Tag: shopping

My Observations: Muntinlupa City to Implement New Traffic Scheme No Later than October 13

My Observations: Muntinlupa City to Implement New Traffic Scheme No Later than October 13

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Since the start of the construction of the Skyway extension project on the evening of September 24, traffic got worse on the northbound lane of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX). The result? The construction – which resulted eating up road space – made traffic more congested than before. As I drove on the way to the office in Laguna on September 25, I saw many vehicles (heading north) jammed together tightly from the Alabang viaduct up to around twenty kilometers going south in the jurisdiction of Laguna.

And then I later experienced the hardship of being in the traffic jam going back to Alabang that same day. The trip home took an additional one hour and twenty minutes for me.

The next day, it took me more than an hour again to reach Alabang from Laguna going home. Only this time, I took the exit to go to the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway (MCX), turned to Daang Hari and go to Alabang. On the other side of the SLEX, motorists traveling north took the exit going to the National Road of Muntinlupa. National Road is composed of only four lanes, take note.

As the Skyway operator confirmed that the project construction will last until late 2020, we the motorists have no choice but to accept the new reality that the worsened traffic will be the new normal along the SLEX.

The City Government of Muntinlupa noticed this problem. The construction also affected the East service road’s traffic which caused inconvenience to the businesses and residents who often travel there.

This is why today (September 30), the City Government formally announced the implementation of a one-way traffic scheme at the East service road no later than October 13. The purpose of this new move is to address, and hopefully ease, the heavy traffic motorists are experiencing.

Already a consultation was organized by Traffic Management Bureau chief Danidon Nolasco with representatives from San Miguel Corporation Tollways, EEI, transport groups, and subdivisions and companies situated the East service road.

Nolasco said SMC Tollways anticipate at least 14 weeks to finish the construction of the extension project with the currently imposed stop-and-go traffic scheme. He added that construction period will be reduced by half if a one-way traffic scheme will be enforced.

Motorists are advised that a northbound one-way traffic route will be implemented at the East service road from Alabang viaduct going to Sucat Interchange on or before October 13. While, the West service road and Baybayin will remain two-way in traffic as usual.

The representatives of the business establishments located in the area agreed to the new rerouting plan and requested that the new traffic scheme to be disseminated and implemented immediately.

As for the Skyway extension project along the East service road, EEI Project Manager Joe Ilagan said at least forty-one columns will be erected and the project’s bored piles and columns will be situated in between the service road and expressway. This is why road space is reduced resulting worse traffic on both the service road and the northbound lane of the SLEX.

The elevated toll road extension project from Sucat skyway off-ramp to Soldiers Hills, Muntinlupa is expected to be completed by December 2020.

Until that project is completed and traffic relief is realized, we motorists really have to adjust ourselves and be more patient using the SLEX. Heavy traffic obviously costs the nation’s economy (and us, the people) a lot of money and time. Imagine all the appointments, all the planned flights, all the opportunities get lost because SLEX northbound traffic prevented people from reaching their respective destination.

As the Christmas season approaches, vehicular traffic will get even worse due to the anticipated rise in business transactions related to Christmas-related spending. Take for example, the many commercial joints here in South Metro Manila. People will go out to the shopping malls (in Parañaque, Muntinlupa and Las Piñas), the bazaars and in BF Homes to buy items for gift-giving. Trucks will be going around to deliver food (example: catering), hardware and other ordered products.

Better start getting used to the new normal along SLEX. Plan your moves ahead of time as well.

Megarahe Sale in Alabang Hills on September 28 and 29

Megarahe Sale in Alabang Hills on September 28 and 29

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The Alabang Hills Village Association, Inc. (AHVA) announced that the annual Megarahe Sale: Ukay-Okay will be held again this year precisely on September 28 and 29 at the Community Center inside Alabang Hills, Muntinlupa City.

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Specifically speaking, Megarahe Sale is a community oriented shopping event that emphasizes the concept of garage sales. The difference is that sellers can use one large community venue to sell their products, hence the words “Megarahe Sale”. The large venue set-up spares the neighbors from the common hassles (pedestrian and vehicular traffic, lack of parking, vehicular pollution) that come with the holding of a garage sale at a house.

At the Megarahe Sale, buyers can look forward to products for sale like bags, clothes, shoes, slippers, books and other household items. The AHVA confirmed that there will also be some stalls of food and beverages set up.

With regards to non-residents who want to visit and shop at the Megarahe Sale, the AHVA personnel confirmed to me that they are welcome to visit and all they need to do is just follow the rules when entering the village. This means non-resident motorists whose vehicles don’t have AHVA-issued car stickers can visit, drop a driver’s license at the village gate, receive a pass and enter.

The Megarahe Sale has been going on for many years now and that alone makes it clear it is a successful village event.

For more information, call landline numbers 850-8254 and 850-9631.

 

 

 

My Observations: Starbucks Coffee at One Griffinstone in Alabang

My Observations: Starbucks Coffee at One Griffinstone in Alabang

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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.

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From inside facing Commerce Avenue.

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.

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The counter.
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Many places to sit and enjoy.

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.

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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.

Cyberzone Mobile Fest 2019 at SM City BF Parañaque a Success

Cyberzone Mobile Fest 2019 at SM City BF Parañaque a Success

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Cyberzone Mobile Fest 2019 at SM City BF Parañaque a Success

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The Cyberzone Mobile Fest 2019 at the Atrium of the mall.

This past weekend at SM City BF Parañaque, the Cyberzone Mobile Fest 2019 held at the Atrium turned out a successful event filled with excitement and surprise that delighted both attendees and the spectators.

