Reni Salvador

WHILE homes have turned into safer havens for staying protected against the ongoing pandemic, they’ve also somewhat turned into art projects. The artists are the residents themselves, creating an enclave that doubles as an aesthetically pleasing abode and a functional working-and-living space.

CLUB Vihara recently opened its doors for the first time to the public. Club Vihara at Amiya Raya was conceptualized and designed by Architect Lorenzo Tenorio with interiors designed by Cleo Tenorio. The exclusive preview was commemorated by a solemn blessing and ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by landowners and partners Chay Garcia (Community Creators Inc.), and Jun and Angie Cristi, and Teddy and Chit Salud (Ardear Development and Realty Corp.), and selected guests. The event was also celebrated with a butterfly release adjacent Amiya Raya’s soon to be developed as nature park.

AS the pandemic continues to surge, with the need to shelter in place becoming more urgent, doing business digitally has not only become more convenient—it has become essential. Like it or not, the digital domain is now an irrevocable part of our lives. With digitalization allowing everyone to access to information—and to do business—with just a few clicks, it has become a key driver of success in most industries. This is especially true in Philippine real estate, a sector that continues to flourish despite the pandemic and its recurring quarantines. Property seekers now have apps that let them search by location or neighborhoods, enabling them to compare—and contrast—prospective homes in terms of features, prices, and amenities.

IF there’s one thing this global pandemic has made us realize aside from keeping ourselves healthy and strong, that is we have to keep our environment pleasant and safe as always. With a healthy surrounding comes a healthy mind, body and soul that should always be our top priority whether we’re staying at home or chasing our dreams outside.

ANY which way one looks at it, choosing Tagaytay Highlands as your alternate primary residence or as your permanent home—and work—address can be the best move one could ever make.

MANY of us have spent our lives hurrying to and fro. Quality time feels like a blur. But when a pandemic marooned everyone at home—where jobs and classes are reduced to online interactions—it dawned on people how important the welfare of the family is and how essential residences and their location are. Cramped apartments, claustrophobic condos or houses in subdivisions which are becoming denser and denser could be taxing in what we call the new abnormal. Alternatives to these were few and far between.

WITH many people having no choice but to stay home and practice social distancing to curb the spread of Covid-19, homeowners of Amiya Raya (www.amiyaraya.com.ph), and their guests were treated recently to an outdoor cinema. The guests also enjoyed free unlimited popcorn, hotdog, mini waffles, and bottled water.

AS Filipinos start regaining a semblance of the normalcy they used to thrive in, they are now restarting their lives with a priceless lesson: long-term financial stability. Culled from challenges the pandemic has wrought: As most of us know by now, the global health crisis upended life as we knew it. We were quarantined, we were socially distanced, we were told to shelter at home. However, Filipinos readily adapted to the “new normal” and the clever ones who acquired financial literacy put their money in properties, tagged by experts as one of the most lucrative investments yet. These days, prospective homebuyers are eagerly cashing in on the “property rush” as the Philippines’s leading real-estate developers present countless housing options to them.

DDC Land Inc. (www.ddcland.com), inaugurates Tanza, Cavite project; eyes more socialized housing developments—DDC Land, one of the country’s fastest-rising property developers, inaugurates its latest socialized housing development south of Manila, which is located in Tanza in the province of Cavite, in the presence of the company’s top officials, including local and national government leaders, and members of the diplomatic corps.

SOLA at Pico de Loro Cove was recently launched as an exclusive residential project and the first horizontal development of Hamilo Coast (www.hamilocoast.com), one of the country’s premium beach resorts. It is also considered as the first premier sustainable lot development in Pico de Loro Cove, with access to a 1.5 kilometer of powder-smooth, white-sand beach and a 4-hectare man-made lagoon centerpiece—and is only approximately a 90-minute drive from SM Mall of Asia.

Pioneer Adhesives Inc., makers of leading brand Pioneer Epoxy, is challenging boat makers all over the country to showcase their artistry and creative imagination through the Pioneer “Pinta ng Tibay” Pintura Challenge. The contest will run until June 30, is an open boat painting contest that aims to promote and showcase the creativity and craftsmanship of the Filipino wooden boat builders in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

It might be hard to imagine any good resulting from the pandemic—a real-life horror story that has been impacting our lives for more than a year now. With so much uncertainty around jobs, employment, and financial security, most Filipinos have pressed the pause button on their dreams and goals. Milestone events such as weddings, starting a family or launching a business have likewise been put on hold.

