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When in Kalibo, never miss the chance to check out the
fairy-tale like Sampaguita Gardens Boutique Resort, the brainchild of Sam
Butcher, creator and artist of Precious Moments Collection, those figurines and
works of art famous for their teardrop-shaped and sweet eyes. Every day is Christmas here at Sampaguita
Gardens, so for those who would love to uplift their stressed mind and body,
perhaps, a little holiday cheer at Sampaguita Gardens would do them great.
Butcher wanted to open great a fantasy land in New
Washington, the same as the Precious Moments Park he created in Carthage,
Missouri. Construction of the resort started in December 2001 and in June 2003,
the place threw its gates wide opened to curious locals and tourists.
Butcher named the place Sampaguita Gardens because of three
reasons: it is the national flower of the Philippines; he adored street
children in Manila that peddled sampaguita for a living, and; the flower bore
the first three letters of his name. Since then, Sampaguita Gardens has become a landmark in New
Washington, offering employment to hundreds of locals, while also serving as a
training ground for students.
The resort sits on a 2.6 hectare beachfront property and is
equipped with facilities, amenities and services that would make your stay here
really memorable. There highlight of the property is Jojo’s Christmas Cottage
and Butcher’s own oriental-style mansion.
Jojo’s Christmas Cottage, the Victorian-inspired mansion,
which is the first all-year round Christmas store in the Philippines. The
ground floor serves as the resort’s souvenir shop where you can buy souvenirs,
from Precious Moments collectibles to local bring-it-home gifts. The second
floor, meanwhile, is where you’ll find the JCC Museum of Christmas, also
showing Precious Moments works of art. When I visited the place, that part,
though, is closed from public.
If you’re lucky and the mansion is open, you can take a peek
at Butcher’s rich collection of Asian antiques, as well as a signed painting
given to him by the late President Cory Aquino.
If you want to stay overnight in the area, there’s seaside
hotel within the property with 48 guestrooms and suites. There’s also a
restaurant and swimming pools.
While some parts of the resort have fallen into disrepair
and repair, it still pays to visit the place and be reminded that this was once
a true fantasy land that fed people’s imaginations and gave them glimmers of
hope.
