Megaworld lifts capex 30% as developer pivots to Philippine provinces
Megaworld President Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso
Top township developer Megaworld Corp. is raising its capital expenditure by 30 percent this year to ₱65 billion amid its pivot toward aggressive expansion in provincial markets.
In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the firm said the developer, which had previously earmarked ₱50 billion for 2025, is betting on sustained recovery in the office, commercial, and tourism sectors outside the traditional hub of Metro Manila.
Megaworld said the increased budget will fund land acquisition, strategic land banking, and the accelerated construction of high-value investment properties.
“We are seeing opportunities ahead, and we look forward to the sustained growth in the office, commercial, hospitality, and tourism sectors,” said Megaworld President Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso.
Gutierrez-Alfonso also cited renewed optimism in the real estate market, noting that the company’s residential business remains its primary growth engine.
The firm is also looking to integrate artificial intelligence and other new technologies into its latest offerings to differentiate its developments from competitors.
A big portion of the ₱65 billion budget will support the rollout of provincial townships, including the Ilocandia Coastown in Ilocos Norte, The Upper Central in Cagayan de Oro City, and Nascala Coast in Nasugbu, Batangas.
These regional hubs are expected to bolster the pipeline for MREIT Inc., the company’s real estate investment trust, by providing steady stream of mature, income-generating assets for future infusion.
On the residential side, Megaworld plans to launch 19 projects this year with a combined sales value of ₱65 billion. While the company maintains a presence in Metro Manila hubs such as Pasig, Taguig, and Manila, the bulk of the new inventory will be allocated to emerging provincial growth centers in Cavite, Laguna, Palawan, Iloilo, and Cebu.
The hospitality sector is also seeing surge in investment, with five hotels currently under construction to meet rising tourism demand. These include the ArcoVia Hotel in Pasig, Savoy Hotel Capital Town in Pampanga, and two properties in San Vicente, Palawan.
Upon completion, these developments will add nearly 2,000 rooms to the company’s portfolio, bringing Megaworld closer to its target of managing 9,000 hotel keys within the next three years. The announcement follows the recent unveiling of its 37th township, the 97-hectare Sugartown in Negros Occidental, further cementing its footprint in the Visayas region.