New parents know how fast a baby grows. While you may not have given much thought to how safe your condo is for babies for the first few months, you will soon see how easy it is for babies to get into trouble. Take precautions to make your condominium safe and secure for your baby. From kitchen cabinets to outlet covers, here’s how you can make sure your condo is safe from hazards that could pop up as your baby starts crawling and walking.

Tackle the Big Things First
Before the baby learns to crawl, check if anything needs to be fixed or replaced. Balcony must be secured, leaks in the bathroom must be fixed, and the glass coffee table must be replaced. Go over all your furniture to see if heavy items like bookshelves and television are at risk of tipping over.

See from baby’s eyes
Can’t figure out potential risks at home? Put yourself in the position of a curious baby and crawl around your condo unit to see up close the tiny objects you may not notice when you are standing tall. Babies inspect the things they see for the first time, and that inspection sometimes leads to tasting. So, remove anything you would not want them putting in their mouths.

Watch out for sharp edges
Furniture with sharp corners and babies learning to walk is a bad combination. You may want to get rid of furniture with a sharp edge to make room for your baby to play on the floor. If corners are unavoidable in your condo unit, get safety guards to turn smoothen edges and provide a softer bump.

Be cautious around electricity
There already have been numerous cases of babies sticking things into an electrical outlet and its unfortunate consequence. Electrical outlets on the floor level should have covers on them at all times to prevent the baby from playing electrical plugs. Extension cords, wires, and appliances must also be tucked out of sight and out of reach to little children.

Maintain a toddler-friendly kitchen
If your condo unit has an open-concept kitchen, a crawling baby may easily find a way to the cabinets. Invest in childproof cabinet locks to ensure your baby will not get to the glassware, heavy items, or knives. Once the kid is standing and can reach the counter, place stove-knob covers to prevent them from turning on the burners.

Lock the bathroom all the time
The bathroom is an area for possible injury. When toddlers become fascinated with knobs, they can get into the shower, turn the hot water, and scald themselves. Another scenario is a baby playing in the toilet can slip or drown unexpectedly. To keep curious babies safe, set your thermostat at a neutral temperature and keep your bathroom door locked at all times. Ensure that the bathroom and medicine cabinets are secured, and the cleaning supplies are out of reach by little children.

Secure all doors
A child by nature is curious, and sometimes whatever is behind a door is more interesting to them than anything in front of them. To prevent unsafe exploration – or a missing child – use doorknob covers or child gate to prevent your kid from going outside without you. For the glass door on the balcony, you may consider using decal stickers to clue your kid that they must not run into the glass.

Move the houseplants
Indoor plants purify the air inside your condo unit and make your home more relaxing. However, some plants are toxic to babies and pets. There is also a risk of a child eating dirt. So may you have to move your potted plants and terrarium to the balcony or hang them in the ceiling to keep out of reach of your little gardener.

Do a regular sweep
Since staying at home now is the preferred option in the new normal, use this time to scan all details of your condo and consider the possible safety implications for your baby. Vacuum regularly to suck up loose change, toy parts, or any small item they may find on the floor, put into their mouths, and cause choking.
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Condo living provides families a home that marries comfortable living space and convenience of a central address. With these simple tips, you can get ahead of the game and create a safe home for your kids.

Peninsula Garden Midtown Homes has available preselling and ready for occupancy condominium

Strategically located in Paco, Manila, Peninsula Garden Midtown Homes is a kid-friendly garden community near business hubs and the university belt, making it the perfect home for professionals and their families. A Peninsula Garden Midtown Homes home offers comfortable living space and low-density residential towers. Well-maintained amenities and wide-open spaces give a feel of a sprawling home for you and your family’s lifestyle, creating a sanctuary ideal for raising a family.

To reserve a Peninsula Garden Midtown Homes preselling or ready for occupancy unit, email invest@federalland.ph.

The Philippines is known as a tropical country, and the Filipinos are well familiar with high temperatures, but come summertime, you can bet even the most accustomed to heat will need cool and refreshing relief. Fortunately, it’s something that the local food scene has a lot of!

From famous yummy desserts to sweet refreshments, here are some frozen delights that will keep you cool when the days are too hot.

Halo-Halo

Summertime calls for Halo-Halo, the all-time Pinoy summer staple. Every restaurant and provinces have different versions of Halo-Halo, but the usual mixture includes: a base of finely shaved ice, a little bit of starch like red beans; some sweet fruits like jackfruit and saba banana; and a ton of milk – evaporated or condensed milk, it’s your call. You can also add more treats like ube, leche flan, sago, kaong, nata de coco, and pinipig. Top it all up with a scoop or three of ice cream, and voila! Easy dessert to beat the heat.

