Tumblr – Page 79 – Author Carlo Carrasco

Have you been to X-Site amusement center inside Festival Mall lately?

November 11, 2024October 23, 2024carlocarrasco

In times of prosperity or hardship, Festival Mall (originally named Festival Supermall) in Filinvest City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City continues to attract families and shoppers. Since the mall’s early days in 1998, its amusement center X-Site kept on succeeding on attracting visitors and providing them bouts of varied fun in return to what the customers paid for. X-Site is a lively form of entertainment-focused capitalism that just keeps on moving forward and attracting visitors.

Located at the 3^rd floor (note: officially referred to as the 2^nd Level or 2L or 2^nd Floor by the mall. The 1^st floor and 2^nd floor of the mall are referred to as Lower Ground Floor and Upper Ground Floor respectively), the X-Site Amusement Center has a wide floor space with a high ceiling.

The way it was designed, X-Site has several arcade games (lots of fun retro games included), merchandiser games, a virtual reality ride, KTV booths, motion-sensing dance spot, the ring toss, entertainment stores, indoor sports games, redemption games, bumper cars, and the indoor roller coaster (which explains the need of having a high ceiling). Watch below the YouTube video and the images I prepared below.

*At the arcade games section inside X-Site.*

Having a high ceiling made it possible to have an indoor roller coaster (tracks above the machines and people in this image). Other amusement centers in Alabang had lower ceilings which made their places feel small or tight when compared to X-Site.

*Some newer machines plus indoor sports games added into the arcade games section.*

*This is the place for those who love dancing and music.*

When I was much younger and Festival Mall was still new, I played lots of games at the arcade of X-Site. Elevator Action Returns, Tekken 2, Tekken 3, Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, Street Fighter Alpha 3 and Tekken Tag Tournament were some of the games I played there as far as I could remember. I never rode the indoor roller coaster because my fondness for roller coasters had faded away even before Festival Mall opened its doors (May 1998).

Back in 1998, I know a few friends whose had not even visited Festival Mall (at the time we talked) yet they already heard of the positive word-of-mouth feedback about the indoor roller coaster of X-Site.

*The indoor roller coaster of X-Site remains a favorite ride for those who kept coming back.*

On December 25, 2023, I visited Festival Mall to look around. I passed by X-Site and I saw an unusually large number of people there composed of young people, children and their parents/guardians.

For the newcomers reading this, December 25 here in the Philippines is a time of having fun during the Christmas season and also it is the day when the annual Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) opens in cinemas. This explains why a lot of people spend time at the shopping malls and it is a cultural thing here in the Philippines.

Considering the fact that the original cinemas of Festival Mall have deteriorated leaving only 2 or 3 screens operating (note: the mall also has modern cinemas at the expanded side), a lot of people still visited the mall to watch the MMFF movies that opened on December 25. As for the large number of people who flocked to X-Site that same day, I can only speculate that some of them might have been moviegoers passing the time as they wait for the next screening of movies to watch.

*I took this shot of X-Site on December 25, 2023. Look at the high number of people on the floor.*

If you plan to visit Festival Mall in Alabang and if you are craving for fun rides or games, then you might want to visit X-Site Amusement Center.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. 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

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

2025 National Age Group Triathlon Subic Bay Freeport race set for January 25-26, registration ongoing

November 9, 2024November 5, 2024carlocarrasco

The 2025 season opener of the National Age Group Triathlon (NAGT) series is set to take place on January 25 and 26 at the Subic Bay Boardwalk inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and registration is ongoing.

