Balesin Island Club

BALES I N I S L AN D C LU B

It’s easy to say nice things about yourself, but what matters is what others say about you.

Here is what others have said about
Balesin.

July/August 2010

Balesin beckons

involves initially the development of six themed villages based on Ongpin’s

own travels – Mykonos (Greece),

Sardinia (Italy), St. Tropez (France),

Phuket (Thailand), Bali (Indonesia)

and a still unnamed Philippine island theme. Each village will have 20 to 30 units. Work has started on a new runway. Alphaland will be acquiring small aircrafts for the 25-minute hop to ferry vacationers to the island. By

the end of the year, Ongpin hopes

to have the clubhouse up and running. But it will be a multi-year project and Alphaland has budgeted to spend at least 2 billion pesos. For Ongpin, of

course, it will be like no other and

turning what became a nightmare 12 years ago into a dream come true.

oberto Ongpin waxes lyrical when

Balesin presents that interesting

opportunity and he is determined to make it a stand-out. Ongpin reckons

that if he did not enter the world of business, he would probably have been

an architect. “There were 11 architects involved in the development of the initial

phase of Tagaytay Highlands; one of

them is unlicensed,” he chuckles. He says that some of the greatest battles

he had then was often over design – the

look and feel. He believes in building to cater to the high end of the market – to create the snob appeal. With Balesin, he is back to where he started 12 years ago. And he is raring to transform the idyllic

island into his very own creation –

R_{he talks about Balesin, a 500- hectare}

white-sand island off the coast of Quezon province on the Philippines’

Paciﬁc coast. Alphaland, the listed company Ongpin runs with investment from UK- based Ashmore group, had acquired the property recently from the family of

the late Edgardo Tordesillas, who was Ongpin’s deputy at the trade and industry

ministry when both of them were in government in the 1980s. Part of Ongpin’s excitement is explained by the fact that

he has never lost his passion for developing

high-end luxury resorts meant for the rich and famous much like what he

had envisioned for Tagaytay Highlands originally–thatwasbeforehewasousted

from Belle Corporation 12 years ago.

his masterplan for what will be one of the

country’s most exclusive resorts. The plan

Reprinted from The Asset (Vol. 12 No. 7) with permission from Asset Publishing and Research Ltd.

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Weekly Business Newsmagazine

November 2010

Balesin:

ultimate in resort living

The

centrepiece, Alphaland Balesin Island Club will be subdivided into six areas, each with 40 hospitality villas. outdoor bathing, relaxation lounges, and a yoga studio that will cater to the health, body and any and all relaxation needs. its themed beach clusters, spa, leisure areas, sport facilities, entertainment venues and scenic viewpoints.

lphaland’s investment in the tourism resort market is Alphaland Balesin

A_{Island Club on Balesin Island, located}

Alphaland Balesin Island Club
The island development will make

use of ecologically sensitive alternatives for power generation, water desalination and water harvesting and recycling. The construction of the clubhouse and its core engineering systems will have utilities management and utility saving measures as key elements of the design development.
As location and ambience are keys to the success of The Alphaland Balesin Island Club, its architectural design will ensure that the entire site remains in harmony with the tropical island setting.
The clusters take inspiration from six of the most luxurious beachside destinations around the world: St. Tropez (Cote d’azur), Phuket (Thailand), Costa Smeralda (Sardinia), Bali (Indonesia), Mykonos (Greece) and Philippine Tropical.
Members and their guests can choose to spend their stay in any of the six hospitality resorts within the clusters where the themes are carefully carried out – from landscaping, structural and interior design – as well as their culinary and beverage offerings.

about 33 kilometers off the eastern coast of Luzon and only 25 minutes by plane from Manila’s domestic airport.

