Mӧvenpick Tops 2013 Hot New Destinations List

Movenpick was ranked along the likes of the Tubbataha
Reef and the Sky Ranch as a top Philippine place on Google.

Filipino-owned Mӧvenpick Resort Cebu is the second most Googled destination in the Philippines and first among places newly built, according to Google’s 2013 year-in-review search list. As first reported on CNN, the Zeitgeist is Google’s year-ender report and lists the hottest travel destinations by country.

The annual Google report captures the trends and interests of people all over the world, including new favorites among Filipinos.

Sky Ranch in Tagaytay and Tubbataha Reef in Puerto Princesa were ranked the first and the third respectively. Pico de Loro, Tugawe Cove Resort, Potipot Island, Amana Waterpark, Misibis Bay, Nuvali, and Laiya resorts rounded up the ten spots that Filipinos were most interested in learning more about.

Manny H. Osmeña, owner of the two-year old Mӧvenpick was thrilled to hear about the results. “When my general manager told me about the great news, I was so happy. It is a gift from God to be recognized for the complete transformation of the property, as well as the transformation of the food and beverage service. We welcome visitors who are curious about the resort and aim to give them a great experience with the unique ambiance of Mӧvenpick Hotel, Mactan Island, Cebu.”

Interesting amenities and offers at the resort include the Ibiza Beach Club reminiscence of the club atmosphere in the Spanish island. Guests could watch gorgeous views of the sunset as they enjoy the Balearic-stye churrasco capped by the world-famous Mӧvenpick Swiss Ice Cream. Guests could also order the same premium coffee served in Mӧvenpick Hotels in Paris, Zurich, and Berlin. The outdoor performance venue shoes exciting Latin dance numbers, fire exhibition dancers and Las Vegas style performances four to five nights a week produced by our in-house artists under the direction of the entertainment director hailing from Majorca, Spain Paco Beltran. Meanwhile special occasions culminate in a special fireworks display over the beach from the rooms, views of the aqua colored waters and the seamlessly constructed boardwalk made from ironwood look pristine and serene. Guests pamper themselves with the finest bath sets imported from the luxury brand Chopard. To begin and end the journey is a luxury hotel car service: a Porsche Cayenne, which provides visitors a full-circle experience of excellence and elegance they won’t forget.

The above qualities of Mӧvenpick Resort Cebu make it a place for a great and luxurious stay. The traits of this place have fueled the Filipino traveler’s interest in making Mӧvenpick Resort Cebu his destination of choice in 2013 and beyond.

Vizio Bar Opens on Thursday

As we welcome 2014, join us on Thursday, January 9 as Vizio Bar opens its doors to the public!

Vizio Bar is located at Tomas Morato Ave. corner Scout Castor St., Quezon City (on top of 7-Eleven).

The food at Vizio Bar aims to equally delight and surprise the senses of taste and smell and is an integral pillar of the overall Vizio Bar experience.

The bartenders have one, and only one, mission: to surprise their guests with unexpected combinations and refresh their spirits.

Dance to the latest and greatest hits in House music, Electro, Top 40, Latin Pop, Hip Hop, and much more!

Vizio. Dance club, entertainment venue, social club, and a bar.

Experience QC's most visually and musically stunning megaclub and dance the night away!

Vizio Bar is the first 3D bar in Quezon City.

SEAIR I To Fly Special Holiday Flights for the Christmas Season

SEAIR International (SEAIR I) will fly special Holiday flights for the Christmas Season.

On December 26–30 and January 2–5, SEAIR I will be flying from Manila Domestic Terminal 4 to Caticlan Airport, the main airport for the paradise island of Boracay. As a special treat, these special premium leisure flights are being offered to cater to the increasing volume of tourists and vacationers heading to Boracay for Christmas and New Year, especially since there is a last minute shortage of flights to Caticlan.

The special holiday flights cost PHP9,927.20, round trip, inclusive of all taxes, fuel surcharge, domestic passenger service charge and free 20 kilos baggage allowance.

Flight inquiries, booking and reservations may be directed to the SEAIR I call center at (02) 849-0101. For more information on the special holiday flights, visit www.flyseair.com.

American Eye Center Gifts OFW's with Yuletide Privilege

The ophthalmologists of the American Eye Center will honor the OFW's this
Christmas season with a special card for them and their families. AEC

The Christmas season is all about the spirit of giving. And giving is what the American Eye Center, the country’s leading eye care center, will do this Yuletide season.

In line with its support of Filipinos working abroad, the American Eye Center is giving eligible OFWs the ultimate gift with its Pamaskong Handog OFW Privilege Card through its Shangri-La and Greenbelt branches. With the OFW Privilege Card, kababayans can now secure eye health for themselves and for their dependents from anywhere in the world through discounts on diagnostics and treatments.

The Greenbelt branch of the American Eye Center is one of the two AEC clin-
ics which offer OFW Privilege Card services this Christmas. AEC

“The essence of the holidays is giving back to the community and American Eye Center does so by honoring our beloved OFWs. These modern day Filipino heroes deserve much recognition and we do that by offering quality eye care for them and the rest of their families through our exclusive OFW Privilege Card,” says American Eye Center’s COO Dr. Benjamin Cabrera.

