Efren Peñaflorida and URC rejoiced with Kariton Revolution kids as DTC opens Red-buil, the newest educational floor

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Efren Peñaflorida, the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year and Universal Robina Corporation (URC) opens the DTC’s newest educational floor, URC Learning Center at the Cavite City.

URC rejoiced with Kariton Revolution kids as in support of Dynamic Teen Company’s (DTC) mission to promote literacy and enrich potentials of future leaders, Universal Robina Corporation (URC) sponsored the construction of a learning center at the second floor of DTC’s Red-buil (red building).

Efren Peñaflorida

Peñaflorida started a "pushcart classroom" in the Philippines to bring education to poor children as an alternative to gang membership. When he has received $100,000 as his prize as he was named 2009 CNN Hero of the Year, he continue his advocacy work and with his friends, they formed the Dynamic Teen Company with an aim of providing youth awareness projects, talent and self-development activities, and community services.

Founders of DTC, Peñaflorida and his classmates and friends find fulfillment as they slowly grow the number of youths being transformed through their programs. Transformed youth, who used to be street kids, drop-outs and out-of-school, even been drug users, petty thieves, scavengers, but youth are now DTC volunteers and have returned to mainstream education.

Universal Robina Corporation (URC) is one of the largest branded consumer food and beverage product companies in the Philippines and committed in making lives a truly helpful and fun experience.

The newly opened URC Learning Center has classrooms fully furnished with chairs, desks, whiteboards, and book shelves for incoming 9th and 10th graders. There is also an office where volunteer educators can prepare their lessons, as well as a laboratory for advance lessons in science.

Adding more fun and creativity to these new learning spaces are walls adorned with murals of the nine participating URC brands: Refresh, C2, and Payless Instant Mami; and Jack ‘n Jill Knots, Chiz Curls, Magic Flakes, Wafrets, Fun Fries and Roller Coaster.

DTC, an organization headed by pushcart educator and CNN Hero Efren Peñaflorida and his mentor Harnin Manalaysay, has managed several academic programs under their umbrella project, Kariton Revolution –a movement URC has been actively supporting since 2011. 

“It is an honor to work with Efren Peñaflorida and his team. We admire his passion to spark a positive change in the country. Granting free education to out-of-school youths is a truly admirable endeavor, one that we are quite proud to support,” said URC Executive Vice-President and Managing Director Nilo Mapa, Jr. 

The learning facilities in the newly built floor of the activity center are part of URC’s commitment to provide support to DTC and its undertakings. 

“We greatly appreciate URC’s support in our endeavors. The new classrooms they built for us will serve as venues for learning and knowledge,” shared Efren Peñaflorida when asked about URC as a partner.

As DTC's mission and vision in educating children, will strive harder to give the underprivileged youth in the Philippines to a better fighting chance at life, to become morally upright, productive and responsible individuals who embrace a spirit of volunteerism, 

DTC is to provide them guidance until they progress in their career and be productive contributors of society. 

Here are videos showing special presentation of Kariton Revolution kids during the event/opening of URC Learning Center.

The DTC building is located at 188 J. Miranda St., Caridad, Cavite City, Philippines.

Visit Efren Peñaflorida Twitter - @karitonkid and for more information, feel free to inquire at pushcartclasses@gmail.com. 

Smart now fires up LTE-Advanced, PH goes ‘5G’ !

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The Philippines goes ‘5G’ now as wireless services leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) fires up LTE-Advanced.

Two years after it pioneered the deployment of Long-Term Evolution (LTE) or 4G technology in the country, Smart announced that 5G wireless technology LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), is now running in the Philippines’ largest and strongest network.

Smart switched on LTE-A at the Smart Jump Center in Mandaluyong City recently, setting the next phase of mobile communication technology beyond 4G LTE standards. 

LTE-A, also referred to as ‘5G’ by reports on leading global mobile operators AT&T and T-Mobile, delivers data from between 100 megabits per second (mbps) to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps), or ten times faster than 3G services and more than twice as fast as 4G services.

By firing up LTE-A technology on its network, Smart joins only a handful of carriers around the world with an LTE-A network, along with leading mobile operators in South Korea, United States, Singapore, Australia, and Hong Kong.

Co-founder and Chief Wireless Advisor of Smart Orlando B. Vea (first from left) during the tests of 5G LTE-A in Smart last year, where speeds reaching 209.66 mbps were recorded.

