Food trip this Independence Day Weekend! Mercato Centrale and Glorieta presents the BELLYSIMA ! Food Festival 2015

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Enjoy food trip this Independence Day Weekend!

From the organizers of the popular night food market Mercato Centrale comes the BELLYSIMA! Food Festival 2015. It is a launch pad for passionate up-and-coming food entrepreneurs to share their artisanal food creations alongside healthy and organic food products with equally passionate food enthusiasts!

From flavored flans to artisan sausages to edible cookie dough to carabao chicharon to twisted gelato flavors to chili-flavored coffee syrups to organic detox juices to chocolate-flavored surprises! And that’s just the tip of the taste buds.

Set your tummies free this June 12 and 13 at the Glorietta 5 Atrium and be one of the lucky 500 participants to taste and evaluate some of the most exciting gourmet, healthy, artisan and organic food creations from over 30 local vendors.

Bring the whole family to enjoy heirloom recipes, regional delicacies, innovative pastries and desserts, experimental dishes, organic and all-natural healthy food alternatives, and more! Note: Remember to wear adjustable waistbands because you’re going on a revolutionary food trip!

Here is a list of the participants to look out for:

BACH’S BANGUS DAGUPAN

Frozen bangus, daing na bangus, rellenong bangus

BLUSH PASTRIES

Cheesecake, Oreo cookies, flavored cupcakes

BRAVO DELI

Baked products

CHOCO LOCCO

Chocolates, cacao, tablea

COCOA MONSTERS

Chocolate and cocoa-related products, including chocolate-coated dried mangoes

COOKIE STICKS

Cookies in stick form

DELICANE

Fresh sugarcane juices

FRIGGIES

Healthy fruits and vegetable juices

GAVIENS NATIVE CAKES

Traditional Filipino rice cakes

GOOD FOOD

Handcrafted items and organic produce

GORBY BALLS

Graham balls

HEALTHY MONSTERS PH

Salad in a jar

HEALTHY SHOTS MANILA

Detox and cleansing juices

HOMEGROWN ORGANICS

Fresh vegetables, organic kale pesto, atchara

IRRI – PHILIPPINE HEIRLOOM RICE

Heirloom rice varieties from the Cordilleras

JACOB’S PRALINE PEANUT BUTTER

Praline peanut butter

KURIKIPU

Hot and iced brewed coffee, pasta, healthy juices, brownies

LOKALITEA

Turmeric tea

LOTUS POD PH

Fresh vegetables

MADE BY MAX

Nut butter spreads

MILETTE KAKANIN

Various homemade traditional Filipino rice cakes and other delicacies

MILEA BEE FARM

Organic honey and other honey-based products

MILKMAN DAIRY BAR

Edible cookie dough and cereal milk

MIO GELATI

Fresh and authentic Italian ice cream

MR. MONTY

Tofu with veggies siomai and various special sauces like chili and chili garlic in coconut oil

PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY

Imported goodies

PIPER’S PAN

Mini cakes

PURE ENERGY

Kalabasa and beet delicacies, beet healthy drinks

PURPLE BUDS

Red velvet crinkles and other baked products

REYSONS FOOD

Dolci bottled coffee jelly

RITZY PINK SHOPPE

Baked chicken embutido, banana cupcakes and oatmeal cookies

SALATA PH

Salad dressings and sauces, healthy snacks

TOUCH OF ELLEHCAR

Cupcakes

TREATS OF TRIX

Cheesecakes in a jar

WISE EATS FOODS

Artisan sausages, chorizos, vegetable preserves, salad dressings, etc.

The BELLYSIMA! Food Festival is brought to you by Mercato Centrale in partnership with Glorietta and is co-presented by OurAwesomePlanet.com and Ayala Malls, together with our media partners The Philippine Star, Entrepreneur Magazine, Yummy Magazine, GoNegosyo, WhenInManila.com, Solar Entertainment, 103.5 KLite and Globe My Business.

For more information, contact us through any of the following:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mercatocentrale 

Email: admin@mercatocentrale.ph 

Contact: 0917-8401152

Pioneer rolls out new online product for travellers and adventurers

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As traveller, first things first.