American Eye Center offers the OFW Privilege Card to all overseas Filipino workers and their qualified dependents. The card is absolutely free and entitles the bearer to a 50 percent discount on comprehensive eye examinations and 15 percent discount for their dependents. The card also allows special 20 percent discount on cataract surgery, 15 percent discount on All Laser or Bladeless LASIK, and 10 percent off on diagnostic procedures. 

The card also offers exclusive discounts at American Eye Center partner SPEX Optical. All OFW’s need to do is set an appointment and present valid overseas employment documents to avail of these unlimited discounts starting December 2013 to March 2014. 

“American Eye Center honors OFWs with this privilege because we believe and respect the sacrifices they make to provide a better life for their families. In order to do so, these modern day heroes need to be physically up to take on this challenge which is where eye health comes in. They deserve nothing short of optimum eye health to achieve overall well-being,” Dr. Cabrera said. 

American Eye Center has been breaking new ground in ophthalmic care since its establishment in 1995. American Eye Center’s level of excellence is backed by the Associated Eye Specialists, the most experienced and longest-running EyeMD group practice in the country, composed of 17 doctors extensively trained in various ophthalmic subspecialties. The Center is also staffed with highly qualified optometrists, nurses and counselors to provide patients with personalized quality eye care.  

 

American Eye Center is a full-service diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical eye facility fully accredited with the Department of Health and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. It houses the latest diagnostic equipment for the early detection and monitoring of all eye diseases such as Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy and Cataract.  

Its location in Greenbelt 5 in Makati City has a laser suite, an operating room, a recovery room, examining rooms, and a spacious reception area.  Clients can also choose from a wide array of elegant eyewear from SPEX, a world-class eyewear center adjacent to the American Eye Center and managed by The Optical Shop. 

The company’s main office is located at the level 5, Shangri-La Plaza, EDSA cor. Shaw Blvd., Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City. For inquiries and details, call tel. nos. 636-0762 or 729-EYES (3937) or email us at info@americaneye.com.ph. You may also visit www.americaneye.com.ph for more information about the OFW Privilege Card.

Avail of American Eye Center’s OFW Privilege Card and ensure a clear future for the entire family. Set an appointment today via phone or e-mail or through American Eye Center’s appointment planner available at their website. Always stay in the know by downloading the American Eye Center App available on iPhone, iPad, and on Android.

Here are some frequently asked questions about the OFW Card:

If you want to register for an AEC OFW Card, you can download this registration form:

Eat Your Heart Out Launched

Chef Michelle Adrillana was joined by TV host Philip Abadicio
in preparing a recipe.

Chef Michelle Adrillana is set to have a post-Valentine's Day cooking event at the Rockwell Tent in Makati City. Entitled "Eat Your Heart Out", Adrillana will be joined by new generation chefs as well as seasoned ones.

Bloggers got a taste of what is to come in the event through a cooking demo at the Berghoff Center at the heart of the said city.

Accompanied by lifestyle show host Philip Abadicio, Chef Michelle cooked Capellini in Prawns and Brandy during the bloggers' launch at the said venue.

Aside from the pasta, expect more Valentine-themed recipes at the said event, which will happen on February 16.

Why I Want a Cyberya Minigosyo

In this time where everyone's on social media, everyone can have his/her own website, the younger people get hooked on online games like Warcraft 3 and Cabal, or simply, everyone is mainly reliant on computers, the demand of going into computer stores to buy a unit or into internet shops just to satisfy the computer needs is increasing. However, most of us, because of lack of finances, prefer the latter. A problem with going to internet shops is that some shops may be far from your home. That's the case in the neighborhood within my boarding house in Los Baños.

It would take a five-minute walk from my dorm to go into the nearest net cafe. However, the ambiance may not be lovely to you. Usually, the shop is noisy because of Warcraft players. Also, even if the shop offers a low per hour rate (and even a discounted rate if you opt for a longer rental time), the proximity is a non-factor. Not to mention that our road is neither concrete nor asphalt, so the potholes are rampant. Lastly, what if I and my neighbors don't have enough money for an hour of rental? So if I were to have an internet cafe business, I would have it at my dorm, and I would make sure it will be a "PisoNet" one. Good thing, there's PLDT Cyberya.

Cyberya is the latest offering from PLDT KaAsenso. Here, you can log on to the internet for as low as a buck. I want to have a Cyberya Minigosyo because I want to help my community so they won't have a hassle of going far just to go online. This is a simple way of giving back to the ones who are paying my tuition since I'm from UP.

Rockeoke Christmas Party for Bloggers Set

When in Manila presents Rockeoke Bloggers' Christmas Party on December 17 at the Aracama Restaurant in Taguig City.

Janjay Coquilla, Guji Lorenzana, and the Tuesday Band will be coming over to party with the bloggers and other social media personalities.

Also, come in your best rockstar or pop icon get-up, and you might win cool prizes. What are you waiting for? Come and party with us.

Circus Vargas Brings “MagiKaria!” to Pasay

The magic of Christmas will be even more captivating–and jaw-dropping–with the arrival in Pasay of the internationally acclaimed Circus Vargas troupe, one of the world’s biggest traveling circuses.

Showcasing gravity-defying flights, flashy costumes, fun dance routines, and other deliriously delightful antics, Circus Vargas will be bringing to the country its most exciting production dubbed as “MagiKaria, A Fantastical Magical Experience.”  

