Derek Ramsay performs tension-filled stunt at The Amazing Race Philippines launch

The Amazing Race Philippines host Derek Ramsay gave viewers a sneak peak on how tension-filled and action-packed his newest reality show can get once it starts airing on October 29 after Wil Time Bigtime on TV5. The hunk sportsman rappelled down from a high-rise building at Eastwood—leaving the mall-goers and office workers at the busy commercial and business complex in awe.

Though athletic and very outgoing, Derek confessed that he has fear of heights and performing the stunt was no easy task.

Millions of Filipinos were also surprised when they witnessed the stunt on national TV live on TV5’s flagship newscast AKSYON.

(See the action here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc_4FLAWhxQ&feature=youtu.be)

Discover the Treasure Within with Most Venerable Hsin Ting

Most Venerable Hsin Ting, widely respected Buddhist Monk and meditation teacher, will again visit Manila, this time to hold a series of activities that can help people discover the treasure within them and tap a spring of happiness and wealth.

Most Venerable Hsin Ting will hold a talk on Meditative Concentration: The Source of Developing One's Wisdom on October 25, 2012 at 7:30PM. It will be a perfect introduction to the practice of meditation, regardless of one's religion or background. Experienced meditators will also gain insights to further their practice by attending this talk.

On October 26, 2012 also at 7:30PM, the beloved spiritual teacher will talk on The Way to Happiness. The lecture will be a great opportunity for everyone to hear with clarity the 2,500-year-old teachings of the Buddha that will surely bring hope and happiness. Both events will be held at Mabuhay Temple located at 656 Pablo Ocampo St., Malate Manila right across Century Park Hotel.

All talks by Most Venerable Hsin Ting will be anchored on the Diamond Sutra, an essential Mahayana Buddhist scripture, often said to contain the key to authentic transformation. The sutra is regarded by many devotees as a source of wisdom and good fortune, thus, most of them read and recites it in a regular basis.

Most Venerable Hsin Ting will also personally preside over a Triple Gem and Five Precepts Ceremony on October 27, 2012 at Mabuhay Temple. Taking refuge in the Triple Gem simply means abiding and seeking support from the Buddha, his teachings and his community of followers. It is a very important step for anyone who is serious in studying and practicing Buddhism. In addition to taking refuge in the Triple Gem, an individual can also commit to observe the Five Precepts or guides that encourage good conduct, namely, to refrain from killing, stealing, committing sexual misconduct, lying and taking intoxicants.

After taking part in the Triple Gem Refuge and Five Precepts Ceremony, an individual can still follow the practices of other religions and faiths as long as they promote goodness and guide them on the right track. It is not even required for an individual to become a vegetarian after agreeing to uphold the Five Precepts.

Most Venerable Hsin Ting was the sixth abbot and director of Taiwan-based Fo Guang Shan monastery from 1997-2005. He renounced under Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the founder of Fo Guang Shan, in 1968 and is a forty-ninth lineage holder of the Linji Chan School. He graduated from the Eastern Buddhist College and the India Research Institute of the Chinese Cultural University. He further received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from the Fo Guang Shan-affiliated University of the West in Rosemead, California in 1998.

Expected to succeed Venerable Master Hsing Yun as the head teacher of Fo Guang Shan, Most Venerable Hsin Ting now travels around the world to share the joys of the Dharma through lectures, instruction in Ch'an (Zen) meditation, Buddhist ceremonies, chants, books, educational and humanitarian projects.

For more information, please go to www.mabuhaytemple.com/treasure-within or call 0917-8124424.

Adidas Store soon to open at BGC The Fort

The brand with the three stripes soon to have a branch in BGC



A new Adidas store will open along Unit 5 & 6, Two Parkade 30th st. corner 7th avenue Bonifacio Global City on 11.30.2012

Avida Towers BGC 34th Street: Where family living falls naturally into place

FAMILIES and young couples who wish to live a balanced life will find that everything falls perfectly, naturally into place at Avida Towers BGC 34th Street. Located at the Bonifacio Global City, the country’s premier lifestyle destination, Avida Towers BGC 34th Street is close to everything that makes it conducive to family life – parks, commercial and business establishments, and some of the country’s best hospitals and schools.
Lifestyle and leisure are readily accessible to residents of Avida Towers BGC 34th Street. Several art walks and parks are spread throughout BGC. There is Terra 28th Park which features a modern playground incorporating Filipino games such as piko and Track 30th Fitness Park, which has a jogging path and exercise tools to encourage a healthy lifestyle. Avida Towers BGC 34th Street even has the privilege of having its own park right across the property. Here, families can enjoy some outdoor fun and create fond memories together. Meanwhile, sports hubs like Turf BGC and BGC Sports Complex allow kids to nurture their passions and explore their potential in sports. 

