Less than two hours away from the hustle and bustle of Manila a miracle awaits. Sonya’s Secret Garden overwhelms the visitor with breathtaking natural beauty. Millions of flowers and scents I believe can be found in paradise. Cozy daybeds in quiet nooks surrounded by flowers invite the visitor to contemplate the beauty of the moment.
Sonya Garcia, the owner and founder of this very place, worked together with her grandmother as a child in her garden. Later she recreated her grandmother’s garden with a swing, chicken and cows and as the desire could not be resisted, Sonya’s Secret Garden was born in 1998. ”I inherited the genes of my grandmother and I cannot go against my grain”, she says.
Sonya runs her award-winning spa, restaurant and bed and breakfast with an approach of social responsibility. Her 150 staff members along with around 30 OJTs (on the job training) all partake in Sonya’s success. During the pandemic they were all given a piece of land to cultivate the soil and the products were sold for deliveries. They were given water, rice and medicines during the hardship and even today all get free meals at work. Their children can get scholarships and everyone lives so close they can just walk to work and school instead of wasting time in traffic. Sonya’s dream is all about the bigger picture – to create more jobs with dignity and to give to those in need.
The restaurant uses organically grown ingredients and Sonya has also donated seeds to enable the growth of more beauty. The spa, bakery and wedding venue at the premises invite visitors to truly live in the present moment and to remember again how simple and yet divine life can be. This in turn will lead to more good – ”When we feel content we become generous”, Sonya says, of which she is living proof. I am grateful for having met her and I now know where I will return for moments of grace.
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