City of Dreams Manila Ushers the Yuletide Season with a Festive Lighting Spectacle

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City of Dreams Manila ushered the holiday season with a festive Christmas tree lighting ceremony at The Shops at the Boulevard, the luxury integrated resort’s retail avenue with some of the world’s most sought-after brands. 

The whimsical Yuletide festivity was led by City of Dreams Manila’s Property President Geoff Andres, Belle Corporation’s Vice Chairman Willy Ocier, Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez and spouse Janet Olivarez, Congressman for the 1st District of Paranaque Eric Olivarez, and 2016 Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Maxine Medina. 

To warm up the holiday fete at the onset of the program, a Christmas parade of DreamPlay was held. DreamWorks’ beloved characters Shrek, Fiona, Puss in Boots, Po of Kung Fu Panda, Alex the lion and King Julien the lemur of Madagascar strutted along The Shops and upon reaching the holiday display, performed a dazzling and vibrant dance routine together with the Dream dancers dressed in nutcracker, angel, Christmas tree, elves and snowflake costumes. 

The fanciful holiday ceremony’s focal point showcased City of Dreams Manila’s Queen-like character sauntering around the holiday display, lighting up two smaller Christmas trees with a wave of a wand and passing on the wand to the VIP guests who in turn magically lighted up the two bigger Christmas trees. Guests gasped in amazement as Ms. Medina and Mrs. Olivares tapped the wand to light up the Christmas tree by their side. Later on, Mayor Olivarez & Mr. Andres pulled the giant candy cane lever to turn on City of Dreams holiday carousel, which made the crowd cheer and applaud with further excitement.

The Christmas tree lighting ceremony was followed by a 30-minute performance of the premiere mixed chorale ensemble of the University of Santo Tomas Singers conducted by Professor Fidel Calalang, Jr. The internationally-acclaimed choir most recently won the 1st Prize in the Mixed Choirs Adult Category in the 4th Florence, Italy International Choir Festival. They regaled the audience with their vocal harmonies of timeless holiday songs such as “Hark the Herald,” “Kampana ng Simbahan,” and “Grownup Christmas List.” 

The Christmas tree lighting event marks the beginning of City of Dreams Manila’s roster of holiday activities and offers. 

Weekend Christmas Parade and Children’s Choir at The Shops at the Boulevard

Guests can catch the Christmas weekend parade with DreamPlay’s beloved characters Shrek, Fiona, Alex the lion, Po the Panda, and King Julien the lemur every Saturday and Sunday starting December 17 and 18. The parade will start at the DreamPlay entrance at 6 PM and make its way to the Grand Carousel at The Shops at Boulevard.

For an unforgettable Yuletide season, guests can watch the choir performances every Saturday and Sunday at the holiday display by The Shops. The University of Santo Tomas Singers returns on November 27 and December 11, 2016, 3:30 PM. Other holiday choir performances include Kammerchor Manila on Nov. 26, Dec. 10 and Dec. 25, 3:30 PM; Hail Mary the Queen Children’s Choir on Dec. 3 and 18, 3:30 PM; and Imusicapella on Dec. 04, 17 and Dec. 24, 3:30 PM.

Wild Winter at DreamPlay

Holiday attractions and surprises are in stored for guests at DreamPlay. Both the young and the young at heart can have a “Wild Winter” experience from December 16 to 18, 23 to 24, 26 to 31, and January 1. Guests who avail of the “Wild Winter” package at P1,500 per person will have VIP access to all attractions plus limited edition DreamPlay goodies such as a Christmas apron and hat, an Alex the lion notebook, a special Christmas-themed gingerbread from Cooking with Gingy, and a printed souvenir photo. The package also provides access to see the Merry Madagascar movie and comes with a free box of popcorn and unlimited iced tea. 

