Not to be confused with anyone out there called Empire East, this is about an unscrupulous developer in the Philippines, called Empire East Land Holdings Inc. I shall call them the "BEAST" .... its easier to say!
A bit of background knowledge for everyone ou there. Anyone in the Philippines is familiar with the BEAST. A multi billion peso realty company, responsible for developing a multitude of mid price condominium units throughout Manila.
The Beast comes under a parent company, Alliance Global Group, which also involves the likes of Megaworld, Emperador, Golden Arches Development Corp (McDonald's etc) A very strong and prominent group of companies then.
But when the facts are known and shown, how do the realty companies within the Alliance Global Group make their money. Is it legal? Is it in the interests of the public buying into the realty market?, and who are the benefactors of this humoungus wealth?
As an unfortunate resident, duped into buying a condominium unit from the Beast, I can vouch that the interests of the customer are bottom of the list. I wanted a condominium unit, I was very happy in the knowledge that I had made my first property purchase in the Philippines, but it then only served to open my eyes to see how large developers in the Philippines treat their customers.
Remember, as customers, as the buying public, when we purchase that condominium unit, we have invested our hard earned money into a developer and a development that we can trust. This is our livelihood, this is where our family will live, and this is our futiure. But can we trust the developer?. They have laws, rules and regulations to abide to, they even have presidential decree's to follow, and they have the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) to regulate and control their operations, but do developers take notice of all this? Or do they do just what they want?In the case of the BEAST, it is the latter, as they ignore the buying unit owners as actual investors and concentrate on the investors that matter to them ...... their stockholders.
Its not just my experience, there are many people out there who have bought from the Beast, only then to find that they want nothing to do with you afterwards. With a customer services section who cannot help you. You phone them .... they cannot help you. You visit them .... you wait around for ages ..... and they can't help you ! You have problems at your condominium site, now the BEAST has nothing to do with you, you have to put your problems through First Oceanic Managment Inc, a company tied in with the BEAST, and they struggle to help you!
Throughout the internet you can find listed the grievances of individuals, all who have suffered at the hands of the BEAST! But what is actually done about it ...... NOTHING! Unfortunately many people will not complain, they may not be bothered, they may not know where to complain to or they just feel that the BEAST is such a big company there is nothing that can be done. But does that make it right? We all have to follow laws, rules and regulations and we are expected to be punished if we don't do so ..... why should the BEAST be any different?
So as a unit owner, buying from the BEAST, I was lied to by the salesmen. I was lied to at the contract signing, and ever since then all I have uncovered is a pack of lies, deceipt and deception. But it is tolerated by the filipino public because the BEAST will sort out all their problems. Wrong, why do not people understand that the BEAST operates not in the interests of its customers, it is its stockholders that it is bothered about. It is in the business to make money.
For example. The BEAST has several development projects with no License to Sell or Certificate of Registration, the very tools that HLURB has to use to control and manage development of land. As of 11th October 2011 these projects include Cambridge Village in Cainta, Xavier Hills Tower One in Quezon City, The Rochester in Pasig, and Pioneer Woodlands in Mandaluyong. Associated with the BEAST, Megaworld is even worse, with many more projects under Cease and Desist Orders. But they follow the same system as the BEAST, disregarding HLURB, its orders, instructions and the laws of the land. With no License to Sell, the BEAST and its fellow companys continue to sell, continue to advertise, continue to promote and continue to take that hard earned money off people, without the authority from a government agency, HLURB.
So who benefits from this? Well the BEAST tells its stockholders each year how well its realty sales are, increasing each year! But some of this is without License to Sell, in some cases the Beast will have no authority from HLURB to advertise, to develop, to collect amortization payments from buyers. As for the unit buyers, what are they are buying ? Is the contract valid if the BEAST has no License to Sell? Further, the License to Sell binds the developer to build the development to a certain schedule date .... with no License how can this be followed? It is not, as the BEAST will develop its unlicensed projects at its own pace. So if you are buying a presell unit from the BEAST and wondering when you will get a handover of your unit .... take into account if the BEAST has even got a License to Sell. As without it, HLURB will struggle to enforce any completion date on your unit, you are left at the mercy of the BEAST!
Some misguided people think that any issues between the BEAST and HLURB can be resolved. But lets not forget, people are signing contracts without the developer having a License to Sell, there is no control then of completion dates, and there is no control over what the developer is building. The developer is to build what they advertise. But the BEAST will get out of this, using the MASTER DEEDS as instructions allowing it to change any aspects of the development. This is without the residents having any say in the matter. So you move in, a part finished project, with many of the listed amenities missing, when will you see them? Will you ever see them? It is the responsibility of the HLURB to ensure that the developer upholds what it has advertised, but it the developer is going to ignore HLURB what are you left with?
The BEAST does what it wants and when it wants? The BEAST is a law unto itself. The BEAST will lie and deceive to get what it wants. It lies to you, the buying public, and it is even using lies to deceive its beloved stock holders. People must be able to complain, and should register their complaints through HLURB, otherwise the likes of the BEAST will continue to take advantage of everyone.
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