The Philippines is home to a diverse array of landmark real estate developments, from expansive shopping complexes to fully integrated mixed-use cities, reflecting the country’s history of continued progress and dynamic growth. These iconic projects not only exemplify excellence but also shape the modern Filipino identity.

Renowned for their scale and design, these developments today continue to play a pivotal role in their communities, with an impact that has only grown over time. In this article, we revisit prime examples of these landmarks, exploring their lasting legacies and influence on both local communities and the nation.

LUZON

Rockwell Center

Makati City

Long before it became home to the iconic Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center Makati used to be the site of a 130-megawatt Rockwell Thermal Power Plant, which ran for over 40 years from 1950 until it was decommissioned in 1994.

The following year, Rockwell Land Corp., with First Philippine Holdings Corp. and Meralco, embarked on transforming the 15.5-hectare site into a mixed-use development. It was named after Manila Electric Co.’s (Meralco) first president, James Chapman Rockwell.

This ambitious project, supported by government backing, introduced not just the renowned Power Plant Mall, but also residential towers, clubs, and institutions. By the time the mall opened in 2000, Rockwell Center had become a prime destination, drawing the country’s elite.

Today, Rockwell Center Makati stands as a thriving, sustainable community—an enduring testament to the vision and innovation of its developers. The transformation from a former industrial site to a vibrant urban hub reflects how thoughtful development can shape and revitalize a locality.

Eastwood City

Quezon City

Even real estate titans had to start somewhere. For property giant Megaworld Corp., it was Eastwood City—one of its first big projects, and still one of its most renowned to this day.

Over two decades ago in 1997, during the Asian financial crisis, Megaworld encountered difficulties in leasing office space since most companies were downsizing. Even so, a few foreign companies that had set their sights on putting up IT businesses in the country inquired about possible tax incentives from the government to make locating locally more feasible.

Megaworld founder Andrew Tan approached then Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) Director General Lilia de Lima to explore the idea of a Peza-accredited IT park. De Lima then sent a Peza team with Megaworld executives to study the global export of IT services and later drafted the rules and regulations of establishing a local IT park in the Philippines.

This paved the way for the establishment of Eastwood City. In 1998, Megaworld, taking a leap of faith, applied for a special economic zone license with Peza to turn an isolated portion of Libis, Quezon City into a new development that was yet unheard of in the Philippines at the time.

A year later, in 1999, the country’s first Peza-accredited IT park was born. The now over 18.5-ha masterplanned, self-contained community ushered in the birth of the country’s business processing and outsourcing (BPO) sector, which is now a big pillar in the country’s economy. It was also the first of Megaworld’s many townships as well as its most successful.

Today, Eastwood City stands not only as one of the Philippines’ largest BPO communities, but also as a premier site for residential, business, commercial, and entertainment establishments.

Ayala Malls Greenbelt

Makati City

As one of the long-standing real estate pioneers of the country, Ayala Land Inc. has many tales to tell about its numerous establishments, most of which have made waves in their respective areas. One of the most iconic and recognizable ones is Greenbelt.

Ayala Center, which houses Greenbelt, started out as an emerging shopping destination with the Makati Commercial Center in the 1960s to 1970s. After much deliberation on how to create a distinctive destination that would not only respond to its site of origin but also feel more than just a traditional-type mall, the development team at Ayala Land began setting their sights on integrating new construction with a small park complete with a chapel.

Throughout its time in bustling Makati City, the main Greenbelt Mall, later be known as Greenbelt 1, was offering convenience and food services to its many guests, including office workers in the area.

Greenbelt was eventually extended with new branches: the renowned Greenbelt 2 and 3, completed in 2002, feature food, shopping, and entertainment options, with Greenbelt 2 in particular designed as a premier destination for high-end dining; Greenbelt 4, an upscale retail destination completed in 2003; and Greenbelt 5, which capitalizes on expansive open spaces and offers lush landscapes and a more al fresco feel, completed in 2007.

To this day, Greenbelt continues to see various developments. The landmark Greenbelt 1 is being redeveloped into a more modern commercial complex. The iconic mall said goodbye in April 2024, and its renovated version, said to be geared toward the use of renewable energy and eco-friendly operations, is set to open by 2028.

