Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Nurture Wellness Village: Going Back to the Basics to Promote Health and Wellness Tourism (Part 1)

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Life in the city can be so stressful and time-consuming that we often sacrifice our health and wellness just to get through the tedious and challenging tasks of the corporate world. We often forget to take care of our bodies and personal well-being in exchange of a better career or to become financially stable enough to provide well for ourselves or our family.

It is high time we remember to always allot a special time to break from all of those hectic, tedious and never-ending work loads, obligations and responsibilities. Life becomes so dull if we sacrifice our personal pleasures too much, and we may not be aware of it, but we often turn into sad, weak and less productive individuals if we continue this routine towards an eventual destruction of our bodies, mind and soul.

Let's take a breather, refresh and go into a journey of health and wellness, even just for the weekend. Living life to its fullest does not mean being able to accomplish a lot of task and endeavors. It should mean being able to enjoy life while we reap the rewards of our success.For me, it's all about being able to reach our full potential, and we could only do that if we are completely healthy and well.

A visit at the Nurture Wellness Village helped us with our search for the real nurturing experience. When we want a satisfying journey into a place where nature surrounds and creativity abounds, there's no other place to go but in Tagaytay where you can start your journey into health and wellness.

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Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, an international upscale hotel management company with over 16,000 staff members, is represented in 25 countries with 82 hotels, resorts and Nile cruisers currently in operation. Around 30 properties are planned or under construction, including Chiang Mai (Thailand), Istanbul Golden Horn (Turkey) and Kochi (India).

Focusing on expansion in its core markets of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts specialises in business and conference hotels, as well as holiday resorts, all reflecting a sense of place and respect for their local communities. Of Swiss heritage and headquartered in Zurich, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is passionate about delivering premium service and culinary enjoyment – all with a personal touch. Committed to sustainable environments, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has become the most Green Globe certified hotel company in the world. The hotel company is owned by the Mövenpick Holding (66.7%) and the Kingdom Group (33.3%).

The company’s third beach resort in Thailand has opened at Koh Samui island’s most idyllic sunset location.

Relaxing on Koh Samui’s best sunset beach is just one of the highlights at Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts’ latest Thai property. Mövenpick Resort Laem Yai Beach Samui, which opened on 6 December, is a stunning boutique beach resort with 50 rooms, pool villas, beachfront villas and two-bedroom villas.

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Bookassist, the world's leading booking engine technology provider partners with hotels to build their brand online, drive direct business to their branded website, capture bookings with world class booking technology, help them optimize their online distribution and ensure they grow their margin per booking.

It has been recently crowned World’s Leading Booking Engine Technology Provider for a record third successive year at the World Travel Awards, widely viewed as the Oscars of the travel industry. Recognised across the globe as the ultimate accolade, it rewards those brands that are pushing the boundaries of industry excellence.

This third win confirms Bookassist as the only booking engine provider in the world, specialised in hotels, to win three successive titles.

The Dublin-headquartered company with worldwide operations won the prestigious World Travel Award title in 2012 and 2013. They picked up their third successive win on Sunday December 7th at the Grand Finale ceremony in Anguilla as a result of strong voting from the global hotel industry.

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Your friendly neighborhood pambansang blogger was invited to witness the U19s Junior Volcanoes Jersey Presentation hosted by FILA Philippines. The event was held last December 8, 2014 at the 2nds Restaurant located at Bonifacio Global City.

The U19s in their name stands for Under19s which means these juniors are below 19 years of age. They are being groomed as the next generation of Philippine volcanoes. This youth national program is a stepping stone in the right direction for young Filipino heritage rugby players to represent their country on the world stage.

The U19s Junior Volcanoes have had a long standing history of being one of the most dominant Division 2 teams since it s inception back in 2006. The Junior Volcanoes were crowned Champions 2006, 2009 and 2010. With a three year absence, it’s great opportunity to re-ignite the next generation of future Philippine rugby players to one day become Philippine Volcanoes.

Much like the mean's team, the U19s Junior Volcanoes is a mix of homegrown talent and overseas-based players with Filipino lineage. The squad of 30 players that have been selected to participate in the training camp will be reduced to 23 players as the tournament draws near.

