Category Archives: Press Release

Tips to Stay Productive When Working from Home

Have you been planning to work from home? Here are tips from experienced professionals that you might find helpful in your plan to start a career while you are at home. 

(Got these tips from my Jobstreet email subscription)

Hundreds of millions of people are on lockdown as the world battles the coronavirus. As our front liners—health workers, security and maintenance personnel, police officers, soldiers, supermarket employees, pharmacists, delivery riders—continue to protect and serve us, many of us have the tremendous fortune of being able to work from home.

While these are days that can fill us with restlessness and anxiety, let’s find ways to be both calm and productive. Here are some tips on how to stay focused while working from home.

Have a designated workspace

This could be a corner of your dining table, a small desk and chair in your living room, or one end of the couch. No matter how small, a designated workspace will help your brain stay in work mode. If the only workspace you can set up is in a communal area, keep all your work things in a bag or box for easy set-up and pack-up.

Keep your workspace tidy 

When you can find what you need when you need it, you’re more productive. Clutter can distract your brain from the task at hand. A clean, organized workspace keeps you focused.

Make a schedule

Working from home means having to juggle both your personal and professional responsibilities. Whether you’re living alone or with others, there are chores to be done, people to take care of, and errands to run. Making a schedule will allow you to maintain a clean home, which is very important as we battle the coronavirus. It also lets you set boundaries with your co-workers—working from home doesn’t mean you’re on-call 24/7. Plus, if you have children, they’ll know—and happily anticipate—when they can have quality time with their parents. Establishing a routine is also best for mental health, bringing consistency and structure during an uncertain time in our lives.

Get ready for the day as though you’re going to your office

Because that’s where you’re headed, even if it’s just ten steps away. Take a shower, put on some nice clothes (not your pajamas), have a healthy breakfast, organize your workspace, and get cracking.

Stay away from social media

Easier said than done when we’re all anxious to know what’s happening around us. But anxious is the operative word here—it’s just going to stress you out and distract you from your work. Limit your online activities as you focus on your tasks.

Make time for exercise 

This becomes even more important as we stay indoors and live in uncertain times. If you’re a morning person, you could exercise once you wake up. If you tend to get sleepy mid-afternoon, a quick workout could give you an energy boost. If you used to hit the gym after work, then you can exercise once you’ve finished the day’s tasks. It can be a short, ten-minute HIIT workout, or an hour-long yoga session—what’s important is that you get moving.

Not all of us are fortunate enough to be able to work from home

Let’s be grateful we have that choice and the resources to do so. Let’s continue to stay home, practice good hygiene, and find both calmness and productivity indoors. Be safe, everyone!

Lamudi’s Philippine Real Estate Conference 2019: Shaping the Future of Real Estate

On October 17, 2019, Lamudi successfully held The Outlook Real Estate Conference 2019 at the Makati Shangri-La, bringing together industry thought leaders from all over the country to talk about the hot topics in the Philippine real estate sector.

The Outlook: Philippine Real Estate Conference 2019, with co-presenters Philippine Daily Inquirer Property and Holcim Philippines, provided an avenue for insightful discussion spanning a wide range of topics from sustainability to alternative ways of investing in real estate.

The major sponsors for the event are the International Workplace Group and SMDC, and the official TV partner is Cignal TV. The Outlook Conference has also teamed up with event partner Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA), and media partners Philippine Daily Inquirer Property, Business Mirror, Business World, Malaya Business Insight, Manila Standard, and Philippine Star.

The Role of Developers in Making the Philippines More Sustainable

The Outlook Conference started strong with its first track, “Taking Sustainable Action: Addressing Climate Change Through Real Estate,” where moderator Cathy Saldaña, Managing Director of PDP Architects, steered the conversation into a topic dear to her heart. The panel revealed that though different companies are already pioneering efforts to use solar energy, waste management, and water recycling to be more sustainable, there is a need to adopt a more global, top-down approach to initiate change that will last.

