SATURDAY / OCTOBER 26, 2019 WWW.INQUIRER.NET BUSINESS.INQUIRER.NET [email protected] INQUIRER BIZ NAME/AGE/CITY/MESSAGE TO 4467 @INQ_Property B5-1 PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER Editor Theresa S. Samaniego Desk Editor Amy R. Remo PROPERTY PIONEERING CONDO LIFESTYLE IN THE SOUTH By Theresa S. Samaniego @teksamaniegoINQ etook a risk and it paid off. While residential condominiums were al- H ready starting to take off in key urban centers about a decade ago, Jeffrey Ng opted not to join the fray in building these modern dwellings in Metro Manila. Instead, the president of Cathay Land Inc. started to build his mid-rise condo- miniums outside the metro, where the residents prefer and are still more accus- tomed to the traditional house-and-lot setting. “We started building (mid-rise condominium pro- jects) around 10 years ago with Scandia I and II. We felt that even there (in Silang, Cavite), we had ademand. People, especially the expa- triates working in the nearby industrial estate were asking us about it,” Ng recalled. Expat community He shared that at that time, there were alot of Ko- reans and Japanese who were working in the different multinational companies in nearby industrial estates. While some prefer the house-and-lot setting, abig number of the expats pre- ferred to stay in a condo unit. “With the demand com- ing from them, we thought of putting up, initially, Scandia Suites Iand II and both were sold out. Since then, we have put up several more,” Ng said. “Selling wasn’t an is- sue.” Cathay Land also has the Golf View Terraces, Stanford Suites I, II and III, and the Fullerton Suites, which broke ground last year. All these are located in Silang, Cavite. Each project has its own amenities such as the swim- ming pool and landscaped gardens, which Ng said, the expats “really liked.” The recently built condos further have pocket gardens in every floor, affording resi- dents and their guests with stunning views of either Tagaytay or the Laguna Lake as they lounge around. What appealed to the expats, he further explained, was that living in acondo affords them utmost conve- nience. For one, they won’t have to worry about the maintenance of their home, repairs, as well as their safety and security. Acondo’s proximity to the expats’ workplaces, commercial es- tablishments, service shops, among others, lessen the hassle of having to drive far to get your essentials. Growing local market But what surprised Ng was that apart from expats, there was also a growing preference from Filipinos in the area. “To our surprise, there’s also quite abig demand from other markets,” Ng said. “We have Filipinos working at the industrial estates, too, the empty nesters who prefer the condominium lifestyle, pro- fessors from neighboring schools and universities, and even students. We have a lot of schools beside us—you have St. Scholastica, Don Bosco, De La Salle, Xavier, Miriam and B5-2 SATURDAY / OCTOBER 26, 2019 B5-2 PROPERTY WWW.INQUIRER.NET Sorry honey… you alone must pay! It is one nightmare that they civil indemnities it imposed the murder case? spouse, their common children, properties. will never forget. Spouses Ren may be charged on the parties A: It is Article 122 of the Fam- and the legitimate children of Q: Must the heirs of the and Lecia and several other per- community properties. The ily Code which states that “The either spouse; however, the deceased victim wait for the sons were accused of murder. court opined that even if Ren payment of personal debts con- support of illegitimate children liquidation of the conjugal After trial, the court acquitted and Lecia were married before tracted by the husband or the shall be governed by the provi- partnership of Ren and Lecia Ren, but found Lecia and the effectivity of the Family wife before or during the mar- sions of this Code on Support; before it can assert their claim another person guilty beyond Code, their property regime riage shall not be charged to the (2) All debts and obligations for civil indemnities arising reasonable doubt of the crime should now be governed by the conjugal properties partnership contracted during the marriage from Lecia’s conviction? charged. provisions of the absolute com- except insofar as they redound- by the designated administra- A: No. Article 121 of the Fam- Accordingly, the trial court munity property regime, and no ed to the benefit of the family. tor-spouse for the benefit of the ily Code allows payment of the ordered those found guilty to longer that of conjugal property Neither shall the fines and conjugal partnership of gains, criminal indemnities imposed pay each of the heirs of the vic- regime since no vested rights PROPERTY RULES pecuniary indemnities imposed or by both spouses or by one of on his wife, Lecia, out of the