Family turns rest house into lucrative tourism site

By: Yolanda Sotelo
Inquirer Northern Luzon

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SANTOL room. PHOTO BY EV ESPIRITU/INQUIRER NORTHERN LUZON

BANI, Pangasinan—Tucked in the seaside village of Dacap Norte here, a compound where a family spends their vacation each summer is slowly being turned into a nature resort that harnesses the ecotourism potentials of this town.

The seven-hectare Old Woods by the Sea, which faces the West Philippine Sea, is still a work in progress, says Elizabeth Navarro, a retired doctor who, with husband Mayor Marcelo Navarro, owns and operates the resort.

But already, friends and guests are coming to enjoy what the countryside offers, she says.

Nature lovers will enjoy the resort’s pristine white sand beaches, coves, secluded sandbars, a 12-kilometer long cave, a waterfall, a mangrove forest and sanctuaries for fish and birds.

FLOWERS bloom at Old Woods by the Sea resort. PHOTO BY EV ESPIRITU/INQUIRER NORTHERN LUZON

“This was not intended to be a resort,” Marcelo says. “We built the original house in 1995 to be a retirement house for Daddy (his father and namesake, the late Mayor Marcelo Navarro Sr.), and as a summer place for family members.”

“[My father] loved to plant trees and he planted most of the trees here. But we lost him in 1997. The place was left untouched until 2001 when we repaired the house. I planned it to be my retirement home.”

The resort’s name, its owners say, may refer to the old trees around the compound and to the cottages built from wood salvaged from old buildings, churches and river beds.

TIMPUYOG, or gathering place, offers conference and workshop space at Old Woods. PHOTO BY EV ESPIRITU/INQUIRER NORTHERN LUZON

Seven cottages were built without damaging the natural elements in the area. For instance, if one finds a rock inside a room, it is because it was there before the cottage’s construction. If tree branches shade a porch, it is because these have not been trimmed.

The cottages have curious names. “Balay Bato” (stone house) came about because the deeper the workers dug when they were preparing its foundation, the more rocks and stones they excavated.

Balay Bato was supposed to be the “dirty kitchen” where firewood used for cooking would be stored. But the resort staff did not want to damage the structure so it was turned into a cottage instead.

A BEDROOM at Old Woods by the Sea. PHOTO BY EV ESPIRITU/INQUIRER NORTHERN LUZON

Another cottage started out as a potting shed for Elizabeth, who loves gardening. When British birdwatchers advised local officials that they would visit the town, the shed was rebuilt to accommodate them.

The “Timpuyog” was where the mayor held meetings with his political supporters. It has been turned into a guest house with two bedrooms and a function area.

Some cottages were named after the trees near them—“Santol,” “Anahaw,” “Old Woods,” “Dayap,” and “Mangga.”

“Mangga cottage used to be called ‘Sineguelas’ (Spanish plum) as it was nearer that tree, but the wood carvers thought it was very long so we changed it to mangga instead,” Elizabeth says.

She says none of the cottages has air-conditioning because they want their guests to experience the natural environment. The resort is supplied by spring water.

Bani caters to the adventurous. There is a bike route to the pilgrimage area of Surip, or tourists can go kayaking, scuba diving or swimming. The beach is accessible through a trail that descends from the resort.

OLD Woods offers tours to the Bangrin mangrove forest in San Miguel, where migratory birds flock. PHOTO BY EV ESPIRITU/INQUIRER NORTHERN LUZON

Olanen cove and Tubong beach in Barangay Dacap Sur are alternative places for tourists to visit.

Guests can also explore the Nalsoc cave in Barangay Colayo. The cave system of Nalsoc (which means ‘big hole’ in Ilocano) boasts of stalactites and stalagmites.

Other nature treats for visitors in Bani are the Balingcawa falls in Ranao village and the Bangrin mangrove forest in San Miguel village.

The Bangrin mangrove forest is included in the 2008 book, “Bird Watching in the Philippines,” as one of the 13 best birdwatching sites in the country.

And to cap a tiring day around town, the Old Woods by the Sea offers hot meals and coffee at the Café Elizabeth, a cottage amid a sea of green.

The best potential places to retire in PH

By: Tessa R. Salazar
Philippine Daily Inquirer

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THE CITIES of Tagaytay, Baguio and Iloilo are cited among the best potential places to retire in the country.

(Conclusion)

Are there places in the Philippines potentially ideal for our baby boomers looking for a retirement haven? In view of the factors cited the past few weeks, the following were considered by Inquirer Property sources as potentially the best places in the Philippines to retire in. That also means, however, that there is still a lot of work to do to realize these locations’ potentials.

• Laguna and Cavite

“For assisted-living facilities, I can only identify a handful, and they’re based in Laguna and Cavite. These developments are target specific toward the Japanese and Korean retirees,” said Enrique M. Soriano III, Ateneo program director for real estate and senior adviser for Wong+Bernstein Business Advisory.

Soriano, formerly marketing committee chair of the Philippine Retirement Inc. (the private counterpart of the Philippine Retirement Authority), singled out a recently opened retirement-oriented development in Laguna with a dedicated medical wellness program. He stressed that this project—Saujana Premier—could be a test case for the market. Saujana Premier has been designed for retirement-age citizens to live in an environment and a lifestyle infused with holistic wellness practices with round-the-clock professional guidance (with in-house medical doctors, plant-based nutritionists and therapists). It would be the first community in the country with complete health facilities, natural therapies and services with 25 hotel rooms, spa facilities and gym.

Lui Matti, executive director for Asset Services, CBRE Philippines, said that for retirees, a number of places in Laguna would be of interest, such as Sta Rosa, Pansol. He reasoned that the areas are easily accessible, and from there, it would be easy to travel further south or even go north to Manila when needed. “Again, the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and Skyway make travel a breeze, and Laguna still has many charming places to visit,” he said.

