The lure of homeland

By Al S. Mendoza

MANY balikbayans are now looking for homes they say they’ll need when they retire and return for good to their country of origin.

Some prefer condos, others townhouses.

A few of my balikbayan–friends say they like lots where they can build a house and a vegetable garden and a mini orchard.

“I miss our vegetables, like ampalaya, camote, patola, eggplant, okra, allocon and saluyot,” said one of them, who’s been living in

       New York City for the last 20 years or so.

The condo- and townhouse-seekers are doing their home-hunting in the metropolis, targeting Makati and Quezon City.

“Makati  is still the best place to buy a condo,” said one. “Everything’s there in Makati – shops, eateries, movie theaters, malls, five-star hotels, supermarkets. Every place there is almost walking distance.”

Only trouble is, Makati’s become too expensive.

“Quezon City is a good second choice,” said another. “It’s much cheaper there than Makati. Besides, Quezon City has been catching up with Makati in some aspects of urban planning.”

But in Quezon City, Cubao isn’t a preferred site.

“Cubao is too crowded,” said one. “The layout of that place is terrible. The Araneta Center, the Ali Mall, they’ve been terribly planned. You can hardly imagine a beautiful condo or a townhouse rising there.”

One place worth taking into consideration is Taguig. This city is a sleeping giant, what with The Fort and Global City almost fast-tracking their progress to keep up with the pace of the changing skyline of Makati.

In 10 to 20 years, Taguig might yet become the next Makati of the metropolis. Already, Taguig is home to many giant commercial businesses, including the hi-tech St. Luke’s Hospital that is being constructed there right now. By the fourth quarter of the year, a 66-storey edifice of Metrobank will start construction – the tallest ever building-cum-mall-commercial establishment in the country when completed.

Renato E. O. Valdez, my classmate from Grade 1 to Fourth Year high school, was in Manila recently for a vacation.

“Terrific, indeed, is the pace of construction in our country, particularly Makati and Taguig,” said my classmate Rene. “How I wish I could buy a  condo for my Muriel (wife) and me in either of those cities where we could stay for good after retiring in America.”

Residents of New Jersey near New York City for almost 20 years now, Rene and Muriel are just among several of my US-based friends seriously thinking of finally coming home “and staying here for good.”

Just seems right, if you ask me. Why spend the rest of your life in a foreign land?

You earned some moolah in America, spend it here and live comfortably as you have the luxury of banking on the power of the almighty dollar over the peso. Be smart: Earn dollar, convert it into peso and next splurge on the comforts of living on home soil.

My own brother, the Toronto-based (Canada) Kuya Pepito, hit town on Wednesday (April 2) just barely three after leaving Manila in December.

“I immediately got homesick when I landed in Toronto and so, I am back once again,” he said. “You are right, Al, I must be here at least once a year. There’s no place like home, indeed.”

Not even his being a brand-new granddaddy could stop him from returning home again so soon.

(Readers may reach columnist at also147@yahoo.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/general-admission/ For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments