Sustainable living at Salas Real
Having an abundance of plants at home and in one's community promotes well-being. Plants are good for the body and the environment because they help reduce the levels of dust, carbon dioxide and pollutants.
Salas Real, a new subdivision in Quintin Salas, Jaro plans to have a Greenhouse project which features a tented garden where the residents can grow their own food. I think this would also expose children to a more sustainable lifestyle which is what the world needs right now.
"In our other communities, we are already doing this. We intend to do it here. We encourage homeowners to have their community gardens," said Theodora Namin, vice president for Planning, Design, and Development of Salas Real’s developer, ACM Landholdings, Inc.
Antonette de Guzman, the managing director calls it a "pinakbet" garden. Pinakbet is a vegetable dish that consists of eggplant, squash, okra, and bitter gourd, among others. She added that having edible ornamentals is also commercially viable because the local cooperative can sell these vegetables.
Heritage inspired
Guzman and Namin revealed the abovementioned information during Salas Real’s Grand Launch and unveiling of their model houses, Bernardita and Angelica last January 2017. Bernardita has 4 bedrooms, a lot area of 116 square meters (sq.m.) and floor area of 56 sq.m. while Angelina has 3 bedrooms, a lot area of 120 sq.m. and floor area of 79 sq.m
Namin said that they tapped into the heritage of Jaro, Iloilo City’s district that is popular with its old mansions. "We made the designs of our houses and the feel of the community a modern spin of the city's Spanish heritage," she said. "The houses were inspired by 'balay na bato' with a modern twist, she added.
She added, “Our construction methodology is ‘buhos’ which assures buyers of the quality of the home that they are investing in.” The homeowners need not worry about painting, putting wall dividers, flooring and tiles because the homes already have a standard finish.
Guzman added that the development is low density with an average of 44 housing units per hectare.
Holistic approach
Namin added that they apply a holistic approach to community development. Apart from building houses, they are serious about empowering the homeowners.
In addition to their greenhouse, they will have a reading room stocked with storybooks and learning materials as well as fitness, sports, and financial literacy programs.
They have been holding annual football tournaments since 2014. They tapped Philippine football team Azkal's former player, Chiefy Caligdong to be their sports ambassador.
While Salas Real is open to everybody, ACM Landholdings' Chairman, Gerardo Borromeo stressed that this is an opportunity for seafarers and their families to have their own house as a result of their hard work. The financial literacy program aims to teach them how to manage and grow their hard-earned money.
If Salas Real is the community you want to live in, feel free to learn more about them through their ACM Landholdings Inc website and their Facebook page ACM Homes./
