The culture of corruption at Megaworld (Part 1)

When corruption afflicts even the most successful of private corporations, consumers cannot expect to have good service, nor good products. And this is the case of Megaworld Corporation. Their corporate culture has been one of sweeping problems under the rug, then wait for it all to go away.

Megaworld is beset with so many court cases, mostly from customers who have not been given their due. So when the Alcantara family whose ceiling had almost fallen over their heads sued Megaworld, they merely responded with the reason it was no longer their responsibility but that of the home owner’s association.

Megaworld’s Harold Geronimo has been trying to fight the fires of damage control with overwhelmingly big-ass newspaper ads. 

A source in the newspaper that prints their ads tells us that Mr. Geronimo has been getting 20% commission on the newspaper ads of Megaworld. Such corruption in a private corporation tells so much about their culture. Megaworld is a culture of people who want to make a fast buck but has no real dedication to their customers.

What are we in Mega-power for?

It is without a doubt that Megaworld is one of the country’s largest property developers but we are also one of the most powerful. There have been so many complaints about weak materials, bad customer service, falling roofs over the heads of residents, and sadly many of them are true. We have lawsuits that complain of our weak structures and, of course we dodge these ever so easily! Because we can afford the best lawyers that money can buy. And in fairness, everyone and everything ALWAYS HAVE A PRICE. Depends na lang on how you chorva your way to the top.

There are bloggers and netizens who share pictures such as the one below:

This was taken by a netizen walking the streets of Eastwood in the aftermath of Typhoon Glenda. It was uploaded in a popular website called http://www.wheninmanila.com   But, if you go to the original URL where this and other pictures were first posted, WALEY NA! It is now replaced by a blog post known as 10 Photos that show the aftermath of Typhoon Glenda in Metro Manila.  The original article was called “Banned photography…” kemerlou! And true it was what the original article said. Imbyerna si guard when the netizen was taking pictures! Because we don’t like you seeing us with out panties down. 

So what did we do? Mega-contact ako with KC Canlas, one of the writers of When In Manila. I met with her, pinakain ko (because that’s what all those bloggers want anyway, free fudang and it’s the end of their “advocacy”), binigyan ko ng GC and presto! May new article na pointing to ugly SM Aura and Ayala Malls. 

Totoo namang lahat ng malls binagyo ah! 

So to end all this online brouhaha, we have hired the best of the best blogger in town to combat all these small, noisy patay gutom bloggers. Yes malaki ang presyo nya parang singlaki ng kaha nya (I heard hindi lang kaha ang malaki sa kanya.). But he’s so worth it! He already has had a taste of ehem, our Mega-things to cum, este come. Hindi sya patay gutom kasi sosyalero sya at medyo angat sya sa ibang mga bloggers na gaya gaya lang sa kanya. He is the epitome of blogging. Oh how I want to worship him! I’m so happy he’s mine, este ours at Mega now, hahahhahahaha. 

So to the multitude of you who nothing better to do than complain, this is what I have to say:

See you in court.

 

Things to Consider Before Buying a Condo

These days, buying a condo unit has become a normal occurrence. The past decade has seen the increase in the development and sale of the condominiums resulting in the growth of the property industry.

With this growth, increase in supply of units resulted in lower prices. Lower prices meant more people were able to afford the condos.

But, before you buy any condo unit, consider the following:

Living in condominiums is costly.

When in comes to value for money, condominiums do not offer the best value. The average price of a cramped 18-sq.m. studio-type condo unit is 2 million pesos. For 2 million pesos you can already buy a 50-sq.m. house and lot with a yard and your own walls: with condo units, your walls are shared with your neighbors.

You also pay extra premiums when you live in a condominium: higher water bills, association dues for the condominium building’s upkeep, and other miscellaneous fees that the condo home owners’ association will charge.

Condominiums are not the best investment.

With the looming collapse of the property boom, the promised ROI on your unit will probably take longer, or none at all. Many developers have made it their marketing pitch to clients that buying a condo will be a quick and large ROI. But as soon as the units are built and turned over, many pre-selling buyers are having a hard time selling their condos. As more and more condominium development are being built, there is an over abundance of units for sale. People are now being bombarded with tons of advertisements for condos and as with most buyers, the price is always a big consideration. So, the quick flip that most developers are promising becomes just that, a promise.

Another downside to buying condominium units is you don’t always get the good quality materials. Megaworld Corporation condominiums are great examples of this. The horror stories of their owner clients are well documented. Water damaged walls and ceiling, substandard workmanship and materials are just a few of the woes that besiege the owners.

Condo living is not great and healthy living.

