Erlinda Pondevida and her husband had no plans of buying a house, but today, they are proud owners of a unique home in Bulacan.
Erlinda's two children used to take her and her husband on vacations overseas during their wedding anniversary every December. But when the pandemic hit, this came to a halt. When Erlinda fell in love with a 2,000 square meter property in Doña Remedios Trinidad (DRT), she had no idea their two children would purchase it as a gift for them.
"Noong una [namin] nakita 'tong lugar, nakaka-in love kasi nature, napakapayak ng pamumuhay," she tells the OG team. "Kuwinento ko sa kanila na parang magandang bilhin 'yon. 'Kung may pera nga lang, sana, mabili na natin 'yon.' Meron naman pala silang naitatabi."
Initially, they had set up a hut on the property, but being situated in the mountains, it soon attracted termites. A fan of tiny homes, Erlinda thought of building a more durable but small home, which they eventually christened Casa Pondevida.
A charming triangular-shaped home, Casa Pondevida has all the essentials of comfy daily living: a living area, minibar, kitchen, bathroom, view deck, and sleeping area.
Erlinda bought most of the house's materials online, and the rest, she sourced from neighbors. For instance, she purchased the main door from a demolished house for just P1500 and spent P300 for the staircase using a neighbor's old billiard tables. Being a seamstress, she sewed the pillowcases, sheets, and curtains.
Probably the highlight of Casa Pondevida's interiors is the bathtub. The bathroom even has a Bluetooth speaker so visitors can listen to music while taking a bath or showering.
On the second floor of the house is the sleeping area which opens up to the view deck, the perfect location for drinking cups of coffee. The area is so breezy that there's no need for electric fans.
Outside, visitors can use the hammock, bonfire pit, camping area, and take selfies at the pugad, an overlooking spot with a nest design. They can also use the hut for videoke or cooking. There's even a heart-like piece of outdoor décor they call the "BTS Heart", because Erlinda's daughter is a fan of BTS' Suga.
All in all, Erlinda and her family only spent close to P1 million for the construction of the house, including the lot. Eventually, the Pondevidas plan on adding a zipline and a swimming pool, which they consider their ultimate dream.
"Tipid-tipid lang para kahit paano, natutupad yung mga binabalak mo," she advises those planning to build a house.
To her kids, Erlinda has nothing but overwhelming gratitude. "Mga anak, ang suwerte namin," she says with tears in her eyes. "Nakatapos sila nang matiwasay kahit mahirap ang buhay. Nakinig sila sa advice na tapusin yung pag-aaral. Talagang pinagsikapan lang [namin] na mapag-aral sila. Kaya salamat na meron kaming ganito na bigay ninyo."
For those interested in experiencing life in Erlinda's tiny house, they can book the entire property for six persons for just P2500 a night when they visit its Facebook page, Casa Pondevida – Triangle House at DRT.
Explore Casa Pondevida with the OG Team below:
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