Cebu is truly the Philippines’ Queen City of the South.

As the country’s richest province for five consecutive years, there’s no stopping Cebu from being a world-class destination as it continues to attract big investors to build multi-billion projects.

The province is composed of 53 local government units — 44 municipalities, six component cities, and three independent cities — Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, and Mandaue.

Are you ready? Here are the eight (8) exciting multi-billion projects to rise in Cebu:

1. Isla Dela Victoria

• Location: South Road Properties, Cebu City (near IL Corso)
• Groundbreaking date: August 21, 2018
• Target completion date: Q4, 2021

Isla dela Victoria, a 350,000 sqm world-class integrated development, is set to erect in the prime SRP – Cebu, Philippines which will include bars, restaurants, mall, convention center, casino, park, theatre, and no less than 3 hotels.

When the former Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña lost the 2019 mayoral race, everyone thought this project wouldn’t be pushed through. To our surprise, now Cebu City Mayor Labella has given the project a go, approved and granted building permits of the Gokongwei-led Universal Hotels and Resorts, Inc. (UHRI).

From the initial plan of ₱18 billion, UHRI increases its investment to ₱25 billion for the project — the biggest project to date in the South Road Properties.

John Gokongwei, who is not just a self-made billionaire but also a fellow Cebuano, has agreed to invest on the ₱25 billion project in SRP Cebu — all at zero-cost to Cebu City. This is a 50-year lease of the land, Cebu City will own 10% of all profits made for the entire duration. After this, when the lease expires, the Cebu City Government will own not just 10%, but everything on the property.

The development’s name is dedicated to a Cebuano, Jojo dela Victoria, who died protecting our waters from dynamite fishermen. Isla dela Victoria will put the spotlight on SRP. It will be the hub for the ferries and cruise ships that will come, and the seaplane airline that is already there. It will be the shining beacon of the Visayas.

2. Seaside Arena

• Location: South Road Properties, Cebu City (across SM Seaside, near Cebu Ocean Park)
• Groundbreaking date: January 29, 2020
• Target completion date: 2025

The highly anticipated Cebu Arena, which is officially named the Seaside Arena, will be finally realized after being presented by Mayor Edgar Labella during his 100 Days of Service speech on October 16, 2019.

The Seaside Arena will have a seating capacity of 16,000 (almost as large as Mall of Asia Arena in Manila). It is eyed to become the prime venue for large events such as major local & international concerts, sports events, international conventions, among others.

The Seaside Arena will also feature a massive Convention Center, office towers, and condominiums.

The SM-Ayala Consortium will pour a total investment of P307.2 billion for the 26-hectare Seaside Arena, which will be constructed in SRP beside the SM Seaside Complex. It is expected to generate 2 million new jobs in years at full development, with target completion in 2025.

3. Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX)

• Location: South Road Properties, Cebu City (near SM Seaside)
• Groundbreaking date: January 8, 2018
• Target completion date: Q4, 2021

As of August 2020, the construction of the 8.5-kilometer Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) is halfway through for its 2021 completion target date.

The P30-billion project, which will beef up Cebu’s road network to provide motorists safe and comfortable travel experience, is expected to help spur economic growth and boost investments not just in Cebu City and Cordova Municipality, but also in the entire Cebu Province and the Visayas region.

Among the iconic features of CCLEX, which is envisioned to be among the landmarks in Cebu when finished in 2021, is a lighted cross on all four sides on top of the two 145-meter tall main pylons.

CCLEX will have two lanes in each direction and covers the on and off ramps connection along the CSCR, the main navigation span twin pylon cable-stayed bridge, viaduct approach bridges in Cebu City and Cordova sides, causeway, toll plaza and an at-grade road connecting to the Mactan Circumferential Road.

The span and height of the bridge, which is at 51 meters, will allow large vessels to pass underneath and the link is expected to serve at least 50,000 vehicles daily.

Project Brief:

• Cable-stayed main span: 390 m
• Total Length: 8.5 km
• Number of lanes: 2 x 2 (total of 4 lanes)
• Height of bridge: 51m (nav. clearance); 145m (tower height)
• Concession Period: 35 years
• Design Speed: 60 kph (at Approcahes) 80kph (at Main Bridge and Causeway)

4. Metro Cebu Expressway

• Location: Naga City (south) to Danao City (north)
• Groundbreaking date: August 2018
• Target completion date: Q4, 2022

One of the highly anticipated road projects will finally come to realize. Approximately 73.75-km long, the Metro Cebu Expressway (Cebu Circumferential Road) is said to meet Metro Cebu’s existing and future traffic demand. It is expected to be completed by 2022.

Identified as priority project of President Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build!” project, the proposed Cebu Circumferential Road, based on the FS report of DPWH Region VII consultant, is a South to North Bypass Road along the hills of Metro Cebu and is divided into three (3) segments.