The panelists for this track were Cecilia Domingo, Vice-President and Head of Meralco; Gian Carlo Valerio, Chief Executive Officer of Solana Land; Ram Maganti, SVP for Marketing and Innovations of Holcim Philippines Inc.; and Gay Santos, a financial inclusion specialist/advocate.

The Philippines is blessed with sun and rain, Saldaña noted, both of which can be harnessed as sources of energy. Maganti also mentioned the scarcity of fresh water, prompting the company to use recycled water as part of their sustainability efforts. Domingo talked about the residential and commercial efforts started by Meralco and its subsidiaries, from solar panels to e-sakay as an initiative. According to Domingo, the Meralco compound has already banned single-use plastic, and are active in tree-planting initiatives for carbon reduction.

Real Estate Marketing for a Younger Market

The second track, “New-Age Customer Experience: Transforming Real Estate Marketing in the Age of Disruption,” moderated by Deborah Ong, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Lamudi, explored the role of disruption in shaping a new breed of real estate clients along with strategies that should be adapted to thrive in this new consumer environment. The panel discussed the “end” of the mall to give way to online shopping, and how this prediction years ago failed to take into account the adaptability of Filipinos to change. What could have ended an industry sparked disruption, giving rise to the changes in the way people do business and how consumers consume.

The panelists for this track were Thomas Mirasol, General Manager of Federal Land; Marco Antonio, President & CEO of Century Properties; Tek Samaniego, Property Editor of Philippine Daily Inquirer Property; Jose Soberano III, CEO of Cebu Landmasters; and Eugene Lozano, First Vice President for Sales and Marketing for Megaworld Corporation.

Lozano, who has witnessed the transition from traditional to digital marketing, said there is now a focus on Google Analytics. To successfully implement these changes, Lozano mentioned the importance of informing key people in the team. “We’ve been very busy re-training, providing lectures and materials to different key people just to keep up with the digital transformation of marketing strategies nowadays.”

“The consumer today is more demanding,” Ong noted.

“And they really want to get their money’s worth,” Samaniego added.

Uncovering New Real Estate Sales Strategies

“Fresh Perspectives: Mapping Evolving Real Estate Sales” was moderated by Bhavna Suresh, Chief Executive Officer of Lamudi. The third track leaned towards preparing the sales team for new business models, strategies, and practices that improve how real estate is offered to customers. The panelists mentioned the importance of likability and trustworthiness, the human touch, malasakit, and thinking beyond after-sales.

The panelists were David Rafael, President & CEO of Aboitiz Land; Beth Ventura, President of Anchor Land Holdings, Inc.; Ricardo Lagdameo, First Vice President of Damosa Land; and

Raphael Felix, President of Phinma Properties Inc. and Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA).

Rafael admitted to wondering about the future of real estate. “Will we ever reach a point where people would buy property the way they buy food from Foodpanda or they buy a shirt from Lazada?”

Upon pondering, however, Rafael has come up with an answer: “At the end of the day, the human person buying property will really still need to talk to a human person.”

Startups and Their Exploration of the Sharing Economy

“Paradigm Shifts: Exploring the Sharing Economy in Philippine Real Estate” explored the changing Philippine conditions and the rise of startups that have led to the growth of the sharing economy. Eric Manuel, of Arch Capital Management, moderated the track, which discussed the commute as a major pain point for residents who eventually decide to move to co-living spaces. The very young population of the Philippines wants to be measured by their performance, not their timesheet.  Co-working spaces, on the other hand, allow young professionals to expand their network.

The track’s panelists were Jelmer Ikink, Group Director of MyTown; Nick Padilla, Co-founder, CEO & Space Captain of Kahon.ph; Paul Rivera, Co-Founder & CEO of Kalibrr; and Lars Wittig, Country Manager Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, S. Korea for International Workplace Group.

Shared spaces answer the tenants’ need to escape the commute. Ikink further noted that the future of work, especially its definition, will change over time and to address this, they are working towards a zero-commute lifestyle. This means working, living, and all amenities will be in the same space. 

