LUBAO, Pampanga—The 400-hectare Pradera Verde estate here is making this town the center of sports and tourism events in Central and North Luzon.
The Pradera Verde in Barangay Prado Siongco has a nearly completed world-class 36-hole championship golf course.
The third edition of the highly anticipated Lubao International Hot Air Balloon Festival is set this coming April 14 to 17 at Pradera Verde, which is about a five minutes’ drive from the Dinalupihan Exit of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.
Event organizer Steve Kim said there will be more balloonists this year, compared to 2015 and 2014.
In March 2015 some 100,000 local and foreign tourists attended the balloon festival. At least 36 hot-air balloons from 18 countries were showcased in March 2015.
Kim is expecting more than 40 hot-air balloons to join this year.
The Pradera Wakeboard Park “is not just one of the biggest wakeboard parks in the country, but has the safest water due to its modern environment-friendly technology,” estate officials said.
Last week the first-ever Pradera Cycling Classic was held at the estate, where there are at least 89 single and family villas.
The two-day event was attended by hundreds of bikers from Luzon, some of whom are young professionals.
This town is etching its way as a prime tourism destination, and is now targeting health buffs and bike enthusiasts, a statement released on February 1.
Home of champions
MAYOR Mylyn Pineda-Cayabyab said: “We just want to make Lubao more beautiful and filled with major activities beneficial not just to this town, but other areas in Pampanga, as well.”
The two-term mayor is the mother of Annyka Chanel Pineda-Cayabyab, five-time world junior golf champion and youngest Most Outstanding Kapampangan Awards recipient. She got the award in 2014.
Annyka’s presence in international and local golf tournaments boosted the image of Lubao “as a home of champions and sports tourism.” The 11-year-old young golf sensation is handled by veteran coach Norman Sto. Domingo.
Annyka, granddaughter of Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda and businessman Rodolfo Pineda, is promoting the soon-to-open 36-hole golf course. It sits on a 150-hectare area of the estate.
In July, Annyka is set to compete at the Veritas Junior Golf at the Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena, California. She topped the tournament four-straight times beginning 2012.
Under Sto. Domingo, Annyka ruled the Future Champions of Golf International junior championships at the Riverwalk Golf and Club in San Diego, California, in 2014.
Best in Luzon
PRADERA Verde officials are set to open the golf course late this year, boosting the image of Pampanga as “a prime destination for golfers” in North and Central Luzon.
“It’s the best we have seen north of Metro Manila today, and this is good for Pampanga’s economy and tourism,” veteran golf coach Nestor Mendoza of Country Club Philippines said, after their members recently played at the 18-hole golf course of the Pradera Verde golf course.
Mendoza is the assistant of Anthony Lopez, head coach of the Country Club and many times the coach of Philippine golf teams.
“Its design is for champions. The greens are big. The fairways are long,” Mendoza said.
Lopez said: “So far, it’s good due to the layout of the golf course,” adding, “there will be many grown-up trees in the golf course soon, and this is most welcome.”
Lopez and Mendoza said they have seen “more than 100 golf courses in more than 20 countries, and this [Pradera] is one of the best in the country.” They are handling the “best” in women’s amateur golf, including Pauline del Rosario and Princess Mary Superal.
Del Rosario, who will join the Kansas University golf team in August, said: “It’s unique, and I have not seen this kind of a golf course in Metro Manila. It looks flat but it’s not when you begin to play. It’s certainly a great golf course.”
She emerged overall champion in 12 international and local tournaments in 2015, including the Thailand Ladies Open, Malaysian Ladies and the 87th San Francisco Juniors in San Francisco, California. At least 18 universities and colleges in the US courted del Rosario, but she had chosen to study on a sports scholarship in the Kansas school.
Superal is regarded as the only “pure Filipino” who won the tough US Girls tournament in 2014. She is set to turn professional and will compete in US tournaments.
“I really enjoyed playing in that course Pradera. The place was really nice and very peaceful. Hopefully, we can go back to Pradera,” she said.
Dottie Ardina, who competes more than nine months a year in US golf tournaments, including the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), said: “The greens are very challenging, and the angulation of the greens are huge and tough.”
“Yes, it’s great golf course,” she added.
Ardina is one of the most successful amateur golfers the Country Club had produced. One of her biggest wins so far was the 2014 Thai LPGA.
Before turning professional, she won four prominent titles in Philippine ladies golf tours.
The other well-known golfers in the team are Lorenz Kayla Nocum, Sam Martirez, Sofia Chabon, Mikhaela Fortuna, Bernice Olivarez-Ilas and Kelie Kan Kah Yan of Malaysia.
Opening soon
MIKE Singgaran, designer of the golf course, said: “The 18-hole golf course is now ready, and we may open sooner than we want, if the clubhouse is done already. We may also wait for the 27 holes to be completed before we decide to open.”
The golf course is expected to open in “August or earlier,” he said.
Singgaran, who designed and made premier golf courses in Pampanga, Nueva Ecija and Baguio City, said the completed 18-hole golf course has “two island greens.”
Pradera Sales and Marketing Head Fatima Kokhawala said a “huge swimming pool will be built and, hopefully, it’s ready for use during the hot-air balloon festival.”
In a statement, Pineda-Cayabyab said: “We hope the events will spur a barrage of international sporting activities in our town.”
She added: “I believe that Lubao is capable of hosting bigger events, such as the yearly hot-air balloon fiesta, also held at Pradera.”
“Lubao officials said that, since the hot-air balloon fiesta is only held once a year, there should be other sporting activities that the public can enjoy while in their town. A sporting event helps generate income for the locals, with the tourists coming in to either watch or participate in the competitions,” they said in a statement.
Image credits: Leo Villacarloss