VANTAGE Point

Tucked in the mountains of the south, the weekend family home of Ambassador Antonio and Linda Lagdameo is a dream come true 

- Maritess Garcia Reyes

No one would probably think that at the end of a winding road on the hilly side of a quaint town in Laguna lies a beautiful Moroccan-inspired home that, quite literally, is larger than life. From the main highway, a steep drive brings you to a fairy-tale-like canopy of trees, passing through an unpaved land fringed here and there by trees…more trees. Then, an

imposing gate opens to an expansive lot framed with 360-degree vistas of Laguna de Bay, the Sierra Madre Range and Mount Makiling. At this point, you will finally realise you’ve arrived.

“One day, our good friend Ponce Veridiano mentioned a property on top of one of the mountains near his house [was up for sale]. My husband and I decided to take a look. We have always wanted a home on a mountain overlooking the water near Makati. [When we saw the property] the view was breathtaking,” says Linda Lagdameo, narrating how she and her husband, Amb Antonio Manuel “Tonet” Lagdameo–the Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations in New York–found the lot that would later become the canvas to their dream weekend home.

From the property’s main gate, one must walk through a verdant garden and take a few steps down to reach the grand entrance of the spacious three-storey residence. The floor-to-ceiling ipil louvres sway open, welcoming everyone into a terracotta-hued foyer that showcases a vignette of mementoes from trips abroad and a grand piano. To the right is a hallway that leads to the kitchens (they have two), a refreshing al fresco dining area, and a breathtaking pool deck.