15/08/2026
Cebu: an Island in Motion ππ΄
Cebuβs urban landscape is changing right before our eyes.
From the familiar streets of Cebu City to the growing skylines of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and the surrounding areas, new buildings, modern developments, roads, businesses, and communities continue to reshape the way we live, work, and move.
What once felt like open spaces are becoming vibrant neighborhoods. Old structures stand alongside sleek towers. Coastal areas are being transformed, while new residential and commercial developments continue to push Cebuβs horizon higher.
Yet beneath all this growth, the character of Cebu remains unmistakable: busy streets, local markets, small businesses, family neighborhoods, and that unmistakable island energy. π΅πβ€οΈ
Cebu isnβt simply getting bigger. Itβs evolving.
The exciting part is watching the old and the new become part of the same story. πβ¨
A changing skyline. The same Cebu spirit.
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Cebu is no longer growing only through individual buildings and condominium projects. Across Cebu City, Mandaue, and Mactan, large master-planned communities and mixed-use estates are taking shape bringing residential towers, offices, retail, entertainment, hospitality, parks, and waterfront spaces into integrated urban districts.
Here are six developments that show how Cebuβs urban landscape is evolving:
1. MANDANI BAY β Mandaue City π
Along the Mactan Channel, Mandani Bay is a 20-hectare waterfront mixed-use development designed as a lifestyle destination. Its master plan includes residential condominiums, office towers, street-front retail, a Green Promenade and a waterfront Boardwalk. The development has around 500 meters of waterfront and is being developed as an integrated community rather than simply a collection of towers.
2. SOUTH COAST CITY β Cebu City π
At the South Road Properties, South Coast City is a 26-hectare master-planned waterside estate developed through a partnership between Ayala Land and SM Prime. It is envisioned as a major business, lifestyle and entertainment destination, with components including an arena, convention center, a one-hectare park, District Square and other mixed-use facilities. Its strategic location also positions it as a potential connection between northern and southern Cebu, with access toward Mactan.
3. CITTA DI MARE β Cebu City π΄
Also located at SRP, Citta di Mare is one of Cebu's major large-scale mixed-use developments. Filinvest and the Cebu City Government entered into a joint venture covering approximately 40 hectares, while an additional 10 hectares was acquired by Filinvestβbringing the original development area to around 50 hectares. The township was planned with residential, commercial and lifestyle components, including the Il Corso waterfront lifestyle strip.
4. GATEWALK CENTRAL β Mandaue City πΆββοΈποΈ
In Subangdaku, Gatewalk Central is a 17.5-hectare master-planned mixed-use estate. Its original plan includes offices, residential developments, retail, parks and an Ayala Mall, all organized around a 30-meter-wide pedestrian-only street running through the estate. The concept is to create a walkable urban district where different uses are connected rather than separated.
5. SEAGROVE β Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City π΄π
Seagrove takes a different approach. The 13.5β14-hectare coastal estate in Punta EngaΓ±o is positioned as an eco-leisure and tourism destination. It fronts Magellan Bay and is planned around a Town Centre, Coastal Boardwalk and mangrove environment. The project is a joint venture between Ayala Land and Taft Properties and represents a push toward combining tourism, recreation, retail and nature in one destination.
6. THE TOWNSHIP AT BANILAD β Cebu City
Banilad continues to experience vertical growth as residential and commercial developments expand around one of Cebu City's established urban corridors. The area is already surrounded by major schools, commercial establishments and proximity to Cebu IT Park and Cebu Business Park, making it one of the city's important residential and business growth areas.
These developments show something bigger happening in Cebu. The future of the metropolis may not simply be about building taller, it is about building entire districts.
Waterfront communities.
Walkable streets.
Business centers.
Residential towers.
Hotels and entertainment.
Parks and public spaces.
From Mandaue to SRP and from Banilad to Mactan, Cebu is gradually developing multiple urban centers that could complement the traditional downtown and established business districts.
Cebu isn't just getting a new skyline.
It's building new places where people can live, work, shop, relax and do business. π
Artist's renderings shown are for visualization purposes and may differ from the final developments.
