Victoria Court | #VPartySeries Festivale

Victoria Court is inviting everyone to Festivale - Victoria Court's summer party this coming April 18, 2015 at Victoria Court Pasig.

 

Get ready to party to the sound of DJ Mars Miranda, Ashley Rivera, and the DJs of Beat Project Manila. Enjoy overflowing food & drinks, win tons of prizes and  hang out with FHM models & Victoria Court's celebrity ambassadors, Aubrey Miles & Troy Montero.

To RSVP, kindly send us an email at vpartyseries@gmail.com, please don't forget to include how many friends are you bringing.

Lunch at Tootsie’s Tagaytay

We want to try something new in Tagaytay. We skip our usual RSM stopover and drive a bit further, randomly stopping on a small restaurant that first caught our attention - and that is, as the title goes, - Tootsie’s!

The interior of this restaurant was very homey, vintage-inspired with a touch of antique Filipino pride like chimes of wooden pigs, carabaos, fishes and more.

The structure itself is quite old and a bit rusty but that just add a touch of art and history to this place. The smell of lemongrass entices your senses to the local Filipino dishes that they offer in a very affordable price.

Unfortunately, I hadn’t got the time to take photos of our orders; but the star of our table, the Beef Bulalo really pulls off my expectation of tender meat and savory broth.

The crews were very friendly; they even give toddlers special treats. Clyde was happy to get a hold of a big chocolate lollipop for dessert! And their restrooms are satisfactory clean.

Summer Kicks Off with Goooal!: The Real Madrid Foundation Clinic

It’s a fundraising event like no other before by Fundación Santiago in collaboration with the Fundación Real Madrid. It’s “Goooal: The Real Madrid Foundation Clinic.”

This two-week football training for the youth and for football coaches will happen in a span of 12 days from April 19 to May 2 in Metro Manila and in Negros Occidental. Goooal! participants will be trained by the best coaches from the Real Madrid C.F. youth team in Spain on individual technique and tactical team training.

In the words of Fundación Santiago executive director, Chaco Molina: “Here’s a case that proves that doing good is More Fun in the Philippines. Indeed a unique opportunity to be of help to those who have less in life while enjoying the practice of your favourite sport, mentored by internationally acclaimed coaches.”

It all started with a novel joint project in Nasugbu, Batangas designed to keep children in school and out of harms-way through the practice of football. Notably, the proceeds from “Goooal!: The Real Madrid Foundation Clinic” will go to Fundación Santiago’s Volun2rism Program, particularly the Real Madrid Foundation Social Sports School (Escuelas Socio Deportivas) in Batangas and Negros Occidental.

It will foster inclusive development for under-served children while they pursue their passion for football and enhance their academic performance. The Social Sports School likewise aspires to teach them good values associated with sports and teamwork as well as healthy living.

This summer “Goooal: The Real Madrid Foundation Clinic” will hone the football skills of participants, ages 7 to 18 years old, in daily sessions held at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila from April 20 to 24 and at the SJR Football Field in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental from April 27 to May 1.

The Coach Clinic is a whole day educational session for football coaches on pre-championship and pre-competition preparation for young players, set for April 19, in Metro Manila and on May 2, in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

“Goooal: The Real Madrid Foundation Clinic” is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, the Spanish Embassy in Manila, MAPFRE-Insular, Roxas Holdings and Lifeline.

For more info, you may contact Cheska Lacson, Resource Mobilization Officer of Fundación Santiago at E: cheska@fundacionsantiago.com | M: +63936 -9677660 | T: 696-2457

Cate Blanchett Reveals a Beauty Secret: Daily Sun Care and Protection

Skincare has evolved with technological breakthroughs that continue to identify causes of skin damage, as well as preventive and restorative treatments that address specific problems to make our skin more vibrant and healthier-looking. However, with each milestone in the science of skin, we have yet to master the biggest beauty secret of all: sunscreen.

Daylong, from the makers of Cetaphil, is now taking the advocacy in encouraging everyone to commit to using sunscreen every day. 