Choosing Investments: From POGO to Property

“Changing Face: Uncovering Alternative Ways to Invest in Real Estate” zeroed in on the drivers of investor demand, the new investment opportunities available in the market, and how the market can tap into these to encourage a robust real estate economy. The moderator, Cignal TV’s news anchor Danie Laurel, asked about the viability and sustainability of POGO as an investment. Panelists also recommend diversifying as a smart way to invest.

The fifth and final track’s panelists were Richard Raymundo, Managing Director of Colliers; Mikko Barranda, Associate Director of Leechiu Property Consultants Inc.; Iluminada Sicat, Assistant Governor of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; and Noel Rapadas, Senior Vice President and Chief Finance Officer of Torre Lorenzo.

Sicat presented an interesting fact that will help guide investors in diversifying their portfolio: “We did an assessment of the impact of POGOs on the price of our residences. There was a sudden increase in the price of rent, but if you look at the net contribution of POGOs, it’s not that big, actually.”

Raymundo also noted that if POGOs did not come, “the rents would have corrected anyway.”

Rapadas mentioned that there is still a long way to go for these kinds of investments to be sustainable. He urged investors to look at what drives prices up, and suggested following a fixed plan to see growth. Rapadas also said that despite the increase in the prices of real estate, the Philippines is still relatively cheap compared to other places for investment in Asia.

Projects Shaping the Filipino Community

Keynote speaker Vince Dizon, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), shared the plans for New Clark City as part of the Build, Build, Build program. New Clark City is planned to be the Philippines’ first smart, green, and resilient metropolis.

The Outlook Real Estate Conference also gave a platform to Virlanie Foundation, a private, non-profit and non-sectarian organization reaching out to marginalized children and communities in the Philippines. Lamudi and Virlanie launched a partnership program, Cherish-A-Home Fundraising, to help the disadvantaged, abused, neglected, and abandoned children through in-kind and cash donations that will improve their quality of life in any of the foundation’s eight homes. 

The Outlook Conference: Future Forward

Lamudi’s The Outlook: Philippine Real Estate Conference 2019 gathered real estate thought leaders to share their insights on the pressing topics facing Philippine real estate today. The event leads up to Lamudi’s Outlook Awards: The Philippine Buyers’ Choice Property Awards scheduled on November 14, 2019, at the Makati Shangri-La, where property developers from all over the Philippines gather to celebrate the outstanding achievements that shaped the country and steered it to a greener future.

The winners of the awards are determined by a panel of judges and a survey involving 10,000 active property seekers. To know more about The Outlook Awards 2019, head to lamudi.com.ph/outlook2019

Lamudi Gathers Top Real Estate Personalities for The Outlook Conference 2019

Lamudi, the leading real estate platform, brings together some of the industry’s leaders for The Lamudi Real Estate Conference 2019, a one-day event that aims to highlight key trends and important conversations about the Philippine property sector. The conference, which is scheduled on October 17, 2019, will run from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM at the Makati Shangri-La. 

Lamudi has tapped the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), Vince Dizon, to be the keynote speaker for the event. Top personalities in the industry will also be present to talk about five topics essential in the evolving real estate sector. 

Five Tracks to Drive Conversation

The conference will discuss the following tracks: 

  • Taking Sustainable Action: Addressing Climate Change Through Real Estate
  • New-Age Customer Experience: Transforming Real Estate Marketing in the Age of Disruption
  • Fresh Perspectives: Mapping Evolving Real Estate Sales
  • Paradigm Shifts: The Sharing Economy and the Real Estate Market
  • Changing Face: Uncovering Alternative Ways to Invest in Real Estate

For the track “Taking Sustainable Action: Addressing Climate Change through Real Estate,” panelists talk about a pressing matter internationally and locally–climate change. With developers putting effort to integrate sustainability into their developments, panelists will discuss notable features that set the benchmark for efficiency. Cathy Saldaña, the Managing Director of PDP Architects, will moderate the track featuring panelists Cecilia Domingo, Vice-President and Head of Meralco; Carlo Valerio, Chief Executive Officer of Solana Land; Ram Maganti, SVP for Marketing and Innovations of Holcim Philippines Inc.; and Gay Santos, a financial inclusion specialist/advocate. 