A part of Triathlon Philippines’ (TriPhil) triathlon try-outs and talent identification program for the Philippine Triathlon Team, the 2025 National Age Group Triathlon – Subic Bay race will have race distances as follows:

● Super Trikids:

○ 6-under 50m swim- 1km bike – 400m run

○ 7-8 yrs. old 100m swim – 2km bike – 800m run

○ 9-10 yrs. old 200m swim – 6km bike – 1 Km run

○ 11-12 yrs. old 400m swim – 8km bike – 2km run

● U15: 500m swim – 10km bike – 2km run

● Sprint Distance: 750m swim – 20km bike – 5km run

● Standard Distance: 1.5km swim – 40km bike – 10km run (Individual and Team Relay)

The participants’ categories (Top 3) are listed as follows:

● Super Trikids (6 and under, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12)

● U15 (13-15 Boys & Girls Only)

● Sprint Distance:

○ Elite Men & Women

○ Jr. Elite Men & Women 16-19 y.o.

○ Age Group Men & Women

• 16-19

• 20-29

• 30-39

• 40-49

• 50 & over

● Standard Distance

○ Age Group Men:

• 18-24

• 25-29

• 30-34

• 35-39

• 40-44

• 45-49

• 50-54

• 55-59

• 60 & over

○ Age Group Women:

• 18-24

• 25-29

• 30-34

• 35-39

• 40-44

• 45-49

• 50&over

● Team Relay: All Male, All Female & Mixed Team

Race dates and schedules are as follows:

25th January 2025 (Saturday) at 6:00am for Super Trikids and U15 Distances

26th January 2025 (Sunday) at 6:00am for Sprint and Standard Distances

Those who intend to get registered should click https://register.raceya.fit/event/nagt-2025

Be aware that you must have a RaceYa account in order to register. Newcomers can sign into RaceYa using their existing Google accounts or by entering details. After signing up, you can customize your RaceYa profile and then start registering for events.

The 2025 National Age Group Triathlon – Subic Bay event is a joint project of Triathlon Philippines (formerly Triathlon Association of the Philippines), the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and FUNtastic Subic Bay. The supporters of the event are the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines, Inc., Standard Insurance and LeGARDE.

For Philippine triathlon and multisport updates, click https://www.facebook.com/TriPhil

+++++

Donald Trump wins the US Presidential Election again!

November 7, 2024November 7, 2024carlocarrasco

In what is obviously the greatest political comeback in the history of the United States, Donald Trump (Republican) once again won the Office of US President after crushing the woke Kamala Harris (Democrats) in the 2024 US Presidential election!

Trump (US President from 2017 to 2021), whose running mate is US Senator JD Vance, won 286 out of 538 electoral votes as of this writing, according to the official results. 270 electoral votes are required to win the Presidency. As of now, the election results of Michigan and Arizona have yet to be finalized but Trump is leading in both of them.

When it comes to the popular vote, Trump won 70,900,447 votes while Harris got 66,434,997 votes as of this writing. These results proved many polls wrong as they predicted Harris would win more votes nationally than Trump.

For the newcomers reading this, the election of the US President and Vice President are not determined by popular vote nationwide. Rather it is through the Electoral College that determines the winner of the US Presidential Election. By January 20, 2025, Trump and Vance will formally take office as President and Vice President of the United States.

For insight, watch the selected YouTube videos below.

Below are the different YouTube livestreams that covered the elections.

To say that Donald Trump’s delayed re-election is significant is an understatement. He almost lost his life when someone tried to assassinate him. Before that happened, the Democrats and their allies abused government power to attack him and the Trump family. Questionable cases were filed against him in court. And then the Satanic Leftist mainstream news media became the Democrats’ attack dogs against him. Of course, Trump fought back hard and won this year’s Presidential Election decisively! Now that he won again, Trump as the incoming 47^th President will tackle a lot of problems that affected America both domestically and overseas.

American families have been suffering from effects of rapid inflation and the reckless economic policies of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. American society is gradually being dismantled by the LGBTQ and transgender movements, Critical Race Theory extremists, Islamo-Leftists, illegal aliens and the woke mobs which are clearly connected with the Democrats. The cost of living in America has skyrocketed so much, there are individuals who had to work with two jobs just to make ends meet. The Biden-Harris economic plans and post-pandemic measures made life a lot worse for Americans and their families. Meanwhile, illegal immigrants have added a lot to criminal cases around the country.

