Marawi situation poses risks to children’s well-being

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Iligan City --- Child-focused aid organization World Vision began its relief operations last June 8, 2017 after more than 200,000 people were forced to flee the city of Marawi in Mindanao.

“We have started distributing relief items to at least 1,000 families today. It is heart breaking and heart-warming at the same time but knowing that there are people standing with them brings them so much hope and comfort,” shares Associate Director for Operations Jocelyn Mariscal.

Child-focused aid organization World Vision begins its relief operations after more than 200,000 people were forced to flee the city of Marawi in Mindanao. At least 1,000 displaced families now sheltering in evacuation centres and in their relatives' house were provided with hygiene kit (toothbrush, toothpaste, laundry soap, bath soap, undergarment, malong or tube skirt, sanitary pads) and non-food items like blanket, mosquito net and plastic mat.

Child-focused aid organization World Vision begins its relief operations after more than 200,000 people were forced to flee the city of Marawi in Mindanao. At least 1,000 displaced families now sheltering in evacuation centres and in their relatives' house were provided with hygiene kit (toothbrush, toothpaste, laundry soap, bath soap, undergarment, malong or tube skirt, sanitary pads) and non-food items like blanket, mosquito net and plastic mat.

The relief items include hygiene kit (toothbrush, toothpaste, undergarment for men and women, bath soap, laundry soap, sanitary pads, nail cutter, malong or tube skirt) and non-food items like blanket, mosquito net and plastic mat. The distribution catered to those who are in evacuation centres and the home-based (those living with relatives) internally displaced families in Sta. Elena, Iligan City.

The clash started on May 23 after the Philippine Army conducted a raid operation in Marawi City where an Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) leader was hiding. The government forces were met by gunfire coming from ASG’s local armed allies the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and Maute group. This escalated to a massive firefight causing 175 deaths and displacing thousands of people. The still on-going clash has also affected 132 schools and more than 22,000 school children, said Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao-Humanitarian Emergency Action and Response Team (ARMM-HEART).

World Vision hopes to reach at least 10,000 people or 2,000 families. In the next days, child-friendly spaces will also be set up in two evacuation centres to provide psychological first aid to the children affected by the conflict.

The Child Friendly Spaces created by World Vision are designed to let the children play and have the opportunity to interact with other children. It helps to provide an opportunity for children to express themselves through art, play and also to connect with other children facing similar distressing experiences.

6-year old Husnia joins her mother in getting the relief items. Until today, she and her mother are still waiting to hear from her father who was left in Marawi when they left for Iligan City.

World Vision is now in close coordination with the Department of Education to provide 10 schools with Temporary Learning Centres (TLCs) and 18, 000 learner’s kits for the students.

“We thank all the donors and sponsors who have supported us in responding to the needs of the affected children and their families. We also continue to appeal for support as World Vision continues to work with the government and other humanitarian actors in providing aid to the people of Marawi,” says Acting National Director Rommel Fuerte.

To extend your help to the people displaced by Marawi crisis, visit www.worldvision.org.ph/help-people-marawi or call 372-77-77, for more information.

‘The Big Big Show’ again with brave, bolder and better with Frenchie Dy, Radha, and Bituin Escalante

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HM Entertainment brings back - Frenchie Dy, Radha, and Bituin Escalante as they recreate the magic - The Big Big Show: Again at The Theater at Solaire, on July 14, 2017.

Big voices, big talents, will be braver, bolder and better after the resounding success of ‘The Big Big Show’ last December 3 at The Theater at Solaire.

There has been a clamor to stage a repeat, as reviews for the show were glowing. Music aficionados and concert goers alike were in unison that says:

‘The Big Big Show’ did not only celebrate women of all shapes and sizes, it also served as showcase for the musical gifts and versatility of its three headliners, Frenchie Dy, Radha, and Bituin Escalante. ‘The Big Big Show’ marked the first time that the three talented singers shared one stage together and boy, what wonders and magic they made, easily slipping from one musical genre to another with flair and gusto." 

“The concert was ambitious as it offered a repertoire quite removed from the usual, mixing not-so-familiar show tunes and popular Top 40 fare.”  - - - Neil Ray Ramos of Manila Bulletin Entertainment made note of the concert’s unique concept. 

