Bayanihan, a Filipino term that embodies community spirit, unity, and cooperation, finds an unexpected home in the tennis courts of the Philippines. In a country with limited access to tennis facilities and equipment, the tennis community I experienced there radiate s with it. I found myself in the Philippines for the first time after visiting Melbourne for the Australian Open in the beginning of 2024. I was backpacking across Asia for a month and I found myself in the Philippines again because a friend was visiting her family there, and tennis became my key to Cebu City.
In the heart of Cebu exists a tennis oasis called Asmara Urban Resort & Lifestyle Village. The use of locally - sourced materials, such as volcanic rock, bamboo, and banana trees, combined with extens ive greenery, makes you forget you’re in the second largest city in the Philippines. The owner, Carlo Cordaro, is an Ethiopian - born Italian expat who fell in love with Cebu 25 years ago and never left. Designed and constructed himself, Carlo also takes pri de in bringing cocktail culture to Cebu through their Gravity Cocktail Lounge, which attracts locals and tourists alike. An artistic and functional centerpiece to the resort is a two - story inverted pyramid, built into the structure, designed to capture rai nfall. All of which overlooks three impeccable tennis courts, named Rome, Paris, and Monte Carlo: home to the Asmara Open.