YES! Home is where the heart is. I love to recall our “Home Journey” in Cebu.
The first home we bought was in Limkakeng Compound in Banawa. I loved its environment because our bungalow house could view the rolling hills. But floods became a problem. So we moved on...
The Sto. Niño Village owned by the Cusis in Banilad attracted us. The houses were fewer then, with a clubhouse and playground. Years saw its expansion and modernization. The house we bought was near the Clubhouse and the neighborhood was friendly. During those times, I thought Banilad was far and the “distance factor” was valuable in reaching my school, the University of San Jose-Recoletos, and hospitals during emergencies. We sold the house.
The Medalle Court, along Osmeña Boulevard, was very accessible so we rented one unit. It was here when the historic Edsa Revolution kept us intact in our rooms. It was time to look for a bigger space to accommodate the growing number of Speechcom tutorial sessions.
Happy Valley, owned by Martin and Aida Uy, was the best place to expand Speechcom and establish my Mary Carmel pre-school. It was complete with a vast playground and mini garden, ground floor rooms and a big garage. I felt this was like my real “home.” But it was time to buy another house, and Happy Valley was not for sale.
Then the years of modern condominiums and townhouses came, and we decided to buy and settle in Park Vista Townhouse (owned by Luis Yu) in Apas, Cebu City. A townhouse gave us a sense of a safe neighborhood.
In 1997, Park Vista seemed isolated from the city, but then the Cebu IT Park sprouted with tall condos, call centers, banks and supermarkets. Park Vista has been my home since 1997. But it had remained the same, with no improvisations for years. Calling, Mr. Luis Yu!
Cebu is the Real Estate hub. Condominiums, townhouses, apartelles and resident hotels are everywhere. I have always loved the serenity of Bauhinia Drive where my friends Nelia Neri and Honey Loop reside. Maria Luisa Estate Park is also awesome with its houses built to suit its land contours. My friends Aida Uy and son Troy, my BFF Alice Woolbright reside here.
Every place I “lived in” was home to me. The structures and the neighborhood do make the difference, but the people around mattered a lot.