Rendered with big band flourish courtesy of musical director Mel Villena and his AMP Band, the formidable diva trio of Frenchie, Radha, and Bituin were in great form from the get-go. It mattered little if they were doing solo spots or a medley of kundimans. Frenchie, Radha, and Bituin were just gung-ho and ready to sing their hearts out.

By the time the three women were doing an Aretha Franklin medley featuring well-remembered classics like “Chain of Fools,” “Respect,” and “Think,” audiences were on their feet, swaying to the rhythm, waiving their arms in the air, lost in the spellbinding effect of the formidable diva trio’s virtuoso performances.

Adding more wallop to the powerful feminine concert, ticket buyers will get a chance to receive goodies, laptop, mobile phones, IPADs, and a lap top.

It will be a treat for those who missed it and a nostalgic trip to revisit for those who enjoyed the first staging. Like its lovely and hugely-talented headliners, ‘The Big Big Show: Again’ without a doubt is bigger, braver, bolder and better with a few surprises thrown in for good measure.

Mark your calendars on July 14 for  ‘The Big Big Show, Again’ still at The Theater at Solaire, home of world class Filipino concerts and performances.

Tickets to ‘The Big Big Show: Again are now available via Ticketworld. Call 891 - 9999!

6 Ways you can bond with your kids as this school year opens , get fun with “Team YeY” !

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School year started opens now,  engage your kids in quality time by taking inspiration from activities you can learn together on YeY channel’s “Team YeY,” the only local all-kids variety show where kids can learn something new every day. 

Check out these fun ideas.

1. Prepare baon together.

Teach your kids the basics of food preparation by involving them in preparing simple snacks like sandwiches, veggie sticks, or simple ulam-and-rice combos. Make it extra fun by coming up with Bento meals, where rice and ulam can be done in various shapes. Try making Monster Burgers, as shown on Snaks Naman of Team YeY.

2. Learn Philippine literature together.

Turn TV bonding into a fun learning experience by tuning in to Team YeY’s StorYeY to revisit classic Philippine literature. Stand by to explain any questions they might have, and turn it into an educational viewing habit.

3. Do art projects together.

Having quality time with kids doesn’t have to involve lots of planning and money as you can help with their homework and art projects every now and then. Together, you can get crafty and creative. Tune in to Team YeY’s Artstig for easy ideas.

4. Beat the rainy day blues with party games at home.

To make rainy days festive, improvise by organizing DIY party games at home with the kids. Invite cousins and classmates over on a weekend and engage them in team games as seen on Team YeY’s Sunday Funday and Game Play.

5. Take a break from work stress and jam.

Take a short break by jamming with your kids while watching Team YeY’s Soundcheck. This will also give you an opportunity to see and experience what your kids are into these days. Try teaching them your favorite songs, too—they’ll enjoy learning “old” songs from you too!

6. Get some exercise by dancing.

Since it’s hard to find time to exercise these days, improvise! Bust a move with the kids as they dance along to Team YeY’s Galaw Go. You don’t need a Zumba class—just dance with the kids and have some laughs as you attempt to follow the dance steps on TV.

Don’t let the start of the school year stop you from spending quality time with your kids. Set aside a little time each day to play and learn with them. Tune in to Team YeY every day of the week at 8:30 am and 2:30 pm. Team YeY airs on YeY channel exclusively on TVplus, with catch up episodes on iWant TV.

“Team YeY” brings the fun and learning with its daily themed segments. Galaw Go!, is led by AJ Urquia and Nhikzy Calma; Snaks Naman by Mitch Naco and Sophie Reola; Artstig by Jana Agoncillo and Althea Guanzon; Game Play by Sam Shoaf and JM Canlas, StorYey by Raven Cajuguiran and Yesha Camile; Sound Check by Luke Alford and Noel Comia Jr.; and Sunday Funday with all the hosts.

YeY is a free and exclusive channel on digital TV via ABS-CBN TVPlus, which you can get for a one-time payment of P1499. ABS-CBN TVplus signal coverage is available in Metro Cebu, Cagayan De Oro, Iloilo, Bacolod, Davao, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Rizal, Laguna, Pampanga, Tarlac, Benguet, and Cavite. Yey is also available on cable via SKYcable and Destiny Cable and on direct-to-home or satellite TV via SKYdirect. 

