Outside of his community leadership role, like many members of his family, Phoa was an active Landheer or landlord. He bought the particuliere land or private domain of Teloek Poetjoeng, south-east of Batavia, now part of Bekasi. With a paternalist concern for the moral well-being of the inhabitants of his domains in mind, Phoa succeeded 1903 in banning gambling in the area. Like other Landheeren, Phoa grew and sold agricultural products. He owned a rice mill and tea factory on his domains.