This amazing production will feature the astonishing athleticism, physical beauty and acrobatic prowess of the men, women and children of the circus, promising to deliver the same immense joy and excitement already experienced by millions of people worldwide.

Circus Vargas promises to bring back the old school circus entertainment mixed with modern twists. There’s the fabulous fluidity of the aerial ballet that uses streams of chiffon material hanging from the ceiling. There’s also Zorro Low Wire who leaps and flips over various obstacles in his way, and other acrobats doing some fun trampoline style tricks. 

Equally mesmerizing is the upbeat juggling styles of Michael Ferreri, a 4th generation performer who started at 13 years old, together with the death-defying cannon jumper Leo Garcia.  Then there’s the thrilling trio of motorcycle riders doing their dangerous stunts inside the round metal cage called the Thunder Globe. 

Charismatic illusionist Patrick Gable will also perform his mystifying illusions that are guaranteed to impress, astound, and make everyone in the whole family a believer of MagiKaria. 

This extravaganza of magical proportions will be held at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City from December 25 to January 1, 2014. 

Tickets are now available at SM Tickets, SM Cinema, and Snack Time outlets. For inquiries, call Tropical Productions, Inc. at 519-8984, email info@tpiguam.com, or visit www.circusvargas.com. -PRC Inc.

Stanley Chi's New Book Launched at EDSA Shang

Stanley gamely signed copies of his new book "Men are from QC; Women
are from Alabang."

Comedian, blogger, and host Stanley Chi is back with a new book, and he launched it at his "second home", the National Bookstore EDSA Shangri-La Branch.

Chi formally debuted his "Men are from QC; Women are from Alabang" paperback at the said bookstore at a book launch and signing event, which was well-attended by his friends and avid readers.

"Men are from QC..." is Stanley's hilarious way of differentiating the Filipino males and the Filipino females in this modern times.

Mentalist Justin Piñon started the program with his showcase of reading people's minds and correctly guessing what is in it.

Piñon also announced that he will have a book entitled "Three-Hit Combo", which is due for a January release.

Also joining Chi in the hosting of the book signing was popular radio DJ Dan Villanueva aka Papa Dan of Barangay LS 97.1.

Also in the said event were actresses Joyce Ching, Julia Varga, China Roces, and Ava Ayala. The latter three are more popularly known as the "Street Beauties".

Also in the event, Chi launched the new model of the Suplado Watch from Unisilver Time and the new Suplado Tablet from Royqueen.

Also, in the spirit of Christmas, an exchange gift part took place with Chi, his friends, and bloggers participating.

"Men are from QC; Women are from Alabang" is now available at leading bookstores nationwide. Still on sale are his other books like the "Suplado Tips" series and "Pogi Points".

Top Financial Experts Offer Free Stock Market Seminar

Real estate investment guru Shyan Lim (in photo) and stock market expert Am-
ar Chandnani offered a free talk about how we can earn in the financial market.

A free financial market seminar for students and bloggers took place at the Ortigas Foundation Building in Pasig City.

The "Get Rich from the Financial Market" symposium served as the launching activity of the upcoming Money Expo set on February next year.

Shyan Lim, a Singaporean-based real estate expert, started by introducing real estate investment and stating why we should invest in real estate.

Amar Chandnani came next and introduced the audience to the stock and the foreign exchange markets. He also cited the advantages in buying a share in the stocks.

Business entities also put up booths so everyone can have a glimpse of their products and services.

The Get Rich seminar was just a taste of what to expect in Money Expo, a bigger business seminar where more economic experts will give insights about investment.

Palet Express Opens in Makati

Palet Express is now open in the Philippines! Makati City, the financial center of the Philippines filled with its multinational and local corporations, is now the newest home of the said international digital project hub.

Palet Express Makati formally opened with an open house at its location along Chino Roces Avenue in the said city.

Palet Express is one of the many companies under Inception Capital, a company acting as an investment vehicle in internet, mobile platforms, digital contents and state-of-the-art technology projects.

David Collado, the president of Palet Express Asia, graced the event together with business partners Gonzalo Del Pozo, Gustavo Medina, Ann Jacobe, and George Royeca. The friends of the four Spaniards who helped found the said tech office also came.

“We envision this as a place where different professionals share space, complementing each others skills and knowledge. We want to provide space that encourages collaboration between companies,” said Collado.

Also, Nokia Imaging Hack, a 24-hour hackathon, took place at the said venue as the very first event held there.

CabSafe, a Windows phone app that offers taxi passengers a feedback about their rides, won the grand prize in the event also sponsored by Smart DevNet, Microsoft Philippines, and HERE.

The troika of Michael Concepcion, Dominic Tuazon, and Gabriel Avila won Nokia smartphones and a one-month co-working space at Palet Express, which they can use to further develop CabSafe.

Apart from launching Palet Express, the Spanish partners visited the Philippines to launch three gaming apps and the first dedicated Philippine real estate portal, Persquare Property.

With Persquare Property, you can choose from close to 60,000 real estate properties which are for sale, and you can also sell your own there.

Right now, you can avail of Palet Express's introductory promo where you and your group can get a digital co-working space for as low as PHP9,000 per seat per month.

