HABITAT AND MINKA IN ONE GOAL

“Minka” a South American term meaning “collaborating together for a common purpose” is now starting to be the trendy byword amongst the health-conscious market with its advocacy of being known not just as an ordinary toothbrush, but spearheading a so-called “toothbrush movement” .

In a groundbreaking partnership, Minka Toothbrushes, which are available at all Healthy Options stores nationwide, have partnered with Habitat for Humanity Philippines in its ongoing social advocacy campaign.

For every sale of a Minka Toothbrush at Healthy Options, 10% of its sales will go towards ongoing projects by Habitat, particularly its water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) program. The Minka Toothbrush packaging will also include Habitat’s logo, to further promote its advocacy and awareness to socially conscious customers.

Minka Toothbrushes, incidentally, are biodegradable bamboo toothbrushes, that are environmentally-friendly.

“At Habitat, we believe sanitation and health are improved when you provide a family with decent housing, tying hand-in-hand with Minka’s vision to raise worldwide awareness on sustainability and health,” said Charlie Ayco, CEO and Managing Director of Habitat.

Minka also plans to produce a biodegradable soap in line the WASH program and the Toothbrush Movement.

“Partnering with an organization which aims to improve livelihood across the world, strengthens both Minka’s and Habitat’s collaborated work towards a global, unified goal,” said Ayco. 

(from left to right) Anthony Fernandez, Habitat’s Online Fundraising Officer; Jonah Marie Chipeco, Habitat’s Mass Marketing Manager; Mark Rivera, Minka’s Managing Director; Xrell Nikki Mallonga, Minka’s Director of Operations; Charlie Ayco, Habitat’s CEO and Managing Director; Yvonne Lih, Habitat’s Chief Marketing Officer; and Luisito Baclagon, Mass Market Development Head.

MANILA INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR ON ITS 35TH YEAR

VIBAL'S NEW PRINT/E-BOOK READS AT 2014

MANILA INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR

More than 50 titles will be launched by Vibal Group to celebrate Filipinos' love for reading and literacy at this year's edition of the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF), on Sept. 17 to 21 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

Starting the lineup is the Unang Diksiyonariyo Caton series, translated in various Philippine dialects and designed to complement the Mother Tongue Program espoused by the Department of Education.

New children's books for young readers will be launched under Vibal's Chikiting Books imprint, such as Jomike Tejido's Why Do Squids Squirt Ink?, Nati Santos' Nobody's Hat, and Russell Molina's Salamat Po! translated in Binisaya and Ilokano.

Aside from new Chikiting Books, Vibal will also launch new books under Vibal Foundation: More American Than We Admit features scholarly essays edited by Julian Go, reflecting the cultural interactions between Filipinos and the American colonial masters. Dear Lady S features advice by Lady S—resident love columnist of the Philippine Online Chronicles.

Pagmumuni-muni at Pagtatalak ng Sirenang Nagpapanggap na Prinsesa is a compilation of essays by John Iremil Teodoro, one of the pioneers in gay literature in the country. Bekibolaryo, on the other hand, is a comprehensive lexicon explaining terms, words, and expressions used by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual (LGBT) community.

K to 12: RA 10533 and Relevant Education Policies by Atty. Joseph Estrada and Atty. Kristjan Gargantiel meanwhile elaborates on how the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 can affect existing policies and laws in education.

These books can actually be previewed for free by mobile device owners by scanning designated QR codes posted along the booth's illustrated panels. Vibal's booth will also feature tablets, all-in-one PCs, and other mobile devices to feature e-book editions of their printed books, along with interactive games, video documentaries, and other rich media content for MIBF visitors.

Now on its 35th year, the MIBF gathers Philippine publishers to showcase their latest books and offer big discounts for their popular bestsellers. Vibal is a regular participant of this annual event that attracts bibliophiles and other book readers alike, along with book sellers and authors to celebrate the power of books, reading, and knowledge.

