Filipino company The Villar Group is beefing up its mall count to boost income.

Its property units Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc and Starmalls Inc are to develop four and five new malls, respectively.

Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc, which currently operates four malls, will open new locations in Iloilo, Bulacan, Cagayan de Oro and Davao Oriental.

Meanwhile, Starmalls Inc, which currently has seven malls, will set up new malls in Imus, Taguig, Laguna, Daang Hari and Cebu.

“We want to be a pure player in leasing like malls and hotels,” said Manuel Villar, the founder of The Villar Group.

Starmalls Inc said last year that it will invest 15 billion pesos (US$359.3 million) to expand nationwide over the next five years. Thai company Land and Houses Public Co Ltd, which owns 11 per cent stake in Starmalls Inc, is helping the company in its expansion.