Work in progress - A resthouse in Pilar, Bataan evolves into a mountain resort

BATAAN, Philippines -- Many resort hotels in the country were first built to serve as private vacation homes. Oftentimes, the rest house is expanded to accommodate the guests of the homeowner. To make the vacations more memorable and fun, certain facilities are later added. These would include a swimming pool, a Jacuzzi, and a huge veranda that can be used as a venue for family reunions.

The St. Gabriel Hotel and Resort in Pilar, Bataan evolved in such a way. Located near the foot of Mt. Samat, the resort makes an ideal hideaway for vacationers. It’s in a less conspicuous address, hidden in a serenely pastoral area. It’s accessible through a side street from the National Highway. Yet to get there, it takes just a pleasant 15 minute drive from Balanga City.

St. Gabriel is owned by businesswoman Ehmidina Persico, a congenial lady who owns a number of business establishments in Balanga City.  The resort is her newest pet project. Although it’s operational now, she’s still busy building more facilities within the hilly property.

As mentioned, the resort was meant to be a private vacation house, but the businesswoman in Persico saw the potential of establishing a resort in the sprawling lot. “My husband and I bought the property in 1998 because we wanted go into farming. With so much space in the lot we decided to build a house, and it got bigger and bigger,” she says. “So turning the place into a resort seemed like a good idea. The Mt. Samat Shrine is nearby. Tourists visiting the Shrine can have a place to stay.”

She named the place after her favorite saint. “It’s also my favorite name,” she says while laughing. “It’s also the name of the angel who visited the Virgin Mary.” With the resort, Persico aims to promote her home province as a major tourist destination. She says Bataan is a haven for nature lovers and so many of its beaches and mountains are ideal for trekking and sports activities. It’s why she chose to maintain a bucolic atmosphere for St. Gabriel.

Persico designed every structure in the property and she also oversaw the construction. She also designed the interiors of the guestrooms and most of the furniture. One of the newer buildings is a one story-structure that resembles a log cabin. Rooms of varying design and sizes are now ready for occupancy. Each room has a porch where guests can enjoy the cool mountain air.

This rustic setting, however, ends once the guest enters the room. It has almost all the modern amenities a deluxe hotel ought to have. Persico says she’s a very finicky homemaker and traveler. She wants to be comfortable in any place she might stay at, and she’s sure other travelers would like to have the same kind of accommodations. “I love sleeping in four-poster beds. It’s why I insisted on having one in the honeymoon suite!” she says.

The buildings at St. Gabriel have that unmistakable countryside charm though Persico has infused traditional Filipino elements into every building. Capiz and lattice are prominent touches.

Also, there are several huts in the premises for day guests. A point of interest is a unique structure that consists of two Ifugao huts. The huts can accommodate a small family. The first hut was designed for couples, while the second has enough room for three guests. Persico had a complete bathroom installed below the huts.

Persico isn’t a licensed architect or interior designer. She just has a vision and she makes it happen through the help of an architect and engineer. Right now, she’s busy with the construction of an additional two-storey house which will have more guestrooms and a coffee shop. She’s also up and about the adjacent lot, which she’s developing into an activity area for team-building. The view of Mt. Samat and the surrounding mountains from that spot is simply breathtaking.

With the resort, Persico has also found a way to use the various decorative pieces she’s accumulated during her several trips here and abroad. “I like to collect souvenirs, and they can be anything that can remind me of the place I went to,” she says. The items vary; they could be a small wooden sculpture, an accent piece, or chair. They adorn the various rooms and they do much in adding a sense of history to this relatively new place.

By DENNIS LADAW



source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/313044/work-progress

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Posted in: history,hotel and resort,house,Resort,resthouse,travel,vacation

Bataan is Made A Province

After two centuries of Progress and development, Bataan was made a province in 1754, during the incumbency of governor General Don Pedro Manuel Arandia.

The new province included the towns of Orion, Pilar, Balanga, Abucay, Samal, Orani and Hermosa, which were under the administration of the Dominicans. Dinalupihan was also included. These towns were the parts of the province of Pampanga. Mariveles, with its barrios of Bagac and Morong, was also included in the province, thus abolishing the old district (corregimiento) of Mariveles. And Maragondon which originally belonged to this district, was incorporated into the province of Cavite.

As a province, Bataan was placed under its own Alcalde Mayor, assisted by a number of personnel. The economy of the province was taken over by its own Administrador de Hacienda Publica and its military defense units were placed in the hands of two units of Guardia Civil—one in Balanga and one in Dinalupihan under the command of two officers—and a station in Orion with its Cabo.

