"What's the World You Want By 2015?"-UN

The United Nations has put up an interactive project called The World We Want. This advocacy serves as an avenue for the organization to prioritize the things the world needs in a span of two years, and all they need is your say.

As of now, more than 500,000 people in 194 countries already let their voices be heard. If you haven't spoken it out, make it heard across the globe. Vote at www.myworld2015.org/. Also like its Facebook page: http://facebook.com/worldwewantph.

Cheers to Good Times

Have you ever been in this situation? Everyone's worried and anxious--waiting for the result of your presentation. You haven't slept properly for days working on that pitch. Then your phone rings. You're nervous but you answer. Yeba! You win the client! You deserve to party. Go out and celebrate this good time.

For Emperador Distillers Managing Director Von De Torres, "Partying is our way of saying 'yahoo'." But in order to have a good time, be sure to get only the real and fine wine that doesn't only fit the occasion but also suits your taste. Good thing there's the new Carlo Rossi Sweet Red Wine. Crafted from Californian grapes, it has layers of vanilla, bright cherry, and wild raspberry flavor that create a different kind of sweetness.

"Rossi Sweet Red is specifically created to be sweet and be consumed cold, as in with rice," added De Torres. In fact, she also added that Rossi Sweet Red is best enjoyed on-the-rocks, a trend in wine drinking in the United States. And even if the ice melts, the taste stays perfect so everyone can savor all the sweetness and real wine flavor.

So celebrate sweet victories,big or small, with a wine that is just as sweet and a bit more refreshing. There's a reason to be happy and celebrate everyday. You can always cheers to good times with Carlo Rossi Sweet Red.

Aussies Lauded Anew for Good Education

Australia is once again hailed by Filipinos as the top educating country.
The Australian

Australia was highlighted once again among the world’s best destinations for quality education on the latest education fair organized by IDP Education Philippines last month at the Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City, the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati, and at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu City.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Institute of Statistics had reported that Australia ranked among the top five destinations for tertiary education among the world’s mobile students. In 2010, it received 17% of the total number of students hosted in the East Asia and Pacific countries, which was second only to the United States. 

From July 2011 to June 2012, there were 2,633 Filipino students who had gone to Australia to study. This made it the number one study destination for Filipinos.

Students preferred to go to Australia for diploma, certificate, training, and further education (TAFE) because the country offered many benefits, foremost of which were internationally recognized qualifications, part-time work opportunities and higher post-graduation employability potential.

Changes were made in March to the Temporary Graduate visa which allowed fresh graduates the opportunity to spend more time in Australia (to gain practical experience) following completion of their bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees.

As this continued to host students from different cultures, Australia was also able to offer an increasingly diversified cultural environment. Graduates then had the advantage of being exposed to a variety of cultures and built an international network of contacts which they can tap into once they enter the workplace.

IDP Education Pty. Ltd. was the world authority in Australian education being 50% owned by 38 Australian universities. It was the world’s largest student placement and English language testing services provider. 

IDP Philippines opened in 1996 and had since provided free admissions and visa counseling to place thousands of students in colleges and universities in Australia, the US, UK, New Zealand, and Canada. 

The annual Australian Education Exhibition brought representatives of Australian universities and TAFE colleges to the Philippines for direct consultations and admissions facilitation and was considered the best means for students to have considered available education options, providing information on courses and programs, admissions requirements, costs, and living arrangements.

Filipinos were on the brink of becoming a significant player in the international market. The deployment of the young abroad to achieve not only a better understanding of other people but also advanced systems can only enhance the advantages they now have. There was no block or hindrance to achieving international recognition except for the reluctance to try. Filipinos, forge ahead!

Pre-registration was required for the seminars. Like IDP Philippines on Facebook or call (+632)236-2758 for more information.

Microsoft, DOT, TPB Launch Windows 8 Tourism Apps

(L-R) TPB head Domingo Enerio III, Microsoft Philippines Managing Director
Karrie Ilagan, and Tourism Undersecretary Daniel Corpuz showed the new
More Fun tourism app series. Ross Del Rosario

Microsoft Philippines (Microsoft), the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) launched the More Fun tourism app series for Windows 8.

The More Fun Series is a group of apps which aims to highlight the country’s 25 key tourist destinations including their interesting overview, exciting activities, famous sites, and itinerary builder among other features. Furthermore, these free apps feature commercial information coming from the official website of DOT including but not limited to accredited restaurants, spas, and souvenir shops to complete the travel experience of every tourist.

“At Microsoft Philippines, we aim to constantly bring innovation and make technology accessible to more Filipinos to help them improve their lives and businesses,” underlined Karrie Ilagan, Managing Director of Microsoft Philippines. “We are honored that the Department of Tourism and the Tourism Promotions Board partnered with us in empowering tourism in the country through Windows 8. The More Fun Series apps are designed to promote our country’s amazing travel destinations worldwide, which means more opportunities for our local entrepreneurs and businesses to reach an even wider audience.”

