HRC unveils Hijo Central township in Tagum City

MANILA, Philippines — Hijo Resources Corp. (HRC) is targeting to attract more investors into its 132-hectare smart city in Davao del Norte, which is expected to bring in over $10 billion revenues into the Mindanao region over the next 10 years as it features agricultural, industrial, residential and commercial components, among others.

The company recently launched its 132-hectare Hijo Central, a mixed-used project with commercial and residential components, located in Barangay Madaum, Tagum City in Davao del Norte.

The project sits within HRC’s 1,054-hectare property which was once the country’s biggest plantation of Cavendish bananas that first found their way to foreign markets sometime in the late 1960s.

“We are establishing a smart city, a hub for foodtech, biotech, and agritech. Smart cities are not just about technology. It is about building an ecosystem of smart people, smart place and smart planet,” said HRC vice chair and chief executive officer Rosanna Tuason-Fores.

Tuason-Fores said Hijo Central is envisioned to be a tourism hub, agriculture base, residential address, commercial area, industrial district, leisure and nature park all rolled into one.

She said the project would also include a digital agricultural marketplace – a disruptive platform that connects farmers to global customers.

HRC has partnered with The Kitchen Israel and Dr. Nini to establish a food innovation hub where entrepreneurial ideas are exchanged, labs are available to test these ideas, and academe and private support for commercialization to maximize value in the growing food market.

Tuason-Fores said they continue to attract more investors into the smart city, noting that she recently went to Singapore to explore the possibility of connecting with prospective investors who are into boutique hotels, which are also suitable in Hijo Central.

Hijo Central will feature components such as the Hijo Industrial Estates, Hijo Port, the Plantation Villas, Los Rayos, Banana Beach, Weddings Recreation and Events Center, Plantation House, Trinity Project and the banana plantation areas.

HRC president and COO Ramon Segismundo emphasized that the accessibility of the location is a factor that could lure in investors into the smart city, as the coastal road linking Tagum City to Davao City and even Digos City shall reportedly also pass in the area. The coastal road cuts travel time between Davao City and Tagum City by 20 minutes, which brings it down to only 40 minutes travel time.

In addition, it is also ideal for residential, tourism, agriculture and even industrial purposes, should plans push through for the possible relocation of the Davao International Airport in the northern part of Southern Mindanao.

Segismundo also gave the assurance that the necessary groundwork  pertaining to water, power, telecommunications and sustainability needs are properly addressed as the Hijo Central projects takes its full shape.

HRC said it is teaming up with topnotch providers like Meralco and JE Hydro & Bio Energy Corp. for the establishment of a water system in the area that would be environmentally sustainable and could also possibly be used by other consumers outside of the township.

It added that PLDT and Smart will also handle the communication requirements within Hijo Central city. 

While the smart city targets to create economic activity, Tuason-Fores said Hijo Central would also be a sustainable development that is walkable and livable as it is socially responsive – environmentally sustainable and economically viable.

“We will preserve and promote the local cultural heritage and art, offering a unique place for everyone to live in and at the same time locate their businesses in,” Tuason-Forres said.

HRC emphasized that 49 percent of the 132-hectare smart city will be allotted for lush green space and strictly not sold to maintain the area’s natural landscape. It added that bike lanes and even paths will also be established around the Smart City to allow residents to walk around the community.

The 132- hectare project traverses the rivers of Hijo, Liboganon and Madaum which are vital for the sustainability of the project and in terms of connectability, it also has three hectares for multi-modal transport terminal and the boulevard itself has four lanes.

HRC said it also partnered with Urban Design Planning International (UPDI) for the masterplan of a big-ticket project such as the Hijo Central.

“As to what we are going to do during the first phase, nothing is final yet. We still have to discuss,” UPDI managing director and CEO Sujata Govada said.

Moreover, Tuason-Fores said she envisions Hijo Central to be a place that delivers sustainable social change.

“That progress and development is not synonymous with disruption or destruction whether it be the community or environment. We take care of our common home,” Tuason-Fores said.

THE SPECTACULAR VIEW OF AEON TOWERS DAVAO

 

The Aeon Towers is the tallest building in Davao City and in Mindanao as of this moment. 

It has LED lighting in its facade, and it glows at night. 

