BREAKING

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Grounded at the Lopez Museum : What's Keeping You From Flight?



Wazzup Pilipinas ! I am "Grounded".

Are we too tied up and "grounded" that it holds us back from our fullest potential?

We try our best to exceed, excel and escape from the norm....but more often than not, we end up getting criticized, questioned, and stricken from the ranks of a so-called law-abiding society.

To be branded as a rebel, a liberal and a rogue makes me wonder if we are all here just to please everyone else except ourselves.

For going above and beyond everyone else's idea of standards, ethics and comfort zones, we limit ourselves to only what others want us to be....and we set aside our real intentions and hide behind a mask of deception.


Wednesday, March 6, 2013

PH "More Fun" tops Thai International Travel Fair 2013

Honorable Jocelyn Batoon-Garcia,  Philippine Ambassador to Thailand (fourth from left) visited the Philippine Booth

Wazzup Pilipinas !

The Department of Tourism (DOT) won the Best Booth Display during the Thai International Travel Fair held on 14 – 17 February 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand, extending the Philippine tourism’s winning streak in the global stage. The Philippine booth bested fourteen other National Tourism Organizations (NTOs), marking the country’s debut in the said travel fair.

Organized by Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA), an association of Thai Outbound Tour Operators, the three-day fair held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok drew almost 600,000 visitors and close to a thousand booths from 14 NTOs, 3 embassies, 19 airlines, 132 travel agents, and other travel-related suppliers. The Thai Minister of Culture, Mr. Sontaya Kunplone, was among those who graced the official opening ceremony.

This maiden Philippine participation led by DOT’s Marketing Representative for Malaysia and Thailand, Datin Melissa Ong, was able to book Manila, Cebu, Bohol, and Palawan with a sizeable number of Thai tourists. Cebu Pacific cabin crew also provided on-site entertainment and fun games throughout the fair.

Wicked Kitchen: An Awesome Adventure in Taste

 
Wazzup Pilipinas ! Its totally "wicked" !

One should exclaim similar words after a taste of the great meals available at Wicked Kitchen - that small yet full of potential restaurant just opposite the ABS-CBN building in Mother Ignacia.

I've learned that it has other branches in other areas but the one we visited was the smallest in area but the only one with a second floor.

I would also expect that celebrities like Luis Manzano celebrates his birthdays there for a damn good reason.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Lima Park Hotel : The Best Luxury Hotel in Lipa, Batangas


Wazzup Pilipinas !

Just in case you plan to witness some breathtaking views of the famed Mt. Makiling and Mt. Malarayat, you can rest afterwards at the Lima Park Hotel located in the tranquil country setting of Lipa, Batangas. It is basically at the boundary of Lipa City and Malvar (the reason why its called Lima), both of Batangas province in southern Philippines. It is located inside an industrial park with the same name .

The restaurants at the hotel include at Asian Flavours, Occasions and the Al Fresco Bar. They also have a  gym and fitness center where you can . They have a horizon swimming pool and jacuzzi. Inquiring for a large event, celebrate that special occasion at the Fidelis Ballroom, and for small groups, organize business meetings and smaller social events at any of their function rooms or meeting rooms. Lima Park Hotel is an industrial zone rather than for recreation

The hotel may not be towering in floors but its splendid in its existing facilities. I would love to do a full review of the hotel soon. For the meantime, here are some more photos during my visit at the hotel.


DOT and Puerto Princesa City Launch New Online Booking System for Underground River


Wazzup Pilipinas !
 
The Department of Tourism (DOT) and the City Government of Puerto Princesa, Palawan have teamed up for the launch of a new online booking system for local and foreign tourists visiting the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR).

Last February 7, 2013, the DOT turned over the system to the City Government of Puerto Princesa for the site’s operation and management as provided by the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn, in his acceptance message, shared how tourism has anchored the city’s sustainable development paradigm, particularly in managing the ecosystems that tourism in-flows demand.

“We worked very hard for Puerto Princesa’s tourism. And we could not be happier that it, indeed, worked and flourished. But the demand was quite overwhelming. It eventually caused us more problems than rewards. We had more than what we can handle, and we weren’t prepared for it,” Mayor Hagedorn added. He looks forward to a renewed fun in Puerto Princesa especially now that an online booking system and more efficient payment modes are in place. He expressed his assurance to the public assured that this program will continue beyond his term of office.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Globe Refutes PLDT, Stands By Interconnection Issues



Globe reiterated that the interconnection problems in North Luzon were caused by faulty signaling links of PLDT and not by a fiber cut as PLDT would like the public to believe.

