Property veteran Marco Biggiogero is relishing his new life in the tropics<\/p>\n
Marco Biggiogero’s family enjoys the famous Boracay sunset everyday from their home<\/p>\n
\u201cI fell in love with Boracay as soon as I first stepped onto the beach here in 2003,\u201d says\u00a0Marco Biggiogero, one of the brains behind the acclaimed\u00a0AQUA Boracay by yoo\u00a0resort residences project.<\/p>\n
The Italian, a real estate and construction veteran, has plenty of passion for his hometown of Milan where his family\u2019s property business is based. Nevertheless, he savours the laid-back pace of life on the famous paradise island in the Philippines.<\/p>\n
Biggiogero entered the real estate business in earnest back in 1996 in Italy. When he relocated to Boracay in 2004 he continued to pursue his passion for the industry by developing first-class, mixed-use residential and hotel projects on the island in collaboration with partners.<\/p>\n
He found his new home \u2013\u00a0a spacious, three-bedroom and four-bathroom attic apartment located in a residential compound called 7stones \u2013\u00a0after forming a joint venture with four partners where he became the company\u2019s president.<\/p>\n
With his wife and their two daughters in tow, Biggiogero officially moved in 2008. They took to the lifestyle immediately and were soon enjoying immaculate sunsets on the terrace with houseguests and friends, some travelling all the way from Italy for Christmas, holidays and other special occasions.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was love at first sight, They all feel like they\u2019re really at home,\u201d says Biggiogero of his family. \u201cThe locals here made us feel welcome from the very start. Hospitality is a major tradition in the Philippines. It is my view that no other nationality in Asia has the same warmth and kindness as the Filipinos.\u201d<\/p>\n
House parties are usually held at this balcony overlooking Boracay beach<\/p>\n
To repay this hospitality Biggiogero often surprises Asian guests by showing off his cooking skills and sharing his passion for tea.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am used to having tea with clients and friends,\u201d he says. \u201cEvery time I host a gathering at home I bring out my 25-year-old pu-erh tea, just to break the ice. I never get tired of seeing the stunned looks on the faces of my friends when they discover that an Italian like me can have such love for Chinese tea.\u201d<\/p>\n
Casual house parties \u2013\u00a0often with local celebrities in attendance \u2013\u00a0usually take place on the terrace where guests can appreciate the vista over the beach and take in the sunset.<\/p>\n
Designed by the same Milan-based architectural firm that used to handle his family\u2019s real estate projects in Italy, Biggiogero\u2019s home is contemporary and cool, the perfect modern bolthole for a young family. Although Boracay is not normally hit by the super typhoons that often plague the Philippines, the entire building (like Biggiogero\u2019s four other developments on the island) is able to withstand natural calamities through its use of super durable building materials during construction.<\/p>\n
Biggiogero believes that the imminent unveiling of Boracay\u2019s new international airport will be the cue for a growing flow of foreign tourists and investors. Indeed, he says he wouldn\u2019t even dream of selling his home to move elsewhere.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoracay has developed its unique character due to its perfect blend of foreigners and locals living and loving the island,\u201d he says. \u201cReal estate prices here are more affordable here than in places such as Phuket or Bali. Investors can still aim for an optimum capital gain as well as good rental returns, especially if their investment is properly managed.\u201d<\/p>\n
For now, Biggiogero is focused on his latest residential venture on the island,\u00a0AQUA Boracay by yoo, a collaboration between his Aqua Group Boracay and renowned UK-based\u00a0yoo design studio, which also features the works of\u00a0Vito Selma, an up-and-coming furniture designer from the Philippines. He says he loves Selma\u2019s designs so much that his favourite piece in his own house is a two-piece sofa set created by the Filipino. The sofa set is the centrepiece of the 240-sqm apartment\u2019s airy living room where his wife and children spend most of their time together when they\u2019re not at the beach.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love island living and it\u2019s the best life I can give to my children,\u201d concludes Biggiogero. \u201cHere they are free to run on the beach without fear or danger. I would not want to move to any other island in the world, since this is the one I now call home. What makes Boracay different is that the beach is the centre of life. And for me and my family, that\u2019s a key element of the lifestyle.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Marco Biggiogero’s family enjoys the famous Boracay sunset everyday from their home<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[84],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-at-home","news_author-richard-allan-aquino"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n