Daylong brand manager, Jon Lee, stresses the importance of using sunscreen daily. Backed by information from the World Health Organization and Daylong’s study into everyday UV levels, Jon reveals, “Sun exposure in the city is not at all that different from the beach. UV radiation levels can get as high in the urban environment as when you’re out of town. Even indoors, the sun’s rays could still seep through windows or bounce off from walls or surfaces – and even laptops, video screens, and room lighting emit radiation. When we deal with daily UV exposure, we’re talking about accumulated, cellular damage, which translates to both cosmetic problems such as wrinkles and skin health problems like photodermatitis and melanoma.”                          

Apart from clinically proven protection against skin cancers, Daylong defends down to the cellular level to prevent DNA damage, which causes collagen degradation, sagging, and fine lines. Premature skin aging is often triggered by daily, long-term UV damage, and everyday sunscreen usage is a key component to keeping skin looking younger.

One such icon of seemingly eternal youth is Oscar-winning actress, Cate Blanchett. In an interview with Glamour magazine, she attributes her classical, ageless beauty to her favorite moisturizer, as well as to her daily sunscreen of choice, Daylong. Besides her usual beauty regimen, she never skips sunscreen on a daily basis especially under the sun from New York to Australia.

To strengthen its commitment for everyday sunscreen use, Daylong is working with five women that embody the urban lifestyle – namely student and FOX Sports Asia courtside reporter, Janeena Chan; model and mommy blogger Jackie Go; the triathlete known as The Bull Runner, Jaymie Pizzaro; beauty blogger and owner of Catwalk Cosmetics and Wigs, Marj Sia; and lifestyle show writer and host, Marie Lozano.

These women have taken on the commitment of spreading the word of daily sunscreen wear whether at the beach or in the city. Equipped with new knowledge on how to change the view on sun protection, Daylong aims to spread awareness on the daily sunscreen use from the cloudiest day up to the sunniest summer day. Achieving skin as healthy and as beautiful as these ambassadors is possible.

Daylong is applicable even for the most sensitive skin. It can even be worn under make-up without any problems because of its non-greasy and non-comedogenic properties.

Daylong’s commitment to daily sun care can be viewed online at www.Daylong.ph, and on Daylong Philippines’ social media pages: DaylongPH on Facebook and @DaylongPH on Twitter and Instagram.

PH start-up makes it to elite roster of Silicon Valley babies

Kalibrr, a Philippine tech start-up, recently joined the ranks of successful companies like AirBnB, Reddit, Dropbox, Scribd and 9-gag, which were initially funded by Silicon Valley venture firm, Y-Combinator. Headed by University of California-Berkeley alumni, Paul Rivera and Dexter Ligot-Gordon, Kalibrr is a cloud-based job-matching platform, which makes online recruitment not only faster and smarter, but also more reliable.

Kalibrr generated a whopping $2 million, the largest fund raised by a local start-up so far. This was made possible by a number of investors, 75% of which are foreign-based including Pierre Omidyar of eBay and Y Combinator, and 25% from PH-based Kickstart Ventures.

“We are proud to be the first Filipino company to receive support from the Valley, but we certainly hope that we are not the last,” says Rivera, Kalibrr founder.

The firm started local operations in the fourth quarter of 2014 and their platform is currently on beta, but the founders recently disclosed their plan of going full swing by the second quarter of this year. 

“We are almost done getting initial feedback from our clients and from the jobseekers using Kalibrr. After that, we will be able to add more features to the site. Thanks to the seed fund, we were able to grow the team with just me and Dexter to about 32 people, handling front- and back-end, content, and sales.” adds Rivera.

Six months after going online and Kalibrr has already provided 1,000 jobs to individuals and has gained the trust of over 2,300 companies, including key players in the telecommunications, real estate, finance, and services sectors.

“Kalibrr’s vision is simple—Evolution and revolution of recruitment. We want to remove the notion of job search. It’s now job match. We want to create an ideal experience for both the job seeker, and company to be able to connect and match with each other. We’re truly innovating in our space and I think we can be very proud to say that we are bringing this technology not only in Manila, but to Cebu, Davao, the entire Philippines, and soon, the rest of the world, ” shares Dexter Ligot-Gordon, co-founder.  