During the five-day event, Vibal will also be organizing various activities at their booth: an interactive storytelling-cum-zumba session featuring Eugene Evasco's May Lakad Kami ni Tatay will be held on Sept.19. Meet-and-greet sessions with various authors and illustrators will also take place.

For September 17, Atty. Joseph Noel Estrada will headline the meet-and-greet sessions in the morning followed by Bebang Siy and Ronier Verzo in the afternoon. Genaro Gojo Cruz is set to attend the morning session on September 18, while illustrator Jonathan Ranola will grace the afternoon session on the same date. The morning session for September 19 will mark the presence of author Eugene Evasco and three illustrators—namely Brent Sabas, Ariel Santillan, and Leo Ang—while Lady S of the Philippine Online Chronicles, alongside illustrators Jamie Bauza and Valerie Jan Villaflor will be there in the afternoon.

Authors Rhandee Garlitos and John Teodoro, together with illustrator Tokwa Penaflorida are set to appear in the morning of September 20 at the Vibal booth. For the afternoon session on the same date, another group will be present to interact with their fans—authors Heidi Abad and Lem Garcellano, alongside illustrators Wiji Lacsamana, Christian Oliver Cruz, and Doms Agsaway. To cap off the fair, the husband-and-wife tandem of Jomike Tejido and Haraya Ocampo-Tejido will be at the Vibal booth on the afternoon of September 21.

MIBF is organized by Primetrade Asia, Inc. in partnership with Asian Catholic Communicators, Inc., Book Development Association of the Philippines, Philippine Booksellers Association, Inc., and the Overseas Publishers Representatives Organization of the Philippines.

AXA PHILIPPINES

AXA ION, first online life insurance store in PH

AXA Philippines, one of the country’s largest and fastest growing life insurance companies, continues to redefine standards by being the first life insurance company in the Philippines to offer life insurance products online through AXA iON (AXA Insurance Online).

“The internet is playing an ever increasing role in the way we communicate, transact and find information about anything,” says Rien Hermans, President & CEO of AXA Philippines. “Nowadays people meet on social media, find jobs online, buy books, gadgets, clothes, shoes, book hotels and air travel on the internet --- all of this is no surprise to any of us anymore.”

“With AXA iON, we now give customers the chance to secure their financial future from the increasing costs of education, the burden of expensive healthcare costs, and the passing of a breadwinner, all in a digital platform and in just a few, easy steps,” Hermans stated.

Hermans observes that most life insurance companies tend to create a lot of mystery or confusion around their products by coming up with a multitude of options, features and limitations, all packed in a lot of jargon.

“AXA Philippines wants to change this by offering the most basic financial products that can help people secure their financial future in a transparent, easy, and affordable way to the growing population of Filipinos who are logged on to the internet on an almost daily basis,” adds Hermans.

AXA iON offers four (4) fully-guaranteed products that make up the AXA eXentials line, which are designed to be affordable with premiums starting at only P1,000 per month: Health eXentials, Savings eXentials, Academic eXentials, and Life eXentials.

• Savings eXentials is a fail-proof alternative to savings that provide better returns than a regular savings account returns, pays out the cash to your family even if you don’t complete the 5-year savings plan in case of death or disability.

• Academic eXentials gives guaranteed cash benefits once a year for 5 consecutive years, to help defray costs related to tuition or education. But in case of untimely demise before the 5-year payout period, Academic eXentials will give your family additional cash every year until the year before the scheduled release of benefits.

• Life eXentials is a back-to-basics income replacement plan. Unlike typical life insurance plans, Life eXentials pays out its benefits monthly over a period of up to 5 years so there’s no danger of wiping out the insurance proceeds at once and ensures that the beneficiaries get a monthly stipend to replace the income of the loved one who passed away.

• Health eXentials is the affordable complement to HMO coverage as it pays out cash upon diagnosis of critical conditions such as heart attack, stroke, including gender specific cancers (breast, cervical, prostate cancers), stroke, heart attack, Alzheimer’s disease, liver disease and 30 other critical illnesses.

