STA. ELENA:An escape to wonders of living with nature

Sick and tired of stressful pollution? If you’re looking for a home away from smog and stress, look no farther. Just a short 45-minute drive south of Metro Manila lies a world-class residential village where modern amenities and leisurely living blends soothingly with the most untouched forest and gently rolling landscapes.

“Ten years ago, I envisioned a place surrounded by woodlands and a golf course where I could live with all the world’s modern comforts, and still only be an hour’s drive away from Makati. It was a dream then. Now, it is but a step short of fulfillment, of reality,” said Sta. Elena Properties executive vice president and general manager Bienvenido Tantoco Jr. He took his vision and worked closely with premier master planner Palafox Associates, renowned golf course designer Robert Trent Jones Jr., and architectural firm E.T. Caniza and Associates to convert vast sugar lands into a world-class residential community within an exceptional golf course now called Sta. Elena.

The dream community is an exclusive 103-lot residential enclave in the midst of the sprawling greens of the 27-hole Sta. Elena Golf Course, which was certified by Audubon as to have complied with international standard.

According to Environment Consultant chief Eduardo D. Vera, the village, which is now home to over 102 bird species, 1,400 plant species and over 150 rare species of Philippine forest trees did not merely happen overnight. It was painstakingly built, grown and developed through the years. Tree-planting began in Sta. Elena in 1992 and now boasts of half a million strong trees. What truly sets Sta. Elena apart is its firm commitment to create a residential community and a habitat for birds and butterflies, at the same time.

Sta. Elena was designed as such that it would be an absolute yet accessible escape for the entire family. There’s a Balinese-inspired clubhouse where families can rest and pass the time. The boys can play a game of billiards while mom can lounge around with a tall glass of iced tea. The kids can take a dip in the pool during a hot day. The best part is a hearty meal enjoyed by the whole family capping the activity. Or, you may want to see the rest of the picturesque horizon…lush treetops dotting the golf course, the view of Mount Makiling, Laguna de Bay, and many more, from a bird’s eye view at the five-storey View Tower.

Very soon, too, there would be more to be enjoyed by residents and guests at the Recreation and Sports Park which will house a basketball court, a pavilion, a children’s playground, a picnic grove and a grass tennis court. It’s definitely one place where families would want to live.