JUST recently, the international premium kitchen-label brand Breville Philippines (www.breville.com.ph), shared virtual event Hey, Home Fryer! which puts the spotlight on the brand’s newest master in the kitchen—the Smart Oven Air Fryer, the third and most innovative version of its best-selling Pro ovens. Unlike its predecessors, this newest offering from Breville’s roster #GotSmarter as it married both oven and air-frying options in one powerful product so that you can experience different ways of enjoying your tabletop favorites.

SUMMER has arrived in the Philippines, heralded by the harsh, often enervating tropical heat and frequent spells of lethargy. It doesn’t help that the dense cityscapes of Metro Manila amplify the discomfort and stress, making people head for the balminess of the hills.

LG Electronics, the global leader in inverter technology for residential air-conditioners, has introduced its new lineup of LG DualCool air-conditioners with Dual Inverter Compressor. LG’s new and improved air-conditioning units boast of 70 percent lower energy consumption and 40 percent faster cooling performance. LG’s groundbreaking UVnano technology was also introduced. UVnano removes 99.99 percent of germs from humidity, bacteria, and viruses within the unit. The powerful 5-step Total Air Care System in the new LG DualCool air-conditioners feature efficient PM1.0 filtration to deliver a clean, healthy, and fresh living experience which are also perfect for your smart home. The air-conditioners support connectivity with the LG ThinQ app through Wi-Fi, which enables users to control the air-conditioner anywhere anytime—from powering on and off. With this new line of LG DualCool air-conditioners, LG is targeting an increase in its local market to 15 percent within 2021.

AMIYA Raya (www.amiyaraya.com.ph), a home that matches the life you have always dreamed of and designed for your family. It is time to live it up. Come home to Amiya Raya.

“HOME is where the heart is.” This could not be truer than now when most of our time revolves around the four corners of our abodes. Though some of us feel that our worlds have become smaller because of the restrictions we have to observe, there are also those who found newfound passions in turning their private spaces into their very own havens.

WITH solutions to the global health situation remaining fluid as of this time, Filipinos are being enjoined to stay vigilant and to continue adhering to health protocols to keep themselves—and other people—safe. And with one’s primary home as the safest place to be, lessons in self-sufficiency abound and continue to ensure the health of the family.

BRIA Homes (www.bria.com.ph), is primed to bring quality and affordable house and lot packages and condominium units closer to ordinary Filipino families. This is the goal that drives every single employee in the company, for which the ultimate fulfillment is seeing a client happily moving into Bria’s homes.

LIFE’S about more than having the latest technology, rather, it’s about the experiences technology creates that impact our lives. LG Electronics Philippines delivers consumer electronics through top-of-the-line home entertainment, home appliances, and air solution products that prepare Filipinos for their greatest moments.

IN the wake of a turbulent year that upended jobs and threw people’s income opportunities in disarray, more Filipinos are now taking a hard look at investment options that could provide a safety net for the uncertain times. And one sector that is especially seen as potential investors is that of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

HBA Manila Design Office creates another space to awe, transport and inspire. There is nothing quite like a whiff of a familiar scent that can take you back to some place or time that meant something to you. Same goes with flavors, flashes of color, design details and space.

FOR over 25 years, AboitizLand (www.aboitizland.com), has stayed true to its promise of creating better ways to live through its thriving master-planned communities. It now looks to further expand its reach by continuing to develop innovative and fully integrated communities in more locations across the Philippines. A subsidiary of the Aboitiz Group, it is built on a firm foundation with a hundred-year heritage of advancing business and communities.

BEING cooped up within the confines of your home for months now can really get you and your children real cranky. 

THIS holiday season, LG Philippines wants to ensure that festive celebrations are held safely and responsibly at home. To make sure that everyone stays at home for the holidays, LG (www.lg.com/ph) is offering a special promotion for the season.  What better way to celebrate Christmas at home than with a brand new LG TV? With LG’s Holidaze at Home Promo, customers can get up to 40-percent off and a free Christmas basket or LG XBoom Go speaker on select LG TV models. To be eligible for the promo, purchases must be made via straight card or cash payment in participating LG authorized dealer stores nationwide. LG’s Christmas baskets may be redeemed by eligible customers in participating dealer stores upon purchase.

