Cavite Trend Report 2019

[kevin Kim]

Table of Contents

1. Economic Background
2. Public Facilities and Establishments
   1. Schools
   2. Hospitals
   3. Malls/Entertainment Hubs
   4. Places of Worship
   5. Government Agencies
   6. Important Events Happening in the City
3. Growth Hotspots
   1. General Trias
   2. Dasmarinas
   3. Trece Martires
   4. Imus
   5. Tanza
4. Infrastructure Development
5. Real Estate Overview
6. Future Real Estate Projects

As the demand for residential opportunities in the metropolitan areas continues to skyrocket, some city dwellers opt to choose homes just outside the busy metro. One province considered as a viable location that will attract a flock of new residents is Cavite. 

The province of Cavite has experienced rapid development in the last few years. During the 7th Regional Competitiveness Summit last October 2019, the municipality was hailed the third most competitive province in the country, proving that they are indeed a powerhouse of progress. Under the Economic Dynamism Pillar, the city of General Trias secured the top spot. Silang, meanwhile, was recognized in the Government Efficiency Pillar. 

ECONOMIC BACKGROUND

Cavite’s commerce and industry is thriving. In part, it relies on its land’s rich agriculture. In the latest report released by the local government, the 2018 figures show that the total land area used for crop production was approximately 54,167 hectares, which is 91 percent of the total agricultural space. Food crops occupied 12,900 hectares of that area, generating a production volume of 97,350 metric tons, with rice registering the largest number, 42,381 metric tons. Meanwhile, vegetables were at 28,969 metric tons, root crops at 20,0634, and corn at 5,936. Magallanes is the top producer of crops, bringing 136,198 metric tons into the food basket.

Although largely agricultural, Cavite is also highly industrialized. It boasts of economic zones located all over the region, in Cavite City, Kawit, Noveleta, Bacoor, Imus, Dasmariñas, and Carmona. There are also industrial estates in Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Silang, Tanza, Naic, Tagaytay, and Gen. Trias, among many others. In total, more than 60 economic zones are in operation or under development in the province. 

These districts are classified into different types, according to industry operations. Under Manufacturing, for instance, there is Cavite-Carmona Industrial Estate, a 100-hectare site that houses the People’s Technology Complex. A joint project of the Technology and Livelihood Center (TLRC), the province of Cavite, and the municipality of Carmona, the estate was developed to provide job opportunities and improve the livelihood skills of the Caviteños in the area.

Meanwhile under Information Technology, there are business parks developed by private real estate firms to accommodate different business process outsourcing companies, including big brands in the sector such as TeleTech, Appen, and California Telemarketing Inc.

An agro-industrial economic zone is also part of Cavite’s industry portfolio. A biofuel ethanol plant sits at a 24-hectare property in Barangay Caluangan, Magallanes. Approved by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority in 2010, the ethanol distillery and power cogeneration plant produces 125,000 liters of biofuel per day and approximately five megawatts. 

In addition, tourism-related spaces are among the province’s economic zones. One of them is the San Lazaro Leisure and Business Park. Located in Carmona, the venue features a racetrack, a grand cockpit and coliseum, and a FIFA-accredited artificial football pitch. Other tourism ecozones include resort-hotel accommodations.

Aside from agriculture and industries, another pillar of Cavite’s economic development is the growth in financial institutions. As of September 2018, the province records a total of 394 banks, an increase of almost seven percent from the figures the year prior. Majority of these institutions are commercial, representing 49 percent of the total. Thrift banks come in second in terms of quantity, registering at 38 percent, and then finally, rural banks at 13 percent.

