Elevators are not a common feature in the average Filipino home, primarily due to the significant cost involved in their installation and upkeep.
Read: How much does it cost to install home elevators?
But in recent years, there has been a growing trend among local celebrities to include an elevator in their residences.
More than just a mere luxury, these elevators are all about practicality and accessibility, providing their celebrity homeowners with a seamless and convenient means of traversing their multi-story residences.
The decision to have an elevator at home is also often influenced by the presence of elderly family members, ensuring their comfort and safety in accessing every corner of the house.
Here are some celebrities who have opted to install elevators in their homes
KATHRYN BERNARDO
Situated adjacent to the stairs, the elevator serves as a convenient addition to Kathryn Bernardo's three-story residence in Antipolo City, Rizal.
The actress and her family finally moved in to their dream home in December 2023, after seven years of anticipation.
Read: Kathryn Bernardo's dream home has slide and elevator
VICE GANDA
Vice Ganda made the decision to install an elevator in his expansive 1,300-square-meter home.
The driving force behind this decision was none other than Rosario Viceral, Vice Ganda's mother.
In a YouTube vlog last October 7, 2020, Vice Ganda explained, "May elevator kasi siyempre yung nanay ko kapag pupunta rito, sumasakit yung tuhod.
"Hindi niya na kakayanin umakyat kaya nagpagawa ako ng elevator for her."
Read: Vice Ganda moves into new hotel-like house
DEREK RAMSAY
Derek Ramsay also had loved ones in mind when building his three-story 2000-sqm house located in a subdivision in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
In an exclusive feature for PEP.ph, the 47-year-old actor said that the elevator in his house was built for his parents, who are over 70 years old.
Read: Southern living in Derek Ramsay's dreamy home
TEAM KRAMER
Situated in Antipolo City, Team Kramer's residence spans 550 square meters and features a black-gray-and-brown motif.
Read: Team Kramer new house: Check out the rooms, master floor, and amenities!
In a YouTube vlog back in July 2019, Doug Kramer said they opted to incorporate a white-and-gold-colored elevator, as it happens to be his mother Nellie Kramer's favorite color.
Doug also said that having an elevator is a good investment at home, explaining, "Later on, if I do decide to sell the house... the new owners wouldn't have to climb the stairs all the way to the top."
CAMILLE PRATS
Bernadette Sembrano dubbed Camille Prats' residence as "Castle ni Princess Sarah" during her vlog tour uploaded on YouTube in January 2024.
Camille and her husband VJ Yambao decided to include an elevator in their home since the master bedroom is on the third floor.
This elevator is also designed to be spacious enough to accommodate a wheelchair.
Camille said in the vlog, “We really planned it because our room is on the third floor. Ang goal lang talaga is magkasya ang wheelchair and one person.”
Read:
- Derek Ramsay, Vice Ganda, and other celebrity homes with elevators
- Angelica Panganiban, Regine Velasquez, and other stars whose homes have elevators
XIAN LIM
Xian Lim installed an elevator in his home for the ease and comfort of his grandmother, Lola Leonie.
This was mainly because Xian and his family couldn't dissuade his Lola from constantly navigating the stairs, as the actor revealed in an Instagram post back in December 2020.
His caption read: "My grandma chose the room downstairs because she literaly has hundreds of cross-stitch collection and she wants it all by her side [emoji]. She goes up and down the stairs and ayaw magpapigil [emoji]...even if I had set up her own room upstairs. A few months have passed and I finally decided to aquire this lift and I'm just so amazed with the final product[emoji]."
LEGASPI FAMILY
The Legaspi family also has an elevator in their home.
In a video shared on Carmina Villarroel-Legaspi’s Instagram account back in 2019, Carmina and son Mavy held cakes as they took the elevator to surprise Zoren, her husband, on his birthday.
JOEL CRUZ
The "Lord of Scents" Joel Cruz has an elevator in his three-story mansion in Manila, which he calls Chateau de Milagros.
Similar to the other celebrities featured on this list, Joel shared with PEP.ph in an exclusive interview that he installed an elevator in his home for his mother Milagros.
Sadly, she passed away at the age of 92 in May 2021.
Read: Joel Cruz: In his mansion of plenty
REGINE VELASQUEZ AND OGIE ALCASID
Regine Velasquez and Ogie Alcasid's residence in Quezon City boasts a three-story layout, complete with an elevator.
In a house tour vlog shared on YouTube in December 2019, Regine mentioned that they initially installed the elevator in their 600-square-meter property back in 2013 for the convenience of her late father, Gerry Velasquez, and Ogie's late father, Herminio Alcasid Sr., along with his mother, Minnie Alcasid, who is currently 91 years old.
Regine also noted that the elevator would prove beneficial for both herself and Ogie as they age.
She said, “Para na rin sa aming mag-asawa, para kapag tumanda na kami, hindi kami mahirapan kasi three floors siya [the house]”
ZSA ZSA PADILLA AND CONRAD ONGLAO
Zsa Zsa Padilla and her partner, architect Conrad Onglao, have a functioning elevator in their first home, which has three stories.
Read: Zsa Zsa Padilla and Conrad Onglao's Modern Asian house
The 1,386-square-meter modern Asian glass house is located in San Lorenzo Village, Makati City.
SHARON CUNETA
Sharon Cuneta once possessed a two-story residence in Mandaluyong, featuring not just one, but two elevators.
One was a standard-sized elevator, while the other served as a mini-elevator specifically designed to transport food and small items between floors.
However, they eventually sold the Mandaluyong property and have since relocated to a condominium in Makati City.
Read: Sharon Cuneta's "forever home" is like a "mega mall"
ANGELICA PANGANIBAN
Angelica Panganiban once possessed a three-story house equipped with an elevator. She purchased the residence in Quezon City in 2012, following her breakup with former boyfriend Derek Ramsay.
It was Angel Locsin who first disclosed, through an Instagram post on July 8, 2016, that Angelica's home had an elevator,
During a bonding session with her One More Try co-star, Angel noticed the elevator in Angelica's home, prompting her to share the discovery on Instagram with the caption: "may elevator sa bahay?! #abamayaman #picturanyan"
In 2020, Angelica confirmed in a reply to a netizen on X, that she had downsized, getting an apartment that she can manage by herself.
Published as is, she wrote, “Yes. Nag down size ako. Hindi naman praktikal ang malaking bahay. Lalo na mag isa lang ako. So kumuha ako ng apartment na mas kaya ko ma manage :)”
Now, Angelica has a “halfway house” condo in Manila whenever she needs to be in the capital city, but is now settled in Subic, Zambales with husband Gregg Homan and daughter Amila Sabine.
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