Serenity and the comfort of living beside a river

By Eva C. Visperas

The soft movement of water in a river reminds us of the serenity of life. It comforts the restless soul after a long, busy and tiring day.

The moonlight that touches one’s abode when darkness sets in as one sits at the clubhouse just to unwind for an hour or two is a refreshing moment. Knowing that your family is secure at home when you end your day as you eagerly go home to be with them is a priceless experience.

I personally visited San Marino Place, the latest talk-of-the city subdivision located in Bonuan Catacdang just about two kilometers away from the business center of  Dagupan City. (I also got an invitation from MANAGEN Development Corporation for the blessing and inauguration of   San Marino Place’s clubhouse and swimming pool, although I didn’t know anyone behind it personally).

I pass that area whenever I visit the seminary weekly but the first time I entered the place gave me a wonderful experience. The view is relaxing as one watch the water along the river move swiftly. The spacious 10- hectare location is an ideal place to build a house away from the hustle and bustle of city life yet the location is just a few minutes drive from downtown. And with the Pantal-Lucao diversion road nearing completion, this is an added bonus.

Of course, its location is a great advantage, says Jose Marco Manas-Pascual, business development director of MANAGEN, in my short yet lively conversation with him over a glass of cold calamansi juice.

Considering that some businessmen say business is down, MANAGEN is blest with its real estate venture because three years after it set out with this San Marino Place project, it has already started to reap the fruits. In fact, the young and vibrant Marco, grandson of Antonio and Generosa Manas, said all the riverside lots have already been sold out this early. Per their target, by mid-2007, all the 94 lots for phase one and 144 lots for phase two shall have been sold out.

When the media group went to the inauguration last Dec. 8 (Feast of the Immaculate Conception) attended by no less than Dagupan’s  who’s who, with the ever beautiful and charismatic Gina de Venecia and  Speaker de Venecia’s  best friend, Mayor  Benjamin Lim, cutting the ribbon, all we could hear were words of praises and admiration for the place.

One thing I dared ask Marco. “What guarantee can you give prospective buyers that the soil on which the subdivision was built on is stable?

Without blinking an eye, Marco said two independent groups studied   its soil stability and they determined that it is okay. In fact, he said they adopted a Japanese technology using  “jackstones”, a kind of big boulders made of cement, with concrete piles placed along the riverside plus rip rapping to ensure the stability

“Look we’ve built these structures right next to the river,” Marco said, referring to the huge clubhouse and the swimming pool, stressing that they would not risk spending a lot for these if it was not safe.

Seeing the Pangasinenses working abroad, a good number of middle-class and the affluent Dagupeños investing their money for their lots in San Marino this early, I have no doubt the Manases have already earned the confidence of the people.

As Marco said, “At the end of the day, it boils down to management.”

I agree.

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/business-log/)

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