The Farm @ San Benito --- Did it really create an impact on the way I live?

ianc
the spa
Originally uploaded by antondiaz.

Last May 25, 2005, I was able to go back to The Farm for a teambuilding session with the Philippines leadership team of P&G and I got to reminisce The Farm experience my wife and I had a year ago (holy week April 2004).I am very proud of that experience and one of the primary reasons we went there is to concieve a child. Yes, and right after visiting the Farm, Rache was pregnant with Aidan. We were trying already for some time to conceive a baby and we had a difficulty. The Farm apparently is marketted outside of the Philippines as the Hippocrates Health Resort of Asia and also known as place for having a baby by cleaning/detoxifying yourself. This was validated when my wife and I were in Australia for a vacation last year in May, we read in the Woman's Day magazine about Ian Stenlake and Rachael Beck's (busy showbiz couple in Australia) taking a Baby Honeymoon after three years of marriage in the Farm @ San Benito in the Philippines.

After a year, here are my reflections on the impact of The Farm @ San Benito in our life?

• The Joy of Parenthood -- My wife and I will be eternally grateful to the Farm for helping us with detoxifying ourselves and we are able to give birth to healthy baby boy, Aidan. During the iridology (eye) examination, the doctor said that I have a weak prostate problem and I should continue to eat healthy food (coconut, papaya, etc.) to strenghten my condition. We now have a 4 month old fat baby boy and adjusting to the joys and trials of parenthood.
  
  
• Back to old eating habits -- This is the most challenging part. After learning that all the cooked food that we eat is dead and that eating meat is slowly poisoning yourself, I cannot help myself but still consume alot of these food. I'm still struggling and in fact, I gained almost 30 pounds already (currently weighing 208lbs) due to poor eating habits and lack of exercise. During the teambuilding, even though I know that the food that we are eating in the farm is live and healthy, I succumb to the temptation of cheating and eating chocolate bars, peanuts and sausage mcmuffin which was smuggled inside our conference meeting room. At the rate the I am tracking, I won't be surprised if I have cancer due to the food I eat by the age of 50. The lack of self discipline, peer pressure of eating unhealthy food and the lack of support systems to keep you on track to a healthy lifestyle are key barriers that needs to be addressed.

After visiting the Farm again, the spirit of healthy living was rekindled inside of me. I remember the ordeal of colon cleansing, and how I promised myself then to live a healthy life so that I don't need to go through the pain again. I remember the surge of energy I get after eating healthy living food and how junk food can be addicting to the point that you poison yourself. I desperately want to change and I want to see my son grow up and have his own son. This is not the end...

>> More: The Farm @ San Benito Photoset
>> The Official Website of The Farm @ San Benito, Lipa, Batangas

Just got back from a blog vacation :)

After almost a month of hibernation from blogging, I can't wait to blog about all the things that happened during my vacation. The month of May is the most hectic month in my schedule because it is summer in the Philippines and every team in P&G literally goes out on an offsite for a teambuilding/ training. I had alot of adventures in May from experiencing the funky tour of carlos celdran, shooting in sta. elena with raymund isaac, a visiting the no. 1 tv station GMA7, to the teambuilding inTagaytay highlands and The Farm, and much more....

The beaches of the Philippines

The beaches of the Philippines
Originally uploaded by antondiaz.

Get One!

I recently bought the special edition of Philmap Travel & Leisure Magazine: "The Beaches of the Philippines" 2nd Edition. The aim of the magazine is to explore the secret beaches of the 7,100 islands of the Philippines through an expedition of photographers, writers, models, stylists, and make-up artists. Some of the beaches, have never been heard of and I'm pleasantly surprised like the honey beach in Batangas, Porta Azure in Tabaco City, or punta butata in Negros. On the otherhand, there are alot of advertisements cover-to-cover. I was quite disappointed with their resorts covered in Boracay which includes Pearl of the Pacific which has a lousy service overall. Also, the photos are not exceptional and feels like everything is acting.

Net, aside from the lonely planet, I now have another source of first hand information on the next place to explore. I admire this people that has the same passion of love for the Philippine beaches. I'm still wondering where can I get the first edition?

Laiya Cocogrove Beach Resort

single bed treehouse
Originally uploaded by antondiaz.

Recommended Beach Offsite meeting place

I've been to a back-to-back offsite meeting and coming from Boracay, Laiya cocogrove is a stark contrast. It is the first beach resort when you first arrive in the dirt roads of Laiya. It is a 2.5 hours drive from Manila and you should alot another 30 minutes for stop over. I've been wanting to visit / explore the san juan beaches -- first with Balai sa Laiya and then La Luz Resort. I would say that cocogrove is alot better than Balai but I still like La Luz better. These beaches have been unexplored yet both by local and foreign tourists that is why I like to go back to these San Juan, Beaches!

What I like about cocogrove?

1. The treehouse concept is really nice. They are situated right beside the beach! There are different treehouse configuration that can fit from 3 persons to as many as 5 to 10 persons. The costs in cocogrove is on a per head basis which ranges from P2,500 to P3,000 depending if you are sharing the room. It already includes buffet meals from Lunch to Lunch the next day. Still, I think it is expensive for an overnight stay in a beach resort.

2. Conference Room Amenity. There is a conference room that you can use for business meetings with complete conference room facilities. I have not seen that other resorts have this and this would be a winner if you are planning an offsite meeting for a small group.

3. Access to White Beach! This is another stretch of Beach which is not yet developed where you can play badminton or just go to the beach. The sands and beach are very nice and there is a beach volleyball court. This is a 5 minutes jeepney ride from cocogrove and part of their vast estate. This is one of the place where extra challenge have been to in one of their episodes.

What I don't like about cocogrove?

I don't like the food, contrary to some regular clients of LCG who liked the overall good value of the package and quality of the food that is included. I always hate these resorts that provide an all-in-one resort package per head and you don't have options to even bring your own food. Just a warning also for those people who are not used to drinking coffee because I had a stomach ache when I drank their batangas barako coffee (which is also loved by some of the regular clients of LCG).