While Coach Merv Moore brings decades of international sports development to the diamond, the operational heart, community trust, and business engine of the Coconuts Performance Center belong entirely to General Manager Lerma Moore.
A former certified tourist guide with deep political and familial roots in Bohol, Lerma is the vital bridge connecting international investment with local execution.
An International Partnership
Lerma originally studied Tourism & Hospitality Management at Arellano University in Manila with aspirations of becoming an airline stewardess. Her trajectory changed following the 1997 baseball season when Coach Merv visited the Philippines and the two crossed paths at a local mall. After a full year of exchanging handwritten letters, Merv returned to the islands in 1998. Driven by a profound sense that “she was the one,” the couple married on December 22, 1998, in Caloocan City.
They established their family in Manila, welcoming their daughter Haliana (Hali) in 2000, and their son Saentis (SJ) in 2003. Today, Hali is studying Psychology and SJ is a collegiate basketball player, both attending universities in Manila, where Lerma visits them frequently.
Business & Culinary Acumen
After operating a successful restaurant in Manila, the Moore family made a strategic pivot. Dismayed by the capital’s heavy traffic, air pollution, and high crime, and wanting to be closer to Lerma’s parents who were relocating back to the province, the family relocated to the pristine island of Bohol.
Lerma comes from a highly accomplished culinary family—her uncle, mother, and father were all professional cooks. Her late father, Orlando, spent 17 years as the head chef in the Palace of the Defense Minister of Saudi Arabia. Inheriting this elite culinary pedigree, Lerma opened an oceanfront restaurant at Baluarte in Baclayon, serving a fusion of traditional Filipino dishes, Italian pastas, and classic American grill fare.
Eventually, she successfully sold the restaurant to spend more time with her children and transitioned into local real estate, where she acquired discounted land and flipping properties for a profit.
Political Integrity & Community Leadership
You cannot build a world-class baseball facility in the Philippines without the trust of the local municipality, and Lerma’s political capital in Bohol is unmatched. She is a recognized ally of Baclayon Mayor Alvin Uy and a proven force in local governance.
When she first ran for the Cambanac Barangay Council, she was the overall top vote-getter. Though she briefly stepped away from politics to run her oceanfront restaurant, she returned to the ballot in 2022. In a highly competitive 11-person race for seven council seats, Lerma secured a dominant second-place finish. Most importantly to our Founders Club investors: She was the only candidate in the race who refused to pay local residents for their votes. Her influence is built purely on integrity and community respect.
A Legacy of Impact
For Lerma, the Coconuts Performance Center is not just a business; it is a continuation of her lifelong dedication to her hometown.
The Cambanac Womens Club: Lerma founded this local organization to empower women to launch home-based businesses, from animal husbandry and vegetable gardens to operating local sari-sari stores.
Annual Youth Philanthropy: Since 2017, Lerma has single-handedly hosted an annual Christmas party for the children of Cambanac, providing games, snacks, and gifts to the local youth.
The Coconuts Soup Kitchen: Bringing her family’s culinary legacy full circle, Lerma’s mother, Norma—who was born and raised right here in Barangay Cambanac—will serve as the lead cook for the facility’s Soup Kitchen, ensuring every young athlete is properly nourished.
As General Manager, Lerma Moore ensures that our Eco-Lodge operates at a high standard, our real estate footprint is completely secure, and our philanthropic mission remains deeply embedded in the Cambanac community.