• Tagaytay

Matti said that with a rehabilitated SLEX and increasing developments nearby, Tagaytay and its cooler weather would be a great retirement option.

“An hour’s drive further south gives you the beaches of Batangas, while 40 minutes north gives you Santa Rosa, with Filinvest/Alabang next, and Manila just 20 to 30 minutes after that. Great golf all around, resorts, restaurants and casinos,” Matti enumerated.

Edgar Dizon, CBRE Philippines’ associate director for Investments and Capital Markets, said Tagaytay enjoys that unique characteristic of being both a tourist spot and a retirement haven.

“The cool weather and the calm environment would certainly give the retirees the much-sought-for ‘comfort’ which is difficult to find from other sites where hectic days are predominant. The cost of living may be higher than standard, but cost is relative and even peace, quiet and comfort certainly has a premium for most,” Dizon said.

• Proximity to Metro Manila

For Claro dG. Cordero Jr., head of research, consulting and valuation of Jones Lang LaSalle Leechiu, the areas of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Rizal enjoy the proximity to Metro Manila, to advanced health-related facilities, and to recreational facilities. Furthermore, there are properties that can be developed into sustainable communities. Access and assistance of local governments (to encourage locators/developers) is also a major advantage of the corridor.

• Cebu

Matti said this city is a good combination of urban and provincial life. The cost of living is lower than in Manila, but still with enough provincial charm and urban sophistication. There are good schools, plenty of entertainment options and adequate infrastructure. Cebu is also accessible to and from Manila and other places in the south because of the airport and low fares.

“Good food, good beaches and diving spots. The options are aplenty in this queen city of the south,” Matti added.

Calvin Javiniar, CBRE Philippines’ senior director for investments and capital markets, added that “Cebu is a beautiful city characterized by rapid growth and urbanization but still maintains its cultural heritage and spirit.

“It is also both a business hub and a tourist destination which caters well to the needs and wants of upscale retirees, both foreign and domestic. However, the city should still improve on their delivery and quality of medical facilities and services. Cebu City has always been identified as a potential destination for medical tourism.”

• Clark, Pampanga

Matti said the increased developments happening here make this area more interesting by the day. “I know it already is one of the top retirement areas for Americans, but could be a booming area for locals as well. The Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) offers ease of mobility in the region, and having the main airport move there will certainly add to the already rapid change in the area. The food in Pampanga helps, too. But it’s hard to determine at this point what the final face of Clark will look like.”

• Baguio

Matti said traffic in the summer capital of the Philippines has never been worse, especially during the flower festival (Panagbenga) and Holy Week, but the weather and air (depending on the specific location here) is still generally fresher, which is a serious consideration for a retiree. “Travel time has improved with the (progress in) North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and SCTEX, but is still quite a distance. It would still be difficult to do a day trip to Manila from here,” he added.

• Iloilo, Bacolod

Matti said lower cost of living and the charm of these cities could be top draws for many retirees. “People are definitely friendly and very connected to Manila. Having friends and/or family here will surely help.”

• Dumaguete

Edgar Dizon, CBRE Philippines’ associate director for investments and capital markets, said Dumaguete has “urbanized” immensely over the last few years, but the gentleness and the politeness of the people have remained. Since retirement is about living comfortably, retirees being around good-natured people can certainly make “community” living worthwhile. While local and foreign visitors come in and out for business and leisure, the congestion and (young and adventurous) tourist saturation is not prevalent.

• Metro Manila

Believe it or not, the nation’s capital mega-city has its plus factors for retirees. Cordero said the things going for Metro Manila would be the mature property developments and advanced health-related facilities, as well as the presence of highly developed infrastructure. The biggest downside, however, would be the deteriorating quality of the environment and traffic problems.

• Batangas, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Clark/Subic corridor

Soriano added that Batangas, Davao, Cagayan de Oro and the Clark/Subic corridor possess most of the required retirement elements. “These locations have the minimum standards for a retirement haven, especially for the active retirees 45 to 75 years old,” Soriano said.

The Metro Cebu, Metro Davao and Subic/Clark corridor are also ideal because of their connectivity. Soriano explained this would be due to the presence of direct flights to Metro Manila and other key cities in the Asia-Pacific region, and availability of properties to be developed into sustainable communities. The perceived problem on power supply in Cebu and the “safety” issues in Davao (and the Mindanao region, in general) should be addressed, however.

• Bohol, Aklan (including Boracay) and Palawan

Cordero said the completion of the new international and local airports would significantly boost the inherent advantages of these locations (which are the availability of properties for development and proximity to recreational/natural attractions). However, the health-related facilities in these areas should be further developed.

• Leyte, Samar, Ilocos region, Naga, Albay, and Quezon, Isabela, Aurora

Cordero said these areas are located near or with improved access to the traditional hubs of growth and development, and should take advantage of this proximity. These areas could be considered the “next wave” areas of development due to availability of suitable properties for development (and for its proximity to natural attractions). To make these places ideal for retirement facilities, the health-related facilities, access/infrastructure development, supply of utilities and further support from the local governments should be enhanced.

• Warm, hospitable

Cordero concluded: “Being a warm, hospitable people and the presence of natural attractions (almost anywhere), we consider any place in the Philippines as the ideal place to accommodate retirees. These areas (specifically mentioned), however, have had the upper-hand in developing the support facilities crucial in developing sustainable retirement facilities.”

Soriano added: “Property developers are averse to calling their projects as ‘retirement villages’ as it has a perceived limiting effect. They are more focused in creating masterplans that appeal to mainstream homebuyers with an incidental component that would attract baby boomers.”