Family-run small and medium enterprises are usually tricky to manage because of the many challenges which may include tension among the owners, whether related to the business itself or personal, lack of a proper succession plan and the ever-changing needs of the market.
Of the many family-owned SMEs, there are those that stand out as beacons of success and resiliency—enterprises such as Haus Talk, a homegrown real-estate company run by the Madlambayan family of Pampanga province. Established in the 1980s, Haus Talk was the product of the family’s pivot from a completely different industry—sugar.
“Even at that time, our parents had that foresight—they were future-oriented and had the willingness and ability to adapt and plan ahead for market shocks and tumbles. These traits were necessary to protect and ensure the viability of our assets,” says Haus Talk director and president Maria Rachel Madlambayan.
Despite the blow to their sugar business, Maria Rachel and siblings—Terence Madlambayan, chair and vice president for business development; Luis Pio Madlambayan, director and construction council head (Bataan Project); Maria Leah Madlambayan, director and vice president of sales and marketing; Joselito Madlambayan, director and assistant vice president of Construction; Noemi Madlambayan, corporate secretary; Maria Agnes Siapno, chief finance officer; Gloria Judith Madlambayan, vice president of treasury; Rufino Albert Madlambayan, assistant vice president of construction; and Edward Madlambayan, vice president of construction—maintained a steadfast entrepreneurial spirit. Their ventures were led by their mother Pacita, Haus Talk chair emeritus, after their father Jose passed away in 1985.
Beginnings of Haus Talk
Rolling up their sleeves and leveraging their property in Pampanga, the family raised livestock, tried farming and even opened a pawnshop, before finally deciding to venture into real estate by dividing their one-hectare property and selling lots to other families in the province. This marked the beginning of Haus Talk and the Madlambayans’ expansion outside Pampanga.
Haus Talk’s first stop was Cavite, where the Madlambayans established a 3.6-ha development that catered to underserved mid- to low-income families who wanted to live in an affordable gated community. The company’s formal establishment in 1994 spurred more residential developments, which included Eastview Homes 1 and 2 in Antipolo; Southview Homes 1 and 2 and South Hills in San Pedro, Laguna; and Eastview Homes Marikina, Tradition Square Maceda, Eastview Town Homes Marikina, Tradition Square and Winn Residences in Metro Manila.
Ongoing developments
In the works are more horizontal developments in Barangay San Roque (Eastview Homes 3 and Eastview Residences Premiere) and Barangay Baguyo (Celestis 1 and 2) in Antipolo; and Sta. Rosa (Southview Homes) and San Pedro (Southview Homes Calendola) in Laguna. This year, the Eastview Condominiums is set to be launched in Antipolo, as well as 50 Jocson Residences, a high-end development in Quezon City.
Also in the pipeline are more economic and mid-market housing projects in Antipolo and San Pedro Laguna, as well as Mariveles, Bataan and Calasiao, Pangasinan.
These projects feature Haus Talk’s competitive strengths: they are one of the leading residential developers in Antipolo and San Pedro Laguna; all their locations are strategic; they have a diversified portfolio and have socially responsible, affordable developments; and their integrated operations are led by an experienced management team.
Today, Haus Talk stands out because of a simple business formula that the Madlambayans have followed throughout the years: Build houses for the working class that is worth every peso of their investment; design houses that exceed the buyer’s expectations; develop idle lands into some of the country’s finest locations; and, finally, create communities that would be a source of pride, especially for the first-time home buyer.
“And in every development, we also want to present to our buyers’ properties that we ourselves would be proud of,” says Maria Leah, director and vice president for sales and marketing. “As a family-run business, we know how important it is for a family to have a place to call their own, and we want to be the ones to help our fellow Filipinos build and achieve their dreams.”
The Madlambayans’ strong sense of family has also been the secret sauce to Haus Talk’s success. Since the early 1990s, Terence, the eldest, has led his siblings in navigating the ins and outs of their ventures, and each family member takes ownership of their roles across all functions, from operations to sales, marketing, business development, finance, purchasing and construction.
It is a synergy guided, still, by their late father’s business philosophy: Aim high, but keep your feet close to the ground.
“It’s a great privilege to be able to help steer this company, a legacy from our family, and make it an instrument, so that every Filipino is able to achieve the ultimate dream – to own a piece of land on which they can build a home of their own,” says Terence.
“We will continue to be a conduit for that great Filipino dream as we begin to look at new land development investments and opportunities in the coming years,” he says.