My West Grove Experience

I was lucky enough to be invited to a media-only viewing of the Ayala Westgrove Heights in Laguna. By far, it is the most exclusive property south of Manila. It is a quiet and safe neighborhood with amenities that are nothing but first-class. Indeed it is the stuff of dreams.

The place is serene and under constant security surveillance. No one can enter without a green light from the resident you wish to visit. In addition to the security, there is also convenience so you wouldn’t have to travel so far away for medicines (there’s Mercury Drug nearby) and a day care center for the kids.

Just outside the gates of Ayala West Grove is their parish church. Though open to the public, Catholic West Grove residents enjoy the tranquility of hearing mass in the Church of St. Benedict, a modern place of worship built under the auspices and funding of the residents themselves. This church is truly a labor of love, making sure that the faithful need not travel too far from their homes just to be closer to God. Inside, the structure is purely understated elegance; a reflection of how Ayala West Grove is all about.

The Ayala West Grove has some of most amazing amenities that I have ever seen in a residential village. Aside from the great security, this is the only private gated community that offers concierge service. Need gasul? Call the concierge. Need plumber? Call concierge. You can practically call them for almost anything you need. Now that’s the Ayala brand of service. Definitely worth every cent. So, you probably wonder, what do the residents do for fun? See their facilities and be a believer.

Just one of their many man-made lagoons, designed to remind the residents why they moved in. Because of the size of this property (all 400 hectares of it), there is more than just one clubhouse. Several clubhouses with impeccable facilities are strategically situated between phases of the property. This way, residents can have easy access to the clubhouse nearest them. Celebrities and tycoons have been known to among their roster of residents, a list that is too important to reveal. Anonymity is part of the package, upon the client’s request.

The view is just as spectacular as the after-sales service. That’s why Charl is all smiles.

Visit the Ayala West Grove website for more information. 

A wonderful and prosperous New Year to all!

I know I don’t have that many readers but I still want to greet everyone out there a Happy New Year! Next year is the year of the Metal Rabbit, supposedly a lucky year for those in business. I wish you all the best and may you have more blessings in the coming year!

The Efficacy of Organic Cold Medicines

Much to my chagrin, synthetic medicines hardly control cold symptoms. As much as we would like to believe the advertising, none of these meds work like they say they do. I’m sure every one of us has had their lion’s share of anti-histamines, headache medicines and so-called all-in-one cold medicines. And we can all agree that they don’t work in eliminating all symptoms at once. Why? Because cold viruses are a lot more complicated that we think. They mutate and evolve with each cold tablet we take. If it works now, don’t expect it to work again because it will remember the ass-whooping it got and it will know how to make your breathing more miserable next time.

Synthetic cold medicines will work in eliminating one symptom,but that’s all there is to it. For every point, it’s got a counterpoint. For instance, Phenylpropanolamine works well in relieving you of clogged nostrils but you will fall asleep on the wheel when going on a long drive.  Acetaminophen works great in relieving the headache, but it does nothing to relieve the runny nose and difficult breathing. Doxylamine succinate does wonders in relieving the allergic symptoms such as sneezing and tickling nose, but it doesn’t do anything for the headache and the fever.

Pharmas will tell you that it’s the precisely the reason why they put it all in one tablet, syrup or suspension; for several chemicals can be introduced to the body and work on the symptoms separately. How about the source of the symptoms, the cold virus? What chemical combats that? The answer, none. In the age of communications at the speed of light, space travel and advanced warfare, there has been no medicine synthetically produced to kill the cold virus. Up to this day, any weather change will still give us the sniffles, no matter how healthy we think we are or how expensive our medicines are. 

I personally believe, organic cures will be the answer to this insufferable problem. I am taking one tablet, supposedly based on plants and other organic materials (manufacturer says there was nothing synthetic added), that has become very effective for me in the past. Its active ingredients include microcrystalline cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, potato starch, magnesium stearate (vegetable grade), glycerol, calcium carbonate among others. It’s been very effective for me in the past few months. I am hoping that my body does not outgrow the efficacy of this medicine. I just wish more pharmaceuticals out there venture into organics for more effective medicines.

Bongabon, Nueva Ecija’s bet for Kraft Eden’s Sarap ng Pasko 100 days of Christmas

Bongabon is the Onion capital of Nueva Ecija and maybe the rest of the country. As part of the 100 days of Christmas celebration, see Bongabon’s signature Eden Cheese dish.

 “Apart from bringing the entire nation together during this celebration, we believe that this will also inspire the rest of the world on how passionate we Filipinos are when it comes to food,” Sapitan claims.