“As more and more people rely on quick information through smart phones and tablets, the demand for mobile apps is likely to rise in the next decades. This new mobile app, sporting the IMFITP look and feel, will surely bring our marketing messages closer to the consumers,” added Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr.

Tourism Promotions Board Chief Operating Officer Domingo Ramon Enerio III also said, “We are always very optimistic in all our campaign strategies and digital advertising obviously plays a huge part in this. Through the Windows 8 mobile App ‘More Fun’, our marketing campaign will be able to reach global tourists. The itinerary builder, one of the special features, allows potential visitors customize their tour plans. We are happy that Microsoft is a generous and avid partner in helping us in our goal to connect with intended markets as well as create new ones. More importantly, our ultimate goal is getting them all excited and making it easy for them to convert.”

Ten tourism apps are now made available for Windows 8 users, the More Fun Beach BORACAY Philippines, More Fun Destination BOHOL Philippines, More Fun Destination DAVAO Philippines, More Fun Destination CAGAYAN DE ORO Philippines, More Fun Destination PUERTO PRINCESA Philippines, More Fun Destination BAGUIO Philippines, More Fun Region BICOL Philippines, More Fun Diving CEBU Philippines, More Fun Region ILOCOS Philippines, and More Fun City MANILA Philippines.

SM Launches New Lifestyle Portal

With E-Plus, you can now check the latest events in no time.

An all new lifestyle portal is introduced today. The portal—ePLUS.ph---will serve as a local resource for SM Cinema movie tickets, Mall of Asia Arena events, nationwide deals, and lifestyle articles. The site will also be a ground-breaking resource for consumers to find high-value tickets to movies, concerts, sports, theater, arts, and live events, while serving as a timely and effective way for customers to get updated with lifestyle perks, deals and informative articles. The launch is planned in time for mid-year sale season.

With unprecedented access to a consolidated network of nationwide events from the Philippines’ ticketing leader, movies schedules from the county’s largest cinema chain, and unbeatable prices from the country’s largest mall network, ePLUS.ph will be the destination for exclusive SM Lifestyle deals. ePLUS.ph shall work with SM to further deliver its commitment to offer amazing local experiences to its members.

ePLUS.ph represents a new channel to drive value for e-PLUS card members, while helping a broader market stay informed with every interesting facet of the platform. From movie and event schedule, exclusive discounts to university bulletins, and community driven forums.

The ePLUS.ph portal is just the beginning of a platform that enables Filipinos to share, and enjoy an ePLUS lifestyle.

For more, check out the video below.

SM Cinema to Host the Philippine Premiere of Fast & Furious 6

SM Mall of Asia is ready to go fast and furious.

SM Cinema, the country’s home of premiere nights, will host the upcoming Fast and Furious 6 premiere which will be held at SM Mall of Asia on May 15, 2013. The film’s lead action star, Vin Diesel, along with fellow stars Michelle Rodriguez, Gina Carano, and Luke Evans, producer Neal H. Moritz, and director Justin Lin will be coming to the Philippines to be part of this exciting movie event.

Fast & Furious 6 continues in the tradition of thrilling fast‐paced car chases, action, and suspense that has made the movie franchise a worldwide sensation. Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the returning cast of all‐stars as the global blockbuster franchise built on speed races to its next continent. Reuniting for their most high‐stakes adventure yet, fan favorites Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Sung Kang, John Ortiz, Gal Gadot, and Elsa Pataky are joined by badass series newcomers Luke Evans and Gina Carano.

Fast & Furious 6 is a United International Pictures Release through Solar Entertainment Corporation. The film will be released in theatres across the Philippines on May 24, 2013.

Prive Cooks Up Grand End of Summer Party

The summer fever reaches its climax as Prive Luxury Club culminates the Babewatch Summer Party series with a bang tomorrow.

Come in your best beach attire and party all night with the Superfly DJ's. The girls in bikinis will get free booze for the entire party night, so come on over to Prive Luxury Club along The Fort Strip in Taguig.

This is one way for you to end your summer season on a high note.

Sarah Jessica Parker to Grace the SM Store Aura Opening

Guess who's coming to SM Aura.

There’s been a lot of buzz about the SM Aura Premier opening this May. And it has just been confirmed that international screen and stage actress–and style icon-Sarah Jessica Parker will be gracing the launching of the mall’s SM Store.

Parker, who played Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City (1998-2004), has won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards. She served as a producer and reprised her role in the screen adaptation of the hit series with the theatrical release of Sex and the City and Sex and the City 2.

Her Carrie character –who has been described as someone who lives for fashion - as well as her own incredible personal style make Parker the perfect guest for the store opening, which Manila’s stylish set is looking forward to.

