By Alithea De Jesus
It’s undeniable that the tourism industry in our country is one of the most affected sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic when the virus was first traced in China and still lingers on there to date.
And as inevitable, borders were closed, unnecessary movements were restricted, mass gatherings and other social activities were also prohibited for almost two years.
But with the reopening of the economy due to the increase of vaccinated people in the country, this paved the way to lift travel restrictions and opening of borders, airports, hotels and retail shops. Back to business again, slowly but surely. Lost jobs in the tourism industry are slowly being recovered as many tourist destinations have been opened again and the tourism industry sees many silver lining with this move by the government.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, leading Philippine conglomerate Alturas Group has unveiled a bold new vision for development on the island of Bohol with the launch of Panglao Shores, a 57-hectare mixed-use project that marks sustainability, community and local culture as its guiding principles.
The storied project was born from humble beginnings. The pandemic created many challenges for businesses and led to hardship and layoffs. Alturas retained all staff however, repurposing them into sometimes unfamiliar roles as they built South Farm to support local communities.
Over time it became a sustainability incubator, a place to meet, practice, experiment and cultivate resources, plant trees, store materials such as recycled woods, and it evolved into a place that simply and most meaningfully represented the essence of the inclusive culture and community ethos of Alturas. South Farm was to become the inspiration for the entire Panglao Shores development.
The success and spirit engendered at South Farm left a deep impression on Alturas Group, founded in Bohol by the Uy family, and from this seed a wider vision for the future was developed with the help of London-based sustainability experts, XCO2, and master planners SCSY who’s head office is located in Singapore.
“It was an epiphany for us, a real moment of awakening,” said Hope Uy, CEO of Panglao Shores. “The realization was that here was an opportunity to create a generational product, inspired by Bohol, on a scale that would enable a fully-integrated community to flourish with sustainability at its core.”
The result is a low-density, mixed-use development infused with the nature of Bohol, created for domestic and international buyers, integrating six hotels and resorts, 37,000sqm. of retail and commercial space, over 1,000 residential units and an international medical facility, while seamlessly weaving sustainability and social responsibility into the fabric of the project and the wider destination.
Conceived by Panglao Bay Premiere Parks & Resorts Corp. (PBPPRC), a subsidiary of Alturas Group of Companies (AGC), the project is located on the southern coast of Panglao, just off the coast of Bohol, and is a flagship project under the Tourism Infrastructure & Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), which are designed to deliver outstanding economic and social benefits to their destinations.
At the heart of the project is the Town Square Retail Mall & Night Market, a vibrant indoor-outdoor hub of shopping, dining and entertainment with live performance areas, garden walkways and courtyards. This will be surrounded by facilities and amenities, including commercial and retail, residential villages, a convention centre, co-working spaces, international hotels and resorts, and a beach club, all entwined with lush greenery and natural walkways.
International eco-building standards and materials have been incorporated throughout, such as high-performance glass, natural ventilation and solar harvesting, along with smart technologies, electric transport, water treatment, waste reduction, and the removal of all single-use plastics. Local vendors are supported to sell crafts, native farmers and fishing communities have been built into the supply chain, children’s education is supported and coral reefs are protected.
Construction of the 188-room South Palms Resort is currently underway in Phase 1 with completion scheduled in 2024. Bohol is one of the most exciting destinations for investment and tourism in the Philippines. The island is served by the Panglao Bohol International Airport.
For more information about Panglao Shores, please visit https://www.panglaoshores.com