“Through AXA iON, customers can now learn more about these financial solutions, at their own pace and convenience” says Amor Balagtas, Chief Marketing Officer of AXA Philippines.  “Having done one’s own research and now ready to secure his financial future, one can purchase their desired financial product by simply using their credit card in just a few clicks.” 

“But for those who prefer to talk to an AXA Financial Partner, they may use AXA iON to start a conversation on their financial needs, as this is a great tool to help them understand what options are available to them,” Balagtas explains further.

“The internet will not replace the financial advisor, but it will complement the way how we communicate and transact with our clients,” adds Hermans. “This is why we allow customers to select their financial advisor, even if they buy online. This ensures that once they want to do a full financial need analysis, they will have someone that they can turn to.”

“Having someone to support you in the important financial decisions in your life, to balance your investments, to prepare your retirement income and to fail proof your financial plans is of tremendous value. This is the reason why AXA focuses on quality over quantity when it comes to its financial advisers, providing continuous training, and providing them state of the art tools to support their job,” Hermans concludes.

To find out more about AXA iON, visit www.axaion.com.ph.

MISONO TEPPANYAKI

“International Music Stars New Hit for a Japanese Cuisine”

(Members of THE VILLAGE PEOPLE, international disco superstars, before their concert in Solaire, May 28, together with President Robert Yupangco, CEO of Zoomanity Group and Owner of Misono Teppanyaki and Yakitori Daitokyo, middle, in a dine and treat event last May 26 in Misono Restaurant, Bel-Air Makati)

Misono Teppanyaki, a newly opened Japanese Restaurant at the heart of Makati, is all set to host The Village People, the World’s No. 1 Disco Superstars that gave us the greatest hits like Y.M.C.A., MACHO MAN and IN THE NAVY. With four of the original members and two new band members they will have a taste of this unique Japanese Restaurant. Misono Teppanyaki also played host recently to Abba Mania, an international band.

 Misono Teppanyaki is ready to serve new wave of exquisite and authentic Japanese food. Savor very sumptuous Japanese dishes that will surely capture your palettes’ craving. Diners will have a very unique food experience because of the naturally grown lettuce, grown in Paradizoo Theme Farm, it’s sister company. Beside it is Yakitori Daitokyo, another new Japanese Restaurant that gives us a taste of authentic Japanese Barbeque. 

Misono and Yakitori are open daily from 11am to 2pm and 5:30pm to 10pm. For inquiries call 847-9947/ 899-9595 loc 344 or 8999824; txt 09185033399. Like us also in Facebook www.facebook.com/misonoyakitori and follow us on Twitter @misonoyakitori.

Thousands of Youth Gather for Habitat Youth Build 2014: “Tagbo. Tukod. Tana!”

Over 5,000 youth will converge at this year’s Habitat for Humanity “Youth Build”, happening simultaneously on May 3, 2014 in five key provinces in the country, to make a commitment to help rebuild homes across calamity-stricken areas in the Philippines. This year’s Youth Build is expected to be one of the biggest youth gatherings in the country.  

Beginning May 3, young volunteers will sweat it out as they get their gloves, hard hats, and shovels ready to begin the construction of Habitat houses in earthquake-hit areas in Bohol, and Yolanda-affected communities in Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, and Naga. After Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) destroyed parts of the country in November last year, Habitat launched its “Re-Build PH” campaign with a target to rebuild 30,000 houses. This year’s Youth Build aims to rally the youth to do their share to meet this target. 

“Rebuilding the Philippines is everyone’s responsibility. This time, we want to gather our youth and tap into their passion and energy to help get the job done while at the same time serving as role models to the younger generation,” shares Charlie Ayco, Habitat for Humanity Philippine’s CEO and Managing Director. 

“Tagbo. Tukod. Tana!”

Since the build-sites are mostly around the Visayas region, this year’s theme was taken from the local Visayan dialect-- “Tagbo. Tukod. Tana!”  (Let’s gather. Let’s build. Let’s do it.) It hopes to speak more urgently to the Visayan youth to rise to the challenge of helping their own neighbors, friends, and kababayans rebuild their own communities by taking part in the Youth Build. 