Visit tvplus.abs-cbn.com and follow ABS-CBN TVplus and Yey on Facebook. You can also subscribe to YeY’s YouTube channel for your daily dose of YeY.

Wish to experience the best in condo living? Check this out - Filinvest’s Pioneer Pointe

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Pioneer Pointe is located at the center of the bustling commercial and business district.

This is for those who want to experience the convenience, accessibility, and security of condominium living, there’s the Pioneer Pointe in Mandaluyong, part of Filinvest Livable Condos that value quality of life by creating well-planned homes.

A 28-storey premium property, Pioneer Pointe is strategically situated at the center of the bustling commercial and business district which allows for functional and enjoyable urban living. It is a real address of convenience as it is close to the EDSA MRT line and gives easier access to possible places of work in Mandaluyong City, Makati City, and Bonifacio Global City, where many small and medium enterprises and top corporations are located.

Pioneer Pointe’s two-bedroom bi-level unit includes a living room area.

Also a short distance away from Pioneer Pointe are premiere shopping destinations which are home to leading retail stores and restaurants. 

Pioneer Pointe offers studio units ranging from 30.85sqm to 40.39sqm and two-bedroom bi-level and flat units ranging from 62.3sqm to 73.52sqm. Two-bedroom garden units are also available from 96.1sqm to 110.8sqm. At your disposal are stand-out features and complete amenities, including a function room, swimming pool, and a pocket garden with children’s play area.

Residents can enjoy the use of swimming pool for

rest and relaxation.

With only a few units left, there’s no better time than now to acquire and invest in a condo unit at Pioneer Pointe. What’s more, it has a limited offer of a low down payment rate of only 2.5% until June 30, 2017.

So whether you’re an empty nester, a young professional, or starting a small family, take a closer look today at Pioneer Pointe—the best in urban living right at the heart of the city! For more information about Pioneer Pointe, please visit www.filinvest.com and follow the Facebook page at  www.facebook.com/pioneerpointeofficial. You may also call 850 0888.

Petron Blaze 100 Euro 6 tested and proven in marathon performance run

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The 2017 Petron TriAction Performance Run flagged off from the Petron NLEX-Marilao service station on its northward journey to Ilocos Norte before traversing the entire length of Luzon down to Sorsogon and back to Manila. Eighteen vehicles of various makes were tested under hypermiling and normal driving mode. More than 50 participants were involved in the run, including official observers from the Department of Energy (DOE) and Automobile Association Philippines (AAP). 

Since 2005, market leader Petron Corporation has tested its cutting-edge fuels in real world driving conditions to validate its laboratory findings. This has resulted in fuel innovations that best match the requirements of Filipino motorists, for all types of vehicles, on all types of terrain.

Following the certifications issued by leading global laboratories which rated Petron’s Blaze 100 Euro 6 as surpassing the most stringent fuel technology and emission benchmark in the world, the Philippines’ most advanced gasoline was field tested in a marathon performance run across the length of Luzon.

Fueled by Petron Blaze 100 Euro 6, hypermilers Raymund Dimapilis (right) and Enrico Mabunay (left) traveled an impressive 33.69 kilometers per liter on a Honda City 1.5 E CVT. 

With Honda as the official vehicle partner, test teams were deployed in two driving modes—hypermiling mode to test fuel efficiency, and normal mode to test the overall driving experience. The six-day run saw the test teams driving up to Ilocos Norte and then all the way down to Sorsogon, before turning back to return to Metro Manila. For the hypermilers, the challenge was to see how far they could go on one full tank of Petron Blaze 100 Euro 6. In normal mode, the cars were heavily loaded with luggage and other equipment, and drivers were asked to drive as they saw fit depending on the terrain and traffic conditions.

Driving a Honda City 1.5 E CVT, the hypermiling team of Raymund Dimapilis and Enrico Mabunay were able to travel an impressive 33.69 kilometers for every liter. According to Dimapilis, their team did not expect to go the distance, saying: “There are a lot of write-ups that say there is no need to get a high-octane fuel beyond the manufacturer’s recommendation. However, this run proved that having a high-performance fuel has its benefits—in our case, fuel economy—when used properly. Another factor is that Blaze is 100% gasoline, so we had additional energy available to go farther.”

