BACOLOD CITY – Phinma Property Holdings Corp. is investing P12 billion for the development of a new township on the Bacolod-Silay Access Road in Barangay Bata here.
PAOLO Reyes, vice president and chief township officer of Phinma Properties (from left); Roberto Laviña, Phinma Properties chairman; Architect Noli Puentevella, JEPP Property Corp., Carisse Echaus, JEPP Property Corp., Raphael Felix, Phinma Properties president and chief executive officer, and Jose Mari del Rosario, president and CEO of Phinma Hospitality Inc., grace the groundbreaking of the P12-billion Saludad township development in Barangay Bata, Bacolod City on Friday, July 19. (Photo courtesy of Bacolod PIO)
The groundbreaking of the 21-hectare township called Saludad was held on Friday, July 19.
During a media roundtable discussion at Seda Capitol Central here on Thursday, July 18, PHINMA Property Holdings Corp. President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Raphael Felix said that they selected Bacolod because they thought they could make a difference in the organization of this city.
Felix said that this city’s strategic location and dynamic economy provide an ideal setting to create a community that seamlessly blends modernity with tradition and nature.
“Here, we could help shape the way Bacolod City organizes. In a nut shell, our aim is to really make lives better and become a solution provider by giving people a dignified life that they so much deserve,” Felix said.
Felix said that after the township development, the community that it brings and businesses that it would create will further increase the job generation in this city.
“A big part of that has to do with the local government unit (LGU). The current administration has done a lot to make Bacolod what it is,” he added.
Phinma is building the township in partnership with JEPP Real Estate Co. composed of the Jacinto, Echaus, and Puentevella families here.
JEPP was represented by sisters Regina Jacinto-Barrientos, Patricia Jacinto-Golez, and Agnes Jacinto-Tinsay during a roundtable discussion with the media.
Golez said that their elders told them not to let go of the land to just anyone and hey are glad that the vision of JEPP and Phinma aligned beautifully and matches the values of JEPP such as commitment, professionalism, competence, and nation-building.
“We have the same vision of making Bacolod a better place for Bacolodnons. And when Phinma came along, it just felt right,” Golez said.
She said that they are not here for the transaction as their partnership with Phinma somehow became a relationship which seems to be very right.
Felix said that all business transactions can be made to look good. “But, regardless of how good the numbers or projections look good, if the values don’t align, somewhere along the line, the joint project is not going to prosper. This is a joint vision,” he added.
Paolo Reyes, vice president and chief for township development, said that the first phase will start by December 2025 while the second phase will begin in 2028.
Reyes said the entire project build up is projected to be until 2039. “What they will visibly see right away is the first phase which includes hotel, commercial, and residential lots, and the commercial town center.
Saludad is designed to provide residents with a distinctive and enhanced living experience, featuring modern amenities, sustainable practices, and a deep appreciation for the city's unique charm and rich heritage, ultimately transforming the city into a more vibrant, sustainable, and attractive place to live and work.
The township is backdropped by the panoramic view of Negros Occidental’s scenic mountains – Silay, Kanlaon, and Mandalagan, integrating the region’s natural beauty into its development and connecting the residents to its picturesque landscapes.
Super City
“We are happy to be part of Bacolod’s journey to becoming a super city through Saludad,” Felix said.
The residential developments, leisure amenities, commercial spaces, and other features of the township will undeniably attract more residents as well as opportunities for growth in the city, he added.
“We are committed to ensure that our projects add value to the regions we operate in.”