Ginumis

If you are looking to level up your Sago’t Gulaman, Ginumis is the way to go. Get your tall glass, pour in your Sago’t Gulaman, add shaved ice, coconut milk, toasted pinipig, caramel syrup, and pandan leaves. Feel free to add diced mangoes or a scoop of macapuno ice cream for that tropical vibe!

Buko Pandan Salad

Another classic dessert-slash-refreshment you can add to your summer menu is the Buko Pandan Salad. For this easy crowd favorite, all you need are coconut slivers, pandan leaves, gelatin, and condensed milk. Feel free to add nata de coco, kaong, and pinipig for a bit of a bite. Chill for a few hours and enjoy ice cold.

Mango Float

The summer season coincides with the mango season in the Philippines, and one of the best ways to enjoy this sweet and juicy fruit is with delectable layers of Mango Float. Also known as mango graham cake, it is made with layers of graham crackers, cream mixture, and ripe mangoes. Put it in the freezer to get that ice cream-cake goodness.

Fruit Popsicles

Have some overripe fruit in the fridge? It will be perfect for popsicles! Mix the fruits and a cup of water, milk, or yogurt in a blender. Have fun creating as many flavors with your children. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also mix – or hide – vegetables such as spinach, kale, and carrots in your next batch of popsicles for a healthy twist.

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Make summer deliciously exciting with these easy-to-do desserts and coolers you can easily prepare in your condo kitchen. Kitchens in modern condominiums, such as Palm Beach Villas, are efficiently designed to provide enough space for an enjoyable cooking session with the loved ones. Make it a date with the whole family as you prepare these in your kitchen and enjoy them al fresco style by the pool.

Palm Beach Villas is a ready-for-occupancy condominium at Metro Park, Bay Area

Let the sunshine into your home at Palm Beach Villas, a four-tower resort-inspired community crafted for happier homecomings. Strategically located at the gateway of the bustling Entertainment City, Palm Beach Villas provides your family a safe and serene home and an array of lifestyle amenities ideal for raising a family.

To reserve a Palm Beach Villas RFO unit, email invest@federalland.ph.

Do you know your neighbors? It can often be simpler to rush into the elevator or parking lot rather than engage with your neighbors. When you are distracted and stressed, distancing yourself from others, or murmuring barely audible greetings, can become a sort of defense mechanism to save time and energy for work or a personal matter.

This defense, though, may be doing more harm than good. A City & Community study suggests that being friendly and welcoming is linked to increased life satisfaction. The study notes that isolation and lack of connection with neighbors are pervasive in contemporary society. A healthy neighborhood’s social network can help to foster both personal satisfaction and supportive local communities.

But how does one achieve this sense of community? Modern condominiums can help make it happen with amenity design that triggers our human instincts in positive ways. Let’s take a look at how amenities help nurture condominium communities.

Artist’s perspective of Mi Casa’s Swimming Pool

A venue for congregation

Amenities such as a clubhouse or the garden creates an area for spontaneous or planned social interactions. The elevator, hallways, and parking lot are typically not conducive to neighborly banter. But the amenity area creates a different atmosphere, one where being relaxed and friendly become everyone’s default mood. It is easy to come over and mingle with the neighbors in the swimming pool or the game room.

Federal Land’s Mi Casa at Bay Area, Pasay City, takes a page from the Hawaiian’s sense of community to make the amenity area fit for gathering and entertaining. Residents can avoid the “new town blues,” or the feeling of isolation and loneliness after moving away from friends and family, simply by going out there and meeting new people.

Artist’s perspective of The Grand Midori Ortigas’ Yoga Room

A guild for hobbyists

Most condos are located in central business districts, so professional gym and dance studios as well as well-known spas are just a quick drive away. But having a place for your favorite pastime that is just an elevator ride away is definitely more convenient. Moreover, you can find new friends to join you in your activities. If you are looking for a new gym buddy, offer to spot Mike at the bench press. Want to play billiards, but your favorite hang spot had closed? John from unit 32F is looking for pool players.

Having plenty of amenities also stirs the imagination. It encourages exploration into new hobbies and interests. You may never have thought about striking a pose in yoga. Still, the soothing Zen sanctuary ambiance of the amenities at The Grand Midori Ortigas might just be the inspiration that pushes you to join the yogi club.