Orlando B. Vea, founder and Chief Wireless Advisor of Smart, said “even as our 3G and 4G networks continue to be unrivaled, Smart becomes the first operator to leap into the future and put the Philippines at par with the world’s most advanced countries in terms of mobile communications technology.”

With LTE-A, a 10MB file takes less than a second to download, YouTube videos no longer have to buffer, and video calls are almost lag-free. But beyond speed, LTE-A’s main feature is also its capability to allocate more network resources to users when the need arises. 

Last year, Smart started testing LTE-A across the country delivering results of more than 100Mbps in Makati City, in Boracay, and in Davao City during the Kadayawan festival. 

The recent development is part of the company’s multi-pronged approach in addressing the various needs for internet and data services in the market.

“The PLDT Group’s strategy has always been to create solutions that address the varying needs of all segments of our customers, to bring fixed, wireless and mobile broadband services where they really matter. They may be delivered at different speeds and volumes, using a variety of technologies, and meant to respond to a wide range of needs of the market – but all of it is aimed at bringing the benefits of the internet to every Filipino,” explained Ramon Isberto, Public Affairs head for Smart and its parent company the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT).

This strategy meant deploying a combination of Fiber-to-the-Home, Next Generation Network, Time-Division Duplex LTE, Frequency-Division Duplex LTE and vDSL to bring internet to every Filipino home, and 3G, 4G, and 5G or LTE-A for mobile subscribers, according to Isberto.

“We are able to deliver all these high-bandwidth services and applications on the strength of our transmission backbone network, which is the most extensive and most resilient in the country. Aside from allowing us to commit to speed, our unmatched network resources give us the edge in terms of efficiency and reliability,” added Isberto.

Smart’s nationwide coverage is backed by PLDT’s fiber optic cable connection which has now reached nearly 90,000 kilometers, or more than four times than competition. To further strengthen this domestic fiber optic network (DFON), PLDT also set up third legs in its fiber loops in key areas nationwide, the latest of which is the Bohol DFON project that provided redundant links between the Visayas and Mindanao.

Me. I Am Mariah. World Tour Live in Manila on Oct. 28

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Mariah Carey is bringing her "Me. I Am Mariah. World Tour" to Manila on October 28 at the Mall Of Asia (MOA) Arena. The one and only pop diva Mariah will kick off her world tour in Asia that will include the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, China and Japan.

Mariah is the best-selling female artist of all time with more than 200 million records sold worldwide to date and 18 Billboard No. 1 singles (17 self-penned) including Hero, Fantasy, Always Be My Baby, Honey, One Sweet Day, Without You, Touch My Body, We Belong Together, Don’t Forget About Us and the global smash hit Christmas single All I Want For Christmas Is You, more than any solo artist in history.

With her distinct five-octave vocal range, prolific songwriting and producing talent, Mariah has defined the modern pop performance. She has been recognized with five Grammy Awards, nine American Music Awards, Billboard’s Artist of the Decade Award, the World Music Award for World’s Best Selling Female Artiste of the Millennium and BMI’s Icon Award, to name a few.

In 2012, she joined the brand-new panel for American Idol’s Season 12 together with Randy Jackson, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban. She released and topped the dance charts worldwide with her smash hit single Triumphant (Get’ Em). Mariah also filmed The Butler, a movie by Lee Daniels who had previously cast her in Precious, a role which won Mariah accolades for her dramatic performance.

Here are some videos of Mariah Carey famous hits.

This is the second time the singer will perform in the country, the first in 2003 for her Charmbracelet Tour.

Last May this year 2014, Mariah released her 14th album, Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse.

The Elusive Chanteuse which has received positive reviews from both the media and public. The album features the smash hits #Beautiful (featuring Miguel), You’re Mine (Eternal) and You Don’t Know What To Do.

Me. I Am Mariah. World Tour Live in Manila is brought to you by Wilbros Live.

Tickets will be on sale beginning Friday, Aug. 15, via smtickets.com or call 374-2222 or 470-2222.)

New additions to AMD FirePro™ professional graphics family at SIGGRAPH 2014

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Advance Micro Devices completes its next generation family of workstation graphics cards, delivering more memory, compute and graphics performance to help increase productivity in customer workflows.

Recently, AMD unveiled new additions to the next generation AMD FirePro™ professional graphics family at SIGGRAPH 2014.

These new addition to AMD’s line of GPUs are designed to provide exceptional application performance for the entry-level workstation user up to the ultra-power user, backed by larger memory configurations, top to bottom 4K display support, increased compute performance¹, application certifications and rock-solid drivers. 

