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NUTRI-CHEF CHALLENGE 2012 Results

12:54 AM

Vernon Joseph Go

San Remigio Beach Club celebrates decade of success

11:03 PM

Vernon Joseph Go

THE northern town of San Remigio, Cebu, is expected to be bustling with a variety of lively and colorful activities next week when San Remigio Beach Club marks a special milestone this year – “A Decade of Success.”

Come May 12, San Remigio Beach Club will celebrate 10 years of people and achievements that continue to transform and benefit the municipality of San Remigio.

“This year, as we celebrate a decade of growth, we wish to give tribute to the locals and to our industry partners,” San Remigio Beach Club COO and general manager Mark Ynoc said. “We are also inviting all club members to join us in the celebration.”

Activities lined up for San Remigio Beach Club’s 10^th year anniversary celebration include a motorcade around the municipality, live concerts, interactive performances, sky lanterns display, and raffle draws.

Guests will have the opportunity to tour around San Remigio town via the police-escorted motorcade and the chance to learn the art of fire dancing from professional in-house tutors. The live performances will be provided by the ethnic/tribal band “Lupon Anduyo” and the San Remigio Beach Club’s Serenaders.

For a minimum of two nights stay, San Remigio Beach Club is offering an anniversary promo rate of P999 per head on room accommodation plus round-trip transpo. Entrance fees for day use are P50/person inclusive of one complimentary beer and P360 per head with buffet dinner.

San Remigio Beach Club – located in Barangay Tambongon, San Remigio, Cebu -- is not a huge resort but it makes guests comfortable with its abundant coconut trees, lush greens, and colourful flowers that make for a beautiful and peaceful environment.

Guests at the San Remigio Beach Club can do lots of activities including swimming on the pool or beach, running on the white sands, snorkelling, scuba diving, horse back-riding, basketball, volleyball, badminton, billiards, and island hopping. Little ones can have their fun, too, in the playground for children.

Local food favorites and western delights can be enjoyed at Cafe Gloria, while refreshing drinks and snacks are available at the Clubhouse Bar, Skipper’s Lounge, and Bahia Vista.

Globe Telecom, Inc.’s Proposed Fixed Rate Bonds Rated PRS Aaa

11:02 PM

Vernon Joseph Go

Philippine Rating Services Corporation (PhilRatings) has assigned a PRS Aaa rating to Globe Telecom, Inc’s (Globe) proposed issuance of a principal amount of up to P15.0 billion in fixed-rate bonds, of which Globe is preparing to offer an initial tranche of P10.0 billion. Depending on market conditions and other factors, Globe may issue an additional tranche of debt securities with a principal amount of up to P5 billion. PhilRatings has thus issued its rating to cover both tranches and a total aggregate principal amount of up to P15.0 billion.

“Obligations rated PRS Aaa are of the highest quality with minimal credit risk. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.”

The rating assigned reflects the following key considerations: strong, though moderated earnings given keener competition; the company’s well-managed capital structure; strong cash flow generation and adequate liquidity position, strong shareholder support; and the proactive stance of management in addressing the need for improved network quality and reliability.

PhilRatings’ ratings are based on available information and projections at the time that the rating review is on-going. PhilRatings shall continuously monitor developments relating to Globe and may change the rating at any time, should circumstances warrant a change.

In 2011, consolidated revenues, excluding non-recurring income, amounted to P72.44 billion, 8.73% higher compared to last year’s level. This was achieved on the back of robust service revenues which reached an unprecedented P67.81 billion, up by 8.40% from last year’s P62.56 billion. Strong take-up for Globe’s customizable postpaid plans and mobile browsing services, and competitive offers catering to prepaid subscribers allowed the company to register a 7% increase in mobile service revenues to P53.95 billion, several times higher than the estimated 1% industry growth. Revenues from the fixed-line and broadband segment, on the other hand, posted a healthy 15% increase to P13.86 billion. Consolidated revenues were further pushed up by the 25.39% hike in non-service revenues which stemmed from the higher sales of handsets and Tattoo Broadband sticks. Net income was generally flat but remained strong at P9.83 billion as the 11.48% increase in total cost and expenses to P58.66 billion tempered revenue growth. Factors which contributed to the higher cost and expenses were higher marketing expenses needed to support aggressive acquisition campaigns, network-related expansion activities, and depreciation and amortization expenses which were pushed up by the accelerated depreciation related to a network change-out.

