Homeowners council leader bares secret to a lasting condo community

Fifteen years after it was introduced to the property market, DMCI Homes’ East Ortigas Mansions in Pasig City remains to be a vibrant sanctuary for residents looking for a refreshing escape from the stresses of urban living.

Located in Ortigas Avenue Extension, Barangay Sta. Lucia in Pasig, City, the mid-rise condominium community was among the first developments launched by then emerging property developer DMCI Homes when it ventured into the mid-income residential market at the turn of the new millennium.

Businessman Noel Panganiban, who is one of the property’s pioneer unit owners, could not help but feel proud that the resort-inspired community he considers as his home for a decade and a half now, has preserved its allure as an everyday vacation place for its residents.

After all, Panganiban said it was the same charm which enticed his family to buy a unit at East Ortigas Mansions the first time they saw the property during a company outing 15 summers ago.

“I think it was still pre-selling at that time. Ang nakatayo pa lang is the clubhouse and the pool. Parang may isang building pa lang dito out of eight buildings,” Panganiban said of the Mediterranean-inspired condominium development.

“Normally kapag summer nagpapa-outing ako sa mga tao ko so nagpapa-reserve kami sa beach or sa pool. Sabi ng wife ko ‘huwag na, may alam ako.’ Tapos dito niya kami dinala. It was still very quiet. Sabi ko ang ganda rito ha,” added Panganiban who runs a manpower and logistics firm.

Lured by the property’s relaxing vibe, Panganiban and his wife, Mara, who were previously living in a house and lot, decided to move into their modified four-bedroom unit in 2003 and embrace the convenience of vertical living.

“When we transferred here, we were expecting na paano kaya ito, baka magulo ‘yung community o maingay. But relatively, very easy ‘yung pag-transfer namin. When we have visitors, they are always surprised na may ganito palang community na within Ortigas Extension,” Panganiban bared.

“So sulit. Sulit ang pagkakabili namin dito,” he added.

 At the back of his mind however, Panganiban was worried then that the property could deteriorate years later if not properly maintained and cared for by the residents.

To prevent this, he and his fellow pioneer unit owners, who were elected officers of the community, drafted rules and regulations to maintain the cleanliness and orderliness in the community.

“In fact, noong mabuo ito, it’s not only the elected officers but each building has two representatives to take care of the needs of the residents per building. So ganoon ka-active ‘yung community,” the 49-year-old father of two disclosed. 

This as Panganiban expressed belief that it takes a concerted effort among residents together with the Property Management Office (PMO) to maintain a big condo community like East Ortigas Mansions.

“If you live in a condo type na residence, parang ang binibigyan mo lang ng pansin, ‘yung sarili mong property. So wala kang pakialam doon sa common properties. You go to your house, pupunta ka sa office mo, then you go back to your house. ‘Yun lang ‘yun,” he noted.

“Pero kami hindi eh. Bababa kami, minsan may nakikita kaming nagkukuwentuhan, nakikipagkuwentuhan din kami, so may relationship ‘yung mga residents,” he shared.

The property’s Community Development Council, where Panganiban is one of the officers, also holds seasonal activities, sports fests, community fiestas and bazaars to promote greater kinship in the community, which he believed, is the secret behind the orderly state of the DMCI Homes project.

“Of course, may wear and tear pero sa cleanliness and orderliness wala kang problema rito. Walang gulo, walang mga nakasampay na kung anu-ano,” he enthused.

Panganiban said residents need to get involved in running a condo community and not just rely on their community leaders or service providers.

“You cannot just say na ‘we have elected officers, bahala na kayo diyan.’ You need to get involved. Imagine kung magpa-general assembly kami rito, punung-puno tapos very lively yung discussion. So basically, in that sense, try to get involved. Try to protect your community,” he urged his fellow condo-dwellers.

“Kasi kami, we treat this as an investment eh. Saka kami rito, kung property namin ito, this is something that we wouldn’t sell. This is something that we want our children to, parang manahin na ng mga anak namin and eventually magiging property na nila at ng kanilang mga magiging anak,” Panganiban beamed.

East Ortigas Mansions is one of the developments of DMCI Homes, the country’s first Quadruple A developer known for building quality resort-inspired communities in Mega Manila, Baguio, Boracay and Davao City. Each of its properties is built with world-standard craftsmanship borne from D.M. Consunji Inc.'s over 60 years of expertise in the construction and development industry.

To learn more about East Ortigas Mansions and other DMCI Homes projects, call 324-8888. News and other updates are also posted on the company's official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.