There are a number of things that you may do before even leaving home that will help you to have a safe and enjoyable travel experience.

I always read excellent tips and advises from travellers on the best way to do reduce vulnerability, and protect safety while enjoying the trip and amazing sights.

There are times I travel with family, or with friends and project mates. Sometimes, I travel solo. I travel lightly, packed my bags and ready to go, but before departing for a trip I’m often warned to “be careful” by family and friends. They also bid bye and say "enjoy your trip and see you again safely soon." 

While you’ve imagined every part of the travel adventure, the what-ifs still make the worries creep in once in a while.

With Pioneer’s Travel Buddy Adventure, you can leave your what-ifs behind and travel worry-free. This new travel insurance product comes with 30-day coverage while traveling via land, water, or air despite the number of trips you take. It also entitles you to a maximum benefit of Php100,000.

Travel Buddy Adventure covers the expenses that may arise in case accidents happen while doing adventurous activities and hobbies such as spelunking, white-water rafting, and windsurfing. Visit shop.pioneer.com.ph for the complete list of adventurous activities covered by Travel Buddy Adventure.

And just to make sure you reserve your energy for the adventure itself, Pioneer offers Travel Buddy Adventure online at Insure Shop, an Insurance Commission-approved one-stop shop where you can get yourself, your loved ones, and even your prized possessions covered with the products tailor- made for your every need.

Using your credit cards, you can get Travel Buddy Adventure online and Pioneer will deliver your Proof of Coverage (POC) to your door step.

Visit shop.pioneer.com.ph to get covered today – and have the time of your life!

Christian Bautista’s ‘Soundtrack’ hits platinum

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Asia’s Romantic Balladeer Christian Bautista proved that he is still one of the most reliable male singers in the country with his latest record award – a Platinum Record Award for his latest album “Soundtrack.” The awarding happened at “Sunday All Stars” last Sunday, June 8.

“This is a surprise,” says Christian. “You are good at keeping this to me.”

Christian was awarded by Universal Records Managing Director Kathleen Dy-Go. During the said episode, Christian also performed his duet with Julie Ann San Jose – their rendition of “Cruisin.”

Christian thanked his fans Christian Friends for their support to the album, and his sponsors.

Soundtrack includes memorable theme songs from the most romantic movies of all time. It includes the hit “Up Where We Belong,” theme from “Empress Ki.” “A Thousand Years” is also part of the album.

Christian also tapped some of the best female singers to collaborate with him. Former sweetheart Rachelle Ann Go joins him in their rendition of “The Way We Were.”

Perennial stage leading lady Karylle performs the romantic “After All” with Christian. 

Nikki Gil also lends her beautiful voice in the duet “Come What May.”

Coca-Cola and Habitat Ph give cleaner, safer water systems to two Bohol towns

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The towns of Tubigon and Maribojoc in Bohol province now have clean and safe drinking water due to a joint effort of the Coca-Cola Company and Habitat for Humanity Philippines. The two towns have newly rehabilitated water supply systems, a project which began in February 2014.

Coca-Cola Philippines Foundation President Cecile Alcantara and Habitat for Humanity Philippines Managing Director and CEO Charlie Ayco (far right) formally turned over a new water filtration system to Maribojoc Mayor Leonicio Evasco Jr. on May 22, 2015 at a ceremony in Brgy. Jandig. The filtration system will benefit nine barangays in Maribojoc town.

In Tubigon, a redeveloped 105,000-liter water storage tank will be able to provide clean water to 500 families in the barangays of Panaytayon, Ilijan Norte and Ilijan Sur. Meanwhile, 2,000 families across nine barangays in the town of Maribojoc will benefit from a new multi-filtration water system that outputs 1.2 million liters of clean water per day.

Representing the provincial government of Bohol, Atty. Anthony Damalerio expressed his gratitude to Coca-Cola Philippines and Habitat for “this good example of public-private partnership. This is one way to honor our strong commitment to deliver that basic commodity to our barangays.”

