Positioned in Paranaque, one of the cities that make up Metro Manila in the Philippines, the Alphaland Marina Club is a members-only superyacht marina, due to open in 2015. Representing the most significant project in the Philippines in more than 20 years, it is about 15 minutes drive from the Makati Central Business District.
Alphaland Marina Club - side view from the sea
The iconic clubhouse, built on pilings in the middle of the water, offers a new and unique nautical lifestyle based on nature. Manila Bay serves as a fabulous setting for the club, offering views and fresh air not available in the inner city. The clubhouse will offer many dining and entertainment options, including five private dining rooms, and is perfect for social and business gatherings.
The marina will have 300 berths for yachts of all sizes. Boat owners will finally have a clean, secure, and efficient facility for their vessels. Entrance to the marina is strictly regulated to exclude outsiders, but will be convenient for members and crew.
The club will also maintain a fleet of yachts, which members may use at reasonable cost. In this way, members need not own a boat in order to enjoy boating and the nautical lifestyle.
According to its developers: ‘The iconic clubhouse, built on pilings in the middle of the water, offers a new and unique nautical lifestyle based on nature. Manila Bay serves as a fabulous setting for the club, offering views and fresh air not available in the inner city. The clubhouse will offer many dining and entertainment options, including five private dining rooms, and is perfect for social and business gatherings.’
The company behind the project is a publicly listed property developer and partly owned by the Ongpin family of Manila. RV Ongpin was former Trades Minister and current Chairman of Alphaland. The project leader is Raphael Ongpin, the Chairman’s nephew, a keen boatie and also spokesman for the project.
Alphaland Marina Club - view from the sea
Australian marine industry proponent, Joe Goddard worked with Alphaland as the marina consultant/designer on the project and says that ‘like those in the Middle East, this project will take off’.
‘It will attract the local yachting community, visitors and international regattas, and as well as impacting on property prices, with the potential to raise them substantially.’
Goddard was approached by referral from HOK, Master Plan in Canada, which he worked with on the Dubai Marina and other projects in Bahrain.
‘I am passionate about the project, the vision and the people involved. This Marine Club will have broad appeal with the boat owners of the region.’
As Goddard explains: ‘The marina itself is 300 berth with a weighting to the bigger boats, on the inside, up to 70m and then outside there’s capacity up to 120m, weather permitting. The club will also maintain a fleet of boats, available to members at a cost. That way, members need not own a boat to enjoy boating.’
Goddard says in his opinion, the Alphaland Marina Club will be ‘a new benchmark of marina excellence in the entire region and far surpass what is available in all of SE Asia, even considering what Singapore and Hong Kong has got to offer’.
‘It will revive the city and really place it on the map as far as yachting is concerned.’
