Discovering the gems of the Philippines

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Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX) Asia Pacific 2016 participants from across the world had the opportunity to experience the many wonders of the Philippines as part of the full-packed itinerary prepared for the world’s largest annual gathering of travel bloggers, writers, content media creators and industry professionals.

Presented by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), the tours provided not only an exciting visit to the world-famous white-sand beaches of Boracay and Palawan, but also a unique experience of Filipino culture, people, food and nightlife through equally tantalizing destinations from north to the south of the country. 

They got to visit UNESCO World Heritage sites including the historic town of Vigan, Ilocos Sur and the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras in Ifugao. Their itinerary also included Pampanga, Batanes and Tagaytay.

The participants had a glimpse of the country’s rich history with a tour of Intramuros and Corregidor Island. A pubcrawl was also prepared for them to promote Manila’s nightlife, which is considered one of the best in Asia.

They also visited the historical Magellan’s Cross and Basilica de Santo Niño in Cebu and travelled to Siquijor – a province that is famous for its folk healing, myths of sorcery, and the supernatural.

The participants sampled adventure while traversing the rural land trail towards Mayon Volcano in Legazpi on ATVs, Kayak along the Bulusan Lake in Sorsogon, and white-water rafting and river trekking in the rapids of Cagayan de Oro. Taking a leisurely getaway, they were also given an A-list treatment in the picturesque towns of Siargao and Davao.

TBEX 2016 was made possible with the support of Philippine Airlines, Globe Telecom, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and Duty Free Philippines. Other sponsors included Amorita Resort, The Lind Boracay, Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel, Limketkai Luxe Hotel, Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort & Spa, Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa, Pearl Farm Beach Resort, Primer Group of Companies, The Funny Lion Palawan, Merrell Philippines, Lakan, Banana Peel, Le Spa at Sofitel, Park Inn by Radisson, Hotel Luna, Bluewater Maribago Resort and Spa, Sonya’s Garden, Museo Orlina, and Grab Philippines. 

The event was also made possible through the participation of volunteers from the University of the Philippines, Centro Escolar University, University of Santo Tomas, and Philippine Women’s University. 

By hosting international events such as TBEX in the country, the Philippines is eventually becoming one of the most sought-after destinations among travel experts and industry professionals.

"Food Hero" Chef Anton Amoncio's Home Cooked Asia: Philippines on Asian Food Channel Premieres December 29

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Winning the Food Hero Asia tilt held in Singapore a few months ago spelled a lot of difference on the life of young chef Anton Amoncio. For one, he gets to host his own cooking show, which for him is a "dream come true." 

Home Cooked Asia: Philippines airs 9 am on December 29, Thursday over Asian Food Channel. It will feature Chef Anton cooking traditional Filipino recipes to serve as introductory journey for people who want to know about Filipino food. 

Two, 30-minute each, episodes will air back-to-back for the so-called Chef for the Millennials, providing an hour-long spectacle of passioned cooking, with replays at 2 and 10 pm of the same day. In a way it is a sumptuous throwback Thursday as he deals with dishes he "grew up with." 

"Winning the Food Hero competition was big already. But having your own show is short of miraculous. This show serves as a window to my soul and I thank everyone who helped me along the way," he shared during a short talk with the press. 

Chef Anton is managed by Asian Artists Agency helmed by King of Talk Boy Abunda. He is one to let his cooking do more the talking, especially after his Tinola and Fried Chicken Adobo sa Gata made him as a Food Hero finalist and his Cheesy Lamb Rack Kaldereta bested other finalists from the South East Asian region. 

He said, "I hope my bit of Home Cooked creates awareness of what Filipino food is about. I want people outside the Philippines to ask questions about the way we cook and the passion we have for it." 

He added, "For Filipinos I made sure to make the dishes easy-to-make and accessible so they can try doing it themselves." 

Chef Anton is also featured in the Chef Series where selected masters were asked to come out with their own recipes. He was chosen prior to winning the Food Hero challenge; his Tinola with watermelon and Chocolate Binagoongan serving as indicators of how he fits the bill. 

Just recently launched, the Chef Series carries his recipes, along those of veteran chefs, to be made available in selected Fresh Options retail stores. 

Asked to name his favorite Filipino dishes, he quickly named three: adobo, tinola, and kare-kare. His grandmother used to give him Tinola when he's feeling sick while he finds Kare-Kare best for festivities. Adobo is a no-brainer. 

