Kicking off Mabuhay Miles’ 10th anniversary

Php100,000 and 100,000 Mabuhay Miles from PNB and Allied Bank's My Perfect Ten Buy

Mabuhay Miles MasterCard is giving away hundreds of thousand pesos and hundreds of thousand Mabuhay Miles! What a way to kick off Mabuhay Miles' 10th anniversary.

With the My Perfect 10 Buy promo, one can win as much as Php100,000 and 100,000 Mabuhay Miles. It’s very simple, just share with us on video a very meaningful purchase and let us know why it’s so significant.

To join the contest, simply follow these instructions: 1) Go to and 'like' the Mabuhay Miles MasterCard Facebook page; 2) Launch the “My Perfect 10 Buy” application tab; 3) Fill in the registration form; 4) Read the mechanics; and 5) Submit a 30-second to two-minute video sharing your most valuable purchase through Mabuhay Miles MasterCard. It’s very easy. Check-out how Mark Cahatol and other cardholders did their videos at http://bit.ly/OME2bd.

Make sure to invite your friend to view your video entry and rate it. The more video entries you submit, the more chances of winning. Just remember to feature different purchases and products in every video.

Ten (10) winners will be picked from all the entries. The top three (3) winning entries will receive the amount of the purchased item or P100,000 (whichever is lower) plus 100,000 Mabuhay Miles. The fourth to sixth winning entries shall receive the amount of the purchased item or P50,000 (whichever is lower) plus 50,000 Mabuhay Miles. The seventh to ninth winning entries shall receive the amount of the purchased item or P30,000 (whichever is lower) plus 30,000 Mabuhay Miles. The tenth winning entry shall receive the amount of the purchased item or P10,000 (whichever is lower) plus 10,000 Mabuhay Miles. All prizes shall be credited to the winner’s Allied Bank/PNB Mabuhay Miles MasterCard. Miles are non-transferable and not convertible to cash.

For more information on promo guidelines, visit the Mabuhay Miles MasterCard Facebook page. This nationwide promo is open to all Mabuhay Miles MasterCard cardholders and will run until August 15, 2012 only.

Bloggers contest for Bangong Padala ng Tide with Downy

We are all aware of the sad reality of families separated due to economic needs, husband working away from his wife and his family or vice versa. How do these couples keep their love long-lasting?

Tide with Downy invited couples to share their love stories and photos exemplifying their love that lasts even though they are separated by distance. The top 100 with the best love stories were given the chance to send a package to their loved ones. These packages were sent domestically, and some even went overseas!

Out of the hundreds of love stories, Tide with Downy chose three couples with the best love stories, and I personally delivered these three Tide with Downy Bangong Padala packages to their homes, located all over the country. Check out the video here:



Touching isn't it? So we want to know what you think about long lasting relationships! Tell us and you may get a chance to win cash prizes and Bangong Padala packages from Tide with Downy. Below are the mechanics of the contest:

1. This contest is open to ALL bloggers.

2. Contest period is from July 16 to 29, 2012.

3. Make sure to watch the Tide with Downy Bangong Padala video entitled “Pag-ibig na Pangmatagalan”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UByYVB4glg

4. Write a blog entry with the following proposed topics:

• What do you think is the secret to a long-lasting relationship?
• Share your own love stories, showing how your relationships stays strong despite hindrances and hardships
• What is your greatest sacrifice for a loved one to make him/her feel more loved?

5. At the end of your article, embed the video and invite your readers to watch and share the Tide with Downy Bangong Padala video entitled “Pag-ibig na Pangmatagalan” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UByYVB4glg

6. Be as creative as you can be by including photos, videos, etc. depicting love that lasts long amidst the distance in your blog entry.

7. Send the title and the link of your blog post to tide.downy.bangongpadala@gmail.com. Please include in the email message your Complete Name, Age, Address and Contact numbers (Mobile and Landline).

8. Blog entries should not contain obscene, malicious, offensive or disparaging language/visuals directed to Tide or to any other person or entity.