Merry Live Band Performances at Chaos Nightclub every Wednesday

Chaos nightclub hosts the best local artists every Wednesday night, 9pm, elevating Original Pinoy Music (OPM) to a whole new level. Upcoming performances at the trendsetting nightclub include Side A and True Faith on November 30, Freestyle and Southborder on December 7, Side A and The Juans on December 14, Freestyle and MYMP on December 21, and Side A with Kudos loves 80s on December 28.

Tickets to see the live band performances every Wednesday at Chaos are at P400 each with one drink. 

Holiday Party Like a Rockstar at KTV at City of Dreams Manila

Guests can sing like a rock star or their favorite pop music icons and immerse themselves in the KTV’s uniquely-themed interiors. Ideal for Christmas gatherings and parties, revelers can have fun and sing to their hearts content in their selected KTV room, each one with a different theme inspired by world-renowned cities: Amsterdam, Bangkok, Las Vegas, Marrakesh, or Miami or the Tarot card-inspired rooms: the Sun and Moon, Lovers, Fortune, as well as the combinable Emperor and Empress – connected via a private doorway to accommodate larger groups.

All rooms come with en suite powder rooms and fully-operated touchscreen control pads and start at a consumable food and beverage package of P5,000++ for two hours and up to ten persons. Larger rooms can accommodate up to 30 guests for private parties. 

The KTV rooms are available from Wednesdays to Sundays, 7 pm to 2 am, and Mondays to Tuesdays by reservation.

Christmas Bazaar for Dream Rewards Members

An exclusive luxury shopping experience awaits Dream Rewards members from December 2 to 6 at the Grand Ballroom of City of Dreams Manila as the integrated resort hosts a curated line-up offering premium privileges and discounts from some of the world’s most sought-after brands such as Tiffany & Co., Fendi, Christian Louboutin, Charriol, Loewe, Samsonite, Rimowa, Frederique Constant, Mont Blanc, Mikimoto, Roberto Coin, Tissot, Macallan, Longchamp and more. 

Dream Rewards members can exchange their earned points for any of the items available at the bazaar. For non-members who wish to join the bazaar, they can sign-up for a Dream Rewards card for free at any Dream Rewards counter. One valid government ID is required.

Family Staycation and Honeymoon for the Holidays Packages

Crown Towers Manila and Nobu Hotel Manila offers luxurious overnight holiday stays for families and couples. 

Crown Towers

The Crown Family Staycation Package at P11,000 net, comes with an elegant Resort room and breakfast for two adults and two children below five years old at Breezes, and four passes to DreamPlay.

The Crown Honeymoon package at P16,500 net lets couples enjoy a romantic stay at a sophisticated Resort Studio with a one-hour couple’s spa treatment at the Crown Spa and dining credit at select City of Dreams Manila restaurants. 

Nobu Hotel

For Nobu Hotel guests, the Nobu Family Staycation Package at P9,500 net, comes with a stay at a Nobu Deluxe room with breakfast for two adults and two children below five years old at Nobu Manila and four passes to DreamPlay. 

The Nobu Honeymoon Package at P15,000 net includes an Executive room with a one-hour spa treatment at Nobu Spa and P3,000 dining credit at select City of Dreams Manila restaurants.

For inquiries and reservations, guests can call 800 8080 or e-mail guestservices@cod-manila.com.

Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines celebrates three decades of making a difference in communities

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Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines President Cecile Alcantara leads the celebratory toast on their 30^th anniversary. Alcantara was joined by Coca-Cola Philippines President and General Manager Diego Granizo and Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines Director for Legal and Corporate Affairs Atty. Jorenz Tanada.

All over the Philippines, the iconic red and white logo of Coca-Cola always evokes a feeling of refreshing ice-cold beverages that can be enjoyed and shared with loved ones and friends to make meal times more special.

But in other parts of the nation, in remote villages where water is scarce, in communities where women are struggling to improve their household income, and in schools where students are suffering from poor health, Coca-Cola has been a refreshing sign of hope and progress, thanks to the various social responsibility programs of the company through their social responsibility arm – the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines Inc.