For more details, you can come to Palet Express at the fourth floor of the Molave Building at Chino Roces Ave. in Makati City.

You can also call its office at (02)5071164 or 09176303454. You can also email Palet Express at miguelballesteros18@hotmail.com. You can also go to its Facebook page at facebook.com/paletexpress.

Christmas Magic Bullet Blender Giveaway

Welcome to Magic Bullet Blender and T-Shirts Christmas Giveaway

Hosted by

Filipino Recipes Online and Pinoy Desserts by Ping

4 Lucky Winners. This Christmas Giveaway event is OPEN WORLDWIDE.

 

First Prize: Magic Bullet 21-piece Blender Set or Paypal Cash $60 (outside Philippines) plus 1 pc. PinoyRecipe.net T-Shirt

Consolation Prize: 3 Winners PinoyRecipe.net T-Shirts

 

Event Dates: December 1 - December 26

PLDT Fibr Presents Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys will serenade the Filipinos anew at the Mall of Asia Arena this
Monday. This is brought to you by PLDT Fibr,

As I prepare everything for my thesis, I am also putting a new laptop and a fast internet connection to my checklist.

And then I learned about PLDT Home's Fibr. Fibr goes beyond what your regular internet connection can do.

With Fibr, you can browse through multiple websites and still have a smooth surfing as if you only opened one site. The fiber-optic connection of Fibr, which is proven the fastest, makes it possible. Also, you can watch hundreds of movies online through Clickplay and Cignal TV channels too. This video could help you be convinced more.

But of course, graduation comes first, that's why if I get a Fibr connection at my dorm, I will use it mainly for my thesis research. Mathematics is a tough course, so looking for the latest mathematical breakthroughs online will be of great help for me.

But I also found out that Fibr is one of the sponsors for Alicia Key's upcoming "Set the World on Fire" concert on Monday in Pasay. I want to see her live and hear her sing "If I Ain't Got You", my favorite song of hers.

I like "If I Ain't Got You" because it is a smooth song. It has the right RnB blend that's suitable for everyone's ear. That's why I got easily hooked to her hit back when I was in high school.

Alicia Keys will perform this Monday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. For tickets, call SM Tickets at 470-2222.

This concert is brought to you by Fibr by PLDT Home. For more information, visit its website: http://pldthome.com/fibr.

Pasyal Sunday Returns This Sunday

For the third straight month, the Intramuros Pasyal Sunday will take place this
Sunday. Carlos Celdran

The Intramuros Pasyal Sunday returns for a third outing this Sunday from 1:00-9:00 PM at the said Manila City district.

General Luna Street, from Beaterio to Santa Potenciana Streets, will be designated a car-free zone by the Intramuros Adminstration as this will be the site where the pasyal will take place.

The upcoming pasyal will feature charities and non-profit groups at its street bazaar, and they will be donating a hundred percent of their earnings to the relief efforts.

You will also get a chance to catch the famed Sipat Lawin Ensemble, who will finish off its five-day concert series at The Manila Collectible, the NCCA Lobby, and the Heroes Square Building by that day.

Donations for the victims of the super typhoon Yolanda will also be accepted there. The 3rd Intramuros Pasyal Sunday is brought to you by Viva Manila, led by Carlos Celdran.

Mercato Centrale Goes to Alabang!

Great news to all the foodies from the South! The Mercato Centrale group, organizer of Metro Manila’s most popular night food markets, is bringing back the Mercato Centrale experience to the South! Join us at EL SUR – the NEWEST Mercato Centrale market that will be open in Alabang Town Center (beside Fully Booked) every Friday & Saturday from 12nn to 12mn starting November 23 (Saturday)!

“After a short break from the South, we are excited to be back in the area!“ enthused Anton Diaz, co-founder of the Mercato Centrale group and the blogger behind the popular food and travel blog in the Philippines www.OurAwesomePlanet.com. “Thanks to all the support from our Southern-based foodie fans who have been clamoring for our return.”

“We look forward to bringing the Mercato Centrale foodie experience to Alabang Town Center, which includes a variety of great-tasting and innovative food choices straight from the homes of the South-based chefs and homemakers, acoustic entertainment and a lively atmosphere,“ said RJ Ledesma, co-founder of the Mercato Centrale group. “We will also have the best-selling vendors from our various Mercato markets sharing their famous dishes in EL SUR!”

“We also want to find the next big food entrepreneur from the South!” added Anton. “The Mercato markets have been the birthplace of many expanding Manila food businesses like Manang’s Chicken, Merry Moo Premium Ice Cream, Spring by Ha-Yuan, Kristina’s Inutak, Chuck’s Grubberie Fish and Chips, and many more. We are happy to note that one of our pioneer Mercato vendors, Mochiko Ice Cream, already has a branch here in Alabang Town Center!”

For interested food vendors who want to join EL SUR, please contact (+63 917) 840-1152 or (+632) 812-0102, email admin@mercatocentrale.ph or visit www.facebook.com/elsur. Limited slots available.

Mercato Centrale group is the organizer of Midnight Mercato in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Cucina Andare (the first food truck market in the country) in Glorietta Park, Makati, Mezza Norte in Ayala’s Trinoma Mall, Quezon City, Cocina Centrale in Ayala’s MarQuee Mall, Pampanga, and Porto Cena in Ayala’s Harbor Point Mall, Subic.

