'I Was Able To Fulfill ‘Yong Wish Ng Nanay Ko': Son Used Airfare Refund To Buy A House

"Masaya 'yung idea na we do not need to rent anymore. Masaya na mayroon na akong sariling bahay," Richard Clara shares in an interview with Summit OG Channel.

It was his mom who encouraged him to get his own property, so when he finally had the lot, he surprised her mother on her 72nd birthday with the news.

“Dinala namin siya doon sa subdivision na pagtatayuan ng bahay. Pinakita namin ‘yong lote, and then ‘yong bahay na itatayo. Ang sabi lang niya ‘Wow.’ Nagulat. Excited siya, actually.”

Where did Richard find the cash to buy a house during a pandemic? The money came from airfare refund.

Cancelled flights meant refund

Traveling became an extremely huge industry pre-pandemic as airlines began offering cheap airfare and regular sales.

For many employees, it became a habit to plan vacation leaves and block out long weekends at the beginning of the year to be able to reserve plane seats and fly out to their dream destinations.

When COVID-19 turned into a global crisis, it put a screeching halt to all this, with many would-be travelers finding themselves refunding their tickets and reassessing their plans.

Richard Clara was one of them. Back in 2010, he made it a point to travel regularly. “Na-enjoy ko siya because I was able to visit other places, tapos, learn their culture, eat their food, and then of course, ‘yong mga tourist destinations,” he shared.

His long-term plan was to visit all 81 provinces of the Philippines—in fact, he had already managed to tick 77 off his bucket list. When the pandemic happened, he had no choice but to put the remaining four on hold.

“Canceled lahat ng flights,” Richard recalls. “Nag-refund naman lahat ng airline, and then ‘yong mga budget ko for that, naipon talaga siya.”

With ample money in his hands, he decided to pursue another personal goal, which was to build his first home. He found a good place in Cainta that was near a mall and just minutes away from the Ortigas business district. 

Buying his first property

“I got the courage to invest, magbigay ng downpayment, maghulog ng amortization ng hindi iniisip na may problema sa paghuhulog,” Richard shares, noting that the refund was not enough to pay the house in full, but it was enough to afford the downpayment and sustain the initial amortization.

Despite having to pause his travel plans, Richard believes that everything has worked out the way it should. “I think it’s the perfect time kasi definitely, natetengga ‘yong pera,” he adds.

“It’s a win-win situation, kasi I was able to fulfill ‘yong wish ng nanay ko.”

Richard adds that his mom is already planning how to spruce up the house and the garden.

Congratulations, Richard and mom!

Watch the full video here:

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