crumb trails

Last night two of my colleagues and I covered an event in Katipunan called “One Smoke-Free Night,” a benefit concert for project Brave Kids. It was also an avenue to raise public awareness on the health hazards of cigarette smoking. One of the event’s organizer was FCAP or Framework Convention on tobacco control Alliance Philippines. Currently, the organization is pursuing the passing of House Bill (HB) 3364 or the Picture-Based Health Warning Bill, which, when approved, graphic photos of the effects of smoking to ones health will replace the usual text warning in cigarette packs. The picture-based warning will be placed on the back panel of the cigarette package, the picture will occupy at least fifty percent of the back panel and the text warning must be in Filipino. In addition, no misleading descriptions should be placed in cigarette packs like “light or low tar,” because no matter how “light” or “low” the tar content is, it will still have the same effect in a person’s health.

a sample of how the picture-based warning will look like in cigarette packs

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National Book Store is celebrating National Children’s Book Day with fun activities at Robinsons Galleria from July 25 until July 27. It’s a perfect opportunity for parents to start engaging their kids in books and to help them see that reading is also fun!

Here’s the press release from NBS and the schedule of activities:

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WordCamp is in the Philippines this year! I am looking forward to September 6 when Filipino WordPress users and developers gather together for a day of learning, fun activities and meeting new friends. WordCamp Philippines 2008 is the very first in the country and in Southeast Asia, made possible through the initiative of Mindanao Bloggers.

WordCamp Philippines 2008 is made possible through the help of the following sponsors:

• i.PH: the Domain for Individuals
• Free Online Flash Games
• Wazzup Manila Philippines
• Real Estate CRM
• Real Estate Website Designers
• Orange County Real Estate
• Auto Insurance Quotes
• Lane Systems Inc.
• RedMedia
• Orange County Business Lawyer

(this post is ripped from my other blog)

Mysterious. That is my view of the world underwater; something we do not see regularly or visit often. One needs enough understanding of the sea before embarking on an underwater journey.

The Philippines is part of the so-called Coral Triangle (it is in the center of the center of the Coral Triangle), thus, the country is blessed with a very diverse, very beautiful marine life. But only a few are learned in this field. And ordinary people like us knows only the general facts. There aren’t enough facilities to see and study the creatures of the water for us to grasp a better understanding of them.

When Manila Ocean Park opened in December 2007, the sea and the life that thrives in it became accessible to the ordinary people. Now, everyone has the chance to experience and be an explorer of the ocean. The Manila Ocean Park has three main goals. Its first objective is to let people see how beautiful the Philippines is in terms of marine life. Second, to remind the people that it is time that we preserve and conserve the ocean. Lastly, that people should love the environment. They want every individual visiting the ocean park to understand these things.

The first to adopt a fusion concept, the Manila Ocean Park brings together an Ocenarium, a mall, hotel and restaurants, open water marine habitats and function halls. Visitors may find the Oceanarium entertaining, but it is, first and foremost, an educational facility (so do not expect dolphin shows or sea lion exhibitions).

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WordCamp is finally in the Philippines! I am looking forward to September 6 when Filipino WordPress users and developers gather together for a day of learning, fun activities and meeting new friends. The WordCamp Philippines 2008 is the very first in the country and in Southeast Asia, through the initiative of Mindanao Bloggers.

WordCamp Philippines 2008 is made possible through the help of the following sponsors:

• i.PH: the Domain for Individuals
• Free Online Flash Games
• Wazzup Manila Philippines
• Real Estate CRM
• Real Estate Website Designers
• Orange County Real Estate
• Auto Insurance Quotes
• Lane Systems Inc.
• RedMedia
• Orange County Business Lawyer

I’m sure all of us are excited about the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, which will officially open in less than a month(look at the countdown in the sidebar). Wherever we are in the globe, we’d want to take part in this event, right? You must have listened and watched Jackie Chan sing “We Are Ready,” even if you barely understand the lyrics of the song. I am also very sure that you’d like to have a souvenir of the Olympics, no matter how little it is as long as the Beijing 2008 Olympic logo is carved on it.