Since it was established in November 1986 as a manifestation of the commitment of Coca-Cola to corporate citizenship in the country, the Foundation has helped improve the quality of life of hundreds of thousands of Filipinos through education, health, water sanitation, and livelihood programs. Through the Foundation, Coca-Cola has also provided emergency assistance during disasters and implemented various environmental conservation projects.

Celebrating 30 years of fulfilling the mission of providing sustainable growth and well-being in Filipino communities, the Foundation’s current programs this year are focused on enabling access to safe water in underserved, rural communities as well as providing education and development opportunities to the Filipino youth.

Coca-Cola Philippines Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications Atty. Adel Tamano and Coca-Cola FEMSA Philippines Director for Legal and Corporate Affairs Atty. Jorenz Tanada, lead the ribbon cutting of The Happiness Project exhibit of the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines on its 30^th anniversary.  

“At Coca-Cola, we have a shared vision of growing our business and enhancing the sustainability of local communities around the world. We are very thankful that for the past 30 years, we have been given wonderful opportunities to serve thousands of Filipino communities, share happiness and make a difference in the lives of countless people through programs implemented through the Foundation and our partners,” said Diego Granizo, Coca-Cola Philippines President and General Manager.

The Happiness Project

In celebration of its milestone year, the Foundation will publish a 30th anniversary magazine, “The Happiness Project”, which highlights its achievements in uplifting the lives of Filipinos in various communities. The publication features amazing stories written by University of Sto. Tomas-Journalism Society, and photos taken by De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLSU-CSB) School of Design and Arts students and faculty volunteers. They captured stories of struggles, hopes and dreams that came true for beneficiary communities of Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines and their program partners.

The Happiness Project magazine, along with videos and photos capturing these true stories of hope will be exhibited from November 10 to 12 at the Activity Area of Gateway Mall, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City – a project made possible through a partnership with the J. Amado Araneta Foundation and Araneta Group.

Among the “happiness” stories are that of a barangay captain in Bato, Leyte and a 74-year-old man in Baao, Camarines Sur who were blessed with finally having access to clean drinking water through the Agos project of the Foundation, in partnership with the Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Inc. and the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement. The project uses a gravity installation, which brings water from upland sources to communities downhill.

The Happiness Project also features eye-opening stories of the hardships of young Tacloban students in the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda and a retired high school teacher in Butong, Quezon province who both found the passion to continue learning and teaching, respectively, after experiencing the Little Red Schoolhouse project which the Foundation built. The two-storey, typhoon-resilient Little Red Schoolhouse inside the Marasbaras Elementary School in Leyte has six classrooms, each fully equipped with chairs, tables blackboards, and comfort rooms, while the Little Red Schoolhouse at the Quezon National High School-Apyao Annex is the first one built for middle school students.

“Our work in Coca-Cola Foundation has rewarded us over a hundred-fold – with warm smiles and the sincere expressions of gratefulness from the people we have met along the way. Even a tearful speech of a grandfather who has turned hopeful that his grandchildren will have a better life because they now have free flowing fresh water a few steps from their home, beats any award or trophy,” said Cecile Alcantara, Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines President.

The Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, Inc. is a founding member of the League of Corporate Foundations, and member of the Association of Foundations and the Corporate Network for Disaster Response.

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands and more than 3,800 beverage choices. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our company’s portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands, 18 of which are available in reduced-, low- or no-calorie options. Our billion-dollar brands include Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Dasani, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Del Valle, Georgia and Gold Peak. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, we are the No. 1 provider of both sparkling and still beverages. More than 1.9 billion servings of our beverages are enjoyed by consumers in more than 200 countries each day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. 