“I think people will be inspired and they will realize that we can really build a valuable technology and start an organization in the Philippines. This will be a testament where the country is at this point of time, relative to the rest of the world.  The Philippines is now back in a global economic stage. We are no longer the sick man of Asia. We’re probably the healthiest man in Asia right now,” concludes Rivera.

Official Website: https://www.kalibrr.com/

Have a Moment of Serenitea in Davao City

With their newest franchise opening in the Crown Jewel of Mindanao, Serenitea looks to further cement their place as the country’s leading homegrown milk tea brand. One of the forerunners of the milk tea craze in the Philippines, Serenitea held the grand opening of their second branch outside of Manila last month, drawing an excited crowd with their signature Jumbo Cup promo.

General Manager, Juliet Herrera, stated that the company found an opportunity to expand in Davao, given the market demand for the brand in the city.

“Serenitea aims to be the preferred choice of Filipinos from all over the country when it comes to enjoying a serene tea-drinking experience, which is why we wanted to be present nationwide,” added Herrera.

As a nod to their Davao market, Serenitea also came up with Durian Madness, exciting new drinks that incorporate the region’s specialty. Exclusively offered in Serenitea Davao, customers can choose between Durian Milk Tea, Durian Royal Frost, Matcha Durian Slush, & Cocoa Durian Slush.

With this innovative and healthy teashop’s passion for serving delicious snacks, and top quality drinks with every cup of freshly brewed tea, Davaoeños can now also have moments of Serenitea at the new branch.

Serenitea Davao is located at Victoria Plaza Complex, J.P. Laurel Ave, Bajada, Davao City and is open from Mondays to Sundays, from 11:00 AM – 12:00 MN.

 

For more information on Serenitea, like https://www.facebook.com/iloveserenitea and follow @iloveserenitea on Twitter and Instagram.

Sunkist Saya Promo in San Mig Food Avenue

Sunkist has partnered with San Mig Food Avenue in Petron to share Sunkist saya, with their latest promo! Enjoy any Sunkist CJ – Orange, Lemonade, or Apple – with steamed siopao or TJ hotdog sandwich, plus a free chocolate bar for only P50. Snack time has never been this fun, with Sunkist CJ at San Mig Food Ave.

Maynilad holds World Water Day 2015 Run

Maynilad is presenting the “World Water Day 2015 : Let’s Run for Water and Sustainable Development” organized by Runners Republiq and RG Events this March 22, 2015 at the CCP Complex, Pasay City.

The event is expected to draw some 4,000 runners, including employees of 25 private organizations and government agencies led by DENR.

As culminating activity for the week-long celebration of World Water Day 2015 from March 16 to 22, the run aims to inspire Filipinos to do their part in promoting greater access to clean water and environmental responsibility. The initiative also aims to create awareness on the role of water in meeting all development needs.

Race categories include 1K and 3K for fun runners, as well as 5K, 10K and 21K for competitive runners.

A special touch to the event shall be a symbolic 1K fun walk, wherein the participants shall be carrying saplings throughout the race.  These saplings shall be the planted in Maynilad’s La Mesa Water Treatment Plant Compound, the facility that produces drinking water for 8.9 million people daily.

For more details about the run and other Maynilad-led WWD events, visit FB/MayniladWaterWarrior or FB/runnersrepubliq.

Endless fun under the Philippine Sun

 

Who doesn't love a little fun in the sun? The beach can be a perfect way to spend the day and get some summer moments with your loved ones. Summer means sun, shorts, sandals, bathing suits, and bronzed skin. But with beach hair and shorter hemlines comes the dangers that not only instigate the probability of skin cancer, but the aging process as well. Sun exposure is, essentially, subjecting yourself to sun damage – but in the same note, avoiding the outdoors altogether is both impractical and nearly impossible.

