“Eventually, my dream or my goal is for Beati Firma to be a household name.”

Not long after the debut of her new GMA-7 series, leading lady Bea Alonzo retreated to her bucolic haven away from city lights.

While visiting the sanctuary is a luxury she allows herself once every six or eight months, she nevertheless returned just one month after her latest visit to give a private tour.

She wanted to give us special access to her “probinsiya” life.

Central to this life is her cherished 16-hectare farm in Iba, Zambales, that she chose to name Beati Firma, meaning “blessed farm.”

Photo/s: MIGUEL ALOMAJAN

This expanse of land, once barren, now boasts multiple structures made up of one-story houses, a gym, a chapel, a court for multiple sports, and a kitchen with a roof, no walls, and lots of cool air.

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

A look farther out into the landscape, and we find ourselves in the middle of a prosperous hub housing all of mango orchard, cattle farm, vegetable produce, pond, and ranch.

Photo/s: Miguel AlomajaN

But for all this wondrous spread, in the end what the tour gives us is a better idea of what stuff Phylbert Angelli Ranollo—now 36 and an A-Lister in the entertainment industry everyone knows as Bea Alonzo—is made of.

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

A SUSTAINABLE SANCTUARY

For certain, Bea’s connection to Beati Firma runs deep.

She purchased the land back in 2011, when she had been 11 years in the business and the land was a desolate expanse with only one existing tree known to locals as “Cupang.”

“I just fell in love with the place,” enthuses Bea.

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

“In the beginning, raw land lang ito. Galing siya ng isang wildfire, and then there was just one tree that actually was able to withstand all the chaos and the wildfire. It reminded me of myself—how I can survive every thing.”

“And so, yeah, I fell in love with this piece of land, and we turned it into something beautiful,” she says.

By “we” she meant her family, particularly her mom Mary Anne Ranollo who is the one managing the farm on a regular basis.

Today, to Bea, Beati Firma symbolizes the creation of vitality out of a void.

From a personal sanctuary, which she cherishes, she has taken Beati one level higher to become a burgeoning business venture.

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

Bea is enthralled with the concept of a self-sustaining farm.

Significantly, this does not come from a dreamy wishlist but from a very clear idea that farms are always costly.

To maintain Beati, as its owner, she needs to “keep working” and has to complement its financing with strategic farming practices and diversification.

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

“As long as you have a sustainable farm, I guess it’s all good. Dapat, it’s self-sustaining.”

She adds: “You have to have businesses within the farm. Like, for example, you have to have trees that will bear fruits that you can sell eventually.

“Also, kailangan din ng livestock so it can help you maintain the farm.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

FARM-TO-TABLE action

Nestled in the sprawling property is a quaint nipa hut that doubles as the farm’s main kitchen.

“I love it because dito talaga nangyayari yung farm-to-table action. We would harvest from the vegetable garden and then we would cook it here,” she shares eagerly.

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

Indeed, the space is not only efficient, it’s also grown into a place for communal gatherings, which Bea’s family sets up with tables for the traditional boodle fight—a Filipino feast where food is laid out on banana leaves for everyone to share.

“This is where I usually do my vlogs,” she tells us.

“Pagdating sa mga cooking vlogs, dito namin talaga nasho-showcase yung Filipino aesthetic ng farm.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

Bea’s love for cooking stems from her family, particularly her mom and lola: “I remember when I was young, I would always help in the kitchen.”

Asked which dish reminds her most of home, she smiles warmly: “That would be kaldereta.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

Turning Beati Firma one day into a reputable brand is the North Star that prods Bea to produce her own goods.

“I’m still enjoying the serenity and the privacy of our farm. But maybe, eventually, my dream or my goal is for Beati Firma to be a household name.”

“Maybe we will come up with products from our own mangoes or our own harvests,” she discloses.

“Siguro, in the long run. Eventually, I can do that.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

To support this vision, she champions the decision to harness solar power.

“It’s better for the planet, and also, it saves me a lot of money,” she says. “And in the long run, I know that it’s gonna be better for everyone.

“Also, yung solar energy kasi, even at night, it just turns on without you. You don’t have to worry about blackouts.

“You don’t have to worry about everything else. It’s just there, and it’s a very good investment.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

RUSTIC CHALET

A few kilometers away from her al fresco kitchen is Bea’s Texan-inspired cabin with its panoramic view of the Zambales mountain range.

Given its interiors, one can picture Bea making a career in design.

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

“I was, in fact, very hands-on in choosing the home design,” she confides.

“If I weren’t a celebrity, I would be an interior designer and events coordinator. I really like designing a home, putting so many cute designs inside a home. That’s my thing.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

Bea’s flair for aesthetics is remarkable — from hardwood furnishings to vintage textiles, from ceramic to porcelain installations, and from artisanal accents to modern details.

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

The Kapuso actress has a meticulous approach to interior styling. “First of all,” she herself says, “it has to be functional. Hindi siya puwede puro aesthetic lang.

“It has to be functional and, more often than not, I prefer Filipino designers.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

Before the main house was erected, the ground it stands on was used as a parking lot.

“Like a covered parking lot,” Bea reveals, “that we turned into a house. Kasi I realized that this has the best view of the mountains. So, we wanted our house to be here.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

“And dito sa property namin sa Beati Firma, we don’t have a big house. We have multiple houses or multiple buildings.

“So, we have a gym. There’s my brother’s house. We have guest rooms that are not inside the house.

