Not BGC, Not Makati: Massive 1,000-hectare ‘Industrial CBD’ south of Manila already created 75,000 jobs

Manila: Batangas province (land area: 3,119 sq km), about an hour south of Manila, is emerging as a key regional growth centre.

This is thanks to its proximity to deep-water ports, a critical mass of manpower, available land and, now, a masterplanned manufacturing-commercial hub.

The province itself forms part of the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC), a strategic, AI-native industrial project backed by 10 countries, and a key driver behind "Pax Silica", being advanced by the Philippines, the US, Japan and the UAE, among others.

LiMa Estate, about 1,000 hectares in size, is a fast-rising, ambitious business centre, about an hour by car south of Manila (45 minutes with a new intercharge coming up).

It's dubbed as a "smart and sustainable economic zone" located between Lipa and Malvar (thus the name "LiMa") in the province of Batangas.

LiMa Estate is the largest privately-owned, "industrial-anchored" mixed-use township in the Philippines, developed by Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates, an arm of the Aboitiz Group, the same conglomerate driving the country's power generation and industrialisation drive.

LiMa Estate reflects a notable trend: the broader shift in urban growth away from the traditional dominance of Metro Manila.

This 10-sqkm estate is the first large-scale industrial-core central business district (CBD) of its kind that combines factories, offices, retail centres, BPOs, schools, transport systems and residential communities inside a single self-contained community.

The Aboitiz Group, led by Filipino billionaire Sabin Aboitiz, recently won the $642-million deal to operate, maintain and upgrade the 800-MW CBK Pumped Storage Hydropower Plant (in Calabarzon) that feeds the Luzon electricity grid.

He's building more power projects to meet the country's insatiable demand for energy.

Local within LiMa Estate is the 70-hectare "Biz Hub", a mixed-use district where business, lifestyle, and community development mix and match.

The company describes the development as an “industrial anchor” ecosystem — an emerging model for countryside development.

This business district is built around manufacturing and logistics rather than purely finance, retail or residential expansion.

It already employs some 75,000 people, with a target to hit 100,000 in the next few years.

LiMa Estate is considered one of the largest mixed-use industrial developments in Batangas and among the biggest integrated economic estates in southern Luzon.

The estate hosts the following businesses:

More expansion phases are underway, with plans to link it up via an extension line of the under-construction North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project, a 147-km network linking Calamba, Laguna to Clark, Pampanga, via Manila and Bulacan.

Unlike traditional CBDs such as Makati Central Business District or Bonifacio Global City, which are driven mainly by finance, corporate headquarters and high-rise office demand, LiMa Estate’s growth model is tied directly to industry and logistics.

Executives behind the project said the estate already employs about 75,000 workers, with projections reaching 100,000 within the next few years as new locators enter the area.

Companies are increasingly looking outside Metro Manila for expansion sites because of congestion, rising land prices and infrastructure strain in the capital region.

One major locator is Conduent, which established operations in LiMa Estate partly to tap labor pools from Batangas and nearby provinces.

Company officials said the area offers access to hundreds of thousands of potential workers while remaining close enough to Metro Manila for business continuity operations.

The estate’s location has become one of its biggest advantages.

Developers said travel time from Muntinlupa and Alabang to Lipa can already take under an hour during favourable traffic conditions, with new infrastructure projects expected to shorten travel times further.

Conduent said hiring in the estate has exceeded expectations, reporting a 100% "fill rate" in 2025 while consistently surpassing target headcounts despite normal employee turnover.

Executives added that applicants were drawn not only by job opportunities but also by the modern office environment and infrastructure within the estate.

A fleet of electric buses move people within the property.

Batangas also benefits from proximity to ports, manufacturing hubs and southern Luzon transport corridors.

Developers have attempted to distinguish the project from earlier urban centers by integrating utilities and sustainability systems directly into the estate.

