Unknown to many, the Philippines hosts a variety of beautiful flowering trees that could rival Japan's iconic Cherry Blossom and Japanese maple trees.

There's the radiant Pink Tabebuia (Tabebuia rosea) that produces light pink to purplish pink blooms and the flamboyant Palawan Cherry or “Balayong” (Cassia nodosa) whose lovely pale pink to white flowers help draw tourists to Puerto Princesa during summer. 

Others are more popular for their natural healing effects like the Salingbobog (Crateva religiosa) and Banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa), but radiate a distinct splendor that is reminiscent of the admired Sakura tree. 

Residential condominiums continue to evolve as versatile solutions to urban living challenges. 

While startup families and young professionals continue to drive demand for condos as primary homes, global real estate services company Colliers International noted in one of their studies that there is a growing clamor for condominiums as halfway homes because of Metro Manila’s worsening traffic conditions.

Businesswoman Rovelyn Feliciano, for one, was looking for a convenient place to stay for her family to cut every day travel time from their house in Pulilan, Bulacan to the metro since her children go to school in Quezon City.

“It’s a bit exhausting for me and for my kids so we decided to look for a place situated between QC and Bulacan because I still have to go to my office in Bulacan every day,” said Feliciano who owns a trading firm specializing in industrial products in her home province.

Accustomed to living in a 200-square meter house, Feliciano admitted having second thoughts of residing in a condo as she wanted a bigger dwelling space for her husband Edison and their two children, Eilynn and Edison Jr. 

But all of her apprehensions changed when they visited a model unit in DMCI Homes’ Zinnia Towers resort-inspired development in Balintawak in early 2017.

“We considered other developers aside from DMCI Homes, which was second or third in our list. But when we saw the location, the security and the amenities plus the environment, then that’s the time we decided where to live,” Feliciano beamed.

The country’s first Quadruple A developer, DMCI Homes, has linked hands with animal advocates in its bid to promote responsible pet ownership in its condominium communities. 

Last Sept. 23, DMCI Homes invited the Philippine Animal Rescue Team (PART) to its Stellar Place property in Visayas Avenue, Quezon City to educate residents not only on the proper handling of their pet dogs and cats but also on the appropriate way of dealing with stray animals.

During the seminar, Stellar Place unit owners were told to make it a commitment to address their pets’ physical, social, emotional and mental well-being by giving them adequate sustenance, proper shelter, medical care and daily exercise.

“Your needs are similar to your pets’ needs. So it’s just like taking care of a child and if your dogs are seniors, it’s like taking care of your old parents,” PART Executive Director Rowena Suzara told the unit owners.

At the same time, the animal welfare group official took the opportunity to introduce the Trap Neuter Return (TNR) program to prevent overpopulation of stray animals in the property.

“We have to learn to coexist with animals. As humans, we need space. We need land. It’s the same thing with animals if we drive them out of their habitats,” Suzara said as she enumerated the long term benefits of the scheme.

The UP-MMDA Vanguard K9 Corps, on the other hand, demonstrated basic obedience training for pet dogs as part of the group’s advocacy to raise disaster awareness.