South Metro Manila – Page 187 – Author Carlo Carrasco

Loose Cats in Tahanan Village

June 14, 2019June 20, 2020carlocarrasco

For some time now, Tahanan Village in Parañaque City has several stray cats all around its areas as confirmed to me by Tahanan Homeowners Association, Inc. (THA) officials and personnel I talked with over the past few years.

I recently visited the village and inquired if they still have a stray cat population problem going on. It turns out they still do and I easily spotted stray cats just outside the clubhouse and near the open-air basketball court.

*With no customer sitting, this stray cat had the table’s top all to itself.*

I managed to meet and talk with former THA president Augusto Tejada and he said that the population of loose cats is real and remains difficult to solve.

To put things in perspective, stray cats are those that entered the village and roamed around endlessly in search for food, for places to explore (including the households) and interact with other cats (whether pets or stray cats) with whom they could mate with and produce infants. These loose animals also produce waste by urinating or releasing their feces around. When desperate for food, they tend to forcibly tear open plastic garbage bags.

Tejada told me that the association has already advised its members (households) to refrain from feeding stray cats as it will only encourage them to come back for more and, even worse, take residence in the household knowing food is available.

He said that dealing with stray cats is very difficult to do. Firstly, those loose animals are really difficult to catch or entrap due to their speed and agility. Secondly, the cats are intelligent and the physical environment around the village provides them many means of escaping.

“The stray cats are smart and they are able to find ways to survive and find a place to live in which are also hard for people to reach. I remember finding such cats living on the gutters of roofs,” Tejada told me.

Adding further challenge to catching the loose cats are the many trees around the village which can be easily climbed fearlessly. The trees also provide access over the walls of homes.

With regards to solving the growth of the population of cats – both pets and stray cats – it has been suggested that the methods of spaying and neutering be done. Spaying and neutering are ways of sterilizing cats by means of performing a surgical procedure on the males (removing their testicles) and the females (removing their ovaries and uterus). The procedure is done by a professional animal veterinarian while the cat is sedated. Cats that are at least 6-months-old are eligible for the procedure.

I found online the Philippine Pet Birth Control Center Foundation (PPBCC) which offers spaying and neutering services. They charge P500 for each cat (and dog) for sterilization as of this writing.

Theoretically, residents can have their pet cats sterilized so that their household won’t be overwhelmed by the potential multiplication of cats.

Still, this brings back the problem of how village authorities and residents could catch the stray cats which remain very elusive. There is also the risk of being scratched by the said cats when they react to people catching them.

Another thing to consider here is to determine how to catch stray cats not only efficiently but also doing it without harming them as there are animal rights advocates around. Here in the Philippines, there is the organization called the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) which advocates the prevention of animal cruelty through education, animal sheltering and advocacy.

It remains to be seen how the growing stray cat population problem will be solved in Tahanan Village.

Are you a resident living in village that has a growing population of stray cats? Are such animals bothering you? Do you wish to share something here at my website to help other readers? Please respond by commenting below.

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

Las Piñas City Issues Green Card

June 11, 2019carlocarrasco

Las Piñas City Issues Green Card

Las Piñas City Mayor Imelda T. Aguilar announced that the City Government has issued their Green Card which is now accredited at the Las Piñas City Medical Center (CityMed). Holders of the said card may use it in case of confinement at the mentioned hospital.

CityMed is the newest hospital where the Las Piñas City Green Card may be used. It is located along Marcos Alvarez Ave. Barangay Talon Singko, Las Piñas City. The other hospitals where Green Card is accredited are Las Piñas Doctors Hospital (LPDH), Philippine General Hospital (PGH), and San Juan De Dios Hospital. These hospitals have coordinators to help facilitate the confinement of the card holder. There is a special ward dedicated to patients who have Green Card in LPDH and CityMed.

“The additional hospital accreditation of the Green Card will provide more options and convenience to Las Piñeros when seeking medical help,” Mayor Aguilar said.

Green Card is the hospitalization support program of the city government of Las Piñas; it subsidizes up to P30,000 of the total hospital bill of the confined patient. Every member of the family when hospitalized is entitled to the subsidy.

Presently, there are 200,000 Green card users. The Green Card project is being managed by the Mayor’s Office and the City Social Welfare and Development Office. It may be availed by all bonafide Las Piñas residents.

According to Mayor Aguilar, “we are in the process of negotiating with more hospitals in Las Piñas for the expansion of Green Card accreditation.”