The hub includes an electric vehicle shuttle system, wastewater recycling facilities and an eco-materials hub that converts industrial plastic waste into construction materials such as eco-bricks and pavers.

The project reflects a growing trend in the Philippines toward decentralised economic development, as both government and private firms push investment into regional growth corridors outside Metro Manila.

Still, analysts note that industrial-core CBDs face major challenges.

Unlike Makati or BGC, which evolved into dense concentrations of multinational headquarters, luxury residential towers and financial institutions, Lima Estate must prove it can sustain long-term demand for mixed-use urban activity beyond its industrial base.

The estate’s success will depend heavily on continued manufacturing growth, infrastructure expansion and the ability to attract residents who would otherwise choose Metro Manila.

Urban planners have also warned that large master-planned estates can eventually encounter the same congestion problems seen in Metro Manila if transport systems and housing growth fail to keep pace with population expansion.

Developers say they are trying to avoid repeating the mistakes associated with older business districts, particularly traffic congestion and infrastructure overload.

Estate officials said the goal is to preserve wider roads, integrated utilities and open spaces even as office towers and commercial activity increase.

Compared with Filinvest City in Alabang, which mixes suburban living with corporate offices and retail centers, LiMa Estate is more directly anchored on industrial production and export-oriented business activity.

Compared with Makati and BGC, it remains less dense, less vertically developed and still in an earlier stage of urban maturation.

Supporters argue that its industrial backbone may also make it more resilient.

Because economic activity is tied to factories, logistics, utilities and employment generation, the estate is seen not only as a property development project but as part of a broader regional economic ecosystem.

For Batangas, the rise of LiMa Estate marks a shift in identity — from a province known mainly for ports, factories and tourism into an emerging regional business hub competing for investment traditionally concentrated in Metro Manila.

Originally designed to support nearly 200 locators and around 75,000 workers within LiMa Estate, Biz Hub has expanded into a self-sustaining urban centrE that enables businesses and talent to thrive locally without relocating to the capital.

What began as supporting infrastructure for the industrial estate has since developed into a dynamic business district driving economic activity in Batangas and nearby areas.

“Biz Hub at LiMa Estate is our commitment to decentralizing progress,” Clifford Academia, vice president and head of operations for Aboitiz Economic Estates, said in a Dec. 4, 2025, press release.

“We are building a world-class business district in the countryside — one that empowers industries, uplifts communities, and proves that global standards of development can thrive wherever there is vision, talent, and purpose,” he added.

Biz Hub integrates retail, office, hospitality, education, and residential developments into a single ecosystem designed to support economic growth and improve quality of life for surrounding communities.

LiMa Exchange and The Outlets at LiMa Estate, considered South Luzon’s largest outdoor mall, have become key commercial destinations serving workers, travelers, and residents in nearby towns.

Expanding office presence

LiMa Tower One houses both international and local firms, including Conduent, Revolve, Fusion Node, and McTon Pharma, bringing technology and business process jobs to Batangas.

The building is also the first WELL Gold Core v2-certified and BERDE 5-Star office development in the province.

Hospitality and tourism support

Holiday Inn Batangas LiMa Park, the province’s first international four-star hotel, supports the area’s growing business and tourism sectors.

Developing future talent

The Batangas State University–LiMa Campus, described as the country’s first Industry-Based Learning Hub, gives students direct exposure to industrial environments and industry-driven training programs.

Residential communities

The Villages at LiMa Estate provides residential communities designed for workers, professionals, and families seeking an integrated township environment.

Further growth is expected with the planned Manila-Batangas Bugtong-na-Pulo–STAR Toll Interchange, set to open in 2027.

The project is expected to provide direct expressway access to Biz Hub and improve mobility, logistics, and tourism connectivity across Batangas and Southern Luzon.

As investment shifts increasingly toward regional growth centers, at LiMa Estate could help bolster Batangas' position as a competitive destination for business, talent, and long-term development beyond Manila.