Reclaiming Time: How a Young Family Swapped a 5-Hour Commute for Home Cooked Meals

For Cheerful Homes owners Andrew and Aiko Amante, moving to Mabalacat opened the door to a more manageable and balanced life they never imagined possible.

Before that move, they were dreading Monday mornings. Not because of the work ahead, but because of the goodbye that came with it.

For the past year, Sunday nights meant packing bags, loading the car, and making the long, exhausting drive back to Baguio, leaving their restaurants and a piece of their peace of mind behind.

“Every week, ganun na lang,” Andrew recalls, his voice carrying the weight of those memories. “Andito kami sa Pampanga for the weekend, tapos uuwi kami sa Baguio Sunday night. Tapos Monday morning, nag-aalala ka na agad kung okay ba ‘yung restaurant.”

The Amantes had built something they were proud of: Amante’s Ribs and Steak and Chiisai Izakaya, two restaurants in Mabalacat, Pampanga. It was a deliberate choice. As Baguio residents, they saw what was happening in Pampanga: Clark Freeport expanding, a new airport rising, and businesses pouring in.

“Nakita namin ‘yung potential ng Mabalacat,” Andrew explains. “Clark is booming. Maraming opportunities. Pero more than that, it’s a city na may room para lumago ang negosyo namin.”

But their plan to manage the business from 250 kilometers away quickly fell apart. They thought they could survive as “weekend managers,” driving down on Fridays and rushing back to the mountains on Sundays. Reality set in quickly.

The breaking point was the emotional cost. “‘Yung weekends namin, supposedly para sa pamilya pero we spend time sa daan, sa traffic, sa pagod. Wala kaming pahinga,” Andrew says.

The decision became clear: they had to move to Mabalacat. It wasn’t easy leaving Baguio, their hometown, where their families lived. But the restaurants were their future, and they needed a home that allowed them to be hands-on daily, not just on weekends. They found it at Cheerful Homes by SMDC.

The restaurants are a ten-minute drive from their front door. Ten minutes. Not five hours. Not a weekend trip.

“Before, kailangan naming planuhin ang buong linggo para lang makapunta sa restaurant. Ngayon, araw-araw kaming nandun,” Aiko says, relief evident in her voice. “‘Pag may issue sa umaga, nandoon ako. Then, in ten minutes, nasa bahay na ako.”

But the real magic happens after closing. When the dinner rush ends, they simply get in the car, and ten minutes later, they’re home.

Cheerful Homes didn’t just solve their commuting problem; it gave them a complete ecosystem for their family’s daily needs. When the pantry runs low, SM Clark is a quick drive away. When Andrew needs to fly in supplies, Clark International Airport is practically in their backyard. When their son needs to go to school, it’s a stress-free trip.

“‘Yung location ng Cheerful Homes, pinag-isipan talaga,” Andrew explains. “Grocery, airport, school, business district, lahat nandito.”

The project is gated and secure, which matters when you’re running a business late at night. “‘Yung peace of mind, hindi mo mababayaran ‘yon,” he says. “Alam mong kahit nasa trabaho ka, safe sila.”

On rest days, you’ll find the Amantes at the clubhouse. Andrew grills something experimental from the menu while Aiko catches up on reading and their son splashes in the pool with the neighbor kids. For a family that moved away from everything they knew, that gated community became their new home.

For a young couple building a business and planning for the future, the affordability of Cheerful Homes wasn’t just a pleasant surprise; it was a strategic advantage.

“Hindi mo kailangang ubusin ang savings mo para magkaroon ng bahay,” Andrew explains. “May natira pa para sa negosyo at para sa pangarap naming mag-invest ulit.”

That investment dream isn’t hypothetical. The Amantes are already looking at purchasing at least one more unit in the same development, this time as a passive income property.

But for the Amantes, the real return on investment isn’t just in property value. It’s in the time they’ve reclaimed. Andrew still works long hours, but now, when the dinner rush ends, he doesn’t have to brace himself for a long drive back to Baguio. He doesn’t have to miss bedtime stories or morning hugs.

“‘Yung oras na naibigay sa amin ng Cheerful Homes, hindi lang convenience ‘yun,” Aiko says, smiling. “Family time ‘yun for us.”

Sometimes, all it takes is finding the right house in the right location—a place that gives back time for your family and a home that makes room for creating more memories. And for a young family trying to build a life, that’s not just a short drive. That’s everything.