Why kids need regular eye checkups

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Ideal Vison commemorate World Sight Day, recommending people to take your kids to a visit to the eye doctor this October 9.

“As World Sight Day is on October 9, this is the perfect time to take yourself or your children for an eye exam. Children need regular visits because it helps them perform better in their day-to-day activities.” -- Dr. Joy Go, AVP for Ideal Vision

"Sitting too close to the TV will damage your vision"

Children are naturally curious about the world. And their eyesight plays a critical role in how they learn new things around them.

In fact, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), visual impairment among children is a major obstacle in the learning process in school.

“Healthy eyesight is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted,” says Dr. Joy Go, AVP for Ideal Vision. “Children that suffer from visual impairment are prevented from benefiting from their lessons in school.”

Ideal Vision Center is a pioneer in total quality vision care that services Filipinos from all age groups.

Early prevention

Dr. Joy Go stresses that it is important for parents to schedule their children for regular eye checkups to prevent them from acquiring eye problems.

“The greatest risk that children might acquire is blindness, which is caused by cataract, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), and vitamin deficiency,” Dr. Go describes. “Sadly, because some children do not have access to proper eye care, around 1.4 million children live in darkness.”

Treatments for eye problems include proper eyeglasses, contact lenses, and refractive surgery. However, Dr. Go recommends the use of eyeglasses “which is the most preferable and most convenient for children.”

For its part, IVC helps provide the eye care needs of children and adults—whether they are seeking products for health or purely aesthetics.

“Of course maintaining the health of your vision doesn’t end with regular checkups,” says Dr. Go. “You also have to consider eating healthy food that helps nurture the eyes, and keep them from being overly exposed to radiation.”

“With this year’s celebration of World Sight Day, we hope Filipinos would become aware of the health needs of their eyes,” concludes Dr. Go.

Visit one of our centers to get your free eye exam, because early detection can save your vision.

Pinkberry meets Sugarpova !

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One of my creations at Pinkberry, SM Megamall, October 1, 2014

Craveable and refreshing yogurts is great for desserts. And not just for dessert, Yogurts is for health, got power-boosting protein and bone-building calcium. It can also help you lose weight.

That's what my daughters fave and I now introduce them to Pinkberry, as I experience creating my own light refreshing yogurt - Pinkberry with Sugarpova!

Pinkberry is one of the fastest growing retail brands globally with over 240 stores across 17 countries. The Philippines is its first market in Asia. Greenbelt 5, their flagship store in the country opened last December 7, 2011. Pinkberry reinvented the frozen yogurt category when it launched in West Hollywood, California in January, 2005. 

When they launched nine years ago, they only had two flavors: original and green tea. Today the brand has gained a pop culture icon status and has expanded its menu to over 18 flavors that are rotated seasonally. 

The handcrafted yogurt bar offers the original tart and tangy frozen yogurt that is the perfect balance of tart and sweet, resulting in a light, refreshing and clean taste that is truly craveable. Each serving uses only real non-fat yogurt and real non-fat milk for the best tasting yogurt experience.

Pinkberry’s thoughtfully selected premium toppings number to thirty, categorized into four – dry, fruit, luxe and liquid. Each topping is chosen to provide a taste and texture combination to complement their signature frozen yogurt. Their fruits are always fresh, never from a can, frozen or sitting in water. 

Sugarpova toppings

In line with its commitment to create a destination for consumers in search for an elevated treat experience, Pinkberry partnered with Sugarpova, a candy line by international tennis sensation Maria Sharapova and candy veteran and founder of international retailer IT'SUGAR, Jeff Rubin. The premium gummy candy collection is a fun, fashionable, and sweet match with Pinkberry's iconic, light and refreshing frozen yogurt.

Sugarpova's unique-shaped gummy candies are now available as toppings to your favorite Pinkberry flavor. They have the Sugarpova Flirty Mini, a fruit-flavored candy in the shape of kissable lips and Sugarpova Smitten Sour Mini, a sour rainbow candy ribbon. 

Soon, the Sugarpova Flirty Sour Mini (a collection of sour fruit-flavored lips, hearts and stars) will be added to the line up of options. Sugarpova is best paired with Pinkberry’s fresh and light strawberry yogurt and their newest tart flavor, cherry.

According to the Sugarpova website, "Sugarpova is a premium candy line that reflects the fun, fashionable, sweet side of international tennis sensation Maria Sharapova." A portion of all proceeds from the sale of Sugarpova go towards the Maria Sharapova Foundation, Sharapova's charity. The gummy candy was first marketed in the U.S. in August, reaching 250,000 bags in the first three months. Sugarpova was launched worldwide in 2013 through IT'SUGAR and Selfridges stores in the United Kingdom.