AMD took command of professional graphics leadership earlier this year with the exciting introduction of its award winning AMD FirePro™ W9100 and AMD FirePro™ W8100 graphics. 

Now with the introduction of all new AMD FirePro™ professional graphics cards supported by AMD Graphics Core Next architecture – AMD FirePro™ W2100, AMD FirePro™ W4100, AMD FirePro™ W5100, and AMD FirePro™ W7100  – Computer Aided Design (CAD), video, animation, design and engineering professionals are empowered to work at exceptional levels of detail, speed, productivity, responsiveness and creativity.

“We’re excited to unveil the new generation of AMD FirePro professional graphics with improved features to enable more workstation graphics performance and productivity at every level,” said David Cummings, senior director and general manager, Professional Graphics at AMD. “This new generation of AMD FirePro graphics will help workstation manufacturers and channel providers to offer powerful, reliable solutions designed to improve application performance and increased productivity to help end users do more.”

The next generation AMD FirePro™ workstation graphics family brings at least 2x more memory1, multidisplay 4K leadership, high compute performance, next generation API support and PCIe® 3.0 support: 

• With 16GB GDDR5 memory and the ability to support up to six 4K displays², AMD FirePro™ W9100 professional graphics is AMD’s most advanced professional graphics solution available offering the ideal single-GPU solution for the next generation of ultrahigh-resolution visualization environments.

• AMD FirePro™ W8100 professional graphics feature 8GB of GDDR5 memory and packs up to 4.2 TFLOPS of compute power to accelerate projects beyond just graphics 

• An engineering and Media & Entertainment multimedia powerhouse, the 8GB AMD FirePro™ W7100 professional graphics is designed to boost performance and support for 4K content, including video playback, editing and transcoding

• With 4GB of GDDR5 memory and four display outputs on the AMD FirePro™ W5100 graphics, users can tackle complex models, assemblies, data sets and advanced visual effects with ease

• In a class of its own, AMD FirePro™ W4100 graphics, including four-display support, is the ideal choice for users who need a performance boost to address their evolving workflows 

• Next generation professional graphics start with AMD FirePro™ W2100 graphics, delivering optimized and certified professional application performance that consumer graphics lack

“With the introduction of next generation AMD FirePro™ workstation graphics cards, Dell can offer its design and engineering customers outstanding graphics and multi-monitor performance, beneficial graphics memory and outstanding features to help improve their workflows – whether they need an entry, mid-range or high-end graphics solution,” said Andy Rhodes, executive director, Dell Precision workstations. “AMD’s solid drivers and application certifications support Dell Precision Workstation customers with high performance, high quality workstations for their designs, models, animations and video productions.”

“Offering an expanded choice of AMD FirePro professional graphics cards will help our customers increase their productivity for a variety of mission critical projects including computer aided design and content creation,” said Jeff Wood, vice president, Worldwide Product Management, Commercial Solutions Business Unit, HP. “We can rely on AMD FirePro to enable our workstation customers to deliver successful projects knowing that they’re backed by the reliability and performance they demand.”

In support of the new AMD™ FirePro professional graphics, AMD will participate in the following activities at SIGGRAPH 2014 in the Vancouver Convention Centre: 

• AMD FirePro family of professional graphics will be displayed in the AMD booth (#1023) from August 12 to 14 
• Also in the AMD exhibit booth, Solid Angle,  a leading provider of rendering software for animation and visual effects, will offer a demonstration entitled “Exploring the Cutting Edge: An Arnold GPU Prototype”
• AMD’s graphics executive Richard Huddy will present “Mantle and the Next-Gen Renderers For AMD FirePro With Graphics Core Next” at the Exhibitor Tech Talks at SIGGRAPH 2014 on August 12 and 13 
• AMD will host “Monsters in the Orchestra: A Surround Computing VR Experience” in booth ET440 in the Emerging Technologies pavilion, Hall A from August 10 to 14

”Sapphire is  proud to be able to offer the complete range of new AMD professional graphics products featuring a host of new features enabling workstation users with increased creativity and productivity,” said Adrian Thompson, Corporate VP of Marketing for SAPPHIRE Technology, the Exclusive Global Distribution Partner for AMD FirePro graphics. “These new AMD FirePro professional graphics deliver workstation integrators and end users an exciting choice of performance levels for an extensive array of applications, all supported by certified drivers and powered by OpenCL™."

The AMD FirePro W9100 and W8100 graphics are already available for purchase from numerous workstation providers, and the AMD FirePro W2100, W4100 and W5100 graphics will be available In September from AMD global distribution partner SAPPHIRE Technology and major workstation providers. AMD FirePro W7100 graphics will be available in Q4 2014.

