Dreaming beyond your pocket

MANILA, Philippines - Don’t let the depth of your pocket dictate your ability to fulfill your dreams. This was the advice of a popular Filipino investment banker when asked about the secret of looking for a home that would best suit a family’s needs.

Filipinos are eager to discover gem finds which they could consider their first own home, one that they could someday pass on to their children, one that realizes their accomplishments, or where their cares fall away and they can live their dreams.

This is the thrust behind Filinvest’s recently launched “7 Dreams” corporate tagline. As one of the country’s largest and most diverse developers, Filinvest has developed more than 2,000 hectares of land to fulfill the dreams of 100,000 families nationwide. This translates to seven dreams per day for the past 40 years – the reason the company describes itself as a “dream builder.”

“This is a role that the company takes to heart. Our corporate slogan, ‘We build the Filipino dream’, identifies us in the industry and embodies our collective vision,” said Joseph Yap, president and chief executive of Filinvest Land, Inc.

‘King of the Hill’

Among the dreams Filinvest fulfilled is that of the Dichupa couple whose success in the garments distribution business for 21 years now afforded them a high-class lifestyle that defines the world-class residences, farm estates, country clubs and communities under the Filinvest Premiere brand.

 “We always wanted a place where the family can retreat and get away from it all,” says John Dichupa, who got to have a taste of the laidback life when he and his wife Olga took a vacation in Bali, Indonesia three years ago.

After looking into several property developments, the Dichupas finally settled for a 1,697-square meter residential farm estate on Mandala Farm on Timberland Heights in San Mateo, Rizal, just a half-hour drive from their office in Cubao. Mr. Dichupa says what drew them to the Filinvest Land property are the breathtaking views of the rolling hills and its mountain suburban-style living. “I always felt like I’m ‘King of the Hill’ and on top of everything when I’m here,” says Mr. Dichupa.

Investing in the future

The Dichupas are not the only ones who are living their dreams. Teresa Domingo, a 53-year-old UP Business Economics graduate and mother of two, was close to retirement when she saw the Nusa Dua Farm Estate, Filinvest’s Balinese-inspired farm lot concept in Tanza, Cavite under the Filinvest Legacy brand.

What drew her to buy a 700-square meter lot in Nusa Dua in 2004 was its Balinese concept, its “airy, wood-paneled clubhouse, its fishing lagoon, and spa-like amenities.” She considers the property, a mere 1.5-hour drive from her residence in Alabang, a reward for her hard work and a legacy she can pass on to her children, just like the ranch in Nueva Vizcaya she inherited from her mother.

“Here I always have something to look forward to. I would even upload photos of the farm to my Multiply site, and it would spark interest among my expatriate-friends who are already planning their retirement life,” she enthuses.

Opportunities knocking

Like many young married couples, AJ and Cel de Villa have always dreamed of owning a home they can call their own, especially after living with their in-laws for many years. When the De Villas finally fulfilled their dream and bought a condo unit at Filinvest’s One Oasis in Ortigas, they got more than they wanted.

“We have more privacy and a more controlled environment for our growing toddler. Our home is very child-friendly. It’s nice to be at home... in a place where we could relax and enjoy living,” says AJ.

Living in One Oasis has also opened up more business opportunities for the couple’s catering business. “We get more clients from One Oasis. We are also now into the space rental business,” AJ adds.

Agnes Arnoco, 43, had a different motivation for moving to a secure and accessible place. “My kids and I were living with my mother back then,” says the Caviteña who survived breast cancer in 2002. “I was undergoing chemotherapy and the endless gossip going around the community wasn’t helping me.”

In 2002, she and her OFW-husband Florentino, along with their children, moved to Springfield View, a 44-hectare, Spanish-Mediterranean-style residential subdivision in Tanza, Cavite. Their new home sits on a 100-square meter lot and is conveniently close to her mother’s house. Her family enjoys the security, comfort and accessibility of their first home, as well as its secure neighborhood. Such are the characteristics of properties under Filinvest’s Futura brand.

Mrs. Arnoco won her battle with the Big C the same year. She has since ventured into the wire harness business, where she employs around 100 workers. She has also started providing clients with churros, waffles, and ice cream machines during parties. “It has been easy to do business from home. The wide streets are convenient for our vehicles, the security is very reliable. Here I have kind neighbors, and my mind is at peace,” she says. She also juggles business with taking care of her school-aged children, who go to The International School for Children, a short 10-minute ride away from Springfield View.

The good life

These families agree they could no longer put a price tag on the good life they now enjoy in their Filinvest homes. For many like the Dichupas, money was not a consideration when they bought their property. “Nobody can put a price on feeling the early-morning fog on your face or the fresh morning dew, the joy of eating fresh produce that we planted and cultivated ourselves,” Mr. Dichupa says of his investment in Timberland Heights.

For the De Villas, there’s no price for the precious family bonding moments that their home in One Oasis affords. “What I like most is enjoying a special moment with our kid at the pool side every morning, walking in the garden with my wife, and playing basketball with my nieces and nephews,” says AJ.

Yes, it’s the simple joys that make dreams worth fulfilling. “We have the resources and the capability to fulfill even more dreams. As long as there are milestones to conquer and dreams to fulfill, Filipinos can count on Filinvest to fulfill their dreams…one home at a time,” says Filinvest Land’s Mr. Yap.