New Cherry flavor

Aside from its special tie up with Sugarpova, Pinkberry is also excited to announce its new flavor – the tart and light Cherry Pinkberry. Cherry Pinkberry is crafted from real bits of juicy cherries, so it perfectly captures the delicate, delicious flavor of fruit fresh from the market. The new flavor is excellent as Chocolate Covered Cherry with shaved milk chocolate and chocolate sauce. It is also recommended with fresh strawberries, honey almond granola and agave nectar, Pinkberry likes to call that combination Cherry Crumble. You can also try Cherry Pie, with a waffle cookie and strawberry puree. You can go for Cherry Macaron with coconut and toasted almonds. Or you can experiment and create your own concoction!

In addition to frozen yogurt, Pinkberry also offers fruit parfaits, fruit bowls, smoothies and waffle cookie sandwiches. Visit Pinkberry in Greenbelt 5, Alabang Town Center, SM Aura, Power Plant Mall, and SM Megamall Fashion Hall.

Post your order of Pinkberry yogurt (any product) topped with at least one Sugarpova topping on Instagram and tag @pinkberryph #sharapinkberry and get a chance to win P500 worth of Pinkberry gift certificates. One winner will be chosen each week, winners will be announced every Friday, until October 24.

Get a taste of Swirly Goodness by logging on to www.pinkberry.com.ph or their Facebook page www.facebook.com/PinkberryPhilippines

Buy-One-Get-One on Salted Caramel 

For the next couple of weeks, Pinkberry will be running a special promotion on its salted caramel flavor. It’s BOGO (Buy One Get One) on all salted caramel products every Friday until October 17, 2014, from 5:00 PM until the store closes. Customers can get any two salted caramel items, pay for the higher priced item and get the other one for free. 

#FreeFBisBack - Enjoy a wonderful browsing experience with no strings attached! Globe eyes dominance in mobile data business with return of Free Facebook offer

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Free Facebook is Back! You can now enjoy unlimited Free Facebook, no strings attached! The promo runs until November 30, 2014.

Globe Telecom is looking to dominate its mobile data business with a substantial growth of its mobile data user base with the return of its Free Facebook offer, giving its postpaid, prepaid, and TM customers access to Facebook at zero data charges and without Wi-Fi needed.

Globe will progressively roll-out access to the social networking site to its over 43 million mobile customers beginning Friday, October 3, 2014 to Sunday, October 5, 2014, responding to the overwhelming demand for the service which allowed users to enjoy free access to the social networking site and superior browsing experience. 

Free Facebook can be accessed on feature phones and smartphones across all Facebook mobile platforms whether via the Facebook app or Facebook's mobile site m.facebook.com. There are no restrictions on the megabyte (MB) allocation per day to access the site and no maintaining balance is required for prepaid customers. 

With Free Facebook, customers need not purchase any data plan to avail of the promo, and will only be required to register once to enjoy Free Facebook all they want. Those who subscribed to Free Facebook previously and did not opt-out do not need to register to the offer.

“We are excited to announce another wonderful Globe surprise to our over 43 million mobile customers, the return of our much-anticipated Free Facebook offer. With our better and bigger Free Facebook, customers enjoy all-you-want access without any MB cap, no daily registration needed, and no maintaining balance. Globe users can enjoy sharing, liking & posting on Facebook for free. Only from Globe, the network that gives you a wonderful browsing experience and access to your digital lifestyle with no limitations and no strings attached,” says Globe Chief Operating Advisor Peter Bithos. 

To register to the Free Facebook offer, customers can text FREEFB to 8888 for free information and they will receive a text message with a link to open to start accessing Facebook for free. 

All Globe prepaid and postpaid customers to enjoy a wonderful browsing experience with no strings attached.

As the leader in innovation to serve the digital lifestyle of its customers with breakthrough mobile data offers powered by its modernized network now with 100% 3G coverage nationwide, Globe launched its Free Facebook offer in October last year with an aim to seed the habit of mobile browsing on its expanded 3G and 4G networks, doubling the telco’s mobile data user base.

Philippines is Destination of the Year 2014

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The Philippines is awarded the Destination of the Year at the 25th Annual TTG Travel Awards 2014, just a few months before the Department of Tourism (DOT) sets on to raise the country’s international profile with its Visit the Philippines Year 2015 campaign.

Secretary of Tourism Ramon R. Jimenez Jr. accepted the award before Asia’s tourism professionals at the Awarding Ceremony and Gala Dinner held on 2 October 2014 at the Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Center in Thailand.