“New-Age Customer Experience: Transforming Real Estate Marketing in the Age of Disruption” will have moderator Deborah Ong, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Lamudi. Panelists Thomas Mirasol, General Manager of Federal Land; David Rafael, President & CEO of Aboitiz Land; Tek Samaniego, Property Editor of Philippine Daily Inquirer Property; and Marco Antonio, President & CEO of Century discussing how the real estate industry rises to the challenge of improving customer experience in the digital age. 

The third track, “Fresh Perspectives: Mapping Evolving Real Estate Sales,” tackles changing customer behavior and how they impact the sales strategy of real estate marketers. This topic includes discussion about the new business models, strategies, and cutting-edge developments that sparked new ideas and best practices in the industry. Lamudi’s Chief Executive Officer, Bhavna Suresh, will be the moderator for the topic. Panelists include Jose Soberano III, CEO of Cebu Landmasters; Ricardo Lagdameo, First Vice President of Damosa Land; Raphael Felix, President of Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA); and Beth Ventura, President of Anchor Land Holdings, Inc.

“Paradigm Shifts: The Sharing Economy and the Real Estate Market,” moderated by Arch Capital Management’s Eric Manuel, presents panelists an opportunity to discuss their views on the sharing economy, a key trend popularized by freelancers and small businesses that is now impacting the real estate industry. Panelists Jelmer Ikink, Group Director of MyTown; Nick Padilla, Co-founder, CEO & Space Captain of Kahon.ph; and Paul Rivera, Co-Founder & CEO of Kalibrr will talk about the impact of co-working and co-living trends on real estate. 

Guests will also discuss the track “Changing Face: Uncovering Alternative Ways to Invest in Real Estate,” which highlights the drivers of investor demand, with a focus on environmental, social and governance-related, and disruptive technology. The discussion will also touch on real estate investment trusts (REIT) to inform the audience of their alternative investment options in today’s real estate market. The panelists for this track are Richard Raymundo, Managing Director of Colliers; Mikko Barranda, Associate Director of Leechiu Property Consultants Inc.; Iluminada Sicat, Assistant Governor of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; and Noel Rapadas, Senior Vice President and Chief Finance Officer of Torre Lorenzo.

About Lamudi’s Real Estate Conference

Started in 2017, Lamudi’s Real Estate Conference is a way of recognizing leading industry projects and developers that have shaped the real estate sector. The event, in partnership with Philippine Daily Inquirer Property and Holcim Philippines, gathers an esteemed group of thought leaders to share their insights on the pressing topics facing Philippine real estate today. 

Lamudi’s Real Estate Conference 2019, to be held on October 17, gives way to The Outlook Awards: The Philippine Buyers’ Choice Property Awards scheduled on November 14, 2019, at the Makati Shangri-La. The awards gala night brings together property developers from all over the Philippines to celebrate the outstanding achievements that shaped the country and steered it to a greener future. 

The winners of the awards are determined by the panel of judges and based on a survey involving 10,000 active property seekers. 

For inquiries about The Outlook Conference, email theoutlook@lamudi.com.ph or call +63 917 545 0801. Visit lamudi.com.ph/outlook2019-conference for more information. 

To know more about The Outlook Awards 2019, head to lamudi.com.ph/outlook2019

Lamudi Launches Affordable Housing Fair in Glorietta 2019

From property seekers to real estate professionals, Lamudi’s Affordable Housing Fair was a roaring success. It united all groups from the real estate industry to an event filled with knowledge and opportunity for all.

After a successful event at Trinoma, Lamudi continued its Housing Fair series and brought it to Glorietta with a two-day Affordable Housing Fair, from July 20 to 21, 2019.