Dermplus Moisturizing Sunblock is the answer to your skin problems this summer. It is formulated with unbeatable UVA and UVB filters to protect your skin in the harsh ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Dermplus sunblock physically blocks and reflects light and it also helps heal skin damage caused by over-exposure to the sun.  Dermplus Sunblock is available in different SPFs like SPF 24 that is recommended for morena skin and for indoor use, SPF 35 for fair skin and SPF 80 and 130 for extreme outdoor activities. Use Dermplus Moisturizing Sunblock and worry no more about the harmful Ultra Violet A (UVA) and Ultra Violet B (UVB) rays. Whether you will spend your summer in Boracay, Cebu, Palawan or in Bohol, never forget your number one sun defense partner. Dermplus Moisturizing Sunblock is also trusted by Emilio “Chieffy” Caligdong, a professional football player and the former team captain of the National Football Team.

Dermplus Moisturizing Sunblock is available in all leading drugstores, supermarkets and department stores nationwide. For more information call 817 33 03 or like us on Facebook.

Fight Like a Girl with Absolute Mom, Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo

In line with International Women's Day, Absolute Pure Distilled Drinking Water is supporting the International Krav Maga Federation (IKMF) Philippines and Absolute mom Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo in empowering women & teaching them how to protect themselves from possible harm.

 

IKMF Philippines & Absolute Pure Distilled Drinking Water brings you a Women Empowerment & Self-Defense Seminar

Women now have more freedom to choose the career, lifestyle and adventures that may possibly bring them more fulfillment in life.  With all of the options and resources available for them to pursue their careers and passions, the possibility of staying out late or going to distant places can be too inviting to resist. However, this also increases their exposure to risks of being assaulted.

According to the Philippine Commission on Women, cases of rape or attempted rape, acts of lasciviousness, and physical injuries on women reported to the Philippine National Police have been on the rise since 2004 to 2013.[1] Moreover, according to the 2008 National Demographic and Health Survey conducted by the National Statistics Office, one in five Filipino women age 15-49 has experienced physical violence since age 15.

To teach women how to protect themselves from such risks and in celebration of Women’s Month this March, Absolute Pure Distilled Drinking Water and the International Krav Maga Federation (IKMF) Philippines will be holding an open seminar entitled “Fight Like a Girl” on March 14, 2015, Saturday, at the Amoranto Stadium in Diliman, Quezon City.

Originally developed for the military and law enforcement units, Krav Maga has been adapted teach women self-defense systems for all types of threats and attacks. The event will be for the benefit of the Touch a Heart Foundation, an NGO supported by Absolute mom Judy Ann Santos–Agoncillo, who herself is an active member and student of IKMF Philippines.

Says Abe Cipriano, AVP for Marketing, ABI Non-Alcoholic Brands, “Absolute has always been a firm believer in women’s strength; we would like to empower women through building their physical and emotional confidence in their capacity to protect themselves. Aided with an arsenal of self-defense moves and techniques, Absolute supermoms will be able to provide the highest quality of protection, care, and love for their families.”

MUNI Market Day promotes healthy, sustainable living with a fun, community vibe

Now on its 3^rd run, MUNI Market Day continues to bring together mindful merchants and conscious consumers, this time on March 28,2015, 9AM-5PM at Capitol Commons. True to its mission of providing not just an avenue for sellers, MUNI Market Day continues with its goals to educate guests on how to introduce healthier, more sustainable options into their lifestyle.

Apart from feasting on wholesome food and buying local or eco-friendly products, interested attendees can sign up for workshops on Urban Farming by Bahay Kubo Organics, Plant-based Nutrition by The Superfood Grocer, Vegan / Gluten-Free Cooking by Jertie’s Kitchen, and Indoor Planting by The Green House Project. Also, one of the unique draws or highlights of MUNI Market Day is the selection of musicians who bring a lot of good vibes throughout the event.

MUNI Market Day is brought to you by MUNI, a collaborative community that has been working to promote mindful living through events like this, meetups, forums, or other workshops, design collaborations, and content, which can be found on www.muni.com.ph, or their Muni PH Facebook page.

