Last week, I wrote about AI’s potential impact on the Philippine IT-BPM industry after IBPAP lowered its best-case 2028 revenue target by 14%. Someone familiar with the industry shared an important observation: although hiring growth may be slowing, some IT-BPM companies are requiring more office space per employee. The traditional BPO setup prioritized compact cubicles and maximizing the number of seats on each floor. But as the industry shifts toward more complex and higher

Once upon a time, a property sale was finally nearing completion. The sale was financed by a bank. Although the Deed of Absolute Sale had already been signed, the seller would receive the balance only after the title and tax declaration had been transferred to the buyer’s name and submitted to the bank. After several weeks, everything was finally done. The title and tax dec had been transferred and the docs had been submitted to the bank. Only one task remained: collect the s

You know how a buyer or seller suddenly includes their lawyer in a real estate transaction, and what used to be a straightforward closing suddenly becomes a hostage situation? To be clear, I generally welcome lawyers. Good lawyers help. They see risks we may miss. And yes, they usually know more about the law than brokers do. But every now and then, you encounter the other kind. The kind who does not just make the transaction difficult...but impossible. I have seen a lawyer d

Here’s a simple but useful tip for managing rental properties more efficiently: Before a tenant moves in, take clear photos of the model numbers and serial numbers of all major appliances. Why? Because when an appliance stops working, the repair process often looks like this: The tenant reports the problem. The broker or property manager contacts the service center. The service center asks for the model number. The broker asks the tenant to send a photo of the sticker or labe

If you've been in real estate long enough, you've probably encountered this rule: "No digital door locks." The explanation I've heard from PMOs is that all main door locks should look uniform. I never really understood that. The only people who regularly see your door lock are your neighbors on the same floor and building staff. It's not exactly a design feature that defines the entire building. To be fair, some buildings may also have legitimate concerns about fire safety, e

The EDSA rally yesterday — and apparently today — made me think about something I had never really priced into real estate before. For decades, EDSA has been a political stage. When people are angry at government, one of the symbolic gathering points is the EDSA Shrine / People Power Monument area. That is part of its history. If this happens once every 20 years, maybe it does not matter much from a real estate perspective. But what if it happens more often? What if “EDSA pro

Once upon a time, I was chatting with a broker colleague, when his phone rang. He answered with a cheerful, almost melodic, “Hello.” Then he listened. It was only when he politely declined the offer that I realized it was a cold call from someone offering a bank product. What surprised me was how kindly he handled it. After the call, I asked him if he was irritated. He said no. He said what they were doing was hard, and being kind to the person on the other line did not reall

You probably saw the fire that happened in Eastwood last week. As of this writing, authorities are still investigating the cause. Initial reports said the fire may have started in the lower portion of the building, with smoke spreading through parts of the tower. What caught my attention was one detail from the videos: some residents appeared to break their windows just to breathe. And honestly, in that situation, I understand it. Many condo windows do not fully open. Some on

The first step to fixing a problem is admitting that the problem exists. RE is no different. Part of the reason we are where we are today is that the industry allowed misleading practices to become normal. Not necessarily because of bad intentions, but because the incentives were wrong, the language was loose, and the risks were not always explained clearly enough to buyers. Here are a few things the industry can improve: 1. Fix the language. Stop calling developer price incr

One thing that has always bothered me about real estate brokerage is the unpredictability of sales. Unlike in the corporate world, where salaries are usually fixed, brokerage income is uneven. In a good month, you can close a large transaction. In a bad stretch, months can pass with no sales at all. That makes planning difficult. One big sale can make the year look solved. A few quiet months can make it feel like everything is falling apart. So how should brokers track whethe