“Kasi we really wanted to promote going out of the house and not staying in, and we want a little privacy.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

This American southwestern rustic style is in keeping with Bea’s vision of a barn-like setting.

“It’s supposed to be a ranch because we have a lot of cows. We have a lot of livestock. We have horses now.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

BEA AS A VISIONARY

As the driving force behind Beati Firma, Bea shows both direction and foresight.

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

But she prefers to keep a modest view of her contributions.

“To tell you honestly, I don’t do a lot,” she admits.

Her management of Beati Firma isn’t about being in the thick of the daily chores but about going in with a visionary’s eye.

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

“Whenever I’m here, I would always go around. Sometimes, I help with the pigs and feeding yung mga sheep namin, yung goats namin.

“Most of the time, I just go around and make sure na naa-attend lahat ng errands.

“Or whenever I’m here, I usually look for things to do or to develop. That’s my job here. I’m more of a visionary than a doer.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

True to her word, her dreamer’s mindset gave birth to yet another business venture: Bash Manila.

Of Bash Manila, she says, “It marries two of my passions—organizing, as you can tell, our farm is very organized; and also traveling.

“And I really want to introduce a new way of traveling, a modern way of traveling, to people.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

Elaborating, the entrepreneur says, “Right now, I’m learning so much about handling a business.

“Of course, I’ve had businesses before, but eto talaga yung super hands-on ako, and it’s the first time that I created my own brand, so I’m really hands-on.

“I feel like I’m growing as a founder, as a business owner, by really talking to the customers and knowing what they need, and figuring out what the market actually wants.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

ON LIFE’S REDIRECTIONS

Like the solitary tree Cupang, Bea has her own wildfires to survive.

Some will recall that her high-profile engagement to Dominic Roque was called off in February this year, while others will point to her legal battle with showbiz columnists Cristy Fermin and Ogie Diaz, plus the two’s vlog co-hosts, in May also this year.

These represent just a fraction of what Bea has had to face in 2024 alone.

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

There have, of course, been other curve balls thrown her way, some not as hostile, but curve balls just the same.

She moved forward and showed up to her work commitments, even gaining the admiration of colleagues, who said that she didn’t let personal struggles show in her remarkable performance in GMA-7’s ongoing primetime series Widows’ War.

How does she live life with grace?

“I reflect,” Bea answers calmly. “I look within myself first. See kung saan ako nagkamali, how am I going to overcome it, and how do I not do it again or subject myself to that situation.

“But, yeah, it’s not in my nature na manisi ng iba,” she adds.

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

“I make sure that I look within myself first. Reflect before deciding or before speaking my mind or speaking my truth.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

As to the process of moving on, Bea notes that while age might offer perspective, the pain of a heartbreak remains intense.

“It really varies from the experience, how were you hurt,” she remarks.

“Iba-iba kasing klase yung pain. Iba-iba rin yung pinanggagalingan at iba-iba rin yung dahilan.

“So, I guess when you’re getting older and you’ve gone through many breakups already, somehow, alam mo na how to navigate the process.

“But it still hurts the same, or sometimes, even more.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

At present, Bea describes herself as being in a state of rediscovery: “I know it sounds cliché, but it’s my truth.”

The British-Filipino personality continues, “Marami tayo, na after a huge life-altering experience, yun ang naririnig mo sa mga tao.”

But this is very true for her: “I’m rediscovering myself, meeting a lot of people, reconnecting with my old friends, finding new hobbies and also focusing on my job, and focusing on myself.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

Her philosophy in life and work echoes a belief in constant improvement, inspired by a book like The Alchemist.

This work, which Bea first encountered at age 14 and revisited recently, has refined her outlook on success.

“Ibang-iba yung realizations ko from when I was 14, now that I’m 36, after reading The Alchemist again.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

It isn’t just a book for Bea, but a reminder of the essence of inner faith and self-confidence.

She asserts, “I would say that’s my favorite book because it’s about the power of manifestation, and it’s about believing in yourself.

“Yes, I was able to achieve many things from when I was 14. But also, until now, andami ko pa rin gusto para sa sarili ko that I haven’t realized.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

The Alchemist, she goes on: “It reminded me to always believe in myself. Kasi, somehow, kapag naapektuhan ka ng outside noises, you doubt yourself.

“It’s very important to always believe in yourself and have faith in yourself, because that’s the only way that you can go places.”

Looking back on her experiences and what she has learned, Bea has come to a simple but powerful message for herself: “Hang in there.”

Photo/s: Miguel Alomajan

PRODUCTION CREDITS

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Jo-Ann Maglipon

SHOOT PRODUCER: Rachelle Siazon

WRITER AND SHOOT ASSISTANT: Frances Karmel Bravo

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Louis Miguel Talao

PHOTOGRAPHER: Miguel Alomajan

STYLISTS: Leann Kedesma, Jro Alarcio & Geno Espidol of Qurator Studio

MAKE-UP ARTIST: Mariah Santos

HAIRSTYLIST: Vien Nueva

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR: Rommel Llanes

VIDEO PRODUCERS: John Mariano, Greeko Junio, Micah Moleno & Rommel Llanes

VIDEO EDITOR: Richford Unciano

BILLBOARD PRODUCERS: John Mariano & Katrina Gangcuangco

SPECIAL THANKS: Shirley Kuan, Mary Anne Ranollo & Nina Ferrer