yoo: More fun in Boracay!

Have you noticed the sudden influx of afams in Manila lately? (AFAM = a foreigner assigned in Manila).
I was having dinner recently at Mamou, Rockwell—and couldn’t help noticing how many afams were passing by and eating in the restaurants. It was almost Singapore levels.
Not talking about Burgos-quality afams, but young, good-looking and male and female afams (no offence to Burgos afams).
Could it be the ad campaign, “It’s more fun in the Philippines”?

Could it be Noynoy Aquino—knowing our sitting President isn’t stealing is making the country more attractive to foreigners and investors?
Could it be that the New York Times, Travel & Leisure , and Condé Nast Traveller all named Philippines as one of the top travel destinations in 2013?
Could it be that new luxe hotels and resorts are setting up shop in the Philippines?
Or all of the above?

After Century Properties announced its new development called Acqua Iguazu with yoo inspired by Philippe Starck comes Aqua Boracay by yoo.
I know it sounds all too confusing—both are called Acqua and Aqua with a slight difference in spelling and both are designed by yoo—but developers are different.
Acqua Iguazu is by Century Properties, while the other is developed by the AQUA Boracay Group of Marco Biggiogero, Marco Manzoni, and Dmitry Zhur.

Aqua Boracay will have a cluster of four-storey, low-density and low-rise building, offering 134 units of up to two-bedroom luxury apartments with prices starting at P11 million.
Amenities include concierge, guest services, housekeeping and laundry, on-site water sports, and exclusive access to clubhouse and swimming pools

Take a look at the renderings designed by yoo.
Here’s a studio type

The bedrooms with the local, resort elements mixed with modern sensibilities

The bathrooms I would not complain about. (For me, the big come-on is the banyo. Filipinos don’t do banyos like these.)

The living/dining/kitchen in various renderings—take your pick—it all boils down to clean and simple lines

Is it Vito Selma?

Check out the floor plans for one-bedroom

and two-bedroom

To me, it all looks magical. But I’ve never been to Boracay.
I imagine a beach looks lovelier with less people. But with Boracay getting more commercialized and populated—hey, at least it get a few notches cooler with yoo joining in the fun.
Now if only the government would fix the airport….

To know more about Aqua Boracay, go to http://aquaboracay.com/ or like them on Facebook.

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