A place you can call home

I receive hundreds of letters from people from all walks of life. And these come from all over the world. These are people I meet through my TV shows although most of them, I will not see in person in this lifetime. These letters come through the Internet, postal service while others are sent through messengerial services.

Some of the mails I get are funny; others, sad and depressing, while others are happy stories about life. I thank God very few are nasty ones written by lonely, bitter, obnoxious frogs pretending to be humans.

Months ago, I got a letter from an old woman who said she was abandoned by her family and was living alone somewhere in Quezon City. She was suffering from diabetes and had to visit the doctor weekly. She wanted me to pay for her "weekly hospitalization." She sent me hospital bills and medical records plus resetas from doctors.

Last week, I got a letter from an OFW in Dubai, who asked me for advice on what to do with his hard-earned money. He has been an OFW for over 18 years. On top of his mind is a piece of land where he wants to build his dream house. However, his siblings want him to try the sing-along business, or a small hotel and restaurant. The youngest brother in the family wants him to go into the money lending business.

We have heard of sob stories mostly from OFWs duped by sweet-talking charlatans into investing their money only to realize later that their hard-earned money has been stolen with impunity. Somewhere in Quezon City, in a condominium row where a good friend of mine lives, is a heart-wrenching story of a domestic helper who invested a million pesos in a condominium unit. The lady dutifully paid her dues through post-dated checks to her agent/developer but horror of horrors, the unit is not listed in her name. To make matters worse, she is now the subject of an eviction case as the land owner and developer are engaged in a legal tug-of-war.

Our heart bleeds for the lady because she has nowhere else to go. After a lifetime of working as domestic helper in Hong Kong, she thought she had a place she could go home to.

Moral of the story: We should be very wary of developers who promise heaven and paradise while selling their wares. Before buying property, you should at least make a background check. Does your developer split his body into half at midnight as he flies into the darkness? Does he have the respect of the real estate community? Does he have a good track record? Can you trust him?

Last week, I made a trip to Lakeshore, a community resort located in Mexico, Pampanga upon the invitation of my schoolmate and my other "sinister" sister in bad and good times, Nini Santos Borja. Lakeshore is 45 minutes away from North Luzon Expressway exit. It sits on a 250-hectare land developed by brilliant, amiable architect Nestor Mangio, ably assisted and inspired by his lovely wife Marion.

The prime property is built around a 12-hectare man-made lake where one can go rowing, boating and do other water sports. You can even go fishing. At the center of the lake is a small island where parties, weddings and baptisms can be held. Lakeshore combines modern living with the traditional. Around the man-made lake are residential subdivisions with commercial establishments, schools, churches, a golf course and a park around the lake.

Lakeshore is perfect for OFWs and retirees. As a community resort, it is an ideal place to live in after working hard and having gone through so much in life, when you really want a place you can call home. Maybe, the domestic helper can go and visit Lakeshore for a home she had always wanted to have just like many of us.

I am planning to make a second visit to Lakeshore. I have this wild, exciting feeling that for someone like me whose bones are starting to tire from the pressures and pleasures of the concrete jungle, Lakeshore may just be the other home I have been looking for like the millions of OFWs who at one point in their lives will come home. (Nini Santos Borja says if you are interested in this fabulous property, log on to www.lakeshore.com.ph or call 0920-9556100.)

Powerdancing in the Dark

My good friend and kababayan Douglas Nierras is at it again. His Powerdance Studio will stage another spectacular production called Powerdancing in the Dark where aerial dancing will be showcased. A new concept, Black Theater Dance will break the physical barriers of gravity and the human body.

In Powerdancing in the Dark, dancing is not limited to the ground but the walls and thin air will also become the dance floor. Pieces of cloth evolve into human form from nowhere and become characters in luminous neon colors dancing in the dark.

For the last 18 years, Douglas has dedicated his life in sharing with audiences the art of dance. Douglas Nierras Powerdance is the country’s premier jazz, showdance and contemporary dance group. As founder, dancer, director and choreographer Douglas has won several awards from different national award giving bodies. He is the country’s first and only international grand prize winner for Modern Dance choreography.

Powerdancing in the Dark by Douglas Nierras Powerdance is set at the Meralco Theater on April 30 and May 1. For details, call Powerdance Studio at 995-8287 or 995-8283.