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Chachago BF Homes Branch at Noah’s Place Inaugurated and Serving Customers

June 8, 2019June 20, 2019carlocarrasco

There was an atmosphere of excitement, confidence and enjoyment at the ground floor of the commercial building Noah’s Place along Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes subdivision, Parañaque City on the morning of Friday (June 7, 2019) as the newest branch of Chachago Philippines (stylized as Chachago 茶茶GO Philippines) had its grand opening complete with a ribbon cutting graced by the directors of the BF Parañaque Entrepreneurs & Business Club, Inc. (BFPE&BCI), some local community stakeholders and the City Government of Parañaque.

*The counter and the nice interior of Chachago BF Homes branch.*

The ribbon cutting had notable guests such as Quezon Province Board Member Beth Sio, BFPE&BCI president Don Muñoz, Joseph Zamora, Parañaque City’s Social Services Office & Public Information Office OIC Mar Jimenez, Cathy Seguismundo (BDO), Frank Vida, Joseph Noy Patino, Erwin Sio (Chachago BF Homes owner), Aileen Muñoz, Jereny Uy (Chachago Philippines) and Valerie Sio (Chachago BF Homes owner).

What is Chachago? The company describes their was created to raise public awareness of quality beverages; not just on the ingredients but also educating individuals about the way of drinking tea. They added that the love for Taiwan’s food and milk tea was how their business came to be.

From left to right were: Quezon Province Board Member Beth Sio, BFPE&BCI president Don Muñoz, Joseph Zamora, Parañaque City’s Social Services Office & Public Information Office OIC Mar Jimenez (holding scissor), Frank Vida, Joseph Noy Patino, Erwin Sio (Chachago BF Homes owner), Aileen Muñoz, Jereny Uy (Chachago Philippines) and Valerie Sio (Chachago BF Homes owner).

The place has a nice interior as well as WiFi. The seats are comfortable and there is a lot of space to accommodate families or groups of friends. The place looks also ideal for people who enjoy drinking indoors while spending time browsing on their smartphones or doing work with their laptops. I enjoyed my fresh orange drink as I sat in comfort talking with Mar Jimenez (who represented Mayor Edwin Olivarez), BFPE&BCI president Don Muñoz and vice president Frank Vida.

Chachago has a nice selection of beverages to suit the tastes of customers. I noticed that the large-sized drinks really come with a lot of content and the guests who availed of it clearly enjoyed them.

*Fruit tea, milk tea, lattes, ice cream special, food and more!*

*Customers at the other part of the branch. There are even more tables and seats outside (partially seen here). There is also free WiFi.*

*Parañaque City’s Social Services Office & Public Information Office OIC Mar Jimenez and BFPE&BCI president Don Muñoz.*

To get some insight about the business, I approached Chachago BF Homes branch co-owner Erwin Sio for his opinion and the local community. His wife Val is the other owner.

“Whenever we’re in the south, BF Homes has always been our go to place for food, for its wide selection of restaurants. However our nights usually end early, because after dinner, there are a limited milk tea places to hang out at,” said Erwin Sio, “We want Chachago BF Homes to be a place where friends and families meet and hang out as they enjoy their delicious milk teas.”

Sio added that milk tea places are normally small that only provide customers ample room to buy their drinks, then leave to make way for other customers. He and his wife came up with the idea of establishing a place where people could really hang out. When the ground floor space of Noah’s Place became available, the Sio business couple immediately grabbed it and led to establishing the BF Homes branch of Chachago Philippines.

*Chachago beverages that customers can choose from.*

If you are looking for milk tea or other special beverages within BF Homes subdivision, there is Chachago at Noah’s Place along Aguirre Avenue.

Tahanan Village Updates (June 6, 2019)

June 6, 2019June 6, 2019carlocarrasco

Hey everyone. Have you guys and gals been to Tahanan Village, Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City lately? I got a slew of updates for you.

Firstly, the Tahanan Homeowners Association (THA) now has a new lineup of officers as well as heads of village committees. This marks the continued change that started with the THA’s last election held this past summer which saw new members for their Board of Directors (BOD).

For your viewing, here is the picture of the new THA leadership.

As stated in the above image, “The management of the Village is every resident’s concern. Write us your inputs, your ideas on how to improve our Village, your concerns. Join any committee or committees of your interest.”

