Aboitiz expands industrial estate in Batangas

MANILA, Philippines — The Aboitiz Group is beefing up its industrial infrastructure footprint with the 57-hectare expansion of the Lima Estate in Batangas to accommodate more locators.

Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC), the infrastructure arm of the Aboitiz Group, recently broke ground on the 57-hectare expansion, which is envisioned to create 22,000 additional jobs in the Lipa-Malvar areas.

The development is part of the larger 150-hectare expansion to bring new inventory to the market for new locators in South Luzon.

The Aboitiz Group acquired the Lima estate in 2013.

At present, the 794-hectare, PEZA-registered Lima estate is host to 130 locators, 167 retail stores and restaurants, a 4-star hotel, a transportation hub, over 2,000 households, and over 60,000 employees.

The Lima estate is envisioned to be the next leading mixed-use economic center for Calabarzon, with BPOs, dormitories, hotels, schools, hospitals, churches, and other institutions.

Lima Land Inc. president and AIC Economic Estates head Rafael Fernandez de Mesa said the company would continue to launch new product lines, smart city features, and sustainability initiatives.

“These are all meant to cater to increasingly discerning and sophisticated businesses, while also raising the standard of development in the countryside,” De Mesa said.

AIC president and CEO Cosette Canilao said the expansion of the Lima Estate is envisioned to support and enable international and domestic enterprises seeking to locate or expand in South Luzon.

Malvar municipal Mayor Cristeta Reyes said the development of the Lima estate propelled Malvar’s growth and development, from being the fourth richest town in Batangas to ranking the second richest – following Nasugbu – in terms of local government assets in the past year.

“This (Malvar) is a small town, but my vision was focused on growth and development… [There] is appreciation from different towns – (as) we have gathered a lot of residents from different towns accommodating them for employment,” Reyes said.