Tropical Storm Sendong

Tropical Storm Sendong (international name: Washi) ravaged Mindanao, slamming it with devastating rains and unleashing flash floods and landslides that have left a horrifying trail of destruction. As of 12PM, the death toll has reached 720 (Cagayan De Oro 346, Iligan City 279, Bukidnon 47, Negros Oriental 37, Lanao del Norte 9, Compostela Valley 5, Zamboanga del Norte 3, Surigao del Sur 1). Most of the dead were asleep in the middle of the night on Friday when raging floodwaters pounded their homes from rivers and cascaded
from mountain slopes following 12 straight hours of heavy rains in Mindanao. Drowning has been identified as the main cause of death. Sendong affected 21 municipalities, 78 barangays and 13,924 families (63,779 persons), with 245 injured and 807 reported missing. 3,422 houses were totally or partially damaged and there are still 38,332 persons housed in evacuation centers to date.
There are currently 7,431 persons in 4 evacuation centers in Iligan City, which was consumed by flashfloods last night after the heavy downpour of rains. Cagayan De Oro, which has now been placed undera state of calamity, experienced 180 mm of rainfall in less than 24 hours, which has led to massivefloods in 23 of its 80 barangays, leaving about 20,000 residents in evacuation centers. Prior to theonslaught of Sendong in Zamboanga del Norte, about 143 persons had already evacuated their houseswhich were destructed by flash floods that swept the municipality of Polanco as well as Dipolog andDapitan cities. Dapitan River had overflown early yesterday morning which flooded several barangaysin Dapitan.
Philippine Red Cross (PRC) maintains strict 24-hour monitoring of all situations in Mindanao, whilenearly 700 PRC staff and volunteers deployed in the field are conducting detailed assessments. Searchand rescue teams have been mobilized and hot meals have been prepared and distributed in evacuationcenters. Welfare desks, psychosocial support and first aid stations have been situated in the evacuationcenters for affected families. PRC has provided support by giving food packs, sleeping materials,hygiene kits, dinnerware, water containers, body bags and slippers.
Sendong is the 19th tropical cyclone to lash the Philippines this year. As we wage this battle againstdisasters, we are appealing for immediate cash assistance to continue providing relief and recoveryefforts for all affected communities. We are counting on your support to be able to provide food, non-fooditems (including kitchen ware, dinner sets, cleaning materials, latrines, medicine, livelihood programs andshelter) and our services to the most vulnerable Filipinos in the hardest hit cities and provinces.
We appreciate your generosity and continued support to the Philippine Red Cross. Thank you!

Cagayan de Oro flood 2011

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental, Dec. 18 (PIA) -– The death toll due to flooding in the city of Cagayan de Oro now rose to 252.
This was according to the official report the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) region 10 office at 5:00 a.m today.

Twenty three (23) persons were already identified while identities of the other 229 died are yet to be established. The bodies are now at the different funeral homes in the city.

RDRRMC said all the immediate kin of the reported fatalities are currently being attended by the concerned local government unit and disaster council in the city.

Office of Civil Defense(OCD)Regional Director Ana Cañeda said 22 barangays in the city were affected with flashfloods leaving many residents trapped on the rooftop and walls of their homes, power and water outrages.

While some residents took refuge on trees, others had to climb nearby storey buildings to avoid being swept away by the flood waters. Buildings and household items such as television sets and fridges were destroyed and swept away by the flood waters.

The heavy downpour, that started about 4:00 p.m. Friday and lasted until about 3:00 a.m. Saturday, brought almost every activity in the capital city to a halt.

Some businesses had to close down because the flood waters had taken over their premises and also of the power and water outages.

Walls were broken down while wooden structures and even some buildings, particularly those on water courses, were destroyed by the floods.

Military personnel and other rescue teams used boats to rescue some of the trapped residents, especially in areas where flooding was very extensive.

Cañeda, on the other hand, said due to communication problems as a result of power outages, cities of Valencia, Iligan and Ozamiz are yet to submit their reports and damages are still to be determined.

RDRRMC is led by Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-Northern Mindanao, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)-10, National Economic Development Authority (NEDA)-10 and other line agencies of the government including military and police commanders.