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With more than ten years of successfully bringing food, cozy ambience and efficient service, not to mention its reasonable prices and huge servings, Burgoo remains to be a family favorite primarily because they give their customers a feeling of belonging.

A treat at this restaurant gives you so many reasons to thank the person who invited you. You'll have an amazing dining experience once you've tasted their namesake - Burgoo - which is a kind of stew that could soon become your favorite as well.

Our gathering at their Podium branch in Ortigas gave us the opportunity to try out their amazing Burgoo. It was quite an amazing tasty dish that's already heavy as a starter. You'll surely enjoy every bite and sip of this stew.

Carrying the banner "At Burgoo it's always a family treat," I could very well make this a family dining destination immediately after a visit at the mall or a cinema house. My kids will definitely love the sumptuous dishes served here at Burgoo. I could imagine it now as they dig in to the many tempting and delectable meals.

12 Days of Exceptional Fares This Christmas from Singapore Airlines

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In celebration of the upcoming holidays, Singapore Airlines is offering exceptional all-inclusive Economy Class fares to Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh, and Bali for sale from now until December 15, 2014. Fares are applicable for departures up until February 28, 2015.

All-inclusive Economy Class one-way fares start from USD 180. For round-trip Economy Class itineraries, travelers can avail of all-inclusive roundtrip fares to Bangkok at USD 270, USD 280 to Singapore, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Saigon as well as USD 330 to Denpasar.

Passengers traveling beyond Singapore can redeem a complimentary SGD20 Changi Dollar Voucher at the iShopChangi Collection Centre in Singapore Changi Airport Terminals 2 or 3. Also, passengers with at least five hours of transit in Singapore can avail of complimentary city tours that showcase the city’s prominent tourist landmarks.

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"Dear Ross. Thank you so much for coming! I truly believe that the Philippines will rise through the GK spirit." - Thomas Graham
That was the dedication written by the author when he signed the book he gave me during the book launch. It is a great motivation when people other than you believe that your country can still rise amidst the dilemma it has seemingly forever sunk into. It is a much stronger inspiration when foreigners are the ones who try to give you hope.

The Genius of the Poor book written by Thomas Graham was recently launched last November 29, 2014 at the Fully Booked book store branch in High Street, Bonifacio Global City (BGC).

The book is a heartfelt and often numerous account of Thomas Graham's life-changing journey in the Philippines. Whether in prisons, conflict areas, or dangerous slums, Thomas became inspired by countless heroes that share one common dream - to build a nation in which no Filipino is ever again left behind. This tells the story of how Gawad Kalinga is rousing a remarkable nation to overcome the poverty in its midst.

With a fervent desire to find the answer to the question why poverty remained so high in the Philippines, Thomas entered the world of the poor to find solutions together with the people of Gawad Kalinga.

Following a serendipitous encounter with Gawad Kalinga founder Tony Meloto, a confused British journalist going through an early mid-life crisis ditched the shirt and tie and instead discovered for himself the genius of the poor. He quit his job, moved out of his high-rise Maniola apartment, and set out on a journey that took him across great lengths and breadths of the islands.

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Just how well do you know the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) neighborhood?

That's the challenge all must face as they try to solve diverse sets of mind-gripping puzzles coupled with the need for endurance and stamina as everyone proceeded to their next grueling tasks.

Wazzup Pilipinas thought we were there just to cover the run but was surprised to be invited to participate in the actual fun run itself. So your friendly neighborhood pambansang blogger had to sweat it all out and run wearing his trusted jeans all over BGC. It was a good thing I was wearing rubber shoes that day.

Each challenge of the BGC Run Urban Adventure was never easy as it requires team work and a lot of patience and perseverance plus the fact that the weather was not a big help when it drizzled a bit offering a tougher challenge for all fun run participants.

But this was no ordinary fun run because it required the power of the brain aside from just sweating it all out from all that running from one point to another. Armed with smartphones and cameras, we took photos of our completed tasks as proof we actually performed all of them. We even found ourselves going back and forth trying to figure out where the elusive man wearing the Andres Bonifacio costume was.

