CEBU Landmasters Inc. (CLI), the leading developer of VisMin, celebrates its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of remarkable growth and masterful leadership in the industry.
At the helm of this journey are visionary leaders of more than 900 employees across 16 key cities in VisMin who have played instrumental roles in the listed company’s success.
As CLI commemorates this significant milestone, it is crucial to recognize and appreciate the invaluable contributions of some of its top executives who play a pivotal role in making CLI what it is today.
Jose “Joe” Soberano III serves as the Chairman and CEO of Cebu Landmasters, Inc. Joe’s leadership philosophy centers on providing hands-on and genuine service to homeowners, partners, investors, and stakeholders. This approach has been integral to CLI's growth and success for the last 20 years. From a single project in Balamban in 2003 to over 100 projects in different stages of development in 16 key cities across Visayas and Mindanao, Joe has led CLI to become the multi-billion listed company and the leading developer in VisMin that it is today. Just recently, he was awarded as Philippines Real Estate Personality of the Year during the 2023 PropertyGuru Philippine Property Awards, the industry’s highest distinction given by the prestigious award-giving body.
Joe expressed that while two decades have passed, CLI’s commitment remains the same – to serve communities by building sustainable and quality developments that will last generations. The commitment to service is multigenerational, with his children actively engaged and ready for the long haul. Joe underscored the significance of responsible real estate development, with the objective of inspiring fellow developers to make substantial contributions to society. He stressed the need to approach this with integrity, highlighting the importance of internal growth and ethical practices.
“We always aspire to give our best and 20 years is just a product of that effort. We continue to aim for more because, in the process, it's not just a matter of putting a roof over the head of aspiring homeowners but also of giving them assurance that they belong to a development that is mindful of its responsibility to the community.”
Jose R. Soberano III, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Franco leads the ground-up operations of the company, comprising of the project delivery cycle from Acquisitions to Business Development, Technical Planning, Construction, Sales, Documentation, Customer Services, and Property Management. He emphasized that CLI's commitment to its communities is evident through various initiatives, such as building housing for informal settlers, providing support during disasters like Typhoon Odette, and contributing to infrastructure improvements.
Franco's vision for CLI is centered on continuous improvement and sustainability. He said CLI's expansion plans include venturing into Luzon in 2024, bringing its customer-centric real estate approach to emerging markets like the City of Naga in Camarines Sur. The company also has ambitious goals to build 100,000 homes by its 25th year in 2028, with 40,000 homes already built as of 2023. For Franco, CLI's ultimate goal is to be the top choice for homeowners and investors, emphasizing a strong sense of accountability and long-term commitment to its clients and communities.
A Certified Public Accountant by profession, Marose is the Executive Vice-President and Treasurer of CLI. She is regarded as the “mother” of the Cebu Landmasters, as she promotes a culture of high integrity, family values, commitment and hard work in the organization. She oversees several key facets in CLI including Accounting, Sales and serves as a sounding board for different essential functions and decisions in the company. A sharp yet tender leader and mentor, she is highly instrumental to the growth of the company and the stronghold values she has built and nurtured from ground-up.
ING-FINEX CFO of the Year for 2022, the youngest and first from a non-conglomerate, Grant leads CLI by planning for the needed capital to execute CLI's strategic vision focused on diversifying income sources beyond housing development, including commercial spaces and hospitality.
Despite the hurdles that Covid brought about, CLI's finance operations remained resilient. Their strategies involved localized, real-time decision-making, ensuring construction continuity, and supporting the local construction workers.
CLI also implemented a customer-friendly payment strategy at this time. To sustain CLI's financial success, Grant emphasizes utmost ethics and integrity, especially in finance functions. Coming from a background in capital market and investment advisory, Grant's focus on rigorous planning, process automation, and diverse payment options enhances product quality and service delivery, positioning CLI for resilience and growth.
Balancing her multiple roles at CLI, Joie started in the company jumpstarting the Marketing function with a focus on brand-building and increasing public visibility. Today, her leadership has expanded into HR, Leasing, Strategic Planning, and Risk Management, as she highlights teamwork, innovation, and effective prioritization as recipes for success. Recognizing employees as crucial marketing assets, a robust HR department aligns company culture with CLI’s core values. Joie's holistic approach supports personal and professional growth, ensuring talents are engaged and motivated. She puts a premium in constant improvement, thinking out of the box, and creating in-house capabilities including digital to deliver real-time content to remain transparent, relevant, and connected to the market. She is a 2023 Mansmith Young Market Master for Real Estate Marketing, the 1st for the real estate industry.
