Entrust the Painless Wisdom Teeth Extraction to Dr. Dominic Sevilla

"Ouch! Aray! Juskopo! Ayaw ko na!" -- these are words I never had to say before, during, and after I had two normal teeth and two wisdom teeth extraction, all in one session. Thanks to Dr. Dominic Lemuel Sevilla, DDM, I was able to put my fear of surgery and blood into the shelf.

It has been more than two years since the first time a dentist told me I needed to have my wisdom teeth extracted. Due to fear and agony, I ignored her and never went to a dentist to consult about it. Not until January of this year when my friend Sabrina recommended Dr. Dominic Sevilla, a general dentistry and oral surgery expert. The only reason why I'm sold after Sabrina's recommendation? She said it was absolutely painless! Not to mention, Dr. Dominic was very nice and caring even after the operation - only proves that he's just not after the money, but the well-being of his patient. 

So one Friday afternoon, I went to his clinic at Medical Plaza, Makati (just behind Makati Med) for consultation. Initially, he asked me to get a panoramic x-ray on a different floor where I paid Php1,000. Right after I got the results, he gave me his thoughts and even assured me that the operation will only take a short while. After much questioning and answering, I immediately said 'yes' for an appointment the following Saturday, just in time for the long weekend. 

Come Saturday, I was taken inside the dentist's operating room at around 9:45AM. I lied down and was given a massager on my hand, so I can distract myself when I feel uncomfortable at any time during the operation. 

The procedure started by them applying topical anesthesia in my mouth, followed by the injection of local anesthesia to completely numb my entire mouth. They covered my whole face leaving only my mouth uncovered, so I won't see anything. 

While other dentists simply pull the teeth out of the mouth, Dr. Dominic Sevilla uses several tools to gently extract the wisdom teeth. After roughly about 45 minutes to an hour, four of my teeth have completely been extracted and my gums already stitched. I brought a cheque and paid Php19,500 for everything (discounted from Php21,500). It was indeed a sigh of relief. Thank God I found an outstanding dentist.

Dr. Sevilla was really approachable even after hours and days of my operation. He always answers my inquiries, especially on how to do post-operation mouth care. Overall, I was very happy that I did the extraction in the right time and with the right dentist.

I'm blogging this because I wanted to share with you all the great experience I had. Here are some answers to questions you might have:

1. How much does he charge?
• Dr. Dominic Sevilla specializes in wisdom teeth extraction among many others. He charges Php6,000-Php15,000 per tooth, depending on the degree of difficulty or severity of the case. The price really varies on a case to case basis, so it's best to visit him in his clinic for consultation.
2. Does Dr. Sevilla have other anesthesia apart from local?
• Local anesthesia is the default type of numbing agent they use. However, for those who really want to get general anesthesia instead, you can talk to Dr. Sevilla and arrange for that. It's a bit more expensive though. In my opinion, you don't need general anesthesia if your case is just normal.  
3. Does he accept health cards?
• Yes. As of writing, he accepts PhilCare, MaxiCare, IntelliCare, ValueCare, as well as other HMOs. Again, it's best if you can visit his clinic and ask more details about it. In my case, I used PhilCare and got a discount of Php2,000.
4. What other services does he offer?
• Apart from wisdom teeth extraction, Dr. Sevilla also does Root Canal (approximately Php5,000-Php8,000 depending on case), normal tooth extraction (approximately Php1,000/tooth), Fillings (approximately Php600-Php1,000/tooth), Cleaning/Prophylaxis (approximately Php600-Php1,000/tooth), etc.
5. Where can I visit him?
• Dr. Dominic Sevilla holds clinic at Room 2003 Medical Plaza, Amorsolo corner Dela Rosa Streets, Makati City. Landmarks include Figaro, BPI, and BDO. Parking is along the streets. He is open Monday to Saturday, 9AM-6PM, but do call for an appointment.
6. What is his contact numbers?
• +632 6216718, +632 5836070, +63 917 8258825, +63 922 8503099

Trust me, if you're planning to have a teeth extraction, I really recommend Dr. Dominic Sevilla. He's a dental genius! For more information, you can visit his website at http://www.dominicsevilladmd.com/.

