Philippines

Overview

The Philippines is a constitutional republic with a democratic presidential system. Over the past decade the country has enjoyed substantial economic growth and has been dubbed one of the fastest-growing economies in the region.

Facts and figures

Population 106,650,000
Population density (people per sq. km of land area) 357.7
GDP per capita in US$ 3,485.1
Main industries Manufacturing
Agribusiness
Mining and mineral processing
Outsourcing
Tourism
Total office stock in sq m / sq f 7,980,754 (2019)
Total retail stock in sq m / sq f 6,500,000 sq m (2018)
Total industrial stock in sq m / sq f n/a

Economy

The major industries in the Philippines are manufacturing, agribusiness, mining and mineral processing, outsourcing, and tourism. The Philippines is considered having one of the most dynamic economies in East Asia. Its economic dynamism is driven by a myriad of factors some of which according to the World Bank are solid fundamentals, competitive workforce, stable job market, robust remittances, and investment in the construction industry.

Growth

The Philippine economy is forecast to contract by 7.3% in 2020 amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic before growth returns to 6.5% in 2021, according to a new report from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). - issued by ADB as of Sept. 2020

Unique aspects

The Philippines is a vibrant country full of beauty and fun, rich history and great food. Philippines approximately spans more than 300,000 kilometers of territory with 7,641 islands. The country is divided into three groups: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The country’s primary exports include electronics, semiconductors, transport equipment, construction materials and minerals

The entire landmass of the Philippines is made up of islands, making it the second-largest archipelago in the world.

Key cities

Makati City, Metro Manila

Makati City is the country’s financial hub. Makati houses the Makati Business Club and Philippine Stock Exchange. It’s known for its skyscrapers and top notch shopping malls such as Greenbelt, Glorietta Mall, Rockwell etc. The city is also notable for its multicultural lifestyle and boasts the tallest building in the Philippines which is the PBCom Tower.

Taguig City, Metro Manila

Taguig City is a highly urbanized city located in the south eastern portion of Metro Manila. It was initially a thriving fishing community along Laguna De Bay and is now an important residential, commercial and industrial center. The city ranked first among Philippine cities in the Ease of Doing Business Index which was conducted by the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation.

Pasig City, Metro Manila

Pasig City is a large district with a mix of offices, upscale housing and popular mall complexes in and around the Ortigas Center area. It was once known primarily as an industrial center but in recent years it has developed into a thriving residential-commercial community with countless business centers, prominent schools, renowned restaurants and lifestyle developments.

Pasay City, Metro Manila

Pasay City is the third smallest political subdivision in the National Capital Region. The city is adjacent to the City of Manila and is bounded to the south of Paranaque. The city houses the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Villamor Air Base. Pasay is known for entertainment, restaurants, and clubs located along Roxas Boulevard.

Cebu City, Metro Manila

Cebu is the second largest city in the Philippines and has an international airport that connects Cebu with the region for business and leisure travel. Cebu city has various business districts including Cebu Business Park and Ayala Center.

Angeles City, Metro Manila

Angeles City is located in Pampanga province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. The city is rich in heritage and historical sites, but best known for its high concentration of casinos and vibrant nightlife for men. Angeles City is also known for its extreme sport adventures.

Davao City, Metro Manila

Davao City is the leading regional centre for south eastern Mindanao. Davao is surrounded by about 50 small ports in its commercial sphere. An international port, Davao city ships large quantities of abaca, a natural fibre that is the main product grown in the city.

Office overview in the Philippines

Selected business districts for rent or lease of office space

Ayala Avenue and Center, Makati City

Ayala Avenue and Center is a major commercial development operated by Ayala Land that is located in the Makati Business Central District.

Rockwell Center, Makati City

Rockwell Center is a high end mixed use area in Makati City. It is a project of Rockwell Land Corporation that was first developed in 1998 and has expanded since 2012. Rockwell Center sits on 15.5 hectare land that used to be the location of a thermal power plant. Today, Rockwell Center has three office buildings in the area.

Eastwood City, Quezon City

Eastwood City is an 18.5 hectare township that is constructed by Megaworld. This successful integrated township is also known as the Philippines first cyberpark. It houses ten first class corporate buildings and is home to 55,000 workers to date.

Cebu Business Park, Cebu City

Cebu Business Park is Cebu City’s premier business and commercial district which houses several companies ranging from business process outsourcing to industries. The business park is also home to local and foreign banking and financial institutions such as HSBC, Citibank, BDO, Chinatrust Bank, Metrobank UCPB etc.

SM Central Business Park, Pasay City

Many of the recent developments in Bay City are in the SM Central Business Park which covers an area of 200 hectares. It is entirely located in Pasay City and the major land owners are SM, Metrobank Group of Companies, and the PRA. It is built on SM property so the SM Inc. has transferred to its new Corporate headquarters consisting of six buildings.

Retail overview in the Philippines

Selected districts for rent or lease of retail space

Ayala Center, Makati City

Ayala Center is home to various lifestyle brands, boutiques, dining spots, and hangouts in Makati city. Some notable shopping malls in the area include Glorietta 1-5 and Greenbelt Mall. Ayala Center in Makati also serves as a haven for Philippine art.

Bonifacio Global City, Metro Manila

Bonifacio Global City is a commercial hub known for good shopping areas like Bonifacio High Street which is filled with big name brands and flagship stores. The area is known for a selection of upscale malls and is also filled with upscale global restaurants, hip cafes and mainstream night clubs.

Ortigas Center, Metro Manila

Home to the largest shopping mall in the Philippines, Ortigas Center is not only known for its business district. Aside from SM Megamall, Robinsons Galleria, a flagship five level shopping mall which houses over 500 local and international shops is also situated in Ortigas Center.

Mall of Asia, Pasay City

SM Mall of Asia Complex is the third largest shopping mall in the country that is located in Pasay City. Some of the large projects on the horizon are casinos and entertainment.

Cebu Business Park, Cebu City

The centerpiece of Cebu Business Park is the 9-hectare Ayala Center Cebu Shopping Mall which draws a lot of shoppers daily. Ayala Center Cebu is the shopping and lifestyle destination of the region and is the forefront of introducing new lifestyle trends and concepts.

Industrial overview in the Philippines

Selected districts for rent or lease of industrial space

Clark Freeport Zone, Angeles City

The Philippine government subsequently converted the air base and the surrounding area into a free port and a special economic zone. Foreign trade and investments are drawn by the area’s industrial and transportation facilities. The base’s runways and other facilities are converted into an international airport.

Subic Bay

Subic Bay is located in Olongapo city and was converted into a commercial zone. Subic is a hub for shipbuilding. In the mid of 2019, there are about 135,000 workers in Subic Bay Freeport. Majority of them are engaged in the service industry while some are in the manufacturing industry.

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