WHEN architect Toti Turalba takes to the greens of Mount Malarayat Golf and Country Club, he feels a certain pride in designing, creating and managing one of the top golf courses in the Philippines.
He admits though it’s more than a world-class golf course. It’s certainly more than the breath-taking views of the mountains in the background and the well-manicured grass and open plains. It’s more than the awards Malarayat has won. More than the Philippine National Opens and Asian tournaments held there.
“It’s how the golf course has given back and helped the community,” he proudly says.
In the early 1990s, Malarayat was a sleepy agricultural town in Lipa City. The closure of the American military bases in the country hurt the area as did many others.
The entire land was one massive poultry farm and economic hardship and labor concerns hurt the local community.
Tasked to rehabilitate the land, Active Group Inc.—the Turalba family’s architectural firm— assessed the land.
“We didn’t plan to do a golf course,” shared Turalba who is now President and CEO of Active Realty and a director of Malarayat. “None of us—his father and mother included—were golfers. Nor were we from Batangas. We’re all architects.”
“This property was shown to us and it was an old poultry farm. Because of the good weather, it’s good for poultry. It used to supply Clark Airbase and other American military facilities but following the closure of the bases, nagka-problema ’yung landowners.”
The bank asked what Active Realty could do with the property.
“When we are asked to do something with a property, we do not come in thinking—ah, we should do a condominium, a golf course, or what not. We always make it a point to look at what the land gives us.”
“We thought, ‘Oh, maganda ‘to as a golf course.’ It was more of the land lent itself for it to become a golf course with the mountain in the background, the rugged terrain. The correct soil, and of course, great weather.”
It was a hidden golf course in nature.
“Hindi namin pinilit. We respected the terrain.”
To help design and build Malarayat, Turalba learned to play golf and did so on many of the world’s famous courses. For his firm and him to come up with the best possible design, he had to play the game, know and understand the feel of top golf courses in the world.
“I became serious at golf,” Turalba recalled. “I had a handicap of 12 at that point.”
In building Malarayat, Active Realty brought in unemployed farmers from the old poultry farm to become caddies, landscapers, groundskeepers, maintenance staff and other jobs related to the golf course and its corresponding facilities as it expanded.
“It’s nice to win these awards,” Turalba beamed. “But the true reward is seeing the community thrive. Before you would see them walking to and from. Now they have motor bikes, vehicles, they have better homes. You see the smiles on their faces, it’s a great feeling to see what the golf course has done for this community.”
Anywhere between 400 to 500 Lipa City residents are employed by Malarayat and its country club.
More to that, Malarayat has been the home to many junior golfers through the years.
“We saw Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan among others play here and we allow them to do so for free. If it helps them become world-class players, then we at Malarayat are happy to have been a part of their journey.”
And what a journey it has been for Turalba and his family. This golf course, and its community.
“We are grateful for the awards, but the community we have…that is the reward we bask in.”