PUBLIC FACILITIES AND ESTABLISHMENTS

• De La Salle University Dasmariñas
• Emilio Aguinaldo College – Cavite Campus
• De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute
• Philippine Christian University – Dasmariñas Campus
• Cavite State University – Indang Campus
• Adventist University of the Philippines
• Lyceum of the Philippines University – Cavite Campus
• University of Perpetual Help System DALTA in Molino
• San Sebastian College-Recoletos de Cavite
• Far Eastern University – Cavite

Hospitals

• Cavite Medical Center
• Major Danilo Atienza Air Base Hospital
• Crisostomo General Hospital
• St. Martin Maternity & Pediatric Hospital
• San Pedro Calungsod Medical Center
• Southeast Asian Medical Center
• Contreras Medical Clinic & Hospital
• City of Imus Doctors Hospital
• Emilio Aguinaldo College Medical Center – Cavite
• De La Salle University Medical Center

Malls/Entertainment Hubs

• Robinsons Place General Trias
• Vista Mall North Molino
• Main Square Mall
• Vista Mall Daang Hari
• SM City Molino
• SM City Dasmarinas
• SM City Trece Martires
• Southwoods Mall
• Maple Grove 

Places of Worship

• Saint Mary Magdalene Parish Church
• Immaculate Conception Parish Church
• Our Lady of Candelaria Parish Church
• St. Michael the Archangel Parish Church
• Our Lady of the Assumption Parish Church
• St. Francis of Assisi Parish Church
• Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Solitude of Porta Vaga
• United Church of Cavite
• Cathedral of Our Lady of the Pillar
• Sto. Niño de Molino Parish Church

Government Agencies

• Provincial Government of Cavite
• Cavite Provincial Capitol
• Cavite Public Employment Service Offices PESO
• Department of Education
• Social Security System
• Cavite Police Provincial Office
• LRA Extension Office
• Cavite City Hall

Important Events Happening in the City

• Bike King Philippines
• Youth Futsal Cup
• Hot Air Balloon Festival

GROWTH HOTSPOTSGeneral Trias

Geographically, General Trias is an inland city surrounded by the municipalities of Noveleta and Rosario to the north, Trece Martires and Tanza to the west, Amadeo to the south, and Imus and Dasmarinas to the east. It has a land area of approximately 81.46 square kilometres. The city celebrates its Valenciana Festival every year, which originated from a variation of the Valencian paella.  

Demographics of Population

The city of General Trias currently has a population of 314,303 residents with a 3,900-inhabitant population density for every square kilometre. Back in 2000, the registered population size was only 107,691. It increased by 61.12% in the past 5 years starting in 1995, resulting in a predicted growth rate of 10% for the city. 

The city’s population is about 5.52% of the total population of the province of Cavite. It is currently ranked 7th in population size among the province’s listed cities and municipalities. Analysts attributed the increase in the population growth to the heavy migration caused by industrial activities and the boom of the commercial and residential sectors. 

Workforce

There are about 2,579 registered commercial establishments in the city and the figures are expected to rise alongside the rapid urban developments. About 111 are wholesale establishments, 60 are from banking and finance, and 102 are from real estate. Service firms and retail establishments are heavily concentrated in the barangays of San Francisco, Tejero, Manggahan; the public market; and the Poblacion.  

The number of government employees listed for public services close in at around 1,453, wherein 292 are permanent and about 1,161 are contractual workers. They work in 16 major offices and departments of General Trias’ LGU, and oversee the development planning and service delivery tasks.

Major Companies and Offices in the Area

In terms of financial services, General Trias has 52 firms, which include lending companies, banks, and pawnshops. The industrial parks also created a shift in the economic focus of the city from agricultural to industrial. There are now 130 firms operating in the city, 20 of which are situated outside the industrial zone, five are located outside the Gateway Business Park’s special zone, and 32 in the New Cavite Industrial City. The special zone at the Gateway Business Park has 18 industrial firms and 55 are situated in the Cavite Export Processing Zone. 

Dasmariñas

One of the Cavite cities that benefited from Metro Manila’s suburban expansion is Dasmariñas. What used to be a small barrio in the town of Imus in the 1800s became a city through a plebiscite in 2009. Today, it plays an integral role in the economic growth of the province.

Demographics of Population

Dasmariñas has a listed population of 659,019 residents according to the 2015 census. There were only 643 inhabitants listed as original settlers in what used to be the town of Dasmariñas. 

The city consists of 11 unofficially-defined districts subdivided into 75 barangays. These districts are composed of the Poblacion, San Agustin, San Jose, Salitran, Sabang, Burol, Langkaan, Paliparan, Salawag, Sampaloc, and Dasmariñas Bagong Bayan. Among the 11 districts, Poblacion is considered as the city’s center. 