SM Mall of Asia Arena

Pasay City

SM Malls is a brand name that has spread all across the Philippines as an invitation to premier destinations for outings and activities in the metro. Of its many venues, one of the grandest is the SM Mall of Asia (MOA), appropriately named for the behemoth it has been since its unveiling.

Complementing SM MOA is the biggest performance venue to rise at the retail destination—the MOA Arena, a structure designed to make the Philippines one of Asia’s premier entertainment destinations, catering to both entertainment and sports events for both local and international talents. It is also the first venue in the country to offer corporate suites for VIPs or groups who would like the best views in the Arena from a higher position, while also having exclusive parties or business meetings.

By venturing into the entertainment industry through this project, the company aimed to integrate shopping and entertainment and host world-class entertainment and sporting.

Ever since its grand opening in June 2012, the “eye-conic” venue has continuously delivered unforgettable experiences for its audiences, with performances from global superstars such as BTS, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Madonna, Harry Styles, and EXO. It has also hosted several sports events, such as the ever-awaited UAAP and even the NBA Global Games with the Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers.

Tagaytay Highlands

Cavite

Outside Metro Manila, you can also find all sorts of iconic real estate developments that have made an impact on their respective areas. In the vacation hotspot Tagaytay, Belle Corporation’s Tagaytay Highlands stands as the group’s premier mountain resort development.

Chinese-Filipino businessman Willy Ocier is the visionary behind Tagaytay Highlands, a development that, according to Ocier, had its concept patterned after a lifestyle that he would have wanted for himself and his family, as well as one he deemed “as acceptable to young professionals emerging during his time.”

With the help and mentorship of SM’s Henry Sy Sr., Ocier invested in Tagaytay, which would become the site of his ambitious dream project.

Sitting upon the highest elevations of the city, Tagaytay Highlands serves as a leisure destination for all sorts of visitors, providing them not only a feeling of exclusivity and luxury, but also stunning views of the natural beauty of Tagaytay and easy access to its cool climate.

Despite the challenges that came with its development, Tagaytay Highlands became a massive success, and is considered the first integrated leisure property resort in the entire country. It has gone on to define mountain resort living for over three decades now, playing host to countless memories and experiences for its many guests throughout the years.

Capital Town

Pampanga

Megaworld is now known for its township developments, one of which is Capital Town Pampanga, a 35.6-ha community rising in the City of San Fernando in Pampanga.

Capital Town Pampanga stands where the renowned Pampanga Sugar Development Company (Pasudeco) once stood. In the early 1900s, the sugar central, said to be the first Filipino-owned and financed sugar mill in the country, played a major role in the growth of San Fernando City and acted as a catalyst for its exponential development. From its beginnings in the early 1920s, Pasudeco was able to fuel the local job industry and economy and propel the province into becoming one of the country’s major sugar producers at that time.

Today, Pasudeco’s previous site is set to become home to the newest central business district in the north. According to Megaworld, it hopes to preserve Pasudeco’s historical value and legacy and build a township that can successfully bring together Pampanga’s rich past with its booming future. The goal is for Capital Town to bolster San Fernando’s position as an economic powerhouse in the region once more.

Aside from residential developments, the township is set to become home to offices and commercial spaces that will surely bolster the local job industry.

VISAYAS

Ayala Center Cebu

Cebu City

For 36 years now, Ayala Land Inc. has been at the forefront of the Philippine real estate industry. Its influence has transformed not just the urban landscapes in the country’s capital but also in other major areas and cities across the country.

Ayala Center Cebu is more than just a shopping mall. It is quite historic for being the first Ayala Mall built outside Metro Manila. Located at the heart of Cebu Business Park, the shopping center opened to the public 30 years ago, in November 1994. It has since become an integral part of Cebu’s city life and culture.

Considered an important landmark in the Queen City of the South, Ayala Center Cebu has been the go-to place for everything. It offers retail, dining, and entertainment options. A major component of the property is the Terraces, a multi-level dining and entertainment enclave with a beautiful landscaped park, stunning greenery, and water features. It forms a shopping, dining, and gathering oasis at the heart of Cebu’s business district.

Another component is an expanded wing that houses an extensive combination of local retailers and world-class offerings, complete with a modern and graceful facade personifying the cosmopolitan city. Overall, the oldest Ayala mall in Cebu is a reflection of its place and time—bright and open, welcome to all.

