Real estate projects nominated to the Property and Real Estate Excellence Awards 2021 will undergo meticulous scrutiny by experts of various disciplines, according to Dr. Reghis M. Romero II, president of the Philippine chapter of the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI), the event organizer.
Speaking as chairman of the board of judges, Dr. Romero II (Shown here at a FIABCI event in 2019), said the judging was made tough by the criteria essentially adopted by FIABCI-Ph from FIABCI-World’s Prix d’Excellence, acclaimed as the “Oscars” of the global real estate industry.
Targeting the Prix d’Excellence
“The judging basically entails assessment of excellence in all of the disciplines involved in the project, from conceptualization and planning all the way to completion and sale – thus encompassing both natural and social sciences, or from the various facets of engineering, material science and architecture to arts and humanities, economics, finance and marketing,” Dr. Romero II explained.
He also cited the need for adopting FIABCI-World’s judging criteria as strategic so as to enhance the chances of the would-be awardees to also win global distinctions in Prix d’Excellence.
“Since the winners of our Property and Real Estate Excellence Awards automatically become eligible for participation in Prix d’Excellence, we have to make sure that they will also pass its criteria with flying colors,” Dr. Romero II stressed.
“Thus, our board of judges comprises prominent personalities who are icons in their respective fields,” Dr. Romero II pointed out.
The board includes vice president for corporate sales Anthony L. Maglunsod of the Pag-IBIG Fund, president Dr. Winston Conrado B. Padojinog of the University of Asia and the Pacific, author and professor Arch. Manuel Maximo LC Noche of the University of Santo Tomas College of Architecture, chief executive officer David Leechiu of Leechiu Property Consultants Inc. and trustee at the IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines, FIABCI-Ph trustee and president Emmanuel V. Rausa of E.V. Rausa Realty, Dr. Eduardo G. Ong of the Philippine Federation of Real Estate Service Professionals and past chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Real Estate Service, president Dr. Yu Kee Su of the FIABCI International Finance and Prix d’Excellence committees, and president Budiarsa Sastrawinata of FIABCI-Indonesia and chairman and chief executive officer of the Ciputra Group of Companies.
“And to help out in facilitating the needs of the judging process are, of course, our FIABCI-Ph chairman Architect Nestor S. Mangio, and chairman emeritus Florentino Dulalia Jr., the first and only Filipino to ever become FIABCI-World president (for the period 2020-2021),” Dr. Romero II added.
The need for international judges like Yu Kee Su and Budiarsa Sastrawinata is imperative to ensure, not only objectivity, but also accurate and comprehensive adherence to Prix d’Excellence criteria.
Fierce competition
“This requirement or challenge is especially true as the country’s top developers are fiercely competing in various categories,” Dr. Romero II pointed out.
Dr. Romero II was referring to the projects of Robinsons Land Corp. of the Gokongweis, Avida Land Corp. of the Ayalas, Vista Land of the Villars, and Megaworld Corp. of Andrew Tan.
Also in the thick of the competition are the projects of Pueblo de Oro Development Corp of the diversified investment conglomerate ICCP Group, multi-project developer Arthaland Corp., Central Luzon giant Hausland Development Corp., NCR-South Luzon property kingpin Cathay Land of the Cathay Group of John K.C. Ng, and even the provincial government of Bulacan, among many others, all vying for one or several of the 16 project categories up for grabs.
The 16 categories are high-rise, mid-rise and low-rise residential, environmental (rehabilitation/conservation), heritage (restoration), master plan, hotel, convention, industrial, office, public infrastructure/amenities, resort, retail, rural, specialized, and sustainable development.
“Supporting the awards are FIABCI-World’s membership of 48 national and multinational chapters, 90 professional associations, 95 public and private academic institutions, over 2,300 regular members, and around a million associate members in more than 70 countries across the globe, including ANC and the Daily Tribune as media partners,” Dr. Romero II said.