Filinvest REIT Corp. Awarded the ‘Most Sustainable REIT’ at Singapore’s Asia Pacific REIT Summit

Filinvest REIT Corp. (FILRT) proudly represented the Philippines as it clinched the ‘Most Sustainable REIT’ award within its market capitalization category (under USD500 million) at the well-attended 9th Annual REITs and Real Estate Investment Summit Asia Pacific 2024™ held in Singapore.

The Pinnacle Group International, in collaboration with Sustainable Technology Center (Singapore) Limited, brought together over 150 industry leaders, investors, and innovators in the REIT sector all over Asia Pacific.

The REIT summit featured the Asia Pacific Best of the Breeds REITs & Real Estate Investment Awards 2024 to honor outstanding companies and REIT managers with the highest standards and performance for leadership, financial expertise and innovation toward having a sustainable impact on the REIT industry, including those from mature REIT environments like Singapore and Malaysia.

“Receiving the ‘Most Sustainable REIT’ award is an honor that elevates our role in advancing sustainable practices within the industry,” said Maricel Brion-Lirio, President and CEO of FILRT. “This recognition underscores our commitment to integrating sustainability into our core strategies, demonstrating that environmental responsibility and profitability can coexist. By prioritizing eco-friendly practices, we enhance our portfolio's value while positively impacting the communities we serve,” she added.

The winners of the ‘Most Sustainable REIT’ awards were evaluated based on exceptional environmental initiatives, comprehensive sustainability reporting and high transparency, and significant community impact. The awards were presented by Professor Ong Seow Eng from the National University of Singapore who shared the sector’s continued evolution through sustainable practices and technological advancements.

FILRT bested other comparable companies by size from Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, and Taiwan. FILRT is one of only two Philippine companies that were recognized during the awards ceremony.

Singapore, where the awards ceremony was held, is one of the frontrunners in the REIT industry, having the largest REIT market in Asia (ex-Japan). Singapore has over 42 active REIT companies in six sub-categories – ranging from Healthcare, Hospitality, Retail, Office, Commercial and Industrial. Total market capitalization of the industry stands at approximately USD74.4 million or about 12 per cent of the capitalization of the Singapore Exchange (SGX).

Filinvest REIT Corp. (FILRT) is the country’s first sustainability-themed real estate investment trust (REIT) backed by Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI), one of the largest property developers in the Philippines with an established portfolio of residential, commercial, industrial, and office developments across the archipelago.

Its commercial portfolio consists of 17 Grade A office buildings that provide world-class, eco-friendly workspaces for local and global businesses. Recognized by Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL) for its green and sustainability-themed features, FILRT’s office buildings portfolio is designed to meet the evolving needs of today's businesses while reducing environmental impact. Totaling over 300,000 square meters of gross leasable area (GLA), 16 of the buildings are in Northgate Cyberzone – an IT BPO campus-style hub accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) in Filinvest City, Alabang. Filinvest City is a 244-hectare mixed-use and integrated city that is the first and only central business district (CBD) in the Philippines to receive LEED® v4 Gold for Neighborhood Development Plan certification as well as a three-star BERDE certification. Two of the FILRT properties in Filinvest City, namely Axis Tower One and Vector Three, are among the country’s few LEED Gold certified developments. Another building is Filinvest Cyberzone Cebu Tower 1 located in the gateway of Cebu IT Park in Lahug, Cebu City. Rounding up the portfolio is 2.9 hectares of land that is being leased to the owner and operator of multi-awarded Crimson Resort & Spa Boracay.

As the future of responsible workspaces, Filinvest REIT is leading the way in sustainable real estate movement.