Media
This billionaires’ lair is expanding
02/25/2019When I stepped inside the Chairman’s Villa, the posh island home of tycoon Roberto “RVO” Ongpin in pristine Balesin, I didn’t see him right away. I thought he was still resting. It was after all a lazy Saturday morning.more >>
Run Balesin 2018 VLOG
12/03/2018I have never been to Balesin Island before, so when Aegle Wellness Center invited me to join the Balesin Adventure Trail Run this year, I immediately said YES! more >>
Our son’s insanely fun wedding in incomparable Balesin
07/01/2018Without a doubt, destination weddings are romantic, unique and truly memorable, especially when the locations are exotic and faraway islands.more >>
Beguiled
03/22/2018WORK-LIFE balance is not a myth. We need it, whether we believe it or not. And it actually helps keep people sane and productive. more >>
Balesin is the first and only PHL island awarded by UNWTO for innovative tourism and sustainability
02/06/2018It's only a 20-minute plane ride from Manila, but Balesin Island will take you all over the world.more >>
Balesin Island Club places 2nd in UN World Tourism excellence awards
01/31/2018Balesin Island Club was awarded the 2nd place in the Innovation in Enterprises category, beating out 12 other finalists from around the world, in the recently held United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Awards for Excellence and...more >>
UNWTO guests discover paradise islands
06/27/2017HOST Philippines has showcased its sustainable and inclusive tourism program, treating a group of participants during the four-day United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) conference to a glimpse of some the country’s paradise-like island...more >>
UNWTO officials tour Balesin
06/23/2017Officials of the Department of Tourism took executives from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) on a tour of Balesin Island Club in Quezon province on Thursday.more >>
UNWTO cites Ongpin resort’s sustainable-tourism program
06/22/2017BALESIN Island, Quezon—Officials of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) were all praises for the sustainable-tourism program of Balesin Island Club, the flagship project of business tycoon Roberto V. Ongpin’s Alphaland Corp.more >>
Balesin Island's Luxurious New Yacht Is Fully Furnished in Versace
06/14/2017It's a literal dreamboat!more >>
Balesin Hottest Wedding Place
05/05/2017Millennials are changing their spending habits lately from food to travels and beach wedding.more >>
Why Balesin?
04/04/2017I am a beach person and in my travels in the past 47 years I have been to 18 of the world's popular beaches including Ipanema, Langkawi, and the Gold Coast. I have also been to most of the Philippines' famous beaches, mostly in Luzon and Visayas but...more >>
In Focus: 7 Stunning Celeb-Approved Destinations To Explore This Scorching Season
04/03/2017With the sizzling weather outside, we're sure you and your beau are itching for one epic summer getaway. After all, both of you deserve a much-needed break from the hustle and bustle. What are the hot (and cold) destinations you should consider for...more >>
RP Economy Needs Visionaries
02/27/2017Great and long term projects are needed in the Philippines as it propels greater economic heights, experts said.more >>
Build infrastructures like Balesin, RP urged
02/13/2017With the economy growing to unexpected level, it is more fitting that more infrastructure outside the metropolis and the capital be built to serve tourists and businessmen spending days or weeks in the country.more >>
Rajo Laurel reflects in Balesin paradise
01/04/2017It was very Rajo Laurel to reflect on 2016 and plan for the coming year in the posh paradise of Balesin.more >>
Balesin Beauty
12/07/2016Oh, I just can’t stop swooning over Caesar and Chloe’s gorgeous Balesin wedding! The simple yet classic elements gave this already dreamy celebration an extra delightful vibe. The short cascading phalaenopsis bridal bouquet is also a sweet touch....more >>
10 Things to Do in Balesin on a Rainy Day
11/08/2016Because it’s a self-contained rainy day paradise.more >>
Balesin: Setting of milestone celebrations
03/10/2015Balesin Island is paradise on earth. This private leisure getaway is my favorite destination, a truly unmatched natural beauty located off the eastern coast of Luzon.more >>
Alphaland Corporation featured in TV Patrol
11/18/2013Alphaland uses its own planes to fly relief goods and other vital supplies to disaster stricken areas affected by Typhoon Yolanda.more >>
Guiuan church, a National Cultural Treasure in Samar, heavily damaged by 'Yolanda'
11/18/2013Typhoon "yolanda" made first landfall at the town of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, devastating the town's church of La Purisima Concepcion, considered one of the finest and most beautiful Spanish colonial structures in the country.more >>
Balesin
10/21/2013It’s a 500-hectare sliver of heavily forested island that rises out of the shimmering Pacific waters as your plane descends for its landing, half an hour after taking off from a private hangar back in NAIA. The runway bisects the island and is also...more >>
The otherworld of Balesin
10/09/2013THERE is so much beauty in the world that only a privileged few can see. In a secluded private island in Quezon, less than half an hour by air, colossal Mediterranean-style hotels and petite cafés -- in the enticing colors of butter, strawberries,...more >>
Snapshots of Balesin Island Club
07/19/2013Dont hate me but I’m currently in paradise. Here are some shots I took with my iPhone.more >>
Back to BALESIN!