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It was inevitable that there will soon be high-tech fashionable yet functional gadgets that you can wear loud and proud. We used to just see them in sci-fi movies and TV series but now they are a reality. Like they said, anything we can imagine, we can eventually make a possibility. Soon it will become commonplace and an ordinary sight seeing people proudly wearing their multi-functional and elegant gadgets that matches their unique personalities.

Wazzup Pilipinas is proud to witness pioneering fashionable wearable technologies sold at Power Mac Center branches. Your friendly neighborhood pambansang blogger is so pleased to see these technologies finally coming out in full force, of which I'm sure other brands are soon to follow the trend...or fad... But regardless of how popular it will soon become, we are grateful they bare now available in the country for everyone to appreciate. The possibilities are endless.

Similar to the same gadgets we saw during Power Mac Center's Fusion: Wearable Tech Fashion Show featuring stylish wearable gadgets from brands like Garmin, Cookoo, Cogito, Misfit and Jawbone. It's time to fuse as says their hashtag for the nigh #TimeToFuse while we saw several models walking the runway while wearing the wearable tech gadgets from the said brands.

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Do we really need to learn about the sensitivities of the LGBT community to easily come up with effective media strategies?

Some would agree without any hesitation while some would vehemently raise their brows. We all know everybody wants to be treated equally and nobody wants to see certain groups given special care. Though everyone appreciates a VIP treatment, we sometimes get into much trouble if we treat each other unfairly and with discrimination. The real problem comes when some people think they deserve some form of entitlement. Don't we just hate it when we see some people think they are more privileged to earn more respect thinking they have earned the right to break all forms of courtesy?

Like every other group or faction out there, the LGBT community is composed of various individuals with unique personalities. Just like the rest of us, not everyone of them has the same point of view and way of doing things. We are all born uniquely different from each other, and that is what really makes us very special.

I believe the #RainbowConnection: Demystifying the LGBT Market held last November 28, 2014 at the Best Western Plus Antel Hotel seeks to identify better methods to communicate and reach out to the LGBT community. It is with great admiration to the organizers to become part of a worldwide concern in the further understanding of the LGBT market and the many potentials it offers to everyone.

Christmas Decorations Around the World

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Are you curious about Christmas preparations happening around the world? Are they the same for most countries, or are they unique in every aspect? We are aware that there are many celebrations where we were influenced in one way or another by other countries especially from the dominating Western side, or the neighboring ones. Wouldn't it be interesting to learn about these things. So join us and let's take a world tour of how different countries prepare for Christmas.

Trees covered in tinsel and baubles. Stockings hanging from the fireplace. Elaborate outdoor light displays popping up all over the neighborhood.

Think of decorating your home for Christmas and at least one of these traditions will likely spring to mind. Yet all over the world, countries celebrating Christmas have their own set of customs for decorating their homes for the holidays.

In Mexico, nativity-themed Christmas decorations are carved from radishes. In chilly Antarctica, fish heads hang in doorways to replace mistletoe. And in Ghana, palm trees decorated with candles replace traditional Christmas trees to suit the tropical climate.

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Healthway Medical, the trusted and most preferred network of mall-based clinic in the Philippines, offers a unique one-stop-shop setting where minor surgical operations, special medical examinations and preventive healthcare and specialized medical consultations are performed under the administration of reputable and experienced doctors in the country.

It recently opened its newest branch in Manila located at the ground floor of 8 Adriatico Tower Padre Faura corner George Bocobo streets in Ermita, just a few steps away from its previous location at Robinson's Place Manila. The new clinic may be smaller but it still houses the same facilities and continue to provide the same Alagang Healthway Brand of Service Excellence.

The ribbon cutting and unveiling of the clinic was led by their special guests Rep. Amado Bagatsing of the 5th District of Manila alongside Ms. Carmie De Leon, Vice President for Sales & Marketing, Ms. Reynalyn Tomada, Clinic Manager, and other officials of Healthway.

