Santa Rosa City Laguna Philippines - attracting investors from all over Asia and the world.
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Parade, Pageant, Singing Contest, Dance Contest, Beauty Pageant, Dog Show, Battle of the Bands, Fireworks, Variety Show and more! Don't miss all these fabulous fun-filled festivities organized by our Santa Rosa City Council for us to enjoy in April!
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THE MOST ROMANTIC DAY OF THE YEAR BEGINS AND ENDS
WITH "I LOVE YOU"
Eric Santos sings to lucky wedding couples
at SM City Sta. Rosa.
City Mayor Arlene Arcillas, looking like a Hollywood movie star, flanked by Vice Mayor Arnel Gomez and city councilors, made sure that Valentine's Day 2012 would be a day for 355 wedding couples to remember and tell their children about.
THE ANNUAL KASALAG BAYAN was held at the mall's Event Center on February 14. A total of 355 couples exchanged marital vows in a ceremony overflowing with promises of undying love and devotion. Santa Rosa Mayor Arlene Arcillas, together with Vice Mayor Arnel Gomez and city councilors, made their special wedding day an event to remember for the rest of their lives.
Later, like cream on their wedding cakes, the newly married couples were serenaded by popular romantic crooner Eric Santos. This emotion-packed Valentine's Day tradition at SM City Sta. Rosa gives couples engaged to be married a wonderful opportunity to celebrate their weddings on the day of the year that's dedicated to love, and enhanced by sharing it with others who also wish to marry on the same symbolic day. Without a doubt, it's a tradition that their children and grandchildren will wish to follow when their time comes.
Relatives and friends shared this special occasion, enjoying every moment, full of love and joy for the happy couples who invited them.
Today Valentine's Day is celebrated in many countries around the world, mostly in the West although it is gaining popularity in the East. The original St. Valentine was an early Christian saint named Valentinus, but romantic connotations were added centuries later by English poets. The date February 14 was first associated with romantic love by Geoffrey Chaucer. To honor the first anniversary of the engagement on February 14 1381 of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia, he wrote in 1382: "For this was on Saint Valentine's Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate."
In the next hundred years it evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other with flowers, confectionery, and greeting cards known as 'valentines'. Edmund Spenser wrote in 'The Faerie Queen' (1590): "She bathed with roses red, and violets blue, And all the sweetest flowers, That in the forest grew." William Shakespeare's play 'Hamlet', written 1600-1601, has Ophelia saying: "Tomorrow is Saint Valentine's day, All in the morning betime, And I a maid at your window, To be your Valentine." And John Donne's 'Epithalamion' (1613) says: "Let not this day, then, but this night be thine, Thy day was but the eve to this, O Valentine."
Modern Valentine's Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, mass-produced greeting cards have replaced handwritten 'valentines', but the fundamental message remains the same: "I Love You."
- Pam Peters-Baun (Photos courtesy of SM Prime Holdings. History courtesy of Wikipedia.)
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THE UNITED KINGDOM BACKS THE PHILIPPINES
ENGLAND IS THE HOME OF MODERN FOOTBALL (AKA SOCCER), AND BRITISH AMBASSADOR STEPHEN LILLIE, speaking from the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Manila, gives a strong thumbs up to doing business in the Philippines. To avoid confusion, England is part of Great Britain which is part of the United Kingdom which is part of the European Union.
Therefore with reference to the 2011 Royal Wedding, Prince William and Princess Catherine are now second in line to be King and Queen of the United Kingdom - but not of the European Union, although millions of Europeans have publicly expressed the opinion that 'Will & Kate' also belong to them, as Will's ancestors came to Britain from from Germany and they have branches all over Europe.
Stephen Lillie does not discuss this issue and states that the Philippine population of 92 million makes us the 3rd English-speaking country of the world. He goes on to praise the international success of Philippine call-centers, whose clients include British blue-chip companies such as Shell, HKBC, and the Financial Times.
He says that our battle against corruption is being won, and the presence of more than 200 major British companies here signifies clearly that now is an excellent time for British and other European companies to invest in the Philippines.
Enthusiastic about the developing popularity of Filipino football and the inspiring progress of the Philippine Askals, most Englishmen everywhere look forward to seeing them qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and they also hope that before then Filipino sports fans will join them in visiting the 2012 Olympics in London.
Welcome to Santa
Rosa Magazine - the accessible open e-magazine of Santa Rosa City,
Laguna, Philippines. No payment, no registration, no login required.
