PR: San Remigio Properties welcomes Atlantis

Come December 2011, San Remigio Properties will add another feather in its cap with the rise of Atlantis.

“On the 18th, we are welcoming a new baby in the San Remigio Properties family—Atlantis”, shared Mr. Mark Ynoc, General Manager of San Remigio Beach Club.

Atlantis is perfect for banquets and other intimate functions mainly because of its 120 pax seating capacity. Only nine feet away from the beach, guests will be delighted at the spectacular view of the beachfront.

Mr. Ynoc disclosed that they got the name “Atlantis” from Plato’s famed dialogues Timaeus and Critias.
Apparently, Atlantis is a utopia created by Poseidon, the Greek god of the seas. Atlantis became the center of civilization because of the great knowledge of the Atlanteans in many areas such as the sciences, technology and arts. On the day that they decided to extend their kingdom, it was said that the skies turned black and the waters swilled until the whole Atlantis is no more.

“Behind the story is a great kingdom which fits the kind of image that we want for our Atlantis: elegance, power and a great sense of tranquility”.

The site of the new Atlantis structure was originally San Remigio Beach Club’s game room. “We want to make room for Atlantis without compromising the usual enjoyment of our beloved guests here at the resort.”
Aside from the panoramic view of the resort during lunch meetings and small parties, the Atlantis has a small snack bar readily available by request.

“We want the Atlantis to cater to any type of guest or event. We want this newest addition to our family to become the beacon of elegance, power and tranquility which the legendary Atlantis was famous for”, concludes Mr. Ynoc.

A Series of Unfortunates Before the Event

Word of the day: Events
Synonyms: heart palpitation, fidgety people, shouting, house music on loop

In my experience, the single assurance that en event is going to be smooth-sailing is if the hours before it is spent in total chaos. This has always been one of the things that puzzled my friends about me, but I stood by it. If no chaos happened before the event proper, the event proper becomes a chaos.

October 6 saw Globe unveil its Davao Media Excellence Awards for next year. It is the telecom giant’s tribute for local media in pursuit of media excellence and press freedom. They also had one done in Cebu days earlier.

As part of the Vis-Min event management team for Globe, we were given the honor of panicking for them. Hehehe. No offense to Miss Yoly. The most stressful day is the day before the event. On the event day and program, you are not allowed to panic. Or take a leak. Or eat lollipops. :(

We flew to Davao and did everything that could, more or less, make Globe Telecom smile after the unveiling program. On the event day, there were still a lot of things to be done. The press releases. The songs. The host and the dancers have to be prepped. The waiters. The staff. Ourselves. My face is as shiny as the shoes of a local newspaper’s editor but I do not have time to put on pressed powder. Wehehe.

Thankfully for us (and just how I expected it to be), the program went smoothly. Perhaps this is one of those wherein we committed the least mistakes. Even when we did not have comm sets. Except for the very long opening production number, the program was easy and breezy. Like the tagline for Covergirl Cosmetics.

My boss had this perpetual smile on her face. As perpetual as the Wi-Fi connection in the function room. Most especially, Miss Yoly and Sir JY of Globe were satisfied. Whew!

Now, we pig out. :D

Chop, chop

Back in Iloilo, regular haircuts would cost me about 50-60 pesos, depending on how early I woke our barangay hairdresser. Hahaha! When she’d do a home service, for, say, the entire family very early in the morning, then…you do the Math.

Having my hair cut or styled or combed is one of my weaknesses. Hair-gasm, I call it. Hahaha! I find it very therapeutic and relaxing. If I had my way, I would have someone do magic to my hair on my bed. So I can just sleep.

But for my sister, having her hair chopped off is pure agony. Since we were little, she always had to sport a short, below-the-ear bob. My father wants it that way because my sister is never friends with a comb. She always found combing her hair a daunting task. They would fight about it and, as always, my father (the one with the money and authority) wins.

(Later on, I found out that my sister resembled our deceased grandmother the most. You get the picture.)

My hair kind of looks like this now. Except that mine are shorter and had a layered finish.

When I got a job, one of the many benefits is having your way with your own hair. And while I was having this very blissful moment in a salon near our boarding house, I thought of the reasons why girls get a haircut:

1. Being brokenhearted. Which I think is kind of lame, but I guess there are things we should figuratively cut off when we are hurt.