Since this branch is the smallest among the other branches, they just have around 40 individuals composed of nurses, medical technologists, radio technologists and other staff ready to serve you. This does not include the doctors which reaches at almost 70. This means there's more than a hundred individuals that you can meet during your visit at this Healthway Clinic.

Animahenasyon 2014: The 8th Animation Festival from the Animation Council of the Philippines

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Who doesn't love animation? I haven't met anyone who isn't interested watching one or two of those computer-generated graphics coming to life on any screen size may it be on TV, the cinema house or online. It's actually harder, more expensive and takes a lot of patience to make a blockbuster animated movie compared to a regular movie minus the special effects and the huge Hollywood paycheck of the celebrities.

All of the movie productions nowadays implement the use of digital graphics and animation to enhanced their movies, you can find the works of animation artists almost everywhere especially on mainstream movies. They can create animations that are almost life-like and could pass for the real thing.
Here in the Philippines, some of our local artists share the limelight with other foreign animation experts as they now could also apply the same techniques in our local movies, for example "Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles," which have used the art of digital animation for their special effects and background/foreground settings. The part 2 of the movie now called "Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles 2" also capitalized on the use of digital animation incorporated in the movie to make an outstanding array of special effects to improve the entertainment viewing experience.
The 8th Animation Festival dubbed as Animahenasyon (Filipino equivalent of Animagination which is a combination of animation and imagination) organized by the Animation Council of the Philippines in partnership with the iAcademy, gathers together experts and enthusiasts in one venue to give opportunities to the youth, and the young-at-heart, to discover and explore the art of animation. The event happened from November 25 to 28, 2014 at the new iAcademy building (formerly the Mondragon building) located along Buendia (Gil Puyat) Avenue.

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The Theatre at Solaire at the Solaire Resort & Casino proudly raised its curtains and is all set for stellar performances. Just a few days ago, it initiated the opening of its doors to the performing arts with a grand launch last November 26, 2014 led by Audie Gemora, Director for Entertainment.

Your friendly neighborhood pambansang blogger was among the select few who was invited to witness the unveiling of the spectacular fan-shaped lyric theater with a seating capacity of 1, 760 people. The theater is ideal for all forms of the performing arts - be it musical, opera, ballet, pop concert, concerto, awards night, competition, circus act, kiddie show or corporate event.

Boasting of the best light and sound equipment, it is the first theater in the country and among a few in the region that is equipped with the groundbreaking technology called Constellation Acoustic System (CAS) exclusively provided by Meyer Sound. The CAS combines patented algorithm, advanced digital processing, and miniature transducer technology to provide optimal yet flexible acoustics in building design. It enables the acoustical properties of a room to be altered to suit the nature of the event taking place in just a touch of a finger.

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Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization with a 90% market share, ONE Fighting Championship (ONE FC), returned to Manila in spectacular fashion, showcasing another night of world-class mixed martial arts action in front of a packed crowd at the MOA Arena. In the main event of the evening, Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes submitted Dae Hwan Kim with a Rear Naked Choke to retain his ONE FC Bantamweight World Championship. Brandon Vera knocked out Igor Subora in a battle of heavyweights and Timofey Nastyukhin shocked the crowd with a knockout of hometown MMA hero Eduard Folayang.

ONE FC Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes retained his title with a submission win over Korea’s Dae Hwan Kim. Kim proved to be a live challenger as he tested Fernandes’ championship mettle in the first round with a display of lightning quick strikes that found their mark. In the second round, Fernandes turned to grappling as he quickly worked to secure Kim’s back after the Korean missed a punch. Moments later, Fernandes locked in a Rear Naked Choke, forcing Kim to tap out.

In the co-main event of the evening, international mixed martial arts superstar Brandon “The Truth” Vera of the Philippines defeated URCC champion Igor Subora of the Ukraine via spectacular knockout, sending the MOA Arena crowd into a frenzy. The fight started off with both fighters trading heavy blows. Vera caught Subora in a Muay Thai clinch and unleashed a couple of knees to the head. Towards the end of the round, Vera slipped a punch by Subora and countered with a straight left, dropping his opponent and throwing in two more kicks for good measure. The referee stepped in to stop the fight, awarding Vera with the victory.