The event started on Friday (June 22) with technology event partners Huawei, Smart, Samsung, Real Me, Xiaomi, Vivo and Power Mac Center each having their own booths showcasing their latest products and services to customers who passed by.

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The 2019 Mobile Legends tournament.

The excitement really ramped up the following day (June 23) as the highly anticipated Mobile Legends Tournament took place. Right from the start, many players (predominantly males) lined up to register themselves and eagerly waited. Once the tournament started, the action and excitement really made the Cyberzone Mobile Fest 2019 more energetic. As the competitors focused on their smartphones, action of the 2019 Mobile Legends Tournament were displayed on the large screen which was nicely spiced up by the two tournament commentators. There were bouts of cheers and awe in between. By the evening, the tournament was won by Avalance which received P5,000 as the grand winner.

Next to them were KZTL at 2nd place and Fantasy Sports at 3rd place. They received P3,000 and P2,000 respectively.

Grand Champion Avalanche
2019 Mobile Legends tournament grand champion Avalanche.
2nd Place KTZL
Team KZTL won 2nd place.
3rd Place Esports Fantasy
3rd placer was team Fantasy Sports.

Along the way, special programs took place. The event organizers formally unveiled the brand new and more modern looking logo of Cyberzone which wowed the audience.

 

Cyberzone
The new logo.

For the newcomers reading this, Cyberzone is the largest chain of IT retail stores in the Philippines. Aside from holding the biggest I.T. fairs, gaming events, and social networking engagements; Cyberzone is known for its notable product mix and quality.

Back to the event, a digital quiz took place as well as fun tech talks. A raffle draw was held and after several attempts of calling out the names of the winner, it was Joie Reyes who was called and she made her way to the stage to claim the Realme 3 smartphone. Being physically present is a requirement to claim the raffle prize.

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Very lucky raffle prize winner Joie Reyes with her Realme 3 smartphone. With her were Cyberzone marketing officer Shaquiel Segarra and SM City BF Paranaque’s Inah Bunyi.

One of the major partners of the event, Huawei, had its officer named Elton present the company’s achievements and vision for the world of technology. He announced that Huawei’s smartphone shipment surpassed 206 million in 2018 alone and that the company ensured that each unit is designed to give users full functionality, the best digital photography capability and enduring battery life.

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Huawei’s Elton gave an in-depth presentation of the company’s technology strategy.

Huawei was not limited to smartphones. Its business is quite diverse as its non-smartphone product shipments in 2018 exceeded the 100,000,000 mark. The figure includes tablets, laptops, watches and accessories. Huawei also strives to create more value through the innovative “1+8+N” all-scenario intelligent product ecosystem. From smartphones to cars and to home appliances, the company has a strategy to give a wide variety of users the means to enhance their lifestyles through technology.

For the future, Huawei is leading the next phase of the 5G innovation with the Balong 5000 which is the most powerful 5G modem in the world. It contains the world’s first chipset to support both NSA and SA architectures, the world’s fastest peak downlink speed of 4.6 gigabytes per second and uplink speed of 2.5 gigabytes per second, and the world’s first R14 V2X on 5G chipset.

Overall, the Cyberzone Mobile Fest 2019 at SM City BF Parañaque was a tremendously successful event that had fun, excitement and enlightenment brought together at the Atrium with a strong emphasis on technology. Cyberzone meanwhile will remain a very significant commercial chain for anyone around the nation looking for the latest in technology.

The Cyberzone Mobile Fest 2019 will continue in the following SM malls: Cebu (June 28-30), Sucat (July 5-7), Davao (July 12-14), Legazpi (July 19-21), and North EDSA (July 26-28).

For more information, visit http://www.smsupermalls.com.

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

 

 

Visit the BF NorthWest Community Fun Fair (April 27 and 28, 2019)

Visit the BF NorthWest Community Fun Fair (April 27 and 28, 2019)

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This morning, I visited BF NorthWest which is one of the most notable villages inside BF Homes subdivision in Parañaque City to take a close look at the Community Fun Fair which was held at the open-air basketball court just steps away from the clubhouse of the BF NorthWest Homeowners Association, Inc.

What I saw there was interesting.

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Fresh vegetables being sold to customers.

There were several tents set up which were occupied by varied sellers who brought in their stuff. A wide variety of goods, both used and new, were offered to buyers like toys, clothing, slippers, food, beverages, comic books, text books, household items, original DVD movies, fresh vegetables and more.

According to village governor Lorea Miren (who was in-charge of the 2-day event), the Community Fun Fair was meant to help the village raise funds needed for the maintenance and improvement of the park.

“Instead of charging for the rent of the tents or the space, we collect ten percent of their proceeds which will go to the improvement of the park,” Miren said during my interview with her. Companies that sell services meanwhile were given a fixed rate.

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Geek stuff like comic books, original movies on DVD, action figures and toys for sale.

“What’s happening organically is there are people who are asking if they could bring their stuff to sell so I had to check if there are any spaces left,” Miren added.

As my interview with the village governor went on, I noticed more than people arriving into the fair looking for things to buy, meeting neighbors and the like. At such an early stage, the Community Fun Fair was already fulfilling another key objective – bringing community members together and opening opportunities for socializing.

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Some guests enjoying the shade.

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The BF NorthWest Community Fun Fair will last another day tomorrow (April 28) from 9AM to 6PM. Both villagers and non-residents (visitors from outside BF NorthWest) are welcome to visit the whole day event to have a good time and contribute to the community through purchasing.

BF NorthWest can be accessed along El Grande Avenue.