The Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines’ Members Networking Night

August 1, 2019August 1, 2019carlocarrasco

The Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines’ Members Networking Night

Let me share to you all that I had a grand time meeting with varied business people and professionals. On the evening of July 29 at Manila Elks Club in Makati City, I attended the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Members Networking Night organized by the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. The result was a lot of enlightenment on my part and satisfaction now that I have brand new connections with many professionals.

I also had a grand experience learning about the strengthening ties between the Philippines and Israel. Since a miracle happened to me last year, I moved forward personally, socially and professionally. Along the way, I gained tremendous interest on Israel which I hope to visit someday.

As a nation, Israel is highly significant. It is one of the most innovative nations in the whole world as confirmed by a recent study. In addition to establishing ties with other professionals, my passion for Israel was a key factor behind my participation in the Networking Night event.

During the event, there was a program with a nice presentation to the members and the guests. Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines President Sagiv Massad warmly welcomed us with his remarks followed by a short speech delivered by Ms. Yulia Rachinsky-Spivakov who is the Deputy Chief of Mission from the Embassy of Israel.

67490444_2360667627350944_6819146634153164800_o — *Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines President Sagiv Massad. (photo credit: Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines)*

*Ms. Yulia Rachinsky-Spivakov of the Embassy of Israel gave useful updates about Philippines-Israel relations.*

The Deputy Chief of Mission confirmed that bilateral ties between the Philippines and Israel are indeed getting stronger.

“The job that Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines has been doing is very much appreciated by the embassy. It is a great contribution to our bilateral relations,” said Deputy Chief of Mission Yulia Rachinsky-Spivakov. “I am very pleased to mention that we have very positive developments in the relations between Israel and the Philippines recently.”

While emphasizing the positive developments, she mentioned President Rodrigo Duterte’s official visit to Israel in 2018 which is a milestone as it marked the first time a Philippine President visited the country. Duterte had a big delegation with him to Israel and a lot of agreements were signed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Duterte.

The Deputy Chief of Mission mentioned that one of the signed agreements was related to the employment of caregivers and that fees on them would be reduced. Already there are 35,000 Filipino caregivers working in Israel who contributed a lot to the local society. The other agreement mentioned was about the employment of Filipino workers in the tourism industry of Israel. As a nation, Israel has a population of nine million and attracts four million tourists yearly. The Philippines was the first nation approached by Israel for its tourism needs.

After the update about Philippines-Israel relations, networking followed and it was during this time I met with varied professionals and business executives. We introduced ourselves, exchanged business cards and talked business. Along the way, I learned a lot from the professionals I met whose expertise include marketing, logistics, tax law, travel, sales, the airline industry, business solution development, events organizing, fruit processing, career development, real estate, etc.

67403764_2360713364013037_7961046376505147392_o — *Guests smile during the networking. (photo credit: Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines)*

67595631_2360742627343444_1757593985817247744_o — *That’s me on the foreground talking with Bayani Liwanag, Jr., the sales manager of Salton Travel and Tours. (photo credit: Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines)*

As the event went on, some prizes were raffled off to very lucky winners (including myself).

By the end of the Networking Night, I went home very enlightened, delighted and satisfied. There is nothing like making a whole lot of connections with varied professionals in just a few hours’ time. In the world of business, having connections is essential and they can add a lot to your business performance as well as its development.

Lastly, I should say that during my previous career as a community newspaper reporter, I attended and reported about the activities of the Parañaque City chapter of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PCCI). Privately I also attended some conferences that attracted varied industry professionals. The Chamber’s Networking Night is the most significant corporate event I attended yet. Now that I’m working in industry and attended this memorable July 29 event, I certainly will watch out for the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines’ next event and eventually learn more about Israel and its ties with the Philippines.

What is the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines?

You must be wondering – what exactly is the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and how significant are they? Let me explain.

The Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines was established with a purpose to foster, enable, facilitate and ensure the success of its members’ businesses while promoting business-to-business networking between Israel and the Philippines. The Chamber aims to collaborate with Philippine government officials, agencies and bureaus, as well as business and community leaders in dealing with important and critical issues affecting business and industries in both countries, while contributing to their civic, social and economic development.

