It is with great excitement that the 11th PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards announces the recipient of the esteemed title of Philippines Real Estate Personality of the Year to none other than Mr. Jose R. Soberano III, Chairman and CEO of Cebu Landmasters, Inc.
At the helm of CLI, Mr Soberano brings a wealth of experience to the real estate development industry. Prior to founding CLI in 2003, he was with the Ayala Group of Companies for over 23 years. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in various vertical and horizontal developments, most notably contributing to the growth of the Cebu Business Park and the Cebu IT Park, both of which have proven to be instrumental to Cebu’s economic present and future.
Beyond his professional endeavours, Mr. Soberano is deeply committed to the betterment of society. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of the Centre for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), an institution that provides technical training to underprivileged youth. He also serves as President of the Sri Visayan Foundation, Inc, an organisation that promotes academic and cultural interaction. Mr Soberano is also a Director of the Sugbu Chinese Heritage Museum Foundation, Inc., an Independent Director of Maybank Investment Banking Group Philippines and President of the Cebu Country Club. He has also served as President of the Rotary Club of Cebu and President of the Chamber of Real Estate Builders Association (CREBA).
In recognition of his outstanding achievements, Mr Soberano graduated with an AB Economics degree from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1976 and completed the Strategic Business Economics Program (SBEP) at the University of Asia and the Pacific. In July 2015, he received alumni status from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design after successfully completing the Advanced Management Development Programme in Real Estate.
In a conversation with Mr Soberano, we gained valuable insights into his thoughts and feelings on this significant award:
What does the 2023 Philippines Real Estate Personality of the Year award mean to you, your team at CLI, and your business partners?
Receiving this award is a true honour that goes beyond myself and I owe more to the entire Cebu Landmasters (CLI) organisation and everyone who has supported us along the way. The timing of this recognition is particularly meaningful to us as it coincides with CLI’s 20th anniversary in the industry – 20 years of masterful development, as we call it.
To whom are you dedicating this special award?
I dedicate this award to all the men and women behind CLI and everyone who has believed in us – our homeowners, partners, investors, stakeholders, especially the VisMin community.
Why do you continue to invest in Philippine property?
Investing in real estate carries a significant social responsibility as it directly impacts the challenge of bridging the housing gap and the overall development of our country. As developers, our impact on the community is huge and I am here to serve in any way I can through Cebu Landmasters.
What are your future plans as head of CLI and what kind of property projects (current or future) are you passionate about?
As we celebrate our 20th year in the industry, we have a lot of plans and a lot to do. To serve the needs of our communities, strengthen our leadership in the VisMin, expand our reach in Luzon, and build more sustainable, quality developments in the best way possible.
This award is a testament to Mr Soberano’s unwavering commitment to the property industry and his deep dedication to improving the lives of communities across the Philippines. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Mr Soberano and look forward to witnessing the continued positive impact he will undoubtedly have on the property landscape in the years to come.
