HELPING ENABLE AN ECONOMIC RECOVERY

On the matter of real estate planning, developers must do more self-sustaining township projects.

This will allow people to contain themselves in the event of any crisis or calamity. It will also ensure that they can live life as usual and even work from home with all their basic needs available within walking distance. But as this requires wide areas of land, developers and landowners must learn how to collaborate and combine lots towards this new vision.

Also, these two years showed the need to spread out real estate developments and utilize idle lots of both government and private parties. This will avoid further populating the present urban areas.

On the matter of management and leadership, these two years called for creative ways to conserve resources while taking care of people. The challenge of leadership has always been to continually transmit that positive mindset to the workforce so they keep the faith.

On the matter of work processes and system, these were the years that brought new knowledge especially in the matter of virtual and electronic ways of doing business.

‘Suntrust cares’

We showed concern for homeowners especially during the height of the lockdowns. We had our property management teams on site 24/7 to assist our homeowners for their convenience and safety.

We also initiated modest CSR activities for them and for nearby communities. We assisted the various local government units on COVID-19 cases monitoring and vaccination, National ID registration and ayuda distribution.

We also did not stop our construction activities, except as mandated by the government, to show our homebuyers that we are committed to deliver their houses and condominium units.

We likewise expanded our contactless payment facilities and provided a client portal where they can access their account details within the safety of their homes.

In a nutshell, we showed our homebuyers that “Suntrust Cares.”

Key to recovery

Vaccination is the key to continued economic recovery. People must be vaccinated to restore at least that trust especially when we physically deal with each other.

Real estate development will always be a driver of economic recovery. It triggers countless upstream and downstream industries. It does not only create houses for people, where there could have been an accumulated pent-up demand, but also enables the necessary infrastructure and facilities for work.

We have been working on prospects to do township projects outside the capital region. We are looking at 2022 as the start of the postpandemic recovery. It may be gradual, but we will do our role to help create jobs and build affordable homes for Filipino families.