“Here they go again.  This is a classic PLDT, refusing to admit that there is something wrong with their network.  More than this, there are several inaccuracies in their statement,” said Yoly Crisanto, head of corporate communications of Globe Telecom.

To reiterate, the North Luzon outages started as early as February 25 which Globe reported to PLDT.  The initial investigation showed that there was a problem with the signaling link specifically in Bulacan at the time and that the PLDT team had given its advise that it would perform a reset of the signaling links.  The next day February 26, the problem has spread to 5 other areas in Northern Luzon. 

Even as Globe experienced a fiber cut in San Juan, Metro Manila in the late afternoon of February 27, it had nothing to do with the North Luzon outages.   At the time of the fiber cut, the outage in North Luzon has been ongoing for 3 days.

Crisanto said that, “By design, the network is protected by redundancies to support subscribers during these times and minimize any adverse impact.”   Globe restored the fiber cut on the morning of February 28.   However, upon further investigation, Globe was able to determine that the fiber cut in San Juan was an intentional one and not by accident.    

Crisanto added, “It is also interesting to note that Globe got a call from PLDT, who first inquired about the fiber cut on the evening of February 27.”

In their statement, PLDT said that their “engineers had determined through their technical tests that Globe had indeed suffered a FOC break in San Juan, Metro Manila”.  As to how PLDT can conduct a “technical” test on the Globe network and determine the precise location of the FOC break is truly unbelievable.

We stand by our initial position that the multiple outages in several parts of Northern Luzon were due to the local interconnection issues with PLDT.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Sugarleaf : Up Up And Away With Superfood!



 

Wazzup Pilipinas !
 
A superfood is a food rich in phytochemicals, which are special compounts that have been noted to have disease-fighting properties. These can reduce the risk of certain forms of cancer, reduce inflammation, strengthen the immune systen, or in some other way contribute significantly to a person being healthier.

Examples of common superfoods that are fruits include blueberries, cranberries, red grapes, pink grapefruit, mangos, mangosteen, papaya, watermelons and tomatoes. What makes these fruits so super is that they are packed with special nutrients like phytochemical. For example, tomatoes are high in lycopene, which may reduce risk for prostate cancer, and high in beta carotene, which may promote greater mental alertness and slow conditions like Alzheimer’s. Vitamin C is another nutrient indicated in anti-aging and possible reduction in risk of developing cancer.

Rather than take a supplement, consume and enjoy delicious foods at Sugarleaf whose menu nourishes at the cellular level and provides much more than calories.

Caffe Bene: The Coffee That's Just Right For Me


Wazzup Pilipinas !
 
Coffee was meant to be enjoyed as it is and not by the use of so much sweeteners and many other tidbits of add-ins. I was actually worried back then when coffee shops or cafes became a destination for whipped creamed and chocolate syrup-ed coffees. The real goodness of coffee was destroyed because its now being masked by sweets.

You can't really blame the fad or trend or whatever it is called because life is so complex it becomes so interestingly wonderful. I often would say to myself that they should bring back coffee the way it was meant to be. But I guess people also come for the sweets, and the desserts, and the ambiance, and the company of social media mania peeps who loves to hang out at places where's there wifi and a comfortable seat to spend the rest of their time. Well, I'm one of those peeps who felt the need to be one among the individuals that's making coffee shops rich, just because everyone else that I know is there - and quite often than not, its where we meet, converse, bond and share ideas.

So when I heard about this cafe which originated from Seoul, South Korea that takes pride in announcing a coffee that's medium roasted thus making it better tasting like a medium rare grilled steak and requires less sugar and creamer to improve the taste, then I was willing to try it out for a change. Maybe there's hope for coffee after all.

Angono, Rizal : Nemiranda Art House - A Family's Art Showcase


Wazzup Pilipinas !
 
Angono, Rizal takes pride of having several museum destinations where one can also dine and marvel at the artistry in the form of sculptures, paintings and the likes. It seems its a place where the people were more into art and creativity.

From the write-ups that I recently read, the Nemiranda Arthouse and museum, as also somehow implied by its name, was designed and constructed by Nemiranda (Nemisio Miranda) himself. He used local materials such as bamboo, sawali and old recycled wood coming from the old church and convent of Angono.


Join me into a photo tour of the Nemiranda Art House as we discover the very colorful and intricate forms of what the imagination had brought us in creating such masterpieces.



