All houses in the neighborhood will feature the Modern Asian style of architecture. (photo by Noel B. Pabalate)

MANILA, Philippines -- From certain points in Quezon City and Ortigas Center in Mandaluyong, the view of the Sierra Madre mountain range is spectacular.  It’s rare for such a big and busy metropolis to offer such a sight that is so rustic and scenic. And it’s a scandal that residents and other people who toil in both cities tend to take this view for granted. Actually, it takes just a leisurely 15-minute drive from Commonwealth Avenue to reach the Sierra Madres and behold the even more breathtaking vistas from these mountains.

This writer experienced the view last week during a visit to a new residential project being developed in San Mateo, Rizal. The place, dubbed the Amiya Raya Highland Homes, is situated high on the hills above the heart of the municipality. On a clear day, one can have a view of the Metro Manila skyline, from the famous landmarks that line Commonwealth Avenue down to the high-rise buildings in Makati. Further down south, one can get a glimpse of Mt. Makiling in Laguna and the hills near Tagaytay in Cavite. Look straight ahead and one can behold Manila Bay (and its fabled sunsets) and beyond that, the majestic mountains of Bataan. To the right is the La Mesa water reservoir and Mt. Arayat in Pampanga. Certainly, from this vantage point, one realizes how small this part of Luzon is.

Mariya Raya is the project of a relatively new real estate developer called Landworks Asia, Incorporated. It’s run by a relatively young group of managers headed by Charina S. Garcia. The company has finished various projects in nearby Montalban and has several others in the pipeline.

 Garcia says Mariya Raya is so far the company’s most prestigious project and it is targeting the upper middle class market. The place will be a tranquil neighborhood that offers the splendid view and clean and cool mountain air.  Garcia says they’re allotting more open space for recreation as the place will have an expansive park where residents can jog, go mountain biking, and camping.

“There will be a clubhouse that comes with all the amenities and a commercial center where residents can do their groceries without having to drive down to San Mateo,” says Garcia. “Mariya Raya may end up resembling a mountain resort but we’re not selling vacation or second homes. We’re pushing this as a first home for young families.”

While numerous real estate projects are being developed south of Metro Manila, Garcia is bullish on the eastern area, where the Sierra Madres are situated.  San Mateo may be the next location to be at, what with the other residential projects being established there. “We want to give buyers an alternative to living in a small but expensive condo in Metro Manila, or a stand-alone house in the south where traffic can be horrendous,” she says.

San Mateo also makes an effective alternative to Tagaytay. As Garcia points out, the town has a similar climate and there are more vistas to enjoy from Mariya Raya. The advantage here is it takes just 15 minutes to get to from Quezon City. “It’s even going to be more accessible once the C6 highway is completed,” says Landworks Asia business development manager Roncel Nebre.

The real estate company is offering three types of houses in Mariya Raya. They differ in the number of bedrooms and sizes and will be built on lots that are sized correspondingly. Garcia opted to adopt the Modern Asian theme for the houses. “It’s the trend now,” explains Garcia. “The style looks elegant and expensive but it’s actually easier and more affordable to build and maintain. And Modern Asian-style houses tend to feature large picture windows, which are just perfect for the residents of Mariya Raya. With the large windows, they will always get to have a view of the mountains.”

The houses feature enough exterior accents that give a certain rustic look to the overall design, thus making them blend well with the landscape. The houses were also inspired by the relaxing look of Balinese architecture. With these inventive design touches, the homes never get to look monotonous.

Garcia appears to have this fixation on building on mountains, what with her projects based in San Mateo and Montalban. In fact, her condo in Ortigas Center has a panoramic view of the Sierra Madres.  And she’s had a lot of experience in developing mountain properties. “I used to work with Landco Pacific, which was then building Canyon Woods near Tagaytay. I learned so much about developing properties on mountains, which is more expensive and harder.”

Garcia insists that the higher costs are worth it as more people shopping for new houses are looking at places set on higher ground. “It’s the Typhoon Ondoy aftermath,” she explains. “Buyers want to make sure they’re safe from flooding and they’re discovering San Mateo. In fact, a lot of our customers were previous residents of Marikina, which as everyone knows, was badly hit by flooding.”