2. Wanting a new look. Which often happens as the year starts. When I was in high school, I’d get envious when my friends get new haircuts and I’m stuck with my not-so-appealing straight hair. But hey, it’s my fault: I should be the one to cry in the corner. Hehehe.

3. Asserting themselves. Which, in a way, is very related to Reason Numnber 2. Whether we show it or not, girls love compliments. And getting a new hairstyle and asking guys what they found physically new about us is a good source of self-esteem boost. And fights, on the other hand.

4. Having a bad case of hair fall or split-ends. However demeaning it will be on my ego, this is the unfortunate and usual reason for me having a new do. I am below healthy and having longer hair means robbing the rest of my body the nutrients it needs. Besides, I do have the makings of a mop sometimes.

Fancy having a haircut lately? :)

5PM. And why I love it.

When I was still in high school, I thought that 5PM is the best time of the day.

Class dismissal. Time to go out and sit down in our town plaza’s greens and binge on whatever street food is available. Time to talk endlessly, about anything under the sun.

When I graduated, I learned that 5PM does not cut my responsibilities for the day. In fact, college ultimately erased the line between rest and academic requirements. We would either be in class–our last subject for the day (I used to have a 4-5:30 class, I swore never again. Haha)–or in the dormitory, finishing what-have-yous.

5 o’clock has a nice ring to it, though. Hihi.

5PM does not also cut work-related responsibilities. But, we get to eat kwek-kwek at 5PM. I look forward to this time of the day (after, 12nn *LUNCHTIME!* and 3PM *that 6PM is just three hours away*). Also, this is the time of the day when my blogger brain is at its optimum. If I am lucky, I can finish a total of three articles before 6PM strikes.

I do not know, but I seem to have a permanent yet nonexistent 5PM alarm clock. Like, I would always know if it is 5PM already without looking at the clouds and the bustle of the people outside.

I cannot remember anything really bad which happened to me during this time of the day. Except perhaps clients who want their press releases or visuals re-edited. I hope not, because 5 is one of my favorite numbers. Hihi.

10 reasons why I hate/love my job

I copy + pasted this article by Andrew Worob from PR Daily. After reading, all I could say is, “exactly!”

Here are the top 10 reasons why being a PR pro is one of the toughest jobs you could have:

10. Demanding clients. They always want more results.

9. Demanding bosses. See above.

8. Meetings, conference calls, meetings, conference calls. Every day is filled with these. How can work ever get done?

7. Time management difficulties. No matter how many clients you may have, the work has to get done.

6. Getting the raise you want is no easy feat. The economy aside, it’s tough enough showcasing the value in the results we achieve for clients, so how do we go about doing it for ourselves during yearly reviews?

5. New tools keep appearing. There is a constant need to stay on top of the newest resources that are available and a need to be prepared to offer counsel on them.

4. Nothing is harder than securing a top-tier media interview. Even when we send well-timed, appropriate pitches, reporters are still annoyed by all of the emails and calls they receive.

3. Nothing is harder than securing an interview, regardless of outlet. There are fewer media outlets and reporters than ever before.

2. You’re always on-call. There’s no traditional work schedule. Check any PR pro’s email inbox and you’ll be sure to find conversations happening at the most random of times.

And the number one reason why being a PR pro is one of the toughest jobs you could have …

To borrow a line from Rodney Dangerfield: Hey, we get no respect. Whether it’s battling for more budget from clients or defending ourselves against the actions of unethical agencies and PR pros, we always have an uphill battle against others.

My boss is right. What they need as employees have to be bionic. Hahaha!

*Happy birthday to my good friend, Jing2!

Nothing beats the first time.

For the parents of pupils and students studying in private Catholic schools, this means Mission Month. The time to be twenty to fifty pesos more generous in giving their kids allowance so the latter could allot some for the World Mission Month during October.

But for yuppies/guppies like me, this is the equivalent of a month or half of a month’s effort: dugo at pawis (kahit may air-con).

Jennie was right. Nothing beats the first time. Our glee two months ago was way, way different than this month’s. :)

Tourism chief to lead 20 experts as MICE speakers: DOT 7 director

TOURISM Secretary Alberto A. Lim will lead the battery of speakers that include at least 20 experts from all over the world who will arrive in Cebu for next week’s Philippine Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions/Events Conference (MICECON) 2011.