After dropping by 18.66% to P27.15 billion in 2010, cash flows from operations posted a 10% growth to P29.93 billion in 2011 due to non-cash adjustments and working capital changes. Net of capital expenditures which amounted to P17.4 billion, operating cash flows were still sufficient to service maturing debt. Capital expenditures in 2011 were mostly for the expansion of Globe’s wireless and broadband networks.

Debt to equity ratio improved to 1.01 in 2011 due to the reduction in debt level combined with a slight rise in equity. This was well within the 2.1 debt to equity limit dictated by the company’s debt covenants, providing Globe with enough flexibility in terms of obtaining additional borrowing.

Going forward, the bulk of revenues will continue to come from the mobile segment although the broadband business is expected to likewise contribute significantly in terms of percentage growth. Accelerated depreciation of assets that need to be decommissioned in relation to the network modernization will affect the company’s bottom line in the next two years. As these charges are non-cash items, however, the company’s cash generating ability will remain strong and will provide more than ample coverage of maturing debt. Although the issuance of the proposed bonds (which will be used to finance capital expenditures) will increase the company’s leverage, Globe’s capital structure is seen to remain manageable.

To improve network reliability, meet larger volume demands, as well as increase the quality of service, Globe will be undertaking a mobile network modernization program over the next two to three years. While a significant amount is being allotted for the project, this is expected to enhance customer loyalty as the company will be able to provide improved services. Globe will also be initiating a comprehensive re-engineering of its IT systems over the next two years. With these two projects, the company expects to generate savings in operating expenses amounting to US$180 million and capital expenditures amounting to US$210 million dollars over the next five years, in addition to the potential revenue contributions from such expanded capacity.

Earlier this year, Globe settled its rated P5 billion fixed-rate bonds (P1.974 billion three-year bonds due in 2012 and P3.026 billion five-year bonds due in 2014). Such was financed by a combination of internally generated funds and the issuance of long-term loans.

New Xperia S - the first Sony Smartphone launches in Cebu

1:44 AM

Vernon Joseph Go

Microsoft Office Mobile arrives on Symbian smartphones

1:00 AM

Vernon Joseph Go

Nokia announced that Office Mobile apps from Microsoft -- Word mobile, PowerPoint mobile and Excel mobile, are made available via Software Update* for the Nokia 701, Nokia 700, Nokia E7, Nokia X7, Nokia C7 and Nokia C6-01**.

Office Mobile completes the suite of Microsoft productivity applications for Symbian smartphones with Nokia Belle, including OneNote mobile, which allows you to capture, create, read, and edit rich text and image notes from your camera or picture gallery; Document Connection, that lets you save, search and view your office documents stored in your mobile or attachments to your email; Lync 2010 mobile, which allows you to conduct virtual conferences with audio, video and instant messaging; and PowerPoint Broadcast that enhances your virtual meetings with presentations easily viewed and shared on your mobile.

“Office Mobile apps and the productivity suite from Microsoft bring Symbian smartphones to a whole new level that both business users and IT managers will appreciate. With more people using their own devices in office environments, the need for secure connectivity is growing. Business decision makers and users also expect the best mobile experience for corporate communication through email and instant messaging, and collaboration through team tools,” said Dharmesh Goshalia, general manager and head of sales of Nokia Philippines. “Moving beyond the business arena, the rich functionalities of Office Mobile will also be appreciated by anyone who uses Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel.”

Business users using Symbian smartphones with Nokia Belle can also enjoy the latest Nokia applications like Nokia Drive and Nokia Maps that feature free turn-by-turn voice guided walk and drive navigation in more than 100 countries, maps for more than 190 countries; Nokia Public Transport with routing in more than 400 cities around the world; and access more than 100,000 apps in the Nokia Store, which is experiencing more than 13 million download requests per day.

More information on Mobile Office apps or the full suite of Microsoft productivity applications can be found from the Nokia for Business site.

*Office Mobile apps will be available from Nokia Store in early May 2012.

**The full suite of Microsoft productivity applications for Nokia N8, Nokia E6 and Nokia 500 will be available at a later date.

SPATIALinfo to provide geo-spatial solution for Globe Telecom’s Fiber Management System (FMS) Project

9:00 PM

Vernon Joseph Go

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--SPATIALinfo with its spatialSUITE products, will provide Globe Telecom a geo-spatial FMS that will improve quality of their physical network data records, resulting in improved operational efficiencies, reduced MTTR through integration with service assurance processes, and reduced service outages as a result of integration with their existing OSS platforms. spatialSUITE is quickly becoming the industry leading choice for managing the physical assets of service providers, more than fifty (50) companies worldwide are now using SPATIALinfo solutions to more efficiently and effectively deploy and manage their fiber, copper, and HFC networks.

