The magic of new beginnings was evident on the stage and in the audience floor as the first hybrid webinar event of the ULI Philippines Women’s Leadership Initiative took place on March 24, 2022 entitled “Fast Forward: New Communities and Developments”. It was an all-female team from production to all the speakers and moderators.  Charged by the energy of a post-pandemic economic recovery and bolstered by the mood of the International Women’s Month, three speakers marched on.  Sharing knowledge that complemented each one’s topics, these women spoke of meaningful progress in their respective real estate worlds, aligned towards empowerment of communities in low-cost housing, vertical corporate properties and asset re-purposing and building use conversion.

Mardi Mapa-Suplido, CEO at Habitat for Humanity Philippines discussed about public housing and the backlog on inventory.  Tackling resilient, inclusive, sustainable and empowered programs, Mardi stressed on the integration of housing with community development and the basic needs for water, sanitation and hygiene; disaster response capabilities plus youth and volunteer engagement. She spoke about actual and live projects in the rural areas, and how their organization is working through targets and various financial models. Their aim on legacy building imprinted a message on everyone as indeed, sustainability and inclusiveness in real estate must provide for the needs of these communities hardly featured in prime real property news. We are proud of Mardi in her stewardship of this company.

Christine Li of Knight Frank in Singapore spoke about Repurposing Assets and the unique opportunities as the global rebirth of real estate takes place this year 2022 with investor considerations, the renewed confidence in a healthier world and interest in finding uses for old buildings.  Exciting possibilities accompany creative destruction as some examples of projects were shared, specifically a hotel which could be primed for a repurposed function in a co-living, residential or office set up. More case studies were shown, from data centers to logistics warehouses, multi-family BTR to hi-specs industrial real estate.  In the world of new possibilities, a strong woman leader has taken the helm.

Tina Samson, a lawyer and property management specialist, Chair of the Women’s Leadership Initiative and currently COO of Menarco Properties, walked the audience through the multi-awarded Menarco Tower, the first Well-certified corporate building in Southeast Asia that is also LEED-Gold Certified.  She was the speaker physically present onstage and narrated the processes as well as the benefits of planning a vertical community that focused on the health and wellbeing of its occupants.  The Menarco Tower’s comprehensive approach to well-being in design and approach in providing for basic water, air and light, were highlighted.  Tina stressed as well on the visual elements within the building that encourages the end users to achieve higher concentration, clarity of thinking, better creative output and increased collaboration.

The two moderators were also decidedly female. Arch. Cathy Saldana, Managing Director of PDP Architects, also a Trustee of ULI Philippines and Ms. Monica Gonzalez of Santos Knight Frank who leads her real estate team on Data Centers in the country, delightfully engaged the live audience and the virtual attendees as they both summarized the keynotes and fielded the questions from the participants. It was indeed a great highlight for Women’s Month.