With regards to the benefits of being a member of the Chamber, the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines represents and further the interests of each member. Through General Membership meetings, Business Forums and other events, Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines members receive assistance in promoting their companies and individual interests, keeping them abreast and ahead of business trends both in the country and in Israel.

The Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines has a well established network with varied foreign and local chambers. They have ties with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PCCI), other industry group-focused trade and business organizations as well. The Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines constantly strives to be the premiere comprehensive resource and vehicle for the achievement of a strong and meaningful bilateral trade relationship between Israel and the Philippines that would be mutually beneficial to both countries.

The Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines is currently open for local businesses who wish to join them as a member.

If you wish to learn more about the Israel Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, visit their website at ICCP.ph and follow their official Facebook page.

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK) to tackle Youth Suicide

August 1, 2019September 4, 2019carlocarrasco

Recently at the developing community of Masville in Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City, a 21-year-old man died by suicide by hanging himself to death in a residence. The reason? Because he broke up with his girlfriend.

This was revealed to me by Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK) chairperson Mariel Tumang during my exclusive interview with her on the topic of youth suicide.

IMG_20190417_105303~2.jpg — *Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK) chairperson Mariel Tumang.*

To put things in perspective, Tumang stated that the age definition of youth under the Reformed SK system is 15 to 30-years-old. The guy who took his life is therefore identified as a youth and was already working. On July 20, Tumang attended the man’s funeral at his family residence and the experience reminds her that the SK has a responsibility to ensure that youth suicides would be prevented.

“We had one project with Kagawad Rocel Espino who handled the barangay committee on education which includes youth. The project she created was the youth camp and it was organized at a local school,” Tumang said. “Many young people attended and they shared problems and concerns. We at the SK will adapt that kind of project.”

In preparation for the planned youth camp, the BFSK chairperson and the kagawads will have to do some research as well as make presentations in seminars. A youth orientation activity done by Barangay BF Homes Kagawad Espino was held recently which educated many youth participants. This, of course, sets a model of guidance for the BFSK as part of their preparation for the planned youth camp which, as of this writing, still has no date nor a venue finalized.

“We also have the mental health awareness counseling program planned at the SK. Right now we are still discussing as to when we could organize it,” Tumang stated. “I really want to organize the mental health awareness program and youth camp soon as I learned many helpful lessons from a seminar at Paranaque City Hall.”

The said seminar was about mental health awareness and by participating in it, Tumang said she realized the many factors that contribute to suicide such as depression, insecurity, uncertainty and the like. Even words can hurt a person and even cause him or her to get depressed.

“That was a very engaging seminar the discussions were very in-depth. I learned so much from it and I believe we can really help the local youth,” she said.

Tumang added that Kagawad Espino taught her that youth struggle as they grow up and get educated. The struggles include being unable to open up and speak out about their concerns, being fearful about others judging them, and the like. There are also those who are a lot more vulnerable or more sensitive than meets the eye.

“Because words can be painful, some jokes cracked at youth hurt them very deep inside reaching to the point of cracking under social pressure, becoming stressed or, even worse, they begin to think about suicide,” Tumang said.

To put suicide in perspective, it was reported in Business Mirror that in the year 2012, a total of 2,550 cases of suicides (all ages) in the Philippines were registered according to Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Herminigildo Valle.

The BFSK chairperson plans to have the youth camp (and hopefully the mental health awareness counseling program) push through sometime this September. However pulling it off remains challenging due to budgeting, the time management of activities and getting valuable resources.

The Sangguniang Kabataan of Barangay BF Homes is reaching out to generous members of the public who wish to donate to them (cash or in kind) for the purpose of organizing the youth camp and its campaign to prevent youth from dying by suicide.

To inquire or give something, communicate directly with BFSK Chairperson Mariel Tumang at Barangay BF Homes hall along Elsie Gatches street in Parañaque City.

+++++++

UPDATE! (September 3, 2019)

The Barangay BF Homes Youth Camp is indeed coming and already efforts are being made on preparing it. This was announced by Barangay BF Homes Kagawad Rocel Espino during the Youth Forum held at the Phase 1 Gym along Pilar Banzon street in BF Homes subdivision on August 31.

Macross at Toycon 2019

August 1, 2019November 9, 2020carlocarrasco

Sorry for this late feature but I wish to share to you geeks and hobbyists that during the 2019 edition of the Toycon held this past June at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, I spotted the display of Macross.