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My Red Hot Sale Finds from Robinsons Galleria

I have a confession - I'm a sucker for sales and bargain finds, because I want to get the most out of my money's worth... especially 'coz it's hard earned! Ya know! So when I heard about various Robinsons malls having their annual Red Hot Sale this August 10-31, I made it a point to visit some stores after attending church service at Victory Ortigas. 

Red Hot Sale is everywhere. Look, lots of "Sale" and discount signs!

Shopping it is! Here's me sharing some of my red hot sale finds from stores that I really like at Robinsons Galleria. I went to Bass, Beabi, ResToeRun, Sarabia Optical, and Tenkie Box.

First on my list was Bass, since I'm in dire need of finding a perfect pair of black and brown shoes for office. I know this store is known for carrying good quality shoes, and I'm glad they're on sale!

These three rows of men's shoes were the highlights of the Bass store. For the Robinsons Red Hot Sale, they're offering a Bass sub-brand called Io Sene Io (read as ayo-sene-yo). It's very sturdy and looks very elegant!

If only I had enough money to buy these four pairs, I would! The price of each pair has been lowered from Php4,250 to Php2,337.50 - that's 45% off on each pair! Wowowee!

The staff at Beabi was so perky, she hurriedly entertained me as I stepped my foot into the store. Of course, my question was "which ones are on sale?" and she immediately pointed out the bag organizers.

I absolutely love the bottles and containers at Beabi, because they're very useful for a traveler like me. Plus, it's a lot cheaper as compared to that brand that came from Japan. Though the containers weren't on sale (hello, we need to let them earn too, right?!), those colorful bag organizers will surely be loved by ladies! Imagine, the extra small bag organizer is only Php99 down from Php169. What a steal! 

Not to fret, I still have something for me. This multi-functional office organizer has five pockets - four in front and one at the back. What I like about this is that it has a velcro at the back of each pocket, therefore allowing me to swap the pockets to whichever look I want.

And as if not inexpensive enough, the price of the office organizer is now only Php297 from Php495 - that's 40% off on an item that I can truly use for office.

Third on my list is ResToeRun. I like this store, because it's a one stop shop for various brands of shoes - be it leather, sandals or sneakers. That means I don't have to jump from one store to another just to find a good pair of shoes.

Upon entrance, I immediately saw a bunch of shoes lined up, which are all on sale. Brands I saw include Tretorn, Box Fresh, Ellesse and Kickers.

At one side, I also saw this Fitflops sandals, which is priced at Php1,845 from previously Php2,770. Honestly, I have always thought the brand is just for women. The saleslady encouraged me to try it since this specific pair is for men. Oooooh! What a comfort wearing it! I was at the edge of putting out my wallet to buy one, but sadly no more of my size. Well, I can't blame them. I'm a size 11. Huge!

Then my eyes caught this pair of Kickers shoes at only Php1,970 from Php3,790. Though greatly priced, I was looking for a darker brown color as that one from Bass. I wish they come up with one next time. Do you like this pair as well?

Look, a bonus from ResToeRun! They give out free coupons with dates from August to September. It's like a calender of freebies  featuring a different brand and/or category every single day. Good times for the shoe lovers out there.

I recently had my eyeglasses made by Sarabia Optical in Greenbelt and I loved it. I decided to check their store in Robinsons Galleria coz maybe, just maybe, I could finally get a pair of expensive sunglasses.

Some branded shades were at 10%-15% off, while some eyeglasses were with higher discounts. That big red "Sale" sign surely got my attention. After skimming through the shades collection, the saleslady pointed Tom Ford shades to me.

I checked the price. It was a screaming Php16,550!!! But thanks to the Red Hot Sale, it's down to Php13,200. But... as you all know, I still can't afford it. Knowing that Tom Ford is worn by Hollywood stars such as Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and James Bond, I decided to still try it on to have an experience of a luxurious life of such stars. It looks good on me, huh?