Wheatberry: Your Friendly Neighborhood Bakery and Cafe


Wazzup Pilipinas !

Wikipedia says the term wheatberry or wheat berry refers to the entire wheat kernel (except for the hull), composed of the bran, germ, and endosperm. Wheatberries have a tan to reddish brown color and are available as either a hard or soft processed grain. They are often added to salads or baked into bread to add a crunchy texture. If wheat berries are milled, whole-wheat flour is produced.

This is probably where the Wheatberry Bakery and Cafe got its name. Its a bakery and a cafe in one that probably uses and serves whole unprocessed kernels of wheat.

But Pastry Chef Mary Sonia Cruz had a lot of stories to tell about Wheatberry and its origins. From its conception last 2001 to its birth last 2004 until today, Wheatberry aims to serve only high quality and unique products.

Tang Brings Out The Hero in Every Kid


Wazzup Pilipinas !
 
Tang has been one of the very popular and recognizable powder juice drink since my childhood. It has more than one occasion been the families favorite juice drink. Since we are not so fond of softdrinks, the better alternative was juice, and the more economical was powdered juice drinks....and now Tang is giving back something to the kids by recognizing their noble efforts in the society.

Whether for family or friends, for the sick or underprivileged, for education or the environment, Tang is calling out to kids everywhere to make a difference in the lives of others and to contribute in their own ways to making the Philippines the best it can be.

This advocacy from Tang was launched at the Mind Museum with young talent Arkin Magalona hosting the celebration of “kiddie heroes” headlined by the 2012 “Tang Galing Mo Kid!” Awardees. They are ‘kid heroes’ cited for their efforts in making the world a better place for their communities despite challenging circumstances. The Tang Galing Mo Kid award is being supported by the launch of Tang’s ritual, “Handa-Inom-Gawa,” which refreshes the hero in each and every kid, and encourages them to do good for their communities. Tang is a product of Kraft Foods Philippines (KFP), part of the MondelÄ“z International family of Companies.

Antistax : The Secret To Healthy Legs


Wazzup Pilipinas !
 
Got an invite for an event form a friend, and heard news that the product launch will empower women to be more confident and thus looking good both in and out. I never realized I will be in the midst of an audience where majority would be women.

Filipinas now have a natural way to prevent many of the commonplace leg problems as Boehringer Ingelheim (Phil.) Inc. brings Antistax, one of the world’s leading anti-varicose supplements, to the Philippines.

Antistax, the first and only anti-varicose supplement in the local market, is the perfect synergy of nature and science in leg health management. It is proven safe and effective in helping strengthen and protect women’s legs from the inside out. It also helps restore and regenerate women’s natural mobility by preventing leg vein problems such as pain, heaviness (ngalay), swelling, and varicose veins.

HTC Launches the Butterfly : The Ultimate Smartphone




HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, launches the HTC Butterfly, the ultimate smartphone and the first with a full HD 1080p display, in the Philippines. HTC Buttefly not only offers the first full HD 1080p display with the highest pixel density of any smartphone, but also features the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor, HTC Sense 4+ and Android Jelly Bean.

"HTC Butterfly is quite simply the most stunning smartphone HTC has created to date, with a display that people will fall in love with instantly,” said Lennard Hoornik, president, South Asia, HTC Corporation. "It offers the best experience in terms of performance, design and innovation, and is our most eagerly anticipated smartphone with rave reviews from media and consumers alike."



The Ultimate Smartphone
With technology rivaling the latest HD TV's, HTC Butterfly is the first smartphone to feature a true 1080p full HD super LCD 3 display with Corning® Gorilla® Glass 2 protection. It boasts an extraordinary 440 pixels per inch (PPI) on a 5-inch screen for unprecedented in-hand HD experiences that delivers the maximum pixel clarity available on a smartphone.

Designed to accentuate the incredible display, the smooth glossy finish and microgrill pattern of the sidewalls echo the superb styling and power of high tech racing cars. The beautifully crafted smartphone feels thinner than other devices of a similar size as the edges of the curved back taper to a mere 4mm for a comfortable feel in the hand or pocket.



The Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ S4 Pro processor, featuring a quad-core 1.5 GHz CPU, high-performance GPU and a full 2GB of RAM enable the seamless use of multiple apps simultaneously. With HTC Sense® 4+ and Android™ 4.1 (Jelly Bean), you get great software experiences including Google Now. HTC Butterfly is equipped with a 2,020 mAh battery and power saving software that enables long-lasting endurance, while users will also appreciate the expandable SD card slot in addition to 25GB of free Dropbox cloud storage. HTC Sense 4+ offers a wealth of easy-to-use and customizable features bringing highly sought after personalization to your phone and placing the most important content front and center. A series of intelligent features powered by HTC Sense 4+ also provides a number of improvements to the camera.