In the fall of 2013, Parker will return to the stage in the world premiere of The Commons of Pensacola by Amanda Peet opposite Blythe Danner.

Past film credits include: I Don’t Know How She Does It, Did You Hear About the Morgans?, Smart People, Failure to Launch, The Family Stone, State and Main, Mars Attacks!, Ed Wood, The First Wives Club, Miami Rhapsody, Honeymoon in Vegas, and Footloose.

Parker also lends her time to charitable causes.  She currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the New York City Ballet and is a UNICEF ambassador.  In November 2009, the Obama administration elected her to be a member of President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.  In April 2012, she adopted the Martin Luther King, Jr. School in Portland Oregon for the Turnaround Arts Initiative.

Sarah Jessica Parker at the opening of The SM Store at SM Aura Premier - now that’s great fashion news. Spread the word! Share, repost, and retweet!

For more promos and updates, join The SM Store online community: 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheSMStore 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/thesmstore 

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/thesmstore 

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSMStore

Tech Summit Kicks Off Future ICT Plans for Calamba

The latest in information and communication technology hits an uncharted territory as Soft Micro Enterprises successfully staged the 2013 ICT Converge at the Party Place of Jollibee Calamba Crossing in Calamba City.

Jun Barrun kicked off the whole-day event with the discussion on the latest news on Mozilla. He discussed the latest features of the Firefox browser and the Thunderbird email portal as well as the human resource programs of the said internet organization.

John Rara of Microsoft Philippines showed how Windows 8 works. Ross Del Rosario

John Rara then discussed the basics of the latest Microsoft operating system, the Windows 8. He said that Windows 8 works best in touch screen gadgets like tablets.

Arnie Locsin was the third to speak, and he taught the audience the use of cloud computing, followed by Randy Cabredo's talk on making information technology environment-friendly.

Patricia Celis started the afternoon session with some introduction on the use of the Bitdefender and DeepFreeze anti-virus softwares.

Philip Tan then shared an enlightening talk about the internet, while Nikko Almazar introduced the Microsoft Office 365. Paul Pajo culminated the activity by sharing the latest trends in communication.

"Our purpose here is to promote the latest developments in IT in places which lag behind in the awareness about these developments," said Mark Wagan, the head of Soft Micro and the organizer of the event. "Seeing the need, we might stage another ICT Converge in August."

Sun iMessenger: Chat with your loved ones via SMS!

Gone are the days when you had to spend a fortune in phone bills or on mobile internet fees to keep in touch with friends and family around the world.  There is now a single service that integrates all the popular web chat platforms and makes it a snap to send messages and chat on any phone model worldwide.

Launched in 2006 and now wildly popular, Sun iMessenger is a breakthrough service that makes it possible to communicate with anyone from anywhere in the world, as long as they’re a Sun mobile subscriber. To do this, SunIM uses the text messaging feature of a phone, translating mobile chat into text messages seamlessly, and giving regular cellular phone users access to a service that would usually only be available to people with smart phones.

The service also allows you to send messages using your laptop, smart phone, or computer.  It integrates several platforms: Yahoo Messenger, Facebook chat, MSN, AIM, ICQ, and, just recently, Gmail chat, making all your accounts available to you on one sign-in page. It is, to date, the only platform to do so.

Getting SUNiM service on your phone cannot be simpler. There’s nothing that you need to download and install, and there are no complicated codes to punch in. All a user has to do is to text SUNiM to 2746 from a phone using a Sun Cellular simcard. After a few minutes, you will receive clear, step-by-step instructions to help you get started.  

SUNiMis also very affordable.  To celebrate thefirst day of your SUNiM subscription, the first 24 hours will be completely free of charge.  To top it off, if you invite your friends to use Sun iMessenger, you can also get free internet hours.  For regular text replies, Sun iM only charges P 0.50, even less than a regular text message.  But if you’d like to stay connected all day, there’s an option that gives you unlimited access for 24 hours, for only P20!  Other payment options are P100 for seven days and P300 for a month. There are no hidden charges or extra fees, as users are charged only for messages that they reply to or for the time that they buy.  Because of this, Sun iM is currently the most cost-effective chat mobile service available.

With Sun iM, you don’t have to wait in front of a computer to catch messages, or spend so much to send and receive them. It’s easy to use, very affordable, and best of all, it allows you to be reached anytime of the day, anywhere you are, through your choice of platform. It’s the ultimate way to get in touch with your loved ones.

For more details, Text SUNIM to 2746 or visit www.sim.ph

Government Agencies Team Up with ABSCBN, Ateneo for Eco-Tourism Program

(L-R) Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, ABSCBN President Charo Con-
cio, ABSCBN Foundation Managing Director Gina Lopez, DENR Secretary
Ramon Paje, and Acting Ateneo VP Evangeline Bautista formally kicked off
the Bantay Kalikasan Green Initiative. Rommel Natanauan

The Department of Tourism (DOT), together with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with media conglomerate ABS-CBN and premier academic institution Ateneo De Manila University to launch Bantay Kalikasan’s Green Initiative.