Commercial centers like Bonifacio High Street, BHS Central, Crossroads, Shops at Serendra and Market!Market! provide a complete shopping and dining experience with its wide array of retail outlets and diverse restaurants offering cuisine that every family member will enjoy. Another place of interest for kids is the Mind Museum, the Philippines’ first world-class, state-of-the-art science museum with 250 exhibits in five galleries, which kids can explore interactively.

Places of worship around the area include St. Michael’s Church and Every Nation Church, while nearby schools include International School Manila, British School Manila and Manila Japanese School. For residents’ health needs, world-class medical facility St. Luke’s Medical Center is right inside the BGC complex. 

Spaces for every type of family

Life at the 34th is naturally oriented toward families. Thus, Avida Towers BGC 34th Street offers choices of living spaces that are perfect for a growing family: from 1- to 2-bedroom units, to the bigger loft units with two to three bedrooms.

Avida Towers BGC 34th Street also offers a first for Avida: the Parkview Drive Up units located in the podium area of Tower 2. These 15 special units offer a refreshing view of the park and provide ultimate convenience. Right after you park your car, all you have to do is walk over to your unit. This eliminates the need to ride the elevator when going home.

“Avida Towers BGC 34th Street is the ideal living space for those who wish to enjoy life to the fullest with their families and friends,” said Tess Tatco, Avida Land Marketing Manager. “Plus, Avida Towers BGC 34th Street is developed and managed by Avida, which is a subsidiary of Ayala Land, the most trusted name in property development. With Avida, you’re secure with your investment for your family.”

The location and distinct features are creating a high demand for units at Avida Towers BGC 34th Street. Turnover of Tower 1 units is expected by the first quarter of 2016 while units at Tower 2 will be turned over by fourth quarter of 2016. There are still units left for those who wish to attain the convenient, relaxed and invigorating lifestyle provided by Avida Towers BGC 34th Street.

An Avida for your family

Living the life you envision for your family is possible with Avida. Getting a unit at Avida Towers BGC 34th Street is now more convenient and affordable with Avida’s flexible and easy payment terms. There are fewer units per floor to create more privacy. Its unique floor plan and unit layouts allow for free-flowing air and sunlight which help save energy and lessen electricity consumption. Avida Towers BGC 34th Street residents are also assured of their safety and convenience with 24/7 security. Emergency power is provided inside each unit, as well as the common areas, to ensure that family life is not disrupted by stressful power outages.

Sensible amenities promote relaxation and wellness, as well as bonding time for the family. These include: the pool area which houses a lounge pool, a lap pool, and a kiddie pool; clubhouse and function hall; reflection pond and indoor garden; children’s play area; and an outdoor gym. Avida Towers BGC 34th Street also features a roof deck where all residents can enjoy the breathtaking sights of the Bonifacio Global City landscape.

Avida Towers BGC 34th Street is managed by the renowned Ayala Property Management Corporation, assuring residents that they will enjoy the highest standards of living.

For more information about Avida Towers BGC 34th Street and Avida’s condominiums in the Philippines, please visit www.avidaland.com or call (+632) 848 5200 (within Metro Manila) and 1-800-10 848 5200 (outside Metro Manila).

Globe Business and Zalora provide unmatched quality service to online shoppers

DRIVING E-COMMERCE. Online retailer Zalora and Globe Business partner for the best online shopping experience for Zalora customers and Globe subscribers. Globe Business' advanced, fast, secure, and reliable network, plus its solutions for postpaid services, G-Cash, mobile Internet, and smartphone apps are expected to drive the growth of Zalora and other e-commerce companies. In photo are (left to right): Gian Villaceran, Direct Sales Manager South GMA Market Development Small and Medium Business Segment, Brian Cu, Zalora Co-Founder and Managing Director, Blue Avelino, Head of Small and Medium Business Segment and Dennis Salvador, South GMA Market Development Regional Sales Head.

