ORIENTVILLE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
BONGABON RETIREMENT VILLAGE AND BUSINESS RESORT
INTRODUCTION
Protection of the environment can also be ensured along the line of planned community
development. Areas covered by the Industrial Forestry Management Agreement (IFMA),
aside from being maintained for forestry conservation and productive industrial forestry
endeavor, can be also used for planned community development purposes. The
development strategy is to explore the natural beauty of a forested area and establish
villages that can be used for retirement living and tourism purposes.
The project presents an alternative use for a portion of the IFMA No. 307-12312019 in
Bongabon, Nueva Ecija. Its location along the foot of the central part of the Sierra Madre
Mountain Range in Nueva Ecija, and its natural beauty for a planned community, offers
better alternative for a retirement village. The location of the forest resource conservation
project that has been maintained for more than 10 years by the Orientville Development
Corporation is strategic. This proposal therefore will explore the feasibility of
establishing a retirement village as a planned community for housing, sports and
recreation, health care service delivery, and business gathering purposes. The proposal
nevertheless will adhere to the government laws and regulations appertaining to the
management of industrial forestry areas.
PROJECT GOAL AND OBJECTIVES
The goal of the project is to develop a planned community as a retirement village with all
the social and physical amenities for international retirement living. Specifically, the
objectives of the project are:
1.
To identify about 150 hectares of the AFMA No. 307-12312019 under the
stewardship of the Orientville Development Corporation to be alienable and
disposable and for conversion into a planned community,
2.
To prepare the physical development plan for the retirement village identifying
settlement area, areas for sports and leisure purposes, and areas for forestry
resource conservation,
3.
To prepare a detailed plan of operations for the operation of the retirement
village,
4.
To prepare the project financing alternatives for the establishment and operations
of the retirement village,
5.
To prepare a marketing plan for the retirement village.
THE PROJECT AREA
Location
The Industrial Forestry Management Agreement (IFMA) area is located in Bongabon,
Nueva Ecija, about 20 kilometers from the provincial capital of Palayan City, 40
kilometers from the commercial capital of Cabanatuan City, and about 160 kilometers
from Manila. The site lies approximately between 15037’24” to 1210 15”14” longitude. It
is located 2.3 kilometers southeast of Barangay Calaanan and Digmala; 1.2 kilometers
southwest of Barangay Labi and 1.9 kilometers east of Barangay Olivete all in the
municipality Bongabon, Nueva Ecija.
History of the Area
The IFMA area used to be part of the logging concession held by a defunct company
named Digmala Lumber Co., and therefore lies on a logged-over area. The roads that
exist and crisscross the area are actually abandoned logging roads which needs
improvement.
Topography
The topography of the IFMA area is steep to moderately rolling. The highest peak is 960
meters above sea level (MSAL) while the lowest is 300 MSAL. The site is bounded on
the north by the mountainous portion of the “Central Knot” of Caraballo Sur Mountains
while the mountainous eastern and south eastern portions are part of the Sierra Madre
Rabge wuitg uits oeaj if 1,812 MSAL.
Vegetation and Forest Cover
The IFMA area is mostly degraded residual forest (64%) with spots of open lands or
brush lands (17%). Although t he terrain is generally rugged, the greater portion (68%) of
the degraded residual forest (DRF) area lie on slopes below 50% .
There is a portion of natural forest which is not so degraded and this has been site aside
for protection. The purpose of this special treatment is to preserve as much as possible
the original Dipterocarp forest type. Development activities for this area shall be limited
to rattan plantation and wildlife sanctuary.
PROJECT STRATEGIES
Advocating for Environmental Conservation Along With
Retirement Living
The IFMA Project will be maintained by adhering to the forest management agreement
between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Orienville
Development Corporation. The secondary growth forest will be protected and open
brushland will be planted to recommended agroforestry species. The existing road system
will be further improved and maintained. Other commercial trees and plant species will
be introduced in the area for research and germplasm maintenance purposes. Similarly,
animal for production and gaming purposes will be also introduced in the project. A
freshwater pond for fish aquaculture and gaming purposes will be also established. In
attaining the said strategic courses of action, a product that support a balanced
environmental conservation for peaceful and happy living of local and international
clients will be established.
Integrated Package of Services
The retirement village will offer an integrated package of services, which include
retirement living, hotel and convention services, health care services, leisure and
recreation, training services particularly English language training and caregiver training
facilities. Part of the residual forest will be developed as wildlife sanctuary and can be
used for gaming purposes.