Team Car Porn Dominates MAS 2013

Joey Mead-King came for her husband to lead Team Car Porn in MAS 2013.

Team Car Porn Racing was the big winner of Manila Auto Salon 2013 at the SMX Convention Center at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

The preparation of the Car Porn Racing team was long and hard but everyone was excited as this was the first time all four RWB-Porsches from the Philippines will be showcased for the country to see. All efforts paid off as RWB Victoria, General, Akira, and Ellise made heads turn and left people in awe. We did not need hot models to draw a crowd. The RWB's gathered their own crowd.

The booth was jampacked on the first day as fans lined up to the meet and greet the RWB legend, Akira Nakai. 100 lucky fans were given a chance to meet him and take home a Nakai signed poster.

Celebrities which included Sam YG, Dianne Medina, and Ramon Bautista were sighted taking pictures and hanging around the RWBs. In absence of sorely missed Car Porn director Ian King, Joey Mead-King showed full support by visiting Victoria and happily posed for everyone. She showed the crowd how to definitely model like you mean it. Our booth has been one of the busiest as limited edition items from Hoonigan and Victoria Court were sold and the last batch of Victoria Court Elite black and Pink cards and merchandise were given to participants who like our Facebook fan page.

The RWBs sure made history as the organizers had to create separate awards to acknowledge them. Victoria, the first RWB made in the Philippines, won Best Body Kit Import and General bagged two major awards, Best Tuner and Best in the Show. This is the first time in history for one car to get both awards. Amazing win for Team Car Porn Racing indeed!

Youtube Sensations Ho, Bustos Spark Blogapalooza Event

Marco "Bogart the Explorer" Ho (R) and Jako De Leon discussed their videos
and how they became viral on Youtube.

Mikey Bustos and Marco Ho, whose viral Youtube videos made them stars, were keynote guests during the 2013 When In Manila Blogapalooza at the new SMX Convention Center inside SM Aura in Taguig City.

Bustos, who became known for teaching the Filipino culture in a funny way, and Ho, more popularly known as Bogart the Explorer, who exposes the kinds of people living in the Philippines, graced the whole-day event that connected online media personalities and business entities.

The two Youtube sensations, together with Bogart the Explorer video producer Jako De Leon, shared how their videos became a hit and empowered the online writers to continue with their work.

Stand-up comedians Tim Tayag, Derf Hebrado, James Caraan, and Marlon Olivan also joined the fun and entertained the bloggers and business owners with their comedic pieces.

Philip Abadicio of Aksyon TV's "It's More Fun with Philip" and the new TV5 show "Philip the Lifestyle Guy" also made a talk how online media and TV can co-exist.

Also sharing their insights were social media expert Jason Cruz and radio DJ's Karen Bordador, Sam Gogna aka Sam YG, Tony Bueno aka Tony Toni, and Eric Virata aka Slick Rick.

Also, bloggers got a chance to meet with business entities through booths where they can interact about the latter's products.

Bigger 2LaBS Attended

The Laguna Cultural Center was once again packed for the 2nd Laguna Blog-
ging Summit.

About a thousand people were in attendance as the Laguna Blogging Summit had a second staging at the Laguna Cultural Center in the province's capital town of Sta. Cruz.

The two-day blogging summit proved to be even bigger than the first as no less than motivational speaker Chinkee Tan and SEO expert Ben Francia were among the key speakers.

Also doing a talk again were last year's speakers Pocholo Gonzales and COMELEC Spokesman James Jimenez.

Chris Lao, whose ridicule received from getting stuck at the height of heavy rain inspired him to stand up against cyberbullying, shared his current fight against it during the event.

Anakbayan chair Venzie Crisostomo and Wazzup Pilipinas head Ross Del Rosario also shared their tidbits on how social media helped them win the audience in their respective fields.

Gardenia once again gave free snacks to the attendance, while Greenwich took care of the lunch. Gift cheques from Zoomanity, AirAsia, and 2Go were also given away.

Gardenia’s Legacy in the Baking Industry

The Gardenia plant in Biñan City

Gardenia s roots go back to Singapore where, in 1978, it began as a humble in-store bakery. Increasing demand led to the opening of Gardenia s first-commercial bakery at Pandan Loop in March 1983. Gardenia has since been the market leader in Singapore and has expanded its operations in Asia to countries such as Malaysia and Thailand with the latest in the Gardenia chain of bakeries here in the Philippines.

It all began in 1997, QAF Limited through Gardenia International Pte. Ltd. established Gardenia Bakeries Philippines Inc. and started construction of its bakery plant in Laguna International Industrial Park (LIIP), Biñan City, Laguna.

Gardenia Philippines started its operations in 1998 with the state-of-the-art bread factory rated as one of the most modern large scale bread manufacturing facility in the country. Its major, highly-automated equipment come from the best bakery equipment suppliers from Germany, Holland, UK, and USA making it the leading manufacturing company in the Philippines.

Over the years, Gardenia has gained wide acceptance and is now considered as the most widely distributed loaf brand, reaching many parts of the country. 

