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Dolefil Clubhouse Kalsangi
Part 5 of a series.
S-Ex Tour 4.0 officially kicked off! The Cebu bloggers led the pack as we arrived a day earlier. Call time was 11am. Not that early. Great!
Before we hopped into the van, Kuya Avel gave us a brief background of what we were about to experience in the next few days. He also introduced us to the other participants. It was nice to see familiar faces: Don, Fitz, Rina, Mary Jane, and Nanardz and it was also nice to meet Aethan, Edgar, Ramil, Ivy and Tim. I hope I did not miss anyone.
Off we go to our first stop of the day: Dolefil Clubhouse Kalsangi!
Located in Polomolok, South Cotabato, Dolefil’s pineapple plantation is one of the main drivers of Polomolok’s economy. Hidden in the middle of this vast landscape is Dolefil Clubhouse Kalsangi. It is as exclusive as it could get. I heard access to this area is limited. Only those who had connections to Dolefil employees could get in so we were oh so lucky, lucky, lucky!
Rows of pineapples!
It took us around 20 minutes to get to the main highway junction leading to the town proper of Polomolok. From there, we went through an interior road leading to a secret wonderland which I doubt was even on the map! Halfway through the route, the concrete road ended and we went on dirt road driving. Gradually, the scenery became picturesque!
Pineapples as far as the eyes can see.
We were going slightly uphill and the scenery continued to reflect the change in altitude.
Dozens of Norfolk Pine Trees dominate the landscape. Perfect for pictorials!
After fifteen minutes on dirt road, we finally reached the entrance of this “restricted” area. As expected, security approached our van for identification. We went on without a hitch.
As we entered the gates, the first thing I noticed, aside from the increased density of the pine trees, were some houses which reminded me of Subic and Camp John Hay in Baguio. Company executives were housed in these living quarters.
Clean and green. With no gates, we were able to appreciate the manicured lawns. A well-deserved stress-free environment for key officials who steer the company to the right direction.
At 12:12pm, we found ourselves at Dolefil Clubhouse Kalsangi.
Parking area.
Upon disembarkation, we were greeted by Gwyn Ebol, Communications Superintendent of Dolefil and a blogger herself!
Ms. Gwyn Ebol welcomes S-Ex Tourists to Dolefil Clubhouse Kalsangi
Dolefil’s Kalsangi Clubhouse was comparable to those in high end subdivisions by premier developers. Amazing!
Dolefil Clubhouse Kalsangi marker
We took our time to explore the Clubhouse and the surrounding areas.
A life-size “Snakes and Ladders” board on the outdoor covered area of the clubhouse.
Towering pine trees.
Beside the Clubhouse is a 9-hole golf course which is the favorite playground of the elite golfers in the area.
When I was a kid, I used to be the scorer of my grandpas golf games.
With an environment like this, one would probably live longer. Fresh cool air, green surroundings, and the scent of nature. All these bring a sense of contentment and inner peace.
The scent of pine trees brings excitement and joy, not only because it signifies that Christmas is near, but because it gives a relaxing feeling and an unexplainable sensation.
While we enjoyed the scenery, our tummies were calling for food. So we headed back to the clubhouse for lunch which revolved around the pineapple, specially prepared by Dolefil.
Sweeeet Pineapples!
Salad with dilis flakes for the health-conscious, which was made tastier with the addition of pineapples chunks
Chicken Mechado, which was again perfect to pair with the pineapples.
Fish. If you look at our lunch, we had quite a healthy meal, no?
During our sumptuous lunch, we were shown videos about Dolefil’s corporate social responsiblity (CSR) programs that benefited their employees, the direct community and the whole municipality of Polomolok in general. One of them is the Chairs for Trees program, a three-fold program wherein Dolefil’s wooden pallets are recycled into armchairs. These are then donated to schools. In exchange, the beneficiary is obliged to plant and monitor the growth of a tree for every P10 value donated by Dolefil. A survival rate of 80% must be achieved for the planted trees for the beneficiary to continue receiving donations from Dolefil. Talk about sustainability eh?
In fact, the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) recognized these programs and awarded Dolefil the Grand Kapatid Award last year. Cheers!
Dang! If not for the clouds, the majestic Mt. Matutum would have been very clear from here.
(…to be continued)
