Xavier Ateneo and Cebu Landmasters sign MOA on the ‘Campus of the Future’ and University Township in CDO.

Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI), a leading VisMin developer, has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to purchase 14.3 hectares of Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan‘s Manresa Property in uptown Cagayan de Oro. The proceeds will be utilized to build the new XU Masterson Campus, which will be three times the size of the current campus at 21 hectares.

The Vatican confirmed provisions in the agreement written by Xavier University and endorsed by Jesuit leadership in the Philippines and Rome after a two-year review process. This came after a series of meetings with XU staff, students, alumni, parents, CDO authorities, clergy, and other members of the CDO community in 2019.

The new 21-hectare XU Masterson Campus, named after the late Fr. William Masterson SJ, is designed to catalyze development in Northern Mindanao with a Sustainable and New Normal-ready Campus Masterplan characterized by an abundance of space, green areas, wide roads, dedicated bike lanes, campus-wide wireless connectivity, and healthy and adaptable learning facilities for virtual and physical learning. The goal of this “Campus of the Future” is to create a more socially relevant and inclusive learning institution that focuses on Xavier University’s colleges and schools.

The XU Masterson Campus masterplan will blend seamlessly with the adjacent Manresa Town, a 14.3-hectare mixed-use university town with generous open spaces that will provide XU students with convenient and safe residential options, easy access to commercial establishments, and future-ready offices, which will be developed by Cebu Landmasters. The University Town model generates tremendous synergies that benefit both XU and the uptown CDO neighborhood.

The campus will be built in the second quarter of 2022, after the relevant licenses have been obtained. Over 25 hectares of adjacent woodland area will be added to the 21-hectare “future campus.” In 2024, the Masterson Campus is expected to open. Prior to it, the present campus in downtown CDO will continue to operate. CLI, on the other hand, plans to finish Phase 1 of its Manresa Town development in the same time frame.

“In this new campus, we foresee an intellectually stronger university – one that will ease learning in the new normal while also producing men and women for others who can make meaningful contributions to Mindanao,” said Xavier University President and environmentalist Fr. Mars P. Tan S.J.

Jose Soberano III, chairman and CEO of CLI, stated that the listed firm is proud to be a part of this game-changing endeavor for both XU and CDO. “The purpose of both CLI and XU has always been the same – this New Campus and University Town is truly for the benefit of the people of Cagayan de Oro City. This initiative will be a major stimulant for the entire region’s education and economy.”