My Experience of Typhoon Ondoy

It was September 24 (Thursday) when we arrived at Marikina to setup for an event, which will happen on the weekend of that week. It was already drizzling and raining that night and it even got worse the next night. Saturday came and the rain was so hard already upon waking up. As the saying goes, "the show must go on" so we hurriedly ate breakfast and left for Robinsons Metroeast. Little did we know that we will be trapped in there for 24 hours.

As Typhon Ondloy hit Manila and other places, my team and I were at Robinsons Metroeast about to have an event. Due to flash floods that quickly hit the area, the event was cancelled, but we cannot leave the mall anymore. We stayed there overnight together with strangers, sleeping on floors and carpets. We only had a few food - bread, water, chips - to get us through overnight.

Continuation of the story after the jump.

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Your Opinion: RP Flag Gets a 9th Ray?

Philstar.com reported that the sun in RP flag may get its ninth ray. As we all know, the Philippine flag currently has eight rays that represent Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Laguna, and Batangas - these are the provinces that led the uprising against Spanish oppression during the country's past.

Last September 22, Congress has approved Senator Richard Gordon's Senate Bill (SB) 3307 in amendment to Republic Act 8491, otherwise known as the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines. The bill that Gordon authored sees to add a ninth ray to the sun on the Philippine flag to honor Filipino Muslims, hoping that the said measure would foster greater unity among Filipinos regardless of religion. In addition, Gordon said,

We are a country that has had a conflict with our Muslim brothers for the last so many decades. I think this is a big step towards reuniting our country, recognizing the contributions of our fellow countrymen, the Filipino Muslims.

This is a great step in recognizing the fact that we had Muslims such as Lapu-Lapu, Sultan Kudarat, Amai Pakpak, Sorongan, who kept fighting the Spaniards long before this country thought of a revolution against Spain. This would foster unity, make sure that nobody is excluded. If we are to have national unity in this country it must begin in our flag, it must be symbolized in our flag.

We take an amendment of the law here but we actually amend the mindset of our countrymen and bring the nation back to its original posture, one that will not accept tyranny, one that will oppose tyranny. And we should give credit where credit is due.

What's your take on this?

Source: Philstar.com

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Life Lessons to Remember

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” - Maria Robinson

Life is like a roller coaster ride and we cannot deny that. Sometimes we do things for wrong reasons, but in the end we come out victorious not for the actual thing that we did, but with the life lesson we got from it. Below are some life lessons I got from LittleMiss.

• When someone lies to you, it teaches you that things are not always what they seem. The truth is often far beneath the surface. Look beyond the masks people wear if you want to know what is in their hearts. Remove your own masks to let people know who you really are.
• When someone steals from you it teaches you that nothing is forever. Always appreciate what you have. You never know when you might lose it. Never take your friends or family for granted, because today and sometimes only this very moment is the only guarantee you may have.
• When someone inflicts injury upon you, it teaches you that the human state is a very fragile one. Protect and take care of your body as best as you can, it’s the one thing that you are sure to have forever.
• When someone mocks you, it teaches you that no two people are alike. When you encounter people who are different from you, do not judge them by how they look or act, instead base it on the contents of what is in their hearts.
• When someone breaks your heart, it teaches you that loving someone does not always mean that the person will love you back. But don’t turn your back on love, because when you find the right person, the joy that one person brings you will make up for all of your past hurts. Times a thousand fold.

More lessons after the jump.

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EMMY AWARDS Winners List 2009

The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards held in the NOKIA Theater in Los Angeles saw the presence of renowned celebrities, writers, directors and hollywood personalities as they walk down the red carpet, flashing their multi-million gowns and suits in front of the media.

Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences awarded the 2008-2009 Primetime Emmys for programs and individual achievements in 28 categories apart from 75 other categories and areas for programs and individual achievements that were presented at the Creative Arts Awards last September 12, 2009, also from the NOKIA Theater.

The list of winners comes after the jump.

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Globe Super-Unli 150 Promo

Globe SUPER-UNLI is an unlimited call AND text offer. Whether you're using Globe prepaid, Globe Tattoo or Globe postpaid, you can make unlimited calls and texts to any Globe or TM number for 5 days for P150. Unlimited calls do not include calls to other networks (Smart, Sun, Red), landline numbers, and IDD calls.

For prepaid subscribers, a minimum of P151 load is required for you to register to Globe SUPER-UNLI. Just text SUPER150 to 2824 to register and enjoy unlimited calling and texting for 5 days. For Unlimited calls, just change 0 to 238 at the start of the Globe / TM no. ur calling (eg 238917xxxxxxx).

Upon successful registration, P150 will automatically be deducted from prepaid subscriber's load. For postpaid subscribers, P150 will be charged on top of your G-Plan / G-Flex monthly plan.

To check if your SUPER-UNLI subscription is still active, just text SUPERBAL to 2824 for FREE. You will receive a message confirming the status of your subscription and when it will expire.

Promo is available nationwide and runs from September 19 - December 18, 2009. For more details, click here.

Update (as of June 11, 2010): Promo has been extended until July 8, 2010. Spread the word!

