It’s time for the big move! Moving out may not be a common practice in the Philippines, but it can be done. Check out the stories of these five independent adults
Moving out is a special occasion full of nostalgia and dramatics, especially in western movies. In Asian family-centric countries like the Philippines, it’s rare for one to move out before getting married. According to a study conducted by East-West Center Working Papers, “It would seem that only about two-thirds (63.9%) of our youth have, so far, been living with their parent(s) from childhood to adolescence.
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Although nowadays, more and more young adults are moving out of the houses they grew up in to pursue greener pastures living alone. They may be going through the hardships of paying their bills on time or cooking their own meals, but they do have the luxury of freedom. Learn more about these five independent adults who got a start on their life with stories on how and why they moved out.
Mike Gella, 29, Photographer
“My sister and I moved out of our family condo around three years ago. That was the first time we started living with no house help, but recently I started living alone. It is definitely more challenging now that my sister is not around. It gets pretty pricey when you have no one to split the bills with and it gets difficult when you have no one around to help you do things. But at the end of the day, it actually feels good being in a place that is exactly how you want it to be—with your own house rules. Other than the freedom, the best part is that you get to design your place however you like.”
Raphy Mukhi, 30, DJ
“I first moved out back in 2014 for my first internship program. I rented out a studio in Ortigas. It was my first taste of being completely independent in terms of going through my everyday life alone. I could honestly say I felt a bit scared, but during that year, I learned so much about myself and how I handle certain situations. Fast forward to 2022, when I officially moved out of our family condo and started living again completely on my own. This time around, I’m really paying for everything, and the feeling is different. I’m genuinely happy because supporting yourself and being independent is something to be proud of. Definitely—a milestone in anyone’s life.”
Pao Jaramillo, 28, DJ and COO of Health Hack
“The first time I got to partially move out was back in sophomore year during my university stay. It felt very empowering, but it was also hard since I had to really watch over my finances better. It got easier for me to attend my DJ gigs and do more work. I fully moved out when I graduated, meaning I wasn’t receiving an allowance anymore and I had to pay for all of my bills, including rent, utilities, and groceries. It made me feel more motivated to work smarter. Also, to be able to sustain and improve the lifestyle I had. I never had any regrets moving out—it shaped and molded me into the person I am today.”
Kiana Heart, 24, Nightlife Director of Good Gang
“The first time I moved out and started living independently was almost two years ago. Ever since I moved to the Philippines as a teenager, I’ve been jumping from one relative’s household to another with my mom, so I never really had my own space. So mid-pandemic, I decided I had enough money saved up from my old job. I packed up my things and moved out to live with a friend. To me, it was liberating. I’ve always been the hard-headed you-can’t-tell-me-what-to-do type and because of that, my mom and I would rarely see eye to eye on things. I was at a point where I felt like I needed my independence in order to grow. Now that I’ve moved out, finally achieving that was so exciting! Looking back now, despite dealing with all the hardships that came with living independently, I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Kendra Wahono, 27, COO of After the Noon
“I first moved out when I was 16. I was about to be a freshman in college. My parents wanted it for me and supported my schooling in every way, so I was excited to be starting a new chapter without rules. When I graduated four years later, I had a new form of independence. This moved me to keep living alone, even if everything rested on my shoulders. It’s been 10 years now of me living independently—that’s almost the same number of apartments I’ve moved to. Moving feels like starting a new journal. The pages can be daunting to fill up, but I’m happy to have something to write on. All of the places I have lived in are forever archived in my memories. In each of these places, I’ve lived a different version of myself—versions they’ve allowed me to create.”