Actual photo of Peninsula Garden Midtown Homes’ Playground

A village to raise children

Besides providing entertainment to children, daycare and playground create opportunities for parents to meet other parents with different backgrounds. When your kids play with the neighbors, it is easy to strike a conversation with the neighbors. A grandparent may share a time-tested home remedy for a tummy ache. Moms with older kids may give advice to expecting moms. A foreign parent may share a beloved recipe. New moms may sit together to talk about that cute thing their toddlers did last night. The playroom can spontaneously become a parent club meeting room with parents commiserating about naughty but adorable kids and sharing their optimism about children’s future.

In any community, the children’s safety is one of the primary concerns of parents. Kids will find no trouble bonding at the playground or riding their bikes, day or night, at Peninsula Garden Midtown Homes in Paco, Manila. It is a kid-friendly community with large open spaces carefully crafted to provide a safe and secure home for families.

Finding the perfect condominium is usually a question of lifestyle. The right location and condo features can narrow down your choices, but condo amenities present incredible benefits in your day to day lives.  Amenities create delightful opportunities not only for rest and relaxation and property appreciation but also impact your quality of life by providing a vital part of a happy life – a sense of belonging.

With every condominium it develops, Federal Land, Inc. creates a life-affirming experience for its residents. Social infrastructure and amenities are crucial to creating harmonious communities; thus, every Federal Land property is filled with a wide array of facilities that meet the community’s needs and expectations. A prime example of this is Mi Casa in Bay Area, Pasay City. From the outdoor pools, grill pit, and movie room, Mi Casa has thoughtfully designed spaces that evoke Hawaii’s love of gathering. Families can host barbeque parties, movie nights, and play dates – without leaving the comforts of home.

Artist’s perspective of Mi Casa

Taking inspiration from the beauty of the islands of Hawaii, Mi Casa is your tropical-inspired residence by the Bay. Mi Casa offers premium community living with resort amenities that will make your day vibrant and relaxing at the same time.

Say aloha to a carefree vacation lifestyle. Experience a 360° virtual tour of your new home at Mi Casa.

Investing in a condo within a township is generally seen as a smart investment move. Townships are master-planned, integrated and mixed-use developments that offer residents the convenience to live, work, and play in one place. Compared to secluded gated subdivisions and stand-alone projects, townships’ appeal lies in its convenience and accessibility to corporate offices, retail shops, even schools and hospitals rising side-by-side with the residential condominiums.

As the economy start to recover from the impact of COVID-19 crisis, we will likely see a release of pent up demand for condominium units in Metro Manila, with the bulk of the demand going to township properties. The pandemic has further emphasized the advantages of township communities, where residents can easily access their essential needs and receive support from the community.

Of course, for every benefit there is a corresponding disadvantage. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons to help you decide whether investing and living within a township is for you.

PROS

The Live-Work-Play Lifestyle

The live-work-play concept is rooted in the idea that people can be happier in a community that provides most of their needs. Considered a “city within a city,” townships offer necessary elements such as housing, business hubs, shopping centers, and leisure amenities creating a community of its own. Residents of master-planned township developments can easily access essential goods and services without a long drive around the metro. And with the worsening traffic in the city, townships, where residents can just walk to work, shop, and dine in one place, is a boon for most urban folks.

Improved Services
Aside from cutting on the travel time, money, and effort, townships provide an added advantage of land development. Townships are planned with the growth of the whole district in mind; thus, townships also develop infrastructure for public security, traffic routes, power lines, water connection, and waste management within its community.

Community Support
In times of need, township administration can step up to support its community. A prime example is the Marco Polo Residences community in Cebu City. During the ECQ and GCQ, the HOA and township administration worked together to offer essential services such as a shuttle service to the local grocery, special rates from hotel restaurants and shops, and a “mobile palengke” on weekends.

Greater Capital Returns
Given its numerous advantages, townships are growing in popularity among urban dwellers. Real estate organization Colliers International believes township developments offer a better value proposition and a higher return on investment than stand-alone projects, especially with the attractiveness of the live-work-play lifestyle and central location. Properties in township developments also offer tremendous income potential to investors.

Tropicana Garden City, Marikina

CONS

High maintenance costs

The monthly or annual maintenance fees can run a bit higher in a township property compared to a stand-alone condominium. In a stand-alone property, your maintenance bill will only cover the building’s upkeep and security of its residents. While in a township development, a substantial portion of your maintenance bill will have to cover civic amenities such as street lighting, sewerage, perimeter security, and other services under the township administration.