ONLINE SHOPPING company Zalora (www.zalora.com.ph) and Globe Business have embarked on a partnership, proving again why Globe Business is the preferred telecoms provider for small and medium businesses. Globe Business was the first provider of choice for Zalora, that relies heavily on telecoms technology to run its business.

“There are multiple thrusts in our partnership with Globe Business. First of all was the network service itself. Globe Business was our first choice with its reliability, coverage, and the overall solution it provides to us. The account was also managed very well so we were able to resolve any issues with very short turnaround time. We started out with a leased line connection for our network. We’re already up to 17mbps in our Internet connection.



“Being an Internet company, we rely a lot on our main connection. We need to do a lot of things on the Internet, and to do that we rely on Globe Business. So far, the experience has been very fruitful. We’re very happy with the speed, reliability and quality of services that they provide,” said Brian Cu, Zalora Co-Founder and Managing Director.



More productive

Besides the leased line Internet connection, Cu said that their company relies on Globe Business for other back end requirements for the business.



For example, Zalora issued Globe Business postpaid lines to its employees, as well as Blackberry phones they could use for mobile email and Internet services.



“From our Internet connection, we moved on to Globe Business postpaid lines. We deal with 450 brands on our websites, and all of these are account managed by our buyers. We prefer to use Globe Business postpaid plans because they have the best suite of services for postpaid.



“We rely a lot on email, so we had Blackberries issued to a lot of our employees. We have over a hundred subscriptions to Globe Business. I’ve lost count of the exact number,” he explained.



Cross-marketing

Zalora has also tapped the technology and services of Globe Business for its marketing efforts. Two of these services are G-Cash and the Tattoo mobile Internet broadband.



“We have G-Cash. It’s our premiere mobile payment solution and we offer it to our customers. We also work with Tattoo, especially now that Tattoo launched their Lifestyle Stick, which is a very good fit with Zalora’s lifestyle branding. We work heavily with Tattoo to cross-market, and cross-fertilize both our customer bases,” said Cu.



He also revealed that Zalora will soon be launching its own mobile app, to allow customers to shop online using their smartphones.



“When we launch the Zalora mobile app, Globe will be our very first point of call to really broadcast the app to our customer base. We’re also working with MyGlobe Reward to be able to offer Zalora vouchers and products, as part of the MyGlobe Reward catalog,” he said.





Driving growth

Cu predicts exciting times for e-commerce in the Philippines in general—and Zalora, he added, is poised to be the largest online retailer in the country, and the largest e-commerce company.



He said that Zalora is relying on Globe Business to turn that dream in to a reality. First, Globe Business provides Zalora with back end solutions that increase the productivity of its employees. They can find the best products and get them online as fast as possible, through the speed and reliability of the Globe network.



“On our front end, we have our co-marketing effort, where we can really integrate online shopping with a mobile-based platform like Globe Business. This is done through its reliable data services and its offerings on smartphones.



“Imagine having a Zalora app on every smartphone sold on a postpaid plan. Imagine being able to conveniently shop for fashion on your phone, and getting billed later through your Globe account.



“There’s still a lot of growth not just for Zalora but for e-commerce in general. We haven’t reached our peak yet and we’re at a growth stage. With our partnership with Globe Business in reaching the right customer base, we can accelerate that growth even further,” he said.



Like Zalora, you can experience the benefits of having customized back end and front end solutions for your business. Consult a Globe Business Account Manager, visit Globe stores, call the Globe Business Hotline at +632 730-1010 or log on to http://www.globe.com.ph/business today to find out more.



Globe Business is the corporate arm of Globe Telecom, the leading mobile telecommunications company in the Philippines. Globe Business provides wireless and wireline solutions for a diverse set of industries, businesses, and commercial enterprises. It assures SMEs of affordable, reliable, and dependable services for all communication needs, both wireless and wireline solutions, to generate the highest possible profit at the lowest possible cost.