9. One (1) grand winner and one (1) runner-up will be determined based on a panel of judges from Tide. Entries will be judged according to the following criteria:

• Creativity – 40%
• Relevance – 30%
• Appeal – 30%

10. The winners will be notified by email, including how they will claim their prize.

11. The winners will receive the following:

• Grand winner: Php 5,000 and two (2) Tide with Downy Bangong Padala packages (1 for the winner, and a chance to send the other package to a loved one)
• 1st Runner up: Php 4,000 and Tide with Downy Bangong Padala package

12. Tide product prizes are not transferable or convertible to cash.

Traveling the distance to bridge relationships

Things can get really difficult here in the Philippines. It's hard to make ends meet, especially if you have families to feed. Having a family means a lot of responsibilities. And we all know that many are forced to live and work far from their families in order to provide a better future for them. That is the dilemma many husbands and wives face, whether to live together but without a clear future due to trying times, or to accept the need to find greener pastures, forced by circumstances to be separated by distance, in order to provide a brighter future for the family, especially the children.

In these times that the family breadwinner is away and alone, memories of home can serve as vital nourishment for the soul. Family photographs, messages from home, familiar sights, sounds and even scents can remind separated individuals of home and of special memories. Maybe a smell of home-cooked meal or that of freshly-washed clothes with the same scent the wife uses at home, Tide with Downy perhaps.



Yes, the whiteness and freshness of clothes washed with Tide with Downy can last for up to 7 days. So no matter how far and long the journey of the washed clothes are, its scent remains fresh with the scent of Tide with Downy. I saw (and smelled) that for myself early this month when I traveled far and wide to deliver packages from Tide with Downy.

When I heard about the Tide with Downy Bangong Padala campaign, and that they wanted a travel blogger to deliver their packages and bridge distance relationships, I immediately agreed when they extended the invitation.

Tide thought of a way of reaching out to couples who are separated by distance. The public was invited to share their special long distance love stories to the campaign. Everyone who sent their story got the opportunity to send a special package to their loved one. There were hundreds of love stories sent and received by the campaign. And out of the hundreds that were sent, Tide eventually picked three that stood out.

In the next few days, I will share these stories with you. I traveled far to meet the people behind these stories. This is where my journey begins. Enjoy the video!

Singapore: Santa Grand Hotel Lai Chun Yuen in Chinatown

There are a lot of fine examples of adaptive reuse in Singapore. The hotel I stayed at in Chinatown was no exception. In fact, most branches of Santa Grand Hotels are heritage buildings that have been converted into boutique hotels. They have two branches in Chinatown right beside each other, Santa Grand Hotel Chinatown and Santa Grand Hotel Lai Chun Yuen where I stayed.

According to the marker in front of the hotel, "Lai Chun Yuen was by far the most popular Chinese opera theatre in Singapore in the late 19th century. Built in 1887 and originally designed in the style of a Chinese teahouse, its overwhelming popularity made it a prominent landmark. Patrons would sit around small tables, nibbling tidbits and sipping tea while famous opera singers performed on stage. Wealthier patrons had private cubicles where they enjoyed more personal services, rendered by the girls from the brothels on Smith Street. All these took place in high-ceilinged rooms with wooden balconies, decorated with ornaments and dimly lit lanterns."

The lobby of the hotel is actually the main hall of the old opera house. The Singapore Government required Santa Grand Hotels to preserve many elements of the opera house, including the stage which you can see right above the reception desk. Chinese lanterns adorn the hallways of the hotel.

And my room on the third floor leads to a common wooden balcony that affords guests a view of the street below. The room's furniture and fixtures are modern. But you can see that they've preserved the old wooden floor.

It's nice to see structures like these that survive generations because they are made relevant in changing times through adaptive reuse. The Chinese opera culture declined in the 1930s with the advent of cinema. In fact Lai Chun Yuen was converted into a cinema in 1941. But that did not survive the Japanese Occupation. Today, it is a charming boutique hotel. But you can still feel the spirit of the place as you enter its portals.