Alphaland Balesin Island Club covers 424 hectares. The availability of the 1.5-kilometer airfield that can accommodate regional aircraft makes Balesin Island the ideal spot for an environmentally sustainable beach haven development near the city. membership model appeals to weekend travelers who seek more privacy with their friends and families. Membership means free yearly ﬂights to Balesin Island as well as multiple complimentary nights in the themed hospitality rooms and villas.
Members and their guests can reach the island via land or sea, with ﬂights from a dedicated member’s lounge in Manila’s domestic airport or the ferry service from Real Port in Quezon Province.
On the island, the club electric carts, bicycles and horses will take guests around
Alphaland Balesin Island Club offers uniquely designed accommodations and amenities in each of the major sites of the island. With the clubhouse as the island’s
Close to the clubhouse is the Destination
Spa which will offer specialty treatment suites,

Reprinted from BizNews Asia (Vol. 8 No. 32) with permission from BizNews Asia Philippines, Inc.

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March 2012

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here is a gravitas to Michelle Ongpin that belies her youth, milky skin, clear, bright eyes, and ultra-feminine demeanor. The weight and wisdom that seemingly comes from having lived and seen it all appears incongruent with the youthful woman who has recently returned to join her

father’s ﬁrm in the Philippines. A child of

the East and the West, her challenge lies

She herself could speak “a funny mix” of German, English, and Tagalog by age 3, but when Michelle and her mother moved back to Austria, she spoke mostly German from then on. Aﬅer a brief childhood in the Philippines surrounded by nannies, cooks, maids and other staﬀ, moving to Austria was a bit of a shock to Michelle, where she grew up solely in the care of her mother. “e years in Austria brought me very close to her, as it was just the two of us. Until today she is the person that I go to for advice and whose opinion I value very much. All in all I had a very happy childhood. I grew up in this tiny, very picturesque Austrian village. I could play outside, learned how to play the piano and the ﬂute (music lessons are free in Austria), went to ballet classes, and took up acting. I think it was a very ‘healthy’ childhood; very ‘down to earth.’” Michelle lived there with her mother until she was 18, then she moved to Italy for half a year, before entering university in Vienna, where she stayed for six years. She went back to Perugia, Italy, for

T

in successfully blending the two cultures she has inherited, as well as the dualities she has found within. She is mostly Western in appearance, in a 1920s Hollywood Greta Garbo meets Mona Lisa way. However, the genes of her father, Roberto, are plainly evident in the round curve of her jaw and the capacious forehead that geomancers consider as extremely lucky and a sign of great intelligence.

She has returned to the islands of her childhood to work at her father’s ﬁrm, renew ties with those she leﬅ behind, forge new bonds, and grow a new tribe. She takes it in stride, with the wisdom and long-term view of one another six months to study Italian, before moving to London and then to Beijing for work. Now, she ﬁnds herself in Manila. Today, she has taken her European upbringing to Asia and reconnected with childhood friends here. “Friends would describe me

much older. She remains, in the face

as driven. I like to travel and to eat. I’m

of it all, thoughtful, philosophical,

interested in art and read a lot. Work is not

ﬁercely independent, and refreshingly my entire life. en there is my European

humble, working hard to ﬁt back in,

side, where opinions are heard.” She enjoys

yet still marching to her own tune.

healthy debates and discussions and was

ough born in Cologne, Germany, always encouraged to express her views

Michelle lived in the Philippines un-

with support from a liberal education and

til she was three. “I don’t remember

an open social structure.

anything of that time but I do think
Back in the land of her childhood, she is also

that I owe a lot to those three years. I

enjoying exploring the island home she has

was always surrounded by people and

so recently reclaimed. “Weekends I try to

I think a lot of my staying quite calm get out to Baguio, Balesin, Tagaytay.” Bales-

comes from that period. From what I

in is the island that occupies a huge amount

hear, I was a happy child, loved, and

of her time with Alphaland, whose other

protected. I always felt safe to discover developments include the Bay City Club

the world.”

