East of Fort Bonifacio is an overlooked gem: 1,200 hectares of largely untapped, prime real estate alongside the tranquil waters of Laguna Lake. This expanse of "Old Taguig" - with its historic towns, vast, open spaces, breathtaking scenery, and proximity to the rest of the metropolis - is on the cusp of an ambitious metamorphosis.
Dubbed the Taguig Lakeshore Project and spearheaded by the city government and the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), this futuristic blueprint aims to transform the area into Metro Manila 's next top eco-tourism, recreational and residential venue. Not only will the shoreline provide a welcome respite for urbanites seeking to get away from the stresses of city life, it will also function as a thriving model community devoid of the social and economic divisions common in other Philippine cities. With the completion of a road dike and the C-6 highway, the rest of the metropolis will gain access to the area within a matter of minutes.
The lakeshore district will be patterned after a resort, and will feature a marina, boardwalk, floating grandstand, ferry terminal, fishport and transport facilities. There are additional plans for an all-weather golf course and villas overlooking the lake. Families can walk along the promenade, witness large-scale entertainment events, indulge in water sports, or explore the nearby nature preserve.
AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
But even more than a commercial and recreational complex, the Lakeshore district will also pioneer in the country a concept called "anti-snob" zoning. The new global trend in residential development , also known as "inclusionary" zoning, will seek to alleviate the country's housing problem by providing equal residential opportunities to all social income classes. In this integrated community, developers will be required to simultaneously build affordable homes for low-income families, when building "market-rate" homes. The city government is working with the LLDA, Gawad Kalinga's Antonio Meloto, and leading property developer and urban planner Felino Palafox Jr., to make this dream of a mixed-use, mixed-income, and cross-generational community come to fruition.
