About San Antonio

San Antonio is a service company facilitating Australian Companies wanting to venture in Philippine low cost housing projects. Alamco-San Antonio is a Joint Venture of Alamco and San Antonio Housing System and Technology Incorporated (SAHSTI). The Joint Venture owns a) contract to build mass housing b) manufacturing plant for concrete wall panels which cuts construction cost to 40% c) developed land ready for housing d) construction equipment.

Why Philippines ?

The rationale with getting involve in Philippine Housing are: 

• Rate of Return on Investment are better than returns in Australia, 
• construction turnover is shorter. The turnover cycle is every 4 months while a luxury apartment unit in Perth has 18 months cycle from start of construction to sale and settlement.
• there is room of opportunity for future expansion and growth with 3.6 million housing units backlog in the Philippines as a result of UN studies.
• Government guarantees and free repatriation of earnings in US Dollars.

Australian Companies Off to Manila

The first wave of Australian companies interested in Philippine low cost housing are going to Manila with Alamco on 20 January to inspect the concrete board plant and the houses built and to select sites where display units are to be built. The purpose of the display units it to test the design, costing, and pricing. Van Der Meer and Modern Glass WA is heading the first wave. Because these company are also in construction, the display units will indicate if the technology can be adopted for other building projects.

Background on Philippine Housing

The housing backlog in the Philippines is 3.6 million units of which half is for Metro Manila area. To encourage investment in the housing industry, the Philippine government provides

a)      Government guarantees for developers and investors,

b)      Buyers financing is available from Pag-ibig Fund, Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), and Social Security System (SSS),

c)       Incentives, such as Tax Holidays is provided by the Board of Investment (BOI)

d)      Repatriation of investment in US Dollars is guaranteed by the Central Bank of the Philippines.

What is the Role of Alamco?

Alamco’s main role is to facilitate Australian company to be viable in Philippine investment environment.

1.  Project Identification

2.  Joint Venture Agreements

3.  Joint Venture Administrator

4. House unit construction

5.  Business Unit Managers

6. Project Manager