On the other hand, thinking of getting a second pair of eyeglasses, this pair of United Colors of Benetton caught my attention. I was looking for a wayfarer style of eyeglasses, so I can interchange it with my smart-ass and kinda sporty current Mossimo pair. With 20% off, this UCB is down to Php5,188 from Php6.485. Not bad!

Lastly, I visited the Tenkie Box stall that sells the popular gadget case Otterbox. I was hoping that they'd be giving discounts on the Samsung Galaxy S3 case for my phone, but I wasn't successful on that. Nevertheless, I wanna share these great finds for other shoppers out there.

Colorful Otterbox Commuter cases for iPhone4 is now only Php1,700 from Php2,150. They have colors black, purple, blue, red, and pink! Choose whatever suits your style.

And for those who own a Samsung Galaxy Tab, a Dell Streak, and a BlackBerry Playbook tablet, here's for you. Available in the Defender series, these strong protectors' prices have been lowered down from Php3,900 to Php2,700.

So there you have it, folks. After hours of going around and trying out stuff for me, I found my happiness in shopping. Thank God and of course Robinsons for such sale events like the Red Hot Sale.

If you're looking for some stuff for you, do drop by the Robinsons mall nearest you and enjoy up to 70% discount on selected items. The sale is nationwide, so whether you're in Manila, Pampanga, Cavite, Laguna, Tacloban, Palawan, Bacolod and other cities, you'll surely find a Robinsons mall within the vicinity.

For more information, like Robinsons Malls on Facebook and follow @RobinsonsMalls on Twitter.

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Globe GCASH Mobile App for Android, iPhone, and BlackBerry Now Out!

Globe yesterday launched the GCASH mobile app for Android, iPhone, and BlackBerry as their way of making people's lives easier. With smartphones becoming a trend these days, Globe understands that providing an application that supports most people's GCASH transactions can help a lot.

GCASH was born in 2004 and has become a trailblazer in the mobile commerce industry over the years. It provides a single platform for three major cash transactions made by consumers - purchase and payments, person-to-person (P2P) transactions, and domestic and international remittances.

Coming together with the Globe GCASH smartphone app are new and improved rates, features, and services. We can now cash-in our GCASH Wallet for FREE for up to Php100,000 via Globe stores, rural banks, partner pawnshops, and Globe load distributors! Plus, there are no more airtime charges for all GCASH transactions like buying load and paying bills. However, transactions for cashing out and sending money will still have the corresponding Php20 for every Php1,000 and Php10 for every Php1,000 services fees, respectively.

What can the GCASH app do?

With the GCASH app, all registered users may be able to enjoy these services and transactions without the hassle to memorize keywords or access numbers:

• Send money to other GCASH users using either our phone's contact list, email contacts, and even Facebook friends;
• Buy airtime load with 10% rebate;
• Pay bills like credit cards, utilities, insurance, loans, schools (e.g. Meralco, SSS, BIR, HSBC, etc.);
• Donate certain amount of money to charity institutions;
• Top up e-Pass and EasyTrip;
• View our remaining balance and transaction history for the month; and,
• Enjoy secured transactions via two way authentication of mobile number and nominated M-PIN, with set time out session and disability to remember M-PIN on the phone.

How do I use the GCASH app?

Getting the Globe GCASH mobile app is easy and absolutely free. Simply go to your phone's Apple App Store, Google Play or BlackBerry App World to download the app.

For new users, registering is simple. Just click on "New to GCASH?" and fill in the form. It is important that you put in all the complete and correct details for security and cash out purposes. Do not show your M-PIN to others. Also, better if you don't input symbols (i.e., periods, commas, dashes, etc) in your address, since it might return an error. 

Once logged in, you can now enjoy the app and start posting transactions away. Here are some of the biller categories available in the Globe GCASH mobile app.

