MANILA, Philippines -An exclusive garden high-rise residential community tucked at the heart of Paco in Manila has been attracting not only upwardly-mobile starting families, but also parents with fully grown children who crave the convenience and accessibility that an integrated condominium lifestyle provides.
The 2.1-hectare Peninsula Garden Midtown Homes is a child-friendly development by Horizon Land, subsidiary of Federal Land Inc. under the conglomerate that includes the Metrobank group. The master-planned community, made up of 8 residential towers supported by an amenity-rich, nature-filled environment, will accommodate seamlessly the retail and lifestyle service components once completed.
Helen Marfa, one of the residents at the Peninsula Garden Midtown Homes, talks about living in a condo unit for the first time after moving in last June. Both she and her husband grew up in Paco before settling down in Mandaluyong City, and currently, the couple stays in a 2-bedroom unit at Molave Tower, with a daughter on her way to a master’s degree. These days, Helen lives light and with ease: she revels in the morning mist right inside the master bedroom, and basks in the gentle sunrays from their balcony on the 12th floor that overlooks Manila and Makati. “Gustong-gusto ko ‘yung view. At night, we can glimpse the city lights below… nakakatuwa.â€
She shares how fixing up the unit has been an exercise in keeping only what is dear and important. The cozy condo home is furnished with selected pieces that the Marfas have accumulated through the years. “You don’t need all those things. We chose on the basis of what’s practical.†The unit’s walls are accented with personal touches like framed portraits of their kids sketched by her husband, who works in Metrobank. The size of the condo unit can be maximized while being very manageable and easier to maintain, although the property management team can be contacted to assist residents who might have security and maintenance issues.
The condominium community has a well-designed range of amenities that encourage family and neighborly relations but the condo unit itself fosters interaction. Just recently, Helen received visiting relatives at their condo home for a pot-luck gathering. The kitchen, where she cooks Batangueño specialties, is laid out and sized just right, according to Helen, with all the cooking implements within her grasp. Her daughter, Johnina, chimes in about the new condo arrangement, “It still feels like home.â€
Complementing the community’s kid-friendly amenities are safety and security features that can be enjoyed by the tenants of the different towers, as mentioned by another Molave resident, businesswoman Nonie Lo.
Nonie and her husband manage several Generic pharmacy outlets within Paco and Laguna, as well as a school supplies shop they call Patrick Commercial. Their eldest works in Germany, the second child is married and based in Parañaque, and their third son who is in college stays with them at their 2-bedroom unit in Molave since May 2012.
The entrepreneur describes the advantages of the Horizon Land development over her family’s other condo properties: “Our grandchildren enjoy using the playground, the kiddie pool, and the library here,†adding that the place encourages kids to go out to the amenity area to play. “’Pag naglaro ang mga apo ko, may kaibigan na silang ibang bata.†Even her adult youngest son gets his regular dose of physical activity by going to the gym before retiring for the night.
Well-located near major road networks like Quirino Avenue, UN Avenue, and Paz Guazon Street, the Peninsula Garden Midtown Homes renders travelling to Binondo and Makati quite easy, according to both Nonie and Helen. This is the inspiring vision behind Peninsula Garden Midtown Homes: giving families a sense of being near places where they need to be while providing a garden haven to retreat to every single day.
For more information about Peninsula Garden Midtown Homes, please call 497-8646 or visit www.peninsulagarden.com.ph. Its showroom is located at Quirino Ave. Extension – OTIS (Peñafrancia), Paco, Manila.