 

For more inquiries or possible collaborations, e-mail the Muni team at events.muni@gmail.com, or merchants.muni@gmail.com for interested merchants. For more information visit www.muni.com.ph/MuniMarketDay3.

Website: www.muni.com.ph

Facebook: www.facebook.com/muni.ph

Twitter: www.twitter.com/muni_ph

Instagram: www.instagram.com/muni_ph

Man-Made Forest

The most I'm proud of the Boholanos, is their love for nature - not just in words but in deeds. I am so pleased and encouraged to learn that because the quality of the soil in some parts of Bilar was not sustainable and is hence prone to landslide, the local government in the early 1940's ask the people to cooperate in planting trees and most of these are hard wood mahogany.

This was made possible by the effort of different private sectors, students and teachers including the military. They were able to plant a kilometer stretch of man-made forest. The trees were so huge you won't feel the scorching sun even if its 12 noon sharp! All you can do is appreciate the shades, the greens and the smell of fresh air - the beauty of the environment.

Bumps, Babies and Beyond

This sumptuous party exclusive for expectant couples was held last February 28, Saturday at The Alphatents, 5th floor Alphaland Southgate Tower and was hosted by

Ms. Jill Ngo - mom, fitness advocate and belly dance instructor. This event is a mixture of baby bazaar, tips about newborn, healthy cooking, breastfeeding and the Cordlife's one chance, one choice.

Bumps, Babies and Beyond: A Grand Affair was made possible by MommyMundo and

Cordlife Philippines.

The first speaker was Halo Philippines President, Mrs. Ivy Lim-Estaban - a safe sleep advocate, distributor of award-winning Halo sleep sack and a mom of 2. She talked about the dangers of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and showed us how to prevent it.

Safe sleep is as easy as ABC's.

A - alone
No loose beddings including soft objects and toys. "I maybe cute, but I'm deadly."

B - back is best
Face up, lie on back

C - clutter-free crib
Use wearable blanket - sleepsack swaddle and sleepsack wear

As Ms. Jill NGO reminded us, "An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure."

Photo via

Next in line was Dr. Janice Joy Lim who talked about MetaScreen as an extended-newborn screening on the 2nd day of life. Mrs. Abigail Yabut, a La Leche League Leader encourages moms to breastfeed exclusively for up to 6 months while giving us tips on how to be successful about it while having quality bonding time with our bundle-o-joy! Chef Agnes Borromeo demonstrated some homemade recipes perfect for pregnant moms while Dr. Corazon Bangug de Jesus explain the need and importance of banking cord blood and placenta.

Aside from the informative talks, there are booths with fun side activities with perks and freebies! Some of the booths were:

Lactacyd - featuring safe and effective way to support women at different stages of life including pregnancy, to stay healthy and feel confident. Lactacyd products offer cleanliness, freshness, and comfort for the confidence every woman needs to bring out her best. Not just that, Lactacyd now caters even the needs of babies' delicate skin!

Mustela - has specialized in skincare products for babies for more than 60 years, carrying out new research in an ongoing effort to better understand the needs of the delicate skin of babies. Drawing on this unique expertise that it is evident through  new discoveries, Mustela can provide all babies and their mothers with increasingly effective, safe and natural care.

Photo via

MetaScreen - I will be talking about this on another post so stay tuned!

Enfant - selling baby clothes and items on sale.

The booths are exciting but the fun didn't end there because aside from the discounted items, the event was filled with treats and raffle prizes from Café Ysabel, Buenisimo, Enfant, Mustela, Halo, Beauty & Butter, Cycles, Cradle, and Honeysuckle! Baby Caricature booth, Photobooth and Measure-UP booth!

My two-months preggy sister won a gift pack from Lactacyd!

While yours truly won a Php500.00 discount card from Halo - which is my ticket to take home a brand new newborn sleepwear sack for my baby! I am very much excited to share my experience with Halo sleepwear sack! I just can't wait to pop and smell/kiss my little bundle of joy!

The event ended with Cordlife representatives at each table explaining Cord Blood Banking which may include the preservation of placenta and the 2nd day newborn screening called MetaScreen.