A joint program involving ABS-CBN Foundation's Bantay Kalikasan, the government, media, and academe, Green Initiative responds to protect and nourish the country’s natural biodiversity, while alleviating poverty and enriching the lives of people through various livelihood projects. 

Under the MOA, each signatory is to implement strategies that are geared towards improving the quality of life in the grassroots. The DOT, for its part, is tasked to facilitate the investment of tourism infrastructure and complementary facilities through convergence projects with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), paving the way for more tourism opportunities. DOT will also take the lead in promoting the projects as prime tourist destinations in the country. 

On the other hand, ABS-CBN commits to manage and ensure the media exposure of projects, with the support of Miss Earth Foundation in public relations and marketing aspects. 

“My conviction is that we would not only alleviate poverty but also drive in a new paradigm of thinking, one that benefits the environment and the community,” ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc. Managing Director Gina Lopez said. 

The DOT has been a long-time partner of the ABS-CBN Foundation’s Bantay Kalikasan in promoting and positioning the Philippines as a world-class ecotourism destination. Some of the joint projects in the past are the ecotourism sites of Sibuyan and Cobrador Islands in Romblon, Puerto Princesa City and Brooke’s Point in Palawan, and La Mesa Ecopark in Quezon City. 

“The complex issues of climate change and biodiversity are some of the biggest challenges facing society today. Going green is no longer just a fad, no longer for a small slice of the population. Going green has rather become a necessity and lifestyle in which we all must participate for the welfare of future generations. The Philippines is uniquely positioned to lead the way, and the DOT remains supportive of programs such as the Green Initiative. With the protection of the environment as one of the major thrusts of tourism, our role in DOT is to generate positive awareness and create demand for these ecotourism destinations. Through convergence programs with partner agencies and private sector, we are working very hard so that infrastructure is built to ensure seamless travel and that sustainable practices are implemented in these areas,” Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. shared.

Singapore Comes to Pasig via Spring Singapura

Some of us crave for Singaporean cuisine, but I know going to the Lion City will cost us much. Never to worry. Spring Singapura brings Singapore into your tummies. Located along the Metrowalk in Pasig, it's a new resto serving Singapore's well-known food.

First, I and my crew were treated to a sumptuous appetizer of Laksa, a spicy noodle soup similar to that of South Korea's Jjampong.

Then in came the main courses. Spring Singapura has a lot of seafood and meat dishes to serve your cravings. I went on to eat Hainanese Chicken...

...and some Coffee Pork Ribs. Yes, they used coffee as a flavoring!

And as a testament that Spring Singapura serves the best Singaporean dishes, the chef of the restaurant is a Singaporean himself!

Those are just some of the dishes you will expect at this Singaporean restaurant. For more of their food array, visit its place. Spring Singapura is located at the ground floor of the Metrowalk, Meralco Ave. cor. Ortigas Ave., Pasig City. You may call SS at (+632)5701739.

Photo Credits: Sef Tiburcio

Three-Day Sale Rocks Megamall, Other SM Stores

The SM Stores at SM Megamall, SM Harrison, SM City Novaliches, SM City Baguio, SM City Bacoor, SM City Batangas, SM City San Fernando, SM City Naga, SM City Davao, SM City Consolacion, and SM City Delgado will be having a 3-day sale on May 3, 4, and 5. You shoppers will enjoy big discounts on your favorite items come the weekend. 

Aside from the sale, the SM Store will also be having a 3-Way Save on the same period. You can get more discounts through this promo. First, if you own an SM Advantage Card, you can get an additional 10% off if you bought your items within the first two malling hours of Friday. Second, for every PHP2,000 single-receipt purchase you made on Saturday and Sunday, you will get a PHP100 shopping coupon free. Lastly, if you shopped for the entire duration of the sale using your BDO credit card, you can get a 5% rebate.

Also, you can have a chance to win one of seven IPad Minis to be given away in the raffle promo. Each IPad Mini comes with a free Globe prepaid SIM with free Powersurf 99. Every PHP1,000 worth of purchased items entitles you to a raffle coupon for a chance to win an IPad Mini. What are you waiting for? Shop now at SM Megamall, SM Harrison, SM City Novaliches, SM City Baguio, SM City Bacoor, SM City Batangas, SM City San Fernando, SM City Naga, SM City Davao, SM City Consolacion, and SM City Delgado! Per DTI-NCR Permit No. 7190 Series of 2012 and DTI-NCR Permit Nos. 0311, 0345, 0560, and 0566 Series of 2013.