BREVILLE is the kitchen appliance brand that delivers innovation based on consumer insights, empowering people’s potential to do things more impressively or easily than they’d thought possible in their own kitchen.

AT the beginning of 2020, no one knew that the world would have to take on a pandemic, where health and safety become first priority, where accessibility to most essential goods and services is crucial for survival, and where proper home living is both a privilege and a necessity.

SINCE the Covid-19 outbreak early in 2020, it’s been a challenging year for many local industries, including the property sector. Real-estate developers report about a decline in sales, project launches being put on-hold, and construction of ongoing developments being suspended or dramatically reduced.

GRAND Videoke is the perfect home entertainment partner for families to sing and quarantining together can enjoy their holiday home-cation by belting out their favorite Christmas songs and having a friendly competition with the GV Perfect Pitch Battle Mode. Moreover, Grand Videoke also has the Perfect Pitch Scoring System which acts as a digital vocal coach that gives scores to elements like vibrato, rhythm and pitch.

LOVE Plus Charity Foundation held its most recent community outreach program, gives back by helping Filipinos in need during the pandemic on October 28 at Brgy. Punta, Parañaque City with Cofounder William Chen and Miss Philippines Earth 2019 Janelle Tee to provide aid to the families who were greatly affected by the pandemic.

When a global pandemic wreaks havoc in our lives, when we feel threatened by a deadly but unseen enemy, we naturally seek stability and security where we are sure to find it—at home, with our loved ones. Thus, we hastily retreat into the safety of our homes, a place that we regard as a buffer between us and the chaotic world outside.

Half a year into the pandemic, staying at home has become the new normal. Most of the activities you’ll engage in, whether for work or for leisure, will be confined to the four corners of your home. However, just because you can’t go outside doesn’t mean you have to compromise. Working from home, or relaxing after a long day, doesn’t have to be a drag. In the new normal, having access to technology that won’t let you down is important. Every detail, no matter how small, contributes in uplifting experience and enjoyment. To show just how enjoyable staying home can be, LG Philippines (www.lg.com/ph), recently held an online event to showcase its newest home entertainment system offerings.

“HOME is where your health is” may not be the standard adage that pertains to your living space, but the statement cannot be more true especially in this time of a global pandemic. With most of the world shuttered at home to keep safe, the yearning for “green spaces”—urban or architectural structures where trees and plants thrive or residential developments that co-exist within an abundant amount of nature to give a slice of the great outdoors indoors has become one of the things that people look forward to.

WITH its forthcoming launch in the Philippines, Ohmyhome (https://ohmyhome.com/en-ph), Singapore’s leading PropTech start-up, is set to disrupt the local real-estate industry by bringing innovation to the way people buy, sell, and rent their properties.

With everything that is happening around us, your home is your sanctuary. It is where you feel most safe and relaxed. Having a haven where you feel free and can do many things, improves your overall quality of life, giving you space to spend time alone or with the people you love.

AUDIO-Video Solutions Corp. (AVSC) offers world-class home entertainment products such as Grand Videoke, became every household’s favorite.

JOTUN Philippines Inc., a local subsidiary of Jotun A/S, one of the world’s top producers of paints and coatings based in Norway, has recently been awarded ISO (International Organization for Standardization) certifications for the following—14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems, 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems and 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems. A major feat made in just two years after the inauguration of its modern manufacturing plant in Sto. Tomas, Batangas.

AT the heart of Japanese minimalism is the cultural concept of “Ma” or the space between things. It is about finding beauty in simplicity. It is a philosophy that the Japanese apply to all aspects of life, from the respectful pause when they bow to each other, to the quiet moments for contemplation while drinking coffee, and even to elements of design.

IN dealing with the global pandemic, Filipinos—like the rest of the world—have had to embrace drastic changes in the way they live and work. With the enhanced community Quarantine (ECQ) in place, much of the urban work force have been compelled to work from home for the better part of two months.

