A BRAND new house and lot on a street named after her is enough to make 2016 Rio Olympics weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz thrilled and overjoyed. Her dream of having an own house has just been fulfilled.
“Maganda ang bahay! Hehe nagustuhan ko ang bahay at ang community dito feel ko na I belong!,” she beamed in an interview via Facebook Wednesday, December 7, after 8990 Holdings, Inc. chief operating officer Willie Uy and 8990 assistant general manager Nicolas Cruz awarded her the promised house and lot unit in a simple ceremony at the Deca Clark Resort Residences (DCRR) for her Olympic feat.
It can be recalled that 8990 Holdings, Inc. through president and CEO Januario Jesus “JJ” Atencio III sealed a partnership with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) last August 31 to formalize the veteran mass housing developer's sponsorship to award house and lot units to Rio Olympics medalists.
Diaz, who hails from Mampang village in Zamboanga City, also said, “Preskong hangin at accessible sa lahat. Kung gusto mong pumunta ng Subic, pwede ka tumambay muna dito hehehe.”
She could not contain the joy she's feeling, amazed at how God has been blessing her since bringing home the silver from Rio de Janeiro.
“Na-feel ko na may sense of belongingness na ako.. hehe wow! Medal lang gusto ko tapos binigyan pa ko ng bahay. Ang ganda ng pagka-interior design ng bahay... nakakawow! Salamat talaga Deca Homes,” she shared, saying that she can now have a home to call her own.
The 25-year-old added that it's important for her to own a house, it's one of her life-long dreams.
“Sa akin, importante na may lupa at bahay ang isang tao kasi eto ang maging lugar mo at dito ka magkakapamilya,” she said.
She said that she still does not have a plan for the house for the meantime as she is focused on training for her Tokyo 2020 Olympics bid and her studies at College of Saint Benilde in Manila. But she will visit her house every weekend for a getaway with friends, “para naman masaya!”
She got a scholarship grant from CSB where she plans to study Business Management.
The celebrity athlete, who won a silver in her third Olympics stint, is also excited once the proposed Olympic Training Center is built in Clark as it would be easier for her to access.
Cruz, for his part, said 8990 gave Diaz a corner unit along the main road of Phase 1 of DCRR in Angeles City, Pampanga. The unit is worth P650,000.
“We also did the interiors and furnished it at a cost of P350,000. She was so appreciative and napa-wow sya sa interiors. With her as our celebrity resident, we decided to name her street in her honor and the rest of the streets will honor past Filipino Olympians. She was so happy that we named the street after her,” Cruz said, adding that she also tried wakeboarding the same day with her special friend.
Diaz said, “Parang part na talaga ng history, may street na ako!”
Atencio, meanwhile, earlier said that 8990's slogan, “Family Life Matters”, looks for ways to support sports and encourage the youth to be in sports.
“We believe that sports develop discipline. We just don't build houses for families but we also aim to make their lives better,” Atencio said.
8990 has been supporting wakeboarding as Deca Wake Clark had also hosted world wakeboard championships in the past.The company also backed the staging of the 2016 Asia-Pacific Intermediate and Seniors Baseball Tournament in July this year.
In Davao City, 8990 Housing Development Corporation has ongoing projects at Deca Homes Indangan, Deca Homes Catalunan Grande and Deca Homes Resort Residences. The company also opened its newest branch in General Santos City with its pilot project Deca Homes Gensan.