tims, jointly and severally, have been acquired by each MA. SOLEDAD upon them be charged to the them with the consent of the partnership assets even before P50,000 as civil indemnity, over the properties of the com- DERIQUITO-MAWIS partnership. other; these are liquidated. Indeed, it P50,000 each as moral damages, munity. Hence, the liabilities However, the payment of (3) Debts and obligations states that such indemnities and P150,000 actual damages. imposed on Lecia may properly erned the marriage between personal debts contracted by ei- contracted by either spouse “may be enforced against the On appeal, the appellate court be charged against their abso- Ren and Lecia who were mar- ther spouse before the marriage, without the consent of the other partnership assets after the re- affirmed the conviction of both lute community property. ried prior to 1988 cannot be that of fines and indemnities im- to the extent that the family sponsibilities enumerated in accused but modified the penal- Q: What is the property modified except before the cel- posed upon them, as well as the may have benefited; the preceding article have been ty to reclusion perpetua. With relations of Ren and Lecia? ebration of that marriage. support of illegitimate children (4) All taxes, liens, charges, covered.” No prior liquidation respect to the monetary awards, A: It is the regime of conju- Q: What are the instances of either spouse, may be en- and expenses, including major of those assets is required. This the appellate also affirmed the gal partnership of gains because when post-marriage modifica- forced against the partnership or minor repairs upon the con- is not altogether unfair since award of civil indemnity and they were married prior to the tion of the property regime of assets after the responsibilities jugal partnership property; Article 122 states that “at the moral damages but deleted the enactment of the Family Code the spouses can take place? enumerated in the preceding (5) All taxes and expenses for time of liquidation of the part- award for actual damages for and that they did not execute A: Post-marriage modifica- Article have been covered, if the mere preservation made during nership, such [offending] lack of evidentiary basis. In its any prenuptial agreement. tion can take place only where: spouse who is bound should the marriage upon the separate spouse shall be charged for place, however, the Court made Q: Is the court correct in its (a) the absolute community or have no exclusive property or if property of either spouse; what has been paid for the pur- an award of P15,000 each by ruling that the provisions of conjugal partnership was dis- it should be insufficient; but at (6) Expenses to enable either poses above-mentioned.” It is way of temperate damages. In the Family Code should be giv- solved and liquidated upon a the time of the liquidation of the spouse to commence or com- important, however, that the addition, the Court awarded en retroactive effect? decree of legal separation; (b) the partnership, such spouse shall plete a professional, vocational, court must shall first ascertain P50,000 exemplary damages A: While it is true that the spouses who were legally sepa- be charged for what has been or other activity for self-im- that, in enforcing the writ of per victim to be paid solidarily personal stakes of each spouse rated reconciled and agreed to paid for the purpose above- provement; execution on the conjugal prop- by them. The decision became in their conjugal assets are in- revive their former property mentioned. (7) Antenuptial debts of ei- erties of spouses Ren and Lecia final and executory. choate or unclear prior to the regime; (c) judicial separation of Q: Can the civil indemnity ther spouse insofar as they have for the satisfaction of the in- As expected, the heirs of the liquidation of the conjugal part- property had been had on the imposed on Lecia be charged redounded to the benefit of the demnities imposed by final deceased moved to execute the nership of gains and, therefore, ground that aspouse abandons on their conjugal assets? family; judgment on the latter accused monetary awards stated in the none of them can be said to the other without just cause or A: No, since Ren does not (8) The value of what is do- in the criminal cases, the re- decision. The trial ordered the have acquired vested rights in fails to comply with his obliga- dispute the court’s finding that nated or promised by both sponsibilities enumerated in issuance of the writ, resulting in specific assets, it is evident that tions to the family; (d) there was Lecia has no exclusive property spouses in favor of their com- Article 121 of the Family Code the levy of real properties regis- the Family Code does not in- judicial separation of property of her own, Art.