Vista Land and Lifescapes, Inc., one of the country’s leading integrated property developers, is giving a new home to the five children of late Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Baby Jane Teodoro Allas, providing the family with a place they can call their own.
Villar Group Chairman Manny Villar met the family and personally handed over the keys to their new home, a moment that came as a surprise to the siblings and their grandmother.
Villar took exception to the touching story of the five siblings, who have endured significant hardships following the death of their mother, who worked in Hong Kong to support her family.
“Kung may pagkakataong tumulong, tumutulong tayo. Yung unang-una kong buyer is an OFW. Kaya simula noon, talagang tumutulong na ako sa OFW,” he said.
With his heart close to OFW families, Villar advised the Allas children to always keep in mind the love and sacrifices that their mother endured to help their lives become better.
“Sana yung pinagdaanan ninyo, magsilbing halimbawa, maging guide sa inyo pagtanda ninyo, at huwag ninyo kalimutan ang pinaghirapan ng nanay ninyo. Napakalaki ng kanyang sakripisyo. Parati ninyo dadalhin yan para kung saan man kayo makarating, maalala ninyo parati ang nanay ninyo at kanyang sakripisyo,” Villar told the Allas children— aged 11 to 23.
All the five children and their grandmother, Annabelle, were all happy during the meet and greet with Villar at Brittany Hotel Villar City.
But they all turned teary-eyed and emotional upon learning their surprise and their early Christmas gift from Villar.
“Hindi magkakabahay ang mga apo ko ng ganyan kaganda… kaya nagpapasalamat talaga kami kay Senator Manny Villar at sa mga staff niya, at hindi namin inaasahan ito,” the 67-year old grandmother said.
A mother’s sacrifice
Just a few years working as a domestic helper, Baby Jane was illegally terminated after becoming ill.
Kindhearted people helped Baby Jane and sister, Mary Ann, also an OFW, cope with their situation, as she got treatment for the Big C.
She was eventually reunited with her family in Palawan.
But life again got another unexpected turn for the Allas family when Baby Jane later passed away from complications of late-stage cervical cancer.
As if this tragic turn of events is not enough, justice remained elusive for Baby Jane.
It took the family, through the persistence of Baby Jane’s sister and employer, seven years to get justice—when a Hong Kong court ordered her former employer to pay approximately P2 million in damages for wrongful dismissal.
Still, there was no reason to rejoice because the family has yet to receive the amount, as her former employer reportedly went into hiding.
With their mother no longer around, the children had to face life’s challenges with the support of their grandmother and OFW aunt.
Villar expressed hope that the new home in Camella Palawan will give the family greater security and stability while providing the siblings with a permanent place where they can grow and pursue their dreams.
The property is being donated through Vista Land, marking one of the company’s initiatives ahead of its 20th anniversary in 2027.
Founded by Villar, Vista Land has built a strong presence in the Philippine property sector through its residential developments, commercial centers and masterplanned communities since its incorporation in 2007. Its various housing brands have helped provide homes to Filipino families across the country.
The company continues to expand its developments in key areas while focusing on creating communities that offer Filipino families opportunities for homeownership and a better quality of life.
For the Allas family, the house represents more than a property. It is a new beginning for five siblings who have endured the loss of their mother and the challenges that followed—and a place where they can begin building a more secure future together.
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