Once in office, Trump will eventually reposition America to push back hard against terrorist state Iran, Russia and China. I should mention that the Republicans won back control of the US Senate and eventually they will retain the majority in the US House of Representatives which will be helpful for Trump to fulfill his agenda for the people. I anticipate that the first batch of new pieces of legislation in 2025 will be written with the economy, inflation, and illegal immigration in mind.

If there is anything spiritually significant about Trump’s 2024 Presidential victory, I share with you the bible verse below…

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper,

And every tongue which rises against you in judgment

You shall condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,

And their righteousness is from Me,”

Says the Lord.

Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV)

I sincerely believe that the victory of Trump-Vance is a move made by God and this goes way beyond politics. While Kamala Harris mocked someone at her rally who claimed Jesus is the Lord, Vance acknowledged during a rally that Jesus is the king. It was inevitable for Harris and her party to be defeated in the elections.

The victories of Trump-Vance and the Republicans this year formed a powerful push back against the Satanic Left, corrupted people, illegal immigration and other wicked forces. The American people have spoken through voting and the 2024 elections will be remembered for a very long time. The people wanted Trump back and they clearly want to join him to make America great again.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: How did you react when you first learned about the re-election of Donald Trump? Did you let the Leftist mainstream news media fool you into believing Kamala Harris is best for America? Do you think life in America improved a lot under the Biden-Harris administration?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

Two persons arrested in Parañaque City for illegal drugs worth P306,000

November 5, 2024October 28, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the city of Parañaque, two persons were apprehended by the local police as a result of a drugs buy-bust operation, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The seized illegal substances were worth over P300,000.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

Two individuals suspected of drug-related offenses were apprehended during a buy-bust operation executed by the Parañaque Police Station Drug Enforcement Unit, resulting in the seizure of shabu valued at P306,000 on Sunday, October 27.

According to the Southern Police District (SPD), the suspects, known by the aliases “Marty,” aged 54, and “Emely,” aged 30, were taken into custody at approximately 4:00 p.m. in Barangay San Antonio, Parañaque City.

The SPD reported that the operation culminated in the confiscation of 45 grams of shabu, amounting to P306,000, along with a P500 bill utilized as buy-bust money, a coin purse, and a mobile phone.

Following their arrest, the suspects were held at the police custodial facility and are facing charges for violations of Sections 5 and 11 of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that the illegal drug trade will worsen within the city?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Las Piñas City Mayor expresses thanks to local rescuers and volunteers who worked during Typhoon Kristine

November 4, 2024October 28, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Las Piñas, Mayor Imelda Aguilar expressed her thanks to the local rescuers and volunteers who took part in helping almost five hundred families whose lives were severely disrupted by Typhoon Kristine, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt of the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

Las Piñas City Mayor Imelda Aguilar thanked rescuers and volunteers for swiftly acting to evacuate 489 families affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine.

Aguilar was grateful to the rescuers composed of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), the City Health Office (CHO), the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), and volunteers for immediately evacuating residents who were staying in low-lying areas and bringing them to evacuation centers.

She said Vice Mayor April Aguilar led the distribution of essential aid, like modular tents to evacuees, cooked meals, and relief items to families affected by Kristine.

The mayor said families at the evacuation sites were also given prophylactic medicine for leptospirosis, distributed vitamins, free medical check-ups, and essential medications and face masks by the CHO team led by Dr. Julie Gonzalez.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Do you think the local rescuers and volunteers did a good job helping the typhoon victims? Do you wish to the see the City Government focus more on flood-prevention programs?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Chinese nationals arrested in Parañaque City for various violations

November 3, 2024October 27, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the city of Parañaque, three Chinese nationals got apprehended by the local police for different violations that include illegally possessing guns and violating the land transportation code, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

Three Chinese nationals were arrested by members of the Parañaque City Police Tambo Substation for illegal possession of drugs, firearms and for violations of the land transportation and traffic code on Thursday, October 24.