development out by Manila Bay, Makati

Her family is as global as her upbringing

Place, an upcoming residential and mixed

and is very closely knit, even though it might be considered unconventional by local standards. “My mother, Annelie, is German. I have a half-brother, Julian, who is half-Australian. Another brother Steven, whose mother is Chilean, is an art dealer in London. His sister, Anna, who is my half-sister, lives in the U.S.” Michelle met the two children of Monica Arellano Ongpin, her father’s wife of 50 years, at various stages in her life. She was introduced to Steven, her eldest brother, when she was 6, and Anna when she was 12. She’s been in contact with her brother Julian from the time she was 3, as they regularly spent the Christmas holidays together; he also lived with her when he was staying in Manila. “Because of my family I was always surrounded by many languages and cultures,” Michelle says. use development in the Makati central business district, and the City Club, a members-only, all-encompassing enclave in the same location. A 30-minute ﬂight from the city and a favorite weekend destination of hers, Balesin Island is a chance for Michelle to mix business with pleasure and allow work and down time to merge, which suits her nature. e island is another limited oﬀering, for members who wish to enjoy an exclusive holiday in a stunning location, one that used to be enjoyed only by old time landowners of the island. Lush, protected, and untouched until recently, Balesin is being developed as the ultimate private getaway for those lucky enough to gain access to an exclusive roster. Within the new island development Michelle is most passionate about the education and welfare of the island’s townsfolk and is working on setting up a Balesin foundation to help better

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their lives and their prospects. “Hopefully we will help make life easier for people and they can have choices in life.”
Kerry Group Kuok Foundation. e job, while enriching and in line with her passion for community development, wasn’t quite the perfect fit, so, as fate would have it, she found herself back in Manila working for her father. Today she is able to merge her CSR and foundation background with more of the same activities, as well as multiple roles: assistant to the chairman, senior vice president for corporate communications, and president of the Philweb Foundation. She is also growing roots, with the requisite flat in the city, which she is currently renovating. “ere’s lots of wood. People say it’s quite masculine; lots of whites and reds,” she says of her Asian Modern apartment. And then there’s someone to share her many blessings with, boyfriend Frank Callaghan, a photographer who recently had a successful exhibit at
Silverlens gallery. It was an auspicious
Living in Manila has also brought disquiet into her life: her father has been visible fairly recently in the media. is Michelle has taken as an opportunity to watch closely and learn. “I have spoken to my father and he’s dealing well with the controversy. He’s explained it all to me. is experience teaches you a lot about politics in this country, which is very different from Europe. I was surprised at the way things unfold here, but I’m more exposed to it now. Although everything that happens here happens as well in Europe, just not as visible.” A much tougher time, that perhaps puts all she is currently facing in perspective, occurred when she was 7 years old. “My mom was diagnosed with cervical cancer when she was

44. She had to undergo treatment

ﬁrst meeting. “We met at the Syquia

in Cologne. It was hard; there was
Apartments Christmas party. He’s British-

the fear of losing her and of not

Filipino so it works well.”

fully understanding. An experience

ey recently made a trip back to her

like that, it changes you. I am more hometown where she introduced him

diligent health wise. And I realized

to a few of her friends. “It was great that

that you have to believe in yourself.

Frankie could meet my friends there and

My mother believed in herself and see my life over there. It was important for

she thought she was going to do ﬁne.”

him to see me with my old group, see how

During this diﬃcult time, Michelle

we interact; see that there you stand for

says she gained a newfound respect for yourself and say what you think.”

the suﬀering of others. “Get to know

She looks forward to staying on and

people, put yourself in their shoes.”

making a life in the Philippines. “Ten years

Her mother’s inﬂuence as a social from now I’d like to still be here, or move

worker for refugee children is evident

into the Bay City project, perhaps with

in Michelle’s own commitment to

two children. But really, home is what you

corporate social responsibility and make of it, with people you like, a job, a

giving back to the community.

p ar t ne r.”

ere is also much to learn about a

She shares one fear: of “being in a place

new culture and the sudden intricacies and not being content with what I am

of a life in a social ﬁshbowl. “Here,

doing, who I am, not being me anymore or

there’s more of a sense of entitlement

giving up too much of myself, my values.”

which I disagree with. Just because you
Her mixed heritage, innate ﬂexibility, and

have a prominent last name does not

personal strength are a source of pride. “I

entitle you to anything. You must earn

know I can move anywhere and I will be

that respect, not just because you’re ﬁne. ings have not always been easy but

someone’s daughter.”