“Globe’s selection of SPATIALinfo as its supplier of a physical network asset management solution is further proof that our spatialSUITE of products is quickly becoming the leading platform in this space,” said Don Wadas, SPATIALinfo’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We are honored to have Globe as a customer as we rapidly expand our global service provider footprint.”

According to Robert Tan, Chief Technical Advisor of Globe Telecom, “The project is a strategic fit in Globe Telecom’s OSS blueprint that will enable us to further streamline our operations and leverage geo-spatial information. The FMS will allow us to capture, design, and implement fiber network expansions more cost effectively by transforming our current engineering processes to a highly automated solution, which will ultimately benefit our customers.”

SPATIALinfo will be working with partners; Ark One and Apex CoVantage, to deliver the project.

About SPATIALinfo

SPATIALinfo builds software solutions that help communications service providers plan, design, construct, and maintain their physical network infrastructure. The fully integrated spatialSUITE portfolio makes it easy for professionals to map, model and manage complex fiber, copper and coaxial cable networks and provides enterprise-wide access to timely, accurate network asset information. With a growing customer base and strong commercial partnerships, SPATIALinfo has become an international leader in providing off-the-shelf solutions that offer a proven return on investment.

About Globe Telecom

Globe Telecom is a leading full service telecommunications company in the Philippines, serving the needs of consumers and businesses across an entire suite of products and services including mobile, fixed, broadband, data connections, internet and managed services. Its principals are Ayala Corporation and Singapore Telecom who are acknowledged industry leaders in the country and in the region. For more information, visit www.globe.com.ph. Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/talk2Globeand Facebook: http://facebook.com/GlobePH.

Globe Telecom promotes fair trade with environment friendly My Fair Share Eco Bags

4:15 AM

Vernon Joseph Go

Reinforcing its commitment to preserving the environment and supporting fair trade, Globe Telecom is giving away free My Fair Share (MFS) eco bags to all new postpaid mobile accounts opened on Earth Day, April 22.

Made from recycled and bio-degradable materials, the eco bags are part of the telecom company’s initiative to move beyond their environmental sustainability commitment which includes reducing energy, water, and solid waste footprints and harnessing and integrating “green” solutions in its operations. In 2012, Globe will lead a value-chain analysis study to assess greenhouse gas reduction opportunities and increased recyclability.

Globe is working with Gifts and Graces Fair Trade Foundation, Inc., a social enterprise which partners with non-government organizations (NGOs) to support marginalized groups and underserved communities to produce the eco bags for Globe Telecom subscribers.

According to Rob I. Nazal, head of Globe Corporate Social Responsibility, “Globe is committed to synergize efforts to encourage the reduced use of plastic and promote environment conservation. The company also supports fair trade practices and is working with partner organizations such as Gifts and Graces Inc. which share our advocacy for supporting communities and helping them become sustainable social enterprises. Through the My Fair Share eco bags, we hope to empower underserved communities, one bag at a time.”

Globe recently strengthened its environment preservation efforts by donating P1 million to the Philippine Fund for Nature (PFN), an initiative of the WWF Philippines, designed to ensure the long term growth of the organization’s wide range of projects for preserving the country’s natural resources. Other environment conservation initiatives by the telecom company include the upcoming Globe Cordillera Challenge 3, a biking challenge slated for May 5 which aims to support the establishment of seedling nurseries for the reforestation of the Cordillera mountains.

The My Fair Share eco bags are also available to all Globe Telecom subscribers for only P99 each from April 23 onwards at all Globe Business Centers. Proceeds from the sale of the bags help support the Kaibhan Women’s Association, one of the beneficiary groups of Gifts and Graces Inc., which works to prevent maternal deaths and disability among the urban poor women in Valenzuela City. The group utilizes the sewing and embroidery skills of unemployed women for their various livelihood projects.

DANCE XCHANGE 2012: The International Dance Workshop and Festival

2:43 AM

Vernon Joseph Go

Casa Gorordo holds Semana Santa house tradition

3:53 AM

Vernon Joseph Go

The Casa Gorordo Museum of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) will hold its Semana Santa house tradition on April 3 and 6, which are Holy Tuesday and Good Friday, respectively.

