Primavera Joins CDO Rugby’s 1st Anniv Celebration

Posted by Jane on September 13, 2014

Primavera Residences’ partner sports team, the Cagayan de Oro Rugby Football Club, has launched a series of events this September to celebrate their first anniversary. The first activity in the line up is aimed at giving back to the community with a fun party organized for the children of BoysTown. BoysTown in Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro houses young males which include orphans, street children, abandoned children, and other less fortunate young boys.

The half-day event catered to 25 children aged 5 to 17 and includes a wide array of activities such as a rugby sports therapy, games, a Jollibee-hosted party, and gift-giving from various sponsors. It was held on September 13, Saturday, from 8am to 12 noon at Primavera Residences Multipurpose Hall.

“The CDO Rugby Club has chosen Boystown as the recipient for some of its community outreach projects since young boys are vulnerable to illegal drugs and other dangers,” says Mae Dizon, one of the event organizers. “This is the fourth time that CDO Rugby Club hosted an event for the BoysTown kids, but to make this one special, we opted to have the event outside their facility.”

Various sponsors presented donations to the children including dental and hygiene kits from Primavera Residences. Italpinas CEO Architect Romolo Nati was also present during the event to join the fun and games. Volunteer group Child Protection Brigade headed by founder Renato “Rhaine” Pepito is among the partners of this worthwhile activity.

Here are some photos from the event.

Coach Noel Villa of the CDO Rugby Football Club leads the sports therapy

Game time! Photo by Child Protection Brigade Volunteers FB page

cdo rugby rvn — Italpinas CEO Architect Romolo Nati with CDO Rugby Club coach Noel Villa and the Boystown children

PR and Marketing Manager Jane Montebon Duterte and Admin & Finance Manager Donald Loyloy hand out dental and hygiene kits from Primavera Residences

Primavera Residences wishes to thank the following: Coach Noel Villa, Ms. Mae Dizon and the members of the Cagayan de Oro Rugby Football Club, Rhaine Pepito and the Child Protect Brigade Volunteers, and all the partners of sponsors of this event. Watch out for the rest of the fun activities lined up for the CDO Rugby Club’s anniversary month!

For more information about upcoming events in Primavera Residences, go to www.primaveraresidences.com or call 088-880-5002.

On Business Mirror: How to Prepare for Natural Disasters

Posted by Primavera Residences on July 30, 2014

Considering that the Philippines experiences numerous natural calamities each year – from typhoons and floods, to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions – it is important that you know the basics when preparing for natural disasters. Being ready would greatly reduce the risks and harm that a natural calamity might cause. It can save your home and other belongings from damage and even save lives.

As July is declared as National Disaster Consciousness Month, Italpinas Euroasian Design and Eco-Development Corp., an Italian-Filipino company that designs and develops sustainable properties nationwide, among them its flagship project in Cagayan de Oro called Primavera Residences, lists down the essentials in disaster prevention.

Featured in Business Mirror, 30 July 2014

Green Building Code: Culling the Practical

Posted by Primavera Residences on July 29, 2014

With climate change affecting even the personal lives of people – God knows how many individuals have lost sleep this summer because of the intense heat, and have become cranky raccoons afterwards – it is definitely an appreciated move should the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) push through with the plan for a Green Building Code by 2015.

According to reports, the code will supposedly require new buildings to have eco-friendly features such as energy efficiency and water and waste management. Definitely, this will mean no more shoebox buildings consuming a lot of electricity (for both cooling and lighting). Hello al fresco dining and tree-lined mall walks.

Naturally, real estate developments will have to follow suit. In the near future, green buildings will become the norm and developers will have to come up with designs that adapt to the environment. In Cagayan de Oro, there is already a developer that has trumped the others – Italpinas. With its current designs already using nature’s building structures and reducing the impact on the environment, it has already pioneered green building in Mindanao.

Admittedly, what it has now with its first project called Primavera Residences, is a far cry from what you would imagine of an Italian-inspired building.

Primavera Residences is a no-nonsense building. Still elegantly designed, it follows more the dictates of nature than the whims of humans. Instead of balustrade-circled verandas, what the building has are cantilevers seemingly protruding from a main body. But unlike the fancy veranda which can be romantic but quite non-functional at certain times of the day (when the sun is beating mighty hot at 12 noon for example), these efficient ledges help create shadows and shield the rooms from direct sunlight. This passive cooling technique results in minimized use of air-conditioners, making the building energy-efficient.

Definitely in the future, fancy building traditions would be snubbed by a more pragmatic populace. Real estate investing in Cagayan de Oro, in particular will be worth more when a building is designed to be environment-friendly. Otherwise, how can we maintain the illusions of sipping tea in a pretty garden when the sun is burning our heads bare?

On PowerPlay Magazine: A Green Partnership

Posted by Primavera Residences on July 25, 2014

In 2007, Romolo Valentino Nati, an Italian architect, arrived in the Philippines for the first time. Not only did he come to see the beautiful islands of which he had heard so much from his Filipino friends in Washington DC, but also to explore professional and entrepreneurial possibilities.