Amazing Camera
HTC Butterfly has a world-class camera that delivers fast image capture, great images even in low-light and an easy interface to capture stills and video. With an 8-megapixel f/2.0 28mm wide-angle lens, 5-level automatic flash, backside illuminated sensor (BSI), and superfast autofocus, you'll capture amazing moments without the worry of missing a single one. Instead of choosing between photos and video, HTC VideoPic™ allows you to capture video and still images at the same time. And by simply holding the shutter button, Continuous Shooting takes multiple photos at up to four frames per second to catch all the action.

It also includes a new best-in-class 2.1-megapixel, f/2.0, 88-degree, ultra-wide angle, front-facing camera that allows more to be captured in self-portraits, and up to four people for group shots. Auto Portrait makes it easier to take photos of yourself and your friends with automatic face detection and a countdown timer so you can focus on your pose and not the shutter button. Capable of capturing 1080p HD video, the front-facing camera also provides a sharper picture during video chat.





Authentic Sound
The HTC Butterfly’s unique, built-in headset amplifier and dedicated amp for the external rear-speaker helps boost the audio signal to deliver crystal clear sound with less distortion, even at maximum volume. The combination of amplified hardware and the rich, authentic, studio-quality sound of Beats Audio™ allows music to be heard the way the artist intended, and enhances the sound quality while playing games or watching video.





 
Availability
HTC Butterfly is now available in the Philippines for Php 32,190 .

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Uload : The Prepaid Loading System That Just Got Better and More Convenient


Wazzup Pilipinas !

The invitation was followed up by a text message a few hours the same day before the event saying that we should come on time to the Uload intimate bloggers event to be held at Contis Bakery located at Greenbelt 2 in Makati city, Philippines.So I had to rush my wife from a Binondo resto and immediately proceeded to the Makati venue.

ULoad is a self-service machine that will serve as selling point for electronic credits. It is a vending machine that sells electronic prepaid credit. It is fast, easy-to-use and an efficient prepaid credit selling machine. It is user and Filipino-friendly as it not only has a very intuitive interface, it boasts of Tagalog-speaking instructions also.


ULoad : The Vending Machine That Sells Prepaid Credits


ULoad is a self-service machine that will serve as selling point for electronic credits. It is a vending machine that sells electronic prepaid credit. It is fast, easy-to-use and an efficient prepaid credit selling machine. It is user and Filipino-friendly as it not only has a very intuitive interface, it boasts of Tagalog-speaking instructions also.

Barring extra-ordinary circumstances, each transaction should be completed within seconds. In addition to this, It has a backend system that can monitor all transactions daily and a customer care team that will attend to customer concerns. It currently provides electronic load for mobile and broadband users for the major cellular telecommunication companies such as: Globe, Smart and Sun.

Contact Uload at 8959935, 8903907 or 8903794 or email them at mindmap.sales@gmail.com so they can survey your location and check if it is a good location to deploy Uload.














Uload machines are very durable and space saving. It consumes less than one square meter in space and one has the option to hang it on the wall like an ATM or to deploy it with a stand to be able to place in any open space.






If there would be instances where a user does not receive the electronic credit, they can call the Customer Care Team to request for the status of their load.

Each Franchisee has a web portal to manage his or her Uload Machine/s. With it, they can check the current status of their Uload franchise/s. Data that can be retrieved include the following: amount, timing and breakdown of collections, timing and amount of deposits, estimated daily and within a period sales, current cash and available wallet of the machine.




ULoad is currently offering franchising partnership at its lowest price ever at Php 8,000.00 only plus an initial load inventory of Php 10,000.00. The initial load inventory is refundable depending on your usage of it at the end of the contract.

Investment
Duration
Load Inventory
% on Cellphone Load
% on On-line games
Php 8,000.00
3 years
Php 10,000.00
5%
3%
Php 23, 000.00
3 years
Php 10, 000.00
7.5%
5.5%

Currently, the range of the return of investment of our franchisees is about 5-7 months but results may vary because this would highly depend on the location of your machine.

Owning your own business has never been this affordable and easy. Simply submit an accomplished Commitment Information Sheet and start earning!



Learn more about Uload at their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/uload.ph

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