International and Domestic Marketing
The services of the retirement village will be offered to both international and domestic
clients. These will include long term retirees who will occupy the retirement village,
international tourist for short term travel, organizations for convention and leisure, and
other guest who will come to avail of the wide array of services.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Principal Services
a)
Retirement Village
The retirement village will be established as cluster o houses or terraced houses.
Their architecture will suit to a village surrounded by forest cover that will
overlook the lower parts of the town of Bongabon.
b)
Hotel and Convention Center
The hotel and convention center will serve200 guest for lodging and 500 guests
for convention. The hotel and convention services of will be also offer regular
activities such as trade fairs, job fairs, and investment fairs. Through these
services, the use of the facilities will be optimized.
c)
Training and Health Center
The training and health center will include a Language Training Center for
Korean and Chinese visitors, caregiver center for local workers who want to
pursue a career in caregiving abroad, and a clinic that can be used for medical
tourism purposes..
d)
Golf Course
The village will also establish and maintain a golf course both for residents of the
village, guests, and regular members.
e)
Water Sports
A man-made lake will be established for water sports such as game fishing,
rowing, and swimming. The facilities will be also used for the popular endurance
sports.
Support Services
a)
Road
The existing road will be further improved. Other roads will be put up for the
interconnection of the all the facilities to be established.
b)
Transportation
A regular transportation service will be maintained using air-conditioned coaches
to serve the guests. It will be regularly transporting guest going in and out of the
area with Cabanatuan City as the waiting area. This will be operated as a service
to be wholly and partly subsidized by the project.
c)
Communications
The village will establish its own local cable television facility. In the future, it
will offer to residents and guests the three-in-one services of cable television,
telephone, and internet services.
d)
Water
The project will establish its own water system that will provide the requirement
of the facilities, including the water sports facilities.
e)
Security and Safety
The project will be put under strict security. It will commission a security agency
to maintain peace and safety in the area. It will also install the necessary
electronic security device.
Environmental Conservation Plan
a)
Livestock sanctuary
The dipterocarp forest that is being protected under will be transformed into a
livestock sanctuary with both native and introduced wildlife. The sanctuary will
be used for research and leisure purposes.
b)
Reforestation and forest resource conservation
The reforestation plan as prepared in the IFMA will be followed.
INDICATIVE PROJECT COST
Particular
1. Organizational and
planning cost
a. Feasibility studies
b. Land survey
c. Business permits and
licenses
3. Physical Development
a. Facilities
Hotel
Assumption
To be contracted out
100 hectares, 500 $US per hectare
Municipal permit, DENR permit, etc.
200 room hotel, 4,000 square meters
multi-storey building with reception
halls, 20 square meters of building
space per room
Cost (US$)
30,000
50,000
6,000
1,600,000
Training Center
Retirement Home
Golf Course
Water Sports
Wildlife Sanctuary
b. Support Infrastructure
Roads
Water system
Standby automatic
generator
c. Support facilities
Transportation
Communications
4. Operating Cost
Totol Project Development
and Initial Operating Cost
Funding Negotiation
a. Loan facilitation
b. Insurance for collateral
TOTAL PROJECT COST
125 rooms dormitory and training
center, 1,500 square meters (500 bed
capacity), 4 persons per room, 5
square meters per bed
2 bedroom, 70 square meters, 28,000
$US per unit, 200 units
60 hectares
5 hectares
50 hectares
600,000
5,600,000
1,000,000
500,000
250,000
10 kilometers, 50,000 $US per
kilometer
100,000 galloons tank with pump
To supply the power need of the
village in case of power interruption
500,000
2 coach service, 100,000 $US per unit
Community cable television,
telephone, and internet
1,000,000 $US per year for 2 years for
marketing and promotions, security
and safety, facilities maintenance, and
other administrative and operating
activities
200,000
500,000
40,000
40,000
2,000,000
12,916,000
1.5 percent of the project cost
2.5 percent of the loan
193,740
322,900
13,432,640
The above indicative project cost of more than 13 million $US is attractive for financing.
the financial viability vis-à-vis the project cost can be measured by carrying out a more
detailed feasibility studies.
CONCLUSION
The magnitude of the project, on top of the present trend in retirement village
development and ecological tourism will make the project attractive for international
funding.