If you are a Tahanan Village resident who is also a legitimate member (read: not a delinquent member), then you can get involved if you choose to do so.

Secondly, the air has been stinking for Tahanan villagers recently which is the result of the odor coming from Laguna Lake (on the other side of the Skyway). The odor has been caused by algae (a diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms that are not necessarily closely related) and dead water lilies that have accumulated along the shoreline at the said lake.

The odor affected Tahanan villagers so much, the THA took action by discussing what happened and reached out to the City Environmental and Natural Resources Office of Parañaque City (CENRO-Parañaque). If CENRO-Parañaque would act, then it means coordinating with the Laguna Lake Development Authority and the City Government of Muntinlupa (note: Laguna Lake is part of its jurisdiction).

For transparency, posted below is the THA’s notice on the matter.

After leaving the Tahanan Village clubhouse, I looked around nearby and noticed the presence of Philippine flags on display. This was done in anticipation of Philippine Independence Day which is happening just days away.

One of a growing number of Philippine flags spotted inside Tahanan Village.

And then I passed by the construction of a new community building which involved assistance from the City Government.

My Observations: Fatmelts Diner is Back and Now Has a Cafe

June 4, 2019carlocarrasco

If you enjoy eating within the BF Homes community in Parañaque City, then you should know that Fatmelts Diner just re-opened (or soft opening) after going through a renovation and expansion of its place for the past few weeks at the ground floor of the Pergola Mall along Aguirre Avenue.

While the exterior and interiors looked very similar to its usual look, Fatmelts Diner now has a cafe at the far end (which was a commercial space previously occupied by a pizzeria).

*At the cafe section of Fatmelts Diner.*

Inside the cafe of the restaurant are brand new seats and tables as well as a nice looking interior (with bricks on the walls) laced with some decorations that give it a unique look. Also there was a hanging TV for customers who like to watch while having a meal. For sure, the expanded area means more places and opportunities for people (specifically families or groups of friends) to come in and eat comfortably.

And here is something interesting. Fatmelts Diner now has a brand new menu reflecting the cafe’s theme. There are now brunch meals and, of course, new coffee to select. Out of curiosity I ordered a fried chicken meal (P275) and a cappuccino (P135).

*The 2-piece fried chicken meal with scrambled egg, rice and gravy.*

About the meal I had today – the fried chicken was well cooked and was not too greasy which I like. The chicken was tasty on its own for me. The rice is very similar to what was served in the restaurant’s other rice meals. Waiting time for the meal was around ten minutes.

The meal and the coffee were satisfying and my first time at the cafe of Fatmelts Diner was a comfortable and pleasant experience. I look forward to returning there to try their other meals and coffee using their brand new menu.

I suggest you readers who enjoy food tripping in the BF Homes community should visit the expanded Fatmelts Diner at Pergola Mall when you have the chance.

Beware of Covetousness

June 2, 2019June 1, 2019carlocarrasco

In previous times, I discussed that the Lord rewards the faithful abundantly in return for their faith and accomplishment of assigned tasks.

As I learned from our pastors during bible study sessions at our church, the Lord truly rewards His faithful followers and He truly wants each and every one to prosper. In His Kingdom, there is indeed kingdom wealth and this clearly shows that there is no lack and no poverty.

For as long as we put God first while we live in the flesh being faithful, we can enjoy riches, the good stuff, the luxuries and other forms of profit plus even more so that we can afford to give to others. As I discussed before, the profit, luxuries and good stuff we enjoy here on Earth is only a fraction of the kingdom wealth that awaits us in Heaven.

While we the faithful enjoy rewards from the Lord, we must never lose track of Him. It is a fact that it is impossible to worship both the Lord and mammon. At the same time, we the faithful must be aware of covetousness and its corrupting effects.

In the Holy Bible, covetousness is a sin directed towards the acquisition of more possessions. This means wanting to acquire more things (while living in the flesh) and this is ultimately self-defeating and futile. Earthly things that are acquired without prioritizing the Lord are clearly not blessings from Him.

Covetousness is clearly emphasized in Luke 12: 15 which states

And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

To understand the whole story, Luke 12: 13-21 was about the Parable of the Rich Fool. Our Eternal Savior Jesus was speaking to a crowd when a man said to him “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus asked him who made Him a judge or an arbitrator over him, then he told the crowd about covetousness.