“There will be speakers from the United States, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, and top Filipino corporate moguls coming to Cebu,” said Rowena Montecillo, regional director of the Department of Tourism (DOT) 7.

Montecillo, who is coordinating preparations with local tourism stakeholders, said the experts will be sharing their knowledge and skills before some 350 participants from the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions/Events) sector.

“Secretary Lim will deliver the keynote address of the conference which banners the theme ‘I Share, You Connect, We Change.’ It will transpire at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) on August 10 to 13 and is expected to advance Philippine tourism,” Montecillo said.

“The impact won’t be limited to Cebu City and province. The conference will benefit the entire Visayas and Mindanao because Cebu is a tourism gateway to central and southern Philippines. In Cebu, many tourists stay for a while after they arrive before going to other destinations like Boracay, Panglao in Bohol, the underground river in Palawan, or Samal Island in Davao,” said Montecillo.

“We are excited because the conference draws global attention to the country’s many potential venues and destinations for international meetings, incentive travel, conventions, exhibitions, and events including pre and post MICE tours,” she said.

Earlier Lim said MICECON is a two-pronged strategy of promoting the Philippines as a global MICE destination while helping our industry embark on product development that suits international requirements and standards.

“MICECON 2011, therefore, is both a tourism marketing event and a strategic knowledge resource distribution program designed for the MICE sector and the rest of its supply chain,” Lim explained.

“So while the focus is on the MICE sector, the benefits will redound to the entire tourism industry and all its members, and the rest of the economy,” Lim stressed.

MICECON is organized by the Department of Tourism (DoT) through its marketing arm, the Tourism Promotions Board, with the full support of Cebu province, the Philippine Association of Convention/Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers, the Hotel Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC), and the Meetings, Incentive Travel, Events/Exhibitions (MITE) Philippines Inc.

HRRAC president and MICECON organizing committee chair Hans Hauri placed the MICE market at a conservative 50 million constituents worldwide.

Based on DOT data, the country’s total yearly foreign visitor arrivals is around 3.5 million with total tourism receipts of about $5 billion, partly because of MICE. The Philippines’ share of the global MICE market is growing along with the increase in its high-end room accommodation capacity, convention facilities and other related physical infrastructure.
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More information on MICECON 2011 can be obtained from the local DOT office and the Philippine M.I.C.E. Conference Organizing Committee (Tel: 5256110, 5256635, 5259318; Fax: 5216165; Email: micecon2011regn@yahoo.com, cit.unit@gmail.com; or visit: www.micecon.net).

Mobile teaching program “Text2Teach” to expand in Visayas and Mindanao

Innovative mobile teaching program Text2Teach is set to go nationwide as it targets 850 new public elementary schools in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao for English, Math, and Science lessons beginning this year.

The plan was announced during the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for Phase 4 of the program. Signatories are Department of Education Undersecretary Yolanda Quijano, Ayala Foundation Co-Vice Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Nokia Director for Community Involvement Gregory Elphinston, and Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu.

The fourth phase, to be implemented starting July, will finally make the program available not only in Luzon but across the country as the proponents work to bring Text2Teach to Visayas and Mindanao and to upgrade the 205 satellite schools from the earlier phases. By the end of Phase 3 in August, the total number of Text2Teach-enabled schools will have reached 555, benefiting about 40,000 pupils, and almost 1,800 school heads, teachers and DepEd officials.

Text2Teach Phase 4 also marks the beginning of a stronger partnership with the local government units. DepEd regional offices will play a vital role in teachers training while LGUs will provide bigger counterpart funding for the program. Phase 4 also sees Pearson Foundation returning to the program as a key component in developing new downloadable educational materials for English, Science and Mathematics.

Since its Philippine launch in 2004, Text2Teach has been aiding in improving the performance of students all over the country, particularly in the three basic subjects through downloadable educational videos using Nokia mobile phones and Globe internet connection.

Using the power of mobile technology, Grades 5 and 6 students can watch any of the almost 400 educational audio and video materials loaded in the Nokia N86 8MP phones and equipped with the Nokia Education Delivery (NED) application. NED allows teachers to download and easily access educational audios and videos on Math, Science and English specifically designed for the project, providing a highly effective visual aid for teachers. It also creates an interactive, student-focused learning environment in the classroom which makes the students eager to go to school.

