Kilyawan Farm Resort, a family-run farm resort in Ibaan, Batangas, has been recognized as an Architecture Honoree in the Professional Category of the Haligi ng Dangal Awards 2026. The biennial awards are conferred by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) through its National Committee on Architecture and the Allied Arts to honor completed works that improve the Filipino built environment.
The resort sits on an 8.5-hectare property that was once an agro-industrial chicken farm. Designed by Dominic Galicia Architects, the project turned two of the farm's old chicken coops into a reception building and a building of guest cabins, preserving the site's agricultural history and the trees around it. Woven split bamboo ceilings, clay tile floors, clay brick walls and reclaimed wood give the cabins their character, while cushions and pillowcases are handwoven by local weavers in Ibaan.
The national honor follows a string of international recognition for the project. Kilyawan Farm Resort was Highly Commended at the World Architecture Festival 2023 in the Hotel and Leisure category and also shortlisted for the Best Use of Natural Light prize, the first Philippine entry shortlisted for that prize. It was also shortlisted for the 2024 Brick Award and named a finalist in the Spatial Design category of the 2025 Golden Pin Design Award.
“Our family rediscovered farm life during the pandemic, and Kilyawan grew out of wanting to share that experience with others,” said Tina Ganzon-Ozaeta, Chief Resort Steward of Kilyawan Farm Resort. “This recognition means a lot to us, because the design was always about respecting what the farm already was – its old coops, its trees and its pace of life – and letting our guests slow down with it.”
Kilyawan Farm Resort is run by the Ganzon family and takes its name from the kilyawan, the black-naped oriole that guests can spot around the farm in the early morning and late afternoon. The working farm grows cacao that is processed into tablea, golden queen mangoes, bamboo and an organic vegetable garden, and raises native black pigs and free-range chickens for organic eggs. Produce from the farm goes into the dishes served at The Courtyard Farm Kitchen.
Guests can stay in the sustainably designed cabins, join farm tours and animal feeding, walk the nature trail and bamboo orchard, and enjoy the pool, forest playground, rope course, and pickleball and basketball courts. The pet-friendly resort also hosts team-building sessions, planning retreats and celebrations in its indoor and outdoor spaces. Kilyawan Farm Resort is about a 90-minute drive from Manila via the South Luzon Expressway.
Reservations can be made through the resort's website (www.kilyawanfarmresort.com) or by sending a message to Kilyawan Farm Resort on Facebook or Instagram (@kilyawanfarmresort). For team-building and event inquiries, email events.kilyawan@gmail.com.
