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Showing posts with label Manila. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Manila. Show all posts

Sunday, March 11, 2018

WORLDBEX 2018 Leads at the Forefront of Global Expansion


Wazzup Pilipinas!

Now on its 23rd year, the Philippine World Building and Construction Expo (WORLDBEX) sustains its outstanding streak as it opens its doors to a record-breaking number of local and international exhibitors. Plus, an increase in its total exhibition space with the addition of the 2,500sqm wide Northwing hall of the World Trade Center which will house over 120 booths.

Happening on March 14 – 18 from 10am to 8pm, this year’s WORLDBEX is expected to be the show’s biggest installment yet as it is set to be held at the three mega venues of the World Trade Center Metro Manila, the Philippine Trade Training Center, and the SMX Convention Center Manila. With all three venues combined, this year’s WORLDBEX will encompass a total of 37,100sqm of show area as it showcases 1,500 booths by both domestic and foreign players of the construction sector.

In turn, WORLDBEX 2018 has noted a 25% increase in international exhibitors, a 12% increase in local exhibitors, and a 20% increase in total number of booths. Signifying something far beyond mere showmanship, the expansion being undergone by WORLDBEX is a brimming testament of the show’s thriving ascendancy as a global force. And the same could be said about its decision to adopt the theme of “Shaping Innovations Toward Sustainability” for its 2018 installment.

As revealed by Worldbex Services International’s Founding Chairman Joseph Ang, “Deliberately conceived to parallel the growing concern of the international community with regard to the need to develop ingenious yet mindful solutions, our theme for this year’s show deeply echoes WORLDBEX’s commitment to connect with the global pulse.”


It comes as no surprise that the reception of both the local and international community towards the upcoming show has been widely optimistic. Laying proof to this was the successful turnout of the WORLDBEX 2018 Exhibitors’ Orientation Program held last January 31 at the Hall B of the Philippine Trade Training Center; where over 700 attendees from 300 companies took part in the pre-show event.

As affirmed by Richmond Sy, President and General Manager of GRM Biowood, a first-time platinum sponsor for WORLDBEX, “Worldbex is the gold standard for construction expos and is well-known for showcasing the newest and most innovative products of the industry under one roof.” Moreover, Sy found this year’s theme highly relevant as it reflects what his company is all about.

On the other hand, 20 years later and Puyat Flooring Products Inc. remains to be one of the longest standing sponsors of WORLDBEX. Recalling their journey as one of the pioneer exhibitors of WORLDBEX, Missy Castro, Communications Manager for Puyat Flooring Products Inc. states, “Our participation has helped us a lot to reach out to our target customers and showcase the beauty and effectiveness of our products. Indeed, it is the most ideal venue to let our clients know about our company and our products!”

However, there seems to be no better exemplification of the burgeoning role of WORLDBEX as a key driver of economic growth on a global scale than the impressive number of international participants that will be taking part at this year’s show. Assuming the role of being the global construction industry’s gateway to Southeast Asia, among the new countries to participate at the much-anticipated event include Indonesia, Australia, Turkey, Germany, Iran, and Japan. These countries now join the roster of longtime international partners that support WORLDBEX, such as Korea, Malaysia, Denmark, Singapore, Spain, China, New Zealand, UAE, Thailand, the US, and Vietnam.

Particularly impressive is the enthusiasm expressed by Malaysian companies who are expected to occupy the most number of booths at this year’s International Pavilion. Leading the pack is Malaysian powerhouse MATRADE which has been allocated 30 booths. As remarked by MaTrade’s Trade Commissioner, Ms. Nyaee Ayup, “WORLDBEX has continuously showcased the emerging and innovative products in the industry. Indeed, it serves as an excellent platform for trade exchange and to learn best practises from other participating countries.

Without a doubt, this year’s WORLDBEX marks an incredible milestone not just for the show but for the country’s economic position as a whole. As remarked by Florian Gottein, Executive Director of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, “With the fast-changing Philippine business landscape and many developments across all industries, it is through events such as the WORLDBEX that the best in the Philippine building and construction industry can come together and showcase the many opportunities within the sector.”

Furthermore, Noel Toti Cariňo, National President of the Chamber of Real Estate & Builders’ Associations, Inc. cites WORLDBEX’s vast global network as an “affirmation of their bright prospects for the Philippine property and construction industry.”