This is indeed the iconic edifice in the  Davao as well as in Mindanao!

This Towers also has an Infinity Pool at the top of the building, the idea is inspired by the Marina Bay Sands of Singapore.

Photo: ctto

TUNNELING WORKS FOR DAVAO CITY BYPASS ROAD TO START BY JULY

 

DAVAO CITY, Philippines
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is about to roll out the construction of two (2) 2.3 kilometer tunnel which corresponds to the central portion of the Davao City Bypass Construction Project in Southern Mindanao financed by Official Development Assistance (ODA) of the Government of Japan thru Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). 

Secretary Mark Villar said that essential machinery have started to arrive in the Philippines for the road tunnel construction  which is expected to develop Filipino skilled workers with new technical know-how. 

In his report to Secretary Villar, Undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations Emil K. Sadain said that tunneling works using specialized equipment such as drill jumbo, concrete spraying machine, and articulated dump hauler is targeted to commence by first week of July 2021. 

Four (4) units of drill jumbo and four (4) units of concrete spraying machine will simultaneously work at the north and south portal to complete two (2) 2.3 kilometer-long tunnels with a height of 8 meters and a width of 10 meters through the new Austrian tunneling method or sprayed concrete lining method, added Undersecretary Sadain. 

The tunnel is part of Contract Package 1-1 covering 10.7 kilometer of four (4) lane highway awarded in the amount of P13.230 Billion to the joint venture companies of Shimizu Corporation, Ulticon Builders Inc., and Takenaka Civil Engineering & Construction Co, Ltd..

The contract package with 37 months duration also covers the construction of bridges in three  (3) locations and a 7.9 kilometer long cut and fill road.  

During the recent project coordination meeting with Undersecretary Sadain and UPMO Roads Management Cluster 1 (Bilateral) OIC Project Director Benjamin Bautista, Mr. Shinichi Matsumoto representing the joint venture firm said that the construction of access roads are already at 60 percent in preparation for the tunnel excavation. 

Secretary Villar said that despite the major challenges encountered relative to the Covid-19 pandemic, Davao City Bypass Construction Project has secured Japan ODA financing with a Special Terms for Economic Partnership (STEP) Loan from JICA under Loan Agreement Nos. PH-P261 and PH-P273 signed in June 2020. 

The entire bypass road with a total length of 45.5 kilometer is divided into six (6) packages: package I-1 (10.7 km), package I-2 (12.8 km), package I-3 (6.1 km), package II-1 (2.7 km), package II-2 (3.5 km), and package II-3 (9.7 km).

Starting from Davao-Digos section of the Pan-Philippine Highway in Brgy Sirawan, Davao City going to Davao-Panabo section of the Pan-Philippine Highway in Brgy J.P. Laurel, Panabo City, the bypass road project will mitigate congestions in Davao City with the travel time of 1 hour and 44 minutes via Pan-Philippine Highway Diversion Road to be reduced into 49 minutes.

THE INAUGURATION OF METRO MANILA SKYWAY STAGE 3

 

 

MANILA, Philippines 

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte led the inauguration of the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 (MMSS-3) Project at the Del Monte Toll Plaza in Quezon City on January 14, 2021.
The MMSS-3 is an elevated expressway from Buendia, Makati City to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in Balintawak, Quezon City with a length spanning about 18.83 kilometers.
The project connects the NLEX and the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), and is expected to decongest traffic in the National Capital Region (NCR) or Metro Manila’s major roads. 

 

 

Statement of Mr Ramon Ang in his Facebook account.

"I celebrate this special day with a full heart, knowing that we have delivered another game-changing project that will make a difference in the lives of so many Filipinos for many generations to come. With the official opening of our 18-km Skyway Stage 3, traffic in Metro Manila will be significantly reduced. 

It will no longer rob our kababayan of precious quality time with their families. After bridging the north and south of the Metro, we will begin work next month to realize another dream: to link Manila and Rizal in the east and eventually provide seamless land travel on all four corners of Metro Manila.  

Thank you to all our partner-stakeholders past and present, and to the Duterte Administration for the unwavering support in helping us deliver this vital infrastructure project! Maraming, maraming salamat po!"

