Nick Ancheta, Bagac municipal administrator, said the project is known as La Jolla Hotel located at the seaside village of Banawang. Its developer is Cresta de Oro Philippines owned by Ronnie del Rosario.
Raisa Manalo, La Jolla project coordinator, said under construction in the 16.7-hectare hilly land are a hotel, beach resort and housing units with world-class amenities.
La Jolla pronounced “La Joya” is Spanish word for “The Pearl” or “The Jewel”. It will be ready for operation in January 2018, Manalo said.
She said that 60 of 120 rooms projected for the two-story hotel are almost finished while the infinity and main pools in the resort area facing the West Philippines Sea are being rushed.
Open cottages, a club house and resto bar are almost ready near the cove where the waves are tamed and their light splashes on the sandy shore can only be heard.
The resort area occupies about five hectares while the housing units rest in the subdivision of about 11 hectares.
Big fruit and mountain trees were preserved for trekking activities of visitors and hotel and housing occupants.
The entrance to the project from the national road going to Morong, another mountain town in Bataan, was a former garbage site but now well-paved and from there can be inhaled fresh air from the green surroundings.
The majestic Mariveles mountain can be seen from a distance.
Ancheta said La Jolla is one of the new biggest investments in Bagac after the famous theme park Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar which is about a kilometer away.
More than 32 registered beach resorts known for sandy beaches and many still unregistered operate in the town.
Bagac is about 60 kilometers away from the Subic Bay Freeport and 43 kilometers from Mariveles, home to multi-national firms under the Bataan Freeport.
Louise Gabriel del Rosario is mayor, the youngest in Bataan, of the mountain town.
