Our journey to live in a DMCI community began when my husband, Kristian, and I were still dating. Back then, we dreamt of having our place after our wedding. We looked into many projects from various developers but failed to find our dream home. Fortunately, destiny brought us to The Orabella. It is the perfect halfway home for us. It’s a street away from his office and near every establishment we need. It also met the only requirement Kristian gave – a basketball court.
Photo by Coleen Borero-Lasat
Construction of The Orabella was almost complete when we found it. We were still paying our downpayment when it was completed and opened for its residents last year. We would drive there on weekends to see the façade of the building and imagine that we were already living there. Looking out from the window of my husband’s office, we would point out the building to our daughter, Aliyah, and tell her that that building would be our home.
We patiently waited for the turnover schedule of our unit and saved money to prepare for our move-in. When the DMCI’s Account Officer contacted us that our unit was ready, we felt nervous and excited. At last, we will finally be living in our dream place. Various questions popped into our minds. What if all our hard work is not worth this place? What if the community is not conducive to our daughter’s development? What if our family will be disappointed in the place we chose?
Photo by Coleen Borero-Lasat
Little did we know that this development would exceed our expectations. As we entered the lobby, the cold and relaxing breeze of the wind gave us an inviting feeling. The staff welcomed us with a warm smile. The pool area on the right side is surreal, making us feel like we are vacationing at a high-end resort. My husband went straight to the basketball court and I saw how excited he was to play there. We even imagined that we would teach our daughter how to play basketball there since we both love this sport. I will never forget how our two-year-old daughter’s eyes lit up when we entered The Orabella. Aliyah’s smile and excitement when she saw the playground and pool made us feel that purchasing a unit here using our hard-earned money was all worth it.
We only stay here during weekends and holidays since I work in Laguna, but we make every moment memorable for our family. As the weekend approaches, our daughter’s anticipation of our weekly bonding also grows. We count down the days until we can go back to our cozy unit. On Friday nights, we travel to Cubao to maximize the time that we spend in our home.
Photo by Coleen Borero-Lasat
Aliyah loves to play in the playground early in the morning. Once she’s awake, she asks my husband to pick her up in his arms so they can look at the playground from our balcony. While I prepare our breakfast, the two of them head to the playground to start the day.
The Orabella’s playground is an outdoor and grassy area where kids have a safe space to have fun. It is surrounded by shrubs and flowering plants that provide a cool breeze making it a perfect place for kids to enjoy slides, a trampoline, swings, and seesaws. Our daughter’s favorite activity here is playing on slides. As an overprotective first-time mother, I was reluctant at first to allow her to play on the slides because I thought that they were too steep for her height. But my husband assured me that he would guide our daughter and showed me how safe and sturdy the slide is. He told me that she would not be able to navigate in the real world if we showed her that we were scared. My husband always assists her in climbing the slides. I see Aliyah’s excitement and bravery as she plays. When Aliyah sits at the top, she will look at me first to seek affirmation to continue. I smile at her and cheerfully wait for her to reach the ground. Now, we all enjoy bonding in the playground.
Photo by Coleen Borero-Lasat
Our daughter wakes up in excitement on Sundays because we always start the day with bonding in the pool area. I will never forget the first time we went for a swim. Aliyah chose her swimsuit with her Wawa (Grandma) and danced as we walked towards the elevator. When we reached the pool, she jumped out of happiness and started to sing a mermaid song. She kept laughing, smiling, and singing as I guided her to swim. We also met Elai, another child living in the community. He is Aliyah’s first friend in The Orabella.
After our first swim, my daughter hugged me. I was so tired of carrying her and playing with her in the water but it was all worth it. Even my mother, who does not like swimming, enjoyed our morning. At that moment, my husband and I decided that we would always do a Sunday morning swim.
Photo by Coleen Borero-Lasat
Among the features of this community, the roof deck stood out the most for me. As you reach it, you are welcomed by the cozy sky lounge where you can relax while enjoying the view of Metro Manila. When I first stepped foot there, I pictured having date nights with my husband and conversing about our aspirations in life. I looked forward to inviting friends there to relax and catch up. It also has a roof garden filled with yellow bells and bougainvillea where you can play and spend time with your loved ones. Aliyah and I ran and jumped around in the garden with my sister. My husband could not stop taking videos of our daughter’s happy moments. We have watched those videos repeatedly until now. Aliyah was stunned by the gold wall accent, which beautifully fit the grand living that The Orabella offers, and asked me to take a photo of her with it.
We’ve only been staying in The Orabella for a few weeks but I can proudly say that we finally found our perfect home. It has a community that is tailored to fit our lifestyle. The residents are kind and welcoming. It is a place that continues to make our family bond stronger. I know that all the memories we make here will be part of our daughter’s core values as she grows. True to its name, The Orabella is a “golden beauty.” It is like a chest waiting to be filled with treasured dreams and memories.
About The Author
Photo by Coleen Borero-Lasat
Coleen Borero–Lasat is a doting wife to her husband, Kristian, and a loving mother to their two-year-old daughter, Aliyah. She is an Agricultural Economist, environmentalist, and breastfeeding advocate. Her love story with her husband was featured in a fast food restaurant 2024 Valentine’s Day campaign entitled “30 Dates”.