The stationing and the corresponding lengths of each station is shown below:

Project Objectives: 

• Improve and enhance Metro Cebu’s seamless east-west, south-north urban inter-modal transport, economic and tourism corridors to meet future transport demand;
• Link Metro Cebu’s central, coastal, southern and northern urban districts and economic development with a new upland high standard, high capacity bypass;
• Facilitate the movement of people and commerce from the Central Business Districts [CBDs], economic/export and tourism zones along Metro Cebu’s 72-km RIA from south Naga City to north Danao City;
• Contribute in redirecting future urban land-use, demographic and economic expansion by providing transport mobility across urban districts

Project Cost: 

• PhP 28.1 Billion (including Road Right-of-Way)

Project Status: 

• For concurrence/ approval of the Approved Budget for the Contract  (ABC) and preparation of Tender Documents.
• ABC and Tender Documents, including Terms of Reference (TOR), are being prepared for submission to Bureau of Design (BOD).
• Ongoing implementation of Segment 3

Project Alignment: 

5. Emerald Bay Mactan: The ‘Las Vegas of Cebu’

• Location: Mactan Island, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu
• Groundbreaking date: July 26, 2017
• Target completion date: Q4, 2021

Are you ready for the new “Las Vegas of Cebu”?

Sprawling on a 13.5-heactare site in Punta Engaño in Mactan, the Emerald Bay Mactan Resort and Casino is the first large-scale, gaming-anchored hospitality development outside the Philippines capital, Manila.

Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy, the President of PH Resorts Group Holdings, the gaming and tourism holding company of the Udenna Group, has fast-tracked the completion of its new casino resort’s first phase by the end of 2021.

Emerald Bay Mactan will initially feature:

• 830 all-suite rooms,
• a penthouse,
• a royal suite a
• 5 ultra-luxurious villas,
• 122 gaming tables for mass, premium mass and junkets, and
• 600 electronic gaming machines, among others.

The development will also include themed retail outlets, an activity centre and extensive food and beverage offerings, all in a beach resort setting.   

6. Cordova’s Sentosa of Cebu

• Location: Cordova, Cebu (near the start/end point of CCLEX)
• Groundbreaking date: Scheduled within 2020, according to Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) Secretary Adelino Sitoy
• Target completion date: 2028

The Municipality of Cordova in the island of Mactan is being groomed to be the ‘Sentosa’ of Cebu.

Sentosa is an island resort off Singapore’s southern coast popularly known as the state of fun. Just like Sentosa, Cordova will be positioned as the “crown jewel” of tourism and business in Metro Cebu.

The 1,500-hectare reclamation in Cordova will be developed into an integrated ‘world-class lifestyle’ destination featuring a cruise terminal, marina, beach, eco-parks, golf course, churches, retail centers, civic centers, cultural centers, and promenades with inland transportation consisting of buses and a train with a railroad.

Targeted to be completed by 2028, this multi-billion project will compose four artificially-made islands.

7. Ming-Mori Business Park in Minglanilla

• Location: Minglanilla, southern Cebu
• Groundbreaking date: Scheduled in late 2020 or early 2021
• Target completion date: To be announced

Home of the first world-class theme park in Cebu, the town of Minglanilla in southern Cebu has attracted a major investor to construct a ₱6-billion reclamation project envisioned to modernize the landscape of Minglanilla.

On July 22, 2020, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has issued an environmental compliance certificate to the 100-hectare Ming-Mori Techno Business Park in Cebu.

This world-class estate which envisions to provide 75,000 jobs is a joint venture between the local government of Minglanilla and private consortium partners Ming-Mori Development Corp. (MMDC), an affiliate of publicly listed CLI.

Mayor Elanito Peña of Minglanilla said, “the grant of the ECC has brought us closer to the materialization of the reclamation project which will propel the municipality of Minglanilla to higher heights and cements its role as a major economic player in the province of Cebu”.

8. Mandani Bay

• Location: F.E. Zuellig Avenue, Mandaue City, Cebu (near Bai Hotel)
• Groundbreaking date: 2016
• Target completion date:
  • Phase 1: Completed
  • Phase 2: Early 2022
  • Phase 3: 2023
  • Final Phase: 2026

Mandani Bay is a P130B waterfront expansion along Mactan channel in Mandaue City and stretches a gross land area of 20 hectares. It is designed to transform Cebu into a worldly acclaimed lifestyle destination and to serve as a focal landmark in the area.

This master-planned property will have 21 towers that will include residential condominiums, office towers, retail areas, a hotel and condotel, and expansive lifestyle spaces.

The project is subdivided into 8 blocks/phases and is expected to add 10,000 units to Cebu’s condominium inventory upon completion in 10 years from the initial 12 to 15-year timeline. Its first phase was launched May 2016.