Southern Police District (SPD) Director Brig. Gen. Bernard Yang said the suspects, identified as alias “Zhenhua,” 30, alias “Zhi,” 29, and alias “Miu,” 26, were arrested at around 7:58 a.m.

They were spotted by patrolling policemen acting suspiciously and changing the plate number of two vehicles.

The police said that when requested to present documents for the two vehicles, the suspects failed to show any and attempted to flee leading to a brief chase and to their eventual arrest.

The police recovered from Zhenhua 25 grams of shabu worth P197,000 and one Bersa caliber .380 pistol. The same amount of shabu was also recovered from alias Zhi. Alias Miu yielded P120,000 worth of marijuana and a .9mm pistol.

The police also recovered from the suspects six different license plates and tools including handcuffs and shovels.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there are still a lot of Chinese nationals violating laws within the city? What do you think makes Parañaque such a hot spot of criminal activities involving Chinese nationals?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Eight foreigners (suspected scammers) arrested inside Ayala Alabang Village

November 2, 2024October 24, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, eight foreigners – seven Chinese nationals and one Vietnamese citizen – suspected for scamming got arrested inside a house in Ayala Alabang Village as a result of an operation by elements of the Bureau of Immigration (BI), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), according to a Malaya Business Insight news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Malaya Business Insight news report. Some parts in boldface…

SEVEN Chinese and a Vietnamese suspected as scammers were arrested in an operation in Ayala Alabang Village in Muntinlupa City, the Department of Justice said yesterday.

In a statement, the DOJ said the operation, carried out with the Bureau of Immigration, National Bureau of Investigation and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, stemmed from information provided by residents and corroborated by intelligence regarding the presence of the foreigners in the posh village.

The DOJ said three Chinese were initially nabbed, two of whom were found to be overstaying in the country, while the other one could not present any documentation.

It said one of the three served for a time as a manager of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Porac, Pampanga.

“Upon entry, there was a live computer operated by a Chinese individual. When read by an interpreter, the screen showed scripts used in a standard phishing scam,” the DOJ said, adding operatives also found a voice-over IP, an equipment usually used in telephone scams to avoid detection.

Four Chinese and the Vietnamese were later arrested.

The DOJ said four failed to present documentation and were considered illegally staying in the country.

“One Chinese national, though not lacking in documentation, is suspected to have harbored the illegal aliens in violation of immigration laws,” the DOJ said.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you concerned that scammers from overseas could be living somewhere in your local community secretly doing illegal operations? Do you think that foreign POGO workers could be secretly staying in your village right now? Do you think the seven arrested Chinese nationals could be spies of Communist China?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Economy of the Philippines to keep growing above 6% in 2024 and 2025

November 1, 2024October 24, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently, an economist predicted that the economy of the Philippines will keep growing above 6% this year and next year, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippine economy is expected to remain one of the fastest growing economies in the region, with growth likely settling at above 6 percent for 2024 and 2025.

In his economic and market outlook released on Tuesday, BPI senior vice president and lead economist Emilio Neri Jr. said economic growth will likely hit 6.1 percent this year and further accelerate to 6.3 percent in 2025.

“The Philippine economy has been resilient despite significant headwinds like severe El Niño and devastating typhoons, still managing to grow by 6% in the first half of 2024,” Neri said.

“Looking ahead, the Philippine economy will likely continue to outperform in the region, supported by its strong consumer base,” he added.

Neri expects headline inflation to ease to 3.2 percent in 2024 and further decelerate to 2.8 percent in 2025.

“Inflation is expected to be more manageable in the coming year given the improving prospects of food supply. With El Niño now behind us and the potential increase in production, along with tariff reductions, rice may become more affordable,” he said.