Jesus then spoke a parable to them…the parable of the rich fool. The rich man in the parable wondered what to do with his crops as he no longer had any room left for storage. Then he said he will pull down his barns and build greater so that his crops and goods will be stored. As he was focused on his possessions, he would say to his soul that with many goods laid up to last for many years ahead, take ease, eat, drink and be merry.

Then God said to him: Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided? (Luke 12: 20)

“So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12: 21)

God called the rich man a fool because he was so short-sighted with his life, he focused only on his wealth and possessions living in the flesh. Clearly that rich fool did not prioritize the Lord and only cared of his own interest. Covetousness will not only lead to a hollow life, it will also lead to greed which itself leads to conflicts, crime, being self-centered and carrying other negative things of life.

The acquiring of more possessions under covetousness is not limited to material things and wealth. To covet also means getting someone and this is made clear in the Ten Commandments. Here’s a scripture for you and the words are from God.

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s. (Exodus 20: 17)

And then there is also the coveting of the false god or idols. Long ago, God warned the people of Israel to not covet the gods of other nations. The coveting in this case on the part of the Israelites was about them coveting the freedom to commit sin that other nations had incorporated into their worship of gods or idols of pagan origin. Heed the words of God below…

You shall burn the carved images of their gods with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it; for it is an abomination to the LORD your God. (Deuteronomy 7: 25)

So it is clear. Put the Lord first, be faithful to Him, accomplish the tasks He assigned you with (note: God has a plan for each and every one of us) and then you will enjoy riches and the good life. What could be greater than abundant rewards coming from the Lord Himself? Think about that!

Jesus said, “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” (Revelations 22: 12)

You don’t put the Lord first, then you are not rich towards God, you will be consumed by covetousness, and you won’t really enjoy your life and even your accumulated wealth. Trust me. There are rich people, in different parts of the world, living a sad and empty life. Covetousness is to think about or desire something so much, you will go to unreasonable measures to get it. To covet tells the Lord that you are not satisfied with what you have been blessed with. This, of course, blinds you of good judgment and what really matters most in your life.

Look at the different societies around the world. Covetousness clearly and negatively affected the lives of people and it is not limited towards the rich. Look at those bank robberies in which the robbers armed themselves, threatened people and even used tactics to break-in, disable security and organize planned getaways with the goal of escaping with a large stack of money or very valuable metals? The sad thing here is that these robbers are determined to harm and kill just for money! Think about that! Armed robbers would disregard other people’s lives for the sake of coveting wealth that they don’t even deserve!

Look at impoverished people who, during night time, go to a small business joint (or a family home), break in through the windows (or through a vacant aircon opening on the wall) then steal whatever valuable items they find inside. I’m talking about trespassing, damaging property and then stealing involved.

And then there are those “crime-less” acts of covetousness that get committed. A person can strive hard to earn money and/or find ways to get discounts all for the sake of buying the most anticipated video games for his gaming console. A person can go as far as exploiting the discounts of a big online sale ordering so many items that are not even needed. Along the way, the people committing covetousness can also harm himself/herself with the next bad thing – overspending!

Covetousness, again, is about desiring something or someone so much, you will take extreme measures to acquire successfully.

Clearly the Lord does not want people to commit crime or commit any bad deeds to gain something. The Lord knows fully well that criminals and other people consumed by covetousness are indeed foolish and sinful. The Lord is watching us all on how we spend or use the blessings He gave us, how we react on what is made available for acquiring within the flawed world system we are living in and what we do with what was acquired.

To really enjoy rewards from the Lord, you need to have faith in Him, repent to Him, prioritize Him and accomplish His assignment for you. This means opportunities to become a Kingdom Investor which I will emphasize in the future.

Clearly, you can enjoy riches, luxuries and the good life that the Lord will bless you with for as long as you prioritize Him and be faithful to Him. Don’t forget to discipline yourself with the money and other forms of blessings you received from the Lord.

What I have discussed with you here is not religion…it is the Biblical Truth. In my old life, there was never a single religious leader who ever warned me about covetousness or how we should handle the blessings we receive from the Lord. Religion did not help me connect to the Lord.

Religion will trap you. Religion will frustrate you. Religion will even corrupt you and lead you to greed and covetousness. The truth from the Holy Bible and having faith in the Lord and worshiping Him directly will set you free. I know! Because I experienced these in my life. I have been saved by Lord Jesus through His Instrument (a very dear friend of mine). Religion in my old life was darkness. As I learned along the way, it is better to be faithful to the Lord than to be religious.