Most developers like Megaworld Corporation excessively market their properties as offering the best of what life has to offer. This is farthest from the truth.

It has been proven that the higher the condominium is, the more damaging it is for the environment. What developers are doing is cramming thousands of people in a small area, with condo units that are so crammed and poorly ventilated. Some don’t even have windows for natural light to come in. Again, it has been proven that natural light is more beneficial to the productivity of a person.

Even if the condo offers a lot of amenities, when you do the math, a 25-meter pool will not be enough to the thousands of people that will be potential residents. The same goes with the gym and other amenities. This is why if you must buy a condo unit, you should go for mid-rise ones with few buildings, similar to the Oasis developments of Filinvest Land Inc.

Another not so popular side effect of living in condos, or crammed spaces, has to do with eyesight, especially that of kids.

As common knowledge in developed countries like Singapore, children who grew up in confined and crammed living areas develop astigmatism early on. The reason for this is that their eyes get used to focusing on near objects that their ability to focus on far objects becomes weakened.

Condominiums offer a false sense of privacy and security.

Although it has been popularly believed that condominiums offer privacy and security, this is not always the case.

Living in condominiums mean that you should be more conscious about your actions and activities because you and your neighbor are only separated by a 4-inch thick wall. Oftentimes, whatever you do that will make noise will be heard by your neighbors.

When it comes to security, there is no condominium property that is completely secured. Oftentimes it’s your neighbors that will steal from you. Since malicious people can easily monitor your activities, they can target you and break into your unit when they know you are not home. Even if there are CCTV cameras in place, it will not deter the commission of the crime, only review it.

Purchasing a condominium unit is a major decision that has to be deliberated thoroughly. Make sure that you are fully aware of the pros and cons of living in or investing on condominiums. Do your research and get feedback from actual owners not just sales agents and developers. A little effort can save you a lifetime of regret.

For foreigners: How not to Get Scammed when buying a condo

For foreigners: How not to Get Scammed when buying a condo

Don’t buy pre-selling properties.
Pre-selling properties offer tempting discounted prices to prospective buyers. Unfortunately, the discount is oftentimes not enough to cover the problems you will get once you start paying, or during turnover of your unit.

Some of the horror stories shared to us were units that had substandard construction, original plans being changed causing units to have a different, disgusting layouts.

Another disadvantage of pre-selling units is that you are paying for a promise, something intangible: a promise that Megaworld Corporation doesn’t make good on. In some cases, they would promise a high-end product with great amenities and community. Again, this is just a promise. As so many have complained on the Internet, the reality of things are much worse. An example would be this -> http://megaworld-corporation.pissedconsumer.com/thinking-of-investing-avoid-this-company-very-bad-customer-service-20110816255846.html

You can also do your own search and see other people’s nightmare experience once they started paying for or receiving their Megaworld Corporation condo units. Just check out http://manila.coconuts.co/2013/12/09/shoulda-coulda-woulda-collapsed-ceiling-megaworld-bgc-condo and read the article and the comments after.

Always ask for pertinent government permits and documentation.

Every buyer must exercise due diligence when purchasing anything, and that includes condominiums. Megaworld has, on the record, been FINED (only) by HULRB for selling more units than they are allowed to.

Always make sure that Megaworld has all the government permits to build, to sell, and to allow occupancy of the properties they develop. Without these permits, you might as well kiss your “investment” goodbye because the lack of permits means delay, a lot of it.

Always do an ocular of the development  site.

Never, ever buy a condo that you haven’t seen the location and the community around it. Artists’  perspectives, 3D renders, and illustrations are all nice to look at, but without actually experiencing the location and the community, you might end up living beside a squatters community, or along a very congested thoroughfare, or both. If you can’t go there physically, perhaps ask someone to take videos, not photos, of the vicinity and perimeter of the property. And make sure, it’ssomeone you can trust, not the sales agent.

Don’t buy a condo.

This last suggestion may be the hardest to swallow, but the truth is, living in a condo, especially one developed by Megaworld Corporation is not the best thing to do. Although foreigners are not allowed to own property here in the Philippines except for condos, it is best to evaluate why you want to buy one in the Philippines. If you are planning to buy it as investment, heed the warnings. 
The condo boom is currently in the decline because of oversupply, which means prices will now decrease due to the imbalance between supply and demand.

If you MUST buy a condo, look for other developers like Filinvest and Ayala, but stay away from Megaworld Corporation like its the plague. Your sanity may depend on it.

How Megaworld Corporation maintains its positive image

Megaworld Corporation has successfully maintained a positive image both in traditional and online media. Even with a lot of complaints and issues with its projects, Megaworld Corporation has somehow avoided staying in negative light.

