Nature Meets Nurture: Kubo sa Hulo by Byron Jeff Datinguinoo

“My job allows me to travel… and every time I am away from home, my heart still sings the rustic charm of the Philippine countryside,” opens Byron Jeff Datinguinoo about his inspiration for Kubo sa Hulo. The landscape architect and urban planner shares that the project results from his experience of staying in hotels, hostels, farm stays, yurts, and even on the smallest tents. “One day, it just occurred to me that I would someday like to host travelers like me. It was a no-brainer that what I would build should be in my family’s hometown in Mindoro, where I have people I can rely on to help make the dream a reality.”

Kubo sa Hulo stands on a 650-square-meter lot in the middle of a rice field and boasts proximity to rivers, the sea, and the mountains. Datinguinoo says that traveling to the site is an experience in itself, be it through passing by unseen beaches by water or catching a view of the Batangas Strait and nearby beaches by land. The structure is oriented to the south facing the mountains, creating the illusion of a 360-degree view of the fields. Inside, the two-bedroom structure borrows its look and wisdom from the bahay kubo. The layout was kept open, alluding to the simplicity of life back in the day. Local materials used are also reminiscent of age-old construction, and the natural sights and sounds from the outdoors bring life to the place.

Planting the seed

Can you walk us through Kubo sa Hulo’s first few steps? Any non-negotiables from the get-go?

It started back in 2019 when was looking for a plot of land either in Cavite or here in our hometown, Mindoro. It just happened that a distant relative was selling a plot of land a kilometer away from our ancestral home. I knew the place very well as it used to be our path in going to the nearby river to swim. I guess it was meant to be.

After the acquisition of land, the initial plan was just to construct a very simple 16-square-meter hut. But since I did not really have a specific criterion in terms of size, more ideas came as time went by and it became a full-fledged 2-bedroom house!

My non-negotiables were simple: the space must be native-looking, made of local materials, and fit to its surroundings.

Describe the overall concept and aesthetic of the project. How did your architectural background influence the design of the homestay? Are there specific elements or principles you adhered to?

The overall concept is anchored on simple farm living, but with amenities that can cater to modern needs. I am not an expert in designing such, but I am guided by local builders in the area. As an architect, careful site planning and spatial organization of the house was paramount. I took inspiration from the bahay kubo itself and all the basic principles that come with it.

One principle I employed was orienting the house south, facing the mountains and the fields. As the property is not that big, the orientation allowed for borrowed views. The rear end of the plot also has a good buffer of mango trees which help screen very strong winds from the sea.

Speak of the site, what challenges and opportunities did it present? Did you anticipate any activities for the stay that deemed the site fit?

Accessibility of the site is the biggest pain point. For decades, this part of Occidental Mindoro has been backward in terms of land transport infrastructure due to the challenging terrain and other factors. A couple of years ago, we can only go to the nearest village by a 45-minute outrigger (banka) ride from Puerto Galera or Abra de Ilog port. Roads are being constructed at present.

The farm stay is in the municipality of Abra de Ilog which roughly translates to “opening of the river,” which can be attributed to several rivers that cross the area. This makes it a good base camp for hiking along the rivers that can be arranged with local guides.

As the farm sits at the midpoint of the sea, the rivers, and the mountains, it makes a perfect setting for going around different types of landscapes.

Labor and fruits

There’s no denying that the farm stay was built to embrace its surroundings. In what ways is the place constructed or designed to be sustainable and eco-friendly?

Locally sourced construction materials were mostly used. The walls, down to the flooring of the second storey, are all made of bamboo. The roof makes use of nipa, and most of the outdoor pavings are reused river stones from the nearby estuary.

In the efforts of having and maintaining a low-impact household, we try our best to segregate waste, compost the kitchen scraps, and recycle non-biodegradables.

Now that you’ve mentioned maintenance, have there been any changes to your family’s lifestyle or even perspective since you opened Kubo sa Hulo? What does it mean to you and your family?

My retiree parents are the ones who tirelessly worked with the laborers to fix things, from the electrical wiring to the last stone on the landscape. In addition to that, the original stewards of the land, the indigenous Mangyan family, helped us keep the landscape and the surroundings in good condition. I’d like to say that I’m just the guy for ideas, who also happens to know how to draw and manage finances.

Since my grandmother (father’s side) died last 2020 due to COVID-19, the ancestral house in the village did not have its usual energy. The place started to feel alive again when construction for the Kubo started, as my aunts and uncles started gathering there. It now feels like a mini project for the entire family, with everyone having different roles to play. I see it as a space for relaxing and reuniting.

How wonderful to hear that the farm stay has brought your family closer! Does the place integrate with the local community too? How does it help support the people of Mindoro?

The homestay is conveniently located adjacent to an Iraya tribe settlement of the indigenous Mangyan. As they are mostly farmers and live off the land, you will occasionally see the adults tending the rice field and the kids playing in the mango grove.