His aim was to introduce green architecture, not as a concept to which builders and real estate developers pay lip service for its hype value and for mere profit, but as a realistic approach to development, one that could be applied in the Philippine setting.

He was not disappointed. “I met Filipinos who, like me, are passionate about green architecture and sustainable real estate development,” recalls Romolo, a multi-awarded green architect and designer.

The heartwarming welcome he received, along with excellent prospects that he recognized from the outset, encouraged him
to return for a series of visits. This led to an introduction to Atty. Jose D. Leviste III, or Jojo, a Sydney-based Filipino who was also in town to explore career options in his home country. Theirs was a propitious first meeting, for they soon realized they share the same love and respect for the environment and a vision of sustainable development.

In 2009, the two teamed up and founded Italpinas Euroasian Design and Eco-Development Corporation (ITPI), with Romolo as Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and Jojo as President.

Interestingly, the company’s first venture, which has earned praises, is located in Cagayan de Oro City, 900 kilometers from
the Philippines’ capital, right on the island of Mindanao. Primavera Residences, as the project is known, consists of two towers situated inside the Pueblo de Oro Business Park, a Philippine Export Zone Authority-registered export zone.

“You have to understand how real estate impacts the environment. Some people underestimate this,” Romolo says of the design principles of the company.

“With an increase in energy consumption, there is an increase in electricity production, climate change and environmental degradation. There is a need for a solution, but to know the solution, we need to know how we created the problem,” stresses Romolo.

“We want to be thought leaders,” Jojo says. “At first at the level of our projects, but in the longer term, I would like our ways of thinking (in relation to design, efficiency and quality of life) to spill over and influence what Filipinos should come to expect of our living environments in a wider sense.”

Featured in PowerPlay Magazine, July 2014

How to Prepare for Natural Disasters

Posted by Primavera Residences on July 14, 2014

They say that prevention is better than cure, and this couldn’t be more true when it comes to natural disasters. Considering that the Philippines experiences numerous natural calamities each year – from typhoons, floods, to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions – it is important that you know the basics when preparing for natural disasters. Being ready would greatly reduce the risks and harm that a natural calamity might cause. It can save your home and other belongings from damage, and even save lives.

As July is declared as National Disaster Consciousness Month, we list down the essentials in disaster prevention. Here are simple steps that you can take to prepare for natural disasters.

Assemble an emergency kit at home. The kit must contain emergency supplies such as first aid, flashlight, batteries, blankets, rope, bottled water, etc.
Prepare an emergency contact list containing the names, numbers and addresses of the people you need to communicate in case of an emergency. Include relatives and friends you don’t live with. Keep this list in handy such as in your wallet or phone.
Store food with long shelf life. This can come in handy when you’re stranded at home and can’t go out in case of massive flooding. Make sure to store them in a safe area away from floods.
Know your community’s emergency hotline and keep them in your address book.
Make sure your home has emergency exit routes such as fire exits. If working, learn about your company’s emergency plan. Be mindful of exit routes in your office building.
Participate in fire/earthquake drills at home and at work.
Be alert and updated on the latest weather bulletin.
Know the storm warning signals and flood/volcanic eruption alert levels.
Secure your home with prevention safety systems and equipment such as smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, etc.
Know how to shut off electricity and gas at home.
Your pets are part of your family. Keep information on dog tags updated. Be ready to evacuate with your pet by having a crate or carrier containing a week’s worth of pet food and medicine.

While these steps are helpful in preventing or minimizing disasters, there are also other factors at play that can further reduce the risks of damage during natural calamities. For instance, the way structures are built and where they are located can have great impact on the safety of their occupants.

It is important then that property developers and architects should take into consideration the climate and locality of the place when building and designing homes. In essence, structures should be built with the environment in mind. Avoid building your home in flood-prone areas. Do not use substandard construction materials.

Buildings should be disaster-resilient and can withstand extreme weather conditions. Through the application of methods and best practices in sustainable development, homes can be more secure and the effects from natural disasters can be mitigated.

Animal Advocate To Swim 500 Laps In 13 Hours To Raise Funds

Posted by Primavera Residences on July 9, 2014

How far would you go for animals in need? For this particular triathlete, swimming 500 laps in 13 hours is her way of supporting CARA Welfare in a bid to raise funds. Hanna Sanchez, a 24-year-old former member of the De La Salle University Green Tankers varsity team, aims to achieve this on August 16 to raise 100,000 pesos. CARA Welfare Philippines is an animal welfare group.

Last year, she raised 80,570 pesos. Dubbed Ultra Swim 2, this year’s event will be held at the Enrique M. Razon Pool at De La Salle University along Taft Avenue in Manila. Sanchez called for supporters to pledge 1 Peso or more for each lap that she would do.

As CARA’s partner for animal welfare, Italpinas Euroasian Design and Eco-Development Corporation (ITPI Corp.) is committed to support this endeavor. We ask our dear friends and partners to also pledge your support.