Supporting Resources

• Learn more about AMD FirePro™ Graphics product family

• Become a fan of AMD on Facebook

• Follow AMD professional graphics on Twitter - @AMDFirePro

About AMD 

AMD designs and integrates technology that powers millions of intelligent devices, including personal computers, tablets, game consoles and cloud servers that define the new era of surround computing. AMD solutions enable people everywhere to realize the full potential of their favorite devices and applications to push the boundaries of what is possible. For more information, visit www.amd.com.

Habitat for Humanity with Advocate Habitat Online Champions

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Habitat for Humanity aims to meet the shelter needs of communities affected by calamities such as super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). Working with partners, volunteeers, and disaster response program to provide emergency and shelter repair kits, basic amenities, such as electricity, and builds core houses for affected families in communities.

When the typhoon hit, help was needed immediately. Thousands of families were devastated and there was no time to waste.

With the urgency of the problem and the need to disseminate information fast, Habitat turned to social media for an answer. And during the height of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in November, as timely and coordinated, Habitat for Humanity proved that there’s definitely more to social media than just posting selfies, and sharing throwbacks.

Habitat for Humanity / Habitat Online Champions

In a few days word about Habitat’s Yolanda response was all over social media; bloggers, celebrities, and other willing individuals readily stepped-up to help spread the word and rally for donations. With millions in donations coming in, Habitat quickly went to work distributing emergency Shelter Repair Kits across affected areas. In the weeks and months that followed, social media support continued.

Habitat Goes Social

Habitat Philippines CEO & Managing Director Charlie Ayco 

Habitat acknowledges the power of social media for social change. In its effort to maximize social media to help reach more people with its mission, Habitat is holding its first “Social Media Circle”, a gathering of bloggers and social media enthusiasts with a heart for social change; the event is also Habitat’s way of honoring its online supporters.

Habitat Philippines Communications Director Gina Virtusio.

Habitat hopes to inspire these people to continue supporting Habitat’s work in their own way and through their own network of influence.

Habitat Ambassador Kuya Tonipet Gaba  

With the undeniable power and vast reach of social media, Habitat is excited at the prospect of engaging more volunteers, donors, and advocates through this support group.

By signing Habitat’s Pledge of Commitment willing bloggers and guests were tagged “Habitat Online Champion” a title reserved for those who are up for the challenge and journey of using their influence and network to spread the word about Habitat, its programs, and advocacies.

“Habitat Online Champions" are advocate and respected bloggers, personalities and also members of online communities from various group who have been supporting and have been spreading the word about Habitat and its work.

Some Habitat Online Champions receiving Certificate of Appreciation from
Habitat CEO Charlie Ayco

I am grateful to be part of Habitat for Humanity Philippine's first Social Media Circle held at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Century Mall. And I am super blessed and honored to be one of the Habitat Online Champions given appreciation for continue supporting Habitat’s work.

Regular “Social Media Circle” gathering will be held to share news and updates with these Online Champions.

Habitat also offers other volunteering opportunities on their site at http://www.habitat.org.ph/

If you want to help the families affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), please visit http://habitat.org.ph/donate-now.

DepEd hands over new classroom buildings to schools in Negros Oriental

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In its unceasing drive to universalize kindergarten education, the Department of Education (DepEd) has built seven (7) new kindergarten classroom buildings in Negros Oriental through the help of Aklat, Gabay, Aruga tungo sa Pag-angat at Pag-asa (AGAPP) Foundation, and Asian Development Bank-Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (ADB-JFPR).

“One of the first programs of the Aquino administration was universalizing kindergarten to which the AGAPP foundation urgently volunteered to help,” Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro FSC said.

He added that the AGAPP Foundation has continued to aid the Department in addressing classroom needs for the past four years and that they “do not only build classrooms but also foster hope among the learners.”

AGAPP Foundation chairperson Pinky Aquino-Abellada said, “These efforts by the AGAPP Foundation are all for the benefit of our Negrense learners. We thank all our donors for their endless support to education.” She underscored the continuous effort of the AGAPP foundation in building more classrooms in the province. 

Furthermore, she urged the parents and teachers to continue working together, saying "Tulung-tulong po tayo para makamit ng mga bata ang kanilang mga pangarap."

ADB-JFPR Senior Advisor Tatsuya Kanai emphasized that the erected classroom buildings are a result of the efforts of many – the government, the private partners and the residents of the beneficiary provinces.

Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo expressed his gratitude to DepEd, the AGAPP foundation, & ADB-JFPR in building classrooms in the province. 

Seven (7) schools benefitted from the newly built Silid Pangarap buildings-- Okiot Elementary School, Bais Science ES, Sto. Tomas ES, San Miguel ES, Sta. Catalina ES, Candugay ES, and Maloh ES.

“Sana po patuloy na magbigay ng pag-asa at kulay ang lahat ng mga proyektong ito sa ating mga estudyante, pati na rin sa mga magulang na nagpapadala ng kanilang mga anak sa paaralan,” Luistro said.

The education chief further mentioned that aside from the colorful Silid Pangarap buildings, the AGAPP foundation likewise provides feeding programs for learners and trainings for teachers.

"Sa mga classrooms na ito, makikita na natin ang katuparan ng ating mga pangarap," he added

(Photos: Adolf Aguilar)

"Hanggang Wakas", The Voice PH Grand Champion Mitoy Yonting's debut album

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The Voice Of The Philippines’ first grand winner, Michael 'Mitoy' Yonting,  held an album launch with a press conference last Saturday, August 9, 2014 at  the Newport Mall, Resort World Manila.

Music has always been part of Mitoy’s life growing up listening to his father’s collection of Elvis Presley, Paul Anka, and Neil Sedaka. Singing along to these albums honed his interest and has been singing ever since. But he wasn’t just a singer.

Mitoy surprised everyone and emerged as a powerful vocalist – far from the comedian he once was. His voice brought him places but his perseverance and faith took him farther than he’d ever hoped for.

A natural person, born to entertain, cracking jokes on the side, making use of his wide vocal range to wow audiences from his hometown Pangasinan. Eventually, he formed the band Draybers and have been playing gigs all over the country.

During his press conference and debut album launch, he shared his life stories before being the grand winner of The Voice of the Philippines. 

Through his hard work and his undeniable talent, people noticed his unique voice. After joining TV contests, he landed several roles on different comedy shows like H3O Ha Ha Ha Over along with Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola, and Gladys Guevarra. He also became known in the noontime show Eat Bulaga along with the character Chuchay (played by Gladys Guevarra). The tandem became a hit and further showcased Mitoy’s pipes and comedic timing. That early, he was driven to do all sorts of jobs while gigging to provide for his family. And sometimes it wasn’t enough. 

He kept working and performing until he was called to audition for The Voice Of The Philippines. Mitoy’s The Voice journey almost didn’t happen.

“Sa totoo lang, wala akong planong sumali, dahil medyo may edad na nga ako. May mga tao na nag-encourage sa akin, sa huli na-kumbinse din ako,” And he impressed everyone, especially his world-renowned coach Lea Salonga, whom has nothing but praises about him. 

“Hindi ko malilimutan yung sinabi sa akin ng isang popular na tao sa industriya: ‘Pagkatapos [mong manalo] ng The Voice finals, ngayon lang naging totoo yung essence ng contest,” he shared. It was a tough competition, but his old and new fans rallied behind him every step of the way.

After winning The Voice of the Philippines. Mitoy was one of the cast of Home Sweetie Home, ABS-CBN's sitcom in January 2014. And there, he is now an actor in teleseries and movies. 

Winning the competition made one of his biggest dreams come true – getting signed by a major label. 

His debut album "Hanggang Wakas" was finally released by MCA Music (Universal Music Philippines).  “Hanggang Wakas” featuring :

“Pinaikot-ikot (the hit carrier single written by Vehnee Saturno)

“Pangakong Tapat” (Aster Adriano)

 “Ikaw Hanggang Wakas”

 “Magulang” featuring Bassilyo

 “Kaibigan”

“Handog” (his fave especially his version of Florante's song

And an ode to his incredible life as well as

“Minahal Kita”

“Solitaire”

“Hahabol-habol”

It also includes “Somewhere”- his duet with his coach, Tony Award winner Ms. Lea Salonga as well as his medley of Air Supply hits- “Every Woman In The World”, “I Can Wait Forever” and “Here I Am”. 

Mitoy continues to connect to more audiences worldwide, through his songs and his story. As wide as his vocal range, his future promises even broader possibilities for him. And everyone awaits his next big move!

Here are videos I did during the album launch as he sings songs from the Hanggang Wakas album. 

“Hanggang Wakas”, the new album from Mitoy Yonting is now out under MCA Music (Universal Music Philippines) in CDs at Astroplus and Odyssey outlets and digital downloads via spinnr.ph and iTunes. It can also be streamed via Deezer and Spotify.

