On the roof, it’s peaceful as can be and there the world below don’t bother me – Carol King
We live in a “penthouse” (my euphemism for rooftop) of a two story flat-style apartment building. It’s a two-room flat, with two bathrooms, a small kitchen and a short but spacious hallway leading to the rooftop. We converted one room as our living and dining area. Use one bathroom for laundry and the hallway as a storage area. It’s good enough for a family of three. What’s nicer even is that I “own” the rooftop. Other tenants never go up on the rooftop unless they need to fix their TV antennas. It’s my daughter’s playground. She rides her tricycle around, using satellite dishes as obstacle courses.
We live in a “penthouse” (my euphemism for rooftop) of a two story flat-style apartment building. It’s a two-room flat, with two bathrooms, a small kitchen and a short but spacious hallway leading to the rooftop. We converted one room as our living and dining area. Use one bathroom for laundry and the hallway as a storage area. It’s good enough for a family of three. What’s nicer even is that I “own” the rooftop. Other tenants never go up on the rooftop unless they need to fix their TV antennas. It’s my daughter’s playground. She rides her tricycle around, using satellite dishes as obstacle courses.
From the roof, one can see two of the city's landmarks even when there's a mild sandstorm.But last year all apartment owners jack up rent by 20%. Masakit sa bulsa but we’re still lucky. This year some pinoys complained their rent increased again by another 10%. To save in housing allowance, a family will share a large flat with another family. Sometimes ito yung ugat nang hindi pagkakasundo, especially if both have children.
If you think that we have a housing issue here, look again. In other big cities, like Dubai, rents in apartments are astronomical compared to ours. Some apartments contains 6 to 8 kabayans sharing a single room. Yes, a room not a flat. Parang boarding house sa Sampaloc noong college days. They have to do without their individual privacy to save money. But this is nothing compared to other sacrifices our kabayans have to do so their families back home will received those much awaited green paper… but that’s another story.
If you think that we have a housing issue here, look again. In other big cities, like Dubai, rents in apartments are astronomical compared to ours. Some apartments contains 6 to 8 kabayans sharing a single room. Yes, a room not a flat. Parang boarding house sa Sampaloc noong college days. They have to do without their individual privacy to save money. But this is nothing compared to other sacrifices our kabayans have to do so their families back home will received those much awaited green paper… but that’s another story.
Life's complexities is what make it interesting. MAhirap ang me kasamang ibang pamilya lalo na nga't kung me mga bata. Pag nag-away ang mga bata, minsan sumasali matanda.
ReplyDeleteKahit mabigat sa budget sino-solo namin ang flat para may privacy at walang gulo Ka Rolly.
ReplyDeleteSiguro naman kung binata ka o kaya ay hindi mo kasama and pamilya sa trabaho,pwede na rin sigurong makipagsiksikan at magtiis ka sa maliit na kuwarto para makatipid,Pero pagkasama mo ang pamilya mo dapat talaga my privacy ka kaya lang mas mahal ang upa .Pero sulit naman dahil kapiling mo ang pamilya hindi ka gaanong mag aalala.
ReplyDeleteed v., oo naman. Priority ko palagi ang kapakanan nang pamilya. Malaki rin ang tinitipid pag nakiki-share. Ang housing allowance dito is equivalent to our 3-months salary.
ReplyDeleteSuerte mga ako noong umuupa pa ako dahil noon my "chonse" system dito,Magdedeposito ka ng pera sa landlord mo at hindi ka na magbabayad ng rental mo hanggang matapos mo ang contract mo,normally 3years tapos ibabalik lahat ang perang idineposito mo walang bawas.Kaya lang mabigat ang deposito,at least 70% of total cost of the apartment.Ngayon kung kulang ang pera mo pwede kang humiram sa bangko sa 5%interest,mababa lang ang interest para sa nga walang bahay o property,kaya hindi rin mabigat ang pagbabayad sa interest.renewable pa ito every two or three years.
ReplyDelete"Magdedeposito ka ng pera sa landlord mo at hindi ka na magbabayad ng rental mo hanggang matapos mo ang contract mo,normally 3years tapos ibabalik lahat ang perang idineposito mo walang bawas."
ReplyDeleteed v., Hindi ko ma-gets. Papano kumikita ang mga landlord?
blousvox, three to four years ago stock market,money market and especially real estate are booming,landlords were investing the money here and they can get huge profit,actually 8 out of 10 rich korean became rich because of real estate speculation.
ReplyDeleteed v., para pala silang banko. Ginawa kayong depositor (time deposit account) at ang pinaka-interest nyo ay ang libreng pabahay for the next 2 or 3 years. Ayos ano.
ReplyDeleteExactly,buti na lang at hindi nag burst iyong bubbles kung hindi daming bagsak.pero sa ngayon medyo nauuso na iyong monthly rental,"wolse" na ang tawag dito pero kalahati pa rin deposito,tapos may buwanan ka nang babayaran, sa ngayon hindi pa rin naman nawawala iyong "chonse' system.
ReplyDeleteDito naman, every 6 months ang payment sa rental but in Hejira calendar. Mas maikli ito nang 1 week kaysa sa Gregorian na ginagamit natin. Kaso ang housing allowance namin binibigay every 6 months nang Gregorian. Kaya inaabonohan muna namin. Dahil every year, umuurong and rental date.
ReplyDelete