Apple One grants naming rights to Equicom Group

CEBU, Philippines - Apple One Properties Inc., has formally announced the re-naming of the 16-story building Apple One Tower to AppleOne-Equicom Tower, after the Group committed to a 15-year lease agreement with the Equicom Group of Companies and has granted the conglomerate a “naming right” deal.The deal involves the leasing of the entire ground floor and the 7th floor of the building.

This deal has helped fast track the occupancy rating of the project to 92 percent, said Ray Manigsaca president of Apple One Properties Inc.

While AppleOne Tower is now renamed to AppleOne-Equicom Tower, the ownership and development of the building remains to be with AppleOne Properties, Inc.

“Our commitment with AppleOne is important to us and having our name branded with them is equally significant for us in creating an impact to our immediate community,” said Equicom Savings Bank vice president and area head for Visayas and Mindanao Lirio Evangelista-Du.

Equicom Group is a diversified conglomerate with subsidiaries and affiliates involved in banking and finance, information technology and computer services, health care, business information, credit ratings and other endeavors.

“It is a great honor to be connected to the respectable Equicom Group and this will add more formidability and strength to what we have built and developed,” said AppleOne Properties executive vice president Yvet Andalis in a press conference.

All the affiliated companies of Equicom Group, will make the Apple One as its home location, such as the CIBI, Equitable Computer Services Inc. (ECS), Maxicare Healthcare Corporation (Maxicare), Equicom Savings Bank Inc. (EqB) and ALGO Learning and Finance Inc.

According to Equicom Group chairman Antonio L. Go, the company is intensifying its presence in Southern Philippines, making Cebu as its hub.

In fact, the group has allocated a capital expenditure of P300 million to P400 million this year, and large part of this is to enlarge its operations in the healthcare services.

In its healthcare division, the group has Maxicare, one of the pioneer health care maintenance organizations (HMO) in the country, and the My Health Clinic and Metro Dental clinic, with top-notch physicians and dentists, diverse specializations and modern technology.

According to Go, the Group believes that medical services should be easily available to Filipinos without having to travel to get any specialized consultation.

The AppleONe Equicom Tower, is the flagship project of AppleOne Properties Inc.(API), a homegrown company in Cebu with close to 20 years of experience in real estate development.

The 16-story building is a Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) accredited building. It is located right next to Cebu City Marriott Hotel at the CBP.

The 48 office units of AppleOne are designed to meet the basic requirements of global offices, with distinct contemporary work styles and standards, such as those of business and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) companies.

Property management of the AppleOne-Equicom Tower shall be handled by CB Richard Ellis (CBRE).  (FREEMAN)