“For us to be able to truly move forward from the horrors of the earthquake and typhoon, we need to work hand-in-hand as one community-- the progress of one is the progress of all. We encourage the Boholanos to help their kababayans, because by doing so they are helping the entire province,” Ayco adds.  

Rebuilding 7,000 houses in Bohol

In October last year, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake rocked parts of Bohol leaving houses in shambles and families homeless. The Youth Build targets to rebuild 7,000 homes in 16 municipalities across the province providing decent shelter to families still living in tents and make-shift houses. 

To kick-off festivities in Bohol on May 3, a motorcade of celebrity youth supporters will take place in the morning leading all the way to the Habitat site in Loon, Bohol where Habitat’s Youth Council will begin the initial build. To cap the day, a youth concert open to the public will be staged to further urge the Boholano youth to respond to the call. 

Other local festivities to kick-off the “Youth Build” will also happen in Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, and Naga. 

The Habitat Youth Build is a movement that engages young people to raise funds for, and awareness of the poverty housing situation in the Asia-Pacific region where one in eight people live in slums, according to the United Nations.

Now on its third year, the annual campaign challenges the youth to do something concrete to help. Young people from 11 other Habitat countries across the region will also participate and build or repair homes for low-income families.  

Habitat for Humanity Philippines is a global non-profit organization committed to addressing the housing backlog in the country. To know more about Habitat and its programs, log on to www.habitat.org.ph. 

Bamboo Visits Sony Centre, Reveals New High-Resolution Audio Series of MDR Headphones

(PHILIPPINES, 29 March 2014) – Audio enthusiasts and music lovers were treated to a special meet and greet held at the Sony Gadgets Store in SM Mall of Asia (MOA) as Bamboo Mañalac, a Brand Ambassador of Sony’s ‘Music Deserves Respect’ campaign, revealed the newest additions to the Sony MDR headphones line-up, the High-Resolution Audio series.  

“I’m constantly working to find the right sound for my music. I’m very passionate and committed to make sure that everything that I hear in the studio can be heard perfectly by my fans when they listen to it on their headphones. Sony’s MDR headphones get the job done for me every time. It amazes me how clear and crisp every record sounds like through these headphones,” said Bamboo.

Tapping on its history of design and technological innovation, the High Resolution Audio series delivers the truest and clearest reproduction of today’s music. Working alongside various artists and the best sound engineers around the globe, Sony has redefined what it means to deliver super music reproduction.

“High Resolution Audio sets the standard for audio quality, enabling our customers to listen to music at its highest and best form. With our latest series, our customers can fully experience the rich atmosphere and immersive sounds that the artist and his team created; hearing their music just as they intended it to be heard,” said CJ Deacosta, Marketing Officer – Personal Audio.

High Resolution Audio contains three times more sound quality than a regular CD, providing music lovers an enhanced listening experience, similar with being at a live concert or a recording studio. With the power of Sony’s acoustic engineering technologies, listeners can discover the subtle details and nuances with the music. In other words, High-Resolution Audio takes you closer to the original, to provide an excitingly satisfying listening experience. 

“Sony has long been committed in creating innovative devices that expertly produce unmatched sounds and our latest line of MDR headphones represents the very best of what we have to offer,” said Yasushi Asaoka, President and Managing Director of Sony Philippines.

Since launching their “Music Deserves Respect” campaign, Sony has long been advocating to customers and fans alike to have a better appreciation of music. It’s about understanding the hard work and dedication that is placed into it – from the hours spent by the musicians to record a 12-song playlist to the team that assembles the studio that allow artists to hear every sound with clarity and consistency. 

To cap off the MDR campaign, Sony will also be hosting the first-ever Silent Concert in the Philippines on May 8, 2014. Featuring rock icons and brand ambassadors, Ely Buendia and Bamboo, the concert will offer attendees a unique listening experience unlike any other.  

“To all my fans, join me and Mr. Ely Buendia for a night of giving justice to sound and be part of the first-ever Silent Concert in the Philippines. I invite you all to be a part of history and together, we will let the world know that music deserves respect,” exclaimed Bamboo. 