Santa Grand Hotel Lai Chun Yuen
25 Trengganu Street, Chinatown
http://www.santagrandhotels.com/laichunyuen.asp

Santa Grand Hotels Central Reservation
E-mail: reservation@santa.com.sg
Tel. No. +65 6298 8889; Fax No. +65 6396 8356

Thank you to the Singapore Tourism Board and Agatep Associates for arranging this visit!

Start 2012 with Tropicana Twister's new flavors! Drink to the New Year with a perfect twist!

Tropicana Twister has two new blends to start the year. Let’s welcome 2012 with Trop’s new flavors! Apple-Lemon is a blend of apple, white grape, pear, peach, kumquat and lemon. Red Fusion is a mix of apple, pomegranate, red grape, purple sweet potato and peach.

Both drinks are unique, with real juice from real fruits! You can get them in 355ml and 1L bottles at your local supermarkets and grocery stores. Note that the mixed juice drinks are offered at a limited time only, just for the first few months of the year. So get them while supplies last and drink to the New Year with a perfect twist.

Roomorama offers alternative accommodation to travelers

I wanted to try out other types of accommodations during our trip around Europe. Friends told me about Roomorama and the opportunity they offer to live like a local while traveling. Recommendations and reviews were quite good. So it was thus timely that I was invited by Roomorama to try out their different listed properties.

Roomorama is a website that connects travelers with apartment and bed and breakfast (B&B) owners offering their rooms for daily, weekly or short term rentals at very affordable prices. These usually are apartment units in the inner city area or close to public transportation. Room listing also mentions all the amenities available in the various units.




In Rome, we found ourselves in a very cozy bed and breakfast along via Appia called B&B Rome Davila 25. The owner was very welcoming and showed us all the amenities of the apartment including the specific bathroom assigned to our room plus the kitchen and breakfast available the next day.


We also tried out the service in Prague. We got a room at a low rise apartment building that was very close to the tram line. Both apartments had kitchens and free WiFi which we badly needed. We actually liked both rooms and hoped we could stay longer at these apartments.

If you want to try something new when traveling and are tired of hotel rooms and hostels, you might want to check out Roomorama for their alternative travel accommodations. Make sure you book your rooms as early as possible to give ample time to communicate with owners.

Caltex Road Trip 2011 provides assistance to travelers

When I travel around Luzon, I usually drive since I don't want to be bogged down by bus and jeep schedules, especially in relatively remote locations. There was this one trip we visited Aurora using the old route. No amount of rough road discouraged us from visiting Baler. Access to that side of Luzon was quite difficult in 2007 due to a lot of natural obstacles such as the Sierra Madre mountains, coupled with really bad roads.

We entered Bongabon, and from a distance, the Sierra Madre beckoned as the sun rose from behind them. We finally made it to the foothills driving up a zigzag road. But after just a few meters on the mountain road, the paved part ended and we were faced with a seemingly endless stretch of rough road, about 45 kilometers of it if I remember it right. Then it dawned on us that we forgot to gas up in Cabanatuan!

Our vehicle had just one-fourth of the tank left for the over 60 kilometers to San Luis, Aurora. On the way, we were already thinking of what to do just in case we ran out of gas. The sight of the Caltex gas station was the best thing! We heaved a big sigh of relief once they started to pump gas into our vehicle.


These Luzon road trips are really fun! Especially now that the road conditions north and south of Manila have improved exponentially (just as long as it doesn't rain and flood). Caltex gas stations have always been a welcome oasis for me, to park during long night or early morning drives for a quick power nap, to get some snacks at 7-Eleven stores located in the stations, or to use their clean restrooms in time of dire need. Thank God these Caltex stations are found all across Luzon. One of my favorites is the Mega Caltex Station on the southbound stretch of the NLEX which has some really good dining options.

So don't let the rains dampen your travel plans. It's time to enjoy the joy ride! And don't forget to gas up!

Caltex 75th anniversary in 2011
I didn't realize Caltex is already 75 years this year. There's an ongoing Caltex 75th Anniversary (National) Promo. For a minimum purchase of P500 of Caltex fuel, you get a raffle coupon per receipt. You have until October 25, 2011 to join. One more raffle date is coming up: November 7. Prizes include five Toyota Fortuners and up to Php75000 worth of fuel to several lucky winners.

