A sweeping view of Taal Lake has long been enough to sell a weekend home. But for the Michael Tan-backed boutique property developer Havitas Properties Inc., the scenery is only part of the story.
As more buyers seek spaces that promise not just comfort but a healthier way of living, the company is doubling down on wellness real estate-a niche that it believes is no longer a passing trend but an enduring shift in how people choose where to live, rest and invest.
That strategy is taking shape through the P2.1-billion expansion of Aya Hills in Talisay, Batangas, and the upcoming Hinabi Reserve in San Juan, La Union-projects that Havitas says were designed with wellness at their core rather than treating it as an added feature.
The company recently unveiled the second phase of Aya Hills, its resort-style villa community overlooking Taal Lake, while formally introducing Havitas Wellness Living, a collection of leisure communities centered on holistic well-being.
The timing reflects a market that continues to gain momentum. Citing data from the Global Wellness Institute, Havitas says the global wellness real estate market reached $876 billion in 2025 and is projected to approach $1.8 trillion by 2030, making it the fastest-growing segment of the broader wellness economy.
Rather than focusing solely on amenities, Havitas says it builds its projects around eight dimensions of wellness-physical, emotional, spiritual, social, occupational, financial, environmental and community wellness.
‘Wellness is no longer an amenity. It is the organizing principle of how we design, build and operate,’ says Alejandro Mañalac, cofounder and chair of Havitas Properties.
Mañalac says every Havitas development is planned around those eight dimensions, from the way homes maximize natural light and airflow to their potential to serve as income-generating assets for owners.
That philosophy is reflected in Aya Hills’ newest offerings.
The second phase introduces the Zurich Garden Villas, a collection of premium leisure homes overlooking Taal Lake, each equipped with its own private pool, deck and garden. Joining them are the Geneva Family Villas, an evolution of the earlier Geneva Suites that feature larger floor areas and private pools in every unit.
The expansion will add 31 villas with an estimated sales value of about P527 million, while typical units are priced at around P17 million.
Aya Hills has also earned recognition as a FIABCI Philippines 2026 Gold Winner in the Outstanding Developer, Residential Resort-Style Category, reinforcing Havitas’ focus on the growing wellness residential segment.
Beyond Batangas, the company is also preparing its next chapter along the coast of La Union.
During the launch, Havitas gave licensed real estate brokers and marketing partners an early preview of the P1.6-billion Hinabi Reserve, an upscale seaside leisure community planned for San Juan, La Union, widely known as the country’s surfing capital in the north.
The development aims to weave wellness into everyday living, extending the same philosophy that shaped Aya Hills while taking advantage of a beachfront setting.
Havitas has already opened its search for The Weave, the commercial gateway of the project, inviting café and restaurant concepts to become part of the community from the outset.
The company says architecture for Hinabi Reserve was designed by H1 Architecture, while the interiors were created by Arch. Cathy Saldaña’s PDP Architecture.
Its license to sell is projected to be issued in the fourth quarter of 2026.
‘Hinabi means woven. We are weaving wellness, hospitality and community into a single address by the sea and we are now inviting the country’s most exciting café and restaurant concepts to be part of Hinabi Reserve from day one,’ says Jonathan Caro, Havitas cofounder, president and CEO.
For Havitas, wellness is no longer measured by a spa, a jogging path or a clubhouse. Instead, it begins with how a neighborhood is planned, how homes interact with nature and how communities are designed to encourage healthier and more meaningful lives.
As demand evolves beyond traditional vacation homes, the developer is betting that buyers will increasingly value places that offer not only a change of scenery, but also a different way of living.