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It’s been 23 years since volcanic ash, spewed by the cataclysmic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, blanketed this tropical country like some unwelcome snow.
More than two decades have passed since that calamity reduced much of Pampanga to a ghost, rendering barren some of the province’s extensive plains for years to come.
Life, of course, has returned to the province—and it is bound to become even more vibrant as a new, ambitious development has been put in place in those terrains, promising to stir a new ecosystem that evokes a revival of mythical proportions.
Ayala Land Inc., in partnership with Leonio Land, recently unveiled its stunning vision for Alviera, its ongoing major multi-use real-estate development north of the metropolis.
Rooting its etymology on the Latin words “vie,” which means life; and “terra,” which means land, the development is envisioned to be the growth center of Central Luzon, with business/industrial parks, retail centers and a country club. It will also be the site of a masterplanned community complete with residential neighborhoods, university zones and recreational areas—everything within whopping 1,100 hectares of land. Just to put that size in perspective, Alviera is about five times the size of Makati Central Business District and four times bigger than Bonifacio Global City.
“We will deliver something that has never been done in Pampanga in scale, size and standards—all done with a deep respect and appreciation for the nature that makes the sight truly special,” said Meean Dy, strategic landbank management group head and vice president of Ayala Land, during the recent press event held for Alviera at Greenbelt 5.
This emphasis on nature is part and parcel of most, if not all, of Ayala Land’s developments. Dy said their group fell in love with Porac’s mountain ranges, the verdant natural terrain and the very idea of creating a modern community complemented by such a stunning natural backdrop. “We see it as urban living embraced by nature, as we are building around the area’s scenic natural terrain. Nature plays a strong part of the Alviera experience.”
STRAIGHT FROM THE ASHES
Earlier this year, Alviera first opened its doors to the public through Sandbox, the premier outdoor getaway playground bannered by a Giant Swing and memorable ATV ride offerings, to name a few. Ayala Land officials said the attraction has enjoyed tremendous success since, even prompting local communities to provide public transportation routes to the area.
As it now turns out, Sandbox is just a small component of the massive development that is Alviera.
Comprising the first phase of the development are residential communities, business and industrial park, university zones and a top-notch country club set to be completed in 2016. It was revealed during the launch that involved in the residential components of Alviera, which is anticipating more than 60,000 residents that will make up the community, are Ayala Land’s own brand of Ayala Land Premier, Alveo and Avida. It was also disclosed that, initially, the sprawling university zones will be made up of Miriam College and Pampanga’s largest university in terms of student base, Holy Angel University.
Not surprisingly, what is being positioned as one of Alviera’s main draws and a principal destination for leisure visitors to Porac is the Alviera Country Club.
With a premium placed on family recreation, social interaction, member exclusivity and heightened experiences, the country club sits on a 6-hectare area and will showcase world-class facilities for sports and leisure, mini-theater and KTV rooms, massage rooms for signature spa treatments, three restaurants, including a specialty store, multipurpose halls and, yes, that incomparable, panoramic view of nature’s bounty.
According to Leandro Locsin Jr., administrator and design consultant of Leandro V. Locsin Partners, Architects that is designing the club, their group got inspiration for the design from what the rugged and beautiful landscape was telling them.
“The idea was for us to create some kind of oasis,” Locsin said of the country club, which will open two years from now. “The inspiration comes from the idea of small, elongated sheltering leaves that somehow seemed to have fallen into place out of nowhere. That’s why we created this kind of iconic feel to the leaf-shaped roof and the shape of the country club itself. It takes the idea of the land feeling like a prairie in a grassland and sets the building gently into the landscape.”
Along with the opening of the country club, some of the residential brands, transport terminals and interim retail stores will also be completed in 2016, while, as early as next year, infrastructure and road works will have already been completed.
The second phase, which is targeted between 2017 and 2022, includes the continued development of residential neighborhoods, the creation of more retail centers, the opening of commercial lots, offices and the start of formal school operations and hotels. Places of worship, public markets and hospitals are also part of the masterplan.
GOING NORTH
Ayala Land’s choice of north of the metropolis as the site of what could only be one of its most ambitious development projects may come as a surprise, considering its well-documented focus on the south, most notably the thriving Nuvali project in Santa Rosa, Laguna. But Dy said their group recognized the untapped potential of Region 3, which she describes as having “the potential to be the driving force in our nation’s growth.”
“[Central Luzon] is the third largest in the country in terms of GDP, average annual family income, and even in income coming from remittances. It is also second only to the NCR in terms of number of higher-education graduates,” she said. “Business is there, talent is there, an educated population is there, so all it really needs now is a focused growth platform. Through Alviera, we intend to create an ecosystem that allows businesses to grow, families to take root and talent to expand.”
Aside from citing the strategic location of Pampanga, located right smack in the middle of the prosperous region, Dy explained that they specifically chose the municipality of Porac because of its accessibility through major road networks, such as the North Luzon Expressway, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway,which is still under construction.
Aside from the major highways, there’s also the Clark International Airport and the Subic Bay Freeport—all within a 35-kilometer radius from Alviera.
“As congestion in Manila increases and our level of trade reaches record highs, Central Luzon facilities will provide an excellent expansion platform for the country’s economic growth, and Alviera’s location and easy access positions it well to take advantage of these opportunities,” Dy said. “With outdoor facilities, a one-of-a-kind country club, two well-respected universities, a whole slew of residential options and a well-run industrial park, among other features, this ecosystem that we’re creating in Alviera should easily make it the regional center for Central Luzon.” n