Ayala Land’s Metro Nuvali sets the stage for CALABARZON’s next era of growth
Property Report attended the launch of Metro Nuvali, where Ayala Land Inc. formally unveiled its vision for a full-scale central business district in the South. Planned as a 200-hectare urban core within the Nuvali estate in Laguna, Metro Nuvali signals a new phase not just for the development, but for CALABARZON itself—positioning the region for its own center of enterprise, culture, and civic life beyond Metro Manila.
Long regarded as one of the country’s pioneering eco-communities, Nuvali has spent more than a decade proving that growth and nature can move forward together. Metro Nuvali builds on that foundation, evolving the estate into a purpose-built CBD designed to support the region’s expanding economy, growing talent base, and increasing demand for urban centers outside the capital.
Speaking at the launch, Anna Ma. Margarita B. Dy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ayala Land, emphasized that Metro Nuvali reflects the company’s long-term approach to city-making. “At Ayala Land, we have always believed that the way we build communities shapes the way people live,” she said. Whether developing a business district, a neighborhood, or an entirely new city, Dy noted that the company designs places “to endure, to uplift, and to remain meaningful for generations.”
She traced the vision back to Nuvali’s beginnings 16 years ago, when the land was still open fields. What Ayala Land and the Yulo family saw then, she said, was the future of the South—a community where families could thrive, institutions could take root, and nature would remain part of everyday life. Today, Nuvali stands as a thriving eco-community and the South’s most dynamic growth center.
“Every community evolves, and today marks the beginning of Nuvali’s next chapter,” Dy said. “Metro Nuvali is our most ambitious step yet for CALABARZON—a 200-hectare business district shaped around a greener, smarter, and more connected future. Built for this moment in the region’s growth, it is ready for a rising economy, a dynamic talent pool, and the demand for a new urban center outside Metro Manila.”
Also sharing the vision behind the project was Mariana Zobel de Ayala, Senior Vice President for Leasing and Hospitality of Ayala Land. She framed Metro Nuvali as both a continuation of Nuvali’s founding principles and a confident step forward.
“What excites me personally the most is not just the plan, but the spirit that brought us to this moment,” she said. “Nuvali has always been bold. From the time it was just open fields, it carried a conviction ahead of its time—that growth and nature could move forward together.”
Zobel de Ayala stressed that Metro Nuvali is more than the next phase of development. “It’s the South stepping confidently into its future—a future where enterprise, community, and the environment grow hand in hand,” she said. “What begins here will ripple outward, shaping how the next generation will live, work, and thrive.”
She highlighted the evolving roles of Ayala Malls Nuvali and Seda Nuvali, long-standing destinations within the estate that will now serve as early anchors of the emerging CBD. As Metro Nuvali takes shape, Ayala Malls Nuvali—often described as the heart of the community—will expand with a broader retail and dining mix, including first-in-the-region concepts, integrated into an environment where indoor and outdoor experiences flow seamlessly. “An experience that we believe is distinctly Nuvali,” she said.
Framing the ambition behind the project, Zobel de Ayala added,“Metro Nuvali marks the beginnings of the next Makati, a new BGC—the rising South. A district designed for ambition but grounded in responsibility, built with care for the land and the people who will call it home.”
Metro Nuvali
– Quick Facts –
Location: Within the Nuvali estate, Laguna
Total Area: 200 hectares
Estate Context: Part of the 2,500-hectare Nuvali eco-community
Role: Central business district for CALABARZON
District Structure: Lakeside, Central, and Civic districts
Key Anchors: Ayala Malls Nuvali, Seda Nuvali
Development Vision: A greener, smarter, and more connected urban core
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