I’m a Macross fan and I always make it a point to find stuff related to my favorite anime franchise whenever a convention happens. Here are some that I spotted during the Toycon.

*The YF-19 from Macross Plus and its weapons on display. Behind it are varied video games and manuals.*

A close look at these mean machines. The one on the right reflects the model of used by Hikaru in the first few episodes of the 1980s Macross anime TV series complete with holding Lynn Minmay for safety.

At the 2nd level of the convention center was a function hall which has a large display of collected items of varied entertainment franchises. The one showcasing Macross had toys, action figures, plastic models, video games, music CDs and some printed materials.

What caught my attention was the display of the YF-19 from Macross Plus complete with its weapons in full view.

*Memories of the 1980s anime TV series as well as the 1984 classic movie Macross: Do You Remember Love? entered my mind.*

Also seeing an original copy of the 1990s Sega Saturn video game adaptation of Macross: Do You Remember Love? instantly made me remember playing and enjoying the PlayStation version of that game. The Sega Saturn game can be seen in the picture below.

*Art, books, soundtracks and the Sega Saturn video game.*

As much as I enjoyed the display of Macross memorabilia, I regret to say that I was unable to find any more related collectibles or products for sale among the many vendors at the lower level during the Toycon. I searched for whatever Macross stuff I could find (t-shirts, comic books, action figures, models, cards and others) but ended up with nothing.

Then again, it should NOT be surprising at all. Macross as an entertainment franchise is not exactly popular here in the Philippines and Macross Mania in the country has ended long ago. To say the least, the popularity of Macross here in the Philippines is limited to older fans and collectors. Anime is a lot more popular among Filipinos in this modern age but that does not mean Macross found a new nor large audience.

If ever the legendary Shoji Kawamori (whom I met at AsiaPOP Comicon Manila in 2017) or any notable Macross-related talent comes here in the Philippines, only then will the Macross brand gain attention.

If you love anime or Macross, then I invite you to read my retro movie review of Macross: Do You Remember Love? right here. I also wrote about the famous Lynn Minmay here.

My Observations: Starbucks Coffee at One Griffinstone in Alabang

July 31, 2019carlocarrasco

*The front of Starbucks One Griffinestone branch.*

Yet another coffee shop of Starbucks opened in the Alabang area in Muntinlupa City very recently. Specifically, this is about the one that opened at the ground floor of One Griffinstone located along Commerce Avenue corner Spectrum Midway in Filinvest City.

Very recently, out of curiosity, I visited to take a close look.

Like the other new Starbucks coffee shops I visited recently, the One Griffinstone branch has a nice interior and more notably, it’s got views of the immediate surroundings.

When it comes to seating capacity, I counted fifty-one seats, including the stools. For the use of the common rest room, a code is required to be able to use it. The code is printed on the receipt of the Starbucks drink/food customers buy. If you need to use the toilet during your time at Starbucks One Griffinstone, do not throw away the receipt fast.

After receiving my drink, I sat down facing one side of the place looking at the Festival Mall in the distance. Then I realizing something…Commerce Avenue literally connects with four different Starbucks branches in Alabang.

*Facing the far end of Commerce Avenue heading towards the direction of Festival Mall (hidden by the trees).*

Along Commerce Avenue (note: distances between the coffeeshops and the said road) are the Alabang Town Center branch, the One Griffinstone branch and Starbucks Reserve (part of Westgate) branch.

In a way, Commerce Avenue leads to the old Starbucks branch at Festival Mall. Coming from the direction of Ayala Alabang, one can drive to the said branch by reaching the end of the road entering the area of mall, turn right on a short road going to the open-air parking area (where the old Starbucks and Robinsons department store are).

Are these enough Starbucks branches in the Alabang area as a whole? That’s hard to figure out at this point in time but what is clear is that Alabang is a hot spot for the world’s largest coffee chain. Previously I visited another new Alabang branch of the coffee chain at Madison Galeries.

Check out and visit the Starbucks One Griffinstone branch if you have time.

Trust the Lord with all Your Heart! Don’t Hesitate and Just Do It!

July 27, 2019May 19, 2022carlocarrasco

I want to share to you a valuable lesson I learned during Sunday worship service at church.

The lesson was all about putting our trust in the Lord.