Once again, WORLDBEX leads at the forefront of pushing forth the expansion of the Philippine construction industry to unprecedented heights. WORLDBEX 2018 will run from March 14 to 18 from 10am to 8pm at the three mega venues of World Trade Center Metro Manila, Philippine Trade Training Center, and the SMX Convention Center, Pasay. The show is organized by the Worldbex Services International, the country’s leading events and expo organizer. To pre-register, visit www.worldbex.com. To know more, like the Worldbex Services International Facebook page and follow @worldbex on Instagram.

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Nine Mistakes That Online Shoppers Are Guilty Of


Wazzup Pilipinas!

Buy what you want with just a click. Online shopping has become a great convenience. You can search and shop for almost anything from anywhere around the world from the confines of your room. As convenient as shopping online is, it does not mean you should click “buy” before adequately educating yourself. Here are some mistakes to avoid to ensure a safe and satisfying online shopping experience:


1. Not Shopping Around


Once you see an item that you like, would you buy it straight away? Why not search further for a better price and save. In the current competitive market, online retailers tend to offer products at more attractive prices. By spending a fair amount of time looking through various online stores, you can, not only compare prices, but also gather more information like delivery time and shipping costs to help you make a more informed purchase decision.


2. Forgetting to Search for and Shop with a Coupon


Coupon codes are a great way to save money. Why pay full price when you can save a percent off your product? The majority of online stores offer these money-saving codes, which can be found with just a quick search. Some websites like iPrice, readily provide their coupons by highlighting it on their homepage so that consumers can easily find and use them.


3. Skipping Reviews

There is no greater fury than a customer scorned, either by a bad product or bad service experience. Many tend to make their displeasure known online. However, it is also the forum for those satisfied with their purchase to give praise to their favourite product. Bloggers and vloggers are readily available to provide useful information like how-to-use the product and their opinions after using the product. Always read reviews on the item that you intend to purchase. This can give you better insights on the product quality, what the product is used for and user experience.

As there are many opinions out there, one way to avoid being overwhelmed by it all, is to look out for the three-star reviews. These tend to offer more pros and cons, whereas five-star reviews could be inflated and those with one-star could just be from customers who are never happy.


4. Purchasing from Unknown or Insecure Sites

An important part of online shopping is to be able to trust the website. You can get clues about the security by entering the company’s website url in the browser. A good indication is if url begins with https rather than http, the added 's' shows that it is a secure site. Another clue to look for is 'padlock icon' before the website’s address indicating that the site uses encryption to ensure security. One more clue, you can get if website is secured with SSL certificate such as (Extended Validation) EV SSL of Comodo and that clue is you can also see business/company name in the browser. A good rule of thumb is not to purchase anything from suspicious looking or unknown websites – let alone linger on one. Such websites pose high potential in not only messing up your order but worse of all, compromising your credit card or debit card information.


5. Not Using Your Credit Card

Shopping online with a debit card will help limit your spending as you can only shop with the amount you have in your bank account. However, using a debit card runs a higher risk of identity theft and hackers being able to access your personal bank account and money. Should hackers gain access to your bank account, getting your money back will be difficult and in some cases, you may be forced to close your account.

Using credit cards to shop online is generally more secure than debit cards. With the rise in identity theft and fraud, credit cards offer better consumer protection against unauthorised transactions. Some avid online shoppers even use a separate credit card for all their online shopping. With this, any would-be hacker would have access to that one credit card and a call to the credit card provider would help remedy the situation.

A good habit to practice is to review your credit card statements regularly and keep a track of all your transactions. Should you spot anything that should not be on your bill, do contact the credit card provider immediately.


6. Making Online Purchases on Public Wi-Fi Connections
While shopping over public wi-fi at a café or other public areas may be a good way to pass the time, it is not recommended due to security reasons. Such public wi-fi access areas are often not properly secured and can be easily compromised by hackers. Your personal information and credit card details are at risk. So, it is best to do your online shopping when at home or on a secure private network.


7. Not Reading the Return Policy

Found the item that you were looking for, bought it with just one click and discovered that it was not the correct size. Only then to find out that it is stated in the terms and conditions that the item cannot be returned nor exchangeable once sold. A common mistake but a frustrating one.

When shopping for clothes and shoes, always be aware that different retailers, brand and model has the potential to be different. Checking size charts can give you a better idea of how different garments fit. Keep a reminder of your current measurements and typical sizes by your favourite retailer near your computer for quick reference while shopping online.

As good practice, do go through the return policy of each online retailer before you make your purchase.


