While the pandemic continues to limit the movements of businesses in the Philippines, this did not stop Butuan City’s economy to grow in full bloom and become the new investment hub in Northern Mindanao. Aside from its breathtaking geographical features and rich cultural history, the capital city in the Caraga region has also seen great potential in infrastructure investments, particularly in the real estate industry.
Let’s take a glimpse of how the “First Kingdom in Mindanao” thrives in this trying times of the global pandemic, and how the city managed to become what it is today: the gateway of the island, and the new investment hub in Northern Mindanao.
About Butuan City
Butuan City is a first-class highly urbanized city and the capital of the Caraga region. It is considered the region’s economic, industrial, and administrative center. Also, Butuan is a vital commercial hub in Northern Mindanao, with major highways connecting it to the island’s other major towns, including Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Malaybalay, Surigao, and, eventually, Tandag.
Morover, the city is also home to one of the country’s busiest airports, Bancasi Domestic Airport. Flights to and from Butuan City are operated by Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines. Meanwhile, its shipping and freight needs are provided by the nearby Nasipit International Port and the Masao Port inside the city.
Rice, bananas, coconuts, poultry, shrimp, and milkfish are the city’s main agricultural products. Rice milling, food processing, wood processing, furniture, fuel distribution, shipbuilding, and construction are some of its main businesses. An industrial park is now being built, which will help the manufacturing industry. Butuan has also proven to be a hotspot for renewable energy, with significant investments in solar and hydroelectric power generating.
Butuan chosen as Bloomberg Philanthropies 2021 Finalist
The city of Butuan is one of 50 finalists in the Global Mayors Challenge 2021, a global innovation challenge that selects and accelerates the most ambitious solutions created by cities in response to the COVID-19 epidemic.
In the first-ever Global Mayors Challenge, these 50 urban ideas came to the top of a competitive pool of more than 630 proposals from 99 nations. Butuan advances to the four-month Champion Phase of the tournament as a Mayors Challenge finalist. From June until October, Bloomberg Philanthropies and its network of renowned innovation specialists will help the 50 finalist cities develop their ideas with technical support.
Fifteen of the fifty cities will win the grand prize of $1 million and multi-year technical assistance to help them implement and develop their ideas. Winners of the grand prize will be revealed in early 2022.
The 50 champion cities proposed solutions to four of the pandemic’s most pressing issues: economic recovery and inclusive growth, health and well-being, climate and environment, and good governance and equality.
Manila and Butuan were the only cities from the Philippines and in Southeast Asia, and are among other Asia-Pacific cities to make it to the list.
Bloomberg Philanthropies is a nonprofit organization that houses all of founder Michael R. Bloomberg’s charity giving. The organization has encouraged city leaders from all around the world to present ideas to overcome issues during the COVID-19 epidemic in this year’s Global Mayors Challenge.
Butuan City pushes thru Agri-projects amidst the Pandemic
Despite the global pandemic, the Department of Agriculture (DA) 13 (Caraga) in full swing turned over a PHP3-million food production facility to the local government, which would aid Butuan city’s efforts to achieve food sufficiency.
The greenhouse, hydroponics, and nursery with a fertigation system are all part of the facility at Barangay Pigdaulan. Fertigation is a type of irrigation in which the necessary nutrients are already mixed in with the water. A season-long training program, which began in June, is also part of the initiative.
Butuan City Mayor Ronnie Vicente Lagnada expressed gratitude to the department for continuing to provide technical and project support for the city’s agricultural growth. This project will assist the city’s food production activities, which are especially important at this time of epidemic when food security is critical.
According to DA 13 spokesperson, the project will support the food production initiatives of the city, especially in this time of pandemic where the need for food sufficiency is really felt.
The local city government also assured the agency of the project’s sustainability, noting Butuan’s vast lands that can be developed for agricultural purposes and food sustainability.
Moreover, the facility will serve as a model for farmers to see farming as a business enterprise. One of the thrusts of the agriculture department is to change the mindset of the farmers from production only towards farming as a business,.
Infrastructure Developments in the City
First Condo in Butuan
Butuan’s first condominium building, Camella Manors Soleia is set to become the tallest residential structure in Butuan City. The four-building Camella Manors Soleia is being developed by Vista Land and Homescapes, the country’s leading property developer. At a very cheap price, it provides a 30-square-meter one-bedroom flat and a 40-square-meter two-bedroom unit. This is beneficial to individuals who want to live and invest in Mindanao’s most densely inhabited city.
The affordable condo in Butuan offers premium amenities like an adult pool, kiddie pool, fitness gym, function area, playpark, jogging trails, and commercial strips. The condo is also fully equipped with a 2-high speed elevator system, CCTV-security system, and a water sprinkler system. It also adopts a pet-friendly community and promotes smart condo living.
Shopping malls, schools and colleges, medical facilities, and infrastructure improvements are all within a minute’s walk of the one-hectare land development project, which is centrally located in the highly urbanized city.
These are just some of the feats that Butuan City has successfully achieved despite the pandemic. There are still too many to mention achievements this city has achieved that talking about it would take forever. Furthermore, the city still welcomes business and home investors and city dwellers with lots of business and employment opportunities. With these, Butuan city really proved that there is indeed a limitless investment opportunity in this area: The gateway of Mindanao and the new investment hub of the island.
Looking for an Affordable Condo in Butuan?
Find the most affordable condo in Butuan here.
Camella Manors Soleia is Butuan’s latest real estate player. Last January 2021, Butuan and the whole CARAGA region saw the groundbreaking of its first-ever condominium project. Camella Manors is Vista Land’s newest mid-rise condominium brand located in the regions and nearby provinces of Metro Manila. It promotes all-in lifestyle needs and resort-themed amenities that will cater to young professionals, starting families, investors, and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
Located at Montalban St., Villa Kananga, Butuan City (just across Camella Homes Butuan), the condo project is set to rise four 7-story buildings with resort-themed condo amenities. The first building Avior has a total of 119 affordable units which has been sold out last month of July.
Fortunately, you can still secure a wise investment at Camella Manors Soleia as it opened its second pre-selling building Orion.
Camella Manors Soleia is strategically located close to the city center, making it accessible to many essential establishments such as shopping malls, schools and universities, medical centers, and infrastructure developments. From Manila, you can reach Camella Manors Soleia with just a two-hour flight.
Pre-selling of units is ongoing. Interested buyers can conveniently reserve a unit online through our hassle-free and easy-to-use online payment facilities. For more information, check the Camella Manors website at www.camellamanors.com or visit our social media pages.
