VILLA ESCUDERO Corporation (VESCO) on Wednesday broke ground for The Central, a premier mixed-use commercial hub aimed at boosting regional economic development in Southern Luzon.
“The Central is not just about buildings or businesses. It is about people,” VESCO President and Chief Executive Officer Rosalie A. Escudero said in her speech.
“It’s about creating jobs for our compatriots, giving opportunities to local entrepreneurs, and building a place where families and communities can come together,” she added.
The Central, located in Brgy. Lalig, along KM91 of the Maharlika Highway, is adjacent to the upcoming South Luzon Expressway Toll Road Phase 4 (SLEX TR-4) interchange.
“This place, along Maharlika Highway and near the future SLEX TR-4 will soon become a gateway,” Ms. Escudero said. “A meeting point of travelers, businesses, and families.”
“We are seeing progress in our region – as more people pass through, the more opportunities there will be,” she added in Filipino.
The construction of the nine-hectare hub comprises nine phases and eyes completion in 2028. The first phase, which spans 2.14 hectares, is currently at 25% and will be completed by Q3 of 2026.
According to Daniel Placido A. Escudero, business development strategist and head of commercial leasing at VESCO, the Central has 11 large flats that can be subdivided to meet tenants’ demands.
The establishment is expected to house both local businesses and international brands.
“We have actually some tenants already who plan to develop within this second quarter,” he told BusinessWorld in an interview.
“A pharmacy, a cafe, a food establishment, but we also want to feature MSMEs, local restaurants that will provide the taste and flavors and delicacies of the Quezon province,” he added.
Mr. Escudero noted that the commercial hub will include renewable energy sources as part of its power augmentation, in line with VESCO’s sustainability targets.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to establish buildings that are partly powered by solar,” he said.
“We already have plans to put up electric vehicle charging stations because we’re next to the Maharlika Highway, and basically, operate it as sustainably as possible,” he added.
Renewable energy has long been part of Villa Escudero. The Arsenio Escudero Hydroelectric Power Plant, the country’s first hydroelectric plant, has sustained “essential power” for the 800-hectare estate since 1937.
In 2024, Villa Escudero Plantations and Resort also launched its solar energy facility in partnership with Cebu-based renewable energy company Vivant Energy.
The facility is composed of 400 solar panels, reducing the resort’s consumption of 310,000kWh from the power grid and 166 metric tons of carbon emissions. — Almira Louise S. Martinez