"For me Filipino food is the next big thing and I hope the show will be appreciated by people everywhere," he added.

For more information visit the Asian Artists Agency official Facebook page or email info@asianartistsagency.com

A Mom's Unbreakable Bond With Her Child

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The relationship of mother and child remains indescribable, strongest and unbreakable bond on Earth. 

Seeing your body change, hearing the heartbeat for the first time, feeling the first kick from your insides—these are the moments that build the invisible but irrevocable connection between a mother and her child. 

Because of this growing connection, you feel most responsible for your baby, so it is all but inevitable for anxieties to spring up left and right. 

You worry if you are giving enough nourishment. You worry if your baby is developing normally. You worry if your baby will get diseases passed down from your family. 

“I’m always thinking about my baby 24/7. I worry about his life so much so that besides adjusting my lifestyle for him, I also do a lot of research online. I ask advice from my friends and family about how I can take better care of my baby because I can never be truly 100% sure about his well being all the time.”  

                                                                              – Lea, 30, first-time mom

Like mommy Lea, maybe it has dawned on you that you cannot protect your baby for the rest of your lives, but what if we can alter that reality. What if there is a way to help secure your child’s life from several life-threatening diseases by preserving that one-of-a-kind connection between you and your baby? 

The umbilical cord is your child’s lifeline inside your womb. It is through this physical connection that you are able to give your child the gift of life. But after childbirth, this life giving cord is simply thrown away, not realizing the worth of the blood inside it.

Throwing the umbilical cord is like throwing life away. Cord blood contains the youngest and inherently valuable stem cells that may help save your baby from leukemia and other blood cancers, solid tumors, immunodeficiency and metabolic disorders.

With Cordlife, you can now make that one choice to take that one chance to protect your child’s life. Being the 1st and only registered Cord Blood Bank in the Philippines and part of the largest stem cell banking network in Asia, Cordlife gives you the chance to save your family by banking your baby’s umbilical cord blood. 

By storing your cord blood that is painlessly extracted from your umbilical cord right after giving birth, you can give your child a fighting chance to survive life-threatening diseases. 

Cord blood banking can provide the stem cells needed to replace and regenerate damaged bone marrow, treat blood cancers, correct genetic defects, and be a potential source for cellular therapy and regenerative medicine. 

By preserving the visible connection between you and your baby, you can have your much-needed peace of mind when it comes to doing everything you can to secure your baby’s life.

Don’t throw life away. 

Save your baby’s cord blood. 

Save your baby’s life.

To know more about cord-blood banking, call (02) 332 1888 or visit https://www.cordlife.ph/

Coca-Cola Agos Program brings water to 16 communities with hydraulic ram pump

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The Philippines is known for its water resource – seas that are abundant with fish and other marine ecosystems, rivers and lakes that host freshwater flora and fauna, and springs that are considered to be one of the cleanest. However, there are communities that still do not have access to water.

For generations, upland communities have lived lives that required them to wake up early to draw water from distant sources; a life where children would spend more time drawing water for household use than playing outdoors; a life where mothers juggle between providing water for their families and finding the time to care and nurture.

Residents of a village near Mt. Kanlaon easily get water for their daily use from a common tap stand.

In line with its global thrust of returning the same amount of water used in the production of its beverages to nature and communities, Coca-Cola Philippines installed 13 hydraulic ram pumps this September and October through the Coca-Cola Agos Program. In 2015 alone, 1,984 million liters of water have been returned to nature and communities through the project’s water ram pump installations.

A section of the Coca-Cola Agos ram pump sits at the edge of a rice field in the foothills of Mt. Kanlaon, the highest peak and an active volcano in Negros Island.

The interiors of the Agos ram pump show that it is made of materials that are easily accessible at a local hardware store. The pump was designed in such a way that once turned over to the villagers, they can easily maintain and repair it on their own.

“We believe that water is an integral resource in ensuring the sustainability of communities. Through the ram pump’s simple and sustainable mechanism, we are able to bring water to people who need it most. More than the water, it is giving these communities a fresh start, an opportunity to create a more sustainable future,” said Diego Granizo, president and general manager of Coca-Cola Philippines.

The red tap stand is like an oasis in a desert – a source of refreshment for most villagers that are benefitting from the Agos ram pump. Most villages installed with an Agos ram pump are dotted with the red tap stand where they can draw clean water without having to travel directly to the source.