For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company

Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX) Asia-Pacific 2016: A taste of the Philippines

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Delegates of the Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX) Asia-Pacific 2016, the largest gathering of travel bloggers, writers, content media creators, and tourism industry professionals, had a feast as they discovered Philippine cuisine. 

 

Presented by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), in coordination with NMX Events, their journey of discovery began with a 15-hour food tour where they travelled to Pampanga, “the culinary center of the Philippines”, to try iconic Filipino dishes such as lechon, sisig, chicken inasal, and sinigang. They then went to Binondo to experience the country’s Chinese culinary influence on food.

The contingent was served an array of grilled fish, prawns, squids, and clams and tasted some of the native delicacies such as barquillos, turones, kutsinta, halo-halo, rice cakes including bibingka, cassava cake, and puto. 

The country’s tropical fruits were also a hit as the visitors sampled the sweetest mangoes, rambutan, lanzones and marang. Calamansi was a surprise to them for its versatility – from a refreshing fruit drink to an additional flavor to condiments. 

To complete their Filipino food experience, they were served some of the country’s exotic foods including balut, pako or fern salad, and sea urchin.

“I find it very interesting that the Filipino cuisine is influenced by so many other cultures and it creates a fascinating mix,” said Maria Haase who travelled all the way from Germany. “This food trip was very interesting and inspiring for me.”

Further making Filipino meals fun, the delegates experienced boodle feasts, which urged them not only to share their food but to interact and converse with one another. Trying Filipino dishes in this unique way was something the first-time visitors were able to enjoy. “This is such a simple pleasure to enjoy. It’s amazing that we get the time to eat together. I love this kind of culture,” said Chicago-native Rosemary Kimani.

TBEX Asia Pacific 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. 

The amazing variety of food – from savory dishes to sweet delicacies, and our wide array of fresh ingredients, diverse cultural influences, proves that the Philippines can stand out as an exciting culinary destination.

  

Moms for Wellness : Procter & Gamble and Robinsons Supermarket Join Forces with Mothers to Further Strengthen Their Advocacy of Wellness

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A mother is continually nurturing, caring, guiding, and preparing. Heath and wellness are always the main concern of mothers.  Whether you are a stay-at home mom or a working mother, you never stop thinking about what needs to be done for your family. Mothers endlessly caring for family and love ones and others, and there's always have time to replenish your mind, body and spirit. Always to give back to yourself and care for your personal wellness and happiness too. 

Procter & Gamble and Robinsons Supermarket launched the Wellness Moms Movement held with mothers to further strengthen their advocacy of wellness. 

Recently held at Marco Polo Hotel, Ortigas, the Wellness Moms Movement emerges - a movement of change by mothers rallying as one for a better and healthier lifestyle.

Mothers come together to celebrate their personal advocacy of wellness. Different aspects of motherhood—Baby, Family/Household, and Personal Wellness—openly discussed. 

Denise Laurel, Nikka Martinez-Garcia, and host Issa Litton at the Wellness Moms Movement launched by Procter & Gamble and Robinsons Supermarket, November 24, 2016,  Marco Polo Hotel, Ortigas. 

Celebrity mom guests Denise Laurel, Nikka Martinez-Garcia, and host Issa Litton during the talk show that highlighted as well P&G’s own wellness products and how they fit into one's life. 

Here's for example, Mom’s son returns home after playing outside, washing his hands with Safeguard for 99.9% germ protection before eating dinner. After mealtime, Mom can now easily wash away the grease of the dirty dishes with Joy Antibac, as well as any stains on her son’s clothes with Ariel Power Gel. Night time arrives and her baby daughter needs to sleep, so Mom soothes baby with Vicks Baby Rub, putting on her Pampers for a dry, peaceful sleep, covering her in a soft, comfy blankie, thanks to Downy Baby Gentle. These wellness products and their home benefits were presented in the Mealtime Tips and Bedtime Tips Wellness videos released online. 