Aside from the Nokia N86 8MP phone and educational videos, Text2Teach recipient schools also get a Globe SIM card provided with P150 worth of free pre-paid load monthly for one year, a 29-inch colored TV, 3-day teacher training and teachers guides.

Alma Abalos Fernandez, a teacher at Carael Elementary School in Dagupan City, pointed out that the effectiveness of the program is evident in helping students appreciate a complex subject like science.

“Before we had Text2Teach, I had to rely on my imagination. I gave a lot of examples and used a lot of visual aids to make sure they understand the subject. But with Text2Teach, there is a better appreciation of what is being discussed. You can also see that the students learn faster. Just show them the video and you capture their attention. The students also retain the lessons better because they can see actual images on the video. And we don’t have to spend much on visual aids anymore,” Fernandez related in the vernacular.

Aside from improved performance, Text2Teach also helps minimize student absenteeism since they are now excited to go to class and watch the videos.

PHOTO CAPTION: Signing the Memorandum of Agreement for Phase 4 of the Text2Teach program are (from L-R): Nokia Corporation Directorfor Community Involvement Gregory Ephinston, Ayala Foundation Co-Vice Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, DepEd Undersecretary Yolanda Quijano, and Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu.

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For more information, pls. contact:

Ms. Yoly C. Crisanto
Head, Corporate Communications
Globe Telecom
Tel. No. 7302627
Fax No. 7393075
Email address: globe.corpcomm@gmail.com

Russia Day 2011

Yesterday, I spent about twelve hours at work.

It was the Russia Day Celebration. The 35th Year Anniversary of celebrating the Philippine-Russian relations. With the collaboration of Consul Armi Lopez Garcia, Philippine-Russian Business Assembly, Russian Ambassador Nikolay Kudashev and the Province of Cebu and PR Works Cebu, a press conference, photo exhibit and a small cocktail party were held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

Despite the downpour and the late advisory, almost of the invite media were in attendance. In fact, the scheduled press con took almost an hour and 15 minutes. The photo exhibit followed suit. The photos were a collage of events attended by Consul Armi Lopez Garcia, HE Nikolay Kudashev and the Phiippine-Russian Business Assembly. At the back of the panels were various photos taken by famous Russian photographers. The exhibit will last for a week.

So, if you have time and money for a plane/boat ticket, visit the lobby of Cebu Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and get lost in thought. Hehehehe. [Darn. I just remembered that I wasn't able to take a picture of my favorite photo there.]

Cafe UNO served as the venue for the mini cocktail party. A simple program was held, messages and toasts here and there, and of course, there was a lot of bright lights, clinking and clicking sounds and “Hahaha!”

I was proud to say that I didn’t get bored. As one of the organizers of that event, boredom is a constant battle that I have to fight off. Thankfully, this one wasn’t. There was a lot of things to prepare for and a lot of people to juggle.

Though most of us went home dead tired from too much physical activity, I wasn’t really exhausted.
I am seeing him. :)

Photos of the event:

during the press conference with Dmitry Yudin, HE Nikolay Kudashev and Consul Armi Lopez Garcia

during the photo exhibit

two ‘Russian girls’ holding a tray containing bread and salt, following the Russian Welcome Tradition of Bread and Salt

during the cocktail party

wanted: bionic woman

We had a meeting in the office last June 18.

In the middle of the talk about being able to juggle different tasks at a time, our boss jested: “See, we are looking for a bionic woman”.

With six projects over and halfway through the seventh (for Jen and I because we are new here), I realized that a bionic woman is indeed what public relation needs. There were already countless times which I have been my “langka” self, forgetting to do or bring some of the things needed on the event.

I tried doing a list, making mental notes (which are really ineffective for me, hahaha!), and planning ahead. The result: still chaos. I think it’s my alter-ego. She always is positive. She is a dreamer. An idealist. A “no-worry, just-go-ahead” type.

Sometimes, I want to be like her. I want to be a bionic woman, the type who can do a lot of things at the same time. I want to be more than productive, I want to be ahead. I want to work, not just to impress but also to commit myself to a higher sense of purpose and being.

But now, as I am imagining her, the future me, I realize that, yet again, I am daydreaming.
Perhaps, another time. :)

lifted from Google