The Philippines rarely figures in conversations about Asia’s most competitive industrial real estate hubs. That is beginning to change.

At the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards 2025, Aboitiz Economic Estates was named a finalist for Best Industrial Developer in Asia, while its flagship LIMA Estate in Batangas secured its third title as Best Industrial Development. Repeat recognition at the continental level suggests that the country’s industrial estates are no longer playing catch-up, but are instead shaping a distinct model of growth.

The appeal of LIMA Estate lies not simply in scale, but in structure. Conceived as an industry-anchored ecosystem rather than a collection of factories, it integrates manufacturing, logistics, utilities, and community development within a single master plan.

That approach has drawn global manufacturers such as Epson, Yamaha, Aice, and JTI, whose operations depend on reliable power, water, and transport as much as on competitive labor costs. Epson’s 33-hectare precision facility alone employs more than 23,000 Filipinos, while Aice operates the largest ice cream plant in Asia within the estate—investments that point to confidence in long-term operating conditions.

Sustainability has been built into the estate’s foundations rather than retrofitted. LIMA is the first and largest industrial estate in the Philippines to receive a 5-Star BERDE District Certification from the Philippine Green Building Council, covering energy efficiency, water management, mobility, waste systems, and environmental stewardship at the district level. For locators, this translates into lower operating costs and reduced exposure to regulatory and resource risks—an increasingly important consideration as manufacturers reassess supply chains across Asia.

Equally distinctive is LIMA’s treatment of human capital. Through an industry-based learning partnership with Batangas State University, academic facilities are embedded within the estate, aligning curricula directly with industry needs. This shortens the distance between classroom and factory floor, creating a pipeline of job-ready workers while widening access to higher education for nearby communities. In a region where skills shortages often constrain expansion, the arrangement strengthens both investor competitiveness and inclusive growth.

Demand has followed. Over the past year, new locators from Germany, Japan, South Korea, and China have taken up space at LIMA, reinforcing its status as a preferred industrial destination. The estate is now undergoing a 200-hectare expansion expected to generate around 30,000 additional jobs. Growth is spilling into adjacent commercial areas as well: a 40-hectare expansion of the Biz Hub district, launched in mid-2024, is nearing completion, positioning it as an emerging economic center for Batangas and improving connectivity between workplaces and communities.

What ties these elements together is an integrated real estate model backed by the broader Aboitiz Group. Industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential components are planned in tandem, supported by in-house power and water utilities, construction capabilities, and financial services.

Through Aboitiz Land, residential developments such as The Villages at LIMA Estate—and the award-winning Seafront Residences in San Juan, Batangas, named Best Waterfront Housing Development in Asia—ensure that industrial expansion is matched by liveable communities, allowing people to live close to where they work.

Taken together, the group’s recent accolades amount to more than industry plaudits. They reflect a deliberate attempt to reposition the Philippines as a credible investment destination in Asia by building estates that combine infrastructure, skills, and sustainability at scale.

As Rafael Fernandez De Mesa, president and chief executive of Aboitiz Economic Estates and Aboitiz Land, put it: “At the end of the day, it is the impact of what we build, and the solutions we provide to businesses and communities, that matters most. Our commitment is not only to lead Asia in industrial development, but to help create a better, more inclusive, and more prosperous future for Filipinos.”

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