When paying online, we only need to select GCASH from the payment selection window of sites such as Multiply, Sulit.com, Ayos.ph, Zalora, CashCashPinoy, Metrodeal, etc., and we will be asked to key in our GCASH registered mobile number and GCASH M-PIN for transaction verification.

The Globe GCASH mobile app is supported in the versions of operating system including iOS 4.3 and up, Android OS 2.0 and up, and BlackBerry OS 5.0 and up. Those without smartphones need not fret, because Globe GCASH is still available via USSD or the *143# menu.

This app is straightforward and amazing! The user interface and colors used go well together. The app's response is fast. and smooth. Globe's GCASH mobile app truly puts the mobile commerce industry a notch higher, providing convenience for mobile transactions to every Globe mobile subscriber.

To know more about GCASH, visit www.globe.com.ph/gcash.

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Hey, It's a Real Flying Car!

This is it! We can soon fly our cars and forget about traffic congestion in the many streets of Manila and other key cities. By ‘soon,’ I mean about two years from now, in 2014, when the commercial production of the first ever flying car called PAL-V ONE (Personal Air and Land Vehicle) is offered to the public.

A Dutch company called PAL-V Europe NV formed a team of top engineers to work on the first prototype of a flying car right after the design concept was finalized in 2008. Since then, several institutions such as the Dutch National Aerospace Laboratory and Delft University involved themselves in the process of development.

The PAL-V ONE is a slim, aerodynamic and 3-wheeled vehicle for two passengers. It is classified as a hybrid car and gyroplane with two capabilities – it can drive like a sports car when on land and can also take off to fly like a plane in the sky. In 2009, the driving prototype was fully tested; this 2012, the flying-driving prototype has made its first successful flights at the Gilze Rijen Airport (The Netherlands).

Here in the Philippines, especially in Manila, one would always have a stressful drive during the peak hours. Traffic is everywhere and alternate routes are sometimes even worse.

The answer is PAL-V ONE. The driver can easily convert the car into a plane through the unfolding of its auto-rotating rotor and extension of its propeller at the back. With PAL-V ONE’s advanced gyrocopter technology, this means that it can be steered and landed safely even if the engine fails, because the rotor keeps auto rotating.

The flying range of PAL-V ONE is between 220 and 315 miles, depending on the type, payload, and wind conditions. It usually flies below 4,000 feet, so there will be no interference from commercial planes flying. In addition, this flying plane is powered by a very robust, flight certified aircraft engine running on gasoline. Its speed can reach up to 180 km/h both on land and up in the air.

Yes, this one is a great innovation, but there are surely be a lot of questions, such as: Will the PAL-V come to the Philippines? If yes, how much would it cost us and how will the government regulate the usage of the flying car? Will a driver’s license do or a pilot’s license is needed? How much will the insurance cost?

Robert Dingemanse, CEO and co-founder of PAL-V commented: “We are very proud to announce this successful maiden flight of the PAL-V and we now invite investors to create the future with us. We know there is a lot of interest for the PAL-V. Prior to announcing these test flights, we were already approached on a daily basis by potential customers and dealers wanting to be part of this exciting project.”

For many years, many people have dreamt and tried to conceptualize a flying car. Now that the successful maiden flight of PAL-V ONE has been completed, these dreams are becoming a reality.

This article is my 67^th contribution to Manila Bulletin -- one of the Philippines' leading broadsheets -- published on April 30, 2012 (Monday) in the TechNews Section. You can view the PDF version here (upper right portion).

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The Cotton Project by Hang Ten

As the Philippines changes its weather from summer to rainy, Hang Ten also bids adieu to the former California culture style and welcomes brand new rack options for the bold and adventurous... and they're calling it the Cotton Project.

Hang Ten's Cotton Project explores new possibilities of wardrobe fit for braving the outdoors. This new line introduces an updated look from the tops, jackets and layering essentials to bottoms and bags, catering to the youthful demographic of fashion forward go-getters.

With the Cotton Project, those who love to brave the outdoors can still look class and stylish.