There is more to your personal relationship with God than religion. You also need the Holy Spirit. You need to be born again and become a new creation in Jesus. Those are all true and you will realize it all eventually.

Are you a lost soul right now? Have you been living in darkness? Were you corrupted by covetousness and greed? You can still be saved and you have the power to decide to truly reform yourself! Reform does not happen because of a pretentious idealist who rants a lot on Facebook. Reform truly happens with the Lord and with His Spirit in your heart.

If you seek salvation now, learn that the first step is to receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. Clean yourself of the religious values that prevented you from connecting to the Lord.

Then pray the simple prayer in one of my past Christianity articles. It’s located at the end of my article Trust in God, Disregard those Idols and you only need to click here.

Remember that the Lord always blesses the faithful abundantly and He really wants us, the faithful ones, to prosper, be happy, be good and be able to give to others. Along the way, we ourselves have responsibilities to handle and we are still responsible over our circumstances just as we receive love and blessings from the Lord.

Resist the devil (whose tools include covetousness, lust, the frustration caused by religion and wickedness) by always being faithful to Jesus whose victory we should always remember.

With faith in the Lord and the Holy Spirit in your heart, you can be victorious, prosperous and happy eternally. Also never forget what Jesus said in Revelations 22: 12 in the Holy Bible.

Thank you for reading. If you find this Christianity 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

Tahanan Village Blood Donation Drive This Saturday

May 28, 2019carlocarrasco

Hey everyone! Here’s the latest regarding South Metro Manila communities.

As previously mentioned before, there will be a community blood donation drive in Tahanan Village, Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City this coming Saturday (June 1, 2019).

*The tarpaulin at the pool area of the village clubhouse.*

This time around, some new details were posted online via the Tahanan Village Facebook page and, for your convenience, I pasted below the text of the said details. Take a close look as the details include age groups, weight, blood pressure and the like.

For your convenience, I had the text below italicized.

Tahanan is Partnering with Red Cross this Saturday, June 1. For blood donation drive.

8:30 AM to 3:00 PM – Multi Purpose Hall.

Your blood could save lives.

More than just donating blood, it also helps us know, where we could access good blood should the time comes (hopefully never).

The requirements for donation are very basic: Just a little sacrifice from our end for the sake of others and our loved ones.

– Must be in good health condition
– Age allowed
16-17 with guardian’s consent
18-60 generally acceptable to donate
61-65 must have donated once before 61st Birthday

– Weight : 110 lbs / 50kg and above
– Blood Pressure: 90/ 60 to 160/100 mmHg

– Females with monthly period are okay donate if the pass the hemoglobin test

– No alcohol intake in 12 hours

– At least 5 hours of quality sleep

– Eat adequate meal, avoid fatty food

– Drink plenty of fluids

– Medications will be assessed by Philippine Red Cross Physician

Please call our THA office for registration 842 59 55

Look for Ms Weng.

If unsure if you could donate, please still proceed to the Multi Purpose to be assessed.

Again, maraming salamat! We hope to see you there!

Now that the new details have been posted, it is expected that blood donors should know what to do from this point on.

Further developments regarding the Tahanan Lifeblood drive will be posted here.

My Observations: Mang Pandesal in BF International

May 27, 2019May 27, 2019carlocarrasco

In recent times, I spotted a new business at the corner of Tropical Avenue and El Grande Avenue in BF International, Las Piñas City. It was Mang Pandesal and their store was easy to spot with its red and yellow colors.

*Mang Pandesal is located at the corner of Tropical Avenue and El Grande Avenue in BF International, Las Piñas City. It is along the way to the nearby Village Sports Club.*

To put things in perspective, especially for the foreign readers viewing this, pandesal is a common roll of bread in the Philippines composed of eggs, sugar, flour, salt and yeast. It is found in many places all over the country from the rural areas to the commercial joints along city roads.

On the small business joint Mang Pandesal, simplicity is the best way to describe what they offer. The first time I went inside, I saw the counter and behind it was the space where the pandesal was orderly stored and there was an oven. They bake and sell small-sized pandesal at a very affordable P2 each. That’s it! Simple as that! Take a look at what I had the first time I bought a pandesal there.

