When Frances Cabatuando founded Home Buddies in 2020, she envisioned a community where Filipinos could freely exchange ideas about making their homes better. What began as a small Facebook group has since grown into a community of more than 3.2 million members, but behind its warm and welcoming atmosphere is a level of discipline and consistency that most members never see.

For Frances, Home Buddies has become part of her everyday routine.

“Home Buddies is my good morning and my good night,” she said.

From the moment she wakes up until before she goes to bed, she checks what members have posted, reviews discussions, and approves as many submissions as she can. Timeliness is one consideration, but so is keeping the community useful and engaging.

“We prioritize posts that are timely, and we try to reduce redundant content. Our guideline for what we approve is to make the feed as varied, enjoyable, and relevant to home improvement as much as we can,” she explained.

Managing the community also means constantly learning. Whenever unfamiliar topics come up, Frances takes time to research them herself. If she cannot confidently answer a question, she reaches out to friends or industry experts who can.

That commitment extends beyond moderating conversations. Alongside the Facebook group, Home Buddies organizes on-ground activities and digital initiatives, while Frances also spends much of her time creating content and reviewing home products and appliances for the community.

As Home Buddies expanded, preserving its culture became just as important as growing its membership.

The group has earned a reputation as a welcoming space where first-time renters, homeowners, LGBTQIA+ members, and people with different budgets can comfortably share their homes and ask for advice. Frances admits that creating that environment was far from easy.

“Oh that was hard,” she said, recalling the group’s early years.

She became known by some as being too strict, with critics accusing her of being arrogant or overly selective because of the community rules. Some even went on to create their own home improvement groups.

Still, Frances believed consistency mattered more than popularity.

“I had to be firm on what can or cannot be posted in the group. And I didn’t hold back on banning people,” she said with a laugh, adding, “#sorrynotsorry.”

Over time, she accepted that not everyone would agree with her decisions.

“I learned very early on that we can’t please everybody,” she said.

One piece of advice has stayed with her throughout the journey.

“You have a few haters, but you have more people who like what you do. So don’t focus on those who don’t, continue on for those who trust you.”

Beyond shaping conversations, Home Buddies has also influenced the way Filipinos talk about their homes.

Expressions such as #TeamPuti, #TeamKahoy, and even the now widely used term “budol” became closely associated with the community and eventually entered everyday online conversations.

For Frances, seeing those expressions become part of popular culture has been especially meaningful because of her background in advertising.

“I am very honored kasi as an advertising creative, dream natin ‘yon,” she said. “To create a tagline or a punch line that everyone will keep repeating.”

She never imagined that she would help popularize phrases outside the advertising industry.

“Parang nakakakilig hearing random strangers use #TeamPuti, #TeamKahoy and budol as how Home Buddies used the word. Sobrang nakakataba ng puso. (its heart flattering)”

That influence, however, comes with responsibility.

Products featured inside Home Buddies have, on several occasions, experienced a surge in demand after members shared positive experiences. Frances acknowledges that such influence also attracts people hoping to manipulate discussions by creating artificial demand for certain products.

“It’s definitely a huge responsibility,” she said.

According to Frances, moderators have become familiar with spotting posts that appear designed to manufacture hype rather than provide genuine recommendations.

“They would create ‘fake demand’ for certain products. Pero as moderators, we smell that. So we try to prevent that from posting level pa lang.”

The same standard applies to her own brand collaborations.

“When I accept product endorsements or collaborations, I really use them first before I promote. I only promote what I can vouch for,” she said.

Then she added a line that reflects the standard she has set for herself since Home Buddies began.

“Mayora’s integrity cannot be bought.”

While Home Buddies is often associated with practical home improvement, Frances believes the community has room for every kind of homeowner.

Members looking for affordable finds can discover budget-friendly recommendations, while others interested in premium brands and designer furniture also find discussions that match their interests.

“It’s all in Home Buddies… and it’s all algorithm-based. What you’ll see is what you search for or engage with,” she explained.

Even so, she makes a conscious effort to shine a light on Filipino craftsmanship and local businesses.

Every Monday, Home Buddies opens Monday Market, where small businesses and sellers of pre-loved items can promote their products free of charge. Every August, the community also celebrates Buwan ng Bayan, an initiative that highlights Filipino-made products and local craftsmanship.

For Frances, those programs reflect what Home Buddies has always tried to be. It is a place where members can discover ideas that fit different lifestyles and budgets, while also supporting the people and businesses behind them.

Behind every approved post, every community rule, and every familiar phrase is a philosophy that Frances has carefully protected from the beginning. Home Buddies may look effortless from the outside, but its culture is built every day through deliberate choices, consistent moderation, and a belief that a community becomes valuable only when people know they can trust it.