It clearly makes sense. As I learned from attending prayer sessions, holy seminars, Sunday worship, listening to our pastors and reading the Holy Bible, God is a just god who loves us, who cares for us, who is gentle with us, who is merciful and, at the same time, He is NOT a tyrant. God gave us His begotten Son, Jesus Christ, so that we can all be saved and truly find salvation.

Those truthful descriptions about the Lord are some great reasons we need to put our trust in Him.

Why settle for less at all when we have the Lord? Why put our trust elsewhere or to someone who is inferior to the Lord?

Going back to the church lesson, the scriptures emphasized were in Jeremiah 17:5-8 (NKJV).

Let’s start with Jeremiah 17:5-6 (NKJV) which states:

Thus says the Lord:

Cursed is the man who trusts in man

And makes flesh his strength.

Whose heart departs from the Lord.

For he shall be like a shrub in the desert,

And shall not see when good comes.

But shall inhibit the parches places in the wilderness

In a salt land which is not inhabited.

Here is my take….we should always take the words of the Lord very seriously. In the above scriptures, it is made clear that people like us will not prosper nor find happiness, satisfaction, peace and harmony if we trust in people instead of the Lord. As His creations living in the flesh, we need to have the Holy Spirit in our hearts and realize our true purpose under the Lord. This brings me back to what I mentioned before: people need to be born again and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.

We live in a really chaotic and screwed up world. There are indeed many unsaved souls living around us and among them are secularists, atheists, agnostics and others who prefer to ignore God believing that they can live greatly and happily without Him. There are also those who are trapped by religion (many of them even propagate religion helping it trap others and prevent them from establishing a true relationship with God) and they have yet to realize their souls need saving. There are also people who don’t realize they are spiritually unsaved or even spiritually lost. Clearly there is a curse when people don’t trust the Lord and instead trusted their fellow humans.

Be aware that as you trust in people instead of God, God Himself is watching you all the time and there definitely is no hiding from Him (Proverbs 15:3 NKJV). Don’t even think about running away or using the latest in technology to cover your tracks because God is almighty and you are better off coming out in the open, repenting to Him directly (this means NO HUMAN MEDIATOR and NO HUMAN INTERVENTIONIST between you and God) and surrender yourself to Him.

With regards to making flesh our strength, there are lots of people out there who end up being consumed by worldly developments. Instead of accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, there are those who prefer to become part of social or political movements (look at all those rallies that disrupt society, the activists who appear on TV spreading their ideology, etc.), or engage in crime, or engage in obsessive acquisition of money and/or things (under the influence of covetousness), or engage in the endless wave of news generated by corporate media organizations whose agenda is to manipulate people instead of informing them properly, etc. And there are those who allowed themselves to get lost by exploring social media.

Without the Lord, we would end up suffering, get lost, experience frustration and make the world even more chaotic. This is the cursed life the Lord warned us about when we trust our fellow man over Him.

There is however hope for people who choose to trust the Lord and He Himself is hope! Learn from Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NKJV) which states:

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

And whose hope is the Lord.

For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,

Which spreads out its roots by the river,

And will not fear when heat comes;

But its leaf will be green,

And will not be anxious in the year of drought,

Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

It is indeed true that a person who trusts the Lord gets blessed by Him. I know! I myself experienced that. Since becoming born again and placing my trust in Him, I have been blessed by the Lord a lot and, gradually, a lot of positive things happened to me personally not only financially but also socially, morally and within the family. I now have my own website, a new job, new business clients for freelance projects and I have prepared myself better for the future with regards to financial planning. Things have gotten better for me under the Lord and for as long as I remain faithful to Him, trusting in Him, honoring Him and applying His Word in my life, the blessings and favor from Him will continue to happen.

This bring me to my next point – the Lord cares! He is loving, gentle and absolutely blesses His faithful followers abundantly. All it takes to be blessed a lot by the Lord (and have a happier future complete with prosperity) is faith and the first step you need to do is to be born again and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Trust in the Lord is truly essential and the scripture above confirms that. Do not be deceived by others out there who would teach you the wrong lessons about trust. Do not allow yourself to be fooled or manipulated by taking inspiration from sources other than the Holy Bible. In my old life, I used to take inspiration from watching movies, reading comic books and playing video games. The result was a life of confusion, hardship and frustration for me. I certainly do not want these past experiences of mine to happen to you.

