IF you want to get away from the maddening crowd of the urban jungle, Tagaytay City is the place to go and build a second home to recharge and, perhaps, retire.
The answer to find a haven in Tagaytay City is Mañosa Properties Inc.’s (MPI) Tagô, just 300 meters off Aguinaldo Highway.
MPI CEO Dino Mañosa said Tagô will be a very exclusive community with a total of 52 homes only. The 40 units will be called Adobe homes, which will have a size of 250 sq m, while the 12 units will be called Ara-al homes with lots ranging from 350 to 400 sq m. Both homes will have two stories, with three bedrooms and a maids’ room. There is a bedroom on the ground floor to make sure the older members of the community are comfortable with moving inside the house. “We are a senior citizen-friendly developer,” Mañosa said.
To ensure the future residents of sufficient open space, Mañosa said Tagô is master-planned to maximize the majority of the natural beauty of the project that will provide a secure, close-knit environment.
The design philosophy of Architect Francisco Mañosa will naturally be a big part of the project. Each unit will have the classic bahay-kubo features, such as an airy, open-plan design blending with the green elements as the inspiration of the project.
Mañosa said MPI decided to build bigger homes, because they want to develop a place where the close family ties will be reinforced. “We want our project to cater to multigenerational families that can foster closeness and camaraderie,” he said.
In line with promoting the Filipino brand, the Tagô development uses locally sourced sustainable materials, such as bamboo, coconut, mat weaving, native stones and recycled lumber, and native design elements wherever possible.
Moreover, the signature Mañosa staircase with señorita steps, the banggerahan, which is used for the natural drying of dishes, as well as Mañosa-designed wooden wall lamps and other accessories, provide classic Filipino touches. “The banggerahan is a standard for all Mañosa homes from the inception of our architectural firm, it is inspired by the bahay-kubo banggerahan,” Mañosa said.
As part of the green design, Tagô has well-planned private gardens and landscaping to grow plants that are edible and endemic to the area. The project also has high ceilings, wide windows and a clear center space allows excellent cross-ventilation and abundant natural light, minimizing the need for electrically powered cooling and lighting.
Sustainable living lifestyle options, such as energy-saving lighting systems, are built into each unit, and energy star-rated kitchen appliances—as well as gas-powered washing machines and dryers—are offered as options to the buyers.
As part of water conservation in the community, a rainwater-collection system and the installation dual/low-flush toilets will be installed. To achieve zero-waste, the property management will implement a waste-management program for household help.
MPI also formed a partnership with Nurture Wellness Village to provide future residents management services, such as regular garden maintenance or butler assistance, while the family is in residence. Further, residents can also avail themselves of the famous spa services of Nurture.
Meanwhile, MPI recently introduced fractional ownership for Tagô, an arrangement in which a property is owned and shared by a maximum of three owners through a legally divided title deed. “One of the most common concerns when purchasing a second home is that the amount of time spent in it doesn’t justify the significant investment required to purchase and maintain it,” Mañosa said.
Through the scheme, ownership and occupancy can be divided and shared. The usage rights, as well as maintenance and upkeep costs, are divided equitably according to the size of the fraction purchased.
“Unlike a time share, which offers units of time in a common property, fractional ownership gives you partial ownership of the property itself,” Mañosa explained.
MPI reported 30 percent of the units have already been sold.