From left to right: Habitat for Humanity Philippines Managing Director and CEO Charlie Ayco, Tubigon Mayor Marlon Armila, Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto, and Coca-Cola Philippines Foundation President Cecile Alcantara test the newly installed 105,000-liter water storage tank in Barangay Ilijan Sur in Tubigon. The tank will benefit 500 families from three barangays in the municipality.

Damalerio said that the province’s demand for clean water will be increasing this year since Bohol will be embarking on massive infrastructure projects. Due to this, he explained, providing barangays access to clean and safe drinking water is a topmost priority. “We must not forget the role of our barangays.”

Coca-Cola Philippines Foundation President, Cecile Alcantara, said that the two projects are the company’s way of giving back to the community the water they’ve consumed for their products. “We call this ‘replenish,’ and we are happy to say that we have given back 40 to 50 percent of the water we’ve consumed back to the communities,” she said.

Alcantara also requested local government officials to educate their constituents to take care of the resource entrusted to them. She emphasized that “[since] water is not an infinite resource, we have to conserve it.”

Habitat for Humanity Philippines Managing Director and CEO Charlie Ayco and Coca-Cola Philippines Foundation President Cecile Alcantara present a model of the newly rehabilitated 105,000-liter water storage tank to the local government of Tubigon, Bohol represented by Mayor Marlon Armila and Gov. Edgar Chatto, during a turn over ceremony held on May 22, 2015. Also in the photo are officials from Habitat for Humanity Philippines, Coca-Cola, and the local government of Tubigon.

Habitat for Humanity Philippines Managing Director and CEO, Charlie Ayco, says they took on this project as part of the organization’s goals of ensuring that Filipino families can have more decent and secure lives. “We are known for shelter, but in our housing-quality standards, clean water and sanitation are a vital components of a decent home.”

Both the Coca-Cola Company and Habitat for Humanity Philippines see themselves as partners for development, eyeing more projects together with the local government of Bohol to help rebuild the lives of those who have been affected by the 7.2-magnitude earthquake last October 2013.

“Perhaps the blessing is that the earthquake brought us all together, to work together so that we can [also] rise up together,” Coca-Cola’s Alcantara said.

EPSON Partners with Photogs for a Cause to Capture Untold Stories

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Doing amazing photography tell engaging stories about the people, places and things around the world.

Some photos bring strength to you during your day, hope in what you are doing, and a smile to your face! And the activity spread happiness when you share it with others!

Earlier this year, Photogs For A Cause (PFAC) – a group of professional photographers who do pro bono work for NGOs that have no budget for their photography needs – braved dangerous trails to go up the mountains and visit Brgy. Buscalan in Kalinga. They brought Epson to the quiet, quaint place to provide a unique gift for the people of Buscalan.

Aside from visiting the new birthing facility in the area and bringing some basic supplies, their mission was simple: to take portraits and give the pictures to people who have never had their own photographs.

“It’s a simple gift, and yet the joy that they exhibited upon receiving their photos can’t be quantified,” said Donna V. Ferro, Head of Epson Philippines’ Marcom & PR. 

“These are people who have never owned a photo, and so this was incredibly precious for them,” added Ferro.

“This is not the first time that people have come here and take their photos,” said Tracey Heppner, founder of PFAC. “The visitors always say they will come back when they have the photo print outs, but they aren’t able to deliver on the promise, probably because of the treacherous paths that you need to take to get there. But now, with the Epson printer that we’ve brought to the mountain, for the first time, the locals get a copy of their photos,” added Tracy.

Epson provided an L800 genuine ink tank system photo printer to provide stunning prints to the people of Buscalan.

“There are a lot of stories here, and it was a pleasure capturing them through photographs. There was a father who posed with his kids – he lost his wife a while ago. There was an old man who has never even seen a photo of himself. There were a couple of kids who were waiting on me the whole day, and when I finally gave them their picture, they ran straight home to keep it safe,” said Tracy.

“But perhaps the most memorable is this old woman who asked me how many months it would take for me to give her her photo – she had cancer, and she was anxious that she won’t be around when I come back. When I explained that she’d get it right away, there were tears in her eyes.” added Tracy.

Epson aims to improve the lives of its customers with its compact, eco-friendly, high precision products.