It took a very dear friend of mine to invite me to attend a holy seminar at her church and as the pastor emphasized lessons from the Holy Bible, I saw the light, and just a few days later, I repented and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

In my experience, trust in the Lord really started a series of positive changes in my life. It is normal for me to read the Holy Bible (applying lessons into my life), pray in tongues, practice faith by the heart, avoid worshiping idols (man-made objects and people), avoid doing repetitive prayers (religion’s deceptive practice), pray privately in my room with the door shut, give back to the Lord cheerfully, doing my part as a member of the spiritual family at our church and worship the Lord with them on Sundays. Becoming born again is truly the greatest change in my life.

Trust in the Lord and you will be reformed and get blessed. You trust the Lord, then chaos, curse and frustration will not affect you. Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31 NKJV). There is no denying that!

Eventually after that, you will realize the happiness that comes being blessed and being a blessing to others. This is part of true Christian living and I confirm to you, my readers, that I got blessed and became a blessing to others.

With Jesus and God’s kingdom in you, you will be blessed and become a blessing to others. With God on your side and with the Holy Spirit in your heart, nothing is impossible.

Here is another verse from the Holy Bible about trusting the Lord.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5 (NKJV)

See? We are all better off trusting the Lord who created plans for each and every one of us before we were even created! Our true purpose in life is not about religion but it is all about the Lord! God has a high calling for us to realize, prepare ourselves by having faith in Him and to ultimately reach.

Don’t trust religion and other elements that will hinder you from connecting with Him. Go ahead to trust the Lord with all your heart and be more direct with Him because each and every one of us has a personal relationship with Him.

There is more to your personal relationship with the Lord than religion.

Let me end this piece with another significant verse from the Holy Bible for you all.

So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Acts 16:31 (NKJV)

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved and the lost souls out there.

If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

Alabang Hills Village Association (AHVA) Updates (July 27, 2019)

July 27, 2019carlocarrasco

The Alabang Hills Village Association (AHVA) in Alabang Hills Village, Barangay Cupang, Muntinlupa City announced that more village stickers for specific people will be released very soon.

Firstly, the 2019 edition of the vehicular stickers for Alabang Hills residents will be released on August 5, 2019. Each sticker will cost as follows (according to the AHVA’s Secretary’s Certificate dated July 6, 2017):

First four cars – P100 per vehicle

Next three cars – P300 per vehicle

Next three cars – P600 per vehicle

11 or more cars – P1,200 per vehicle

For the commercial vehicles, the stickers will be released on August 12, 2019. The stickers will cost P1,500 per vehicle (four wheels) and P2,250 per vehicle (six wheels).

Last but not least, stickers for motorcycles and bicycles will be released on August 12, 2019. The rates for resident motorcycles and bicycles are P100 each, while non-resident motorcycles and bicycles will cost P225 per sticker.

*Pay close attention to the details displayed.*

The same AHVA Secretary’s Certificate shows that the replacement sticker rates are at P50 for residents and P100 for non-residents.

AHVA clubhouse update

Meanwhile, the AHVA announced on July 18 that the repair of the village clubhouse locate along Don Jesus Boulevard will be completed next month although no specific date was mentioned. The association announced that its Board of Directors made a decision to allot spaces to service providers that should benefit the residents.

The association officially invited interested parties for the following types of service (with space):

Coffee shop (90 square meters)

Beauty Salon and Barber Shop (70 square meters)

Convenience store (33 square meters)

“The renovated AHV Clubhouse promises an enticing site to relax, socialize and hangout apart from providing security, clinical health and business services,” AHVA president Benjamin Y. Munasque, Jr. wrote.

For the service providers, letters of intent (LOI) with a brief business description are to be submitted to AHVA Village Manager Lanie Rosas BEFORE 5PM of July 31.

For clarifications and inquiries, it is best for you to call the association at phone numbers 850-8254, 850-9631 and fax number 850-7685. They can be reached by email at ahvainc08@yahoo.com

Ayala Alabang Village Association (AAVA) 2019 vehicular stickers and RFID tags now available for both residents and non-residents

July 26, 2019July 26, 2019carlocarrasco

*Applicants inside the clubhouse along Narra street waiting to be called.*

The Ayala Alabang Village Association (AAVA) recently released the 2019 edition of their vehicular stickers and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags for both residents and non-residents. Already they are receiving and processing applications at the clubhouse (Neighborhood Center) along Narra street in Ayala Alabang Village, Muntinlupa City. The following details were from the tarpaulins of AAVA and the non-resident application form itself.

