Antonio Turalba Jr. The heart behind the build

The Philippine real estate landscape can remain vibrant over the next 50 years—provided that developers act responsibly, commit to sustainable building practices and avoid overdevelopment, according to Active Group president and CEO Antonio "Toti" Turalba Jr.

- By CECILE BALTASAR

"If there are only 1,000 people who can afford to buy your homes, don't build 10,000 homes," Turalba says, emphasizing that correct allocation is crucial to solving the housing crisis in the country. "If you count all the vacant developments in Metro Manila and distribute these to all the areas that need development, the ratio will be correct. There is balance (between real estate development and the population). Hindi lang sa tamang lugar napunta yung developments," he explains.

Today, a growing number of potential homeowners are exploring areas beyond major cities for investment opportunities, or even to find permanent residences—prompting the Active Group to make a similar shift, realigning the company's strategy accordingly. The company's landmark project, Mount Malarayat Golf and Country Club, is located in Lipa, Batangas while its next big project, the lakeside community Mozzafiato, is located in Balete, Batangas. Elsewhere in Luzon and Visayas—including Cavite, Laguna and Negros—the company is building residential subdivisions, office buildings and socialized housing projects.

According to Turalba, Active Group builds each project with the community's culture foremost in mind.