How to help:

Go to the Ultra Swim Pledge App –> http://form.jotform.me/form/41612207040438?
Fill in details asked. You can pledge an amount per lap, or a fixed amount.
After the Ultra Swim, CARA will get in touch with you on the total number of laps Hannah was able to achieve.
Pledged amounts can be sent via:

a. CARA’s BPI Account
CARA WELFARE PHILIPPINES
3191-0467-05

b. Paypal: Click on the donate buttons found here:
http://www.caraphil.org/mainsite/get-involved/donate/
and indicate “Ultra Swim 2″

CARA Welfare is also looking for Corporate Sponsorships! The group would like to invite you and your company to make this event successful. If interested, please email secretary@caraphil.org.

Five Reasons for Celebrating the Best Mixed-Use Development in the Philippines Award

Posted by Primavera Residences on June 2, 2014

We at Primavera Residences are honored and humbled from having won the Best Mixed-Use Development in the Philippines Award at the 2014-2015 Asia Pacific Property Summit of the International Property Awards last month in Kuala Lumpur. The award from such a prestigious global award-giving body recognizes not just us but also all our partners and stakeholders.

We believe that it created another world-class avenue for us to do greater things for the people of Cagayan de Oro and the Philippines. We are determined to pioneer sustainable real estate development in the country because we believe it provides much-needed value and because it is what we need to alleviate the rising cost of energy, environmental degradation, and increasingly congested and poor quality of urban living.

With your help, we can make a difference. The five reasons for celebrating the award is therefore ‘you,’ friends and partners whose support helped us win the award.

THE PEOPLE OF CAGAYAN DE ORO AND NEIGHBORING CITIES The award strengthens the position of Cagayan de Oro as an emerging world-class city and of Northern Mindanao as an economic hub and strategic entry-point to Mindanao.

INVESTORS Unit buyers and financing partners are reassured of the quality and value of the property they are investing in. One of the major criteria of the award is the profitability of the development.

REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY PARTNERS The award validates that sustainable development in the country is finally catching on and getting the attention it deserves. The efforts of brokers, sales agents and other partners in the real estate industry are helping educate the country of the rewards, benefits and value of a truly eco-friendly property (energy-efficient, affordable, self-sustaining, and environment-friendly).

MEDIA PARTNERS With the influence of our media partners, the industry and market are made aware and can benefit from the best practices of eco-development. We’re not doing this just for ourselves, we want to spread the word and encourage more people to invest in or go into sustainable property development that works with nature instead of against it.

LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL STAKEHOLDERS We share the same mission and vision and that is to build a better Earth through a more sustainable lifestyle and one that is designed to adapt to a changing world.

As Atty. Jojo Leviste, the president of Italpinas Euroasian Design and Eco-Development Corporation (ITPI), developer of Primavera Residences, says, “We may not become the biggest in terms of size, but we want to become thought leaders. We see environmental design and urban planning as a matter of rights and not as a matter of luxury.”

Arch. Romolo V. Nati, ITPI CEO, adds, “That Primavera Residences was recognized as the Best Mixed-Use Development in the Philippines by the International Property Awards is a guaranty of our commitment to produce environmentally sound designs and energy efficient buildings that can be enjoyed by a wide range of Filipinos.”

To all our partners, we can’t thank you enough! You are all the reason we are pushing ourselves to develop world-class communities that are your partners in growth.

On Manila Bulletin: Property Developer Offers Sustainable Residential Projects

Posted by Primavera Residences on May 19, 2014

Italpinas Euroasian Design and Eco-Development Corporation (ITPI Corp.), which is building the Primavera Residences in Cagayan de Oro City – recent winner in the 2014 Asia Pacific Property Awards – is now looking at replicating its project in other urban areas of the country.

ITPI’s award-winning Primavera Residences showcases simple design solutions for sustainability. For instance, to lower the building’s temperature during the hot summer months, the building has brise soleil shades that protect the windows from direct sunlight. It also has an inner courtyard that allows air and natural light to come into the building.

Featured in Manila Bulletin, 18 May 2014.

Primavera Residences Developer Continues its Support for CARA Welfare through Fundraising Dinner

Posted by Primavera Residences on May 16, 2014

Italpinas Euroasian Design and Eco-Development Corp. (ITPI), the developer of Primavera Residences, was in full support for CARA Welfare Philippines and its cause as the animal welfare organization hosted a fundraising dinner last May 14 at Cav Wine Shop – Café in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

ITPI is a long-time avid supporter of CARA, a Philippine non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of compassion and responsible pet ownership. Dubbed “Cav for CARA,” the event saw pet lovers coming together for a night of supporting the cause, sharing stories and exchanging ideas on care and responsibility for animals. A small photo exhibit featuring rescued animals that are in foster care of CARA was highlighted during the event, providing a more intimate atmosphere.

Present at the event were CARA President Nancy Cu Unjieng and Michelle Ciriacruz, VP and Head of Corporate Communications and Branding who represented ITPI.

Category: Advocacy