Cebu park pushes eco-advocacy

A shared love for tree-planting and reforestation developed into a business partnership among 15 land owners in barangay Gaas, Balamban town in Cebu, who developed their properties into what is now known as the Gaas Eco Adventure Park Cafe.

Located along the Transcentral Highway in Gaas, Balamban town, the eco-adventure park cafe was first conceptualized in 2000.

But Nigel Wenceslao, one of the 15 owners said actual construction only began nine years later. “We eventually opened the place in May 28 last year,” said Wenceslao.

The 15 property owners formed a group called Gama or Gaas Magsaysay Eco-Tourism.

He said they put up P7.5 million in start-up capital to build the restaurant and eco-tourism park.

Wenceslao said they floated the idea of a restaurant/eco-theme park where they can eat and relax after a long, exhausting day of planting trees in their properties.

“We thought that if we put up a restaurant, it cannot stand alone because this place is far from the city and accessible only through private transportation. So we thought we have to develop a destination where people will really find time to check in to,” he said.

Wenceslao said they hired a chef to serve Filipino cuisine to their customers at a reasonable P150 per serving.

“Sometimes people come here and order food that we don’t offer in the menu so our chef still has time to prepare it for them,” he said.

They also have a 600-meter zipline that provides a birds-eye view of the trees that populate the area.

Safety and comfort are primary concerns in their investment of equipment for their zipline, Wenceslao said.

“All equipment used in the zipline are ISO rated and are bought from the US. Our pulley can carry up to 15 tons while the backup can carry 5.5 kilos. The pulley itself cost $500,” he said.

Wenceslao said their place is visited by locals in the upper A and B market who bring their families to enjoy for only P100 on weekdays and P150 on weekends.

One can also enjoy wall climbing or rappelling for only P100 or de-stress by throwing plates at their stress wall for only P25 per plate.

Those interested in exploring caves can do so at P250 per person complete with caving gear, Wenceslao said.

“For guided tours in the waterfalls it’s only P650 for five people just to pay the tour guide. For a tour of Mt. Manunggal it will depend on your arrangement with the tour guides because some would like to stay overnight and camp out at the site,” he said.

Nearly a year after it opened, Wenceslao said the eco-tourism park and restaurant has provided a huge boost in adventure tourism for Cebu, drawing their share of domestic and foreign tourists.

“Cebu used to be known for the beaches only, now with these types of experiences offered, many people are also starting to get interested and try us out,” Wenceslao said.

Wenceslao said they are happy that their investment has produced dividends and helped create jobs for locals in the area.

“Now we have about 26 people and most of them are from around here and we’re glad to have helped,” he said.

Wenceslao said they will build six to seven rooms for overnight accomodations and develop areas for horseback-riding and “glamping” or glamour camping.

“For the rooms alone I think we will need an additional P13 million for investment which we are hoping to start constructing within the year. The rooms will be located at the lower two levels of the restaurant,” he said.

Other owners of Gaas Eco Adventure Park Adventure Cafe are Balamban Vice Mayor Rosario Binghay as vice chairman and members of the board of directors Wilson Ong, lawyer Manolet Dinsay, Lilia Obeso, Ramon Vidal of Habagat Outdoor Equipment, Architect Ramon Vios, Rick King, Jojo Alquizola, Albert Chiongbian, Monette Ortiz, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Regional Director Ahmed Cuizon, Rick Borgonia, Ali Cabaero and Jun Impas.