TravelBook.ph: Metro Manila Tops 2017 Holy Week Destinations

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Metro Manila is the top destination for Holy Week, making a huge leap from its 5th ranking in 2016, according to leading online travel agency TravelBook.ph.

“Data shows that three months prior, Filipinos booked a stay in the metro for Holy Week (April 10 to 16) this year, which is 10.4% of Travelbook.ph’s total bookings for the Lenten Season,” the report said.

The report also indicated that Makati, Manila, and Quezon City thrive the most among other cities in Metro Manila.

In comparison to the 2016 data, Metro Manila only acquired 6.6% of the previous year’s total bookings, which placed them on the 5th rank while Baguio City is at first with 10.8%.

According to a Jane Cariaga, a Travelbook.ph customer, spending the Holy Week within Metro Manila is a practical choice.

“Considering the additional expenses for the fare and other travel necessities, plus the heavy traffic you’d have to endure while traveling, it is best to spend a quiet staycation in Metro Manila to observe the Holy Week,” the customer said.

Travelbook.ph caters mostly to Filipino travelers aged 18 to 34. A lot of them are also from Metro Manila.

Here is the complete list from TravelBook.ph of the top 15 Holy Week destinations this 2017 in the Philippines:

In 2016, the top 15 destinations were Baguio, Cavite, Boracay, Zambales, Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Palawan, Cebu, Bohol, Ilocos Sur, Batangas, Albay, Davao, Pangasinan, and La Union respectively.

It is also interesting to note that Mindoro, Camarines Sur, and Laguna made it to this year’s list, replacing Ilocos Norte, Bohol, and La Union.

Interested travelers can book accommodations for their staycations or out of town trips by visiting www.travelbook.ph or downloading the TravelBook.ph mobile app for free on Google Play and App Store.

New Jollibee TVC excites all senses with Chickenjoy’s crispylicious goodness

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Jollibee, the country’s number one fast-food chain, recently launched a new TV commercial highlighting its flagship product: the crispylicious, juicylicious Chickenjoy. Inarguably the top choice for fast-food fried chicken for many Pinoys, Chickenjoy has earned the title as the “Philippines’ Favorite Fried Chicken” for various reasons – one of which is it s unparalleled crispy skin. Pinoys just cannot get enough of Chickenjoy’s crispylicious skin because it creates a unique taste experience, which taps into the different senses.

The TV commercial opens with the appetizing sight of Chickenjoy’s expertly fried, golden-brown skin followed by the irresistible sounds of soft crunch as the skin is being snapped and peeled, signalling perfect crispiness. It ends with the endorser savoring the crispylicious skin’s signature taste, leaving the viewers craving for a Chickenjoy meal of their own.

“Filipinos love fried chicken, and to most, its best part is the crispy skin. This is the reason why they save this part for last. But not all crispy fried chicken skins are created equal, so to speak. Jollibee Chickenjoy is not only crispy; it is crispy and delicious,” said Jollibee Philippines Marketing AVP for Flagship Category, Kent Mariano.

“Every piece of Chickenjoy excites the senses – sight, sound, and taste – making the whole experience complete and satisfying. It’s no wonder Chickenjoy is the crispylicious fried chicken that has been joyfully shared by generations of Filipino families to create the happiest moments,” Mariano added.

The famous crispylicious and juicylicious Chickenjoy has definitely left a mark on Filipinos all over the world not only due to its indisputably delicious taste, but also because every bite is an experience that will always remind Filipinos of joyful moments shared with the family. The 1-pc. Chickenjoy with Rice comes with gravy for only P75 and with Fries and Regular Drink for only P99. 

Available in all Jollibee stores nationwide, drive through, and Jollibee delivery by dialling #8-700.

Capture every detail of life’s precious moments with Y53 from top five global brand, Vivo

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Capture precious moments in photos for less with top five global brand Vivo’s Y53, with an 8-megapixel camera and an ultra-HD mode available at Php 6,990.

Filipinos are known to treasure life’s milestones and moments, no matter how big or small, through photographs. When purchasing smartphones, they look for one with impressive camera features but are usually faced with a common problem: phones with high-quality cameras come at a hefty price. 