Neri said lower inflation may help boost consumption in the coming year, while election-related spending could also further stimulate economic activity.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the economy of the Philippines has enough momentum to exceed the growth forecasts of the economists for 2024 and beyond? Do you think the Philippines can do a better job on attracting more foreign investors soon?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

4th Asian Youth Games (AYG) set for September 7 to 17, 2025 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

October 31, 2024October 29, 2024carlocarrasco

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced that the 4^th Asian Youth Games (AYG) will take place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from September 7 to 17, 2025.

A total of 24 sports have been confirmed for the AYG which goes as follows: Athletics, Basketball, Cycling, Football and Futsal, Hand to Fight, Karate, Sambo, Volleyball, Aquatics, Belbolgi Kurash, Chess, Gymnastics, Judo, Kurash, Triathlon, Weightlifting, Boxing, Canoe, Fencing, Handball, Jiu-Jitsu, Rowing, Taekwondo and Wrestling.

As per the OCA Constitution, athletes in the age group of 14 to 17 years will only be allowed to participate in the AYG. This is being done in order for these athletes to participate in the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games.

To compete in the Youth Olympic Games (YOG), athletes must be 15 to 18 years old as of 31 December in the year of the Games. The OCA aims to prepare future AYG athletes for the YOG, which is why it has aligned age limits with the YOG criteria. This allows National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to adequately prepare their athletes for participation in the YOG.

The OCA states that athletes should be born not before 2008 and not after 2011 and should be between 14 to 17 years of age as of 31st December 2025.

+++++

Las Piñas City Councilor Santos asks DENR to authorize P103.8 billion Las Piñas-Parañaque reclamation plan

October 31, 2024October 24, 2024carlocarrasco

In recent times, Las Piñas City Councilor and congressional candidate Mark Santos formally asked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to authorize the Las Piñas-Parañaque Coastal Bay Reclamation Project of the national government which is worth over P100 billion, according to a Manila Standard news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt of the news report of the Manila Standard Some parts in boldface…

Las Piñas City Councilor and congressional candidate Mark Anthony Santos asked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to authorize the P103.8-billion Las Piñas-Paranaque Coastal Bay Reclamation Project of the national government.

Santos said the clearance to proceed with the project remained unresolved by the members of DENR’s Protective Area Management Board, despite the SC decision three years ago.

“The status of the project remains at the detailed engineering stage,” he said.

Santos said that in an en banc decision on Oct. 21, 2021, the Supreme Court, voting 11-2, approved the reclamation project of around 530 hectares of the Manila Bay coastline in Las Piñas- Parañaque, ruling that the supposed threat to environment was not sufficiently established.

Alltech Contractors proposed the project to develop 321.26 hectares of land in Las Piñas and 174.88 hectares in Parañaque, both along the coastline of Manila Bay in 2009. The Philippine Reclamation Authority approved the project in 2010 subject to compliance to environmental rules.

Alltech submitted an amended environmental performance report management plan (EPRMP) in December that year and expanded the project to cover 203.43 hectares in Parañaque and 431.71 hectares in Las Piñas.

The DENR-Environmental Management Bureau issued the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) for the project In March 2011, after Alltech Contractors submitted scientific and expert studies that assessed the potential flooding and flushing impact that may arise from the coastal bay project.

The SC decision suggests that the city government of Las Piñas may proceed with the reclamation project despite residents’ objections, said Santos.

Santos said the city councils of Las Piñas and Parañaque issued the corresponding resolutions authorizing their respective city mayors to explore the proposal under a joint venture agreement (JVA).

The cities of Las Piñas and Parañaque eventually accepted Alltech’s proposal, and the parties executed their respective JVAs, he said.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Do you think it is high-time for the reclamation in Las Piñas to proceed?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

	Craig B. on America Points At Corruption A…
	Instapundit »… on America Points At Corruption A…
	Instapundit »… on Hezbollah Terrorist Who Worked…
	Instapundit »… on Residency Period For Naturaliz…
	Instapundit »… on Israel Approves Proposal To Es…

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: