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Non-Golfers Come Home to Pueblo

Dulcisimo and Lydia at the balcony of their new home.

After 29 years of living the rat race in the United States, Engr. Dulcisimo Manago decided he’d had enough. He took an early retirement from his job as an engineer at Rockwell International. Their two daughters are married and have their own lives in the U.S., so rather than spend his days in what he terms the “downhill environment” of a nursing home, he and his wife Lydia, a teacher, decided to sell their house in Chicago and come home to the Philippines.

Mr. Manago is originally from Tangub City while Mrs. Manago is from Jimenez, Misamis Occidental. They knew right away that they didn’t want to settle in Manila due to the smog or in Cebu because it was getting too congested. They also explored other cities like Davao, Ozamiz and Oroquieta, but in the end, Cagayan de Oro won out. Not only do they have a few relatives here, but they also found Cagayan de Oro more centralized, making it easy to get to Manila, Cebu, Davao, or Misamis Occidental.

Their new home at Terrasse Lane in the Pueblo Golf Estates is filled with furniture and fixtures from 83 balikbayan boxes the Managos prepared in anticipation of their return. The Managos selected their house design from a housing catalog and had the blueprints modified by a local architect to fit the dimensions of their 618 sq.m. lot.

French doors open to the living room and three bedrooms in the upper storey, while the dining room, kitchen, utility areas, and servants’ quarters are located below. A balcony opens from the living room to overlook the golf course.The kitchen and dining room open to the porch and backyard swimming pool. Construction started in mid-November 2004, and the Managos moved in eight months later.

Mr. Manago has no plans of starting a business or joining an association. “Retirement is retirement,” he stressed. They pass their time with bowling or indulging in long drives, like to visit relatives in Misamis Occidental. A car enthusiast, Mr. Manago has a sports car with cruise control that he enjoys driving on long stretches of highway. “It’s a good thing my wife enjoys driving,” quipped Mr. Manago, “otherwise she would always nag me."

Surprisingly for someone who lives only a stone’s throw from a top golf course, neither of the Managos is a golfer. According to Mr. Manago, he chose Pueblo Golf Estates because the presence of the golf course, with its trees and wide open spaces, assures fresh air and cool breezes that he would not get in other subdivisions. “I do not have to worry that someone will put up a building that will block the wind as long as the golf course is there.” Mrs. Manago also appreciates the quiet atmosphere afforded by the Golf Estates.

The Managos plan to make this their permanent home, only intending to return to the States for special occasions. When asked whether he would recommend living here to other Filipinos abroad, Mr. Manago did not hesitate to answer. “Oh yeah!” he exclaimed. “I’m here!” Enough said.