Real Estate Development

PunoLaw has acted as counsel to several real estate developers, and has handled several large and complex deals in the real estate market over the last several years. Our real estate practice has guided clients work through joint venture arrangements, land asset acquisitions, and project debt and equity structures in order to achieve their project development milestones in a timely manner, responsive to the needs of the market. At least four of the largest conglomerates in the Philippines trust our real estate practice in guiding them through their regulatory and transactional issues. Our experts in the field are widely respected and complement their legal skills with a deep understanding and awareness of the industry.

Focus

Our key focus includes:

Regulatory Advice

We provide guidance on legal and regulatory issues, and assist our clients find practical solutions. We work with our tax and other practice groups to ensure our advice to clients (including real estate investment trusts) fully addresses their business and operational concerns.

Real Estate Purchase and Acquisitions

We have acted as counsel in some of the largest real estate purchases for our institutional clients.  Our interdisciplinary approach to these transactions has continued to yield benefits for our clients several years after deal close.  Our long experience in this practice area and deep knowledge of the market ensures that our clients are able to meet their objectives in any kind of purchase or acquisition.

Project Structuring and Development

We have been key to putting together different structures that address our clients’ objectives in every project.  We assist in every stage of project development – due diligence review, debt and equity structuring, contract preparation and negotiations with joint venture partners and other counterparties, project implementation including assistance with the projects’ permitting requirements.  We apply the same approach of involving our experts in other practice areas like tax, M&A, and competition law, to real estate project development.  Our clients have successfully launched luxury condominiums, shopping centers, first-class subdivisions, office buildings, hotels and resorts.

Representative Transactions 

Our deals / transactions include the following:

• Counsel for Rockwell Land Corporation (“Rockwell”) in relation to Rockwell’s first real estate development in the Laguna area through a joint venture with Carmelray Property Holdings, Inc. and San Ramon Holdings, Inc., and members of the Yulo family. The joint venture is developing a 90.6-hectare property located in Carmeltown, Canlubang, Calamba, Laguna, Philippines into a mixed-use development with residential, commercial and retail components.
• Counsel for GT Capital Holdings, Inc. (“GTCAP”) in connection with the acquisition of over 700 hectares of land in Cavite, Philippines from Property Company of Friends, Inc. and the development, construction, management and sale of said property as a commercial and residential township
• Counsel for Arthaland Corporation for the purchase, development, construction, management and sale of real estate assets in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Philippines and Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Philippines
• Counsel for Rockwell in connection with the first joint venture between Rockwell and Mitsui Fudosan (Asia) Pte. Ltd. (“MFA”) for the development, construction and sale of real estate projects in the Philippines through the joint venture company, Rockwell MFA Corporation
• Counsel for Rockwell in connection with the real estate acquisition and structuring and development of The Proscenium luxury condominium mixed-use development located in Makati City, Philippines
• Counsel for Federal Land, Inc. for the purchase, development, construction, management and sale of real estate assets in Bonifacio Global City, Pasig City, Cavite Province and Cebu City
• Counsel for Rockwell in its acquisition of the 9.7-hectare Tribeca project, composed of clusters of residential and commercial condominiums along the South Luzon Expressway in Muntinlupa City, Philippines
• Counsel for Rockwell in connection with its first real estate development in the Pampanga area through a joint venture with T.G.N Realty Corporation. The joint venture will develop 36,489-square meter property located in Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines into a mixed-use development with residential, commercial, and retail components
• Counsel for Rockwell in connection with a joint venture that will develop a 28,531-square meter property located in Cebu City, Philippines into residential condominiums, and retail and office developments
• Counsel for the Century Properties Group of companies (“CPG”) in connection with its joint venture with Mitsubishi Corp. (“MC”) for the development of a low-cost housing project offering 3,000 housing units in Tanza, Cavite, Philippines
• Counsel for CPG in connection with its joint venture with MC for the development of US$100 Million Forbes Media Tower in the Philippines