In today's world where everything comes in an instant, keeping fit has become an even more complicated issue for most people with the increasing uptake of modern conveniences.

In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980 which it attributed to a "rise in physical inactivity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanization."

For DMCI Homes' Stellar Place resident, wellness coach Lyra Vallejos however, modern-day conveniences should be seen as an advantage rather than a hindrance to a healthy lifestyle.

The easy access to information and fitness facilities especially to condominium-dwellers like her, Vallejos said, should be used to the hilt to have a healthy and enjoyable life experience.

"It's not really hard to be healthy but of course it's a kind of mind-setting also and your willingness to embrace a healthy lifestyle," said Vallejos who at 46, could easily pass up as someone who is in her late 20s.

The mother of two boys, Carl and Marco, has been leading wellness activities together with the Property Management Office (PMO) in DMCI Homes' development along Visayas Ave., Quezon City, most recent of which was the "Biggest Loser" challenge in March this year.

"I only wanted to share what I know to help people choose more wisely or consciously about what they're eating. What they are feeding their body on a daily basis without really depleting the nutrients of our body," Vallejos shared.

"So every week we meet up and then I weigh them in. I give advices and most of all I give lectures. I make them aware of the calories that their body can burn and how to help improve their metabolism, what food to avoid, and what kind of exercise they can do," she added.

The encouraging response of her fellow Stellar Place residents to the weight loss challenge, she said, was enough reward for her as a wellness coach knowing that she has made a difference in the community.

Being sickly when she was young and having some of her relatives dying from stroke at an early age, Vallejos has embraced healthy living and made it a personal mission to promote awareness about the importance of one's health.

Pasig City area emerged triumphant in the hardcourt battle among DMCI  Homes communities this year, bringing home both the senior and junior  division titles of the 2017 DMCI Homes Communities Basketball  tournament.

The senior team of Pasig communities overcame a 13-point deficit in the second quarter to beat defending champion Acacia Estates 96-76 in the championship game held recently at the DMCI Homes Corporate Center Multipurpose Court in Makati City.

Senior division season Most Valuable Player Roy Cayanan and finals MVP Francis Camacho combined for 35 points to power their team's romp in the third quarter to put the game away for good for Pasig communities.

The different DMCI Homes communities in Metro Manila were grouped into five areas for the competition. Area 1 represents communities in Quezon City; area 2 for Acacia Estates, DMCI Homes' township development in Taguig City; and Area 3 for residences in the south.

On the other hand, Area 5 covers eastern Metro Manila while Area 6 constitutes communities in the Pasig City area.

Pasig seniors' team head coach Noel Panganiban in an interview said they always look forward to playing in the annual summer league which aims to foster closer community ties and encourage camaraderie, unity, and sportsmanship among residents of DMCI Homes condominium communities.

The DMCI Homes Quality Council recently recognized the second batch of awardees for the company’s year-long Tumpak construction quality management competition.

Project sites were graded by the Quality Management Department from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2017 to select the second crop of Tumpak awardees.

The recognition of winners was led by DMCI Homes President Alfredo Austria during the launch of this year’s edition of Sikat, Kapit-bisig and Tigbayon (Enhancement of Existing Design Features) Quality Programs last June 8 at the Multipurpose Hall of DMCI Homes Corporate Center.

Maple Place, manned by project-in-charge (PIC) Eric Emocling and area manager Ronie L. Correa, earned two recognitions, winning both Compliance Consciousness and Quality Responsiveness awards for projects with 0-30 percent progress (Category A).

Another awardee is Lumiere Residences which won the Compliance Consciousness award for projects with 31-79 percent progress (Category B). The development along Pasig Boulevard corner Shaw Boulevard in Pasig City is being managed by PIC Mark Lavapie and area manager Christian Manahan.