In the last two months, the villages of Ebag in Barugo, Templanza and Luwan in Matalom, all in Leyte, together with the villages of Libtong, Villa Caneja, Cabunga-an, Caray-Caray, and sitios Puro, Mocal Bocal, and Baras, and the village proper of Barangay Catmon in Naval, Biliran will be receiving the Coca-Cola Agos ram pumps. Completing the list of recipients are Sitio Sadsadan in Barangay Balbalan, Sitio Bullalayao in Barangay Pantikian, both in Kalinga Province, and two areas in Barangay Camias, including Sitio Pasbul, and Barangay Inararo in Porac, Pampanga.

After the Coca-Cola Agos Program ram pump was installed in Lake Lahit, residents started getting water from tap stands near their homes. Gone are the days when they have to trek for hours to get water for their daily needs.

Fetching water downhill was the way of life Todena Fadon was born into. She is more than thankful that the Coca-Cola Agos Program allows her to spend more time caring for her children and nurturing their future.

In partnership with the Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Inc. (AIDFI), Coca-Cola Philippines has been bringing the ram pump technology to various upland communities who do not have access to water. The ram pump technology allows the elevation of water from a remote source to upland areas without the need for complex machinery and electricity. The ram pump used in the Coca-Cola Agos Project relies on gravity-assisted hydraulic force to propel water into reservoirs which brings water to conduits near clustered households.

Since its introduction in 2011, there are already 30,817 households that have benefitted from 129 water pump installations made by the Coca-Cola Agos Project, 118 of which are ram pumps while the 11 are gravity installations. 

Amaia Scapes North Luzon treats guests to soothing ‘acoustic evenings’

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Soothing acoustic music, good company, and the chilly breeze of a “ber” month—all these under a starlit sky. Such was the mesmerizing scenario when Amaia Scapes projects North of Manila held their acoustic evenings last October 8, 15 and 21. 

Amaia Land held “acoustic evenings” at Amaia Scapes Bulacan, San Fernando, Capas, Tarlac, Urdaneta and Cabanatuan for residents and guests. . 

To let prospective homeowners experience firsthand the comfortable, relaxed, and homey lifestyle that Amaia Scapes offers, acoustic nights were held at Amaia Scapes in Bulacan; San Fernando City, Pampanga; Capas, Tarlac; Urdaneta, Pangasinan and Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija. 

Ching Higino, North Luzon’s regional sales head, warmly welcomed all guests at the events. According to her, Amaia Land wanted to provide clients with “a more pleasurable buying experience” by treating them to acoustic performances, which is seldom held in the provinces. 

“Unlike other Amaia events that are usually held during the day, we thought of having acoustic evenings to give clients a taste of the fun and convivial environment of Amaia Scapes,” she said. 

The acoustic evenings entertained guests and their families—all from nearby towns—and showed how Amaia Land cares for ordinary Filipinos, even before they become Amaia residents. 

This aligns with Amaia Land’s desire to accomplish its vision of providing affordable and high-quality residential homes to the average Filipino—teachers, small business owners, government employees, and start-up families. And Amaia Scapes properties are the fulfillment of this vision. 

As they empower people to attain their dream of having homes of their own, Amaia Scapes touts the convenience and ease of being located near transportation and commercial hubs. 

Amaia Scapes Bulacan enjoys a strategic location at the heart of Sta. Maria, Bulacan, placing the property close to commercial establishments and transport hubs. 

All residential units in Amaia Scapes are smartly designed, spacious and well-built, and feature one-of-a-kind community concepts tailored for Filipino families. Amaia homes are affrded provisions for expansion to adjust to the various lifestyles of growing families. Home owners may build additional space at the ground floor or heighten up by adding an upper floor.

To ensure safety and security in all Amaia Scapes projects, the properties are managed by Ayala Property Management Corp. (APMC). 

Lastly, Amaia Land places your dream Amaia Scapes home within reach with its easy-on-the-pocket and flexible payment options.

Amaia Scapes Urdaneta, offering innovative residential units with an array of amenities, is set in Urdaneta City in Pangasinan, with 849 house-and-lot units spread acros 14.8 hectares of land. 

All aspiring homeowners are free to join Amaia Scapes events and witness firsthand the promise of a better living experience. For inquiries, check out Amaia booths in provincial malls and sales offices. 

You may also get in touch with Amaia via www.amaialand.com, www.facebook.com/AmaiaLand or call 0977-842-AMAIA.