We’ll, I’ve got mine already, and you can grab one too. Because at McDonald’s – one of the official partners of the Olympics – for only 20 pesos, you can have a Limited Edition Luminarc glass with the Coca-Cola logo on one side and an Olympic event and the Olympic logo on the other. There are five designs (Olympic event) to choose from. All you need to do is buy any of McDonald’s value meals, add 20 pesos to buy one glass or you can buy all five. Me I bought all the five glasses!

My Olympic glasses from McDonal’s

For most of us living in the city, relaxation would mean an out of town trip. With our fast-paced everyday life, we have no time to stop and smell the flowers or appreciate the little things in our surroundings. Fresh air is a luxury. And family bonding means a trip to the mall.

Unknown to many, a nature sanctuary is nestled right in the heart of Quezon City, where one can experience serenity, even for a while. The La Mesa Eco Park has been there for years. It has been rehabilitated a few years ago and is now open to the public again. It is a sanctuary for nature lovers, health buffs and for families who want to spend some quality time with each other.

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A musical tag from hitokirihoshi and shermalou.

Here’s the rule: Answer the questions with song titles (your favorite song or songs that you like to play most of the times). No side comments please. Let the song titles explain your answer.

Here we go:
1.) How am I feeling today?
You Make Me Feel Like Dancing by Leo Sayer/Anne Hathaway

2.) Where/when will I get married?
Moon River by Audrey Hepburn

3.) What is my best friend’s theme song?
If We Hold On Together by Diana Ross

4.) What is/was high school like?
Don’t Get Lost in the Crowd by Ashley Ballard

5.) What is the best thing about me?
Smile by Nat King Cole

6.) How is today going to be?
It’s a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong

7.) What is in store for this weekend?
Love by Matt White

8.) What song describes my parents?
Together Forever by Rick Astley

9.) How is my life going?
Purpose from Avenue Q

10.) What song will they play at my funeral?
Sa `yo Lamang by Joey Albert

11.) How does the world see me?
True Colors by Phil Collins

12.) What do my friends really think of me?
I’m Your Angel by Celine Dion and R. Kelly

13) Do people secretly lust after me?
Chances Are by Bob Seger and Martina McBride

14.) How can I make myself happy?
Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson

15.) What should I do with my life?
Go the Distance by Michael Bolton

16.) Will I ever have children?
Someday by John Legend

17.) What is some good advice?
Miracles Happen by Myra

18.) What do I think my current theme song is?
Rule The World by Take That

19.) What does everyone else think of my current life?
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious by Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins)

20.) What type of men/women do you like?
True to Your Heart by Raven

21.) Will you get married?
I Can Hear the Bells by Nikki Blonsky (from Hairspray)

22.) What should I do with my love life?
We Can Work It Out by The Beatles

23.) Where will you live?
Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland

24.) What will your dying words be?
I Love You by Celine Dion

I’m passing this on to mommy kengkay, missyel, rhapsody, witchy, nemcy, vera, conrad and mc.

I belong to a family who are mostly (humbly speaking) gifted in the arts. I have an aunt who’d been scrap-booking long before scrapbooks became a fad, makes letter cut-outs without using whatever kind of pattern, creates paper mosaics, and does her own greeting cards. As a young man, my dad worked as an illustrator for Tagalog Komiks, now he’s into photography. My sister showed, at an early age, her artistic talent, hence, she took up fine arts in college. Recently, I discovered that a cousin is starting to make a name in photography in Singapore.

Being surrounded by these people, I’ve learned to appreciate the arts at an early age. I’ve learned to open my eyes and somehow see beyond a picture or painting. Most of all, I got to try my hands at painting/drawing! Here, take a look at some of my pencil drawings:

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Our office barkada was able to go on a mid-week night out last Tuesday, since the next day, July 2, was a special holiday for us people working in Ortigas Center, Pasig. Our stop this time was Pilita’s Restaurant in Greenhills, San Juan. It was also a birthday celebration for one of our officemates.

Pilita’s Restaurant is located at Greenhills Shopping Center, near the movie theaters. This cozy little place is owned by Asia’s Queen of Songs, Pilita Corales and her husband Don Carlos. Pilita’s has a very relaxed ambiance, a perfect place to hang-out after a long day at the office. Its walls are filled with numerous memorabilia of the hip-bending singer from her career. One wall serves as a gallery of her photos in black and white. Meanwhile the upper wall behind the stage displays covers of her vinyl records in the past.

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