The event, now in its third year, was supported by several exhibitors, showcasing their offers and properties. The exhibitors were the following:

  • Aspire by Filinvest
  • Ayala Residential Group
  • Calmar Land Development Corporation
  • Camella Homes
  • CDC Holdings, Inc.
  • Empire East
  • Food Panda
  • Futura Homes by Filinvest
  • Grand Monaco
  • Hausland Development Corporation
  • Megaworld Prime RFO
  • Pag-IBIG Fund
  • PA Properties
  • Phinma Properties
  • Politan- Agpasa Engineering and Architectural Design
  • RCD Land
  • UnionBank Credit Cards
  • United Coconut Planters Bank

The emphasis of the event was getting affordable housing for property seekers, hence the title of the fair, which is the Affordable Housing Fair. Affordability in the real estate industry is what a lot of keynote speakers and exhibitors focused on in the event.

The fair had all sorts of seminars relevant to the theme presented by esteemed speakers from a variety of places. Aside from workshops, there were plenty of booths, training, as well as an escape room called “Unlock Your Dream Home” for attendees to try.

Home-Buying Seminar for Aspiring New Homeowners

Lamudi Affordable Housing Fair held a free home-buying seminar for aspiring new homeowners. The lesson covers all the basics that they need to know before or during the home-buying process.

This talk was one that aspiring homeowners didn’t want to miss.

On that note, Pag-IBIG Fund representatives were also present to give a talk on their End-User Housing or Financing Program, which is useful for new or aspiring homeowners.

Pag-IBIG Fund End-User Housing Program Talk

The End-User Home Financing Program by Pag-IBIG Fund aims to help aspiring homeowners finance their new home. The loan can reach up to about six million Philippines Peso, depending on a couple of factors like desired loan amount, actual need, loan entitlement, and more.

The Financing Program doesn’t only cover new homeowners. There are plenty of other eligible loan purposes that the financing program can help interested loan applicants. For example, you can use it to refinance an existing house loan or for financing home improvement projects.

If you’re interested in applying for Pag-IBIG Fund’s financing program, then you can go to their website and log on to get an appointment set for you.

Property Auctions

Given the fact that it is an Affordable Housing Fair, there were also auctions held in the fair that put up properties in foreclosure for bidding. It’s a cost-effective way of purchasing a property. The exhibitors listed above showed their offers to interested buyers, so there were plenty of options and choices available.

Additionally, property seekers had plenty of freebies as well as discounts on properties on the Affordable Housing Fair.

Networking Venue for Real Estate Professionals

Buyers aren’t the only ones who found a good time with the Lamudi Housing Fair. Real estate professionals had the opportunity to see industry leaders in the fair. They also received free lessons on online marketing with the use of Lamudi.

With the help of the sponsors, Lamudi was able to launch a successful Housing Fair and pull off these activities listed above. For the July 20-21 Affordable Housing Fair, Subdivision & Housing Developers Association, Inc. (SHDA) served as the official event sponsor.

Aside from that, the SM Development Corporation served as the Premium Sponsor of the event. Major Sponsors of the Housing fair were Federal Land and Lancaster New City by ProFriends. Minor sponsors for the event were Aboitiz Land, BPI Family Housing Loan, DMCI Homes, and Mandaue Foam.

Of course, the help of the media partners which is Business Mirror, Business World, Malaya Business Insight, The Philippine Star, and the Philippine Daily Inquirer Property made it easy to spread the word which also contributed to the success of the event.

Lamudi now completes a third year of organizing a housing fair that brought real estate enthusiasts, both buyers, and sellers, together. Lamudi continues to look forward to bridging these two groups together for the rest of the year with the continuation of the Affordable Housing Fair series.

For those who missed the Glorietta housing fair, don’t worry. There are still more to come with a Housing Fair in SM Cebu on September 21-22. Before the year ends, Lamudi will be organizing another Housing Fair in SM Mall of Asia in December, so it’s an opportunity for those who missed this July’s Affordable Housing Fair to attend.

Don’t forget to check up on other news and updates on these future events on the Lamudi website.

Lamudi Affordable Housing Fair

For its second installment this year, Lamudi is bringing its Lamudi Affordable Housing Fair to the Glorietta Activity Center this July 20 to 21, 2019. Aside from bringing together individuals and groups from all ends of the real estate industry, with top property developers, property buyers, financials and government institutions participating, Lamudi Affordable Housing Fair in Glorietta will offer property seekers a unique opportunity to choose from an extensive selection of real estate. The event will also be a great opportunity for industry professionals to elevate their footing in the industry through the various learning opportunities in store at the event.

