In the Queen City of the South, the skyline may still rise in steel and glass, but the real shift is happening behind closed doors. The blueprint is being redrawn, and this time, more women are holding the pens.
In an industry long associated with hard hats and hierarchy, a different kind of leadership is gaining ground.
Women are shaping not just projects at CLI, but the thinking behind them. They ask sharper questions, widen the lens, and show that growth can be both disciplined and deeply human. The result feels less like a departure and more like an upgrade.
At Cebu Landmasters, Inc. (CLI), that shift is in full swing.
Founded in 2003 by a Cebuano entrepreneur, the listed developer has expanded from a regional player into a major force across Visayas and Mindanao, with more than 130 projects in 18 key cities and a growing presence in Luzon. Its portfolio stretches from residential enclaves to offices, hotels, resorts, co living spaces, mixed use hubs, and townships.
Beneath the scale is a steady compass of family values, a passion for real estate, and a commitment to customers and communities, all aimed at becoming the country’s most trusted developer.
Inside CLI, women are not just part of the story. They are helping write it. From marketing and sales to finance, sustainability, and corporate communications, they shape decisions that ripple across the business, guiding CLI with a mix of precision and perspective.
“At CLI, the real foundation of growth is our people,” said Executive Vice President and Chief People and Marketing Officer Joanna Marie Soberano-Bergundthal. Culture is not a backdrop. It is the engine.
That engine is running well. CLI recently earned the 2025 Employer of the Year award from the People Management Association of the Philippines, highlighting a workplace where engagement is high and people tend to stay and thrive.
The numbers tell the story.
Women make up 59 percent of the nearly 1,500 strong workforce, and one in four holds a leadership role. They are driving revenue, maintaining financial discipline, and embedding sustainability from day one.
“Every development starts as a vision, but it is the confidence of homebuyers and investors that brings it to life,” said Senior Vice President for Sales Marie Rose Yulo. Even the boldest ideas, it turns out, still need trust to stand tall.
Assistant Vice President for Sustainability Vera Alejandria framed the bigger picture. Growth, she noted, should not stop at financial returns. “True growth uplifts communities.”
As CLI continues to expand, the signal is unmistakable. Inclusive leadership is no longer a subplot in Philippine real estate. It is stepping into the spotlight, reshaping how the industry thinks, builds, and grows, one decision at a time.