Gardenia Philippines offers a wide array of superior bakery products including white, wheat and health breads, flavored loaves, pandesal and snack items like snack cakes, muffins and toasts. Gardenia breads are known for their good taste, freshness, softness, oven-baked aroma and nutritive value. The popular Classic White Bread is cholesterol free and bromate free, has zero transfat, and is vitamin and mineral fortified, exceeding DOH recommendations. Its product slogan "So good...you can even eat it on its own" best describes the product benefits.

Gardenia, being a consumer-focused and branded food company, is singularly driven in delivering superior consumer value through providing consumers with superior products. The Gardenia trademark means value and is respected all over Asia.

Gardenia has been awarded with International Organization for Standardization ISO 9001: 2000 certifications from 2003 to 2009 and has now upgraded to ISO 9001:2008 in compliance with Quality Management System and certification for product quality excellence. This assures that consumers only get the highest quality products in the market. Moreover, Gardenia is HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) certified since 2003 to present—proof of the company’s adherence to the systematic approach in the identification, evaluation, and control of food safety standards. From 2004-2010, Gardenia was accorded Superbrands status by Superbrands Ltd., an independent authority and arbiter on branding. This, on the other hand, re-affirms that Gardenia has met the stringent criteria of market dominance, longevity, goodwill, customer loyalty and overall market acceptance. Another notable award is the Annual National Consumers’ Award (ANCA) as the “Outstanding Bread Manufacturer” for five straight years.

These are some testaments which prove that Gardenia provides only the best products for Filipino consumers.

Gardenia Philippines pioneered a unique distribution system, ensuring that only fresh breads reach consumers every day. Gardenia strictly follows its international policy of keeping only fresh stocks on the store shelves. As soon as products come out of the factory, delivery vans leave the production plant as early as 4 o’clock in the morning to bring the products to specific locations in the country. Replacing unsold breads in store shelves with only freshly baked top-quality products during each day of delivery is a Gardenia practice unmatched in the industry.

Since the start of its operations, Gardenia s distribution had grown rapidly. Gardenia is now considered as the most widely distributed loaf brand in Metro Manila to as far as Isabela, Abra, Cagayan and Ilocos provinces in the North, the Bicol region in the South, and Negros, Samar, Antique, Aklan, Iloilo, and Leyte in the Visayas region. Increasing demand led Gardenia to reach Cebu, Bohol, Butuan City, Iligan City, Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, and Davao City in Mindanao. From Gardenia s establishment in 1998, the brand’s success has been starkly evident with its continuous and rapid sales growth.

This combination of superior product quality, advanced bread-making technology and extensive system of distribution reflects the consumer-oriented vision of Gardenia Philippines that brings consumers the highest level of product satisfaction.

The reason behind Gardenia’s success is no secret; it is the people who made Gardenia what it is today and the goal of sustaining Gardenia’s leadership and excellence. Our enthusiasm to serve constitutes the “yeast that raises the dough” and with this, Gardenia will continue to take the lead.

Fibr: Home’s Most Powerful Broadband

If I were to create a character in the Hunger Games saga, I will name him "Speedy". Speedy will be too fast and quick to evade the opponent's weapons and will be that agile too to attack them to win the Hunger Games. Also, I can handle a lot of weapons at a time and use them almost simultaneously.

Speedy will be just like Fibr, PLDT Home's most powerful broadband. It's faster than other broadband networks. Also, because of Fibr, you can seamlessly and simultaneously experience the following:

1. Browsing of multiple websites

2. Stream hundreds blockbuster movies on-demand from Clickplay

3. Watch Cignal Digital TV Channels

PLDT Fibr is now available now in over 800 fiber-powered villages nationwide. Visit www.pldthome.com or call 101-FIBR (3427) for more details. Here's a creative visualization of how Fibr looks like:

Tiago Restaurant: Bringing Progressive Filipino Foods

The South Triangle area is home to the more well-known hangouts in Quezon City. However, inside the place where you can find the likes of Zirkoh, Vizio, and Amici is a place called Tiago. The restaurant serves "progressive Filipino cuisine". You may ask, "What is progressive cuisine?" I and my crew went to check the place out.

As I mentioned above, Tiago brings you Filipino cuisine, but the resto brings it to the next level. According to owner Sigrid Buendia, they intend to deliver a different kind of Filipino dining experience by fusing our favorite dishes with other dishes. That's what she calls "progressive cuisine".

Tiago owner Sigrid Buendia (R) with homie Grace Nicolas

One example of this progressive Filipino cuisine is the chopsuey salad, in which the well-known veggie dish is turned to a dessert or even an appetizer.

Also available at Tiago is the appetizer tilapia rolls--slices of fried tilapia and some rice rolled into mustasa leaves.

If you want more "fishy" jawbreaking, check out Tiago's tinapa rice, where your favorite sinangag is added by tinapa flakes.

If this fried rice is not yet enough for you, you can check out its other rice dishes like the adobo rice.

Also available at Tiago is the ever well-known sisig. It's delicious even if it's not on a sizzling plate.

The last main dish we tried at our visit was the pork humba.

Of course, what's our dining experience without some dessert? Tiago offers leche flan and a different kind of suman--unwrapped!

Aside from the desserts above, Tiago also serves flavors of ice cream different from the commercial ones. Here's the restaurant's ice cream menu (Yes! You can only find these types of ice cream at Tiago.).

