Last month, Avida Land Corp. launched the Avida Towers at Global City. It is the company's entry into one of the most popular and prestigious pieces of real estate in the Philippines. Ayala Land, Inc., Avida's mother company, were well-represented by Antonio Aquino and Bobby Dy. They were joined by Avida Land's Leo Montenegro and Chris Maglanoc, as they celebrated the launch with music, wine, food, and other treats. Entertainment was provided by The Company, one of the most-enduring vocal groups in the country. They were joined by Aries Sales and Princess Velasco as they serenaded the crowd during the fun-filled celebration. A grand audio-visual presentation of the facilities, amenities, and features of Avida Towers was the highlight of the launch. As a prime address in the Bonifacio Global City, Avida Towers was designed around the philosophy of "Live, Work, Play." Centered on beautiful homes, Avida Towers also boast of exciting amenities and accessibility and proximity to the Bonifacio Global City's establishments such as those at the Bonifacio High Street and Serendra. Avida Towers is just one of the high rise home projects of Avida Land, Inc. Their other projects are located in Makati, Alabang, and Cebu. To have a…
Category: hobbies and interests
Planters’ Bank SME Series: Ethics Adding Values to Your Business
Last July 13, 2010, I was able to attend the Planters' Bank SME Speakers Series held at the Apo View Hotel here in Davao City. And I learned a lot from it. The talk was about Ethics: Adding Values to Your Business with Francis J. Kong as the featured speaker. Mr. Kong is an entrepreneur, writer, tv show host, and professional public speaker. He gave a very rousing and inspiring talk on ethics, emphasizing that there is no such thing as "business ethics," only ethics. Kong asserted that the way one lives his life is reflected on how he does business. Thus, he conducts himself ethically inside and outside of his business. He also prefers to work with and deal with ethical people who are honest and disciplined inside and and outside of the office. Kong was not just knowledgeable about business, he was a damn good speaker. He knew what to say and how it say it effectively. His topic was serious but his talk was light-hearted and funny. His jokes were relevant and didn't lessen the impact of his points. Rather, his jokes and asides highlighted his very serious points. The talk was definitely very useful and practical…
How to be a Dedicated Smoker
The following is a product of a writing exercise that the blogger made during the Davao Bloggers Creative Writing Workshop 2 with Rene Lizada. The exercise is called "Steps in an Irony Process Pararaph." It takes determination and diligence to become a dedicated smoker. However, there are simple steps you can follow to easily achieve this feat. First, make sure you always have cigarettes with you. Don't buy sticks, buy packs. And I don't mean those flimsy packs of tens or fives which some stores sell. Always have a pack of 20 sticks of your preferred cigarettes. Or if you go grocery shopping, buy a box of packs. And with that, you must always have your own lighter. The fancy refillable ones are preferred. Or a box of matches. This way, when you have the urge to smoke, you don't have to mooch off others or waste time looking for a pack to buy. Second, do not share your cigarettes so that you won't run out of supplies. Keep them in a safe place. Especially, when you are out drinking with your friends, do not put your pack on the table where everybody else can access it. Same goes for…
War is Coming
Make no mistake about it. War is coming. With all its glory. And all its horror. That's my SMS tone. Uh huh! I've been very excited to see and play this game, StarCraft II. In the summer of 1998, I spent my vacation in Manila. With three guy cousins. I spent more time in arcades than in stores. And eating instead of shopping. One of the things I learned that summer was how to play StarCraft. I instantly fell in love with the graphics and the game's story. I was eager to finish the campaign so I would know how things ended for Raynor, Kerrigan, and the Duke. All through college, until my third year I played StarCraft with my friends through LAN and through the Battlenet. I wasn't a good player but I kept at it. Then, came WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos and WarCraft III: The Frozen Throne. I also learned Age of Empires, Red Alert, and many other games. And finally, DotA and now, League of Legends. But StarCraft will always be StarCraft. I was super excited when I first heard news that StarCraft II will finally be released. Sometime. Maybe in a year or so. That…
Poker + Blogging Skills = TV Show
When I heard that a local poker tv show is on the works and they're looking for a host, I didn't hesitate. I WANTED TO BE PART OF IT! Yes, I wanted to host the show, but I wanted to be part of the production more. Having played poker for more than two years, and being a blogger / writer / PR consultant, I thought I had the credentials to be part of the show. Two nights ago, I went to the production company's office to audition, telling the director I would also be interested in being a writer for the show or as part of the production team. Yesterday morning, I received a message that I have been chosen to be part of the team. WOOHOO! And that there would be a meeting and technical rehearsal at around 3 pm. Ooops! I had a workshop/dinner with my friends. I wen to the workshop/dinner but left for about an hour for the meeting at the poker club. Met the two hosts, Carol Smith who has been a poker player and a former DJ. I told the director that she would be the perfect host. And I'm happy they agreed. The…
Travel with M&Ms
Who doesn't love the chocolate that melts in your mouth? It used to come in just two varieties: Plain Milk Chocolate and Peanut. Now, M&Ms chocolates come in Crispy and Orange. And in some countries, in my favorite Dark Chocolate. M&Ms would like to go with you on you travels with premium items which you can redeem by buying and eating your favorite M&Ms and collecting the packages for redemption. Everytime you buy an M&Ms (listed on the poster above), you earn a number of points. The more M&Ms you enjoy, the more points you earn. You get to enjoy chocolate and you get better rewards. Can life be sweeter? For 7 points, you get a cute M&Ms Luggage Tag. It's cute and unique, a good way to spot your bag on airport carousel. I want the green one with the pink luggage. Quirky. By collecting 40 points, you get a Sling cum Messenger Bag which is convenient to carry and can fit all your travel essentials. I'm eye-ing the blue one. To keep you warm during land, air, or sea travel, collect 80 points to redeem an M&Ms Foldable Blanket. When it's folded it looks like your favorite M&M.…