As technology, innovation, and industry continue to grow at a steady pace, companies have set their focus on proactively combatting environmental issues and climate change, both for their customers, as well as their corporate social responsibility. One of the biggest, perhaps most dangerous issue is air pollution. In fact, the European Heart Journal announced 8.8 million annual premature deaths from air pollution. This number is more than 6 million deaths caused by smoking each year.

As the leader in the HVAC industry, LG Electronics (LG) recently held a press conference at Solaire to formally introduce the brand-new 2020 lineup for single commercial air conditioners (CAC).

Annually, the country launches National Literacy Month in September, followed by the National Reading Month in November. Together, these campaigns are called “Brigada Pagbasa,” and are launched as sustained projects with the hope of helping address the widening literacy gap in the Philippines, especially among young children of school age.

ACCESSIBLE 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, most Loc&Stor 24/7 branches are equipped with seven sizes of storage units to accommodate different needs. The smallest unit can contain up to eight balikbayan boxes, while jumbo-size units are capable of storing contents of a 20-ft container or up to 180 balikbayan boxes.

SUMMER evokes images of fun in the sun—heading out to the beach and swimming in the cool turquoise waters of the sea, diving and snorkeling and playing endless games of beach volleyball and, well, just spending countless hours bonding with family and friends. Then and now, summer is a season for simply taking a break from our humdrum routines, making wonderful memories come alive or creating new ones to look back on someday.

IMAGINE waking up every day to find that right outside your home are breathtaking views of nature— lush mountains in the distance, the serene Taal Lake with the Taal Volcano in its midst, and the Tagaytay Midlands fairways sprawled not too far from where you are.

HIGH-rise living has increasingly become the lifestyle of choice for both families and young professionals. Aspiring homeowners usually opt for a condo development that is near their workplaces, provides safety and security, and has easy access to leisure facilities and other practical conveniences.

IMAGINE living in a charming mountain lodge home that is perched on one of Tagaytay Highland’s highest points, allowing you to look out on a priceless view of verdant mountains.

What could a leading condiment manufacturer and a top-of-mind real-estate provider have in common with each other? And what could a tie-up between these two industry leaders bring to the table?

BUSY city life has always been synonymous to a hectic day at work and being stuck within the confines of the urban jungle.

TAGAYTAY Highlands surely boasts of an extensive residential portfolio like no other.

SM’S premier beach-resort development in Nasugbu, Batangas, has once again received the Bronze Benchmark Status from EarthCheck, the world’s leading environmental management and professional services group for the travel and tourism industry. 

ACCORDING to a Chinese proverb, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

TOP international property award giving body, Asia Pacific Property Awards (Appa) named Tagaytay Highlands as the Best Leisure Development in the Philippines for 2017, which recognizes Tagaytay Highlands’s continuous endeavor in providing the best in residential leisure living.

THERE has been no shortage of fun and excitement in Amaia Land communities this summer as homeowners and neighboring communities recently engaged in exhilarating activities that included an adrenaline-filled drone racing competition—the first ever in the property development circuit—and a car show weekend.

AS soon as they are able to, hardworking Filipinos here and abroad want to provide their families quality homes they can call their own. Amaia Land now helps fulfill their aspirations by making quality homes affordable for most.

By Reni Salvador

AMAIA Land recently partnered with CLC Marketing Ventures (CLCMV) to offer fully furnished units at Skies Santa Mesa, making the moving-in process more convenient and hassle-free for homeowners who do not have a lot of time in their hands.

By Reni Salvador

IMAGINE bright lights, happy vibes and a friendly gathering of foodies and families laughing and bonding over delicious dishes. Such is the delightful scenario at Amaia Steps Sucat on Thursday to Sunday with Amaia Land’s partnership with Barbecuers and Grillers Association (Baga Manila) to set up grilled cookouts for homeowners, workers and passersby in the area.

By Reni Salvador

By Reni Salvador

By Reni Salvador

By Reni Salvador

IN a privileged, central location, City Garden Hotel Makati is an experience in great urban living at an impressive practical cost. City Garden has a tastefully furnished lobby, 160 Italian-inspired rooms with a most relaxing ambiance, delectable Asian and International cuisine from Le Jardin and Roof Deck Restaurants. City Garden, which is a property being operated by the City Garden Hotels, will have a Holy Week promo.

By Reni Salvador