Workforce

What contributed to the workforce increase are the developments in the industrial, residential, and academic sectors. The First Cavite Industrial Estate houses about 81 domestic and foreign corporations that employ 20,000 workers. In 2012, Dasmariñas posted a local income of Php 420,844,216, which is mostly sourced from industrial activities. 

Major Companies and Offices in the Area

Dubbed as “the university capital” of the province, it houses several educational and health institutions, and subdivisions. The list includes the De La Salle-University-Dasmariñas, De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute, National College of Science and Technology, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Technological University of the Philippines-Cavite, and Philippine Christian University-Dasmariñas. 

Other industrial estates found in the city are the Dasmariñas Technopark in Barangay Paliparan, the NHA Industrial Park located in Bagong Bayan, and some 240 factories located in other barangays. It also houses several commercial establishments such as the Robinsons Place Dasmariñas, SM Marketmall Dasmariñas, Walter Mart Dasmariñas, and the SM City Dasmariñas. 

Trece Martires

A 4th class city in Cavite, Trece Martires used to be the province’s capital until 1977 when former President Ferdinand Marcos transferred it to Imus. Despite the relocation of Cavite’s capital, Trece Martires still hosts several provincial government offices.

Demographics of Population

Its population has grown from 104,559 to 155,713 inhabitants after its economic growth attracted immigrants from nearby municipalities and Metro Manila. This represented a 7.88% increase in the population since 2010. 

Workforce

Trece Martires has a 1st class income classification, the majority of which came from revenues on the city’s real property taxes. 

Major Companies and Offices in the Area

Among the major contributors in the economic profile of Trece Martires are the construction of Walter Mart and the SM City Trece Martires; the latter is the 5th SM supermall built in Cavite. The Trece Tower Mall is also one of the notable developments in the city. Some of the government offices located in Trece Martires are the Department of Labor and Employment, the Philippine Statistics Authority, and the Office of the Provincial Governor. 

Imus

Imus is a 3rd class city in the province of Cavite and dubbed as the “Flag Capital of the Philippines.” It is the capital of Cavite, and it’s known for the Battle of Imus that took place on September 3, 1896, and the May 28th Battle of Alapan in 1898. 

Demographics of Population

The city of Imus currently has a population of 481,017, and the highest recorded population growth happened in 1995 with an 8.17% rate of increase. The population increase in the city is attributed to the overspill coming from Metro Manila. Imus has a household population of about 80,356, coming up at an average household size of about four persons for every household. 

Workforce

There are about 6,636 business establishments that are licensed to operate, which include 300 manufacturing establishments, 4,376 commercial establishments, and 190 financial institutions. An estimated 13,478 employees found jobs at the 18 major industrial establishments that settled at the Imus Informal Industrial Estate. 

Major Companies and Offices in the Area

Cavite’s banking center is in Imus, with multiple financial institutions that the local government is currently establishing. They have contributed to the steady rise in terms of income alongside the industrial establishments such as the Anabu Hills Industrial Estate and the Imus Informal Industrial Estate. Corporations such as San Miguel-Yamamura Asia Corp., EDS MFG, Inc. Champan Garment Corp., and Liwayway Mktg. Corp. can also be found in the city of Imus. 

Imus

Imus is a 3rd class city in the province of Cavite and dubbed as the “Flag Capital of the Philippines.” It is the capital of Cavite, and it’s known for the Battle of Imus that took place on September 3, 1896, and the May 28th Battle of Alapan in 1898. 

Demographics of Population

The city of Imus currently has a population of 481,017, and the highest recorded population growth happened in 1995 with an 8.17% rate of increase. The population increase in the city is attributed to the overspill coming from Metro Manila. Imus has a household population of about 80,356, coming up at an average household size of about four persons for every household. 

Workforce

There are about 6,636 business establishments that are licensed to operate, which include 300 manufacturing establishments, 4,376 commercial establishments, and 190 financial institutions. An estimated 13,478 employees found jobs at the 18 major industrial establishments that settled at the Imus Informal Industrial Estate. 

Major Companies and Offices in the Area

Cavite’s banking center is in Imus, with multiple financial institutions that the local government is currently establishing. They have contributed to the steady rise in terms of income alongside the industrial establishments such as the Anabu Hills Industrial Estate and the Imus Informal Industrial Estate. Corporations such as San Miguel-Yamamura Asia Corp., EDS MFG, Inc. Champan Garment Corp., and Liwayway Mktg. Corp. can also be found in the city of Imus. 

