For Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI), its 23rd year marks more than another milestone in the company’s growth. It signals a transition in both leadership and geography as the Cebu-based property developer prepares to take its VisMin-built business platform into Luzon.
In June 2026, Jose Franco B. Soberano assumed the role of President and Chief Executive Officer, succeeding founder Jose R. Soberano III. Soberano III who remains as Executive Chairman.
The change comes as CLI enters a new phase of development. Its business has expanded beyond residential projects into townships, hotels, malls, offices and mixed-use developments across the Visayas and Mindanao. Its planned entry into Luzon represents the next stage of that expansion, with projects in Pasig City and Dasmariñas, Cavite expected to come into the portfolio in the next few years.
A platform built in VisMin
The scale of CLI’s business has changed significantly since its early years. What began primarily as a residential development platform has expanded into townships, hotels, commercial spaces, offices and mixed-use developments, giving the company a broader presence across the property market.
This diversification has allowed CLI to participate in different stages of a city’s growth, from housing and retail to workplaces, hotels and larger mixed-use environments.
As of June 30, 2026, CLI’s residential portfolio comprised more than 45,000 worth P176 billion, with sell-through improving to 95% from 92% in the previous quarter.
The company is also replenishing its development pipeline with 11 projects for 2026 that consists of approximately 5,600 homes and an estimated sales value of about P25 billion. The first of these, Alto Ranudo in Cebu, as well as the project in Ormoc, were launched earlier this month, with the remaining projects covering Cebu, Mactan, Butuan, Davao and Panglao.
These projects will allow CLI to continue growing in its established markets.
A broader property platform
CLI’s larger developments increasingly bring together different property uses within a single environment, creating opportunities for residential, commercial, leasing, hospitality and other activities to operate alongside one another. Davao Global Township is one example of this approach.
The 22-hectare Davao Global Township in Matina, Davao City is designed as a master-planned environment that brings together residential, commercial and civic components. Its first phase includes six residential towers, commercial lots, Central Park, a drive-through, DGT City Center and the Pavilion.
The East Village forms part of DGT’s residential component, while The West Village adds another condominium development within the township. CLI currently lists The West Village as an ongoing project, with construction updates continuing in 2026.
DGT City Center provides a commercial and lifestyle component within the township, with retail and dining spaces complementing the residential developments and other uses. CLI’s development materials describe the City Center as part of the first phase of DGT, alongside The East Village and the DGT Cultural Center.
In Cebu, Patria de Cebu is another example of CLI’s expansion into developments that combine retail, food and beverage, wellness and essential services within a historic downtown commercial corridor.
These developments also generate activity beyond the properties themselves, creating opportunities for contractors, suppliers, brokers, retailers, service providers and other businesses. Commercial and hospitality components can add further activity and employment once operational.
From regional developer to national contender
That evolution has also brought increasing recognition outside its traditional markets.
In August 2026, the company was named Best Developer in the Philippines at the 14th PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards. It also received awards for Best Housing Developer in the Philippines, Best Developer – Visayas, and Best Developer – Mindanao, among nine recognitions across residential, hospitality and design categories.
The timing of the recognition is significant as CLI prepares to compete in markets beyond its established VisMin base.
The timing of the recognition is significant as CLI prepares to compete in markets beyond its established VisMin base.
A new market landscape
CLI’s entry into Luzon is taking shape through projects in Metro Manila and Cavite.
In Pasig City, the company is working with NTT UD Asia Pte. Ltd., a subsidiary of Japan’s NTT Urban Development Corporation, on a multi-phase residential and retail mixed-use development.
Planned components include multiple residential towers, retail areas and community spaces, bringing together different uses within a single development.
In Dasmariñas, Cavite, CLI is planning a roughly 70-hectare flagship township. The master-planned estate is envisioned to include approximately 6,000 residential units together with commercial, institutional and other components, with initial launches targeted through 2028.
These projects put CLI into a market with a different competitive landscape from the regional cities where it has established its business.
At the same time, the company enters Luzon with an operating platform shaped by more than two decades of development in markets outside Metro Manila.
That track record spans across different price segments, building mixed-use environments, establishing hospitality and commercial assets, and expanding into emerging urban centers.
The next phase
CLI’s 23rd anniversary comes as the company enters a new stage of growth. After building a diversified property platform across the Visayas and Mindanao, the company is now preparing to extend that platform into Luzon while continuing to expand its established markets.
As CLI moves beyond its traditional markets under new leadership, the transition is from what it has built to what it intends to build next: extending its development capabilities into new markets while continuing to grow the residential, commercial, hospitality and township businesses it has established across VisMin.
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Cebu Landmasters enters new phase as leadership, expansion reshape growth story
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