The OCD, RDRRMC, and all concerned branches of the government, including the private sectors are now joining hands and efforts in giving relief assistance to the flood victims.

Sendong, the 19th storm to hit the Philippines this year, has made another landfall in the vicinity of Puerto Princesa city and is now heading towards West Philippine Sea. (PIA-10)

PINOYJOKES.NET

PINOYJOKES.NET, online since 1999, is the number 1 website for Filipino jokes.
It is turning over more than 1 million pages a month and a SEO-friendly website and is one of the top jokes sites among search engines when it comes to http://pinoyjokes.net/main/“Filipino jokes”.

La Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel

La Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel: Affordable beachfront convenience in one of the world's best beaches. Whether you go by plane or by boat, the port of entry for Boracay Island is the small town of Caticlan on the mainland. Outrigger boats or "bancas" leave every few minutes from Caticlan's jetty port. The short boat trip to Boracay's jetty port at Cagban cost 20 Pesos. Tourists have to pay a terminal fee of 50 Pesos and an environmental fee of 50 pesos. Tricycles are available at Cagban to bring passengers to their hotels. Tricycle fare is from P20 per pax upto P150 per trip depending where your resort is.

Hans Brumann, Swiss by birth, Filipino by choice

THE MAN

Hans Brumann, Swiss by birth, Filipino by choice, is the Philippine's leading jewelry designer.

Born into a baker's family, Hans wanted to do something different, something with passion, something that would stir his imagination. Jewelry making - combining both his creative and technical flair - seemed to match his aspirations. Defying family tradition, Hans began his apprenticeship in Zurich in 1957, followed by formal schooling at the Fachhochschule in Schwaebisch-Gmuend, Germany. His next career step was a stint in 1965 with Andrew Gima in London, during the heady days of the swinging 60s. Later he returned to Zurich to work for Paul Binder and Zurbuchen AG. In 1967, his search for inspiration and excellence led him to the Philippines to work with the most prestigious firm at that time, La Estrella del Norte. Recognizing his skills and ideas could only truly flourish in his own company, he formed Hans Brumann, Inc. in 1976. Since Paying tribute to other art forms, Hans initiated collaborative exhibitions with other celebrated artists in the Philippines - sculptors and painters - fusing jewelry, wood, glass, and other elements. Then his pieces have been synonymous with style and his collections highly sought after. His work is distinctive - a strong minimalist approach, never ornate or overdone - a reflection of his impeccable style. "Jewelry is not a fashion fad. Pieces should be created to last a lifetime if possible" according to Hans. These collaborations keep alive what I think is the most important element in the making of jewelry - the quest for new ideas"

THE COMPANY

Founded in 1978, Hans Brumann Inc. (HBI) started as a small jewelry shop in Makati that catered to Manila's elite and foreign expatriates. It was an exclusive shop that dealt more on made-to-order items designed by Mr. Hans Brumann, rather than retail purchases. All jewelry made were timeless masterpieces with contemporary designs and exceptional craftsmanship set in platinum, 18k or 14k yellow, gold, white gold or both. Initial concentration and specialty were in pieces made with South Sea Pearls, Mother of Pearl and platinum. As time passed, due to significant achievements leading to increased orders and clientele, Hans Brumann Inc. grew and expanded with its second outlet at the Lobby Level of Shangri-La Hotel Makati on August 1993.

In October 1999, HBI moved into new projects and ventures. Together with another Filipino based jeweler, HBI had joined forces with Jewelers Consortium of the Philippines in New York and started its exportation to the USA. Exhibitions locally and abroad that showcased the best hand crafted and designed pieces were featured, thus the realization that there was a demand for Philippine hand made quality jewelry. In fact, with the boom of shopping malls in the Philippines, we have now opened two more new outlets: HEMM Hans Brumann located in Rockwell Center, Makati in November 2001 and HEMM Hans Brumann located at The Podium, Pasig City in November 2002.

Today, Hans Brumann Inc. is still continuing its services and making each HBI jewelry owner proud to wear its products.