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Posted in: economy,incumbency,place,travel,travel and leisure

PROXIMITY AND ACCESSIBILITY

The easiest and most comfortable way to get to Bataan from Manila is via ferry services from the docks near PICC and Mall of Asia in just 45 minutes.

There are two (2) bus companies that ply Manila-Bataan route, Genesis Bus Lines and Bataan Transit while Victory Liner Bus Lines serves the Balanga-Olongapo route. It takes about two hours to reach Manila via the newly-improved North Luzon Expressway and half an hour drive to Subic and Clark using the newly-constructed Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.

Bataan’s road network totals 1,135.6 kms. Buses depart every 15-30 minutes regularly for the convenience of the riding public.

Helipad and airstrip facilities are also available for air transport facilities. It takes about 20 minutes to reach Bataan by helicopter from Manila. There are seven (7) helipads in the province: BTPI (Morong), BEZ (Mariveles), Mt. Samat Shrine (Pilar), Camp Tolentino (Balanga City), NPC Bagac, Petron Bataan Refinery (Limay), and Bataan 2020 (Samal).

There are 14 tertiary ports including the three (3) classified as national ports, namely: Ports of Mariveles, Orion, and Limay. These ports serve the industries and companies operating in the province. The Port of Orion is designed for roll-on-roll-off for cargoes, passengers, and motor vehicles. This port also provides ferry services to and from Manila.

The remaining 11 municipal ports primarily serve as local fish landing facilities.

Communication Facilities

Telephone Companies

1. Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT)

2. Digital Telecommunications (DIGITEL)

3. Eastern Telecom

4. Globe Telecom

5. Smart Communications

6. Bureau of Telecommunication (BUTEL)

7. Bataan Telephone Exchange (BATELEX)

8. PT&T

9. OWNI

Mobile Phone Servers

1. SMART

2. Globe

3. Sun Cellular

4. Piltel

Cable TV Operators

1. Apollo Fly Cable TV, Limay

2. Bataan Space Cable Network, Inc., Balanga City

3. Clear Vision Cable TV, Orani

4. Mabuhay Cable TV, Abucay

5. Mariveles Space Cable, Inc., Mariveles

6. Rousatt Cable TV, Mariveles

7. Mt. Malasimbu Cable TV Corp., Dinalupihan

8. St. Joseph Cable System, Bagac & Morong

Local Radio Stations

1. Smile Radio 98.3 FM, City of Balanga

2. Power Radio 104.7 FM, City of Balanga

Internet Providers

1. PLDT

2. SMART Communications

3. Digital Telecommunication




Related Links:


Bataan Provincial Investment Promotion Plan (2008-2010)
Strategic Location of the Province
Water & Power Utilities
Agricultural Produce
Cost of Doing Business
Investment Areas
Investment Priority Areas
Investment Incentives

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Posted in: airstrip,communications,land and ports,landing,riders,travel,vacation

Economic Significance

Bataan is one of the most progressive provinces in Central Luzon and Manila Bay Region. The province plays a significant role in the region because it is strategically located right in the middle of the country’s growth triad corridor of SBMA, Clark Special Economic Zone and Metro Manila. It plays a major role in the Central Luzon “W” Growth Corridor, as the region’s industrial heartland owing to the presence of anchor industries within the Province. It is also a strategic transport route and transshipment point linking SBMA area and other Central Luzon provinces to Metro Manila. In addition, the province is a key contributor to the overall economic productivity in Central Luzon.

The province was identified as one of the country's investment destinations. Moreover, the inclusion of Bataan in the Global Gateways, which is the centerpiece of development of the national government, will certainly spur the economic growth of the province. It promises to be the country's next economic hub when the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway Project (SCTEP) is finally put into place. This expressway will pass through Hermosa and Dinalupihan. It is complemented by the development of Subic Seaport and the Diosdado Macapagal Airport in Clark, Pampanga.

Pristine beaches and natural parks complemented by scenic springs and waterfalls as well as historical markers also provide a setting for a healthy tourism investment in the province.

The competitive market value, abundance of skilled workers and the availability of more lands and port areas make Bataan an attractive site for economic zones in the country. Presence of economic zones ensures that the province lives up to the expectations of all its investors as a primary investment capital of the country. The first economic zone in the country was put up in Mariveles in 1972.

As Bataan positions itself at the center of our country’s economic upheaval, the men and women of the province are gearing up for the expected turn-over of new jobs, better labor scenarios, and the establishment of the rovince as the hub of economic activities in Central Luzon. Bataan, the choice of today’s investors, promises potential opportunities as the peninsula open its doors to economic progress.

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Posted in: destinations,economic,investment,land and ports,manila bay,peninsula,project,travel