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

Cavite’s economy is expected to grow further with new infrastructures completed and under construction. 

In terms of road projects, the most anticipated is the CALAX (Cavite-Laguna Expressway), a 45-km tolled highway linking CAVITEX (Cavite Expressway) and SLEX (South Luzon Expressway). 

The thoroughfare stretches from Kawit, Cavite until Mampalasan Interchange in Biñan, Laguna. Designed to facilitate faster travels and grow trade among provinces, CALAX will have interchanges in nine locations, namely Kawit, Daang Hari, Governor’s Drive, Aguinaldo Highway, Silang, Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay, Laguna Blvd., Technopark, and a toll barrier before SLEX. 

In late 2019, the first 10 km segment of the road was opened to motorists. Authorities are fast-tracking construction to beat their target completion date this year. Once finished, travel time between the two major expressways will be reduced from 90 minutes to approximately 45 minutes.

The Cavite region will soon see a new railway as well. The current LRT Line 1 will be extended up until Bacoor, Cavite, stretching over 12 kilometers. It will have eight stations, namely Redemptorist, MIA, Asiaworld, Ninoy Aquino, Dr. Santos, Las Piñas, Zapote, and Niog. The first phase of the project, which started last year, involves the construction of the first five stations. Meanwhile, the rest of the railway will see completion in 2022. Once it opens its doors to the riding public, commuters will spend 25 minutes of travel only, a sharp drop from the current one to two hours.

Aside from land transportation developments, the government is also gearing up for the upgrade of an aviation hub in Cavite. The proposed 1,500-hectare international airport will have four runways, airside and landside facilities, and a terminal building that can accommodate over 100 million passengers every year. The target operation date for the P10-billion project is 2023, with the fourth runway opening after six years. The local government hopes to break ground in the middle of February 2020.

Aside from mobility infrastructures, Caviteños will see new buildings rise from their province. Among these are the General Trias Auditorium and Sports Complex, which is located inside the grounds of the General Trias Memorial Elementary School. The cementing of the roads from Barangay Santiago to the Governor’s drive is also another project that the local government is currently pursuing. There is also an ongoing road widening happening in Barangay Tejero to San Juan II. 

Other notable infrastructures recently built in the city are the General Trias Municipal Hall- Manggahan Annex and the two-story Training Center Building located at Barangay Pinagtipunan. The city also underwent several renovation projects after its cityhood. These include renovations of the Sports Center, the “Welcome” arch between the Dasmarinas bridge and General Trias, and the city plaza. The Sports Complex also has an additional development with the construction of a stadium. 

REAL ESTATE OVERVIEW

Given the thriving economy in the province and continuous infrastructure development, the local real estate sector sees a positive growth. According to Lamudi data for the year 2019, the majority of property seekers come from the 35-44 age group. Though women make up the majority of pageviews, the 0.24 percent increase in leads in males from 2018 to 2019 means both genders are interested in real estate.

As for the property types, foreclosures saw the highest increase in terms of interest among seekers, climbing by 5.45 percent in 2019. The next most popular is commercial properties. In 2019, there was a 4.79 percent increase in leads, compared to figures from 2018. Even in the aspect of pageviews, office spaces experienced a growth of 3.86 percent in 2019. This is indicative of the evolving image of Cavite as a prime investment hub. Businesses are flocking to the region to take advantage of the strong labor force and avoid the traffic congestion in Metro Manila. 

Apartments are also popular when looking at the number of sessions. It grew by 0.75 percent in 2019, compared to the previous year.

CALABARZON is the second most-viewed location on the Lamudi platform, next to Metro Manila. Inquiries for properties in the area went up by 0.53 percent in 2019. In Cavite, the most popular cities are Imus (3.71 percent growth in inquiries), General Trias (0.25 percent), and Bacoor (0.2 percent). 

