Seasoned developer Sta. Lucia Land bags top honors in international tilt

By Vaughn Alviar @INQ_Property

July 20, 2024

UK-based digital publication CEO Monthly recently hailed individuals who have propelled seasoned developer Sta. Lucia Land Inc. into leadership in Philippine real estate in its C-Suite Awards 2024.

Sta. Lucia president and CEO Exequiel Robles was named Best Real Estate CEO of the Year for the Philippines, while board chair Vicente Santos and CFO David Dela Cruz were announced as the Philippines’ Best Real Estate Chairman and CFO, respectively.

According to CEO Monthly’s website, the C-Suite Awards honors C-suite executives across various industries “who have demonstrated outstanding performance, strategic vision, and unparalleled commitment to their businesses, with an aim to highlight the critical role of C-suite professionals in shaping the future of the business world.”

The awards program, held for the third time this 2024, “targets a diverse range of top executives who have shown exceptional leadership qualities and have made significant contributions to their organizations, ensuring a comprehensive representation of the best in executive leadership.”

The winners were selected through free and open nominations. A dedicated in-house research team then analyzed the entries to whittle the list down to the best of the best, a process that has ensured a level playing field and the participation of companies of all sizes and sectors.

Over 50 years in the real estate industry have gotten Sta. Lucia an impressive portfolio of over 12,000 ha of land developed and more than 300 developments throughout the Philippines. The brand is now one of the Philippines’ biggest real estate companies, well-known to Filipino homebuyers.

Sta. Lucia has set itself apart from competitors over the past decades by identifying developable land in fringe addresses. Through its focus on places often unnoticed by other developers, it has helped unlock several new growth hubs across the country. Many of its pioneering developments are appreciated for bringing progress to countless locales.

Moreover, the company specializes in curating uniquely masterplanned residential developments. Sta. Lucia has revolutionized homeownership through premium communities anchored in manmade lakes, golf courses—Sta. Lucia prides itself in having the most golf projects, totaling 11 to date—and tourist attractions, among others. It also offered investment opportunities like condotel towers and residences neighboring commercial areas.

Eager to offer more, Sta. Lucia is establishing its presence even more through ventures in places like Bauan, Batangas (Catalina Lake Residences), Jaro, Iloilo (SotoGrande Hotel Iloilo) and Lipa, Batangas (Summit Point Golf and Residential Estates).

Prior to the C-Suite Awards, various local and international award-giving bodies had also recognized Sta. Lucia’s works. Robles received the Property Man of the Year award in 2019 from FIABCI-Philippines International Real Estate Federation Awards. Sta. Lucia was also recognized as one of the high growth companies in Asia Pacific by Nikkei Asia and The Financial Times in 2022.