Community Hero: This condo-dweller helps her community cope with pandemic anxiety

Being cooped up at home for months due to the pandemic-induced social distancing may be hard to deal with, but a positive outlook, productive activities, and a supportive environment, will certainly make these challenging times more bearable.

Knowing the importance of keeping a healthy mind and body during the pandemic, young professional Regina Tan has been helping her fellow residents at DMCI Homes’ Lumiere Residences development in Pasig City cope with pandemic stress and anxiety as one of the leaders of the community.

Regina, 32, moved in officially at the DMCI Homes property in Pasig City in February 2019, after turnover and renovations. Immediately, she volunteered to be part of the Lumiere Residences’ Health, Safety, and Security Group as her way of giving back to her newfound community.

“Our group is composed of residents from all walks of life, though majority are professionals working from home. We welcome anyone who has a heart to help, and would like to give back to the community,” shared Regina who works in the finance department of a global food company brand. 

As a volunteer for the Lumiere Residences’ Health, Safety, and Security Team and Emergency Response Team, Regina has been helping the group organize webinars and fun activities through social media with the goal of promoting positivity, even amidst the pandemic.

“Initially, our group was helping the Property Management Office address residents’ concerns in a structured, systematic way and then we branched out with webinars and fun activities with the goal of promoting positivity amidst a crippling pandemic that has affected our lives,” Regina explained.

In the last few months, their group organized fun activities to promote positivity outlook among Lumiere Residences residents and give them the opportunity to know each other better online amidst the pandemic. Some of the activities include Zoom calls and an online market place.

Apart from these, the group also held webinars that talked about topics that Regina was also very interested in such as gardening, self-care and mental wellness.

“This includes the ‘Growing Greens at Home’ webinar, and the ‘Self Care Self Love, Be Kind to Your Mind’ mental health webinar. We believe that mental health is just as important as physical health, especially when we are confined to our homes,” she continued.

Fostering mental wellness according to Regina is not an easy task but it helps that Lumiere Residences has lush greeneries and big open spaces to provide a sense of calm especially at a time of uncertainty.

“I love the Lumiventt® Design Technology [DMCI’s green technology], together with atrium level plants,” she said of DMCI Homes’ design innovation that allows for fresh air and natural sunlight to circulate naturally inside the condominium units.

“I also appreciate the landscaping efforts around common areas, as those really make a difference in making a condo feel homey,” she added.

“Nature is an undervalued human need” 

During the pandemic, Regina shared that she began to develop interest in knitting and growing plants. “It’s a way to keep myself mentally occupied since the lockdown started,” revealed Regina, a fur parent who is also into sci-fi and fantasy books and RPG games.

For someone who advocates for the environment, this progression makes a lot of sense, even if Regina did not see it that way at first. 

“I became interested in plants after seeing my ka-Lumiere friends’ balcony photos,” she related. “I never thought I would become a plant enthusiast myself, until I realized how gardening was almost meditative and made quarantine much more bearable.”

Her favorite plants are succulents, because “they give back so much despite sparse watering needs.” She likes ferns, fittonias, and pothos “for their interesting foliage.” Calatheas and stromanthes, according to Regina, are her “frustration, but are teaching me to be patient with them and with myself.” 

Recently, she started growing chillis and kale. “My proudest gardening achievement is growing petunia flowers from seed,” she declared. 

“Nature is an undervalued human need,” she pointed out. “In a city full of concrete pavements and high rise condos, houseplants fulfill this need, while also beautifying our living space. They give us fresh oxygen. They give us a sustainable source of food. They also allow you to calm down and think clearly, as gardening is a mindful practice.” 

When she feels stressed and cooped up, she goes to her balcony to admire the beauty of nature and inhale fresh air from her plants. 

“Gardening taught me that life is a renewing cycle— that if you water your life with goodness, prune the old parts of yourself you want to change, add nutrients by improving yourself, and allow yourself to grow in good conditions amidst friends and loved ones, you will bloom and share your beauty with the world. I had to learn how to be patient with myself, and to accept and move on when some plants die,” she enthused.

As she looks forward to better times, Regina is grateful to live in a loving community that not only supports her passions but also helps her stay mentally well during these trying times.

“I love the people here. We have a thriving community in Lumiere Residences. This is the first time I’ve lived in a place where I know so many neighbors, staff, and admin by name. And I’m able to work on improving our community with them,” Regina said.

“You’ll see the good heart of those living here just from how eager everyone was to help our neighbors and staff affected by Typhoon Ulysses. I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved as a community,” she beamed.

Lumiere Residences 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 Lumiere Residences and other DMCI Homes projects, call (632) 5324-8888. News and other updates are also posted on the company's official social media accounts on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.