P5 billion worth of prime real estate properties as it scouts for a new headquarters to save on rental payments.

Pangilinan said the company is set to dispose several real estate properties to raise funds to acquire a property that would house the revenue generating arms of the PLDT Group.

These properties include the three-hectare property in Dansalan in Mandaluyong City, its old traffic office along Espana in Sampaloc in Manila, as well as a lot in Filinvest Corporate Center in Alabang in Muntinlupa City.

PLDT is also looking at disposing the warehouse of defunct Pilipino Telephone Corp. (Piltel) in Sta. Rosa, Laguna as well as the PLDT Garnet exchange building in Ortigas Center in Pasig City.

Pangilinan pointed out that the PLDT Group is not in the property development business so it would dispose or co-develop several properties.

The PLDT’s property group is drawing up a migration plan for the company’s Ramon C. Cojuangco (RCB) Building and the Makati General Office (MGO) in Makati City.

The PLDT chief said the telco giant is looking for a new headquarters that would house the Group’s operations and could save as much as P90 million in rental payments.