This house tradition features the use of Casa Gorordo’s carrozas and life-size image of the Nazarene and Veronica in the Holy Tuesday and Good Friday processions of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

It begins with the installation of pasos (tableaus of life-size images depicting scenes of Christ’s passion and death) and decoration of the carrozas (carriages) on which they are set up in the morning. These pasos will be included in the processions of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral in Cebu City’s downtown district. The procession on Holy Tuesday started at 5:00 pm; and on Good Friday at 4:30 pm.

According to Dr. Jocelyn Gerra, executive director of Culture and Heritage of RAFI, this had been a religious observance of the Gorordo family, former owners of the Casa Gorordo, which was adopted by the museum as part of RAFI’s advocacy to conserve intangible heritage traditions of the family.

Casa Gorordo Museum’s curator, Florencio A. Moreño II, said that one can see in the Semana Santa house tradition a remarkable dynamism between the family, later, the museum, and the larger community that it belongs to. He added that by engaging the public through this long-held tradition, Casa Gorordo Museum makes itself a living museum.

An exhibit entitled “Semana Santa: A Casa Gorordo Tradition,” located at the museum’s chapel, was launched last March 22 to anticipate the holding of the house tradition and to explain it to the public. It also highlights the Passus tradition in Bantayan town which has become a prominent tourist attraction.

The exhibit will run until April 15.

Semana Santa is one of the four house traditions of the Casa Gorordo Museum. The other three are Sinug sa Casa Gorordo in January; Pista ni San Juan in June; and the displaying of the Gorordo Belen in December.

Culture & Heritage is a focus area of RAFI, believing that a confident community begins with a strong sense of identity. Its other focus areas are Integrated Development, Micro-finance & Entrepreneurship, Leadership & Citizenship, and Education.

For more information on the house tradition and the Semana Santa exhibit, please contact 418-7234 loc. 703 and look for Florencio A. Moreño II, or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph.

Commitment, passion needed in community development work

3:53 AM

Vernon Joseph Go

After completing a degree in computer science, Jenny Tan is equipped to work in the area of information technology where the pay and career growth are promising.

However, Tan went a different way; she decided to build her niche in community development far from operating systems of computers. She works for a foundation as a program coordinator.

"After graduation, I was discerning where my heart is, where I will be happy. I know community development is where I belong. I decided to apply as a program assistant at Dilaab Foundation,” Tan said in Cebuano. Dilaab Foundation is a volunteer-driven, Church-based movement for a transformed Filipino nation through heroic Christian citizenship.

She is one of the guests at Pagtuki, the official radio program of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), last Saturday. Pagtuki is aired every Saturday at dyLA 909 KHz, 10-11 a.m.

Tan cited her passion in community building as the reason she has been involved in social development for the past three years already.

“My friends asked me why I am still at Dilaab Foundation. It is because I feel the sense of belongingness in a way that I belong to a community I am able to help. Each time I witness the impact of our projects, I feel a sense of fulfilment that I could not explain. This is the thing I would like to do for the rest of my life,” she said.

Mileesa Lumanog, recruitment in-charge of human resource team of RAFI, said that the interest and passion to serve are very important factors in working in community development.

Aside from skills and competencies, she pointed out that they would also consider the character and attitude of an applicant.

“If all he or she has are skills but the commitment is not there, he or she will not be able to last in the work that involves serving various communities,” she said.

Lumanog added that social development is also a good venue for personal and professional growth because of in-depth exposure in community work.

Dear Graduate, would you rather QWERTY or Touch?

3:11 AM

Vernon Joseph Go

Celebrate your successful finish in the academe with the best reward possible: a Nokia handset! For this year’s graduates, the global leader in mobile communications presents the latest mobile offerings to help you get started in the professional world, keep you connected to the things that matter most to you, and will suit your preference and budget.

Explore your horizons with touch screen smartphones

Aim for success with Nokia 700, the most compact touch screen monoblock smartphone in the world, with 1 Ghz processor, 3.2-inch AMOLED screen ClearBlack display, 2GB of internal memory, HD video capture and a 5 megapixel full focus camera with LED flash. It is also Nokia’s most eco-friendly smartphone, which boasts of a long battery life and uses eco-friendly materials and features to minimize battery consumption. It is priced at PhP13,450.

Get a head start at work without the high price with the Nokia 500. For only PhP8,290, this entry-level colorful smartphone offers high quality and fast performance thanks to its 1 GHz processor. It also boasts of a 5-megapixel camera, HD video, great music and entertainment experiences with HD TV connectivity, preloaded Nokia Maps, and free turn-by-turn navigation.