To apply, fill-up the form as well as the members (referring to AAVA members) registration update (CERD). Apart from filling up the application form, a valid contract of lease (for lessee), the TCT (for owner) and the official receipt and certificate of registration (OR and CR) or the sales invoice for new applications must be submitted.

The AAVA’s rates of fees (note: not for non-residents) for the new sticker and RFID tag are as follows:

1-5 cars – P200 per vehicle

6-10 cars – P2,000 per vehicle

11-15 cars – P4,000 per vehicle

16 or more cars – P6,000 per vehicle

AUVs (above 10-seating capacity) – P5,000 per vehicle

Motorcycles – P200 per vehicle

Meanwhile, the sticker and RFID tag rate for non-resident private motorists (or “visitor/guest with AAVA ID”) is P2,700. The rate is the same for Alabang Country Club members. For motorcyclists, the rate is P500.

P5,200 is the rate for AUVs (with more than 10 seating capacity w/o decal), accredited school bus service (maximum 18 passengers), trucks (food delivery/catering), Elf, Canter and all types of vehicles with company decals. Accredited school bus service with 19 or more passengers is at P7,200. For the accredited school bus service described as “full/big bus”, the rate is P10,200.

P3,200 is the rate for passenger-type jeeps, multicabs and taxis (resident owned). For tricycles that ply inside the village, it is P1,200.

Other requirements for non-residents and the like: Company certification authorizing the applicant to use the vehicle (specifically company-owned vehicle) and the Car Rental Agreement (for rent-a-car).

Once the application has been approved and the fees have been paid, applicants must be ready to get into their vehicles, drive and have it lined-up for the installation of the sticker and RFID tag (which will be done off Narra street).

The installation of the sticker and RFID tag REQUIRES the physical presence of the vehicle. In other words, make sure you bring your car to the AAVA clubhouse to have the association’s personnel install the sticker and the RFID tag.

*The installation of the RFID tag and the new sticker takes a short time to complete.*

Schedule of processing

Monday – Districts 1 and 2

Tuesday – Districts 3 and 4

Wednesday – District 5

Thursday – District 7

Friday – Schools and non-residents

Saturday – All districts of Ayala Alabang Village.

Cut-off time is 8AM to 4PM Monday to Friday, and 8AM to 11AM on Saturday.

For more information, visit the AAVA or call them at landline 809-2282 and 842-4411. Send them email at admin@aava.com.ph

RFID defined

RFID is the use of radio waves to read and capture information stored on a tag attached to an object. The said tag can be read from up to several feet away and does not need to be within the direct line of sight of the reader to be tracked.

With regards to vehicular use, a car will be detected electronically as each entry into or each exit from the village will be registered into the database. Since RFID stickers are issued to motorists whose applications were accepted, it is obvious that the vehicle’s information (including the name of the owner, model of the vehicle and others) can be verified by the village quickly. With regards to non-residents entering and leaving the village with their vehicles, they can be monitored more efficiently than compared to the old, non-RFID system.

My Observations: Fried Chicken Meal and Cajun Fries at Popeyes Alabang

July 24, 2019carlocarrasco

*Popeyes restaurant at Alabang Town Center, specifically located right beside Krispy Kreme.*

On July 19 at a commercial space (right beside Krispy Kreme and steps away from Fully Booked) at the area of Alabang Town Center in Muntinlupa City, the newest branch of Popeyes Philippines opened and right from the start it drew a long line of curious and hungry customers.

I personally witnessed many people waiting in line seated as many chairs were provided for their comfort. Once inside, they joined the line at the counters to make their orders and then wait to be served.

As there were so many people, I decided to skip the weekend and try one of Popeyes’ meals on a weekday. Fortunately, yesterday, I found an opportunity to visit the Popeyes ATC branch and the line outside was much shorter. When I sat in line, there were less than ten people ahead of me.

