Landscape of greens, haven of trees

MANILA, Philippines - Say the word ‘city’ and people immediately think of drab grey buildings and noisy, congested streets, full of modern comforts certainly but devoid of natural beauty.  But South of Manila is a bustling Filinvest development where the serenity of nature mixes masterfully with various structures and edifices to create an inviting urban destination.

Filinvest Alabang is the premier central business district and major urban locale that sprawls 244 hectares and master-planned to be at par with the world’s most modern metropolises.   A place of many faces, it is a business hub by day, a venue of culture and leisure at night and a center for family entertainment all week.   It encompasses a fast-growing number of establishments and institutions that include Festival Supermall, Northgate Cyberzone,  Westgate Center and The Palms Country Club.  It also features office towers, shopping and dining destinations, condominiums, hotels, and serviced apartments, making Filinvest Alabang a vibrant community that can provide a range of amenities.

What makes it even more exciting is that it is a ‘breathing and living’ community whose beauty is enhanced by its environment.  From trees to water forms, these natural amenities weave a stunning backdrop that truly enlivens the surroundings.

Trees are beneficial for people because they make life more pleasant.  Most of us respond to the presence of trees beyond simply observing their beauty.  There’s a feeling of serenity, peace, and tranquility in a grove of trees.  More importantly, trees alter the environment in which we live by moderating climate, improving air quality, conserving water, and harboring wildlife.

There are more than 3,000 date palm trees incorporated into the landscape, lining the main thoroughfares:  Corporate Avenue, Commerce Avenue, Parkway Avenue and Bridgeway Avenue.  Thought of as one of the world’s oldest food producing plant, the date palm is a perfect choice given the Philippine climate as this type of tree thrives in dry, warm places.  With its long trunk topped by large crowns of leaves that can grow as long as 20 feet, the date palm has a majestic look that enhances the city skyline.

From the arcaded pathways and tree-lined promenades, to the parks, greenbelts, elevated walkways and underpasses, the presence of beautiful date palm trees make Filinvest City a veritable pedestrian’s paradise.  To ensure that the number of trees keeps growing, the fruits and seeds of the trees are harvested every year.  Last year, over 2,000 kilos of fruits and 50 kilos of seeds were harvested.

One of the main roads, Civic Drive is also lined with hundreds of samanea saman, also known as rain trees.  Rain trees grown in the open usually reaches a height of 25 meters, and its crown grows a typical diameter of 30 meters – this allows the rain tree to have its characteristic umbrella-shaped canopy that provides cool shade especially during very sunny days.

The sidewalks of Civic Drive are also lined with hundreds of the yellow Poinciana.  Also known as copper-pod, the yellow Poinciana is a flamboyant flowering tree that can grow up to 50 feet tall.  The refreshing hue of the tree’s flowers adds another dimension to the already colorful beauty of this major road.

Beside the Festival Supermall, on the other hand, is a living creek.  The gurgling water of the creek is home to many types of fish such as catfish, mudfish, and tilapia. Snake turtles are even occasionally sighted, making it an attraction to the many pedestrians, joggers, and cyclists in the area.

With the freshness of green livening up the sea of grey, as one will see in the thousands of trees artfully placed in this expansive development, Filinvest Alabang truly provides an urban escape.  In this haven of trees, people can enjoy living and working in a vibrant city with a refreshing backdrop.

Filinvest Alabang is a prime development of Filinvest, a leader in property development for over 50 years.  Filinvest is committed to making the Filipino’s dreams to have a home of their own come true.  Guided by the Gotianun tradition of integrity, quality and service, it forges ahead with renewed dynamism.  Beyond building homes and communities for Filipino families, Filinvest comes to the fore of building dreams for the Filipino.

For more information, call (02) 809-6517 or (02) 8460278.