The Sartorial Lumberjack (Menswear)

With the adventurous man in mind, the Cotton Project collection consists primarily of selections that go back to the essence of a laidback camper while completely embodying a sartorial elegance.

The clothes feature crisp tailoring, modern silhouettes and strategic fabric selection. Putting comfort at the forefront, the new line goes for style and wearability for the ruggedly handsome lumberjack in a slew of flannel shirts, plaid button-down shirts, khakis, slim-cut trousers, parka jackets and windbreakers that come in a spectrum of earthy to muted colors of olive, green, and brown.

Subdued Androgyny (Ladies Wear)

For Cotton Project, the wild wilderness is for the sexy, confident, modern woman as well. Banking on the same industrial aesthetic employed in its menswear line, the ladies wear collection is composed of numbers borrowed from the men's closet with finer tailoring, contemporary cuts and slimmer silhouettes. 

Cotton Project romances androgyny with structured pieces and sexy undertones from cotton tops, parkas and pique jackets. Some of these items come with fur lining and are mostly on hues of olives, browns, and greens with pops of colors like deep red that adds sass and attitude to every piece.

The stylish pieces of the Cotton Project are available at Hang Ten stores in all major malls nationwide.

'Like' Cotton Project Philippines on Facebook and follow them on Twitter @CottonProjectPH. 

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Improved Globe Website with Self-Service Feature

Hello, fellow Globe subscribers! As we all know, Globe is currently undergoing its network modernization program to give us a better mobile experience. Apart from that, they have also introduced the most practical and friendly *143# service, as well as provided us with multiple ways on how to get to talk to Globe reps for help and concerns.

Now, Globe has started its work to also provide a better website us subscribers, so that we won't have to call the hotline anymore. The improved Globe website now comes with self-service features, making it more interactive and more user-friendly. They have specifically added several sections to its customer support portal to make our every site visit more results-oriented.

Check out the site and you'll see that we can now directly go to our accounts to check and pay bills among others, plus click through some useful links about troubleshooting our phones and tons of FAQs. We  have options to sign in by either Facebook, Google, Yahoo or our own Globe account. The view upon log in differs for postpaid and prepaid subscribers. We can add as many numbers as we have in just one account.

Logging in is necessary if we want to view our account information. However, for all other information on products and services, there's absolutely no need to do so. We can simply click on the Help and Support section of the site to view some of the most-inquired products and services of Globe. 

Apart from being able to view our bill, change our plans, and send requests on various concerns (e.g., bill reprint, change number, transfer of line, change cut-off date, change billing address, etc.), what I love about the improved site is the pay bills feature! We can now pay our Globe bill straight from the website by enrolling our credit card. 

Whether we're trying to find our way on how to get basic Bill Tutorials, finding more information about Globe products or services or amending various aspects of our account, the new self-service features of the Globe website are making these easier for us. 

When I attended the Globe focus group discussion last week, they have presented a roadmap of changes to be implemented over the next several months. This is just the start and you may still encounter bugs, so please be patient as I assure you that Globe is making great things possible for us. Stay tuned for more updates.

Now, get yourself on board at www.globe.com.ph.

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Greenwich Crispy Glazed Chicken Gets Two Thumbs Up

Chicken, oh, chicken - I love thee! I am a self-confessed chicken lover be it fried, roasted, steamed or whatever. So when I heard that Greenwich has launched yet another new product in addition to its delicious 7 Cheese Overload pizza, I knew I had to try it for myself.

First heard on Chico, Delamar, and Gino's morning show The Morning Rush on RX 93.1, they announced that the new Greenwich Crispy Glazed Fried Chicken is already available in stores. As they describe how it tastes like, my mind went to heaven and dreamt of eating chicken.

Voila! After a few days, I woke up from that dream and finally got to taste the Greenwich Crispy Fried Chicken. After the delivery boy handed over that hot plastic with a bucket of chicken, I hurriedly went on to the dining table to feast on it. Even while I was untangling the plastic's knot, I could already smell the difference of this glazed chicken.

