The Family behind Florentino's

September 23, 2020

Credit to the owner of this awesome photo!

Credit goes to the owner of this amazing photo. More photos can be viewed in Florentino's Facebook Page.

2 - 3 minute read

Cebu City, Philippines

This pandemic is an irony of sorts.

It is terrible yes! And yet wonderful things are sprouting up from it.

I for one have discovered my inner plantita, let out the closet baker in me and was blessed by a new and amazing online business with an awesome community of mentors.

This family behind the famed Florentino's Eco Park lifted God-given gifts to higher heights.

The Leader of the Pack

So who's Florentino? Nope, he's not talking Italian. He's a true blue Filipino, and a renowned fine art painter at that.

I met Jun Impas years ago when I wrote about art in Cebu. Little did I know then his wife is Nina Wenceslao, my batchmate in UP High. It just amazes me where fate can lead us.

I remember going with a large group of Cebu artists to Luzon, led by artist exceptionnel Celso Pepito. We visited the residence of Cebuano painter Romulo "Mulong" Galicano. Then we stayed for a few days in the astoundingly beautiful Laguna in the residence of renowned Filipino Painter and Art Patron Hugo Lubag Jr. in Morong, Rizal.

We also went to the massive property in Uugong of the late Filipino painter Rafael Pacheco. He performed his hand painting of colorful koi for us in the middle of cascading waterfalls.

It is no wonder Jun Impas finally built his own piece of paradise today. He initially hoped to build an artist's village. But time and priorities took their toll.

The wacky Impas family are all in it together.

Then in a seeming stroke of fate, his family's posts in social media lent unplanned exposure to the place. Drones of people started coming to see it. And by a joint family decision, his family decided to slowly develop Florentino's.

Jun at work on a masterpiece right at the lobby.

An Artists' Heavenly Haven

Step-by-step, Jun and his family added more amenities, planted more, cooked and served for visitors in the park's restaurant.

Soon there will be an art gallery, a souvenir shop and finally, Jun's art studio overlooking Florentino's astounding view.

A few weeks or months more there will be accommodations, roughly around 6 to 7 rooms for people to stay in. He will add Proposal Areas where partners can ask a beau their hand in marriage.

He will even build a swing that will catapult you over the side of the cliff (and back of course). And an infinity pool that stretches out to the clouds.

Credit goes to the owner of this amazing photo. More photos can be viewed in Florentino's Facebook Page.

For a meager entrance fee, one can enter and enjoy the park's awesome sights. Every nook and cranny is Instagram-friendly!

What is great is you can rent the many cottages randomly placed around the park. Each offering it's own beauty. Then, you can bring your own food and have a picnic there with family and friends.

Florentino's defines itself as "a humble family eco park located in Gaas, Balamban hailed as 'The Little Tagaytay of Cebu'". For details send an email to florentinosecoparkcebu@gmail.com or call +63932 876 4019.

Meantime, these photos speak for themselves! Adto na!