Dahilayan Adventure Park

Looking to experience the greatest adventure of your life? Be among the first to brave Asia's Longest Dual Zipline and fly like Superman from a launch point at 4,700 feet above sea level. With speeds of up to 90 kph, zoom through lush greenery and breathtaking views only found in the mountains of Dahilayan. Guaranteed safe and fun for every age, Zipzone has become the ultimate adventure destination for young and old alike. Since its opening in September 2009, Zipzone has been visited to over a thousand enthusiasts, including a courageous 2 year old and a 77 year old grandpa.
Get the thrill of your life with Zipzone's 840m scream inducing ride! Bond with families and friends amidst Dahilayan's cool and foggy weather. This is one amazing adventure you will never forget!

Philippines Call Center | Outsourcing Call Centers | Telemarketing Philippines

ArribaTel has been in the global outsource industry since 2005 and its CEO, Engr. Elpidio M. Paras has been a prime mover and strong advocate for ICT (Information and Communications Technology) awareness and empowerment throughout the southern industrialized region of the Philippines. Among his other ICT related ventures are: Parasat Cable TV, a pioneer multi-system cable TV operator in the Visayas and Mindanao. Cable 21 Technologies, a broadband Internet Service Provider. Paramedix Inc., a medical transcription company. Versatel, an English language training center. Syntactics Inc., a software/ database technologies firm.

Location

Based in the bustling and booming city of Cagayan de Oro, Arribatel’s facility is conveniently located near Limketkai Center, the city’s prime commercial and shopping destination. Amenities like 24 hr restaurants, groceries, upscale coffee shops, gym and spa facilities, and reasonably priced Wifi equipped hotels are just a stone’s throw away.

Parasat Cable TV

Parasat Cable TV, Inc. started as an electronics retail store and repair shop established in 1976 by Engr. Elpidio M. Paras. It was known then as Paras Industrial Systems. It also offered customized music cassette tape recording and video (betamax) rental. As an electronic shop, Paras Electro installed sound system of various disco houses in Mindanao. To name a few, Salamin Disco and Alta Tierra in Cagayan de Oro, Hotel Rio in Iloilo and Xenon disco in Davao. In Cagayan de Oro, he introduced the concept of putting a TV/VCR in restaurants, showing the latest sports and boxing championships, way before cable TV became a common fixture in every home.

In 1985, Engr. Paras started manufacturing satellite dishes until finally in 1986 his satellite receiving system was able to capture the EDSA Revolution, which was being beamed for the first time worldwide by CNN. This provided Cagayanons the first glimpse of the media revolution wherein live events can now be beamed across the globe in real time.

He then started building bigger dishes to capture the very weak signals beamed by the early Intelsat series. In just a matter of three years, rich businessmen and entrepreneurs from all over the Philippines began ordering satellite dishes from Engr. Paras.

In 1989 thru and Executive Order 205 signed by the Pres. Cory Aquino, the cable industry was deregulated. It was this year when the cable operators fledged. Cable operators all over the country started to order satellite dishes from Engr. Paras. Among the first cable operators to order was Sen, Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. the senator’s cable operation covered the provinces of Olongapo, Bicol and Batangas.

In 1991, with an initial investment of P200,000 Engr. Paras established Parasat Cable TV, Inc. it was (and still is) the forerunner of cable TV in Mindanao. Parasat Cable started its operation at the backyard of the residence of Engr. Paras with less than 10 employees, mostly fresh graduates and on-the-job trainees from technical schools. It began by installing cable lines in the subdivision where they were located, offering only 12 channels. It has since expanded its coverage in Cagayan de Oro City and nearby municipalities. Parasat also acquire cable companies nearby areas.

To date, Parasat Cable TV has coverage in the following areas: entire Cagayan de Oro City, municipalities of Opol and Tagoloan. It has established branches in Malaybalay and San Carlos (Negros Occidental) Cities. It has also formed partnerships with other cable operators in Ginoog City and the municipalities of Balingasag, Don Carlos and Valencia. It is continuously expanding its coverage to the east and west sides of Misamis Oriental.

Parasat Cable carries most of the major programs available for cable viewing. Among the programs currently being carried are CNN, ESPN, STA, HBO, CINEMAX, ANC, VIVA, PINOY BLOCKBUSTER and a number of national and international programs.