The wait on line at the counters inside the restaurant took longer. I noticed that the Popeyes personnel receiving orders had to answer the many questions asked by the customers who had their turns. During that time, I carefully examined the meals, side dishes and drinks displayed. By the time I got my chance to order at the counter, I quickly ordered a 2-piece fried chicken meal with single rice (and drink included) and their Cajun Fries.

So here is my meal.

*2-piece fried chicken with rice (still wrapped) and the Cajun Fries.*

To make things clear, I did NOT use any condiments as I really wanted to determine if the food cooked by Popeyes were really tasty on their own.

When I started with the fried chicken, I opened the meat to see if it was well cooked. They did their job.

The result? For the fried chicken, they were tasty on their own. While Popeyes constantly emphasized their “Louisiana taste” a lot, I did not find the flavor of their fried chicken special. When it comes to taste, Popeyes fried chicken is tasty enough to enjoy without any condiments. However, if I may compare, I find the fried chicken of Mini-Stop (under their Uncle John’s sub-brand) clearly tastier than Popeyes. At the same time, I noticed Popeyes fried chicken pieces were slightly smaller compared to what was served at Mini-Stop, 7-Eleven, Jollibee, SNR and FamilyMart. Lastly, I noticed Popeyes’ fried chicken is not too greasy and that’s a good thing.

For what I paid (P167 or more than US$3), the 2-piece fried chicken meal at Popeyes Alabang was filling enough but it could have been better. If you want fried chicken meals that are more flavorful and more filling for less cost, you are better off with Mini-Stop, 7-Eleven and others.

As for the Cajun Fries, they are tasty enough to be enjoyed without condiments. The texture and taste remind me somewhat of McDonald’s twisted fries I tasted long ago. In a way, the Cajun Fries are more enjoyable than the standalone fries of other fast food restaurants that need condiments to be flavorful. The medium-sized Cajun Fries cost me P57.

I don’t know when to return to Popeyes at ATC but if I revisit, perhaps I’ll try out one of their burger meals.

Muntinlupa products, community group lauded in DOST Nat’l S&T Week

July 24, 2019July 24, 2019carlocarrasco

072319 — Muntinlupa City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (4^th from left) congratulates Muntinlupa winners in the 2019 National Science and Technology Week by DOST during the city’s flag raising ceremony last July 22. The mayor lauded Dielles Apiary and Meadery Inc. and Muntinlupa Southville 3 Homebased Producers Association Inc. for winning Best Packaging and Labelling Innovation, Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program and Community Empowerment thru Science and Technology Program categories in the 2019 NSTW. Also present were: (L-R) DOST MuntiParLas Cluster Director Kim Atienza, Muntinlupa City Technical Institute Director Francisco Santella, Muntinlupa SHBPAI president Nympha Palafox and Councilor Raul Corro. (source – City Government of Muntinlupa)

The City of Muntinlupa made waves in the field of science and technology recently as Muntinlupa-based wine maker Dielles Apiary and Meadery, Inc. and Southville 3 Homebased Producers Association Inc. (SHBPAI) snagged three major awards in the recently held 2019 National Science and Technology Week (2019 NSTW) by Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

As a result, Mayor Jaime Fresnedi formally congratulated Dielles Apiary and Meadery, Inc. and SHBPAI whose officials were presented before City Government officials at the grounds of City Hall during the July 22 flag raising ceremony.

To put things in perspective, the 2019 NSTW showcased the latest innovations in technologies, products, and research that contribute to national development. During that particular showcase, Dielles Apiary and Meadery, Inc. won the Best Packaging and Labelling Innovation in the regional and national level. Further, it also represented NCR as the regional winner in the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program national category.

For its part, SHBPAI emerged as the winner in the Community Empowerment thru Science and Technology or CEST Program in NCR and became the finalist in the national category.

Dielles Apiary and Meadery, Inc. and Muntinlupa SHBPAI received S&T assistance such as package development, training, laboratory and consultancy services from DOST to improve their operations and boost their productivity and competitiveness.

Dielles Apiary and Meadery, Inc. owner Luke Deogracias Macabbabad, also a beneficiary of the City Government’s zero-interest loan assistance, expressed his thanks to the City Government for its assistance to local Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises. Also present during the same ceremony SHBPAI president Nympha Palafox and DOST MuntiParLas Cluster Director Kim Atienza.

