Defining the future of premium living: Key players in real estate meet for exclusive preview
The Philippines’ leading brokers, advisers, and executives convened for an exclusive gathering that signaled a new phase in the premium residential market. The event brought together industry leaders to exchange perspectives and reflect on how premium living in the country is evolving.
The discussions highlighted how the definition of premium living is shifting. For decades, high-end real estate was associated with scale, exclusivity, and lavish finishes. Today’s buyers expect more. They are finding homes that respond to modern lifestyles, deliver long-term value, and stand as legacies for future generations.
Jessica Sy, Vice President and Head of Design, Innovation and Strategy for SM Residences and SM Prime Holdings
These conversations further pointed to a recalibration of what the market demands. Premium living is now tied to purpose and relevance. Developments must balance privacy with connectivity, exclusivity with community, and sophistication with sustainability. This view underscored that the essence of luxury lies not in abundance but in meaning and endurance.
It was in this context that Jessica Sy, vice president and head of Design, Innovation, and Strategy for SM Residences and SM Prime Holdings, shared her perspective. “Luxury and premium living is not about living with excess,” she said. “It is about being built with purpose, intentional, enduring, and rooted in meaning.”
Her remarks reflected the consensus that future residential developments must be adaptable to change while maintaining timeless qualities.
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Vision anchored on legacy
Jose Juan Jugo, SM executive vice president and group head of Signature Series, emphasized the deliberate approach behind entering the premium residential segment. With decades of experience in retail, offices, and hospitality, the group views this move as both natural and forward-looking.
L-R: Richard Manuel of Premier South Properties; Shyla Garlan, Senior Assistant Vice President for Sales of Signature Series; Marissa Garcia of Remax Prestige; and Jose Juan Jugo, SM Executive Vice President and Group Head of Signature Series
“SM has already uplifted experiences in retail, hospitality, and office spaces. Extending that same standard into premium residences is the natural next step,” Jugo said. He added that long-term success in the sector depends on vision, execution, and collaboration with partners across the industry.
His comments underscored how the premium market requires responsibility and discipline, with a focus on building projects that endure over time.
The Keller Williams team with Shyla Garlan, Senior Assistant Vice President for Sales of Signature Series
Building futures together
The event also underscored that factors, besides architecture, shape premium living. The networks and partnerships behind developments play an equally important role in sustaining value over time. Guests saw the preview as a sign of where the country’s leading developers, brokers, and advisers aim to take the sector in the years ahead.
L-R: Engel De Ramos of Remax Unlimited; Julius De la Cruz of Remax Unlimited; Rosette Galura of Remax Unlimited; Jose Juan Jugo, SM Executive Vice President and Group Head of Signature Series; Jessica Sy, Vice President and Head of Design, Innovation and Strategy for SM Residences and SM Prime Holdings; Maggie Dy, Vice President for Business Development of Signature Series; and Cindy Javier Jison of Remax Unlimited
“Our developments are deliberate. They uplift all of us. And with your partnership, we are confident Signature Series will set a new benchmark for premium living,” Jugo said. His words reflected the spirit of collaboration that defined the gathering.
L-R: Eduardo Santos of Remax Regent, Carol Lim of Property Manila, and Richard Manuel of Premier South Properties
A defining moment for the market
For the leaders present, the preview marked an important moment in the trajectory of Philippine real estate. With expectations rising in the premium segment, projects that deliver integrity in design, resilience in structure, and long-term community value are expected to set the pace.
By bringing together the sector’s key players, the event placed a spotlight on the future of premium living in the country. It is a future built with intention, anchored on legacy, and shaped collectively by those who continue to set the standards of the market.