I can cope. I also know that home is within

ere are the pluses: “You can have the best of both worlds here. ere’s a sense of community and family who rely on each other. It’s not just about putting yourself first. Here you also don’t take yourself too seriously,” she laughs. She also brings to work her German side–efficiency and getting things done–and at the same time, appreciates the Filipino side, including the sense of humor. “People are so easy to work with and eager to please.” And there are the minuses: “Sometimes it’s difficult because they don’t like critiquing the boss and I don’t get too much feedback. I want feedback from my team. en there’s not telling me when there’s a problem.” en there is commitment, in many forms, starting with her passion for her work. She returned to Manila in 2009 aﬅer working in China with the you; it’s not necessarily a place.” Michelle is relishing her new domicile and her new life in Manila, with no plans of moving back to Europe. “I have a challenging job; it’s so varied and creative. I work with a lot of great people. My Filipina side is coming out as well. It looks as if this child of two worlds is home to stay: finding her place in a new life, working with her innate strengths, combining her passion for building better lives and communities, and like a lovely melody, she’s not going to fade away.

Reprinted from Town & Country Philippines (March 2012) with permission from Summit Media

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March 2012

What Rises in the east

Floating villas from ‘Bali’ will reach out from the white, powder-soft sand onto

the waters of Lamon Bay, while a Greek tavern in the ‘Mykonos’ village makes its home on Balesin’s limestone cliffs.

With powder white beaches, jewel-toned coral reefs, and tangled jungle, Balesin Island Club could be any other stunning island paradise—except for its six distinct villages that take after the world’s most beautiful seaside destinations, and its carefully planned, inherent sustainability.

The concepT of a members-only resort

that brings together the beach capitals of the world on one beautiful island off the Eastern coast of Luzon is both fascinating and ambiguous at the same time. Six top seaside destinations within easy reach is fascinating, but ambiguous, because, how could an idea as big as this not look like a tropical Disneyland gone wrong?
Seeing is believing. Balesin Island
Club is just a 25-minute plane ride from Manila. As the airplane circles the island prior to final approach, you see winding roads curving through the lush, unhindered growth of the rainforest. The thick foliage hides most of the club’s minimal structures. in ‘Saint Tropez’, and the richness of Thai culture will be evident in every beam and carving in the ‘Phuket’ village, nestled in a secret, southern cove. And while ‘Costa Smerelda’ will make you feel like you’ve been transported to an Italian village redolent with the homey aromas of olive oil and parmesan, the Philippine-inspired ‘Balesin’ village should help you remember that there’s no place like home. any village you like. Alphaland’s Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications Michelle Ongpin calls it “a tackline to your own private paradise.”
Michelle’s father, the larger-than-life
Roberto “Bobby” Ongpin of Alphaland, is behind this vision. His track record in exclusive development projects, like Tagaytay Highlands, demonstrated his lofty standards of quality. One of the best development planners in the world, EcoPlan of Florida, ensured that Balesin Island Club was designed as a harmonious, integrated whole, built according to a master plan that takes into careful consideration the island’s geography and climate, topnotch amenities, and of course the allimportant guest experience. there, and absolutely loves the island. He’s always wanted to do something more with it.” To make sure they got it right, Mr. Ongpin sent his architects to each foreign destination, so they could immerse themselves in the local culture and architecture. He insisted on personally overseeing the design plans, sharing his memories of countless trips. It may promise six different experiences in one resort, but there is nothing
The six villages are scattered throughout the island, with the club set to open this July. When they are completed, floating villas from ‘Bali’ will reach out from the white, powdersoft sand onto the waters of Lamon Bay, while a Greek tavern in the ‘Mykonos’ village makes its home on Balesin’s limestone cliffs, looking out at the Pacific Ocean. Boats will bob at anchor
For Alphaland’s chairman, this project is strictly personal. Each of the chosen villages is a personal favorite of Mr. Ongpin, including Balesin Island. “It was my dad’s dream from the beginning,” shares Michelle Ongpin, “He used to go to Balesin every year in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s; he built a house
As a member, the choice is yours. You get 14 nights a year, where you can stay at hodgepodge about Balesin Island Club.