Engr. Jun Capistrano has been with CLI for over 12 years. He leads a team of approximately 180 engineers, overseeing all engineering aspects of CLI's projects, from costing and control to implementation and management. Engr. Jun prioritizes strategic site selection, ensuring demand is met in specific areas, a strategy that has been fundamental to CLI's success. Looking ahead, he envisions CLI's continued growth, with multiple townships and reclamation projects in the pipeline, positioning CLI as a prominent player alongside larger companies from Manila. Furthermore, he highlights CLI's dedication to sustainability, with a focus on eco-friendly practices in their development. According to him, CLI's impressive accomplishments can be attributed to the motivated and skilled teams in various departments, all working cohesively to realize CLI's goals, proudly earning the PPA 2019 Best Developer in the Philippines award.
Atty. Larri, who headed CLI's legal department for 10 years, oversees all legal matters including contracts and permits. He emphasizes the importance of standardized contract templates, addressing permitting and licensing challenges. CLI conducts extensive due diligence on properties, which includes thorough regulatory compliance checks before property acquisition. This rigorous approach helps ensure that CLI's real estate deals are executed with a strong focus on legal compliance and risk avoidance. Centering on economic housing and a portfolio of over 100 projects, he said CLI has contributed to elevating the mindset of Filipinos. Owning a home has instilled a sense of responsibility, encouraging aspirations for better jobs and increased income. This shift in perspective has proved to be a powerful and transformative force in people's lives. Looking ahead, he envisions the legal department at CLI becoming a place for local law schools to send their students for internships, further promoting legal education and professional development.
Rose plays a pivotal role in CLI, overseeing sales targets, ensuring compliance, and fostering strong customer relationships. Her approach involves thorough training for brokers, aligning services with customer needs, and focusing on strategic locations for profitability. CLI's unique approach combines ambitious growth with personalized service, maintaining strong partnerships and customer satisfaction. Rose's focus on continuous learning and adapting to market dynamics ensures CLI's position as the leading developer in the real estate market. With a sizable number of sellers and a strong focus on learning and improvement, Rose ensures that CLI remains a dynamic and evolving force in the real estate market.
Mark manages strategic land acquisition and the complex process of securing permits, licenses, and clearances, and ensuring regulatory compliance at both national and local levels. His primary objective is to facilitate timely project launches while upholding strict adherence to legal and regulatory requirements. Recognizing the highly regulated nature of the real estate sector in the Philippines, CLI takes a proactive approach to engage in consultations, collaborations, and partnerships with a diverse range of stakeholders. This includes regulatory bodies, LGUs, communities, and homeowners. CLI actively participates in policy discussions that affect the real estate industry, seeking to create shared value and positive undertakings.
Rhodora “DV” M. Vicencio is behind CLI's unique property management strategy, overseeing processes from project visioning to construction up to the turnover of units, common areas and amenities. Her team ensures a seamless transition, prioritizing water security through advanced technology like georesistivity tests and digital tools. CLI's digital transformation, including the CLI MastersPortal, enhances tenant engagement and management functionalities. Despite challenges like digitalization hurdles and environmental risks, DV is proud of CLI's community-oriented approach. Their professionalism and collaboration with homeowners exemplify property management as a form of community service, reflecting a deep commitment to sustainability and community well-being.
Jamie leads CLI’s efforts in Corporate Communications and Customer Relations. Her scope encompasses corporate branding, traditional and digital media, corporate events, and after-sales operations. As CLI continues its rapid expansion, Jamie and her team ensure to sustain its momentum while safeguarding the brand and keeping it relevant and trusted among its customers. For her, the best way is to provide the most hands-on and seamless customer experience through all of CLI’s platforms. Additionally, her team came up with innovations such as the CLI Masters Portal app, a wide variety of payment channels, alternatives to in-person unit inspections, and customer feedback mechanisms – all of which position CLI as a leader in anticipating and meeting customers’ needs. Jamie’s role reflects CLI’s commitment to enhancing the customer experience and staying at the forefront of communication and innovation.
Mathias leads the hospitality subsidiary of Cebu Landmasters, CLI Hotels & Resorts. He oversees the hotel assets and its operations by representing CLI’s interests vis-à-vis the hotel operators’ and developing CLI’s own hospitality offerings. His role also includes meeting investment goals and optimizing CLI’s recurring income from the hospitality business. According to Mathias, they learned adaptability, efficient cost management, and customer-focused solutions since its first hotel Citadines Cebu City was launched in 2019. The group currently has ten hotels with over 1,700 keys in its portfolio. It shows confidence in tourism potentials and the growing hospitality industry in VisMin, and is opening three hotels in the next months: The Pad Co-Living in Banilad High Street, lyf Cebu City in Base Line Center and Citadines Bacolod City. CLI Hotels & Resorts partners with international hotel operators like the Ascott, Radisson and Accor and locally with the Abaca Group.