An agreement between the country’s biggest home builder and an emerging sports company has been sealed to build a modern and state-of-the-art facility in the heart of a sprawling 3,500-hectare property in Bacoor, Cavite.
Golden MV’s Villar City has partnered with All-Star Properties Inc. to build the Villar City Stadium that will house among others a FIFA-certified football pitch inside a 30,000-square meter area that will provide instant access and the conveniences of a modern sports hub not only to Metro Manila residents and sports enthusiasts but to neighboring provinces as well.
To rise inside Golden MV’s Villar City, the 3,500-hectare megacity which was built on innovation, sustainability, and community, will now add sports as its main attraction aside from being the choice venue for business and leisure outside of Metro Manila.
Present during the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing last Saturday at Brittany Hotel Villar City in Bacoor, Cavite were former Senate President Manny Villar, Chairman of Villar Group; Paolo Villar, Director of Golden MV Holdings; Dan Palami, Chairman of All-Star Properties Inc.; CEO Mel Macasaquit, and COO Misagh Bahadoran, a local football icon and former captain of the Philippine Azkals.
Aside from football, The Villar City Stadium, once finished, will feature modern courts and fields for various sports, including football, basketball, volleyball, padel, pickleball, badminton and many more. The project will also solve the perennial issue of access to quality sports venues.
The Villar City Stadium will give local athletes and sports enthusiasts a world-class facility without the traffic concerns synonymous with traveling to long established and decade-old facilities in the national capital region.
“For me, this is more than just a business proposition. Matagal ko nang sinusundan talaga ‘yan. And I never believed that basketball is our game simply because we lack the height. But importante sa atin ang basketball for the simple reason na ito ang gusto ng mga Pinoy maski na wala tayong height. But football is a good sport and it is the number one sport in the world. Dapat kasama ang Pinoy dito,” Villar said.
To be constructed in the University Town Area, the former lawmaker and businessman also added that he is hoping that the new sports facility will revive further interest in football in the country. He also believes that the partnership between his company and Palami’s All-Star Properties will also be positive.
“He has my all-out support and I think there’s nobody who can revive football in the country but Dan,” he added.
Palami, often referred to as the godfather of Philippine football, is the man behind the success of the Azkals and the meteoric rise of football in the country. He also played a key role in establishing the UP Fighting Maroons as a dominant force in the UAAP.
“Our aim is to always help and advance the interests of Philippine sports. Building a sports hub that features all the perks of a modern and state-of-the-art facility is a most welcome way to solve one of the perennial problems of sports development here in the country. The Stadium will not only be a venue but also the means to fast-track the development of several sports programs and projects in the country for many years to come. It will also inspire the next generation of Azkals for sure,” said Palami.
He added that the construction of the football pitch will be the priority and he is targeting that by February or March next year, matches will already be played. Palami also added that the initial plan can accommodate at least 3,000 spectators during games and other gatherings.
All-Star Properties Inc.’s partnership with the Villar Group was made possible due to the extensive experience and expertise of its key figures, particularly Palami and Macasaquit.
Macasaquit is the founder of MelMac Sports, a leading sports marketing agency renowned for orchestrating successful campaigns for various national teams and prominent local and international brands. He also expressed his gratitude to the faith and support given by Villar.
“I am grateful to the Villars for their trust in our vision and for empowering us in implementing the grand design for the Villar City Stadium. Together with the incredible team behind this project, all of whom are born winners, we hope to create a facility that will significantly contribute to the growth of Philippine sports,” said Macasaquit.
Overall, the partnership aims to finish the Villar City Stadium in the next two years.