Now comes Vivo, the top five premium global brand, and its Y53, which enables Filipino photo enthusiasts to capture every detail of precious moments for less. 

With a price tag of only Php 6,990, Vivo Y53 is equipped with an 8-megapixel rear camera, capable of capturing clear details. The rear camera features an ultra-HD (high definition mode), a feature that enables users to seize several consecutive images, combine these, and render up to 32-megapixel photos.

As for selfies, the Vivo Y53 has a 5-megapixel front camera, with an f2.2 aperture. 

The Vivo Y53 features a premium unibody design with curved edges and sleek lines,

 convenient to hold for the every user. 

Selfie lovers can now take selfies even at night, or in poor lighting conditions, because of the Y53’s smart screen flash, which automatically switches on in low-light conditions, making your face look brighter and more radiant in selfies. 

Vivo Y53 is also impressive in terms of speed and performance, when it comes to smartphones in its price range. This Vivo phone has a 2GB RAM and a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, good for running games and other applications. 

Providing more than enough space for photos, videos, applications and games, Vivo Y53 has a 16GB ROM, expandable up to 256GB. 

This Vivo phone also features a premium unibody designed with curved edges and sleek lines—making it stylish and refined but convenient to hold, unlike other smartphones. 

For maximum connectivity, the Y53 has three card slots—dual 4G SIM which supports 4G networks, and for the microSD card of up to 256 GB. 

As a bonus, this Vivo phone is built with an eye protection mode, which filters out the blue light on the screen to prevent eye strain.

For inquiries about Vivo Y53, visit the Vivo website at vivoglobal.ph, 

or check out their Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/VivoPhil), 

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vivophil/) 

and Twitter (https://twitter.com/vivo_phil) accounts.

City of Dreams Manila Marks the Lenten Season and Easter with Various Offers

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Luxury integrated resort City of Dreams Manila gears itself for the Lenten and Easter holiday season with a host of activities to suit various inclinations, from church visits to exciting Easter-themed promotions for rooms, dining and events during the Holy Week. 

Families looking to unwind amidst a modern and vibrant oasis can avail of a staycation at Nobu Hotel Manila that also offers a complimentary scheduled shuttle service to the nearby Shrine of Jesus church from Maundy Thursday to Black Saturday. The Holy Week Retreat package, which is available from April 9 to 16, consists of a two-night stay at P18,300 net or three nights at P24,800 net and includes: a luxurious accommodation for two persons with buffet breakfast at Nobu restaurant, DreamPlay passes for 2 adults and 2 children, daily Aqua Zumba classes, gym and pool access. Children under 12 years old are free of charge, if sharing room with parents. Daily breakfast at Nobu is complimentary for 2 adults and 2 children, 5 years old and below. For children ages 6-12 years old, buffet breakfast is 50% off the adult rate.

The young ones and the young at heart in the family will have a grand time at DreamPlay’s Easter Sunday Celebration on April 16, from11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. With the Easter VIP package, guests at this DreamWorks-inspired play space are entitled to an enticing Easter brunch buffet at Chez Gingy, all day park access, fun-filled Easter activities, special Easter bag with goodies, and “Secret of the Master” movie pass at the Dream Theatre. Guests can join Kung Fu Panda’s Po and other Dreamworks characters in Easter fun activities such as Egg-stravagant Egg Hunt, photo op with Po, Gingy’s “Baking is Colorful” cooking class and dance routines by well-loved DreamWorks characters with the DreamPlay Dreamers. The Easter VIP pass is at P1,799 net per child (80 cm. & above, up to 17 years old) and P1,499 net per adult.

Guests and families who love Nobu’s new-style Japanese-Peruvian fusion artistry, can complete their holiday dining experience on April 16 at the restaurant’s Easter Sunday brunch buffet highlighting Roasted US Prime Ribeye, Authentic Kobe Beef Fried Rice, Chicken Foie Gras Gyoza, Whole Fish New Style and Nobu Style Roasted Chicken. The Easter brunch buffet also features a variety of appetizers, hot dishes, sushi, sashimi, cut rolls, grilled skewered meats and vegetables, breakfast pastries and desserts.

