Saturday, August 09, 2008 Tulabut: Royal Wonder By Noel G. Tulabut My Palm Notes
GRANDIOSE. Elegant. Masterpiece.
Three words that could best describe the newly-opened Royal Garden Golf and Country Club owned by furniture magnate Ruperto Cruz.
Tatang Perto's new creation also speaks well of the best craftsmanship and skillfulness of the Kapampangan entrepreneur and artist. I would say that the championship golf course is one of a kind, with its ornate European-inspired design on its structures and embellishments.
The 18-hole greens is littered with statues and other garniture that resembles those in the classical, the victorian, the opulent Europe.
The buildings, such as the clubhouse, are filled too with ornate and lavish trimmings and decors right from the entrance to the backdoor, from ceiling to floor.
So renaissance, so palatial, so Perto of a design. I am saying this because I have never been to any place in the Philippines that has these distinctive designs. Only in Tatang Perto's creations like the equally adorable Grand Palazzo Royale.
In fact, a drama-action television series that is being shown weeknights on GMA-7 is being taped from this architectural wonder. And the scenes from there are projected to depict settings from the ornate royalty places of Dubai with the all-gold furnishings and trimmings.
With the way that this golf course has been ornamented, it can readily surpass the best fairways in Luzon, the Philippines and even neighbor countries.
Golf wonder. Golf Royalty. Only at Royal Garden.
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Yesterday's (Friday) opening rites for the Royal Garden was attended by political and business biggies that include ribbon cutters CDC president Benny Ricafort, CIAC president Chichos Luciano, Angeles Mayor Francis Nepomuceno, major partners Mr. and Mrs. Nam Suek and other investors of Tatang Perto from Korea.
It was a stellar cast of guests and visitors that included the member golfers from the US Embassy Golf Association, Representative Carmelo Lazatin, LGU heads, business leaders and other golf enthusiasts from Angeles City, Metro Manila and Korea.
Ricafort did not have second thoughts about accepting the invitation to become one of the guests of honor as he instructed his staff to immediately send not only an acceptance but also thank you note to Tatang Perto.
In fact, he even personally visited Tatang Perto few days before the opening ceremonies to pay some courtesies to the local business mogul whose furniture products had already landed the houses of the business elites, the hollywood stars, the powers that be - the gods.
The visit was part of the rounds that the newly-installed CDC president is doing as part of his participative management policy.
Certainly not a newcomer in the affair of Clark as he has been serving as CDC/BCDA director for 15 years, Ricafort is instituting a program of the government corporation named "parallel development."
It's a concept where progress and prosperity simultaneously is achieved inside Clark and in areas surrounding the Freeport. It is more than just enhancing corporate social responsibility as CDC tries to ensure that local communities - people, businesses, etc. - get a piece of the development pie.
Part of the implementation of the concept will be the tourism and manufacturing sectors. Ricafort has directed CDC managers to develop packaged tours that will include major places of interests like the Grand Palazzo Royale in Angeles, the Kamikaze Shrine and related historical spots in Mabalacat, to name a few.
On the trade side, Ricafort is mulling the establishment of an Exhibition Center where products and services of Clark-based locators and local industries will be displayed.
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This is the rainy season. This is the car-wrecking period where tires and suspension systems in vehicles get easily worn-out by potholed roads.
I can only be thankful for getting the best maintenance for my car at General Motors/Chevrolet Pampanga, my car - fast getting old now - has been serviced well by efficient staff there.
My congratulations for very fine job to Manager Nitz Razon, Romeo Dames of service and Dong Jimenez of sales.