8. Getting Caught in the Free Trial Trap

As retailers are always eager to keep you updated and informed of the latest promotion or trends, any online shopper regularly receives promotions and free trial offers. This makes signing up for membership or newsletters easy. If you do so, just ensure that the membership perks or the offers are genuine and they are benefits that you will actually use.

Be especially wary of free trials that require your credit card details. Some retailers may sign you up for a long-term subscription without your consent.


9. Falling for “Attractive” Deals and “Exciting” E-mail Links


A majority of consumers at some point of their shopping experience can admit to have fallen for the “attractive and exciting discounts” which one can enjoy by just signing up the retailers’ online form. However, this is followed by a daily influx of emails proclaiming a never-ending slew of offers and discounts. Such emails can tempt you to spend more, turning one purchase into several more.

If you really want to have updates on the latest sales and promotions, one suggestion is to use a separate email account so that you can check your inbox periodically and not have them be a distraction many times in a day.

Online shopping can mean a world of discounts, infinite number of products (and brands) and an easy purchase experience. But if it compromises your personal information, identity and budget, keep in mind these pitfalls mentioned to avoid long term repercussions. By all means, do search, compare prices and save with great deals in order to enjoy a good and safe shopping experience.


Contributor:


Azhann Rosmin

With a deep love of story-telling and literature, Azhann enjoys writing as much as a kid enjoys ice-cream. With a full and fluent grasp of the English language, he writes almost as good as he spins stories of gasps and awe.

Thursday, October 5, 2017

New on Travelbook.Ph: Easy and Hassle – Free Online Booking of Tour Activities





TravelBook.ph, a leader in providing excellent online hotel booking deals in the Philippines, now becomes a one-stop website for all your travel needs as they are now offering Tours, Activities, and Transfers.

Experience the best with this newest offering from TravelBook.ph!

Book affordable travel packages, exciting tours and activities, and convenient in-land and boat transfers via Travelbook.ph!  Just log on at www.travelbook.ph/tour, choose an activity, transfer service, or travel package to avail, and indicate your preferred travel destination and date.


At TravelBook.ph, you can get the cheapest rates on your tours and activities as they perform daily market monitoring to ensure that they are offering the most affordable prices.

No need to wait any longer for your booking confirmation! Expect to get an immediate confirmation on your reservations alongside the necessary details of the activity that you availed. Prices are also fixed so you don’t have to worry about the additional fees and charges.

At www.travelbook.ph/tour, there are more than 1,300 exciting tours and transfer plans to choose from! You may now plan the activities that you want ahead of your trip and still get the best deals! Now travelling gets extra fun and convenient!

Your best travel experience is just few clicks away! Book your tours, activities and transfers now via www.travelbook.ph/tour

Cosplay Mania 2017: Stressful Queues, Missed Meet and Greets, But Lots of Fun with Friends



First of all, Cosplay Mania has been a blast for me. Regardless of the hardships I encountered on both days of the event. It amazed me how star studded the event was. Inviting seiyuus we all love and cosplayers we go gaga all over. The Japanese singers are all fantastic. Even though I only knew a few of the songs they performed, I kept my head banging, my hand keep swaying and I keep on shouting cheers till my voice got hoarse. Even the creators of Yuri on Ice was a huge bomb to me, having them tell us the secret behind the success of the anime and we even got the chance to see something exclusive. In these part of the event I wish for them to keep up the good work. Having good relations to other countries especially Japan, the home of our beloved anime, should be maintained and nourished.

But because this has been a huge event, there have been problems that arise. Day 1 was hell. Yep, that was one way to describe it. I usually arrive early for events like this but I made sure that on day 1 I will arrive much earlier than my usual. I came around 7AM but the line was already long. At first I didn't mind that. It's the usual, I would say. But after they opened the door for entry and an hour already passed but my line didn't even budge a bit.
Most of the people lining up are already complaining because its really hot. I'm starting to get irritated too because a girl suddenly cut in between me and the group in front of me, thinking that it was the end of the line. Good thing she realized her mistake and looked for the end of the line. That made me ask why. Why is the line so messy and taking forever to move.
I've been attending cons for years and I even arrive late at some but the usual was 12 in the afternoon most of the line are already gone and most of congoers are already having a blast inside. But on day 1, the show already started but the attendees are still outside. I missed the first sched for the meet and greet.

