Sunday, April 13, 2008 [ manilatimes.net ]
Hacienda San Benito
A 22-HECTARE farm community is developing at the foothills of Mount Malarayat, in Lipa, Batangas, a couple of hours away from the busy and tiresome metro.
The man with the concept is Ricky Ocampo, vice president of Milrose Development Corp. He left his family’s banking and finance business to build homes suited for the hard-working Filipino, following his grandfather’s footsteps. Ocampo’s goal is to create a community where families can relax and spend time together, and feel the rewards of working in the city. The realization of this is a real and sustainable working farm integrated within residential estates, making “hacienda” living a reality for harried organization people.
Ocampo named the residential farm estates Hacienda San Benito.
The man with the master plan for the development is Jason Buensalido, principal architect of Buensalido+ Architects. His idea is to give the estate a feel of rural Philippines, and the designs of the structures, such as the front gate, do just that. He says his designs are meant to be unassuming and organic, keeping in mind the preservation of local environs and the land itself.
As envisioned by Ocampo and implemented by Buensalido, Hacienda Benito divides into five districts: Pueblo, Rancho, Hacienda, Rotunda and Vista. The lots vary in size, but each has ample backyard land suitable for planting. The lots in the Pueblo District, aimed for young families, range from 250 to 300 square meters. The Rancho District is perfect for larger families with lots cut from 350 to 450 square meters. The Hacienda District, with land cuts that range from 450 to 600 square meters, has allocated farming for fruits and vegetables. Ridge lots are to be found in the Vista District, which has spectacular views. The exclusive Rotunda District is meant to be home to the biggest and wealthiest hacienderos and hacienderas.
Hacienda San Benito boasts an open space way beyond the minimum requirement of 10 percent. In fact, the main farm called Finca Central is five hectares wide. As the name implies, it is located in the center of the property. Its location at the foot of a mountain is perfect for leisure farming, Lipa being the third coolest city in the country. The farm will also include farm animals such as ostriches, free range chickens and carabaos, to mention a few. Stables are available to those with horses. A cooperative will manage the farm, with the involvement of experts in the field of agriculture like Reynaldo Latia and Teresita Rosario. Lot owners will share in the cooperative’s proceeds as well as what they produce in their own backyards. Residents can choose to participate in the farm activities or earn without even dirtying their hands.
The experience goes further with the incorporation of unique amenities. Commercio de Ciudad is the estate’s commercial area. There is a Welcome Center as well as Trading Post and Farmer’s Market. Three cascading ponds surrounded by terraced flower gardens are available for owners and their guests to dip in and be refreshed. For coffee lovers, Terraza de Barako serves home-grown native coffee center. The Pizza Cabana offers organic pizza with ingredients that can be hand-picked fresh from the spice and vegetable garden that surrounds it. Residents can fish for their meal at the Fish Run, where a variety of fish such as tilapia, is available. The Laguna de Oro will dazzle is it is filled with living jewels. A school of Koi or Japanese carp from Niigata Japan fills this laguna with magical colors. Other unique landmarks that add to the estate’s aesthetic sense is the Puente de Maria, which is a covered bridge that leads from the Commercio de Ciudad to the actual estates; the Molino del Viento or the windmill, which acts as the Hacienda’s water tower; and the “Glorified Bahay Kubo” designed by Santa Fe, which is popular for their Spanish-Filipino designs Internationally.
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