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Gary V & Martin "AS 1" Concert

September 19, 2009 (Saturday) witnessed two great singers/artists/musicians come together to celebrate friendship and brotherhood as they come together to be AS 1... they are none other than Gary Valenciano and Martin Nievera. For 25 years now, their music hasn't stopped fascinating and moving people's lives. Their music style and perhaps their personality may be different, but it never hindered them to be good friends in and outside of showbiz. Their concert tonight at the SM MOA Open Grounds indeed made history. I am so happy to be part of it. Sharing with you some pictures I have taken during the concert... enjoy!

More pictures after the jump.

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UNO's Online Presence

Don't know what UNO is? Let me quote directly from their website:

UNO is a monthly magazine for the discerning man (and woman). There are features on women we admire, occurrences worth covering, art forms we appreciate, objects that inspire acquisitiveness, and ideas that deserve attention, among other things.

You have to agree with me on this: UNO made the right choice of coming up with a brand new team that started the magazine's revamp last June 2009. Having two of my most followed personalities in terms of writing, blogging, and technology - RJ Ledesma (EIC) and Jayvee Fernandez (Tech Editor) - the magazine's online presence greatly increased. I'm not saying it's all because of the two them, of course it takes a group effort to come up with something extraordinary. Together with RJ and Jayvee are Yvette Tan, Luis Katigbak (who is my org mate's brother), Juan Caguicla, Erwin Romulo, Ramon De Veyra, and Shawn Yao.

Since the new team took their positions, they have widely promoted the magazine through various launch parties, link exchanges, video features, and social network posts. In fact, now that they have reached more than 1,000 fans, the team is cooking a surprise that's coming in October. Watch out by being fan of their Facebook page!

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Michael Jackson Medley

With technology and the ingenuity of people, a lot of things can be done! This amazing medley is a tribute to the late Michael Jackson, and can be said to be really entertaining! I have watched this a couple of times now and it never fails to amaze me every time. On the vocals is Sam Tsui and helping him with the arrangement and production is Kurt Schneider.

Let's get to know the creators of the video after the jump.

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Rules for Wearing Colors

Are your closets filled with plain black, white, gray, brown garments? Do you feel that your clothes look boring and old? If your answer to either of the two questions is "yes", then maybe these tips can help you put more life into dressing up, by injecting some colored pieces inside your wardrobe.

Tip #1: Accessorize with colors
Injecting colors in your wardrobe need not be restricted to the core garments. Colored accessories are a perfect way to show your playful side. Try a brightly colored belt such as bright blue, green or red. It is a fast, inexpensive and easy way to enhance all your existing outfits. Pair these with jeans and a white t-shirt or collared shirt to have a casual yet cool and light look during the day. To spice up your evening wear, you may stick with your jeans and wear on a dark blazer for a simple yet trendy gimik look.

Tip #2: Do not wear too much colors
One bold piece of color can be incredibly eye-catching, but more than one will simply leave you looking like a clown. The important thing to remember when wearing dominant pieces of color is that the rest of your outfit should be confined to neutrals and basics.

Three more tips after the jump.

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Organizing Your Closet

Men are so much busy with their everyday schedules, and looking for clothes inside their closets becomes quite a burden. So here are some easy tips on how you can organize your closets, to help you be not always in a rush looking for your favorite clothes - this will turn out to be good for you not be late in your appointments, classes, and meetings.

Three important tips after the jump.

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Oprah's 24th Season Kickoff Party

 

To celebrate Oprah's 24th Season premiere, they have taken over Michigan Avenue in Chicago to stage an awesome star-studded event. More than 21,000 people gathered to see performances by the Black Eyed Peas, magician Criss Angel, Jennifer Hudson, James Taylor and Rascal Flatts. For the love of Oprah, many attendees in fact traveled great distances to get a chance to witness a history-making episode of the The Oprah Show.

Black Eyed Peas' performance with the crowd was simply amazing! It has shown great coordination, planning and enthusiasm from the crowd as they ALL dance to the group's renowned song I Got a Feeling, but renaming it to Oprah's Feelin'. It gave Oprah so much of a surprise that she kept on saying "That was the coolest!" The video after the jump.

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Big Outlet Sale 2009 on October 16-18

The Big Outlet Sale 2009 is back! It happens on October 16-18, 2009 from 10am-9pm at The MegaTent, Meralco Ave., Ortigas.

Brands include:

Rustans, Max Factor, Esprit De Corps, Giordano, Giordano Ladies, CK Prada and Rayban Eyewear, Philips,YSL, Celine Dion, Lacoste, Guerlain, Big & SMall, Orange Juice, Kanebo, No Curfew Watch Store, Victorinox, Parker, Ideal Vision, Tourstage, SubStance shoes, Myth by Randy Ortiz, Levis, Dockers, Triumph, Chocolate Clothing, Mares, PUMA, Adidas, Mizuno, JB Sports, Jockey, Slazenger, Reef, Oakley, JBL, Nike Golf, Birdgestone Golf, Olympus, Canopy Home, Western Digital, Sennheiser, Switch & Power Mac Center, Pink Manila, Renegade Folk and many more!

FREE entrance to all BPI Cardholders! Additional 5% discount on selected merchants for BPI Edge & Petron-BPI cardholders! Non-BPI Cardholders can enter for only P50.00!

For Facebook users, signify your attendance by visiting their event page.

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