Take a chance with a QWERTY-Touch smartphone

At only PhP6,290, you can get the best of both QWERTY and touch with the Nokia Asha 303. Enjoy a full QWERTY keyboard for fast texting, chatting and typing in your social networks, and breeze through the web and access your apps with its exceptionally responsive touch screen. Experience fast and convenient connectivity with its 1 GHz processor and the latest 3.5G and Wi-Fi support that allows you to access your social networks, chat and mail more easily. And with its dedicated music key for instant access to playlist, and preloaded apps like Angry Birds Lite, you will always be entertained.

Gear up with the latest QWERTY phones

Stay social and connected with the new Nokia Asha 302, a premium quality QWERTY phone that offers great functionality and powerful performance at only PhP5,290. It supports Mail for Exchange and other great messaging features to help you manage your email, calendar and contacts wherever you go. You can also connect to popular social networks like Facebook, and chat through WhatsApp and other IM services. You can also enjoy faster, better and more affordable access to the Internet with the Nokia Browser.

Enjoy the freedom and convenience of staying in touch with the Nokia Asha 200. Type with ease using its QWERTY keypad and access your favorite email accounts, chat quickly and update Facebook and other social networks, and download music, apps and games directly to your phone. Conveniently change SIM cards with the Easy Swap Dual SIM feature for maximum network coverage. You can do all these for only PhP3,500.

With these great new smartphones and feature phones from Nokia, you will definitely have the best commemorative gift for your educational achievement.

Skechers GOrun launches mid-foot strike running clinic in Cebu

11:19 PM

Vernon Joseph Go

Skechers GOrun introduced Running Essentials to Cebu last March 24, 2012 at the Activity Center of Ayala Center Cebu after two successful legs in Manila last February 18 and March 3, 2012 at Skechers Market! Market!

Fitness Expert Michelle Estuar and her team of ultrarunners led the free clinic with the aim of teaching runners proper running technique particularly mid-foot striking.

According to Estuar, “observing good running techniques is extremely important for every runner. These techniques allow runners to enjoy every run as they are able to improve their overall performance and lessen injuries that will keep them off the road.”

Estuar also shared some of the most important techniques that runners should remember. Below are helpful tips that beginners and professionals runners can keep in mind to enjoy a great run:

Warm up, cool down and stretch - Before and after the start of any run, be sure to engage in warm-up exercises. If muscles are properly warmed up, the strain on muscles, tendons, and joints is reduced. A combination of sustained and steady stretches, not forced, is perfect to help loosen the muscles.
Check your upper body - Make sure to maintain good posture while running by keeping your shoulders back and down and keeping your body upright. A good posture enables the lungs to expand fully and in turn, allows you to breathe deeply.
Be aware of your breathing- Whether you’re a leisure or professional runner, proper breathing can have a significant effect on your performance. Relaxation breathing can help a runner because this type of controlled breathing eases muscle tension, helps your limbs move smoother and increases the oxygen your muscles get.
Check your leg and foot technique - A common mistake among runners is to heel strike. Such style of running is not only inefficient, but generates sudden and large impact that in the long run affects the knees and muscles. Runners must gradually adapt to mid-foot strike by letting the toes touch the ground gently, the heel landing softly and immediately push off from the ground.

To help runners easily transition to mid-foot strike, they can now lace up a pair of Skechers GOrun – a new minimalistic lightweight shoe line that integrates the revolutionary mid-foot strike technology.

Skechers GOrun’s mid-foot strike technology is designed to enhance the natural running performance of runners by positioning the body for an efficient mid-foot strike so that you run faster, stronger and longer.

By keeping these basic tips in mind and sporting on a pair of Skechers GOrun, runners can definitely feel the big difference in their performance as they can now run longer, faster and stronger. This event is also sponsored by Globe, 100 Plus, Vitamilk, Cherifer Premium, Futuro, Gerry’s Grill and Chris Sports, with media partners Juice,ph, Takbo.ph, Cebu Bloggers Society, Inc. and other running blogger friends.

Skechers GOrun also gave runners a chance to try out the new lightweight running shoe at their booth in the Globe Run 4 Home event held last March 25, 2012 at the Cebu International Convention Center.

To get updates on upcoming Running Essentials events, check out www.facebook.com/SkechersFitnessPhilippines. For more information on Skechers GO Run, visit www.skechers.com.ph/gorun or simply drop by the Skechers store at 2nd Level, Active Zone, Ayala Center Cebu.