On another Honda City 1.5 E CVT, hypermilers James Benjamin Gaston and John Abraham Zayco achieved 33.19-km/L. Having participated in previous Petron test runs, Gaston has the following observations: “Blaze had a significant improvement on power. This was clearly felt in the ability of the car and engine to slowly accelerate from 21-kph up to 35-kph using a steady engine rpm of 1,000. This significantly boosted the hypermiling technique of a steady crawl at a thrifty rpm in urban areas where stop-and-go driving and spiking rpms are the greatest factor in losing fuel efficiency.”

Further, he notes that while this was not so obvious to the driver at higher speeds and rpm, the engine computer continued to show good fuel economy. “This can be attributed to the better power delivered by Blaze as the engine does not need as much fuel to achieve the same power necessary to maintain cruising speeds,” he explains.

Meanwhile, Antonio Siddayao and Lester Constantino, on-board a Honda CR-v 2.0 AT were testing the new Blaze formulation in normal driving mode. Over the course of the six-day run, Siddayao reports: “At our first fill-up, we did not notice any significant change. After our second refill, the engine response was noticeable and we took note of our fuel consumption from thereon. From Laoag, Ilocos Norte, to San Fernando, La Union, we only consumed 12-liters, despite some sudden accelerations and averaging highway speeds of 60-90kph.” Driving through the varying terrains and traffic conditions in the southern corridor of Luzon until the finish in Naga, driver logs showed that the team used about 185-liters on 2,367-kilometers. That’s like traveling from Manila to Baguio 9-1/2 times on just three fill-ups of the Honda CRV’s 58-liter fuel tank. “Not bad for a 2.0-liter SUV,” Siddayao concludes.

According to Petron R&D, due to its pure formulation and very high octane, Petron Blaze 100 Euro 6 gives motorists six advantages and benefits, namely: (1) improved fuel efficiency; (2) powerful engine performance and acceleration; (3) guaranteed cleaner engines on just one full tank; (4) improved combustion with its unique fuel and additive formulations; (5) significantly reduced harmful emissions; and (6) reduced maintenance costs (e.g., longer catalyst life for emission system).

Based on the fuel efficiency results and driver feedback, these are tangible benefits that ordinary motorists can experience with Petron Blaze 100 Euro 6. These also confirm the results obtained in tests conducted by leading global laboratories in Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Germany. 

The hypermiling team of James Benjamin Gaston (right) and John Abraham Zayco (left) achieved 33.19 km/L with Petron Blaze 100 Euro 6 on another Honda City 1.5 E CVT. 

Samples of Blaze 100 Euro 6 were taken from Petron’s Bataan refinery and randomly from its stations by SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing, and certification company. The samples were then sent to SGS laboratories in the United Kingdom, Singapore and the Philippines. All samples tested met specifications (EN 228:2012) for Euro 6-technology vehicles.

Petron also sent samples of this innovative product to ISP The Testing Institute, a leading engine and vehicle testing laboratory for fuels and lubricants development. ISP conducted a Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) test with Blaze 100 Euro 6 and found it did not cause carbon deposits in GDI engines. GDI is a more advanced engine technology that addresses fuel economy and emissions. It is being used in newer European, American, and Asian car models. 

Millbrook Proving Ground, which provides validation and engineering services in the automotive, transport, and defense industries, also tested Blaze 100 Euro 6. It conducted an Intake Valve Deposit (IVD) test and found Blaze 100 Euro 6 cleaned over 70% of engine deposits in 60 hours. Millbrook UK said Blaze 100 Euro 6 passed the “Euro 6b” emission standard— the strictest emission standard in the world. IVD tests apply to Port Fuel Injection engines which are widely used the Philippines. 

“We are proud that Blaze 100 Euro 6 meets the world’s best environmental and fuel technology standards. With the highest octane rating but the lowest sulfur content, it is the best gasoline in the market by far in terms of power, efficiency, engine protection, and reduced emissions,” Petron President & CEO Ramon S. Ang said. 

“Since our fuels are locally-produced and formulated in our refinery, we can guarantee the quality and consistency of Petron fuels. We will continue to innovate and lead in fuels technology so we can put more savings in our customers’ pockets while improving air quality across the nation,” he concluded.