Filinvest brings mountain living closer to the city

MANILA, Philippines - The allure of the mountains has been hard to resist, especially for city slickers. The cool, fresh air and spectacular views have made mountain hideaways like Baguio City and Tagaytay City popular retreats for the capital’s smog and traffic-weary inhabitants.

But one can only go to Baguio once, twice or at most three times a year due to its distance from the metropolis. This is why Tagaytay, with its proximity to the city, has become a viable alternative. However, Tagaytay is still at least an hour and a half away, and needs quite a bit of planning to visit.

Filinvest not only brings mountain living closer to the city but also offers Manileños an opportunity to go home to cool, fresh air and spectacular views every day.

With 677 hectares of highland territory, Timberland Heights not only has a magnificent view of the city’s sprawl and clean mountain air, but is also a mere 15 minutes away from Batasan.

Timberland Heights was created without disturbing the natural greenways of the San Mateo mountains. Its naturally lush greenery, rolling terrain, and panoramic views of Laguna de Bay and the Sierra Madre mountain range make it an oasis of calm, especially for tired and weary city souls.

“Upon entering Timberland Heights, you can already feel that the air gets cooler because of the trees and vegetation in the area that improve air quality,” said garments distributor Jose Winston Dichupa, one of the homeowners in Timberland Heights.

Close to nature yet designed for everyday living, Timberland Heights has themed communities with a tropical Asian flavor to suit different lifestyles. Mandala Residential Farm Estates is designed for hobby farmers who enjoy cultivating their very own farm lots. 

According to Albert Morales, Timberland Heights PG head, “The environment plays a big role in this township development. So big is the emphasis on ‘back to nature’ here that farm lot owners can build on only 20 percent of their land, the rest is for farming. In fact, most of our lot owners have started to cultivate their land for vegetables with some already harvesting the fruits of their labor. 

Other exclusive hideaways are Banyan Ridge, The Ranch, and Banyan Crest for those who go for luxury and freedom.

Education also takes a novel twist at Timberland Heights. Tony Montemayor, chairman of the board of Manila Waldorf School, and himself a lot owner at Timberland Heights, explained that they decided to move the school to Timberland Heights because “the location is a perfect fit for our curriculum, at the core of which is promoting nature.”

The school promotes the Steiner way of education, which is closely linked to the development stages of childhood. “The Waldorf approach recognizes the simple but profound insight that children learn distinctly different ways at different stages of their development,” Montemayor explained.

He said the school did not have much difficulty convincing parents to transfer to Timberland Heights when they saw how much their children would benefit from the restorative energies of nature.

“We told them that their children will benefit from eight hours of fresh air every day,” he said. The Manila Waldorf School is set to accept students by next school year with bus services on hand to mitigate concerns on transportation.

Within Timberland Heights is the Timberland Sports and Nature Club (TSNC), an exclusive, family-oriented club that offers sports and outdoor adventures for all ages. 

Located at the township’s highest point, the sprawling, five-level curvilinear structure derives its design from the mountain terrain, affording sweeping views of the surrounding environment, as far away as Laguna de Bay. 

US-based concept architect Wimberly Allison Tong and Goo went to great heights to maintain the natural topography of the land to ensure that the structure and design of the TSNC enhance the beauty of its surrounding.

But apart from the view, the clubhouse is envisioned to be the hub of this mountain township. “The club is focused on creating different recreational and lifestyle experiences for the family. We want them to enjoy things that are healthy and active,” said Todd Bretzlaff, general manager of the Sports and Nature Club.

Amenities like basketball, badminton, volleyball, and futsal courts, as well as three pools, and spa facilities perfectly complement the Club’s enticing menu to make members always look forward to going to Timberland Heights Sports and Nature Club.

Indeed, upon seeing the well-planned structures and amenities, one will come to realize that a master planned community in the mountains is indeed possible.

“With Timberland Heights’ combined cool temperature, panoramic views and greenery right at your doorstep, suburban mountain living has never been so accessible,” says Morales.