Being the world’s first longest Christmas celebration, this event pushes food tourism to a whole new level. “The Filipinos’ natural knack at creating scrumptious, healthy and budget-friendly meals makes, I believe makes us world-class,” Sapitan shares. With the country’s unique brand of culinary creativity, the world will surely want to get a taste of what our country has to offer.

“Having 100 towns nationwide create 100 unique cheese-based dishes will entice our friends from abroad to come and experience the country for themselves,” Tacderas says.

With the Spirit of Christmas ignited as early as September 4 and kept alive until the first Sunday of January 2011, the country is sure to make a mark in Christmas history the world-around. Moreover, the Yuletide warmth and joy spread by the country’s well-loved cheese among Filipino families nationwide will empower and unite the country even more.

“Christmas really is the best time to be closer to our loved ones and to extend our love and faith to one another,” Tacderas explains. “And to have this culminating event is a way for all of us to end the year with great joy and start the next with utmost optimism,”

Vote for your town and help them realize their simple community wish by winning 2M in support fund and 100,000 for yourself. Send an Eden carton and be counted. Visit www.sarapngpasko.com or call 72-PASKO for more details.

My St. Luke’s Medical Center Experience

Getting sick is like paying taxes. You don’t want to do it, but you will have to, inevitably. Recently I was shocked to learn that I am hypertensive. It’s not just the usual high blood pressure you get when get upset or when you’re too happy. I didn’t realize until the doctors told me how close i was to becoming a living vegetable. Lucky for me, there is a hospital where there are no lines, no delays, instant treatment as needed. I was so lucky to live near the newly built St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City.

Yes, medical care can be expensive. Of course it is, silly. In any hospital you go, you will spend at least P1,000 for the emergency room facilities. Unless you are using an HMO (health maintenance organization) card, you will have to have money before you leave for the hospital. That’s a fact. However, what makes hospital care so aggravating is that not only is it expensive, there are a bazillion lines and queues for just about anything! You need to get a room, fall in line at the Admissions department. You need to get results of your medical examination, fall in line at the Medical Records section. Need a nurse? Fall in line until the duty nurse gets to you. You need new linens because you puked on yours, get a number until the nursing aide is done with the other patients. And you still pay a hefty sum regardless of whether you liked the service or not. Hey, it’s not a restaurant, it’s a hospital! Live with it!

Thank goodness there’s St. Luke’s! When I was told to come in for a battery of tests, I thought I was going to be shuffled from one department to another. After the blood work, I needed to go to radiology, then to another department and so on. This is how it’s done in Makati Medical Center. Even in Medical City. Because St. Luke’s is one of the very few organizations in the country with an IE(industrial engineering)department, everything about it was well thought out. Behold, the St. Luke’s Health and Wellness Center.

This is the lobby lounge of the Health and Wellness Center, 7th Floor.

Behind me are computers that visitors or patients can use while waiting for their next test. Yes, you are not shuffled around like meat in a grinder. You are asked to wait in the luxurious lobby while they prepare the next test. I went through urinalysis, fecalysis, 2D echo, stress test, diabetes test, ECG, 3 blood extractions, x-rays and a session with the nutritionist. All done in a half a day. Results were give to me by 4pm the same day. Yes, I paid a hefty sum, but I would have the same amount in a different hospital PLUS all the stress of waiting and waiting and coming back the next day for the other tests. I paid P13,000 for all the tests. They also sent the same copy of the results to my doctor, who also happens to be in St. Luke’s.

It’s relaxing and there’s no funny hospital smell. You know that smell when you go into a hospital. You don’t smell anything here. The nurses! I have to mention that. Artistahin sila lahat! I never saw any ugly nurse in that hospital. SERIOUSLY! No masungit nurse who just tells you to wait while they do their chit chat. This is perhaps the only hospital I have ever seen who has more nurses than patients. They’re better than a restaurant! They’re like valets who attend to your every need. Anyone who is looking for an excuse to bitch around will be disappointed. No delays, whatsoever. When they say it’s gonna be ready at this hour, IT WILL BE READY AT THE SPECIFIED TIME. Aside from the cable tv and computers at the lounge, they also have this.

Buffet! For both the patient and their companion! An abundance of fruit juices in the cooler, bottled water, brewed coffee, sandwiches (they had ciabatta with crab stick filling that day, among others) and soups. The day I was there they had congee with garlic and calamansi. Another day when I came to get copies of my results (which was only a 20-minute wait), they had egg sandwiches and Lomi.

