Live, play, dream and savor nature at Pico de Loro

MANILA, Philippines - Convenient condo living in a secluded nature destination seems almost like an oxymoron. But somewhere in nature-rich Nasugbu, Batangas, there is an enclave that offers the best of both worlds.

“Even in a condo unit, we still feel we’re close to nature,” says Marilen Tiukinhoy of her family’s easy-to-maintain one-bedroom unit in Pico de Loro. The cove development is the initial offering of SM Land’s Hamilo Coast — a master-planned development envisioned to be home to a variety of leisure communities in spectacular nature settings.

Marilen’s husband Felix, who runs businesses in the fields of human resource management and construction, also appreciates the long stretch of pristine beach, a stroll away from their condo. Their property is located at the Jacana cluster, the first of low-impact residential structures built at Pico de Loro.

Jacana, together with eight other low-rise condominium buildings under construction, surrounds a four-hectare man-made lagoon and is just a few minutes away from the exclusive Pico de Loro Beach & Country Club. Indeed, these offerings are a good fit with families who care about nature and the outdoors.

Pico de Loro’s vacation condos are a perfect complement to the country-club lifestyle. It serves as a perfect secondary home for the entire family, with various amenities and facilities that keep unit owners happy and contented throughout their stay.

Promoting Values Through Nature

The Vicente family is one of the first 10 buyers of a unit at Jacana when it was launched in 2007. Dad Odon says that the development’s layout is “just perfect! It keeps nature a top priority.”

The owner of a trading company, Odon says that since he was among the first to invest in a Pico de Loro condo, he has witnessed firsthand how the place has transformed itself into the world-class destination it is today. He has been updated on how SM Land has developed Pico de Loro while preserving the cove’s terrestrial and marine life, and sustaining the surrounding communities.

“It’s truly a breathtaking place,” his daughter Bianca agrees. The father enthuses about the nature aspects of the place, particularly the mountains and the beautiful beach.

The condo unit is much more than a summerhouse for Odon as he describes his stay-overs in Pico de Loro during the rainy months as a near-mystical experience. Whenever he looks out from the balcony of the family condo and is embraced by cool air, he sees the mountain and vegetations around him being blessed by rain — looking so fresh and verdant, as in a dream: “There’s nothing else to ask for. You truly witness God’s hand in the beautiful creations around you.”

For Felix Tiukinhoy, who often harkens back to his seaside childhood in the Visayas, Pico de Loro is a reminder of how things were and how things can be for his young family. “We decided that we wanted our kids to play more, to have fun outside and have friends to play with,” he explains. “As they say, it doesn’t just take skills to be productive, but it takes character as well. The kids might grow lazy if they just watch TV all day.” True enough, their kids are growing to be active nature seekers. Daughter Felize Marie, who is only five years old, likes to “swim in the pool, play in the sand, and eat spaghetti and hotdogs” at the Beach Club with younger siblings Faith Marie and Felix Manuel. According to the Tiukinhoys, raising a nature-loving household takes a “conscious effort.” Felix and his wife, Marilen, encourage their kids to engage in physically challenging activities and play, and are pleased that the Pico de Loro community promotes this on an impressive scale throughout the development.

Both the Odons and Tiukinhoys are fully enjoying their vacation homes, the facilities and activities at the Beach and Country Club, as well as the wide-open spaces that support nature and leisure. For investment-savvy individuals raising a family, it’s good to know that Hamilo Coast is truly a safe and secure leisure-nature sanctuary where parents can watch their kids swim, run, play, and dream.

For inquiries about Hamilo Coast and Pico de Loro Cove, call 858-0333 or visit www.hamilocoast.com.