Tiago Progressive Filipino Restaurant is located at Scout Fuentebella St. cor. Tomas Morato Ave., Quezon City, infront of Bellagio Square. It's open daily from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM except on Mondays. For more inquiries, call (02)4130616.

2LaBS Pushes Through This November

The 2nd Laguna Blogging Summit (#2LaBS) will be on November 14 and 15, 2013 from 8am to 5pm with the registration that will start at 7am at the Cultural Center of Laguna inside the Provincial Capitol at the Municipality of Santa Cruz. For this year, the organizers invited different empowered and powerful influencers from the mainstream media and online who they tagged as Social Revolutionists for showing their advocacies without fear, conveying their voices effectively with action, influencing their communities and by being the representatives of social forces.

The organizers are very happy to announce that Governor ER Ejercito is in full support for this historical event. Last year, the event received more than 700 attendees from different schools such as Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU), AMA, STI, and UPLB. For this year, students of De La Salle Zobel are coming to #2LaBS to learn more about the importance of Online Marketing, effectiveness of Social Media in todays business, Cybercrime Law, Anti Cyber Bullying, Blogging 101, and why 33% Filipinos are online recently.The 2nd Laguna Blogging Summit (#2LaBS) will be on November 14 and 15, 2013 from 8am to 5pm with the registration that will start at 7am at the Cultural Center of Laguna inside the Provincial Capitol at the Municipality of Santa Cruz. For this year, the organizers invited different empowered and powerful influencers from the mainstream media and online who they tagged as Social Revolutionists for showing their advocacies without fear, conveying their voices effectively with action, influencing their communities and by being the representatives of social forces. 

The organizers are very happy to announce that Governor Jeorge "ER" Ejercito is always in full support for this historical event. Last year, the event received more than 700 attendees from different schools such as Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU), AMA, STI and UPLB. For this year, De La Salle Zobel from Alabang, Muntinlupa City are coming to #2LaBS to learn more about the importance of Online Marketing,  effectiveness of Social Media in today's business, Cybercrime Law, Anti-Cyberbullying, Blogging 101 and why 33% Filipinos are online recently.

According to former 2nd District of Laguna board member and current assistant secretary general of Philippine Red Cross Neil Andrew Nocon, "The 1st Laguna Blogging Summit last year contributed to the Laguna influx flow of tourist." This statement from the one in charge last time of the Laguna Tourism Office only proved how effective social media is in giving awareness and hitting the right target market.

For this year, different companies shows support to the 2nd Laguna Blogging Summit. Greenwich Pizza made possible for the organizers to meet at their different restaurants/outlets in Metro Manila most especially at Philfirst Building at Makati where Greenwich has a conference room. The event's first social media launch and website launch happened also at Greenwich Pizza Philfirst Building outlet and attended by Philippine Red Cross and Zoomanity Group.

The newly elected 3rd District of Laguna Representative Marisol Aragones shows also her full support to the event.

The 2nd Laguna Blogging Summit Final Program and Set of Speakers with their respective topics:

1st Day November 14, 2013 Thursday

8:00am-8:15am Philippine National Anthem

8:15am-8:20am Opening Remarks-Dr. Nestor De Vera (President- Laguna Science Polytechnic University) 

8:20am-8:25am Keynote Speaker-Gov. ER Ejercito (Province of Laguna)

8:25am-9:00am  Engr. Grace Bondad Nicolas (Social Media Ethics)

9:00am-10:00am Chinkee Tan (Finding your Passion)

10:00am-11:00am  Eyriche Cortez (Power Tips For Blogging)

11:00am-12:00pm Alvin Cloyd Dakis (Bashers in Your Blog: A Survival Guide)

12:00pm-1:00pm Lunch/Raffle

1:00pm-1:30pm Rhodora Espiritu  (EduBlogging)

1:30pm-2:30pm James Jimenez (Social Media in Voters Education)

2:30pm-3:00pm Bert Guevarra  (Environment & Social Media)

3:00pm-3:30pm Snacks /Raffle 

3:30pm-4:30pm Venzie Crisostomo (Advocacy online/offline)

4:30pm-5:00pm Janette Toral  (Bloggers as Digital Influencers)

2nd Day November 15, 2013 Friday

8:00am-8:15am Philippine National Anthem

8:15am-8:20am Opening Remarks-Neil Andrew Nocon (Assistant Secretary General-Philippine National Red Cross) 

8:20am-8:25am Keynote Speaker-Mayor Girlie Ejercito

8:25am -9:00am Dr. Tess Termulo (Health Advocacy)

9:00am-10:00am Atty. Chris Lao (Anti- Cyber Bullying and Cybercrime Law)

10:00am-11:00am Ben Francia (Search Engine Optimization)

11:00am-12:00 pm Art Samaniego (Journalism  in the Age of Social Media)

12:00 noon-1:00pm Lunch/Raffle

1:00pm-2:00pm Pocholo De Leon Gonzales (Branding)

2:00pm-3:00pm Lloyd Luna (Blogging Inspirational Life Stories)

3:00pm-3:30pm Raffle and Snacks 

3:30pm-4:00pm John Cueto (Niche)

4:00pm-4:30pm Carlos Celdran (Why I do, What I do)

4:30pm-5:00pm Zero Basura Blog Contest Launch under Earth Day Network Philippines & #2LaBS

Oriang and 100 Miles Cafe in Taguig and Tiago Progressive Cuisine at Quezon City helped the organizers too by providing the venue and food to some of their meetings while Zoomanity Group, Air Asia, and 2GO Travel provided gift certificates to be raffled off for the attendees. 

