BY JOSE PAOLO DELA CRUZ
This fast-rising residential and leisure development is shaping up into a modern-day sanctuary — one that’s abloom with natural parks, waterways and landscaped gardens that will feature beautiful local flora. And it’s just one-short expressway drive from Metro Manila.
Citing a study by the University of Minnesota, representatives of Megaworld Corp. and its subsidiary Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI) underscored that more than two-thirds of people will likely gravitate to a more natural environment to relax. Being close to nature, according to the same study, neutralizes negative feelings like anger, fear, anxiety, or stress.
With these in mind, the two real estate giants joined forces to come up with the country’s first-ever botanical-themed township — the P18-billion, 251-hectare Arden Botanical Estate located at the boundary of Trece Martires City and Tanza in Cavite.
Megaworld and GERI recently updated members of the press on the status of their ambitious project, which had its groundbreaking in July 2022. Among the guest speakers present were Filipino landscape architect and environmental planner Paulo Alcazaren, who put together the design behind Arden Botanical Village and the 8.3-hectare Arden Botanical Estate Town Center, and broadcast journalist-turned-wellness advocate Korina Sanchez-Roxas.
“My kids are the nth wonder of the world,” said Korina, who described herself as a “mommy na, lola pa,” after having her twins past 50. “This means that I have to live to 120 to make sure that they end up with the right person, given that they will make one mistake in their life. So, I should know who the replacement will be,” she added half-jokingly.
Kidding aside, Korina delved deeper into her beliefs when it comes to living a longer life by citing her favorite documentary of late, Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones. Creators of the series studied eight “blue zones” or areas around the globe with the most number of centenarians. They found out that among the secrets to leading a long and healthy life, is having a plant-based diet, making movement a habit, gardening and having a positive outlook.
Bloom zone
Well, it’s much too early to tell if Arden Botanical Estate will be a blue zone in-the-making, but Megaworld and GERI, along with Alcazaren, seem pretty confident that it will eventually bloom into a “balanced environment.”
“One thing that truly sets this development apart is how the open spaces and outdoor gardens were part of the master plan from the beginning,” says Alcazaren, who has been involved in the project from the beginning. “Remember, the best life is a balanced life, but a balanced life cannot be lived if you do not live in a balanced environment,” he reminds.
Guided by such principles, Alcazaren conceptualized the Arden Botanical Village and the 8.3-hectare Arden Botanical Estate Town Center, a sprawling and vibrant hub that will have commercial and retail spaces, alfresco dining areas, landscaped gardens, parks, an events place, and children’s playground, among others. It will also feature its own Lombard Walk, a “breathing chapel,” an amphitheater, flower garden, flower tunnel and more.
There will also be Centrera Park, the central amenity area at Arden Botanical Village, which will be surrounded by natural groves of mature trees, natural waterways and ponds, sprawling lush greeneries, expansive open spaces, promenades and parks, and jogging paths. Traversing the entire township from the entrance along Governor’s Drive in Tanza, on the other hand, is a six-lane, tree-lined avenue that leads to the Welcome Pavilion and Town Center.
With all these elements in place, residents and visitors cam commune with nature and enjoy the bounty and beauty of Philippine flora at every turn. “Blooming happens in sunlight,” reminds Alcazaren, noting the advantages of living in the tropics. “So, with the right flowers and plants, we can easily sustain these areas, which were actually built around the natural terrain.”
“This groundbreaking botanical-themed township isn’t just beautiful, it’s strategically positioned at the center of Cavite’s booming infrastructure. Arden Botanical Estate is just a little over an hour away from NAIA via CAVITEX, CBTEX (Silang Interchange), a convenient 45-minute drive, and CALAX (Governor’s Drive Interchange), which is a mere 15 minutes away. The Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge is also just a quick 15-minute drive, opening even more accessibility to the township. It is also a gateway to leisure with tourist destinations like Nasugbu at just an hour and 32 minutes away, and Tagaytay just 53 minutes away,” concluded Eugene Em Lozano, head of sales and marketing of Megaworld.
