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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.
Ricky Ocampo says that the development should be
finished early next year and can turn over home units around that
time. The unique “hacienda” experience beckons.
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