I will post another entry for the recipes from Chef Agnes because I did enjoy the risotto and that salmon walnut was delightful!

Nestea in a Bottle Sweetens Shell Eco-Marathon

Shell brought its Eco-Marathon here in Manila last February 26 to March 1. The country witnessed self-built fuel-efficient cars from all around Asia compete for supreme energy efficiency. Helping them stay on top of the heart of competition was the refreshing goodness of Nestea.

They took the plunge with the new Nestea 350mL PET bottle that brings you the same goodness of tea, but now in a handy and easy-to-carry bottle. It’s perfect refreshment on the go. Participants visited the Nestea booth in Rizal Grand Park, Manila and enjoyed free samples of its three refreshing flavors – Lemon, Apple, and Lemon ice.

  

MTRCB Launches its 2015 TV and Film Infomercial

2015 marks the 30^th year of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).  To kick off the celebration of its anniversary, MTRCB formally launched its new infomercial on 23 February 2015 at 2:00 p.m., MTRCB Building.  Directed by renowned film and television director Jose Javier “Joey” Reyes, Jr., DGPI and conceptualized by Mr. Erlito “Lilit” Reyes, the infomercial features actors-spouses Ryan and Judy Ann Agoncillo in a typical morning situation at home.  In such scene, their depicted child picks up a word from a TV feature and asks the elders in the house what it means.

The infomercial aims to challenge parents and responsible adults to be aware of the media content our children are exposed to, and to be mindful of the MTRCB’s classification ratings.  Parents are also reminded that the primary duty in guiding their children as to the media the latter see still rests in them.

Details of the infomercial were discussed by Director Joey Reyes, Ryan and Judy Ann Agoncillo, Lilit Reyes and MTRCB Board Members Bibeth Orteza and Manet Dayrit, the latter being Co-Chairpersons of the Infomercial Committee. 

 

The launch was culminated by the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the TV Networks and theater operators to ensure showing of the infomercial and to continuously empower the general public towards discerning viewership and thus, among other objectives, inform parents as to the media and entertainment their children may see. 

The infomercial will be aired in all television networks and theaters nationwide starting 25 February 2015.

Know more about this here:

https://www.facebook.com/digitalmediaph

http://digitalmediaph.com

UTrade Supports Stock Market Investment Summit

UTrade, the online stock trading platform of Unicapital Securities, will be sponsoring the upcoming “Stock Market Investing Summit”, to be held on February 28 at the SMX Aura, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. Speaker Michael Garcia, the CEO of MBG Capital, will be speaking about value investing in portfolio management. The summit aims to empower and educate Filipinos by providing direct access to investment experts.

This year’s theme is Invest Like Warren: How to Be a Successful Value Investor. Named after the renowned business magnate and investor, Warren Buffet, it is the first value investing conference in the Philippines, focused on the strategies and principles of high-powered investors such as Buffet.

According to Leonardo Arguelles, Jr., President of Unicapital Securities, “UTrade will be participating in more consumer conferences, fora, and summits to encourage more Filipinos to view the stock market as a viable investment option, especially given the country’s investment-grade rating. By educating and empowering potential investors, we can all build portfolios that can help secure our financial future.”

Attendees will get an opportunity to visit the UTrade booth during the event and learn more about UTrade, in addition to receiving freebies and giveaways.

For more information on the summit, visit www.utradeph.com and www.moneysummit.com, and likewww.facebook.com/UnicapitalOnline.

Sevilla Hanging Bridge

These hanging bridges were originally made for the locals to easily transport goods from one valley to the other. Although this site was not intended for tourists, the experience of crossing this hanging parallel bridges is fun-thrilling and adrenaline-rush seeking since it is literally pinned from end to end hence any small movement would shake the bridge. We opt to skip crossing though because it's drizzling, very slippery and we had a kid in tow.

Crossing the bridge for locals is free but tourists pay a small amount for its maintenance.

You get to enjoy the view of the river, step foot on the other side of Sevilla town, Ilawod while helping the locals, win-win!