Guam: Agat Mango Festival, Santa Rita Fiesta & more Guam events

As part of the Maila Ta Fan Boka Festival tour, we were introduced to festivals and fiestas in Guam. Fiestas are a result of the Spanish influence in Guam. We got to join the revelry at the Agat Mango Festival and the Santa Rita Fiesta.




At the Agat Mango Festival, we saw some really interesting exhibits of mango varieties. How I wish I could try them out. But they were only for display. But you could see that there are so many varieties of mangoes.


There was one table which featured six ways of enjoying your mangoes. We all know the mangga't bagoong from the Philippines. But they also suggested to pair mangoes with Tabasco (U.S.), soy sauce (Japan), li hing powder (Hawaii), rock salt (Marianas Islands) and kimchi (South Korea). In Mexico, I got to try mangoes with chili powder. Fruits are actually eaten with chili powder in Mexico. Any peculiar mango dips you might have in mind?



The also had contests for the Most Beautiful Mango, Biggest Mango and Most Bizarre Mango. Of course, like in any festival, we had a sumptuous lunch.


During our last day, we dropped by the Santa Rita Fiesta. Aside from the usual cultural performances, the highlight of the day was lunch at the mayor's house. Now that was indeed a feast!


Fiestas in Guam would not be complete without hotnon babui! You guessed it, lechon!





Fiestas would also not be complete without the different kinds of kelaguen made from fish, chicken an beef.




There was just so much food! I let the photos tell the story of how much we had. And that's just half of the dishes they served us.

Guam Fiesta Schedule
Here is a list of fiestas and festivals in Guam. Unlike the Philippines where most fiestas are fixed even if it falls on a weekday, Guam's fiestas are moved to the nearest weekend closest to the feast date of the saint. So the dates below reflect those for 2011. Check with the Guam Visitors Bureau for the dates next year.

January
Tumon: Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores (January 15)
Chalan Pago: Nuestra Señora de la Paz Buen Viaje (January 22)
Mongmong: Nuestra Señora de las Aguas (January 29)
Gupot Fanha'aniyan Pulan Chamoru (Chamorro Lunar Calendar Festival)

February
Maina: Our Lady of Purification (February 5)
Yigo: Our Lady of Lourdes (February 12)
Fiestan Dinana' Minagof (Chamorro Dance Festival)

March
Inarajan: St. Joseph, husband of Mary (March 19)

April
Barrigada: San Vicente Ferrer (April 9)
Agafa Gumas, Yigo: Santa Bernadita (April 18)
Talofofo Banana Festival at Ipan Beach Park in Talofofo
Inarajan: St. Joseph the Worker (April 30)
Fin'nana na Ferian Fina'Hechuran Unai (Annual Sand Sculpture Festival), Matapang Beach, Tumon

May
Merizo: San Dimas (May 7)
Malojloj: San Isidro (May 14)
Agat Mango Festival at Agat Sagan Bisita

June
Tamuning: St. Anthony (June 18)
Ordot: San Juan Bautista (June 25)

July
Chalan Pago: The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (July 1)
Toto: Immaculate Heart of Mary (July 2)
Agat: Our Lady of Mount Carmel (July 16)
Agat: Santa Ana (July 30)

August
Tamuning: St. Victor (August 6)
Piti: Assumption of Our Lady ((August 13)
Annual Gupot Y Peskadot (Fisherman's Festival) at Guam Fishermen's Cooperative in Hagatna
Barrigada: San Roque (August 20)
Agat: Santa Rosa (August 27)

September
Cañada, Barrigada: San Ramon (September 3)
Hagåtña: Dulce Nombre de Maria (September 10)
Talofofo: San Miguel (September 17)
Dededo: St. Andrew Kim (September 18)
Annual Mangilao Donne' Festival in Mangilao
Mangilao: Santa Teresita (September 24)

October
Yona: St. Francis of Assisi (October 1)
Umatac: San Dionisio (October 8)
Guam Micronesian Island Fair
Sinajana: St. Jude (October 29)

December
Dededo: Santa Barbara (December 3)
Hagåtña: Immaculate Conception/Santa Marian Kamalen (December 8)
Santa Rita: Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 10)
Asan: Nino Perdido y Sagrada Familia (December 31)

Note: This familiarization tour of Guam, USA was organized by the Guam Visitors Bureau in cooperation with Continental Airlines. Continental Airlines flies from Manila to Guam and vice versa everyday.