*The lady carefully puts the freshly baked pandesal into a paper bag after I ordered some.*

*This is the small pandesal sold at P2 each.*

*The other freshly baked pandesal just waiting to be bought!*

After receiving the pandesal I bought, I opened the paper bag and looked inside. These small pandesal pieces look really cute. Then I pulled out one and ate it for the first time ever. It tasted good!

Clearly, Mang Pandesal’s bread really lived up to the Tagalog sign outside that said, “Masarap at malaman kahit walang palaman.” That loosely translates to, “Delicious and satisfying even without filling.”

One pandesal gave a good taste. Consuming two or more pieces means more of the good taste plus the satisfaction. Don’t forget the low price of each pandesal for sale which makes it ideal for buying by the bulk for the family or friends.

And then there was a holy scripture at the counter – 1 Corinthians 10: 31.

According to the New King James Version (NKJV) Holy Bible I’m using, 1 Corinthians 10: 31 goes as follows:

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

That scripture truly meant something. The next few times I passed by Mang Pandesal, I saw the store had a line of customers (some with their cars parked nearby) waiting to be served. There was a time when the customers were buying the available pandesal by the bulk.

And there was another time when there were customers ahead of mean just standing in line waiting for the next batch of pandesal to finish baking at the oven as the available supply of pandesal ran out!

From time to time, I failed to buy a single piece of pandesal there but I have no regret.

In fact, I can say out loud that Mang Pandesal in BF International is a blessed business by the Lord! They have the Word of God with them and it is truthful that the Lord blesses the faithful abundantly!

There is no poverty nor lack in the Kingdom of God. For as long as we are faithful to Him, we pray to Him, we follow and do His Word, and honor Him, the Lord will bless us and prosper us.

Going back to Mang Pandesal, I highly recommend buying pandesal from them whenever you pass by their store at Tropical Avenue corner El Grande Avenue. They are a blessed business and what they sell is unsurprisingly good.

My Observations: New Starbucks at Madison Galeries Coming Plus Fatmelts Diner’s Expansion at Pergola Mall

May 22, 2019carlocarrasco

If there is anything notable about South Metro Manila, it is the fact that there is a “thin” border between the cities of Parañaque, Muntinlupa and Las Piñas in close proximity to Alabang-Zapote Road.

Look Concha Cruz Drive inside BF Homes subdivision. Part of it falls under Parañaque while the remaining part leading to Alabang-Zapote Road falls under Las Piñas City. Parallel to Concha Cruz Drive is Ramon Tirona street connecting Parañaque to Muntinlupa City through Alabang Hills Village.

Along the straight, long road that links Alabang Hills Village to the West Service Road is the nice looking, open-air mall called Madison Galeries which I occasionally visit. During my latest visit, I noticed something on the ground level…Manila’s Best Coffee is gone and in its place is the ongoing establishment of a new Starbucks Coffee branch.

*The upcoming Starbucks Coffee shop at Madison Galeries.*

Not only that. I noticed the said Starbucks also took a lot more space of the mall. There was another commercial joint beside Manila’s Best Coffee that is no more and its space got consumed. This is a huge Starbucks coming and there is always that possibility that it will help Madison Galeries attract even more customers. Consumers coming from BF Homes who wish to visit Madison Galeries by car will need a passing-through car sticker from the Alabang Hills Village Association first. Otherwise they will have to travel the long way along Dr. A. Santos Avenue or Alabang-Zapote Road to make it to the mall through the West Service Road.

Speaking of new things, I also noticed a change going on at the ground floor level of the Pergola Mall in Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City. Check the picture below.

*Fatmelts Diner is renovating and expanding at Pergola Mall.*

Fatmelts Diner, a favorite food and beverage joint in the BF Homes community that has operated for many years now, is undergoing renovation and expansion. Similar to the upcoming Starbucks at Madison Galeries, the diner also consumed additional commercial space (not pictured) that was previously occupied by Di’ Mark’s Pizza.

I can only speculate that more space will mean more seats and tables for customers and more kitchen space and cooking equipment. How this will improve the quality of the food and service remains in question. Still this is something to look forward to once Fatmelts Diner reopens.

The thing about Pergola Mall and Madison Galeries is that, if you drive a car and you have the required car stickers (to pass through the villages), they are both reachable and you can enjoy what each place has to offer. This is one of the charms of South Metro Manila.

