From Urban to Rural: Why everyone is raving about living in provinces.

Metro Manila is riveting for many reasons. For one, it is the country’s center for business, education and government as multinational companies, top universities, business districts, shopping malls and entertainment places can be found here. But, as appealing as it may sound, living in Metro Manila may not be as free and easy as it may seem.

Metro Manila is known for a lot of reasons, and one of them is having the worst traffic. In the 2019 survey conducted by Tomtom, Metro Manila is the second-worst traffic in the world with a 71% congestion level. This everyday traffic causes P 3.5 billion daily economic loss according to a report by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) in 2018. In addition to this, 257 hours are lost in a person on an average daily commute, as stated in a global mobility report last year. Aside from the worst traffic, Metro Manila is also overpopulated. In a 2016 report by Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Metro Manila is the most densely populated region, which constitutes 12.8% of the country’s total population. In this time of coronavirus pandemic, almost 70% of the country’s cases are from Metro Manila. And as we slowly try to bring things back to normal, social distancing will be hard to maintain because of the crowded places, limited transportation, and densely populated cities.

Living in Metro Manila can be quite stressful, especially now with the pandemic outbreak. That’s why it’s practical and best to have a place where you can relax for a while and escape the stress in the metro. This is where the importance of provincial investments come in. Owning a home in the province can be beneficial in many ways – better traffic conditions, lower cost of living, fresh air, relaxing views, and easy access to nature. It is indeed the perfect getaway when life in the city can be overwhelming. Aside from that, rural areas are now continuously developing as several developers and businesses invest in here all because of the country’s growing economy and government’s major infrastructure projects that will help people travel smoothly from the urban area to rural areas. Along with the government’s Balik  Probinsya Program that aims to improve livelihood and decongest Metro Manila, it will be a great opportunity to build developments and boost the economic activities in the countryside. Townships and integrated communities are now the trending developments outside Metro Manila. These are a masterplanned, mixed use community that offer a live-work-play-learn environment. As we venture into the new normal, townships and integrated lifestyle communities will be more in-demand because of its convenience. Experiencing the pandemic firsthand made people reflect on their way of living and prepare in case, hopefully not, there will be another virus outbreak in the future. People would want to be in a place where essential businesses and healthcare are within reach, open spaces to stay active and fit, green spaces for fresh air and relaxation, and home where natural light can flow through – which townships and integrated lifestyle communities fortunately have. Now will be the best time, at this point in a market downturn, to invest in such properties, as developers offer a wide range of choices that allows the investors to choose property based on their budget, lifestyle, and other factors they may consider. Another reason is funders have low-interest rates during a market downturn to encourage more people to borrow.  And lastly, investing properties from big developers will ensure that the value of the property will appreciate periodically.

Among the exceptional provincial townships and integrated communities are The Hamptons Caliraya and Twin Lakes Tagaytay. The Hamptons Caliraya is a development inspired by The Hamptons in New York that features a laidback, modern, and luxurious lakeside living with the prominent Lake Caliraya. It highlights a residential village, marina club, hotel resort district, and commercial district as well as townhomes, villas, and a boutique hotel. It also boasts its two 18-hole championship golf courses and different watersports activities you can try, such as boating, kayaking, jet-skiing, and such. Twin Lakes Tagaytay is the country’s First and Only Vineyard Resort Township Community that offers European lifestyle experience with its old European architecture, real vineyard, and stylish interiors. The community comprises of residential villages, condominiums, nature parks, hotel, and shopping village.

Besides the luxurious and high-class amenities and features it offers, the best part of these townships and integrated communities are its picturesque view of nature, the fresh, cool breeze, and its proximity in Metro Manila. Investing properties in these developments will be perfect for those who wanted to move to rural areas but not ready to leave the city life yet. It is the best way to escape from the pressure and distress in the urban area and retreat in the comfort of nature. This will be the right time to move out and go south.