For bookings and inquiries, contact Sammy Samaniego of MCA Music Artist Management at +632 9162504 local 107, +639178565174 and +639209682991.

For more new and updates on Mitoy Yonting, log on to : 

www.facebook.com/mcamusic or www.twitter.com/mca_music.

Farewell to a man of different faces, a true and noble one - RIP Robin Williams

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Oscar-winning actor and comedian Robin Williams, who dazzled in such wide-ranging dramatic and comedic roles during a four-decades long career, is dead at 63.

He was outstanding in every role he played.

A representative for Williams said in a statement the actor had been battling "severe depression of late."

"This is a tragic and sudden loss," Mara Buxbaum said. "The family respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time.”

Williams' wife Susan Schneider said in a statement she is devastated and asked for privacy.

“This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings," she said. "I am utterly heartbroken. On behalf of Robin's family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin's death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.”

What's my fave Robin's movie? Thinking of what I liked most? So many. . . Robin starred in many of my favorite films ... Mrs Doubtfire, Hook, Good Will Hunting, Dead Poets Society, Flubber, Patch Adams, Popeye, What Dreams May Come, Good Morning Vietnam, Jumanji, Hook, Jack, The Final Cut, Peter Pan, Bicentenial Man, Insomia, Man of the Year ... the list goes on.

Here's one from Dead Poets Society movie: 

Keating: "Seize the day. Gather ye rosebuds while ye may." Why does the writer use these lines?

Charlie: Because he's in a hurry.

Keating: No. Ding! Thank you for playing anyway. Because we are food for worms, lads. Because, believe it or not, each and every one of us in this room is one day going to stop breathing, turn cold and die.

Reading his lines, jokes or one-liner quotes in his interviews, stand-up shows... I read http://www.reddit.com/user/RobinWilliams . . . There are many of them..I found some funny, serious, political, regarding sex, drugs, alcoholism..... 

Here are some best lines I like. Thanks Robin Williams, I will remember these quotes from you.

"Here"I'd like to start the show by showing you something I'm very proud of. You'll have to step back, though."

"What's right is what's left if you do everything else wrong."

"Some are born great. Some achieve greatness. Some get it as a graduation gift."

"Sometimes you've got to specifically go out of your way to get into trouble. It's called fun."

"I'm a very tolerant man, except when it comes to holding a grudge."

"Death – to blink for an exceptionally long period of time."

"Death is nature's way of saying, "Your table's ready."

An acting legend gone too soon, a man of different faces,  a true and noble one. 

Thank you Robin Williams for hours of laughs and memorable characters. We will miss you! Rest in peace. God is with you always. 

#RIPRobinWilliams

Stephen Bishop's "Timeless hits Tour" in Manila

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Stephen Bishop, American singer-songwriter, actor, and guitarist is here in Manila, Philippine for "Timeless Hits Tour" on August 13, 2014 08:00 PM at Newport Performing Arts Theater, Resorts World Manila, Pasay City.

A clarinetist with hopes of becoming a History teacher, Stephen was forever changed after watching the Beatles one night on "The Ed Sullivan Show." He convinced his brother to buy him an electric guitar. He bought a "Mel Bay" chordbook and began to learn to play guitar and make up chords as well, writing his first song, "Surf’s Turf.." a pathetic sounding intrumental. He formed a band called, "The Weeds" and began to play at local fraternity parties incorporating his own original songs with various songs from top 40.

He started playing around town singing his songs in person for artists like, “Barbra Streisand...Bette Midler...Diana Ross." Shortly thereafter, he was signed to ABC Records who released his first album, "Careless." His two hits from that album were, "Save It For a Rainy Day," and "On and On.." Soon the album went gold, as well as his next album, Bish.

He sang the hit theme, "It Might Be You," from the movie, "Tootsie," as well as writing and/or singing 13 other films including, "Animal House," and "Separate Lives.." from "White Nights." His songs have been performed by artists such as: Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Barbra Streisand, Art Garfunkel, Steve Perry, Stephanie Mills, Kenny Loggins, Johnny Mathis, Phoebe Snow, David Crosby, The Four Tops, Aswad and Pavarotti.

Stephen was nominated for two Grammy’s and awarded an Oscar nomination for his song, "Separate Lives". His newest album is entitled, "Be Here Then"  released in January 2014.

More details and updates, visit stephenbishop.com.

Watch him perform his greatest hits live at Newport Performing Arts Theater - Resorts World Manila on August 13, 2014 at 8:00PM!