Longer construction period
Township projects are typically built in phases, which can take an extended construction period than stand-alone buildings. Depending on how elaborate is its development plan, a township can have several phases with one or two structures per phase. Meaning a whole township can take up to 10-20 years to accomplish in its entirety. Unit owners of Phase 1 properties may have to wait some time before they can enjoy the planned shopping center or open park.

If you look closely at the benefits of township development, you will see that the pros outweigh the cons. Townships are master-planned communities that give ample consideration to building layouts, traffic circulation, and local growth when designing communities. Townships also contribute significantly to the rapid urbanization of its locality. The construction of residential, retail, and office properties support and cater to the expansion of business activities.

Metro Park in Bay Area, Pasay City

Prime real estate developer Federal Land, Inc. is on top of this standard. Federal Land has several townships under its portfolio. In 2000, Federal Land introduced Metro Park, a sprawling 36-hectare master-planned community in the business district of Pasay City. Metro Park is a modern and vibrant community home to resort residences, shopping centers, business hubs, event spaces, and a college – all set within the country’s Bay Area. In Bonifacio Global City, Federal Land has Grand Central Park, a master-planned township patterned after the vision of diverse New York City where you can live, work, and shop in one place. It is anchored by the luxury hotel Grand Hyatt Manila, its branded residences Grand Hyatt Manila Residences, the first Mitsukoshi mall in the Philippines, and other exclusive condominiums.

Federal Land has developed several more townships: Florida Sun Estates in Cavite, Tropicana Garden City in Marikina, and Marco Polo Residences in Cebu. To know more about Federal Land townships, email invest@federalland.ph.

ONE Wilson Square.

‘The quarantine has moved people to realize the importance of staying safe and content in their living spaces. A stark contrast to old mindsets where hurried urban dwellers would consider their units as functional retreats for resting for another charged day in the urban jungle.

This time, quarantine restrictions are stirring people to deal with their condo apartment units and reimagine them as a necessary area for staying healthy, for working, and for relaxing from the world’s wearies.

Forced lockdowns are never normal but despite this reality, condominium living has its tender perks. Here are some of them, according to real estate developer Federal Land:

Master-planned townships provide what you need in one neighborhood
Modern condos and apartments built within master-planned communities address the advantage of convenience. Townships like Federal Land’s Metro Park in Bay Area and Grand Central Park in North Bonifacio Global City have essential establishments such as supermarkets, banks, hospitals, pharmacies, schools, shopping centers, offices, and transport stations nearby.

Despite the many restrictions of the community quarantine, having ready access to these services gives residents the assurance and peace of mind of knowing that you can find anything you might need nearby — especially in the case of an emergency.

Four Seasons Riviera movie room.

Good condos give you ways to stay physically and mentally healthy
As quarantine restrictions were lifted, some condominiums could provide residents with a bit of a breather with their green and open spaces. Residents who live in properties with wide-open spaces can safely do their exercise routines, go for a walk or enjoy the fresh air. If you have a condo with a lovely roof deck or multiple amenities — you could be doing your mental and physical health a favor.

It became a welcome break for the residents to have a place to move around and not feel trapped in their units. Some buildings even go the extra mile of putting up themed gardens, like The Grand Midori Ortigas, with its Zen garden that provides a calmness, a sanctuary. Since no one knows how long this pandemic will last — or even if it will be the last one, it’s good to have that extra space to shake off cabin fever.

Mi Casa meeting room.

Some condominiums also offer alternative spaces for your work-from-home needs. Premium residential developments such as Mi Casa in Metro Park and The Seasons Residences in BGC feature amenities that provide a quiet working space separate from your home.

Functional spaces give you more room to move around
When movement is extremely limited, a residential development with thoughtfully designed indoor and outdoor spaces is a haven for its residents.

Fortunately, there are developers who plan interior unit spaces with great detail for the benefit of its occupants — considering multi-functionality and the efficiency of every bit of available living space. These are not typical cookie-cutter condos. Instead, these developments create tranquil and breathable environments for their residents. Large-cut units such as in Four Season Riviera and One Wilson Square are prime examples of these. Four Season Riviera has spacious 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom suites that cater to every dweller’s needs. The extra rooms can be converted as a home office, a children’s classroom, an entertainment room, and even a personal gym. Selected units in One Wilson Square come with verandas where you can enjoy sweeping views of a cleaner Metro Manila skyline. Now that’s thoughtful design.

The Grand Midori Ortigas zen garden.

Read More: tribune.net.ph