07/17/2013The Philippines is really blessed with some of the most beautiful beaches and resorts that there are hundreds of choices for one to explore. Perhaps topping my personal list has got to be the Balesin resort. This members only resort really is a...more >>
Babes and Babot Oreta raise the bar for wedding anniversary celebrations
07/13/2013What is the best way to celebrate a wedding anniversary? Lots of couples try to come up with unique and memorable ways, especially when milestone years are involved. Well, the bar has just been set pretty high by Babes and Babot Oreta, who decided...more >>
Family Vacation in Balesin
06/28/2013Balesin is a huge island, just 20mins away by plane from Manila. By far it is the most accessible-by-short-distance-travel beach with white sand (though not as white as Boracay or El Nido or Amanpulo). Amenities are pretty remarkable, and ongoing...more >>
PH’s most expensive island property project developed by single firm
05/30/2013What’s new in paradise? The Alphaland Balesin Island Club has changed a lot since I was there last January. Although only four months have passed, it seems so much has happened.more >>
Balesin: Tropical paradise in Quezon
04/30/2013MANILA, Philippines - Getting away from it all can hardly get better than this.more >>
Beautiful Balesin
04/14/2013There is nothing quite like it elsewhere—seven themed villages ensconced and rimming the shorelines of an island nearly five times the size of the Makati Central Business District.more >>
Balesin Island Club
04/11/2013And we finally arrived at the airport We all fit in the Heli together with the pilot We were greeted by Boly, the General Manager of Balesin. Dad and Mom know him because he is the husband of one of our Managers in Starbucks, Macy,...more >>
Dining in Balesin Island Club
04/11/2013As soon as we arrived it was lunch time and Tito Rob and Tita Helen hosted lunch at the Clubhouse which served Filipino food. We enjoyed and hopefully one day we can come back, I want to try the food in the different villages more >>
Balesin lifts luxury a notch higher
02/17/2013Balesin is probably the biggest and most expensive single-resort development in the country to date.more >>
New hair, new destinations for a new year
01/12/2013A brand-new year deserves brand-new hair color. My hubby Dennis has lately been sleeping with a copper-headed chick. That's me after weeks of bad-hair days followed by a good-hair overhaul with Laurent Hebert of Franck Provost at the Fort.more >>
Beautiful Life
12/20/2012Lifestyle Asia travels to the Balesin Island Club to experience Lancome's newest fragrance, La Vie Est Belle.more >>
‘Binakol’ and ‘kinilaw na tanguigue,’ from an enchanted island called Balesin
11/28/2012MANILA, Philippines - Alphaland Corp.’s P3-bilion premium-grade green office building at the heart of the Makati central business district will open its doors to the public in January next year, supplying around 48,000 square meters of high-end,...more >>
Hot spots: Balesin Island Club, the Philippines
10/27/2012Another Philippine beach resort – what’s the big deal? The Balesin Island Club, off the east coast of Luzon, is not one resort, but seven, each designed to embody an iconic seaside escape. Jet-setters yearning for the Mediterranean will feel right...more >>
Celebrating the scent of a beautiful life
10/18/2012Private planes, an exclusive, secluded island, personal butlers, private villas, black-tie dinner under the skies: It was just the kind of day evocative of the product that was to be unveiled.more >>
BizBuzz: Charity commission
10/10/2012Alphaland Corp.’s new Balesin Island Club resort is all the rage among the well-heeled nowadays, but that hasn’t stopped the firm’s honcho, Bobby Ongpin, from using some unique marketing methods to sell his project.more >>
Luxurious places in the country
09/29/2012Arguably the most luxurious address in the city is not a home, but a hotel. Early this year, Sofitel Philippine Plaza presented Manila’s most prestigious and luxurious collection of suites, The Imperial Residence. Its magnificent opulence makes for...more >>
Turning 85 is a Blessing
09/13/2012Last month I spent a weekend at an island paradise called Balesin. I flew in a Cessna Grand Caravan for a 26-minute flight from the domestic airport. It was raining cats and dogs in Manila and I was hesitant to leave, but I could not disappoint my...more >>
Travel Tuesday: Rain in Paradise
09/04/2012We're going local for today's TRAVEL TUESDAY! If you recall, a few weeks ago I was stranded in paradise due to the bad weather. Normally, I'm the type who rants about flight cancellations--but this rescheduling was openly welcomed by me and...more >>
L'Arc en Ciel artists render Balesin Island
08/05/2012MANILA, Philippines - Intrepid art patron and curator of the L’Arc en Ciel gallery in the South, painter Elaine Herbosa, recently led a group of gallery artists on a island sojourn to her brother Bobby’s stunning island resort, Balesin. Elaine and...more >>
An amazing paradise
07/30/2012I finally made it last weekend—to the paradise that is Balesin Island. I took off from the Alphaland hangar at the domestic airport to the 1,500-meter concrete airport of Balesin. I had a pleasant 25 minute-ride on a brand-new Cessna Grand Caravan,...more >>