Guam: Shopping at DFS Galleria & Guam Premier Outlets (GPO)

Guam is a duty-free territory. So that means branded merchandise and many other products are cheaper in Guam than the rest of the U.S. and a lot of countries. Those who've been to the U.S. also know the sales tax which can go as high as 12 percent. Guam does not have a sales tax. Which gives another reason to shop in Guam.



For the prestigious brands and designer goods, the best place to get them would be at DFS Galleria Guam. We actually had a chance to shop there and some of the affordable brands were cheaper than other places. Of course I didn't bother to enter those really expensive branded stores. But I'm sure those who can afford them will find a lot of bargains there. You can check out the brands at DFS Galleria Guam here.

Guam Premier Outlets was another place we got to visit. I suggest you visit Ross first to have a point of comparison with other stores. Most of the time, Ross comes out cheaper. Sometimes they don't. There are also items which you may not find in Ross which are available at the brand stores. Here's the GPO store listing.

You can also check out Micronesia Mall which I got to visit during my previous trip to Guam. Here's the mall map and store listing of Micronesia Mall. It's actually owned by Lucio Tan. SM isn't far behind with the Agana Shopping Center which I have yet to visit.

If you're looking for a place to shop without having to fly all the way to the U.S., keep Guam in mind.

Note: This familiarization tour of Guam, USA was organized by the Guam Visitors Bureau in cooperation with Continental Airlines. Continental Airlines flies from Manila to Guam and vice versa everyday. Time to book that shopping trip now!

Guam: Lina'la' Cultural Village, Two Lovers Point & more Guam attractions

Guam is not just about shopping, food and the beach. There are some interesting things to see while in Guam. As part of the Maila Ta Fan Boka trip, we also visited several Guam attractions.



One of the places we visited was the Lina'La Cultural Village, where the group was given a preview of the living Chamorro museum that will open sometime this year.


While the exhibits which would showcase Guam's history were not yet finished. The actual Chamorro Village was almost done. In fact, we witnessed ceremonies for placing the nipa roof on the last house. The village aims to recreate how a Chamorro community looked like before the arrival of the Spanish colonizers, with villagers to complete the living exhibit. The villagers would also speak only in Chamoru.


Lunch was by the beach beside the village. Like always it was a feast of grilled meats and kelaguen!


In the afternoon, we proceeded to Two Lovers Point, one of the most picturesque views on Guam. The story behind Two Lovers Point is about quite tragic. The parents of the girl were a wealthy Spanish aristocrat and a daughter of a great Chamorro chief. They had arranged for her to marry an influential Spanish captain. Upon finding out, the girl ran to a secluded shore in the northern part of the island where she met and fell in love with a young warrior from a modest Chamorro family.

The father found out about this and demanded that she marry the captain at once. She ran off to a high cliff above Tumon Bay to meet her Chamorro lover. They were pursued by her father, the captain and soldiers.

Caught in between the cliff and the pursuing group, the lovers tied their long hair together in a knot, looked into each others eyes and kissed, and jumped from the cliff in full view of the girl's father who could do nothing but stare in anguish.

Two Lovers Point has thus been a popular place for lovers to leave locks (in the same way that the lovers locked their hair in a knot) and throw away the keys over the cliff as a sign of lasting love for each other. The rest of us go there for the great view!


Later in the afternoon, we got to visit the historical center of Guam's capital Hagåtña. Among the sites located there is the Latte Stone Park which is a showcase of latte stones that served as pillars of ancient Chamorro houses. some of the stones in the park date back to 500 A.D.