“We would like to thank TTG for the invaluable support extended to our organization in our marketing and information dissemination efforts. As a trusted travel trade publication, it has been a formidable partner throughout these years in bringing the Philippines closer to our markets,” DOT Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez Jr. said.

The Philippines was chosen as the region’s most outstanding destination in 2014 for distinguishing itself with its proactive steps and initiatives towards the development and promotion of the travel industry. The Destination of the Year falls under the Outstanding Achievement Awards. Other categories include Travel Personality of the Year, Best Travel Entrepreneur, Best Marketing and Relationship Effort, and Best Trade Supporter. The winners are determined by TTG’s editorial team.

Organized annually by the giant TTG Asia Media’s Travel Trade Publishing group, the TTG Travel Awards has been recognizing the best of Asia-Pacific’s travel trade since 1989. The prestigious travel industry event marks an important time for the industry to recognize the exemplary organizations that raise the bar of excellence. The exclusive event honors stellar organizations and individuals in 4 categories: Travel Supplier, Travel Agency, Outstanding Achievement, and Travel Hall of Fame.

The TTG Travel Awards is now reputed as the most coveted and influential awards to be garnered in the region’s travel industry. The signature trophy, a statuette of Hermes (the god of travel and protector of travellers in ancient Greek mythology), is cast in solid pewter and plated in 24K gold. Weighing two kilograms, the Hermes trophy has since then been the icon of the annual awards.

“This award belongs to all Filipinos. It is the Filipino people that have ensured the acceptance of It’s More Fun in the Philippines as a true and accurate description of the participative and active role every Filipino plays in ensuring a successful and enjoyable visit to the Philippines. Again, the determination of the Filipino people, coupled with the support of our President, Benigno S. Aquino III, is our inspiration to build a brighter tourism future for the Philippines—an industry that is more profitable and more inclusive,” Secretary Jimenez concluded.

The DOT is gearing up its efforts to promote Visit the Philippines Year (VPY) 2015 – an invitation for all to experience the enduring promise of more fun in the Philippines. Encouraging nationwide participation, DOT aims to stamp passports of 10 million visitors to the Philippines as the country hosts major events such as the Papal Visit in January and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministerial Meetings and Leaders’ Summit.

itsmorefuninthephilippines.com.ph

DOH extends measles-rubella-polio campaign until October 10

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From the Department of Health:

The Department of Health (DOH) today announced that children who did not receive the supplemental dose of measles, rubella (MR) and oral polio vaccine (OPV) can still go to health centers and vaccination posts until October 10, 2014.

“We are appealing to parents and caregivers who know that children aged 0-5 years old under their care have not received the vaccines to go to the nearest health center to have them immunized,” Secretary Enrique Ona said.

As of September 30, the country’s national coverage status reached 84% (or 9.6M) of the 11 million eligibles for MR and 81% (10.9M) of the 13 million eligibles for OPV.

Among the regions, the top achievers for both MR and OPV vaccinations are Caraga region with 91%, Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) with 90%, Region 11 (Davao) and Region 12 (SOCCKSARGEN) both with 87%, and Region 5 (Bicol) with 86%.

Among the provinces, the local chief executives reported the following achievements for MR: Lanao del Sur – 112%, Agusan del Sur – 100%, Saranggani – 100%, Surigao del Sur – 96%, and Nueva Vizcaya – 96%. For OPV, the provinces reported the following: Lanao del Sur – 110%, Agusan del Sur – 98%, Saranggani – 95%, Surigao del Sur – 94%, and Davao Oriental – 93%.

The top cities, on the other hand, reported that for MR the top performers are: Cebu City – 128%, Dapitan City – 119%, Tandag City – 117%, Calamba City – 107%, and San Fernando City – 103%. For OPV, the top cities are Cebu City – 126%, Tandag City – 117%, Dapitan City – 107%, Lapu-lapu City – 102%, and Calamba City – 101%.

Subsequently, the DOH together with private volunteers, World Health Organization, the US Centers for Disease Control, and the Church of the Latter-Day Saints will be continuing the rapid coverage assessment and door to door surveillance and mop-up activities to verify whether the target of reaching every purok strategy has been reached.

Fifty one percent of those who have not brought their children to vaccination posts claim that the mothers are busy.

“We are appealing to these mothers to give priority to vaccination. Nakamamatay kapag kulang ang bakuna. Magtulungan tayo upang protektahan ang buong sambayanang Pilipino. There are still pockets of areas where there are children who have not yet been vaccinated, therefore, we are urging the mothers and caregivers of these to have them vaccinated at the nearest health center even as we conduct mop up vaccinations,” the health chief concluded.

doh.gov.ph