How are they able to do this? Based on our sources,Megaworld corporation has a big budget for PR, yes press relations. It has a network of traditional and online media channels under their payroll.

Last July 11, 2014, we received a Google alerts notification about an article online, with the keyword “megaworld”, that links to an article that reads, “Condo developer fails to deliver on ‘promises'”.

When I went to the link, Philippine Daily Inquirer has taken down the article. Fortunately, someone was able to screenshot it and share it on Twitter.

Here’s a bigger copy of the article:

 

With the bloggers, they send out invites to all bloggers and request to “write a post in your blog regarding the event.” Although it has now become an industry practice to solicit articles and blog post, Megaworld Corporation is doing it in overdrive.

The next time you read a positive article about Megaworld Corporation, take it with a grain of salt: it’s probably a paid posting.

– Harold G.

KNOW THE TRUTH

Megaworld Corporation and its Illegal Practices

Megaworld Corporation and its subsidiary, Empire East Land Holdings, Inc. is very comfortable with illegal activities.

In one of its projects, Cambridge Village, in San Andreas, Cainta, Rizal, Megaworld Corporation/Empire East Land Holdings, Inc. sold more units that they had permits for and advertised illegally.

Their violations were so rampant that the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) imposed administrative sanctions against Empire East Land Holdings, Inc.

And because Megaworld Corporation/Empire East Land Holdings, Inc. feels they are above the law, they conveniently disregarded the sanctions.
Click the picture below to see the ruling of HLURB against Megaworld Corporation/Empire East Land Holdings, Inc.:

 

This is not the only way Megaworld Corporation makes a profit by doing things illegal. Once you are already a paying customer, the company will find ways for you to pay more, in terms of fines and penalties.

One example is when they declare that you have late payments even though you already paid your fees.

They often do this to OFWs and foreign clients, because these type of clients can’t bother them as fast as those in the Philippines. 

Here’s an example of such demonic practice:

“The payment was made in September, 6 months later they contacted me by email and said they never received that months payment.First question I asked was why are you telling me now.

I said I know I made it and will email you a copy of the receipt you sent me. So I did, and now they are saying that’s not good enough the need more proof? and I will be charged fees and penalties? what?

People run from this company!!!3 years of making payments and now ready to move in and they are pulling this stuff. 2ca669c” – source: click here.

 One theory as why Megaworld Corporation feels above the law is because they buy out politicians and judges. One example is when they gave a huge “discount” to then Chief Justice Corona.

They gave the impeached Chief Justice a discount on condo units in the Bellagio condominiums because of supposed water damages to the unit. But would the unit owner get a discount of repairs when it’s the responsibility of the contractor or developer to shoulder damages or faults in the unit, in the first place.

When required by the Senate to give proof of the said water damage, Megaworld Corporation, couldn’t.

To know more about this case, just do a search in google, or check out this search results:

https://www.google.co.uk/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=eZtMU8uMNuil8wfk4IGgAw#q=megaworld+and+corona

https://www.facebook.com/abscbnNEWS/posts/10150506980205168

The internet is full of information on why you shouldn’t get a unit from Megaworld Corporation. Please do your share of informing the public.

Let the buyers beware.

Megaworld Corporation Customer Service Issues

Another major issue with Megaworld Corporation is its customer service, or lack thereof.
As Megaworld is great with marketing and sales and promising you everything, including a McDonald’s branch, their after sales support and customer service is a totally different story.
Their aftersales customer service is so bad, people have taken to the internet to complain for example:

“To all MEGAWORLD prospective BUYERS,
After all the disappointments that i underwent buying from MEGAWORLD , or their affiliate company, EASTWOOD – PLEASE LANG
HUMANAP na kayong ibang mabibili, Sayang ang pera ninyo. Pagkatapos mong mag amortize ng ilang taon,at ililipat mo na ang CTC. DELIQUENT PALA SA REALTY TAX at gusto pa ipabayad sa iyo. Anong gagawin ko ? My Goodness……” – source: comment #26

 And here’s another one:

“I feel so bad for choosing Megaworld. I just bought a unit from them and Im staying here now. Sobrang daming reklamo. Sub-standard talaga lahat ng gawa nila. We have the worst water proofing here. Almost all the unit owners are complaining. Nagbubula lahat ng pintura from the window side. The windows are also sub-standard. Pinapasukan ng tubig. A lot of owners from the top floor are complaining that their roofs fell down due to the water na naipon pag umuulan. So bad the water leaks and water proofing. Warning lang talaga eto to all the buyers!!!. Megaworld just wants to make money from all of you! They dont care. Buti pa DMCI and Ayala. I think Megaworld just wants to destroy their name completely. This should go out to the media soon!!!. Im so dissappointed. All the unit owners are feeling the same here.
(sorry i cant mention my place for security reasons)” – source: comment #32

 And another from http://www.pissedconsumer.com/reviews-by-company/megaworld-corporation/thinking-of-investing-avoid-this-company-very-bad-customer-service-20110816255846.html:

“I purchased a unit from them and it has been a terrible experience. We had to sign the contract 3 times because they could not locate where these signed contracts land. Dealing with their billing is a nightmare, constantly asking for the same documents over and over again. I have been passed on from on agent to the other because of turnovers.

