The southern part of Metro Manila has been enjoying a bullish boom in recent years. No longer regarded as the suburban area of the metro, the south is now at par with its contemporaries in the north. Business-wise, the area has become an attractive destination for multinational companies and other enterprises, and for small business owners because of its accessibility and ease of doing business.
Because of this, many office and commercial buildings, hospitality, leisure, shopping, dining and entertainment destinations, schools and hospitals have been sprouting here. Residential developments are also on the rise, with more and more cosmopolitan citizens opting to live in condominium developments rather than the traditional house and lot.
Introducing Ananda Square
Currently on the rise is Cathay Land’s Ananda Square. The project will be the newest commercial and residential landmark in the south. Strategically located along Alabang-Zapote Road in Las Piñas, the 1.3-hectare property is midway between Robinsons Place Las Piñas and SM Southmall.
Ananda Square is a four-tower development that is ideal for yuppies, expatriates, and young families. Currently, the first tower will rise to 20 stories, with the first three floors dedicated to commercial and business use ideal for a supermarket, water refilling stations and restaurants alike. This makes it convenient for residents because everything they would need is just within reach.
A total of 700 units, mainly studio and one-bedroom suites occupy the tower. Space will not be an issue as the unit sizes range from 24 sqm. to 32.63 sqm. Bigger spaces are available at the two penthouse floors where buyers have the option of combining adjacent units. Aside from the sizes, prices for these condominiums are also very attractive; studio units are priced at P2.8 million, while the one-bedroom units go up to P3.2 million.
Laid-back living
The south is famous for its laid-back living, something that many northerners often comment on when passing by this part of the metro. This style of living inspired Cathay Land to come up with the modern Asian resort-style theme and amenities. Pocket gardens line selected floors across all four towers, allowing for natural light and fresh air to circulate. An open-air courtyard will serve as a communal area for residents with views of both the sunrise and sunset amid the lush and verdant surroundings.
The Aquatrium is an oasis — perfect for those who want to spend some time away from the hubbub of city living. It comes complete with a pool deck, lap and kiddie pools. Other amenities include a study lounge for students who want a quiet place to do schoolwork, or for anyone who is looking for a quiet nook to read a good book or conduct meetings.
For residents who want to host parties and need a bigger space, they can do so at the social hall, which can host banquets and gatherings for special occasions. All of these amenities are available for residents’ use to forge a strong sense of community.
Connectivity to all
This location makes the condominium development ideal in many fronts. Aside from being close to malls and other commercial hubs, it is also near schools, hospitals, government offices, and business parks.
In addition, Alabang-Zapote Road is accessible via the Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX), South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), Skyway, and Sucat Road in Parañaque. Add to these are the two big-ticket infrastructure projects of President Duterte’s “Build, build, build” program: the Metro Manila Skyway 3 and the LRT-1 Extension.
The third stage of the Skyway will cut travel time to Alabang, Las Piñas and Cavite from Metro Manila and the northern provinces, and vice versa by connecting SLEX to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX). This will provide an alternate route to decongest EDSA and other major thoroughfares in the vicinity, and eventually enhance the economic interaction of the Calabarzon, Mega Manila and central Luzon areas. The Skyway is expected to be complete in July this year.
The LRT extension will add eight more stations from Baclaran including one in Las Piñas, Zapote and Niog, Cavite. The government is targeting to complete the project by 2023, and once operational it is expected to accommodate 800,000 passengers daily.
Aside from these infrastructure projects, there are other projects currently being constructed. “The Skyway is being extended up to the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway (MCX) already, and then from there you have the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) which will connect to SLEX via CAVITEX,” shared Cathay Land president Jeffrey Ng.
“Then you have the extension of C5 up to Sucat, and the extension of LRT-1 from Baclaran, and the building of the Sangley International Airport has been approved. Once this (airport) is finished, I think the Cavite-Alabang-Zapote area will move further, making it very convenient for anybody to either take his car or commute from (Alabang-Zapote corridor) to anywhere in Metro Manila.”
“In the next few months or years…in terms of interoperability, in terms of transportation and commute, it would be much more convenient — very like the center. So if you are going out of the country, or if you’re going to the south, you have the industrial estates of Laguna, Cavite and Batangas. Ang Tagaytay and the beaches of Nasugbu, Batangas will also be very near,” Ng added.
With these infrastructure projects, the south is becoming more attractive to potential business investors and real estate buyers. Ng predicts that the area will boom even more than before. “We’re very bullish (about this), and almost all of our projects are in the south of Metro Manila,” he says. “Now is the perfect time to be part of this trajectory.”
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For more information on Cathay Land’s Ananda Square, visit www.anandasquare.com. Or call 8878-0178.