By Rizal Raoul Reyes
THE Bicol region has been neglected in the development plans for so many years by several administrations, resulting in the province’s slow progress.
With the entry of Ūgen, this will change.
The amount of P7 billion is just the initial investment for the project, which will be a game changer in the tourism industry not only in the province but the whole country, as well. Ūgen is one of the projects of Blue Development Inc., a world-class masterplanned real-estate development. Ūgen, which will function as an exclusive hideaway in the Bicol province, will also provide access to a pristine marine sanctuary just off the coast of Calintaan island in Sorsogon, the famed whale sharks of Donsol and the beautiful lagoon of Mount Bulusan.
In a recent one-on-one interview with the BusinessMirror, David Sparrow, Ūgen development director and concurrent chief executive officer of Blue, said that Ūgen will be in the league of the high-end luxury island Amanpulo. “It will be a little more diverse and concentrate more on the beach, island and marine life.”
“We think of Bicol as the central hub of natural tourism. I think it’s got the marine life of Palawan, the beaches of maybe Romblon and kind a lot of history. Those entire things put together make Bicol absolutely unique. It is a game changer not just for the Philippines but for the region,” Sparrow added.
Sparrow, who is married to a Filipina and a resident of the Philippines for eight years, said Blue decided to invest in the country because it has shown sustainability. Moreover, a research said the Philippines is the fifth fastest-growing in tourism. He said domestic tourism has shown significant growth citing the increase in income.
He said Ūgen is benchmarking its standards to other world-class island resorts, such as the Mystic in the Caribbean, Saint Ross also in the Caribbean and Kiri in Thailand.
Right now, the company is developing the first 20 of the classy villas in the resort which has a price range of P42 million to P160 million. The sizes of the villas range from 440 to 1,300 square meters. Top Philippine architects Budji Layug and Royal Pineda will do the architectural work.
Ūgen will have a beautiful beach club and boardwalk that affords diners access to the powdery pink sand and magnificent aquamarine waters; quiet dining spaces such as the Treetop Tapas bar and Lakeside Café. This all-villa beach resort exudes luxury and elegance in every corner of the property. Each well-appointed beach front villa will have a unique modular design and customizable interiors.
Despite the astronomical prices of the villas, Sparrow said over 300 Filipinos belonging to the country’s elite have arranged meetings with their marketing people to talk about designs and updates. “The demand we have been receiving locally is amazing,” Sparrow said. “I think what makes it unique is the personalization of the villa.”
He said construction will start within March and construction of the villas will start in December this year.
“We really, really believe the Philippines deserves it. I think we can bring here something nice and modern that is really capturing the new wealth that is coming up in the country today,” Sparrow noted.