As more townships emerge in Cebu, the demand for comprehensive infrastructure, including educational facilities, will steadily grow.
Property advisory firm Colliers Philippines predicts the continued rise of neighborhood schools in communities surrounded by township developments due to their convenience and accessibility.
Citing the firm’s survey, Joey Bondoc, director for research at Colliers Philippines, noted that about 62 percent of respondents chose proximity to offices, malls, and other amenities as their chief consideration when buying a condominium, whether in an established or emerging business hub.
“This is why educational facilities are essential in every township, as residents prefer everything to be within their reach,” Bondoc said in an interview.
“In our view, institutional facilities such as hospitals, clinics and schools are important in every township to attract end-users and investors. Having a neighborhood school in a township is a no-brainer to serve the residents in a master-planned community,” he added.
Proximity is key
One of the neighborhood schools that saw a rise in enrollments because of its proximity to integrated communities is Dream Learning Academy located in Barangay Bangkal, Lapu-Lapu City.
Architect Daryl Balmoria-Garcia, owner of the school, agrees with Colliers saying that the proliferation of pocket communities, such as subdivisions opened opportunities for those wanting to get into the education business.
Dream Learning Academy initially offered Playgroups, Nursery and Kinder 1 programs in 2023. This year, the school has expanded its programs, offering Kinder 2 and Grade 1.
“When we opened last year, we saw an overwhelming response in terms of the number of enrollees. Working parents prefer to send their children to schools close to their homes or workplaces,” said Garcia, also owner of Dream Architects.
Garcia agrees that proximity is the top consideration of parents when looking for schools for their children, alongside the quality of education and the environment.
Dream Learning Academy is run by retired international school teachers—Elena Balmoria-Camasura and Imee Balmoria-Apa-ap— who are close relatives of Garcia. Their passion for education has kept them motivated, so much so that even in their retirement years, they still desire to teach children.
“This all started with a dream. My Lola Rita has dreamed that I become a teacher. She did not want me to be an architect. It’s a man’s job, she said. But I guess she is proud,” said Garcia, noting that even if she did not become a teacher, they were able to build a school.
Becoming a norm
Seeing how the school attracted many students, Garcia said their goal is to make it an elementary school in the coming years. They intend to add two grades per school year. They are also looking at expanding to Mandaue City banking on the strong presence of township developments in the city.
“We’d like to be of help to working parents who want to have a conducive learning environment for their children that is just close to their working places or homes,” said Garcia.
Colliers noted that neighborhood schools will likely become the norm moving forward.
To sustain growth, Bondoc advised that these educational facilities should continuously upgrade their curriculum and ensure they offer the best educational programs to cater to residents’ basic and higher education requirements.
“Having neighborhood schools will also play a pivotal role in fostering the 15-minute community rule in a master-planned project,” Bondoc said. (KOC)