Cavite is the best of both worlds. It is fast industrializing and easily accessible from Metro Manila, yet it remains laid-back and bucolic. The province has earned its place in the country’s history, and now it is slowly becoming a part of many families’ personal histories as it becomes one of the top choices for family homes in this part of the Philippines.

Foremost among the residential developments in Cavite province are legacies of Stateland, the 43-year old real estate company known as one of the most active participants in the government’s shelter programs. It pioneered in areas with potential growth, primarily in the South Luzon and Metro Manila. In 2018, Stateland was acquired by Suntrust Properties, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Megaworld Corporation.

Suntrust continues to build on this goodwill through several projects designed to bring affordable yet well-designed homes to Filipinos, particularly in the province of Cavite.

The flagship development of the collection is Washington Place, a master planned community by Stateland which is now a great addition to Suntrust’s Cavite portfolio. It is located in the first-class city of Dasmariñas, Washington Place is 40 hectares of prime land along Emilio Aguinaldo Highway. The master planned community boasts of modern architectural designs reflected in 1,600 contemporary houses.

The geometric layout of a Washington Place home will be evident the moment one enters the property: from the residential guardhouse to the house designs to the amenities that are showpieces of the development. The main road is 22 meters wide and flanked by a commercial area. The road leads to the well-appointed residential area that is secured by a separate residential guardhouse.

Washington Place’s main entrance, with its giant “W” installation, has become a landmark in the area; the theme even continues in the names given to the seven house models which prospective homeowners can choose from. The designs are sleek and functional, each meant to match buyers’ requirements and preferences, and employing the meticulous house construction that has become the developer’s trademark.

The lot cuts range from 108 to 400 square meters, and development of the property underwent a detailed process to ensure proper soil compaction and ample drainage system before the roads and houses were even constructed.

There are several schools, public markets, malls, bank branches, government offices, places of worship, hospitals, leisure areas, and company and industry hubs within a 10-kilometer range of Washington Place. It is also near major national highways like Daang Hari, the Carmona Toll Plaza of SLEX, and the Coastal Road Toll Plaza. It is less than five minutes to popular malls, SM and Robinsons Dasmariñas, while the leisure and relaxation opportunities of Tagaytay are just 20 minutes away. Schools and universities like De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, Philippine Christian University, AMA and Lyceum University of the Philippines-Cavite Campus, and hospitals (De La Salle University Medical Center, Asian Medical Family Hospital and Medical Center) are also minutes away.

Completing the Suntrust collection of communities in the fast-growing area of Cavite are three more developments sharing its DNA of affordable, quality homes in well-planned, flood-free communities.

The Gentri Heights, along Governor’s Drive in Bgy. Manggahan in the city of General Trias, is in the middle of economic and social activity in this area. Within easy distance are the Cavite campuses of De La Salle University and Lyceum of the Philippines University. Homeowners need not venture far thanks to nearby shopping centers. The Gentri Heights is also ideal for those who work or do business with business centers and top industrial zones such as Gateway Business Park and First Cavite Industrial Estate

The Gentri Heights is 41 hectares of modern Asian living. Homeowners have a choice of single-detached homes or bungalow type houses within the gated community. There are also plenty of leisure amenities for families, including a children’s playground, pocket parks, a picnic area and a gazebo. Active lifestyle enthusiasts can enjoy the property’s swimming pool, tennis court and basketball court, as well as well-lit jogging paths.

Utilities are ready and waiting, with select areas covered by WiFi, and the property even sourcing its water from deep wells and/or the local water district.

Meanwhile, Suntrust’s technology-themed development Cyberville in Bgy. Santiago, also in General Trias, is a truly modern community. WiFi hotspots are everywhere in the 20-hectare property, inviting residents to pick a comfortable spot to surf the web or connect with friends online. The property has underground storm drainage systems as well as concrete curbs and gutters, and it enjoys 24/7 security service as well as CCTV monitors at its main gate.

Cyberville also encourages an active lifestyle with the provision of a landscaped park and playground, as well as a clubhouse where homeowners can socialize and hold parties.

Prospective homeowners have a wide choice of house models, from the most basic to duplexes and bungalows, as well as single-detached houses with tiled carports, provisions for a lanai and trellis, with some models having their own balconies and verandas. There’s also plenty of space as even the secondary roads are as much as 10 meters wide, making the property well-suited to a relaxed, family lifestyle in a modern garden community.

Spread out over 89 hectares in Bgy. Biclatan in General Trias is the Mexi-Cali themed Governor’s Hills. Here, prospective homeowners can choose from seven house model types in the nine villages that comprise the property.

A gazebo graces a landscaped mini-park, and the relaxed vibe extends to open spaces meant for pocket parks within each village. There are outdoor pools for adults and children, as well as a clubhouse and function hall, as well as a putting green and basketball courts. Governor’s Hills also offer good education for students through its very own Governor’s Hills Science School.

Indeed, as more Filipinos are able to enjoy the fruits of prosperity, the laid-back lifestyle of Cavite living is well within their reach in the modern homes and well-planned communities of Suntrust.

By Judith Juntilla

As seen on Manila Bulletin - Oct. 16, 2019