MANILA, Philippines - It’s almost a foregone conclusion that when giant players penetrate the local market, once-thriving homegrown businesses are left in the dust. But in the Southern Luzon area, it’s quite a different story.
Calmar Land Development Corporation (Calmarland) is a real estate developer well-regarded in the economically and politically vital Calabarzon area. With almost 25 years of experience and operating in three Southern Tagalog provinces (Batangas, Quezon, and Laguna), it is an emerging major player with a track record of outperforming big name rivals. Its 23 residential subdivision projects, — most of them already fully developed with fully functional communities - have been catering to the region’s profitable but complex middle-income and high-income segment.
Ric Calayan, chief executive officer of Calmarland, contextualizes the company’s success within the national and daily contours of its market base: “Between 1987 and 1990 was a critical period in domestic real estate. The EDSA Revolution has just taken place. Our economy was still reeling from political turmoil but the country was ripe for change.” In Quezon and in Batangas during those times, “There was practically no construction industry to speak of, there were no jobs, and the debts were piling up.” That was the bleak backdrop when engineer Reynaldo Calayan, Jr., president of Calmarland and Ric’s older brother, was introduced to real estate. He promptly dived into studying the subdivision development industry, and in 1989 founded Calmarland.
The company was established right about the time that the Philippine economy was starting to improve. By the mid-1990s when the industry was in full boom, Calmarland was paving the way, literally and figuratively, in the Southern Luzon’s key cities, first in Lucena and later on in Lipa. “We saw the need,” says Ric Calayan, “to professionalize the standards of real estate development.”
Whereas in Metro Manila, gated residential villages have become fully amenitized with clubhouses and were built with well-paved roads, yet in Lucena, Lipa, and in some parts of Laguna, not even the most basic elements of a subdivision were being met. “Dinadaya yung infrastructure,” he explains. The real estate norm way back then was to apply thin concrete surfacing on subdivision roads, which damaged easily. “Magkokonkreto lang ng konti, iiwanan na, they will concretize the front part but leave the rest of the subdivision undeveloped. No sidewalk and gutter, no gates, the water system was unfinished, the drainage system was non-existent. The developer will turn the subdivision over to the local government. Bahala nang sila ang maglagay pa ng improvements.”
According to Calayan, “We decided that if we got into subdivision development we would finish the projects.” This might seem like a fundamental enough proposition but in fact Calmarland was among the first developers in Calabarzon to consistently see the residential projects through to their completion.
Driving around Lucena City in Quezon, for example, one will still find remnants of abandoned developments by other developers, underscoring the pivotal role of Calmarland in the improvement of the overall quality of life in areas where its projects are located.
Calmar for Quality
Calmarland brought property development in Calabarzon and its nearby provinces up to current design standards. The impressive, tree-lined gated entrance and wide roads in its middle-income, low density developments could easily be mistaken for that of an exclusive subdivision in Metro Manila and Sta. Rosa. Residents can now enjoy a dip at the clubhouse pool anytime they fancy. The houses reflect the latest trends in architecture and design, and even units in the affordable housing projects offer features and aesthetics commonly seen only in pricier properties. Roads within Calmarland’s vast multi-hectare communities offer access to schools, hospitals, and other lifestyle centers in the provincial cities.
Through the years, the projects of Calmarland have become the model for other developers in Calabarzon, and the standard by which future developments in the region are being judged. “’Yan ang na-build naming reputation. We are known in Quezon and Calabarzon for quality. Of course the national players are also known for quality but we had built a very good foundation in Southern Luzon.”
Calmarland’s expansion in Calabarzon progresses, as the emerging countryside markets continue to drive growth. But the company that has outpaced big-shot developers in the regions has another ace up its sleeve: a new residential condominium development is soon to rise in Mandaluyong City. Calayan hints, “We are raring to bring to Metro Manila the kind of sincere attention to quality that we are known for in Calabarzon.”
To know more about Calmarland in Batangas, Quezon, and Laguna, visit www.calmarland.com.