Zooming in on General Trias, Lamudi tracked which property types in this city appealed to most property seekers, and data showed houses took a commanding lead at 66.3 percent when comparing the period of January to August 2019 to the same period in 2018. In second place is land at 18.4 percent and foreclosures at 10.9 percent. Apartments, commercial property, and condominiums make up the remainder of the leads generated from these searches. Compared to last year’s numbers in the first three quarters, however, it was foreclosures which made a remarkable boost of 3,537.5 percent. This was followed by land at 35 percent and houses at 27.4 percent increase in leads.

Search data from Lamudi also indicates that females dominate interest in this city. They comprised 56.46 percent of General Trias property seekers for 2018 and 64.16 percent of searchers from January to August 2019. This is an increase of about 13.64 percent. 

Data generated when it comes to the age groups of property seekers also offered valuable insights. Those categorized under the 25 to 34 year old bracket and 35 to 44 year old groups registered leads, with only a slight deviation from 2018 compared to the numbers between January to August of 2019. The 25 to 34 year old age group comprised 65.26 percent for 2018 and 65.18 percent for 2019. This was followed by the 35 to 44 year old bracket having 34.74 percent for 2018 and 34.82 percent for 2019.

There is undeniable interest in the City of General Trias from online property seekers. It comes not only from residents of the province of Cavite or those residing in Metro Manila. There is also evidence that it extends to other locations.

Lamudi’s search data has tracked leads, pageviews and sessions from multiple sources in the country as well as abroad. Users from California, Dubai and England collectively made up about seven percent of the total leads from January to August of 2019. This is up by over twice the number of leads generated last year from the same group. 

The regions of Metro Manila and Calabarzon still make up a huge chunk of property seekers in General Trias. Metro Manila comprised 53.98 percent of leads in 2018 while it can be credited with 48.76 percent for 2019. Coming in second is CALABARZON with 20.43 percent and 25.60 percent for 2018 and 2019, respectively.

FUTURE REAL ESTATE PROJECTS

Megaworld’s Maple Grove township, dubbed as the “Green City of the South,” will also bring urbanization to Cavite, specifically at the heart of General Trias, with its modern amenities set in a modern Asian enclave. Maple Grove is set to be Megaworld’s greenest township complete with a rainwater park, bike lanes, pocket gardens, tree parks, and vertical gardens. It is located near Alabang Golf and Country Club, Robinsons, San Beda College-Alabang, Alabang Town Center and Festival Mall, and it’s easily accessible via the Filinvest Exit, SLEX-Alabang Exit, and the Daang Hari Exit. The township consists of 335 commercial lots with an expected turnover in 2022 and offers a Makati-inspired central business district. 

One project for this township is The Verdin, which is a 10-story residential tower equipped with amenities such as a children’s pool, a reading nook, a playground, a sitting area, a pool deck, and a lap pool. It also has a gym, a function room, and a daycare. The living spaces available for this residential project are studio-type, one-bedroom, one-bedroom with lanai, and two-bedroom units.

Also part of the project is the Maple Grove Mall, a two-level sustainable mall slated to have four cinemas, a supermarket, indoor events areas, and several retail and F&B outlets. The lifestyle mall, inspired by the “greenhouse” concept, will maximize the use of natural light and will be equipped with grey water recycling facilities and provisions for solar panels. 

Another highly anticipated project from Megaworld is Arden Botanical Estate. Sprawling over 251 hectares of land, this township will be composed of residential and leisure villages, a mixed-use commercial district, sports and adventure parks, and a school. It will feature the best of nature. Residents will be surrounded by natural rivers and organic gardens, as well as tree-lined roads and avenues, and lotus ponds. 

As the leader in green developments, Megaworld will be introducing sustainability amenities and services for the township, including the use of solar street lights, electric shuttles for transport, storm water recycling, permeable pavements for driveways and parking, and organic fertilizers and pesticides for gardens. Arden Botanical Estate will be located at the boundary of Trece Martires City and the municipality of Tanza. 

The province of Cavite continues to hold promising opportunities in terms of real estate developments and they aren’t bound to stop in the next couple of years, decades even. It will remain as one of the viable locations down South as the metro dwellers continue to demand for semi-rural, semi-urban homes near Metro Manila. An even greater accessibility in and out of the city will also be experienced by city residents with transportation developments such as the C6 Expressway, the CALAX Expressway, and the LRT1 expansions.