Now, another installment by the Ayala Group is earning fame in the Visayas. In 2019, the Ayala Group opened its second mall in Cebu City, 25 years after the opening of Ayala Center Cebu. The Ayala Mall Central Bloc consists of both a mall building and a mall park covering a 3-ha property. The first of its kind, it caters to BPO workers at the IT Park in Lahug, Cebu City.

Touted as the hub of young urbanites, it is a vibrant hangout destination for that perfect balance of work and play. The Central Bloc features trending IT concepts, refreshing retail and dining outlets, and various spots for chill-outs.

Mactan Newtown

Lapu Lapu City

Mactan Newtown is property giant Megaworld’s first major township development project outside Metro Manila, marking Megaworld’s expansion into provincial real estate development.

The masterplanned 30-ha township was declared a special economic zone by Peza, making it one of three Megaworld communities to be declared as such by the government and the first of two Megaworld developments outside Metro Manila to be given the status.

Mactan Newton is thus poised to become Cebu’s next IT-business hub. The development allocated 150,000 sqm for BPO offices and is already home to companies such as Manulife, EnfraUSA, and Concentrix.

Several buildings comprise Mactan Newton’s cyber park: the five-story One World Center; the 7,000-sqm Manulife Tower; 8 Newtown Boulevard; the Pacific World Tower; and Tower 1 Plaza Magellan, all of which are primed for occupancy by BPO companies.

True to its well-known concept of “live-work-play-learn,” Megaworld has also launched new condominium clusters in the mega-community called One Manchester Place, consisting of three towers that offer various leisure amenities.

A learning center called the Newton School of Excellence comes complete with state-of-the-art facilities. It has two buildings housing a total of 16 classrooms, a modern library, a school clinic, various laboratories, a playground, and a multipurpose gymnasium, among others. The school completes the integrated urban township’s live, work, play, and learn experience by offering itself as the best institution of choice for children of Lapu-Lapu City residents and those from nearby towns and cities, but especially of those working in companies and businesses within Mactan Newtown.

MINDANAO

Abreeza

Davao City

In 2001, Ayala Land Inc. and Davao-based Anflo Group of Companies (Anflocor) started talks on building a mixed-use development in Davao City, the heart of the Southern Philippines.

The project picked up steam and construction began in earnest in 2008 until, in 2011, what is now known as the Abreeza Mall opened to the public. The very first Ayala Shopping Center in Mindanao has since been a lifestyle landmark and gateway to premier retail, dining, and entertainment choices for residents and business people alike in the region.

Centrally located along J.P. Laurel Street, one of Davao City’s major thoroughfares, Abreeza is just the first phase of an ambitious development that now includes an office building, a residential condominium, and a business hotel.

Standing right beside Abreeza Mall is Abreeza Corporate Center, an office designed to suit the business needs of local and international business leaders in the BPO and IT industry. The inviting Abreeza Residences elevates standards in condominium living, offering only the finest amenities such as a fitness hub and the poolside deck’s cabanas, among others, guaranteeing comfort and access to life’s essentials.

Seda Abreeza Hotel, meanwhile, is Davao City’s premier travel accommodation, designed with modern and timeless architecture, offering leisure and comfort to business travelers.

Eden Nature Park

Davao City

Located in Davao City, Eden Nature Park is a premier mountain resort that has significantly shaped the local tourism landscape. Developed in the early 1990s, the park was initially established as a reforestation project following illegal logging practices that left the area’s otherwise lush and verdant hills barren and degraded.

Jesus V. Ayala, who owned the area, saw potential in the place as early as 1971. Under his instruction, terraces were carved out of the mountain slope, thousands of pine trees planted, and native bamboo left to flourish. This resulted in a beautiful and majestic garden, one of the earliest attractions in the park, that showcased the diversity of Davao’s flora.

As interest grew, more facilities were developed, including accommodations, recreational amenities, and educational installations. Among these developments was the commitment to preserving the natural environment of the area, which resonated with tourists seeking responsible travel experiences.

The 80-ha Eden Nature Park, steeped in the pristine beauty of nature and rich cultural heritage of the city, affords rest and relaxation at any of its choice cabins, cottages, and lodges, amid the area’s crisp mountain air, cool weather, and tranquil surroundings. It has since adapted to the latest tourism trends, particularly agri-tourism, and now offers visitors the chance to participate in the park’s organic farming practices, enticing those interested in sustainable living and farm-to-table dining experiences.

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