The Lamudi Affordable Housing Fair in Glorietta follows the successful housing fair that was held in TriNoma last April 6 and 7, 2019, which was attended by more than 3,000 property seekers and brokers. The exhibitors were SMDC, Aspire by Filinvest, Futura by Filinvest, Prestige by Filinvest, The Hauslands, Amiya Raya, Taft Properties, Robinsons Communities, BPI Family Housing Loan, Grand Monaco, Ortigas & Company, Phinma Properties, Pag-IBIG Fund, Sandari Batulao, and Suntrust. The Subdivision and Housing Developers Association, Inc. (SHDA) was the official Event Partner with Media Partners Business World, Business Mirror, Malaya, Inquirer, and Philippine Star.

On top of the affordable property selections, there are a lot more in store for property seekers during the two-day event.

Free Home Buying Seminar

Like previous Lamudi housing fairs, there will be a free home buying seminar for aspiring homeowners and real estate investors to be conducted by the experts. Knowing the right way to approach this all-too-important process of home buying is going to help homebuyers tread it with great ease.

Property Discounts

For those who are looking for more affordable options, Lamudi Housing Fair in Glorietta will also host an auction. On top of that, property buyers who will attend the housing fair will also be treated to freebies and exclusive discounts they won’t find elsewhere.

Real estate professionals will also find attending the housing fair to their advantage.

Optimizing lead generation channels

Online real estate marketing experts from Lamudi Academy will teach attending real estate brokers and agents on how to make the most out of the various digital channels that today’s property buyers are exploring through the Top Online Lead Generation Channels course. The course will give you the low down on each digital channel and will provide tips on how you can use them to your advantage.

Harnessing the power of Lamudi

As the number one real estate platform in the country today, the Lamudi Academy coaches will also teach you how to make the most of Lamudi. Lamudi is a trusted brand and learning how to use this to your advantage will ensure that homebuyers trust you and a step to selling them your property listings.

Aside from learning valuable insights through these courses, you will also get the chance to network with other real estate professionals and potential property buyers. The best part of all is—attendance and the trainings are all free of charge!

Networking opportunity

Apart from the free online real estate marketing lessons courtesy of Lamudi Academy, Lamudi Housing Fair in Glorietta will also be a convergence of the biggest players in the local property sector—from property developers, financing institutions, and government agencies—as well other real estate professionals that might all contribute to your own body of knowledge.

Continued local orientation

With the prominence of digital as the primary search avenue for property seekers, the value of personal interactions and the building and maintaining of relationships between real estate professionals and their clients will continue to be invaluable Potential buyers will eventually want to speak with a broker or agent and see a property in person.

According to Lamudi’s visitor data for 2018, property seekers from Makati account for the second largest market of visitors, as well in leads. This means there are a sizable number of users in the city who repeatedly went on the website to look for property, and are also more likely to drop by the housing fair to further explore the real estate options available to them.

In addition to this is the substantial amount of foot traffic typically seen on weekends in the Glorietta, from mall-goers who won’t miss the sight of the Lamudi Housing Fair.

Some of the developers and financial institutions that will be exhibiting their offerings are SMDC, Lancaster New City by ProFriends, Federal Land, DMCI Homes, BPI Family Housing Loan, Aboitiz Land, Grand Monaco, PA Properties, Megaworld Prime RFO, Camella Homes, Polintan – Agpasa Engineering and Architectural Design, UnionBank Credit Cards, Phinma Properties, Calmar Land Development Corporation, Aspire by Filinvest, RCD Land, CDC Holdings, Inc., Futura Homes by Filinvest, and Food Panda.

SMDC is a Premium Sponsor. The event’s Major Sponsors are Lancaster New City by ProFriends and Federal Land. DMCI Homes, BPI Family Housing Loan, Aboitiz Land, and Food Panda are Minor Sponsors.