Ayala’s LPHI ventures into Cabanatuan City

Following decades of spontaneous growth, Cabanatuan City will soon encounter a new experience in community masterplanning when property developer Laguna Properties Holdings, Inc. speeds up work on Sta. Arcadia Estates, a self-contained 20-hectare development with residential and commercial lots.

LPHI, the Ayala Land subsidiary specializing in middle-income housing, ventured into Cabanatuan attracted by the city’s great potentials. According to LPHI vice-president Steve Dy, Cabanatuan is both a commercial and educational hub, a natural crossroads for business and commerce as illustrated by the fact that all major Philippine banks and retail establishments operate in the city. "With the growth of the city, residents are now seeking a better quality of life," observes Dy.

Sta. Arcadia’s special attraction is its flood-free environment, unlike other areas in Cabanatuan, which experience periodic flooding. The feat was made possibility by raising the entire development located along the Emilio Vergara Highway by an average of two meters from its original ground level by using engineered fill. Dy explains that as the area was being filled, it was subjected to compaction every 20 centimeters to ensure soil stability and provide a firm foundation for homes that would be built there. He discloses that since a portion of the property was raised a few years ago, the area has gone through a number of big storms and has always remained free of floods.

More than its efficient drainage system, Sta. Arcadia has been designed to be a vibrant community over the long-term – with both commercial and residential lots. The 99 commercial lots located near the 20-meter Emilio Vergara Highway are envisioned as ideal locations for banks, gasoline stations, groceries, food stops and other establishments that will service the needs of Sta. Arcadia residents and those on their way to neighboring provinces. Lot sizes range from 300 to 1,100 sqm.

Project manager Prim Nolido points out that the commercial lots will also serve as a buffer between the highway and the residential area with first-rate community amenities. Most house-and-lot packages in the Spanish Mediterranean-themed development are organized into compounds that each has a landscaped courtyard in the center. Each cluster of homes functions as a smaller, more intimate neighborhood. In the clusters, "neighbors get the chance to know each other better unlike in the usual subsidivisions which are laid out simply in a grid and don’t foster social interaction," he says.

Sta. Arcadia homeowners can select from a range of house-and-lot packages that offer from two-to five-bedroom models and lot sizes from 120 to 300 sqm. Using the European Tex system, each home makes use of a modular building system that ensures strict quality control and durability. "Thus, LPHI is confident that it can back up its 15-year warranty for each of those homes," says Nolido.

In addition, each home is easily accessible to a central park designed to be the community centerpiece. The one-hectare park will have a clubhouse for gatherings and social functions; a swimming pool that offers areas for serious swimmers as well as those seeking water play; children’s playground; basketball court and picnic area.

For the peace-of-mind of homeowners, the entire development is ringed by a perimeter fence while security guards will man the entrances of the subdivision 24 hours a day, features most appreciated in all LPHI developments. In addition, roads are all cemented and are front eight to 12 meters wide.

Drawing from LPHI’s history of successful community planning and management, a lot of at Sta. Arcadia Estates "centainly represents a very sound, long-term investment," says Nolido.