At around 12 noon I am almost desperate because the Yuri on Ice panel will start at 1 and I'm still outside. 12:30 and I finally entered the SMX only to be shoved to another line for the tyvek. Then it dawned to me what is making the line move slower. It was this tyvek system that they changed. That instead of doing it in the entrance itself so that the congoers are directly entering the con area, they made another line for the tyvek booth. Its like we need to line up four times for the entrance itself. Other says that we shouldn't complain about the long line because its the usual on events like this. Yes its true. But will you complain if you fall in line at SM mega's staircase and SMX hallways with aircons and away from the glaring sun. Nope. Its the heat that they made us to endure that triggered our hot headedness.

All in all the staff was unprepared for the crowd. To think that they should have an estimate of attendees based on the pre-selling of ticket they made. We even bought the ticket earlier so it would spare us the line for the ticket buying but it all became meaningless.





After the hellish and chaotic line I finally got inside and started enjoying myself. Strolling from booth to booth, buying merchs. Watched the Yuri on Ice Panel, the only reason why I attended day 1 and then stroll again to get pics from cosplayers. When all of a sudden I encountered the best moment of my life, I turn around and there she is, my idol, Hikarin.
Starstruck and dumbfounded I didn't notice her anxiousness... She was stuck in the crowd on her way to the stage and even her assistants are clueless as to what to do. Another evidence of unpreparedness. Then I heard one of the fans says that Hikarin was sad because no one was buying for her meet and greet. Sorry to Hikarin and other guests but your fans are all trapped outside. And the most astonishing thing is Hikarin was the first to apologise to her fans that waited outside and didn't even get the chance to see her. Take note, not the Cosplay Mania organizers who first apologise but the guest themselves even though they have nothing to do in managing the event. How was that?



I gave another chance for day 2. I even arrived an hour earlier than yesterday. Luckily, my friends will all be attending so there is someone I could talk to while waiting. I hold a gold ticket and our line moved faster than yesterday so its a thumbs up for that improvement. They added another lane for the VIP and Gold which is good too because on day 1, silver moved faster than the VIP lane that made people more irritated. I also noticed the increase of police and security personnel.
On day 1 a friend of mine lost her iPhone and others among her line lost their phone too. The lack of security is alarming so I'm glad they added it up on day 2. I enjoyed taking pictures with my friend and waited for the guests meet and greet.
But alas we weren't able to attend because we don't have a stub that they did not explain how to get or where to get. I heard that you need to buy something for the meet and greet. We all thought that it was already part of the gold ticket since its one of the halls we could access. They did not explain that part thoroughly so our efforts in lining up are in vain. We even missed the Seiyuu's stage appearance for that. We even lined up an hour earlier for the Jam concert.

When we got inside, they imposed the rule of no photo and video recording, same as their other program. Me and my friends enjoyed the Jam. Singing, waving, dancing along with the guests singers. But what annoyed me is that, one of the organizer will walk in front of us every minute waving the signboard saying no photo and video recording. Its really disturbing how we are in the height of jam and they will appear in front of us. They could have make it every after song or the in between rest of the singers. I know they really want to be strict for the guests sake but they could have done it better. Its not only the guest that are important, the fans too waited for this moment for a long time not just to be pissed by their crappy management. In short if not for my friends sharing the same pain as me, I would have felt the same way as day 1.

Yes the Cosplay Mania is the best. What they offer, the guests they brought and how they presented them to us are the best. But how they treated the fans and congoers are the worst.



Written by Ailene Amihan (Hikari Kaze)

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Ready, Get Set, Let's Go to Komiket!

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Filipino Komiks Art Market (KOMIKET) will launch its biggest event of the year from October 14 to 15 at Centris Elements, EDSA corner Quezon Avenue, Quezon City.

Over 450 komiks creators, illustrators and writers, ready to share their newest works, will be present during the event. Meet and greet Komiks Superstars Arnold Arre, Gerry Alanguilan, Pol Medina Jr., and Manix Abrera, social media heavyweights Hunghang Flashbacks, Sskait and Libreng Komiks, art market favorites Gwapings ng Komiks, Ilustrador ng Kabataan, Patay Kung Patay, first-time creators from the 3rd Comic Book Creator’s Workshop, among others.

The first 1,000 attendees will get a free copy of KOMMUNITY, a komiks collection from some of the creators of the local komiks community. Artists and readers will unite at the KOMIKET TALKS: Readers Meet Creators. At least ten book club communities will meet and discuss with the creators for the first time. Get first dibs on the latest releases and bring home stickers, postcards, prints, zines and books in this affordable art market. 

Tickets are priced at 100 pesos each. Check out the Komiket Facebook page for more details.




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