PLDT eyes Sta Rosa, Alabang as sites for new HQ

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. is looking at Sta. Rosa, Laguna and Alabang, Muntinlupa as possible sites for the company’s planned “campus type” complex.

PLDT chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said the company is talking with property developers in the south of Metro Manila due to the size of property needed for the “campus type” complex.

“We are looking at something in Alabang and Sta Rosa,” Pangilinan said.

He pointed out that the project would need between 10 hectares and 15 hectares.

“The problem is the size of the property needed is not available in Makati or Metro Manila so we have to move south. So we are talking with some property developers about getting 10 hectares to 15 hectares,” Pangilinan said.

PLDT president Napoleon Nazareno earlier told The STAR that the telecom giant is looking at establishing a “campus type” complex patterned after the headquarters of Google Inc. in California called “Googleplex.”

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

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.

However, Pangilinan said the company would need to get the consensus of the employees of the PLDT Group of companies.

“Some people (employees) live in the North (of Metro Manila) so they have to travel all the way to Sta. Rosa or Alabang,” he added.

PLDT is planning to sell P5 billion worth of prime real estate properties as it scouts for a new headquarters to save on rental payments.

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 planning to sell 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.

The PLDT Group is not in the property development business so it would either sell 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 earlier 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.