The Chateau Du Mer Beach House and Conference Hall , Front Gate, 1999
If you follow my blogs, you probably know, Macrine ( RIP) and I built a retirement Beach House and Conference Hall in Boac, Marinduque for ourselves in 1999, three years before my retirement from the FDA. Since then we divided our time in the Philippines and the US. When Macrine passed in 2020, I decided to close the beach house and live here in the US almost whole year round.
The following is a semi-fictional story based on our unfulfilled plan to transform Chateau Du Mer as a haven for Filipino retirees returning home to the Philippines.
🌺 “Chateau Du Mer: A Second Coming”
This is a semi-fictional story based on the transformation of our beloved beach house into a haven for Filipino retirees returning home- ONE of the several future dreams for our Balikbayans- not fulfilled. The photos in this posting are real photos and not AI generated.
Chapter One: The Return
In the quiet town of Amoingon, Boac, Marinduque, the sea had always whispered stories to the wind. Long after the parties, family reunions, and golden sunsets faded into photographs, Chateau Du Mer stood in dignified silence—a beachfront home, once vibrant, now resting in semi-retirement itself.
David B. Katague, now in his 90s, stood at the veranda💚, his cane planted in the gravel, looking out to the Western Sibuyan Sea. He and his late wife, Macrine, had built this place in 1999 as their escape from America, their homage to the land that raised them.
But now, with the world changing and friends slowly vanishing into silence, David felt an urge—not to let go, but to transform. Chateau Du Mer still had a mission.
“What if this place becomes more than memory? What if it becomes a sanctuary… for people like me, coming home to rest and live again?”
Chapter Two: The Vision💚
David reached out to old friends and new partners: a Jesuit-educated architect from Manila, a balikbayan nurse from New Jersey, and a local priest who once served as an OFW chaplain in Dubai.
Together, they sketched a bold plan: Chateau Du Mer Balikbayan Retirement Sanctuary—a beachfront retreat not of sorrow, but of second chances and active senior living.
The main house would remain, lovingly restored with hand-carved molave wood accents and capiz windows.
Beside it, a cluster of “Kubo Moderno” villas would rise, open to sea breeze and sun.
The Chateau Du Mer Conference Hall, Built in 2001
A Conference Hall and Healing Garden would grow where the old mango tree once stood, with winding paths, bamboo benches, and stations for prayer and meditation.
The garage would transform into a wellness clinic, offering telemedicine, hilot, and even acupuncture and herbal medicines.
A small chapel, open to the sea, would host weekly Mass, rosaries, and a choir of residents harmonizing under the moonlight.
The Prayer Room at Chateau Du Mer, Built in 2010
Chapter Three: The First Tenants
They came from Los Angeles, Winnipeg, New York, and Rome.
Lola Cora, a retired piano teacher who had lost her husband but found joy teaching the village kids music.
Tito Ben and Tita Mila, a childless couple who longed to grow their own tomatoes and tell stories by the beach.
Fr. Eddie, a retired missionary priest who volunteered to be their spiritual guide, leading yoga at sunrise and Mass at sunset.
and Dr. Derek Mendoza, Ph.D.. A Retired Scientist, a Nobel Laureate in Chemistry
They shared more than years—they shared a longing for home. And Chateau Du Mer gave it to them.
Chapter Four: Living Again
At the Sanctuary, mornings began with laughter over brewed barako and pan de sal. Afternoons were for painting shells, singing the kundimans, or sharing memoirs under the talisay tree. Evenings were scheduled for Karoeke and Ball Room Dancing.
A young staff trained in both elder care and Filipino hospitality treated every resident like family—not clients.
There were tears, of course. No one escaped the aches of age. But there was also life: rekindled love stories, friendships forged by fate, and dreams no longer deferred.
On certain nights, a lantern would be set afloat into the sea—each one carrying a prayer, a thank you, or a goodbye. The Firefly tree is filled with thousand of fireflies on a warm summer night.
Chapter Five: Legacy
The Entrance to the Main House, Chateau Du Mer, Built in 1999
Years later, the village would be known not just as a retirement sanctuary but as a living storybook of the Filipino diaspora—a place where lives once scattered across the globe found peace on a small island shaped like a heart.
And in the garden stood a plaque:
"To those who returned, and to those still dreaming of home. Welcome."
— Dedicated by David B. & Macrine J. Katague
My Advertising Flyer, the First Year Chateau Du Mer was Opened to the Public, 2002
Personal Note: This dream was also the dream of my youngest son ( David E, III). He has planned to convert Chateau DU Mer from our private beach resort to a Balikbayan Retirement Sanctuary as outlined above. David had discussed his plans with me and Macrine and his early retirement from the US Federal Government. We approved of his projected plan for this year, 2025. Unfortunately, David's young life was unexpectedly cut short at a young age of 59. David E III died last March 2022 and his dreams( as described above) were never fulfilled.
Rest in Peace, David Ernst Katague III
Lastly,
Did you know that the Philippines exports a lot of tropical products from Canned Tuna to Sweet Pineapples: The Philippines is a Tropical Food Basket!
Of course, Philippine fruits are famous, and also a major players in processed tropical foods.
Think about those canned pineapples you see in supermarkets globally – a good chance they came from vast plantations from the Philippines. The Philippines is also a significant exporter of canned tuna and various other processed fruits like mangoes and bananas. Its delicious tropical bounty reaches plates around the world!
