HALLOWEEN IS MORE than just the spooky creatures you see in movies, on TV, and at events this time of year.
A few hours’ drive south of Manila is the first necro-tourism site in the Philippines — the Centennial Garden in Santa Rosa City, roughly 15 minutes from Alabang.
Unlike most family destinations around Halloween, Centennial Garden is real, genuinely fun, and an educational adventure for everyone.
We visited the area with fellow bloggers sometime in September to see what it has to offer firsthand. Among its state-of-the-art features: high-pressure sodium lighting that illuminates and highlights the park’s beauty, a water plaza and fountain, and neatly landscaped lawns lined with Royal and Date Palm trees.
Centennial Garden has striking landscaping, avant-garde facilities, and modern amenities — barely a trace of being a memorial park, aside from the beautiful, out-of-the-ordinary chapels tucked inside. At a glance, it reads more like a glamorous recreation area on par with popular parks here and abroad.
Management says Centennial Garden has become a hit with kids, thanks to its various sheds and modern playground.
Santa Rosa Mayor Dan Fernandez, during his visit to the park, said Centennial Garden, nestled in verdant natural surroundings yet framed by modern architectural touches, “exudes an aura of comfort, serenity, and beauty,” making it a destination the town takes pride in.
Stepping into the garden, visitors are met with architecture inspired by Ancient Greece. The main entrance is flanked by familiar Greek gods and goddesses, and several of its facilities and adornments take their names from Greek architectural wonders.
An escape from the crowded Metro
If you’re planning to escape the metro over the holidays, you don’t need to look far. Just drive down to Centennial Garden.
Lhenn Jontongco, Marketing and Communications Officer of Centennial Garden, said the site was planned with clients’ comfort front and center, catering to those who value quality at a competitive price.
“We have spacious parking areas and on the aspect of security, we have round-the-clock security that includes surveillance cameras,” she added.
Centennial Garden also runs an efficient drainage system to keep clients and their vehicles safe, alongside clean, modern comfort rooms.
What makes the location even better is its proximity to popular nearby attractions like Enchanted Kingdom and Nuvali. “The Centennial Garden is the best stop before going or after going to these popular places in Sta. Rosa,” said Jontongco.
So don’t be surprised if you find yourself heading south for that long weekend in November with the family — it’ll make for a memorable one.