That’s my friend Zee Marudo. She came to visit me when she found out I was confined. I told her not to worry because I was in the best of care. Now I am managing my hypertension better and I have medicines that will prevent another major attack. Now how many people do you know share wonderful experiences of being in the hospital? Perhaps if they went to St. Luke’s Medical Center, they wouldn’t be so cranky about getting sick.

My One Tagaytay Place Weekend Getaway

That’s me sitting at the lobby of one of Tagaytay’s best-kept secrets. Well, secret no more because I intend to break the silence on how wonderful this hotel really is. Many big companies based in Manila and abroad have come to this place so that their employees and clients can rest and recharge for the work week to come. I was glad I came along for this ride. It’s one that I will never forget.

Many people think they know all the wonderful places in Tagaytay. There’s Bag o’ Beans, Antonio’s and Sonya’s Garden. But what really sets this city from it’s cooler counter in the North is the view. The wonderful view of Taal Lake and Taal Volcano. Still, after all these years, a breathtaking view.

Aside from the usual Bulalo, Mushroomburger and Buco pies, Tagaytay has a lot to offer in terms of local tourism. It’s nearer than Baguio and certainly a lot less of a hassle and expense. The locals are nice people; a trait common to all probinsyanos as I am one myself. The food was all natural and delicious to the core. Anything you wanted to eat was available in Tagaytay. What made my stay memorable is knowing that there is actually a hotel that treated their guests as they are supposed to be treated; guests, not customers. Customers are as good as their last purchase, believe me I run a business myself. But guests are treated differently. Hosts try to cultivate and nurture good relations with their guests. The staff and management of One Tagaytay Place Hotel and Suites do just that. I was treated like a family friend. If anyone asked me where to stay when in Tagaytay, I would absolutely recommend One Tagaytay Place Hotel Suites.

3M

3M or the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, has treated the media to a tour of their facility along the SLEX in Makati. This tour was an eye-opener for me. Only then did I realize that 3M is more than just Post-it notes, Scotch tape and Scotch Brite (which I regularly keep in my kitchen). 3M is everywhere: keeping glass windows together in high-rise buildings, making cable TV and landline connections work and even helping hospital patients feel more comfortable and heal faster.

At the height of the AH1N1 scare, 3M masks were at the forefront of protection. People who needed serious protection turned to 3M masks and nothing else.

3M also makes solar energy usable with their innovative solutions. 3M also develops solutions for the automotive industry. 

3M engineers have always put the environment at the top of their agenda. All of their R&D are geared towards the protection of Mother Nature and to exclusively make products that do not contribute to Her destruction. This photo says it all. 3M and Mother Nature DO co-exist.

Pacquiao Champions the Bravia

Pound-for-pound boxing champ Manny Pacquiao has recently signed with Sony to be the official endorser for the new 3D Bravia TV. What’s good about it is that the images are crisp, clear and in 3D. The new 3D Bravia goes with 3D glasses so you can enjoy your very own 3D experience right in the comfort of your living room.

Manny Pacquiao is one of the first ones in the country to own the 3D Bravia TV. If it ever goes on sale, I’d like to buy one. On the other hand, I don’t think I have to wait for a sale. As Moore’s Law dictates, prices of the LED TVs will eventually go down when the old CRT TVs are phased out for good, which I hope comes soon. The Bravia is one of the best in the market and is worth every cent you paid for.

That’s me and the pound-for-pound champion. I remember one question fielded to him by Jo Bonsol, a fellow blogger. She asked him, “Sir Manny, what was the first Sony appliance that you ever owned?” To which our Champ answered, “Ah yung Betamax. Yung nilalagyan ng VHS!” That brought the house down. Pacquiao is indeed a champion in the ring and in the hearts of all Pinoys. He also said “I will not endorse any product that I don’t believe in.” This guy really had me at “VHS”. Sony is really the champion of home entertainment.

Venare at Nuvali: The Best Time to Own a Part of Paradise

For now, this is all you will see when you take a trip to see Venare at Nuvali in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Why? Because the area is being bulldozed and developed as this is being written. A 10-hectare piece of land is being developed for a brand new Ayala Mall. Nuvali is the new CBD or Central Business District. The people of Alveo have prepared for Nuvali to become the next big thing thing since the conversion of Fort San Pedro to the Makati Business District.  

This is a wonderful opportunity to own a piece of the future. I suggest you contact your Ayala/Alveo sales representative for more details. Or you can go to their website for more information.  

Barrio Fiesta Greenhills: Home Of The Best Crispy Pata and Kare-kare

This is the sign that will greet you when you come to Barrio Fiesta Greenhills. It’s a nice sign that comforts those who enter, because it signals that you’re in for more than just a treat. You’re about to become part of history.
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