Kim Chui Building a Home for Her Family is a Dream Come True

With her earnings from all her shows, appearances and endorsements, Kim Chiu has finally been able to build her dream home for her siblings Lakambini, Twinkle, and William in an exclusive village somewhere in Quezon City.

In the July issue of StarStudio, the 21-year-old actress admitted that being able to buy a family home had always been a driving force in her joining Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition in 2006 where she emerged the Big Winner. “Ang motivation ko unang-una, magkabahay para hindi yung basta nakikitira lang,” she admitted to SSM.

Kim shared in this month’s cover story how she grew up sleeping in just one room with the rest of her family after moving from place to place, from Tacloban City to Cebu to Mindoro and then back to Cebu.

“Wala talaga kami bahay simula nung pinanganak ako. Parang isa lang siyang maliit na kama, pagkatapos, kainan na. Sala at kama, magkasama,” she recalled. Kim also shared how hard it was growing up and being raised by her relatives after her mother abandoned them when she was only 12 years old. “Wala namang away na grabe. Basta nawala na lang yung mama ko. Umalis daw siya. Yun yung sinabi sa amin. Hanggang sa hinintay naming ng hinintay. Pero wala namang bumalik,” she shared with SSM.

Kim also shared how she used to save up money for load during her pre-showbiz years when she still lived in Cebu with her lola. “Kasi gusto ng lola ko, pinaghihirapan namin yung binibili namin, kahit mga load. Nung high school ako, hindi puwede yung ‘Amah, pahingi ng load.’ Tipirin mo yung baon mo,” she said. Ever the survivor, Kim learned to work early to augment her meager allowance by helping out in her aunt’s boutique.

But even if they had a place to stay, Kim said she and her siblings still faced hard times. “Kasi noon, hindi naming alam kung makakapag-aral pa kami ngayong taon na ito eh. Kasi madalas May na, or patapos na ang May, patapos na ang enrollment, hindi pa kami nakakapag-enroll. Minsan nag-enroll kami, mga first week of June na, yung nagsisimula na yung pasukan,” she recalls in SSM’s 26-page cover story.

With those days behind her, Kim’s situation is now a far cry from her days living in the province. After moving into her brand new three-storey house, a multi-million peso beige and white structure complete with its own pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, personal salon, and movie room, Kim can definitely say she has built a dream house that she and her siblings can finally call home. “Ang gandang tignan ng bahay kasi ako lahat nag-isip nito. Nagtulungan kami ng interior decorator ko. Kahit yung small things like tiles, hands on ako,” she admitted.

Kim is also especially proud of her room, which is like another small abode within the house. The room contains Kim’s walk-in closet which displays her collection of designer bags, watches, jewelry, and clothing. It is also the only part of the house where Kim was allowed to decorate mostly in her favorite color, pink. “Sabi ng ate ko, bawal daw ang pink sa baba. Bawal makita ang pink kasi hindi raw ako forever na bata. So dito ko sa bedroom ko binuhos yung pink,” she shared with SSM.
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