Empire East is the pioneering developer that specifically targeted the Filipino middle-income residential market, offering horizontal and mid-to-high-rise communities to aspiring homebuyers from 1994. The company is a spin-off from upmarket developer Megaworld, which targets the luxury segment. Empire East democratized home ownership in the Philippines by introducing flexible payment terms and the Zero Down Payment scheme during the Asian Financial crisis. It also introduced pioneering residential concepts which supports the different lifestyle of Filipinos.
Empire East’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Anthony Charlemagne Yu, is as visionary as his company’s product offerings. A graduate of the University of the Philippines’ College of Law, with a master’s degree from the University of London, he was both studious and socially active, fighting for minorities’ human rights alongside fellow students. This trickle down effect is possibly why Yu believes in the right of every being to have a roof over their heads, and why he sits as President of the El Nido foundation which aims to conserve and sustain the island of Palawan. He also serves as board member of the Culion Foundation, which aims to improve the quality of life of Filipinos.
Yu believes that a good leader is someone who is willing to be present physically. “Filipinos need leadership by example. In the office, I opted to open my doors to anyone who wants to express their concerns. I have also experienced being physically present with the laborers of one of our house-and-lot developments during construction – I slept, ate and worked with them and it was only then that I realized their needs and have been more hands-on in delivering it to them,” shares the company President, who names Empire East Land Holdings, Inc Chairman Dr. Andrew L. Tan as a role model. “Dr Tan claims he could not have been the owner of huge businesses today if not for the trust he placed in the people he chose to lead alongside him. That, together with a passion for vision and an excellent command for making things done, is the work of a great leader,” says Yu with admiration.
“In the office, I opted to open my doors to anyone who wants to express their concerns. I have also experienced being physically present with the laborers of one of our house-and-lot developments during construction – I slept, ate and worked with them and it was only then that I realized their needs and have been more hands-on in delivering it to them,”