Just by the mere sight of the chicken made my mouth water. The meat of the Greenwich Crispy Glazed Chicken was tender and juicy, with its chicken skin still very crispy even when glazed. Each chicken piece has a  huge size that's fried to the right crispiness. The glaze, on the other hand, has a special marinade that mixes the sweet and very mild spicy flavors, making the chicken so tasty - I ate it on its own without the rice.

Meanwhile, for those who just want the normal chicken, we can still get the Greenwich Jumbo Crunchy Chicken, which is also available in Greenwich stores nationwide. One of these and two of the Crispy Glazed Chicken made my Friday lunch meal complete!

As for the pricing, here it goes - very affordable whether for individuals or for the whole barkada:

• Jumbo Crunchy Chicken (1pc with rice) - Php69, +Php10 if with drink
• Crispy Glazed Chicken (1pc with rice) - Php79, +Php10 if with drink
• Jumbo Crunchy Chicken Barkada 6-piece bucket feast for three friends (6-pcs chicken, 3 cups of rice, 3 cups of soda, 3 orders of onion rings, macaroni salad) - Php499
• Crispy Glazed Chicken Barkada 6-piece bucket feast for three friends (6-pcs chicken, 3 cups of rice, 3 cups of soda, 3 orders of onion rings, macaroni salad) - Php549

Another surprise from Greenwich is the Ultimate Green Card, which can be availed at Php199. With this new Greenwich card, we can enjoy rewards, discounts, and exclusive treats (i.e., buy 1 take 1 pizza, 10% discount on dine-in and take-out orders, and as much as Php1,000 discount by using the card with the barkada treats coupons).

Greenwich has never stopped creating new products for us Filipinos. Surely, they have gotten even better now with an overload of offers from its wide array of pizza flavors to its pasta and chicken - all catering not just to individual diners, but also to the traditional Filipino barkadas. Good times!

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Clever Tips to Resolve Household Dilemmas

One of my subscribed Yahoo Groups sent in a set of clever tips that can resolve most of our household problems (thanks to Ms. Chona Gana). They're simple but perhaps, just like me, you haven't really thought of these ingenious ways to go about several things.

Most of these helpful items are also found within the comforts of our home.

Use a (clean) dustpan to fill a container that doesn’t fit in the sink. I'm sure you had times when you wanted to fill in a pail with water, but the size of the container just wouldn't fit. Instead of using a water dipper, simply detach the bottom part of your dustpan and use like how it was used in the picture.

Lace a rubber band around an open paint can to wipe your brush on. If you're like me who's obsessive compulsive and doesn't want to see a messy paint can after painting, simply get a huge rubber band to keep the paint dripping onto the center and therefore keeping the paint off the side of the can.

Use a staple remover to save your fingernails when trying to add things to your key ring. Staple removers aren't just for removing staple wires. It can also help us save our fingernails from hurt by holding the key ring as we add or remove keys.

Put wooden spoon across boiling pot of water to keep from boiling over. I really didn't know that putting a wooden spatula on a boiling pot of water can save it from boiling over. This is surely helpful to those who doesn't want their kitchen to get messy, as well as preventing hurt from hot water.

Use bread clips to save flip-flops with split holes. This is really ingenious! If I had known this before, I could have saved myself from shame of having a weak flip flops. Especially during rainy season when the slippers would be stuck on mud or rain, this tip is a must do. 

Insert the straw in the can's flap opener. It irritates me when my straw keeps on rising out of the soda can. Now I know what to do next time!

Use a comb to keep a nail steady for hammering. For amateurs at doing construction work, choose an old comb that you no longer use and utilize it to make your nail hammering like a pro!

Stick a post it note to catch drilling debris. Another one for construction work, having a post it note stuck on the wall as you do the drilling can save you from having the need to get a broom to sweep the dirt. Definitely a time and effort saver.

Do you have any other tips in mind? Tweet me a picture and a short description and I'll include it here with your name. It's @GlennOng.

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