Hello Hive,
This is my first time posting in the EcoTrain Community. I'm a curious learner in developing methods in design that would be kind to the environment. It somehow feels right to share this topic here.
Rainwater harvesting research had been at the top of our to-do list as of late. A resort project was trusted under our start-up design practice's care with the requirement of building a 40 to 50-cubic-meter underground stormwater collection tank. With the help of a sanitary engineer, we were able to design it but the vortex filter required will dig a hole in the client's pocket.
While discussing this dilemma over dinner with friends in Argao, Cebu, south of the Philippines as you might have seen in my previous post, they suggested we visit the 360 Mountain View Resort's Eco Farm to learn more about it and how they achieved doing so using a different method.
We extended our stay in Argao for another night. One sunny Sunday, we all drove 30 minutes up the newly improved road via San Miguel Street by car.
Eco-Tourism at 360 Mountain View Resort and Development Center
360 Mountain View Resort and Development Center is located on the hilltops of Cansunje in Argao, Cebu. It's a popular venue for retreats and team-building activities.
True to its name, one side of the property grants the visitors a view of the neighboring Bohol island and the other side opens up to rolling hills and valleys with a small peek at the majestic Negros Island on the Tanon Strait.
Its high elevation promises a constant cool breeze despite the scorching mid-day sun. Their Facebook page mentions it as "Tagaytay of the South" but the wind here could even be more refreshing than that of Tagaytay's. It's mostly attributed to the absence of concrete structures and the presence of nature's bounty all around.
We strolled around the property. There was a huge area of tomato plants and then other crops were strategically placed at different elevations depending on their needs and plant compatibility.
The Owner's Humble Beginnings
Our friends introduced us to the owner of the farm and eco-resort who was a former undersecretary of DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources). He warmly welcomed us when we introduced ourselves.
This mountain village was where he grew up. As a child, there was hardly any road so he had to hike through the forest along with neighbor kids for 3 hours. They hiked following the Argao River to town on Sunday afternoons in order to attend school and made the strenuous journey back on Friday afternoons after class.
Diligent and hardworking, he had always been at the top of his class but when he reached early adolescence, he almost gave up school due to exhaustion and difficult hiking conditions. Working on the farm posed as an alternative but a close affluent friend of his who lived in town encouraged him to pursue his education and persevere.
Thankfully, he did. He continued studying and earned a Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering. He gradually rose to the ranks of working at the environmental bureau as regional director and later as an undersecretary to the presidential palace of Malacanang.
Now retired and busy supporting the community in his hometown, he showed us around the eco-resort generously answering questions to satisfy our curiosity.
He designed the landscape himself which was inspired by his overseas visits.
He had several rainwater collection tanks distributed throughout the property in proximity to structures at different elevations. He has a total of 100 cubic meters of rainwater. That's 100,000 liters of rainwater!
All catchments from the roof's downspout are connected to the rainwater collection tank. The stormwater then goes through a chamber as seen in the above photo to filter the leaves using mesh and layers beneath are filled with rocks, gravel, and sand. His source of inspiration was how water is naturally filtered on the river bank.
I would have loved to see a transparent section of this chamber to see how it works but I have yet to investigate and learn more about it.
The filtered water goes to the tank and the overflow is designed for irrigation to feed the roots of various crops to avoid surface water runoff. He mentioned that this is the mountain property owners' responsibility to effectively avoid erosion and flooding in the lower areas.
They regularly clean the filter at least once a year replacing them with new rocks and sand.
The rainwater-fed swimming pool is built with a conventional pump and filter system.
Did you know that after Typhoon Odette the farm was inaccessible so they used the rainwater collected here for everything even for drinking?
With the aftermath, there was no electricity here as well from Dec 16, 2021, to April 2022. A year ago, everyone was in survival mode. The resort was heavily damaged including its poultry farm that housed 33,000 chickens. 30,000 chickens sadly passed away and they gave away the remaining 3,000 chickens to residents for their Christmas meal.
The community helped rebuild the farm together. Speaking of community efforts, the owner donated 1 hectare of his land to the barangay to build a school so kids need not trek downhill nor travel far for education the way he did. I saw the light and pride in his eyes while he talked about the students of the school who are now professionals.
I also learned that coffee and cacao trees are planted and work wonderfully well together. There are garden terraces that had specific vegetables and fruits and the lowest plants are ginger.
I wish we could stay longer to pick his brains more. We gratefully bid farewell after the tour and left inspired.
Can you share tips and advice about rainwater collection? Is it common in your country and are there laws in place in encouraging and implementing it?
Thank you for reading and wishing you all a wonderful Sunday!
"I am an old soul who simply loves coffee, who finds joy and beauty in both the tangible and the unseen."
Curiosity and imagination lead to unexpected experiences. Interested in Nature, Places, Roads Less Traveled, Minimalism, Authentic Living, Anything French, and International Cuisine. Feel free to follow her, re-blog, and upvote if you enjoy her content.