Kata at the SmartBro Gadget Expo in Batangas!

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The largest gadget convention SMARTBRO GADGET EXPO 2014 at is 2nd leg in Robinsons Lipa from August 15-17, 2014 will be presenting the top tech brands in the Philippines including Kata! 

Exciting deals and special promos await those who will take part of this expo event. Join and avail Early Bird promo by getting 1 SMART coupon to get free accessories and a whopping 50% off discount on Divoom Fit speaker for every purchase of any of our featured Kata devices.

All throughout the convention, you may also purchase any Kata gadgets at huge discounts with free screen protector and leather case with our KATA DAY sale!

Catch also Partner’s Hour on August 15 from 2-3pm to get the latest dibs about Kata’s products including the Kata F1 & Tmini. 

Get also a chance to win cool prizes in our Spin to Win and a brand new Kata B1 at the raffle draw!

For more exciting updates, visit :

katadigital.com.ph

facebook.com/katadigitalcom

twitter.com/katadigitalcom

instagram.com/katadigital

katadigitalphilippines.wordpress.com

Stephen Bishop at Misono Japanese Restaurant

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Stephen Bishop, the two times Grammy nominated and legendary American singer, famous with hit theme, "It Might Be You," from the movie, "Tootsie," as well as writing and/or singing 13 other films including, "Animal House," and "Separate Lives.." from "White Nights" in now in Manila.

Singer Stephen Bishop & CEO Robert Laurel Yupangco at Misono Japanese 

Last August 8, 2014 at Misono Japanese Restaurant along Jupiter Street, Bel Air, Makati, Stephen Bishop held an exclusive dinner with his avid fans who were composed of Businessmen and local press.

On Wednesday, August 13, 2014, Stephen will have a one day concert at Resorts World Manila for his "Timeless Hits Tour" with hits like "Something new in my life, Save it for a rainy day, Never letting go, It might be you, Separate Lives and On & On." 

Special guest & host will be J Micheals with an appearance from Joyce Pring at 8:00pm, Newport Performing Arts Theater. 

"He started playing around town when he was just starting singing his songs in person for artists like, “Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Diana Ross." Shortly thereafter, he was signed to ABC Records who released his first album, "Careless." His two hits from that album were, "Save It For a Rainy Day," and "On and On.." Soon the album went gold, as well as his next album, Bish." (From Stephen Bishops biography)

Bishop with his songs; It Might Be You, On and On & Separate Lives among his popular songs that topped the charts years ago but still we can hear on the radio till now. 

His songs have been performed by artists such as: Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Barbra Streisand, Art Garfunkel, Steve Perry, Stephanie Mills, Kenny Loggins, Johnny Mathis, Phoebe Snow, David Crosby, The Four Tops, Aswad and Pavarotti.  In Eric Clapton's autobiography he mentions Stephen as one of his favorite songwriters.

Stephen was nominated for two Grammy’s and awarded an Oscar nomination for his song, "Separate Lives". His newest album is entitled, "Be Here Then" was released in January 2014.

For more details and updates, visit his website - stephenbishop.com.

Smart Prepaid’s *121# to access awesome Prepaid Offers!

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Introducing Smart Prepaid’s *121# --- the only number you need to access if you want awesome Prepaid Offers!

The Smart *121# menu is the all in one menu for everything Smart Prepaid. It’s the one number that Smart Prepaid subscribers should memorize.

In just a single step, Smart prepaid subscribers will be able to access everything they need :

-  check their balance

- subscribe to top call and voice offers

- browse through various VAS and data offers

- redeem loyalty points

- be informed of the latest promos and more.

Here's a FREE of Charge as *121# starts August 10, 2014.

The *121# menu aims to simplify subscriber’s usage and experience. Gone will be the days of remembering multiple keywords and access numbers of the latest promos.

The *121# will be the subscribers main channel to view and subscribe to Smart Prepaid’s best value offers. It gives users the convenience to browse and register to new promos or best-selling offers with a just a single click, hassle free.

- Just Dial *121# on your Smart Prepaid phone to access

Visit Smart Prepaid *121# details at http://www.smart.com.ph/prepaid/dial121

Lead endorser for this campaign is James Reid, the former PBB Big Winner and he starred in Diary Ng Panget movie. 

Check this TVC at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFgu5G81IKo

The Medical City Expands its Cardiac and Vascular Catheterization Laboratory

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The Medical City Cardiac and Vascular Catheterization Laboratory (TMC Cath Lab) acquired its second Artis Zee, a state-of-the-art multi-purpose imaging system. The equipment allows for clearer, more accurate images of the arteries of the heart, brain, internal organs, and limbs. 

