Bay Mall tops off first BPO-Centric mall in Northern Cebu

Vikingland Corp. (Vikingland), an affiliate company of Top Line Business Development Corp. (Top Line), and the Municipality of Liloan, Cebu has recently celebrated a topping off ceremony of Bay Mall, a landmark mixed-use development and a product of a successful Public-Private Partnership (PPP) expected to open in 2025.

The three-story Bay Mall, Vikingland’s flagship project, initially broke ground in 2022 and is being developed on land owned by the Municipality of Liloan in the town center and close to the coastline. In the first two floors, Bay Mall houses Robinsons Supermarket as its anchor tenant, food stations, specialty kiosks, wellness centers, financial services, clothing stores, among others. Meanwhile, the third floor is set to accommodate the municipality's pioneering information technology–business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) locators, marking a significant milestone for Liloan's commercial growth and driving local employment.

“The third floor is basically for the IT-BPO space for the area. If you want to work in a BPO company which is usually all in Cebu City, those in Northern Cebu will now have the option to work here which is a game-changer moving forward,” Top Line President and CEO Eugene Erik Lim said.

The local government of Liloan initially sought a partner for its Public-Private Partnership initiative. Through a thorough and collaborative process, the LGU and Top Line agreed on the Bay Mall project to drive the municipality's development, providing employment and access to consumer goods.

“Public-Private Partnership has poised a challenge for the local government unit to ensure that it continue to foment a climate for investment that is friendly, proactive, and ready and willing to assist the private investors for everything they needed. That story has culminated to this day where we break ground on what with no doubt be a landmark infrastructure that is proof of the power of unity and public-private partnership,” Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said.

Bay Mall’s architectural design featuring various establishments, including office space for the IT-BPO industry.

“This will greatly help the economy of Liloan and will improve the quality of life of Liloanons by providing employment, a place where families will have good memories and save time because doing your grocery will no longer be far. Employment and recreation will no longer be far,” Liloan Mayor Aljew Fernando Frasco said.

Vikingland has strategically partnered with the progressive first-class income Municipality of Liloan to develop the Bay Mall, leveraging the area's thriving real estate sector. With over 200 subdivisions and communities and a growing number of businesses, Liloan is fast becoming a central and strategic hub for commerce and  trade in Cebu, boasting a vibrant, educated, and skilled population and making it an ideal location for this flagship project.

“This is not the first investment that Top Line has made. In fact, one of the biggest ones that they also made was Pier 88. I am just happy that you put in your time, effort, your money in the Municipality of Liloan,” Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Cebu 5th District Representative Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco said.

As part of its synergy strategy with its affiliate companies, Top Line will interconnect the two developments of Bay Mall and the smart port of Pier 88.

“There will be free shuttle service that interconnects the two developments. If you want to shop at Bay Mall, there is a free shuttle service for those going in and out of the two developments. If you are a customer, you can enjoy going to the port and the mall and vice versa,” Mr. Lim added.

Investing in mall and port developments, Top Line envisions to contribute to making Liloan as a logistics and economic hub in Cebu.