Araneta, Sta. Lucia Land sign joint venture deal to expand Bulacan project

Araneta Properties Inc. announced Friday it signed a joint venture deal with Sta. Lucia Land to expand the 230-hectare Colinas Verdes project in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.

Araneta Properties has an existing agreement with Sta. Lucia Land to develop the Colinas Verdes project, of which 57% of the 230-hectare development has been completed and sold.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange, Araneta Properties said that under the new agreement, it will add another 58 hectares to the existing development “to be able to meet strong market demand for residential lots in the area.”

The expansion area is within a kilometer of the proposed MRT-7 station along Quirino Highway in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, the company added.

“This increases our Colinas Project with Sta. Lucia to almost 300 hectares, and will complement the existing Colinas development as well as our soon to be launched country club and the other areas of development of the Araneta Group in the vicinity,” Araneta Properties Chairman Gregorio Ma. Araneta III said.

Aside from this project with Sta. Lucia Land, Araneta Properties has in its inventory an additional 215 hectares of land in Bulacan and in Ilocos Norte.

As of 2:26 p.m. Friday, shares in Araneta Properties were down 4 centavos or 2.52% to P1.55 each. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral

https://www.philstar.com/business/2019/11/29/1972862/araneta-sta-lucia-land-sign-joint-venture-deal-expand-bulacan-project

Palace exec favors NIR revival

BACOLOD City – Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Commissioner Manuelito Luna said he is in favor of giving the abrogated Negros Island Region (NIR) a chance.

Luna, who was here for the Balangayan 2019: Constitutional Reform Provincial Roadshow, said that if the President will reconsider his decision in shelving NIR, this will help reduce the problems and burdens of the national government.

President Rodrigo Duterte dissolved the NIR, which was created by the Presidency of Benigno Aquino III, citing lack of funds.

Luna said that there are two kinds of autonomous regions in the country – the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

He said the BARMM operates like a semi-federal state.

Luna added that they hope it will survive because this will serve as a template for their shift later on to a federal form of government if the people want it.

“This is not their decision, but this will be the decision of everybody who will vote during a plebiscite once there is already a proposal.” he further said.

Luna said that the NIR may be considered because of the uniqueness of the two Negros provinces, he said.

A former lawyer of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, Luna said he knows the culture of Negrenses.

He also said that if NIR is revived, it will help reduce the problems of the national government as it will only focus on Bicol, Metro Manila, and other places like Cebu and other federated states.

“The problem will be reduced because the Negrenses want to contribute through being autonomous,” he said.

https://dailyguardian.com.ph/palace-exec-favors-nir-revival/