Hassle Free Finacing • Minimum Documentary Requirements • Low Interest Rates • In-House, Bank and Pag-IBIG Financing Available

Features

Morning Mist Village's VIP Residents

Vice-Mayor Michelle and husband Gary

Many people may not know it but Morning Mist Village (MMV) has some very important residents in the persons of Mrs. Michelle Tagarda-Spiers, the incumbent vice-mayor of Cagayan de Oro City, and her husband.

For two years now, Michelle has been living in MMV since she won as vice- mayor in 2004 in a cozy one-level house she is leasing from a homeowner friend of her friend. In August that year, she got married to a British national, Gary Spiers, a sculptor from Durham, a county in the northeast portion of England, whom she met through her sister.

A true blue Cagay-anon, Michelle is fifth of 10 children, obtained her law degree from Xavier University, and was a practicing lawyer and a two-term city councilor before she became CDO's vice-mayor. She considers her entry into and her thriving in politics as destiny just like her marriage to Gary. "Why, I never thought I would get married to a foreigner, more so to a White man," she says.

The couple shuttles from Gary's country home in Durham and back, but Michelle's commitment as the vice-mayor requires her to stay in the City longer. She was in Durham last year to join her husband and spend a White Christmas there but returned shortly after to resume work in the City. Gary tagged along on her return early this year and the loving couple has been staying in their abode in Morning Mist hence. While here, Gary busies himself doing a lot of sculpture works, using what Michelle proudly says are all local materials sourced from Bulua, the pottery capital of the City.

The Spiers' wedding photo as well as some of Gary's sculptures are displayed in Michelle's office.

So how do they like being in MMV? Michelle says she loves being in MMV and is thinking that if she ever builds her own house it may have to be there. What she particularly likes is the sense of community and belongingness of the people in the village. "They do things together and the people are so well-knit," she says. Whenever her schedule allows, she makes it a point to participate in community activities, including playing badminton and attending the village's various religious activities. "You have to give importance to community building. You can't live life by yourself - you need your neighbors," she adds.

As her term as vice-mayor is due to expire next year, we asked her if she has plans of running for a higher office as rumors have it. She gives an impish smile and says, "I'm open." But it is obvious her priority at the moment is building a family together with her husband.