My mom came home from the US last November to celebrate my 45th birthday with me. She is already 70 years old.
My first thought when she said she would be in the PH for three weeks was to spend a week taking her to a place she had never been to.
Mom took care of my younger brother and I on her own since I was 16 years old. We would only occasionally travel around the country when we could – when we could afford it.
(As fellow solo parents and single-income households may know, if you are a solo parent in our country, you are probably automatically in the bottom part of the middle class bracket. And education for the kids is not cheap.)
Where to take mom?
I had traveled to memorable places and coverages in 2024: one was in Cebu and another in Davao (another, a short trip, in Iloilo City proper). When I asked Mom where she wanted to go, she picked Davao – probably our least-explored part of the Philippines.
Dusit Davao immediately came to mind after a memorable first coverage there last February. Specifically, Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort where we had spent too short a time during that coverage.
I wanted to make beautiful memories with Mom.
My considerations were:
• Has she been to a place like that before?
• Who else would I want to take there?
• Will she be able to go around on her own if she wanted to?
• Will the risk of accidents be low?
• Will there be help or assistance just in case?
How about you? When you travel with a senior, what factors do you consider about your choice of destination?
When I discussed the options with Mom, she too picked Lubi (how we would call it in short). She had only heard of places like that, and it was the first time she would spend a week in one.
Lubi-Lubi (Yes, The Folk song )
We got to Davao on a Monday morning and was in Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort in Davao de Oro in the afternoon. From the airport, we took a 45-minute land trip (which helped keep Mom’s knees from hurting) and then a five-minute catamaran ride to the resort itself.
Catamaran and resort staff were quick to assist Mom, even on the floating jetty they use so as not to harm the marine life underneath. Seeing my Mom happy and cared for made me happy.
Iba pala ang feeling when you see your parents get old – and frail. You worry a lot more.
Resort GM Thanthita Nithimetheesanont was there to welcome us along with her team. Welcome drinks were fresh buko in their shell (something Mom missed) with cold towels to help us freshen up.
Safety Features
Sustainability has always been Tomas P. Lorenzo’s north star. Tomas is the founder and CEO of Torre Lorenzo Development Corporation (TLDC) who, in partnership with Dusit Resorts, owns and operates Lubi.
During this trip, I realized that safety is also his battlecry. Not just because it’s what makes the resort five-star, but also because they simply care. Meet anyone from the TLDC team and you’ll see what I mean. Good vibes talaga.
What made us feel safe were:
• The attentive staff once they saw Mom and identified her as a senior. When we would get on or get off the cart, for example, she received assistance.
• The wheelchair ramp outside our villa, ready in case we needed to use it
• The lowered bed, so my mom could get up easily on her own
• Handles everywhere, from the restroom to the pools
• A 24-hour clinic with a healthcare professional ready to tend to emergency situations
• Big spaces and walkways that could accommodate a wheelchair (or stretcher) with ease and without delay
Christmas catch-up
Incidentally, the resort’s Christmas tree-lighting was held the week we were there, and I was able to catch up with Tomas, his daughter Monica, and even their cluster GM Christoph Kuch.
Tomas, whose TLDC was inspired by his travels abroad, says he took notice of the ADA or Americans with Disabilities Act features of establishments he went to.
“Every unit of developments there has to be ADA compliant,” he said. “Because PWDs have the right to choose where they want to live or stay.”
Manny Samson, TLDC’s designer-architect, is internationally-accredited in ADA compliance. He immediately understood what needed to be done, like bathrooms where even wheelchairs could fit.
“If you give handicapped and elderly people the opportunity to go around, they will,” Tomas continued. “Seniors come to Lubi all the time, bringing their entire families.”
A five-star resort that’s PWD-friendly – this is what I discovered this time around about Lubi.
It is safe to say Mom (and my son, Basti) enjoyed their first time in Davao. It was no longer just about pomelo – it was also about good spaces like Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort.
It was the first time I ever spent my birthday on the beach, in a resort. There were so many layers of good vibes that I do not have the space for all of them.
It has been a tough year, but glimmers like this make it one of the best years (and birthdays) yet.
