Tourism | The Forsaken Edifice Buds Anew

Conversion of a Once-proud Institution, Now an Attraction with a Sea of Petals

PHOTOS AND WRITTEN BY MDPN. JAN CHRISTIAN CATILO

A magnificent structure sits regally atop a hill, imposing its uncanny resemblance with the National Diet Building in Tokyo, Japan – Yamato International School is a private school that once devoted its walls for nurturing young learners located in the town of Lambunao, Iloilo. But it’s all now a part of the past as the main building is now part of the picturesque field budding with the colorful beauty of the diverse blooming flora planted with sweat and passion for people to enjoy.

A Backstory… New Beginnings Uncovering Terrains

When I was young, whenever I go to school at 7 in the morning, I would always sit in front of the tricycle right beside the driver, and as soon as we exit the subdivision before the main highway, a loud engine of a blue fat bus with a label that says “Yamato International School” would have its striking appearance as it bolted hastily to pick up its pupils all around town.

It is quite eye-catching because to be one of those pupils, who to be picked up for school and be accompanied back to your home by a big blue bus means that you are quite well off and can afford to go in an international school. But, time seems to not favor the fate of the proud institution as it closed doors after a few years of operation – money problems perhaps, or may be due to the problem of trying to run an international school where there are, umm, no international students. After a few months after the nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a piece of news flashed around the town about a certain “Yamato Flower Farm” made a buzz among the locals and social media. The first thing that comes into mind is that a flower farm may have been developed near the ghosted Yamato International School but a Facebook post of a friend shows that it’s even better! The fields of the school itself are the flower farm, making it quite a scenery to unfold.

I and my group of friends rushed ourselves to experience the transition of the once unmanned place subject to ghost stories told by elders. There was even a hypothesis of gold and diamonds buried underneath the large structure along the hill where it was erected. Yamato has been the subject of hearsays and creative minds of our fellow kasimanwa (townspeople) years after its closure. To reach Barangay Cayan, Oeste, where the two-hectare Yamato Flower Farm is situated, it takes a six-minute ride. You can ask the local tricycle or habal-habal drivers to lead the way with a twenty to thirty peso fare depending on the number of passengers that accompanies you to the location. On the way to the entrance, you know you are near the school when you are passing through rows of marigold flowers along the concrete path up the hill. Meters before entering the field grounds, you need to pay a thirty-peso entrance fee at a small kubo (bamboo house) with a big arc made of wood in front, adorned with carved flowers, hand-painted signs, and a large welcome sign. After few seconds of strolling downhill, you will be greeted with the dazzling iridescent glow of the sun-struck flowers of the farm.

Blooming Varieties

This terrain of vivid flora paints contrasting colors along the field, the farm grows an impressive collection of flower varieties; from simple red, purple, and yellow zinnias, bulbs of cute but spontaneous purple globe amaranth, columns of violet mexican petunias, hints of red and yellow cockscomb together with purple, yellow and red celosia uniformly lines at the sides of the canal, sunflowers that stand proud and high than the other flowers which are lined accordingly right under the foot of the main school building but nothing can beat the bushy field of almost half a hectare wide field of yellow, orange and gold cosmos that reflects the sunshine into a glimmering sea of bright swaying flame. The elegant and delicate touch of these flowers has us in awe and exhalation as you can roam around freely along the field like a rabbit hopping along with the wide bouquet of various flowers. This flower farm is gorgeous backdrops for photos and Instagram posts together with the high and wide landscape of the defunct international school. The place is wide enough to not be overcrowded and often not that packed with many people, through its vast flower scenery, the farm provides peace and relaxation to its visitors.

GRANDEUR. Yamato International School maintains its magnificence through time.

I always find joy in the thought of knowing that many people can appreciate our hardwork.

FULL BLOOM. Yamato is given a fresh appearnce after closure.

Unbeknownst to the visitors and tourists, there is an old man standing at the foot of the hill, sitting, appreciating the beauty and elegance of the flowers with a proud stature and eyes glimmering with hope while carefully glancing at each of the visitor’s faces as they pose to take a picture. “I always find joy in the thought of knowing that many people can appreciate our hard work.”, says lolo Amado E. Lutero, still physically fit at the age of 70, a passionate farmer since his younger days. He is one of the core personas who initiated the idea of developing the abandoned school by renting it from the owners. He influenced his family to take roots with the love of farming. Together with his good old carabao, he plowed the dry field of the school while his daughters plant the seeds of the flowers. They all yearned to transform the place into something where people can appreciate their hard-work.

Collective Efforts

Lolo Amado, was not only the mind behind the farm. his children, Analyn Ferrariz, Ailyn Jacinto, Adea Marie Lutero, and Amado Lutero Jr., are actually the ones who primarily thought about the idea of planting flowers over the vacant field of Yamato as they had their share of painstaking effort fueled by the love of farming and patience for the flora’s perfect blossom. “It is not just an act of pure effort. It was made with the drive of women empowerment as many housewives think that they should only work at home. That is why I said that we, women should find something that we love the most, and for us, we love flowers, so this is what we did.” Adea Marie Lutero said reiterating that we, as humans, always have something that we love. This is the formula for success behind the Yamato Flower Farm. It was in July 2020 when they started planting the seeds which they reaped the recognition and popularity of their diligent cause.

Hindsight

It was a worthwhile escapade for our group of friends. We get to experience the continuously booming tourism of our local municipality and we even get to know the bright and passionate minds behind the wonderful setting. What truly matters is the bonds that grew stronger through uncovering new destinations; a sudden sprout of feeling to visit the place became a treasured memory for us to keep for the rest of our lives. If you are considering visiting Iloilo, stop by Lambunao and get to have the taste of pure bliss and relaxation at Yamato Flower Farm. It will create a great meaning and rekindle our love for nature. This is often why flowers are seen as loving gifts from God for the special people in our lives - the reaction of the person receiving the flowers is priceless.