We wanted to blend into the community by ensuring that we don’t cause much disruption to the everyday life of the Tagalogs and the Mangyans. When we can, we hold a donation drive to help the locals with their daily needs. This involved bringing used clothing, solar panel lights, food, and anything that would be of use to them. Most of the time, they will insist on sharing native handicrafts and fresh produce from the mountains to sell, offering these as a form of thanks.

We also employ local Mangyans as tour guides in the nearby river trekking. They know the place better than anyone and this provides them with extra income.

We aim to continue working and living harmoniously with the local community and hopefully, the guests will appreciate the local culture that is already present in the area.

Keeping it alive

Can you give us a glimpse of the unique experiences or activities that await guests? What can people expect from a stay at Kubo sa Hulo?

It’s all natural! You can either choose sea activities such as fishing or cross numerous rivers and lagoons with crystal clear waters. You can also go for a hike up the mountains and visit the local Mangyan village in the highlands.

There are also activities within a kilometer of the farm. You can try crossing the rice fields on foot, try the PisoNet (a coin-operated internet service where 1 peso = 10 mins.), buy Nito handicraft from the Mangyans, harvest some fresh vegetables from the yard, and try the local delicacies of the province. You won’t run out of things to do!

If it were up to you, what lasting impression or experience do you want guests to take away?

I patterned Kubo sa Hulo after the experience of an artistic, natural, and spiritual retreat. I love nature and I feel like most of us need a “true” respite from modern city life, an atmosphere where one can feel at home while establishing a good connection to the outdoors. With this, we give guests the freedom either to enjoy a quiet time or be a full-fledged explorer in this off-the-beaten-path destination.

I aim for visitors to have both an extrinsic and intrinsic impression – to feel an authentic experience of the Mangyan’s way of life, to enjoy but also respect the rare untouched rivers of the town, and to gain a personal connection with nature, through introspection, or in whatever way they want to.

Now that you’ve opened the space to the public, how do you see it evolving in the next few years? What is your long-term vision for Kubo sa Hulo?

Apart from the space within the property, I wanted to look beyond Kubo sa Hulo and hope that we can attract responsible and sustainable tourism in the area. It would be a dream come true if residents would follow its example, be it by setting up homestays and/or providing livelihood for the community and the indigenous Mangyans.

I also hope that the recent construction of bridges and roads will open newer opportunities and economies, creating new livelihoods apart from fishing and farming for the locals and the indigenous Mangyans. Of course, the goal is that while all of this is happening, we get to preserve the culture and natural beauty of the area.

Harvesting lessons

Before we end, can you recall some of the biggest challenges you encountered for this project? How did you overcome them and how did the solutions you employed help shape Kubo sa Hulo into what it is today?

A key constraint from the start was logistics due to its remote location. Car access was limited, and you could only reach the site by foot—crossing paddy fields for more or less 150 meters. Eventually, a route was made at the back of the site to accommodate motorcycles. This path remains accessible and even allows people to pass by and catch a glimpse of local life in the small Mangyan village.

Another issue was utility service. In the past, electricity and water were sporadic and we had to rely on generators and a weak municipal water line. Thankfully, conditions have been favorable now, and we don’t usually get power outages. Some households do use solar panels, and we are looking at using one someday in addition to our solar lights. We have also installed both a manual and automatic deep well system, which allows us to store fresh water in cisterns in case there are power outages.

The location of the farm stay also subjects it to less to no internet and cellular service. In the past few years, phone signal was limited to the beach areas. This also posed a challenge in managing the construction remotely, as I could only receive updates whenever my relatives got an internet signal. However, in the past year, we have seen a lot of households use Star Link—a satellite mobile internet provider that allows you to connect to the internet almost anywhere. We recently acquired one for ease of communication on the ground and of course, for guests who may need or request it.

I also realized that I was technically alone when I started this endeavor, and that was also a challenge. One person cannot do everything and act on his strength alone. The right relationships and the ability to work with different personalities and capabilities were necessary to build the Kubo and everything that it stands for into what it is today.

Reflecting on your journey, what has been the most rewarding aspect of creating and running Kubo sa Hulo?

The most rewarding aspect is seeing other people enjoy what I find beautiful, which is being closer to nature.

Through the farm stay project, I was able to cultivate healthy relationships with the people who were involved in the process: the guests, the builders, my family, and even myself. I have learned so much and I am still learning along the way, be it through self-help or taking advice from the people who are willing to help develop the farm.

Of course, witnessing the vision come to life has also been rewarding. How it evolved from a paper plan into something that people can experience with their senses is beautiful. Even though some plans changed and there were a lot of variations from the original, I still feel that the sanctity of the experience I wanted to achieve remained intact.

You should be proud of yourself for making the dream happen and sharing it with others! Any advice for people who may be thinking of going the same path or simply starting a new project?

Thank you! Like I said earlier, it’s important to know that you cannot do everything all at once, and not everything will be available to you. The right attitude to deal with projects like this is very important, especially since they are in remote areas of farms in the country.

As for a piece of realistic advice? I say be patient, be resourceful, and enjoy every step of the process. Sometimes constraints lead to the best outcomes. •

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