The Cath Lab hopes to address the treatment of cardiovascular emergencies in a more effective and timely manner as recently expanded its capabilities. With the addition of a second imaging system, Interventional cardiologists can perform longer vascular procedures without compromising access to an emergency procedure if needed.

In 2013, the Cath Lab performed more than one thousand coronary procedures, more than any other Cath Lab in a private institution in the country. 

Dr. Gregorio Martinez, Jr., Head of the Cardiac and Vascular Catheterization Laboratory and the Cardiovascular Center, clarifies that responding to cardiac cases, especially heart attacks, is time sensitive. Delays in treating a heart attack patient impact on the size of the damage to the heart muscle, and ultimately on the patient’s prognosis. Prompt diagnosis and right treatment within the specified time frame is vital.

“Those who depend on us to take care of their cardiac patients can continue to rely on us for excellent care,” says  Dr. Martinez.

“The TMC Cardiovascular Center has an Acute Myocardial Infarction Program which targets a 90 minute Door-to-Balloon time. This means that a heart attack patient who walks through the doors of our emergency room should have the blocked coronary artery opened in the Cath Lab within 90 minutes. TMC’s expanded Cath Lab capacity, backed by experienced and highly competent interventional cardiologists and support staff who are trained to handle such complex cases, can assure patients of the best possible and the most timely cardiac care,” explains Dr. Martinez.

“The expansion of TMC Cath lab will raise the bar for cardiac care at The Medical City,” says Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Michelangelo Sabas.

“Adding a second Cath Lab system not only provides us with the latest technology but will also allow us to care for more patients and reduce the backlog of patients waiting for diagnostic testing. It enables us to care for multiple urgent care patients at once. We can see more patients with less disruption of patient care with this second Cath Lab system.”

Interventional procedures done in the TMC Cath Lab are minimally invasive treatments where doctors use catheters, introduced through a small skin puncture, to access the heart, the coronary arteries, the arteries to the brain and various organs in order to treat abnormal conditions. Furthermore, the TMC Cath Lab offers state of the art technology for coronary angiography and angioplasty, valvuloplasty, pacemaker implantation, peripheral vascular angiography and angioplasty, embolization procedures, cerebral angiography and coiling of intracerebral aneurysms.

It has enhanced capabilities for Fraction Flow Reserve (FFR), Thrombectomy (AngioJet), and the visualization of implanted stents (CLEARstent). FFR measurements, which are done during the angiogram procedure, help identify lesions that restrict blood flow to the heart and therefore serve as accurate guides on whether a borderline narrowing should be opened up with a stenting procedure. Thrombectomy is a procedure to extract blood clots and therefore restore blood flow to arteries and veins clogged with clots (thrombus), while CLEARstent is a stent visualization enhancement tool that makes possible the placement of stents in complex coronary angioplasty.

The TMC Cath Lab is the leading Cath Lab in the country for coronary angiography and angioplasty via radial artery approach. Angioplasty via the radial artery approach makes use of the wrist artery instead of the groin artery as access. This enables patients to go home the same day after the procedure and resume their normal activities the next day. Approximately nine out of ten coronary procedures in the Cath Lab are done via the wrist artery.

“At the TMC Cath Lab, we have a comprehensive range of cutting-edge equipment that can be utilized for more accurate diagnosis and effective and safer treatment. At The Medical City, we treat each patient not as a ‘case’ but as a unique individual who deserves the best informed medical care. This is why acquiring technology which can give us a clearer, more accurate assessment of each patient’s individual case is paramount,” says Dr. Martinez.

For more information about The Medical City Cath Lab, you may contact tel. nos. 988-1000 or 988-7000 ext. 6278.–end-

About The Medical City

The Medical City is a tertiary care hospital with over 40 years of experience in hospital operation and administration. Its world-class health care complex serves some 40,000 in-patients and 400,000 out-patients annually. TMC has a medical staff of over 1,000 physicians who are established experts in their various fields of specialization. This core of professionals is complemented by a 2,200-strong human resource complement, engaged in allied medical, administrative and support services. TMC is accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), the world’s most prestigious accrediting body for international health care organizations.

The Medical City is located along Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City.

For more information about The Medical City and its services, call (+632) 988-1000 or (+632) 988-7000 or email at mail@medicalcity.com.ph or visit www.themedicalcity.com.