Then there's Plaza de Espana, the ruins of the former Governor's Palace during the Spanish colonial period. Like Manila, much of Hagåtña was destroyed during the liberation of Guam in World War II. Beside it is the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica. The current structure dates back to 1959, with the older church also destroyed during the war.


The day before we left, we made a brif visit to Underwater World, an indoor aquarium. Perfect place to visit especially if you have kids with you.


During our last day, we were able to convince our driver to stop at one of the sites of the War in the Pacific Memorial. Memorial Day was approaching so the grounds had hundreds of American and Guam flags to commemorate the event. I was also able to get a stamp for my U.S. National Park Passport.


In the southern part of the island are some of Guams old towns. There are old forts, villages and other historical structures. I got to visit Merizo in a previous trip where the old convent and bell tower still stands, the Malesso Kombento and Kampanayun Malesso.


Another popular attraction in the southern side of Guam is Talofofo Falls. Hopefully I get to see more of Guam in the future.

Note: This familiarization tour of Guam, USA was organized by the Guam Visitors Bureau in cooperation with Continental Airlines. Continental Airlines flies from Manila to Guam and vice versa everyday.

Guam: Farm visits and Maila Ta Fan Boka food trip!

What a great way to start the morning with a panoramic view of Tumon Bay! We had a welcome breakfast hosted by the Guam Visitors Bureau at Toh-Lee Restaurant of Hotel Nikko Guam to start the Maila Ta Fan Boka 2011 social media food tour. The restaurant is at the 16th floor of the hotel and glass windows offer visitors a scenic meal.



On one side of the restaurant, there was a demonstration on how to make a tortilla which of course goes with the kelaguen. This time, they served us Spam Kelaguen. Spam is quite popular both in Guam and Hawaii. They do know their Spam in these islands!



From Tumon, we motored to Talofofo to visit Cristian's Mango Farm. We do have a lot of mangoes in the Philippines. But there are a lot of varieties present in Guam. We were welcomed with some frozen mango which was a refreshing proposition on a really hot and humid day. There was also a demonstration on how to graft mango trees to speed up the fruit bearing process.


Our next stop for the day was Hamomoto Fruit World in Yona. Although almost all the fruits at the farm in available here in the Philippines, I was impressed with how they presented the farm, complete with a trolley tour of the grounds and its large collection of fruit trees.



Lunch was also at the farm. And we were served even more kinds of kelaguen. This time, there was also Beef Kelaguen on the table which I particularly enjoyed because of the really soft and tender meat. After the tour, we were served fresh lemon lime juice and fruits from the farm which included Star Fruit (Balimbing), Belimbi (Kamias) and Mountain Apple (Macopa). We were also asked to try something quite peculiar, coconut meat served with soy sauce and wasabi. The hard coconut meat actually tried mimick squid meat.




The last farm stop for the day was the Hydroponic Lettuce Farm. We were shown where the really good quality greens on the island are produced. The best part is we got to try the lettuce fresh from the farm!



For me, the highlight of the day was the visit to the Muna Home in Mangilao where we got to watch cooking demonstrations and savor local Chamoru cuisine. Earlier in the day, we were asked to randomly pick a recipe we would cook that night. And the Philippine delegation got Lechen Biringhenas (Grilled Eggplant in coconut Milk).



Among the dishes served to us included (1) Tinaktak (Beef with Coconut Milk), (2) Golai Appan Lemai (Breadfruit boiled in Coconut Milk), (3) Tininun Bariya (BBQ Ribs), (4) Tininun Mannok (BBQ Chicken), Hineksa Agaga (Red Rice), and Kelaguen Mannok. Everyone was raving about the Hotnon Babui (Roasted Pig)! It was a very meaningful dinner at the Muna Home which is known for its cooking tradition. There's nothing better than a home-cooked Chamoru meal.



Before the night ended, a group of local youths presented traditional Chamorro dances. We went back to our hotel. But the night wasn't over since we were scheduled to watch the magic and acrobatics show at SandCastle. No photos allowed though. But it was good!

Note: This familiarization tour of Guam, USA was organized by the Guam Visitors Bureau in cooperation with Continental Airlines.