It’s been 8 months today since I originally purchased a unit and my issues are still unresolved I just continue to be passed on from one associate to the other.”

From dee
“Very bad customer service. I agree with above review. They pass you around different departments for turnover. I am also living abroad and thought this would be a great investment.

We bought our unit during preselling period. Everything went well then, we paid in full. They send us the contract to buy and sell, we signed it and then sent it back, they sent our original copy over with notary. The project is now finished. And we wait for the turnover. The delay is now 1 year and 3 months from what was written and promised in the CTBS.

I went back to Manila to discuss this issue with them directly as you can’t call or email anyone anymore. When we were discussing payment and such all emails were replied to instantly, but now nothing. I rode their elevator and went to 3 different departments, talked to 3 different people. I thought all is well, I now I have their direct emails and contact details. I WAS SO WRONG.

Now, I have to pay a lawyer and see if they will at least listen to someone who has the power to sue them.”

 The Internet is filled with similar horror stories of Megaworld Corporations’ infamous customer service.
Do your research before getting involved with Megaworld Corporation: you’ll save yourself a lot of hurt.

Megaworld Condos: Not worth your hard-earned money

Megaworld Corporation’s major failure is in its inability to provide a quality product.

There had been a lot of complaints from customers who cannot tolerate the pathetic quality of the condo units when they were turned over to the owners. Some of the worst cases are those falling ceilings due to the water damage brought about by poor plumbing. And to make it worse and add insult to injury, Megaworld doesn’t take responsibility for it: they blame their contractors and make the owners pay for the damages.

image source: http://manila.coconuts.co/2013/12/09/shoulda-coulda-woulda-collapsed-ceiling-megaworld-bgc-condo

There have been complaints of owners having to pay even more just to have their units remodeled so it can be livable.

Although Megaworld Corporation is trying its best to make it appear that they are a dependable company, that is farther from the truth.

The main problem with them? Substandard and poor quality condominium units. The most common problems are the thin walls, poor paint jobs, leaking pipes from above.
As members of  commenter in Pinoy Exchange posted, and we quote:

“Madami kelangan ipa-repair kasi hindi maganda ang pagkakagawa. May mga structural defects as a few posters have mentioned. Pansin ko din na hindi maganda ang quality ng mga ginamit. Mukhang en grande sa labas, pero parang low cost housing sa loob.” – source: comment #44

 Ang napansin ko pangit sa One Orchard at ibang condo ng MegaWorld. Wala natural light or hangin sa loob. Kulob na kulob. Maganda yung ginawa nung Tivoli Gardens. Every 3rd floor may opening sila. kaya natural light and air nakapasok.- source: comment #72

In the website Pissedconsumer.com, a reviewer/owner properly sums his/her problem with her Megaworld condo unit:

The air conditioner condensing unit or compressor on the belagio 3 units are installed inside the living room and inside the bedroom. When i inspected my unit I thought there were two coffins in my unit.I asked the building engineer and his explanation is that there is no place to put the compressor outside.I think this a building code violation, belagio 3 owners should unite and find a solution to this problem.If you are an investor do not invest in this company, their advertising is fantastic but their product is bulok or rotten.- source: comment by  belagio 3 owner

There are more stories shared online, but what has Megaworld Corporation done to fix these problems? Nothing. The sadder truth is, their Head of Communication, Harold Geronimo, is hell bent and spending a good amount of money to make Megaworld Corporation look awesome online. They have even bragged about investing 15 Billion pesos on new projects, but why can’t they just fix the defective products first?

Let the buyers beware of Megaworld Corporation.

Megaworld Corporation: A Company Thriving through Fraud and Deceit

Megaworld Corporation is one of the biggest if not the biggest realty developer in the Philippines.
But its rise to the top was not all good and dainty as its marketing people would want you to believe.
So many people have come to realize that the dream homes and lifestyle that this company sells is all but a lure to the nightmare of having to live in a condo unit that doesn’t match the hard earned money that you bought it for.
Join us as we reveal the truth about Megaworld Corporation.