Country living within the city limits

THE SANCTUARY is perched on the hilly portion of Matina Pangi overlooking the breath-taking Davao Gulf and the world-renowned Mt. Apo.

Inside a vacation resort village in Davao City one feels enchanted by the beauty of nature. The breeze in the morning and at night that enters the units lulls one to sleep. The houses have big sliding windows that open up to the hilly side of Matina Pangi. The lush landscape is a sight to behold that one easily forgets that a recent typhoon visited and killed a number of people.

Still, the place glows and is brought back to life as if nothing happened. Down the slopes and rugged terrain are fruit-bearing trees and farm lands kept by the local residents.

For many of its visitors—which include backpackers and young professionals who need halfway homes—this resort village is truly a blissful sanctuary. Rightly so, the property is named the Beautiful Heart Sanctuary, owned by the Millendez family of Davao.

“The entire property takes pride in its country-style lifestyle and ambiance just within the city limits,” said Anacleto Millendez in a recent tour to the sprawling property with the

Inquirer.  The Sanctuary is located on Diversion Road in Matina Pangi—about 15 minutes away from the Davao International Airport—overlooking the breathtaking Davao Gulf and the world-renowned Mt. Apo.

The Sanctuary has two big bi-level houses and six colorful taverns (smaller huts) enough to accommodate large groups, families and backpackers for a weekend getaway. There are about 32 fully air-conditioned and fully furnished rooms in the Sanctuary.

THE RESORT village has two big bi-level houses and six colorful taverns (smaller huts) enough to accommodate large groups, families and backpackers for a weekend getaway.

All the pampering and modern comforts inside the family-owned haven are not expensive. The price for a night’s stay at the Sanctuary is very reasonable at P1,500/room in the tavern houses and P2,500/room for the Blue House which are all equipped with kitchen and entertainment fixtures. All the units have their own wide living spaces and verandas.

Since its opening in 2007, Sanctuary has been visited by vacationers from the United States, Korea, China, Japan and local travelers from across the region. Occupancy rate is between 75 percent and 90 percent, and mostly booked from March to May and from November to January.

Sanctuary has been home to meetings and group activities in the past. Students and professors from UP Mindanao and Ateneo de Davao, and officers and the board of directors of the UP Alumni Association of Davao (UPAAD) held their meetings and functions here.

Anacleto said prior booking must be made especially for big groups. The houses and taverns can be rented exclusively depending on your needs.

Not prone to landslides

While the property sits on a slope, Anacleto assured visitors that the site was “very safe and sound” and not prone to landslides.

“Scenic view, close to nature and quiet,” this was how Anacleto differentiated the Sanctuary from other vacation places in the locality.

The development of the Sanctuary started in June 2005 with an initial investment of about P10 million. The construction was finished two years later.

It was in 2005 when lawyer Roberto Millendez (brother of Anacleto) bought the first 2,000 square meters from the Buniel family who were farmers and beneficiaries of the land reform program. Two years later, he bought an additional 1,500 sq m located across the road. In 2009, Anacleto bought another 1,500 sq m, of adjacent lot to become Charm Nature Park. Right now, the whole Sanctuary covers half a hectare (5,000 sq m).

The design and architecture of the Sanctuary were born out of the siblings’ shared ideas. To date, plans are underway to develop a wading pool and zip line in the Sanctuary to attract more visitors and day trippers.

For its daily operations, the Sanctuary is managed by Roberto and his sons, Bert Alfronte and Bert James.

If only he had his way, Anacleto said he likes to convert parts of the Sanctuary property “into a seminary, convent, orphanage or a home for unwed mothers and fatherless infants.” Anacleto, who lives in the States with his family, is very much involved in social civic programs for the poor and the sick. His Beautiful Heart Foundation has been doing activities in remote areas in the country as far as Makilala in South Cotabato and Puerto Princesa in Palawan.