magie - Saturday, Feb 20, 2016, 8:02 PM

PRESIDENT'S REPORT

On behalf of the Grass Residences Condominium Corporation Board of Directors, management, and staff, I am pleased to report the accomplishments within 2014-2015 to the members of our community.


OCCUPANCY

Grass Residences is currently composed of 3 towers. Tower 1 has a total saleable area of 56,221.16 sqm. Tower 2 has a total saleable area of 54,285.64 sqm. Tower 3 has a total saleable area of 53,731.71 sqm.



ADMINISTRATION

Service Providers

Aside from SosaJB Property Management Corporation, which has been providing property management services for Grass Residences since 2013, the Board engaged the services of the following providers to help improve the operations of the condominium corporation:



Condominium Dues

Improved collection efficiency allowed us to maintain monthly condominium dues at PHP 70/sqm, which the previous Board reduced from PHP 100/sqm. Crediting of the August to December PHP 30/sqm refund to outstanding condominium dues was implemented early this year. The current 78% collection efficiency can still be improved. Cutting off the water supply of delinquent units was implemented by the property management office this year. The Board also had the following services deployed:

• Credit card payment option
• Over-the-counter bank payment of condominium dues
• BIR Electronic Filing and Payment System (EFPS)
• Integrated Property Accounting System (IPAS)
• PDC warehousing

We hope that the next Board will continue to improve collection efficiency and encourage all members to exercise responsible co-ownership of Grass Residences.


Projects

In line with the Board’s directives, the property management office conducted the following activities, among others:

• Annual refilling of fire extinguishers
• Annual inspection (mechanical, electrical, plumbing and load testing)
• Annual cleaning of overhead and cistern tanks
• Landscape improvement
• Implementation of one-way traffic from Tower 2 to Tower 1
• Opening of the Nueva Vizcaya gate near Tower 2
• Purchase of new lounge chairs
• Purchase of bellhop trolleys
• Purchase of backup submersible pumps
• Purchase of generator set backup batteries
• Project plant at the bridgeway
• Residents’ Christmas party
• Grass Residences sportsfest
• Summer sports clinic
• Annual fire drill
• Earthquake drill
• Medical mission
• Financial wellness seminar
• MMDA emergency preparedness seminar
• Residents’ Halloween party

Grass Residences was also the only SMDC project to enjoy a live streaming of the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight which the Board arranged in cooperation with PLDT.

Barangay Sto. Cristo held a special registration for new voters and senior citizen ID applicants from Grass Residences.

Regular celebration of the Holy Mass at the Pavilion in cooperation with the Sto. Nino Parish church was also permitted by SMDC.


ENGINEERING

Conversion from CFL to LED lighting of Tower 1 hallways was initiated by the previous Board. We continued this initiative and realized substantial savings in lighting costs for the following areas:

• Tower 1 lobby and administration office
• Tower 3 lobby, hallways, basement parking, and administration office
• Parking building A
• Parking building B
• Bridgeway
• Basketball court

We hope that the next Board will consider LED lighting for Tower 2 once it has been turned over by the developer to the condominium corporation.

The following engineering activities were also conducted this year:

• Repair of damaged boom barrier system
• Repainting of guard house
• Repainting of basement elevator lobby
• Rectification of bridgeway tiles
• Redirection of Tower 3 exhaust
• Installation of industrial fans at badminton court
• Repainting of driveway gutter
• Installation of strainer for the pathway drainage
• Rectification of ceiling at parking building A
• Replacement of damaged boom barrier
• Repainting at Tower 3 basement elevator lobby
• Load testing of elevators as part of renewal of PTO
• Repair of Tower 1 generator set
• Rectification of damaged precast wall at parking building A
• Installation of pathway storm drain
• Replacement of busted underwater lights of pool near Tower 3
• Fabrication of steel matting along the pathway
• Repainting of parking building A elevator lobby
• Relocation of Tower 1 STP exhaust blower
• Application of groove line on the concrete gutter of the driveway ramp
• Construction of PWD ramp at the back entrance of Tower 3

Replacement of window-type air-conditioning units at the Tower 1 machine rooms by the condominium corporation with 4 three-tonner, floor-mounted air-conditioning units reduced heat in the elevator shafts and elevator cars.

The developer replaced the air-conditioning units at the Tower 3 machine room, decreasing problems related to elevator operation.


SECURITY

Commander Security Services was replaced by Eslabon Security Agency as the security service provider of Grass Residences. In line with the Board’s directives, Eslabon provided the following services as well:

• Activation of boom barriers (Tower 1, Tower 3, parking buildings)
• Activation of parking access proximity cards
• Elevator rescue seminars
• Delivery of Eslabon service vehicle
• Installation of watchman clock and deployment of spine boards and wheelchairs
• Posting of additional security guard at the bridgeway
• Extended duty of security guard at the bridgeway
• Fortification and activation of perimeter lights
• Increased operating hours of bollard lights and bridgeway lights
• Increased security personnel deployment
• Conducted values and customer service seminars for security personnel

PENDING PROJECTS

The projects below are in various stages of completion. A few are still in the costing or canvassing stage. Some are up for contract finalization. Others are simply awaiting delivery from the suppliers.

• LED conversion of underwater lights of the infinity and lap pools
• Additional play area
• Installation of standard traffic signages
• Emergency response equipment
• Bollard lights replacement
• Emergency lights for the hallways of Tower 1
• Boom barriers at all entrance gates
• BDO ATM site
• Skycable availability for Tower 1 and Tower 3
• WiFi Internet connection at the lobby and pool areas
• Ambulance Transport service for emergencies
• Intercom

FUTURE PLANS

Additional CCTV cameras in common areas, provisions for guest parking, and bills payment through SM North business centers and ATMs have been explored by the Board. We hope that the next Board will also consider these plans.


SMDC DELIVERABLES

The following deliverables are expected from the developer as agreed upon by the Board and SMDC:

• Cabana permanent roofing
• Changing room design and location approval
• Pavilion turnover
• Pavilion perimeter landscape
• Parking buildings exterior wall repainting works
• Parking buildings louvers
• Parking building A generator set
• Parking building A lights at pedestrian access
• Nueva Ecija gate guardhouse
• Tower 1 STP rectification
• Tower 2 basement parking entrance
• Tower 2 perimeter lights
• Tower 2 elevator turnover
• Tower 3 elevator turnover
• Tower 3 mechanical exhaust turnover
• Tower 3 STP turnover
• Tower 3 STP exhaust ducts turnover
• Utilities account name transfer

The new gym at the Pavilion will be operational soon. We thank SMDC for this partial delivery and look forward to the rest of the deliverables.

The use of the open parking slots near Tower 2 for additional first-come-first-served parking was also negotiated by the Board with the developer.


FINANCIAL STATUS


Today, we will vote for the reduction of the working capital from 6 months to 3 months. This is the final step required in order to amend the master deed. We hope that the majority will agree to this so that the next Board can schedule the crediting of refunds to upcoming condominium dues.

Last year's audited financial statement was released with a qualified opinion from our external auditor. This is no longer the case as the current year’s financial statements have been deemed complete upon audit. However, the existing setup wherein the current Board is held responsible for the financial statements of the previous Board is an unjust cause of confusion in terms of accountability. This is the reason why we are also asking the members to vote for the moving of the AGMM from the 3rd Saturday of November to the 3rd Saturday of May. If approved by the majority, the next Board's term will be extended so that their tenure coincides with the release of their audited financial statement.

Thank you for the year and we hope that you will extend your support to the next Board of Directors.


Marie Grace Antonio
President
Grass Residences Condominium Corporation
2014-2015