2019 National & Local Elections: Fresnedi, Simundac and Biazon Win Big in Muntinlupa

May 16, 2019carlocarrasco

051419 — The Commission on Elections proclaimed re-electionist Muntinlupa City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (4^th from left), along with his running mates Temy Simundac (5^th from left) for Vice-Mayor and Ruffy Biazon (right) for Congressman, as winners in the local midterm elections. On Tuesday morning, 16 out 19 candidates from Team Fresnedi were declared winners in the local executive and Sangguniang Panlungsod positions. Fresnedi is serving his third consecutive and last term as Muntinlupa City mayor. The local exec garnered 164,144 votes over his rival mayoralty bet and former Bureau of Immigration Deputy Commissioner Red Mariñas trailing behind with 52,127 votes. (from Muntinlupa PIO press release)

This past Monday (May 13), over two hundred thousand people around Muntinlupa City trooped to different venues to cast their votes to select which officials will serve them for the period of mid-2019 to mid-2022.

The result? Landslide victories particularly in the races for Mayor, Vice Mayor and the long Congressional seat of the City.

Muntinlupa City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi won a third consecutive term with landslide victory, along with allies who proved to be strong in the local polls. The mayor defeated his rival former Bureau of Immigration Deputy Commissioner Red Mariñas by a score of 164,144 votes to 52,127. Do that math, that’s a wide margin of 112,017 votes.

In the race for Vice Mayor, Fresnedi’s running mate Temy Simundac defeated the incumbent Vice Mayor Celso Dioko by a score of 116,825 to 85,889. That’s a difference of almost 31,000 votes! What makes the victory notable was that in the 2016 local election, Vice Mayor Dioko was Fresnedi’s running mate while Simundac was one of the latter’s opponents for the office of Mayor.

For the lone Congressional seat of the City, Congressman Ruffy Biazon got elected easily with 169,756. Far behind him were Paeng Arciaga and Rodolfo Llorca with 36,317 and 2,326 respectively.

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) proclaimed Fresnedi (Liberal Party), and his running mates Temy Simundac for Vice-Mayor and Congressman Ruffy Biazon (both under the PDP-Laban), as winners in on the morning of May 14.

COMELEC Muntinlupa Atty. Kimberley Joy T. Alzate – Cu said the board of canvassers canvassed 373 clustered precincts with over 225,226 voters in Muntinlupa City.

Team Fresnedi City Council bets also took the lead in two districts. In District 1, winning councilors under Fresnedi’s team include Atty. Raul Corro, Alexson Diaz, Paty Katy Boncayao, Louie Arciaga, Allan Camilon, and Valentino Niefes. While completing the list were opposition party bets Phanie Teves and Ivee Arciaga.

In District 2, winners under the local exec’s team include Nep Santiago, Marissa Rongavilla, Ryan Bagatsing, Lester Baes, Jun Metong Sevilla, Arlene Hilapo, and Eliot Martinez. Dhes Arevalo was the only member of the opposition party to be proclaimed as winner in District 2.

The Mayor extended his gratitude to the people of Muntinlupa for trusting his administration and vowed to continue to advocate good governance in the city.

Analysis: Was Mayor Fresnedi’s re-election and his team’s dominance surprising? Not at all since the City was honored with several awards reflecting achievements made with public service. Under his administration, Muntinlupa was declared the Most Business-Friendly City in 2017 and 2018; the Most Child-Friendly City in the National Capital Region in 2016 and 2017; the Outstanding LGU in Nutrition Program Management for 2018

Through the years, the city has garnered several awards and citations from various governing bodies, including the Most Business-Friendly City Award for 2001, 2002, 2017, and 2018; Most Child-Friendly City in NCR for 2016 and 2017; Green Banner Award and Outstanding LGU in Nutrition Program Management for 2018; MERALCO Luminaries Award for 2018; and the Government Efficiency and Resilience Award (3rd Place) in the Regional Competitiveness Summit and Awards for 2017 and 2018 to name some.

Being awarded by credible organizations is a testament of the quality of the public service rendered by the City Government. It really helps not only the city officials but also helps build up the local economy (making it more attractive to investors) and honoring the people of Muntinlupa in return.

Here in the Philippines, national and local elections are held every three years. The democratic exercise has long been a part of Philippine culture. If the incumbents do well with governance, local naturally will prefer to retain them so that the good governance will continue. In situations like these, it is truly difficult for any challenger to overcome the incumbents. Any new challenger can come into arena promising reform but that alone is not good enough to convince people to vote for them. It’s a fact.

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Las Piñas City Issues Green Card

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