Reaching out to poor one way to reduce graft, says Landco

By Bobbit Mariano

03/27/2008

Helping affected community is one way to reduce graft and corruption in various local government units (LGUs) while developing real estate property, according to Alfred Xerez-Burgos Jr., president & chief executive officer of Landco Pacific Corp.

This developed as Landco said yesterday that it also plans to invest a total of P3.5 billion in property development in different projects which include: Playa Laiya in San Juan, Batangas; Playa Azalea in Samal Island, Davao; Woodridge Garden Village in Zamboanga City and Woodgrove Park in San Fernando, Pampanga.

In answer to the Tribune’s question on how he finds doing property development business among LGUs, Burgos said the company sets an example of reaching out to poor communities affected by their property development.

“It is not easy, I am a conscientious developer, and I want to make sure in the area I’m working that we look to poor people that are affected by our developments. So, our approach is the other way around, we tried to find out on what community needs, and then link it to corporate social responsibility.” he said.

Burgos, who was also engaged in real estate business for 35 years, noted: “I look for some foundation type projects that we can actually share like some of our benefits where buyers have, including ourselves, and share it with the community. For example in Punta Fuego, it is a super high-end community, but the very reason why it is very successful in working in small barangay is because the residents are very sensitive to need of barangay, so we see to it that we meet their educational needs and livelihood.”

Landco is the developer of the popular Peninsula de Punta Fuego, an exclusive, world-class seaside community along the coast of Nasugbu, Batangas. Its success paved the way for the highly acclaimed second phase: Terrazas de Punta Fuego.

Burgos said the best safeguard in doing property development outside Metro Manila that is isolated is to be in a very nice terms with the community around you. “So instead of worrying about how the LGUs behave, we set the example and tell the LGU these are the things we want to do and we want to comply to finish this development.”

“We have already a Gawad Kalinga project who were displaced by our development. All of the sudden they are no longer settlers in the particular area but they are actually home owners,” he explained.

Landco, which also means “leisure living,” also donated two vehicles in San Pablo and one coaster van in San Fernando, Pampanga. “This (coaster) is our gift to San Fernando, Pampanga because rather than give to some people something for their pockets, maybe we can give worth more than what we have given to the whole community.”

“So, we always follow this concept and somehow we feel that by doing this we help reduce graft and corruption in this LGU areas,” he said.

Presenting Landco’s financial accomplishment last year, Francis Ceballos, EVP and COO, said the company has earned a total of P2.232-billion revenues in 2007, about 151-percent increased from P890 million in 2006.

A large percentage of about 84 percent of its revenues stemmed from leisure communities sector like Punta Fuego. The net income was posted at P261 million last year.

Ceballos said the Phase 1 of Calatagan property is expected for completion this summer while 80 percent of lots were sold in Hacienda Escudero.

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