Moms shared their personal tips and bytes of advice to one another, talking about how Wellness Mom products have helped make their life at home an easier, safer, healthier and happier one. Also, to further showcase the unity of this movement, a special Moms for Wellness mosaic wall made up of photos of different moms around the country was also revealed.

Aside from P&G, Robinsons Supermarket, who has always supported the wellness movement, has proven that two is better than one when it comes to progress and change. This mutual undertaking paved the way for a solid partnership, which was also officially revealed last Thursday through the Wellness Moms promo! 

From now on, whenever one buys three of the participating Wellness Moms products (Safeguard, Joy Antibac, Ariel Power Gel, Downy Baby Gentle, Oral-B, Pampers, or Vicks Baby Rub) at any Robinsons Supermarket, he/she will instantly receive Robinsons Supermarket GC’s worth 50 pesos!

 

The media launch of the new Wellness Moms movement was not only an informative event, but also a fun gathering of moms who only want what’s best for their families. With games, new knowledge, and special P&G and Robinsons Supermarket giveaways, moms made their way home with an extra push of encouragement and motivation to continue living the Wellness Moms life.

About Procter & Gamble

P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, AmbiPur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®,Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Joy®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, Safeguard®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. 

Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands.

‘Tis the season to be selfie-ready - Price drop for selected OPPO smartphones until January and chance to win an OPPO F1s

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Nothing beats a smartphone as a Christmas present to let loved ones feel that they are special, but the cost is not exactly affordable. Thankfully, mobile technology brand OPPO is offering a selection of smartphones at prices within budget.

“OPPO smartphones have shown that premium quality doesn’t have to come at a high price. This holiday season, we are offering shoppers a treat by making some of our best units available at discounted prices.” said OPPO Philippines Brand Marketing Manager Stephen Cheng. “Our phones will definitely make for great gifts that will capture your most precious holiday moments.”

Whether for selfies or group shots with family, the following OPPO phones are sure to capture the holiday festivities in photos worth sharing.

OPPO F1s& Selfies Speak Christmas raffle

The latest in OPPO’s F1 series has a 16MP front-facing camera with a large aperture for clear and bright selfies even in dim light. The Beautify 4.0 app also ensures flawless photos through seven beautification levels and two skin modes.

Other features such as Super GIF and double exposure add fun to images by letting users play with movement. Lighting-speed fingerprint recognition further makes phone access very easy, while options for palm- and voice-activated shutter reduce the hassle of taking selfies.

The special edition metallic grey F1s Limited is currently available in stores. Financial service provider Home Credit also offers the F1s at P1,449 per month with zero percent interest.

OPPO’s Selfies Speak Christmas raffle also offers a chance to get a free F1s with the purchase of any OPPO smartphone. To join the promo, shoppers must follow the online registration link posted on OPPO Philippines’ Facebook page to submit an entry. Entries will only be accepted until January 8, 2017 by 11:59PM.

Participants must provide their name, address, landline or cellphone number, and International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, as well as the name of the store where they bought their phone. The winners will be announced on OPPO’s Facebook page.

OPPO F1

Like the F1s, its predecessor the OPPO F1 is built to capture bright photos in less-than-ideal lighting. The first in OPPO’s camera-focused F1 series, the F1 sports an 8MP front camera that can snap selfies with 30 percent better clarity than a 5MP camera. The f/2.0 aperture lens and 0.25-inch sensor ensure images that are 44 percent brighter than those captured by an f/2.4 lens.

The phone’s Beautify 3.0 app comes with three beautification modes and several filters for flawless selfies ready for upload. 

Originally priced at P11,990, the F1 is now available for only P9,990.

OPPO A37

Apart from ensuring bright selfies in any type of lighting, the A37 stands out for its light unibody design for a comfortable grip. The price has also dropped from P8,990 to P7,990 for the holidays.

The discounted F1 and A37 will be available until January 8, 2017. 

For more information, please log on to http://www.oppo.com/ph/index.html.