Why Cebu Rocks

Funny, but I thought I was in some tropical Salzburg when I gazed at the hills surrounding 32 Sanson by Rockwell in Cebu recently. Just before the curtain of dusk settled on the Queen City of the South, I gazed dreamily at the verdant hills surrounding 32 Sanson, Rockwell Land’s newest development and its first in Southern Philippines, just as twinkling lights started to glow in the distance. And I used to think Cebu was just Mactan, the Sto. Niño Shrine and Sutukil!

But in this garden enclave soon to be developed by Rockwell into a midrise cluster of townhouses and condominiums, I saw Cebu’s genteel side.

The property once belonged to the Aboitiz family, who, until late, used it as a showroom for their Mehitabel furniture export business. The focal point of the property is a wooden ‘50s pavilion with lattice work on its windows and walls. Here, export furniture, some of which made it to the Kennedy White House  (according to heiress Josephine Aboitiz Booth, Jacqueline Kennedy had been photographed in one of the wicker chairs produced in the Mehitabel factory), were once displayed.

Beside the showroom is a split-level ‘50s bungalow with sprawling bedrooms, which was visited by the late Mother Teresa of Calcutta when she called on the Aboitiz matriarch Doña Maria Montenegro-Aboitiz.

With a sprawling garden, serene surroundings, winding roads, 32 Sanson by Rockwell is a charming development that exemplifies the Cebuano lifestyle of warmth and relaxation.

Rockwell president Tong Padilla says the company has always set its sights on  developing a property in the South and was searching for that hidden gem, much like its Makati property once was. Who would have thought 19 years ago the shut down Rockwell thermal power plant would be a heart of luxury and lifestyle today?  

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Then they looked southward.

One day, Rockwell’s landscape architect Jacko Zialcita, who was very much aware of Rockwell’s expansion plans, happened to be on the same delayed flight with one of the children of Don Luis Aboitiz (brother of Mrs. Booth) of Cebu and he asked her if he knew of any property in Cebu that fits Rockwell’s vision. She told him about 32 Sanson.

Jacko related his “find” to Tong, who immediately set up a meeting with Don Luis.

Don Luis gave Tong his price. Tong paused, then gave Don Luis his price. Don Luis paused.

“‘Then he said, okay, let’s meet halfway,’ and we shook hands. It was as simple as that,” recalls Tong, the Rockwell’s driving force.

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At a sprawling 3.2 hectares in Lahug, 32 Sanson by Rockwell features only five low-rise residential towers nestled amidst 70-percent lush landscape. With only over 300 units nestled on an expanse of landscape, 32 Sanson is a low-density development that provides genuine relaxed and private living.

Unique subterranean roads divert all vehicles to below ground passageways, creating a remarkable pedestrian-friendly and walkable environment. Residents will be welcomed with a grand resort-type arrival, and with an exclusive entrance.

This community features an exceptional lineup of amenities, including two swimming pools, two clubhouses, a function room, a gym, game room, a multi-purpose court, a lawn, a jogging path that stretches to a kilometer and children’s play area, which will allow Cebuanos and their families to enjoy life at their own pace.

While giving its community a chance to enjoy pocket greens and open space, its strategic location in Lahug allows it to remain connected to prominent nearby neighborhoods and businesses.

Rockwell commissioned Cebu architects Ed Gallego and his daughter Mirella for 32 Sanson. What characterizes the work of Ed and Mirella is a classic appeal, something that allows their structures to be relevant decades from its conception. “Whether Mediterranean, or modern, we want our works to be timeless,” Ed explains. “We want to create something that can withstand the test of time, something that people can relate to even 20 years from now.”

The high-ceilinged interiors were under the baton of Butch Valdez, who also did most of the interiors of Rockwell Makati. Valdez said, that following Tong’s directions, the interiors of 32 Sanson are “nothing too traditional or contemporary.”

Colors are mostly neutral, muted. Even the wallpaper is “quiet.” Fabrics are all natural like wool, and linen so “nothing shines.”

At 32 Sanson by Rockwell, find a room to breathe, to grow, and live the charmed life in Cebu.

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We were invited to the launch of 32 Sanson by Rockwell’s model unit last week. While a jazz band serenaded guests, a dazzling fireworks display illumined the hills yonder. Cebu’s crème de la crème relaxed in the gardens of the sprawling lawns of the former Aboitiz house, which will be largely kept to keep the “estate” feel of the property. Even the feng shui master invited to the event told us that he made it clear no tree should be “killed” in the estate; if necessary, only transferred.

After cocktails, Inquirer’s Thelma San Juan and I were invited by our dear friend Cebu travel specialist Marget Fernan-Villarica and her husband Chichi to a late dinner at Delice,  a former hilltop house in Cebu’s “Tops” that was converted into a restaurant. Up there in Delice, you need a thick shawl or jacket if you want to go to the verandah to feast your eyes on view down below, which looked liked giant jewel box on which a tennis bracelet had been unstrung, its sparkling gems, glittering all over.

“This is Cebu,” say Chichi and Marget. “In 20 minutes, you are in the mountains, in 20 minutes, you can be by the beach. In 20 minutes you can go to the heart of the city.” You can go “out of town” within town.

No wonder Cebu rocks, and with 32 Sanson, Cebuanos certainly rock well.

(You may e-mail me at [email protected].)