A complimentary green tea-white chocolate Japanese Easter bunny exclusive to Nobu diners is provided per table. The Nobu Easter brunch buffet is open from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at P3,880++ per person. An additional P990++ or P1,990++ per person applies for the standard alcohol drink package and premium champagne drink package, respectively.

At the Wave poolside bar and restaurant, a barbecue dinner buffet makes for a refreshing al fresco Easter Sunday celebration from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Guests are treated to freshly-grilled Angus beef burgers and Frankfurt and Hungarian hotdogs served with choice of cheddar cheese, tomatoes, mustard and barbecue sauce, and sidings of baked potatoes, grilled corn and vegetable skewers. The Easter barbecue buffet, which also features Paella Negra, Halo-halo station and a dessert corner with local rice cakes and cake rolls is at P999++ per person and includes one round of iced tea, soft drinks, fresh juices or shakes. Guests who opt for free-flowing non-alcoholic drinks, local beers and cocktails pay a supplement of P700++ per person. Easter chocolate goodies as sweet tokens complete the Easter barbecue buffet experience.

Throughout April, Red Ginger showcases the “Unbeatable Egg” and its versatility with Southeast Asian flavors in an a la carte menu consisting of: Cha Thrung, Vietnamese style baked egg meatloaf; Red Ginger’s Egg Benedict; Telur Masak Merah, Malaysian style spicy braised eggs, Sate Telur Puyuh, char-grilled quail egg skewers; Angus Beef Short Ribs with sunny side up spicy egg white fried rice; and coconut pudding with mango yolk and palm sugar caramel. 

For Easter-rific treats to bring home and share, or give as gifts, guests can hop to Café Society from April 6 to 16, and choose from a selection of Easter-inspired chocolates and pastries, such as: the trio of pastel chocolate eggs and individual pastel chocolate eggs in various sizes, Easter carrot cake, assorted pastel chocolate and milk chocolate eggs, chicken people chocolates, duck and rabbit chocolates, hot cross buns, Easter egg breads, and Easter Ensaymadas with salted egg.

For inquiries and reservations, guests can call 8008080 or email guestservices@cod-manila.com or visit cityofdreams.com.

Cordlife’s One Blood: A Fight Against Leukemia

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Leukemia, one of the leading causes of death in the Philippines. Around 3,977 were diagnosed with the disease in 2012 alone. The mortality rate is at an alarming 5.3%. It is a silent killer among us that needs to be addressed. 

Stem cell transplant using cord blood is one of the treatments for leukemia. 

Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord after birth. It contains the healthiest stem cells that can replenish blood, regenerate damaged bone marrow, treat blood cancers and correct genetic defects. It is also a potential source for cellular therapy and regenerative medicine. 

Through cord blood banking, families now have a chance to survive fatal genetic diseases like leukemia and other blood-related diseases.

On April 6, 2017, Cordlife presents a national advocacy to fight against leukema with the theme One Blood was held at the Grand Ballroom, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Ortigas. 

Cordlife Group Limited is an international provider of umbilical cord blood and cord lining services. It is also among the first to offer this service and technology in Asia. 

In February 2010, Cordlife Philippines was officially launched. It is the country’s first and only private cord blood processing and cryopreservation facility aimed to give the Filipino the chance to benefit from the advantages of having a readily available supply of cord blood. 

To create awareness on cord blood banking’s importance as an available standard option for families who may need stem cell transplant, Cordlife recently launched One Blood.

This national advocacy is in partnership with the Philippine Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine (PSMFM). 

Dr. VAlerie Guinto, President, Philippine  Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine

Arvin C. Faundo, MD FPSP , Medical Director. Cordlife Philippines

The Lacanlale Family, OneBlood beneficiary

Dimples Romana and Jolina Magdangal host the Cordlife's One Blood launch 

Under One Blood, free cord blood banking will be given to chosen pregnant mothers with family history of diseases or with family members with disease/s that can be treated by cord blood and who might be a candidate for stem cell transplantation. 

Other services that will be extended to the beneficiaries include: 

Transplant Care

Cord Blood Network

Cordlife Quality Guarantee. 

The Lacanlale Family, OneBlood beneficiary

To know more about One Blood, call Cordlife at (02) 3321888 or log on to www.cordlife.ph