In line with the DOST’s thrust, Muntinlupa City supports budding entrepreneurs and MSMEs to scale up their businesses through various programs, having the Tulong Negosyo zero-interest loan assistance as the flagship project which provide financial assistance from 2,000 up to 150,000 pesos depending on business capital ceiling and payment record.

The DOST and the City Government continuously work towards providing innovative solutions for the communities. DOST MuntiParLas Cluster Office is located at Muntinlupa City Technical Institue in San Guillermo St., Barangay Putatan.

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A Look Back at The Solution #1

July 23, 2019carlocarrasco

Back in the 1990s, there was a flood of superhero comic books that introduced brand new heroes, teams and even anti-heroes. A strong contributor to this was the market presence of Image Comics, Valiant Comics, Malibu Comics and other smaller publishers that tried their best to gain shares in what was back then the highly lucrative superhero comic book market which was long dominated by Marvel Comics and DC Comics.

With Malibu Comics, their Ultraverse franchise of superhero comics was a blast and I had a lot of fun reading comic books of The Strangers, Prime, Hardcase, UltraForce, Mantra, etc.

For this review, here is my look back at the Ultraverse team comic book The Solution #1 (September 1993).

RCO001_1469696446~2.jpg — *The front cover.*

Written by the late James Hudnall and drawn by Darick Robertson (inked by John Lowe), the story begins when Russian personnel get killed by a team of deadly people whose purpose is to raid the nuclear storage buildings.

As a result, several nuclear warheads were taken away without a trace. A KGB agent discusses the tragedy with an Aladdin agent and seeks help. In response, the Aladdin agent recommends to him The Solution.

“We’d like to (help) but our agency can’t give you any direct assistance. You know how it is. However these people might be what you need. Just remember…I never told you about them,” the Aladdin agent said.

RCO022_1469696446~2.jpg — *Meet The Solution.*

In Hong Kong, a member of the triad instructs his hired assassins to distribute a shipment of illegal substances without getting any interference from The Solution. Predictably, the said team happens to be with them in their secret venue which starts a wave of martial arts, shooting and use of magic.

Enough with the plot. The Solution is a team of super-human mercenaries composed of Lela Cho/Tech (the leader), Eara/Shadowmage, Vurk/Outrage and Dropkick. Quite literally, whenever a major problem happens someone will call The Solution (the answer) to solve it for a fee.

In terms of character design, The Solution has a rather visceral look which was clearly emphasized on the cover art. Outrage, for example, looks very monstrous and one could easily mistake him for an evil figure.

RCO011_1469696446~2.jpg — *Obvious antagonists.*

Illustrator Darick Robertson’s art is nice to look at and when the action happens, he sure delivers the goods making the hard action moves look intense. Even showing characters firing their guns look intense. The violence in this comic book is quite bloody and the opening scenes really show that.

Even with the non-action, talking scenes, Robertson’s art makes the members of The Solution look believably human. Facial expressions are good and they quite match the dialogue written. The team shot on page 21, which shows Lela Cho in the foreground talking to her teammates in the background, really looks nice.

In terms of writing, I found this comic book to be a bit bloated in terms of details and plot. Most notably, the pace of the story moves very fast and while it does its job establishing The Solution (and part of its purpose as a team-for-hire), the circumstances and the team’s place within the Ultraverse, the story felt really crammed even though there were 28 pages of story and art. I noticed that while the comic book is about The Solution, it ended up showing a total of three different teams (including the hired assassins).

In terms of character development, there was clear focus on Lela Cho which is not a surprise since she is the team leader. It turns out Lela has lots of vested interests in the corporate world and instead of being in a fancy office, she goes out in the field to get things done. She has a very direct, personal access to information online by means of wetware embedded in her skull. She also has a touch of business in her approach with leading The Solution.

“Our potential client has a problem with some Ultras. They want us to take care of it,” Lela Cho said on page 23.

RCO010_1469696446~2.jpg — *You got a problem? Call The Solution!*

While it may not look as prominent as The Strangers or UltraForce as far as Ultraverse superhero teams go, The Solution stands out nicely for it is unique and its team-for-hire concept is very interesting. When I first read this comic book long ago, I was convinced to pursue the succeeding issues. Even by today’s standards, this old comic book remains fun and engaging.

The Solution #1 is recommended.

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