Cebu continues to strengthen its position as one of the country’s key economic hubs, fueled by investments in tourism, business process outsourcing, retail, and infrastructure. Colliers data highlights the province’s growing role in decentralization, with demand for flexible workspaces and commercial developments rising beyond Metro Manila. Improved connectivity from major infrastructure projects is also helping create new growth centers across Metro Cebu.

Riding this momentum, Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) is accelerating development in Seagrove, Gatewalk Central, and South Coast City. The company is expanding its presence beyond Cebu Business Park and Cebu I.T. Park as it positions itself for the province’s next phase of growth and the opportunities created by Cebu’s evolving economic landscape.

Supporting this expansion strategy, Ayala Land Estates outlined how its developments are being positioned to capture growth across key areas of Metro Cebu. During the company’s recent Sales Summit with its network of sellers and brokers, Jay Teodoro, head of VisMin Estates for Ayala Land Estates, said the company is building on the success of its established Cebu communities while pursuing opportunities in emerging locations.

“We are expanding our footprint strategically across Cebu City, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu. This is our Next Wave of growth centers—grounded in the proven blueprint of Cebu Business Park and Cebu I.T. Park, and enhanced through years of experience in developing successful mixed-use communities all over the country.”

Teodoro added that each estate is designed to serve a specific growth driver within Cebu while offering commercial investment opportunities through a limited release of property lots.

One of these emerging growth centers is Seagrove in Lapu-Lapu City, ALI’s first leisure estate in Cebu. Situated within Mactan Island’s tourism corridor, it is close to major hotels, resorts, and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. Designed to support the province’s thriving tourism industry, the estate combines leisure-oriented spaces with sustainability initiatives, including the preservation of its mangrove-lined coastline. Future plans include a town center and boardwalk that will create business opportunities while strengthening connections to the coastal environment.

While Seagrove is anchored in Cebu’s tourism sector, Gatewalk in Mandaue City is positioned to support the growing demand for mixed-use developments in one of Metro Cebu’s busiest urban centers. The estate is being developed as a hub that brings together retail, business, and public spaces in a highly connected environment. Major components are already taking shape, including an Ayala Malls scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2026 and an office tower targeted for completion in 2027. The development will also feature a transport terminal and greenways to improve mobility, supporting Mandaue’s shift toward a more integrated mixed-use community.

Rounding out ALI’s portfolio of growth centers is South Coast City, a joint development with SM Prime along Cebu City’s South Road Properties (SRP), one of the province’s fastest-growing investment corridors. Envisioned as a new central business district anchored by entertainment, events, and commercial activity, the estate is set to introduce major destinations that will draw both businesses and visitors to the area. Among its key components are the SM Arena, SMX Convention Center, and a central park, all expected to open within the year. The development will also feature hotels, offices, retail spaces, and other attractions, reinforcing South Coast City’s role as a catalyst for economic growth in southern Cebu.

Together, these developments reflect the developer’s confidence in Cebu’s continued rise as a key regional growth center. While each estate serves a different market—from tourism and lifestyle commerce to entertainment—they share a common goal: supporting the province’s long-term growth and the emergence of new business districts beyond its established hubs.

“Each estate has a clear identity. Each powers a different economic engine, and each gives investors real choice—whether it’s Seagrove as our eco-leisure estate, Gatewalk as our lifestyle estate, or South Coast City as our entertainment estate,” Teodoro said. Together, these developments reflect Cebu’s evolving growth story, driven by stronger connectivity, expanding industries, and new districts that support the province’s next phase of economic and urban development.