Breathtaking Balesin
07/17/2012MANILA, Philippines - On the 25-minute plane ride to Balesin Island in Quezon, my mind was blank as to what to expect from the trip. I had been to other world-class resorts before, and I really didn't know how it could be different.more >>
Balesin Island Club: Luxurious Way to Enjoy the Beach
07/16/2012I try to not let summer go by without going to the beach, not to swim but simply to revel in the idea of soaking in the sun while in reality I’ll just be scoping the relaxing scene with a book at hand to keep me occupied. So I was actually quite...more >>
Baring Balesin
06/19/2012I heard accounts from locals of the Polillo Islands about an island in their region which you can spot even an hour away from reaching it, not by seeing the island itself, but by seeing a distant lush tree afloat in the middle of nowhere, in the...more >>
The Balesin experience: The world in an island
06/18/2012Manila, Philippines - What would you do if you had an island? One tucked between a mighty ocean and a peaceful bay, often visited by typhoons but even more often lulled by languid breezes, where the clichéd “crystal clear waters and pristine white...more >>
Why Balesin Island should be good for boxed-out Bradley
06/11/2012I’m not really a boxing fan but today, like almost every other Pinoy, I’m watching the latest Pacquiao fight. The hubby and our boys have dragged me to the big screen at the Alpha Tents in Alphaland Southgate Mall in Makati, where, like every other...more >>
All In Harmony
06/08/2012An ultra-exclusive island getaway that offers its members an unforgettable resort experience that is in perfect sync with its natural environment.more >>
Beautiful Balesin, Exploring a Luxurious Island Destination
04/21/2012Who would’ve thought that somewhere, within the typhoon-battered province of Polilio Quezon, lies one island that will soon be a world-class destination? But that’s the beauty of it, isn’t it? It’s like a secret paradise. It’s not hidden from...more >>
Chairman’s favorite
04/18/2012The first of the six themed “villages” of Alphaland Corp.’s uber-upscale members-only island-resort project Balesin in Lamon Bay, Quezon—opened last April 1 in time for the long Lenten break. It was originally intended to finish in end-2013, opening...more >>
Awaiting Discovery
04/10/2012Download the article here: Awaiting Discovery, Louise Myjel A. Guevarra, Turista, April 2012more >>
The world's best beach destinations in one private island
04/10/2012Download the article here: The world's best beach destinations in one private island, Mabuhay Magazine, April 2012more >>
The great escape to Balesin
04/08/2012The summer sun beckons and greets me early when its rays lead me to a private island called Balesin. It is located 90 air miles east of Metro Manila, about 60 nautical miles from the coastline of the province of Quezon or a four-hour banca ride...more >>
Exotic island set to charm, spoil guests
03/23/2012“At Balesin we aim to provide members with a unique, luxurious and exclusive island experience. With all its natural wonders, it’s a world unto itself, giving you that sense of remoteness and serenity. Yet, it’s just a quick flight to and from...more >>
Balesin Island is best villa development in Southeast Asia
02/17/2012The award is a testimony to the quality of services Balesin has in store for its members. Located in Polillo, Quezon, a mere 25-minute private plane ride from Manila, the project is a fully sustainable, master-planned, 500-hectare, exclusive island...more >>
To The Point
02/16/2012By July, the Bali, Phuket and Mykonos Villages will be complete and we should have about 150 villas operational. The aquatic sports center and the huge sports center with its three tennis courts, badminton courts, two basketball courts, and many...more >>
A spectacular island getaway–hunk not included, unfortunately
01/14/2012Each themed villa has a spacious bedroom with a king-size bed covered with the highest possible threadcount bedsheet, and pillows that were as soft as clouds. The room electronics include a flat-screen satellite TV, iPod dock and Wi-Fi. For those...more >>
Why tourism remains below target
09/28/2011"...Speaking of tourism, an upcoming destination that the country could be proud of is Alphaland’s Balesin Island Club. With more than seven kilometers of white-sand beaches, Balesin Island sits on the Pacific Ocean, 35 kilometers off the eastern...more >>
RVO: Placing his bet on Phl
03/09/2011International deal maker Roberto “Bobby” Ongpin has decided to make another bet –this time on Philippine tourism. Bobby was the visionary behind Tagaytay Highlands, turning it into an exclusive, high-end resort and country club. His latest gamble:...more >>
Alphaland allots P16-B for 4 new projects
02/19/2011Publicly-listed Alphaland Corp. is spending at least P16 billion until 2014 on 4 new real estate projects. The amount will cover a portion of the developments in one project (Bay City) and does not include the cost for the Boracay project. more >>