The 202 PeakLane Tower in Davao City

Anchor Land Holdings Inc., a known real estate developer in Manila is planning to launch their first condominium project outside the capital city within the year. The condominium project is called 202 Peaklane. It is conveniently located at the heart of the metropolis Davao, specifically in C.M. Recto Ave. formerly known as  Claveria St. and along Roxas Ave.  If we may recall, "Claveria st. " was the old Central Business District of Davao City. With this new trend of high rise building in this area,  I might sure that Claveria will  regain its crowning glory again.


The condominium property will be a twin tower development with the west tower consisting of 28 floors (Roxas Ave. side) and the east tower 28 floors (C.M. Recto's side).

The 202 Peaklane Tower features studio units, 1-bedroom units, and 2-bedroom units. “The sizes range from 21 square meters (sq.m.) to 25 square meters (sq.m.) for the studio and 1-bedroom units. For 2-bedroom units, it ranges from 50 sqm to 54 sqm. The ground floor will be for commercial use to complement the daily needs of the occupants.

Hijo Industrial Estates Breaks Ground on 760-Hectare Township in Tagum

Photo courtesy of Hijo Resources Corporation

June 17, 2017 

On June 16, 2017, Hijo Industrial Estates officially broke ground on a 760-hectare township project in Barangay Madaum, Tagum City, Davao del Norte. The P1-billion development by Hijo Resources Inc. will include a business and retail hub, a satellite government center, residential areas, and a 320-hectare leisure and tourism zone featuring a forest, beach, and eco-areas.

The township will also house an ICT zone for BPOs, a central lake with recreational amenities, and a 54-hectare deep-sea port developed with International Container Terminal Services Inc., initially capable of handling 450,000 TEUs.

The development aims to take advantage of ASEAN free trade by processing and adding value to raw materials for export. La Filipina, a food processing company from Iloilo, is the first confirmed locator. Residential development by Sta. Lucia Realty is expected to begin within three months.

Davao, Cebu Developers Now More Competitive

MANILA, Phillippines.

-- Property developers from Cebu and Davao are becoming more competitive with the big players who are based in Manila driven by growing interest in their respective markets, according to the judging panel of an award-giving body.

In a press conference for the 2017 Philippines Property Awards on Wednesday, Cindy Tan Jarabata, president of TAJARA leisure and Hospitality Group Inc., told reporters that the focus of the new administration has “sparked” interest in the Visayas and Mindanao property markets.

“I think what’s interesting with the current administration is it has opened more interest in Visayas and Mindanao,” said Jarabata, who is part of the judging panel for the Philippine Property Awards.

She said that the VisMin growth story is something that has been developing in recent years.

“The president shuttles between Davao and Mindanao. It’s really encouraging a lot of people to look at VisMin, but it’s not new. It’s just that there’s more awareness. A lot of big developers have invested in Visayas and Mindanao. Really great success in the past few years,” Jarabara said.

Given the growing interest in the VisMin market, more entries from Cebu and Davao-based developers are expected to join the 2017 Philippine Property Awards to be held in May of next year.

“We expect to see a much stronger Davao and as well as Cebu,” said Terry Blackburn, founder and managing director of the Asia Property Awards.

Blackburn said they expect to receive around 200 entries from developers all over the country.
Last year, the Philippine Property awards received a total of 150 entries.

Of the target 200 expected entries, Blackburn said around 30 percent of the entries will likely come from VisMin while 70 percent will come from Manila-based developers.

“The participation from major and up-and-coming developers continues to grow year after year because of the impact of the Awards on the industry. In the last five years we’ve seen the awards programme expand to include different categories specifically created for regional development in key markets such as Cebu and Davao. It is a reflection of a strong Philippine real estate sector that is focused on improving quality and sustainability,” Blackburn said.

The award-giving body also announced that it is introducing two new categories this year, namely the Best BPO Office Development and Best Mixed-use Development.

According to Blackburn, the addition of new categories is driven by the large amount of entries they have been receiving for such categories.

“There’s a huge growth area here [BPO] and it continues to do so,” Blackburn said.

The Philippine Property Awards is part of the regional Asia Property Awards organized by the Property Guru Group. Winners of the Philippine awards will compete at the South East Asia Property Awards to be held in Singapore.

source: Manila Times