The organizers would like to thank Pro Friends, Gardenia Bakers Philippines, Elabram Systems, Commission on Election (COMELEC), PATAS, and Philippine Health Bloggers Society (PHBS) for their invaluable support to make the event possible not to mention our media partners such as Kliping Times, wheninmanila.com, The Tribune Post, Ronda Balita, Royal Cable, Magic Expose, wazzuppilipinas.com, Blog-PH.com, Webby Thoughts, and Manila Channel. 

The event hosts are Rod Magaru and Florencio Jusay Jr. 

Organizers; Grace Bondad Nicolas, Dianne Salonga, Mac Vasquez, Pepi De Leon, Ross Del Rosario, Rod Magaru, Florencio Jusay Jr, Katrina Capili, Odessa Escaler, Cindy Nicolas, Mark Acsay, JayL Aquino, John Cueto, Jojo Busayong and Ivan Saldajeno. 

For more information:

Official Website: http://www.labsph.com

Twitter: @labsummit #2LaBS

Facebook: The Laguna Blogging Summit

"Pare Koi" Wins Big in Nuvali Indie Filmfest

Directors (L-R) Jade Castro, Jeffrey Jeturian, and Paul Soriano judged the
NuCinema Outdoor Film Festival in Sta. Rosa City.

"Pare Koi", and independent short film directed by Marco Subido, was the biggest winner of the NuCinema Outdoor Film Festival after it bagged the top prize in the professional category during the awarding night at The Fields in Nuvali in Sta. Rosa City.

"Pare Koi" bested two other short movies in the pro level, and Subido walked away with a scholarship for an advanced course in motion picture production.

"Pare Koi" is about a kid who encountered Hanako, a spitting koi fish. The encounter led to him catching the fish and befriending it.

Finishing second in the pro category was Hello Goodbye by Zoraya Lua. Lua received a scholarship for a basic filmmaking course.

In the novice category, Dorina Naraval's "Bugtong" got the top prize, while Athena Mendoza's "Jose Pedal" was the runner-up. A total of 11 short films made the shortlist in the novice category.

Renowned directors Paul Soriano, Jeffrey Jeturian, and Jade Castro and Spring Films producer Lucky Blanco judged the 14 short films, which will be considered for a full-length film conversion.

Aside from the free viewing of all the finalists in the filmfest, the crowd at The Fields also watched a free showing of Oscar-nominated "Transit" and Vilma Santos' "Ekstra".

Meanwhile, another one-year filmmaking scholarship is up for grabs as the voting for the People's Choice Award continues.

The movie which garners the most votes on Youtube and on Facebook will be the People's Choice winner, and the director will get the grant.

The voting is until November 9, and you can vote through Nuvali's Youtube channel or on its Facebook page.

Calamba Gets to Design Own Havaianas Flip-Flops

The Make Your Own Havaianas series goes to Calamba! The event series where the loyal Havs shoppers can design their own flip-flops came to All Flip-Flops SM Calamba Branch at the heart of the city.

The event, which ran for four days throughout the weekends, was well attended by the shoppers looking to get their own custom-made pair of Havaianas.

Also, limited edition glow-in-the-dark Havs made exclusively for the Make Your Own Havaianas series this year went on sale.

This is the first time the MYOH was held in the bustling Laguna city, and Havaianas Philippines hopes that there will be a repeat next year.

Cyber Class Giveaway

Join the Cyber Class Giveaway, and you might get to enroll in an online interactive class for free! Just follow the instructions below.

Thanks to the support of these selected co-hosts.  
The Philippines Await the Coming of Pope Francis, If You Look Closely, Stu Traveled! ,  Dawns Delights Art,  Icefairy's Treasure Chest,  blog-ph.com  Mami's 3 Little Monkeys, Z's World,  The Rainbow Star,  Chronically Content, Heart of a Philanthropist, and Brooke Blogs  
Do visit their blogs and share some love!

Click the poster to zoom in.

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Wazzup Pilipinas Tops Top 10 New Sites List of Influential Blogger

The owners of the Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs of 2013 were given rec-
ognition at the Digital Influencers Marketing Summit in Pasay City.
Janette Toral

Wazzup Pilipinas heads the list of the Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs of 2013, which were awarded at the Digital Influencers Marketing Summit at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

WP, owned by Ross Del Rosario with a number of contributors, garnered the most number of votes after the tallying made just after the nomination was closed earlier in the week.

Also getting the highest number of votes was A Letter Writer, one of the two sites of Teresa Martinez which made the Top 10. Teresay also made the cut.

Jay-L Aquino's new travel sub-domain of his popular Blog-PH.com also made the top 10 new blogs list, and he is keen on putting up new sub-domains to it.

The rest of the winners are Online Jobs Lifestyle, FilipiKnow, Sarap Pinoy, San Josenyong Gala, IWander. IExperience. IKwento, and Saranghae Korea.

Well-known bloggers Janette Toral, Mark Delgado, and Randolph Novino, photographer Mel Cortez, and fitness expert Jim Saret also gave talks to the whole-day summit.