Punta de Fabian: A resort with a cause
MANILA, Philippines - Rest and relaxation are par for the course when you come to Punta de Fabian, the premier vacation spot in Baras, Rizal. The resort is well appointed with world-class facilities and amenities with a magnificent view of Laguna de Bay and the Sierra Madre mountain range. Guests are accepted exclusively by reservation, and only up to a hundred are allowed at most. This makes the resort one of the more intimate and personal experiences a guest can have from a luxury facility just outside of Metro Manila.
It has been said before that Punta de Fabian is more than the sum of its parts. Guests wishing to escape the worries of a busy work life can find peace and relaxation here. Already, many companies have found the resort a perfect setting for corporate events, seminars, and team-building activities. Who can blame them? A large outdoor lagoon-type pool is surrounded by welcoming lounge chairs, hammocks to relax in are peppered randomly about waiting to be discovered, and one can meander around a lush garden for more little discoveries such as a playground or the jogging path.
Inside, room interiors feature warmth in their design, invoking soft earth hues and a clean, simple aesthetic. Special hypoallergenic pillows adorn large beds, and for toiletries, Punta de Fabian uses all-natural ingredients specifically made for it by Bath Origins.
The impeccable feature set of Punta de Fabian only serves to reflect the dedication that its staff put into it — and especially the owners who have, quite literally, built the resort from the ground up from a lot of inspiration and a true labor of love.
Established by Tess Pamintuan, Punta de Fabian was barely a glimmer in her eye when she chanced upon its location in 1994. At the time, she was battling stage 3 breast cancer and struggling to raise four young children as a single parent. It was her faith that kept her strong as she underwent treatment. To lift her spirits, she would have her driver bring her to different locations outside of Manila to see various sights.
This touring led her to Baras town and a lovely little spot on top of a hill overlooking the massive Laguna de Bay. The view afforded her scenes of lakeshore towns, a picturesque panorama of the province, and a place where the land met the sky. Here was where Pamintuan felt herself closest to heaven; here was where she felt peace.
Pamintuan would return to this spot several more times to relax and commune with her thoughts. In 1995, she decided to buy the property and immediately built a vacation house of bamboo and nipa. Slowly, the area became a family compound. As the years passed, it evolved into what is now Punta de Fabian, the most well known resort in Rizal which formally opened in 2005. Daughter Joy runs the resort as general manager, while son Michael oversees the development.
With Pamintuan’s struggle to overcome and heal from breast cancer, Punta de Fabian Resort has made it an advocacy to support and help the less fortunate. As a cancer survivor, she has made it a point to give back and inspire those who are suffering from ailments.
In partnership with local officials and doctors from all over, she hosts medical missions for residents of Teresa, Barangay Evangelista, Baras, Tanay and Pililia, Rizal annually on July 20, her birthday. These places benefit from free medical checkups and medicine. In her most recent medical mission last July 21, she achieved her dream of giving out free breast exams and checkups through the assistance of Sen. Loren Legarda.
Punta de Fabian, for many, is the ultimate in vacation resorts when you visit Rizal province. For others, it is a monument of hope, inspiration and love that continues to enrich the lives of those it has touched.
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Avail yourself of the resort’s 15 percent discount on published rates. For inquiries or reservations, call the Punta de Fabian sales office (2nd Floor, Lexington Condominium, 65 Xavierville Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City) at (632) 994-1455, (632) 433-1995, (632) 710-3153 or telefax (632) 929-2920. Punta de Fabian Resort is located on Manila East Road in Barangay Evangelista, Baras, Rizal. E-mail at puntadefabian@yahoo.com or log on to www.puntadefabian.com.
