You are only alive during moments when your heart is conscious of your treasures

Being happy is my favorite. You make me happy. That makes you my favorite.

MoCa Family Farm

Other things may change, but our life starts and ends with family.

MoCa Family Farm is a one-of-a-kind family farm resort and learning center in Padre Garcia, Batangas. It used to be a mango orchard before Fil-Am sisters Gigi and Mimi purchased the land and named it MoCa, a portmanteau of their respective husbands’ last names, Morris and Castor. But it was Gigi and her family who gradually transformed the farm into an agri-tourism destination. Gigi, who is a fashion design and apparel professional, got the inspiration from a university orchard in Las Vegas where her horticulturist husband Bob, works. 

MoCa operates on 4Fs and 1E principle, which stands for Farm, Food, Family, Fun and Enjoyment. During the time of our visit, it was Gigi and her son Bobby who personally toured us around the place.

There is a variety of exotic fruits, herbs and vegetables growing in the farm. Among we’ve seen include mango, avocado, pineapple, duhat, dragon fruit, santol, atis, papaya, jackfruit, banana, squash, alugbati, roselle, mulberry, red rose, and blue ternatea.

The competitive advantage of the farm compared to other similar farm resorts, is its Robby Rabbitry. The rabbitry was named after her youngest son, who also serves as a tour guide whenever there are guests around. There used to be more than a hundred seventy rabbits with different breeds but almost all of them died when typhoon Glenda struck in 2014. Gigi felt devastated with the incident like the first time she felt when she lost her first pet rabbit. That’s why she decided to give up for adoption most of those who survived to another professional rabbit grower somewhere in Cavite. Kaya mabibilang na lang sa kamay ang mga remaining rabbit survivors in the farm. But hopefully, they will grow more in number, since rabbits are known to be among the most promiscuous animals.

Aside from the cute and adorable rabbits, the farm also breeds native pigs and chickens.

MoCa espouses farm to table food. Almost all the delicious food we ate – blue ternatea rice, crispy kangkong, beef steak tapa, suman tamales with ripe mangoes, sweetened banana and jackfruit, dalandan juice - came from the farm, and the natural produce of the local community.

There are bunk beds for guests who want to spend a night or take siesta after the tour and the sumptuous lunch. Actually, the whole farm could be rented exclusively by families or group of friends who want to take a breather from the toxicity of city life.

Fun, enjoyment and life-long learning of the importance of family bonding and living a simple life in harmony with nature, are what to be expected after a day’s end at MoCa.

And the realization that not all the time could a storm makes trees take deeper roots.

MoCa Family Farm

Km 108, Brgy. Castillo

Padre Garcia, Batangas

Contact No: 0919-4790566
By appointment only

Uke Box Caffe and Selfie Coffee

Learn to let go of things you can’t control and listen to ukulele music.

Taro smoothies

Tuna marinara spaghetti

Ferrero cake

Selfie coffee strawberry banana

Gelato

Uke Box Caffe

#187 E. Rodriguez, Jr. Ave.

Brgy. Bagumbayan, Libis, Quezon City

Tel. No.:  374-7467

Sheridan Boutique Resort

Any day could be the beginning of anything you want.

Today, I just want some solitude at the Balinese-inspired Sheridan Boutique Resort, a haven for relaxation, not too far away from the busy city of Iloilo.

Sleep my troubles away in one of their lovely casitas. It’s okay that my old dreams are no longer coming true. Maybe I’ll just dream new ones.

Sit back, enjoy life, and accept that just because I like certain people doesn’t mean I should always be with them.

Dance in the spacious ballroom of Wilfredo’s Event Place if I hear them play “Nothing Really Matters”.

Stop eating my heart out and simply enjoy good food and good life at Ayanna Garden Restaurant.

Drown my insecurities at the alluring Azure Infinity or the man-made lagoon. Somehow, home is also where the pool is.

At some point we must accept the inevitable: that love eventually catches up with us. The only question left is whether to deny it or just let it in.   

Sheridan Boutique Resort

Brgy. Buran, Oton, Iloilo
Tel. No.: (033) 396-0033, 0917-3077643