Learn more about MDR Live through this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9uVDc6ppCw

For complete rules and regulations, you may visit Sony Philippines’ official website at http://www.sony.com.ph/MDRpromo

THE AVIDA FOOD HUNT WITH CHEF JJ YULO

Filipinos are food lovers and we are noted for our knack on exploring and trying out the newest dining destinations. The passion for great food is so ingrained in the Filipino culture that access to it is vital to a truly dynamic lifestyle.

 One of the areas that offer a variety of cuisines is San Antonio Village in West Makati, where there is a lot of promising restaurants to discover.

With Chef JJ Yulo leading this special gastronomical adventure, the Avida Food Hunt kicks off this March with Avida Towers Asten, a high-rise residential development in West Makati that is envisioned to have a dynamic mix of retail and dining options catering to the needs of the passionate millennial crowd.

Participants for the Avida Food Hunt registered online via Avida’s Facebook page. Along with some members of the press, including me,  was able to embark on a food expedition wherein we were able to experience the taste of a sampling of specialty cuisines and epicurean fares in the neighboring Avida development. 

Founder of Pinoy Eats World, well-known chef, food write-blogger Chef JJ Yulo leads the hunt. Pinoy Eats World is dedicated to food culture; motivated to give the public an interesting and always delicious look at Pinoy Food.This New York Institute of Culinary Education Chef has hosted several food tours in the country, Hong Kong and as far as Turkey. Yulo is passionate about discovering about food evolution and is most pleased to share his knowledge to all.

We started to visit Carpaccio Ristorante Italiano. Located right across Avida Asten, this popular restaurant has become a premiere destination for food and wine lovers seeking a classic Italian dining experience. A must try for everyone is the carpaccio, a delectable dish of thinly sliced choice cut grade A beef served with cheese and fresh green salad on the side.

TK Authentic Masters Singaporean Food has been providing a variety of services—from buffets and ala carte dining to budget meal toppings and food deliveries—to the people of San Antonio Village and beyond since 2012. Specializing in gastronomic selection that speaks of a fusion of flavors representing various cultures from all over the world, TK offers an excellent selection of dishes that satisfy even the most discriminating palates. Their popular offerings include Singaporean staples such as a char kway teow (stir-fry noodles), savory cereal prawn, and the refreshing Kopi O, a traditional iced coffee concoction served in Malaysia and Singapore.

The next joint was HK Roast. This cozy hole-in-the-wall favorite along Bagtikan Street is an ode to the tai pai dong, the small open eateries found on the busy roadsides of Hong Kong. HK Roast serves an array of Hong Kong-style comfort food like the mouth-watering roast duck, best eaten with a steaming bowl of rice and a glass of bubble milk tea.          

Titania Wine Bar and Café, a fine dining restaurant inside the Titania Grand Cellar on Yakal Street was the fourth stop in the Avida Food Hunt. 

The Grand Cellar, Asia’s first temperature-controlled area for fine wines, is where the food hunt participants taste fine wines imported from France, Italy, Spain, Chile, Argentina, California and Australia.

We ended on a sweet note with a sampling of assorted desserts at Sophie’s Mom. Nestled along the posh Santol Street, this quaint bakeshop is a dreamland for anyone with a sweet tooth. Displayed on their shelves are luscious cakes, cupcakes, mocha-truffles, mocha ice cream, and a tasty selection of specialty breads baked fresh everyday—the way Sophie’s mom, owner Marie Antoinette Rosal, makes her treats for her daughter. 

All the restaurants can be found within the vicinity of Avida Towers Asten. Avida marketing head Tess Tatco concludes, “We are doing the Avida Food Hunt because we want people to realize that Avida developments provide comfort and convenience to their residents. They are communities where everything is near, access to good life and great food and restaurants are all in the vicinity of an Avida home.”

The public is encouraged to visit Avida Land’s Facebook page (avidalandph) or Avida Showroom Glorietta (2/F, Glorietta 4) for announcements on upcoming food hunt events.