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Breaking News, February 2012:
"THE PAINFUL TRUTH IS THAT I MARRIED AN ABUSER, A SCROOGE, AN INCORRIGIBLE PHILANDERER, AND WORSE - A PERVERT."
Susana Ortigas, the wife of Francisco Ortigas for 43 years, stated the above in an affidavit to the police.
IN YET ANOTHER CASE OF IMMORALITY AND CORRUPTION IN HIGH PLACES, FRANCISCO ORTIGAS HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH CONCUBINAGE. His wife of 43 years also accused him of frequent sex with a company employee and a maid. If convicted, Ortigas will be sentenced to from 6 months to 4 years imprisonment.
Especially in the month that Filipinos with true integrity celebrate their love on Valentine's Day, this story is a sad confirmation of the decadence and spoilt-brat mentality of so many rich and powerful Philippine families. As one of the Philippines' richest, Ortigas enjoys enormous inherited wealth, and can afford to pay vast sums to all the lawyers who represent him and attempt to defend his corruption and immorality.
But what he no longer has is any credibility with stockholders or leverage with SM's Henry Sy, who is negotiating the purchase of Ortigas Holdings Inc., owners and developers of prime Manila real estate. Corruption and immorality of existing management always undermines investor confidence, especially when evaluating a takeover bid.
This means that under Ortigas control the stocks will fall in value, and under SM control they will rise. Not a good legacy for any rich man to leave either his immediate family or his company's wider stockholders. And not a good reputation for any eminent citizen to bequeath as example to patriotic Filipinos who wish to believe in their country.
We applaud Susana Ortigas for standing up for her rights, and we encourage all Philippine wives - rich or poor - to do the same. Women are equal to men and should not be subjected to such humiliation and disgrace by arrogant, dishonorable, immoral, unfaithful husbands.
Every High School student, male or female, knows that Philippine Hero José Rizal warned us in El Filibusterismo of dangers that oppressed peoples must protect themselves against when seeking freedom from tyrannical foreign occupation. He asks: "Why independence if the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow?"
Now, after several decades of independence on the surface, layer upon layer of corruption below the surface have created more oppression in the Philippines than that of the Spanish in Rizal's time, camouflaged by the bribe-taking lawmakers and judges whose job is to stop it.
Too many former "slaves" have indeed become today's "tyrants", just as Rizal feared, making our nation a global laughing stock and undermining all the good works that genuine patriotic Filipinos are doing to build the Philippines into the shining light of Asia that it can become. - Angel Tugado
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Click on the above graphic to see the video of President Obama's 2012 State Of The Union Address on this page or click here to watch it on YouTube.
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Congratulations to Miss Universe 2011 above, Leila Lopes from Angola,
and to our own Shamcey Supsup, who was placed 3rd Runner Up,
one position higher than Venus Raj last year. Editorial photo courtesy of Miss Universe Organization. (More...)
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No need live in Manila to get superfast internet. Now you can apply online in Sta. Rosa.
Globe continues to lead the way in Sta. Rosa with its innovative customizable broadband.
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Watch
this YouTube animated video by Ericsson Multimedia about life in 2015
and the networked society. (Read more....)
History and culture of Santa Rosa City Laguna Philippines were lovingly revived with colorful displays and entertainments in the "My City My SM" event at SM City mall. (Read more:)
There's no live theater in Sta. Rosa yet, but the Insular Life Theater at nearby Alabang
features productions by the talented and popular drama group Theater Down South.
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WOMEN WHO WILL INSPIRE
THE WORLD IN 2011
Women from around the globe are making a big difference to the whole world
and taking lead roles in finding ways to make it a better place for everyone. Click here to read more and see videos
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Do you and/or your kids need to know the nutritional values of different foods and the necessity of a healthy balanced diet? Michelle Obama has launched...(Read more:)
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Nuvali - sustainable design for Evoliving
Less than an hour south of Makati, a new metropolis is evolving. Nuvali is Ayala Land and the Yulo family's vision of the sustainable future. Covering a total land area of 1,600 hectares, it will be developed at unprecedented scale and speed. Its evolution begins with the coming of three new residential communities. Getting there is a 50-minute drive from Makati thru Sta. Rosa Exit of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX). By the first half of 2008, a road will connect Nuvali directly to the Mamplasan Exit of the SLEX.
Nuvali is a metropolitan development project representing an evolution in Ayala Land's approach to master planning. It is the first large-scale development in the Philippines to be built on the principles of sustainable design:
Environmental Sustainability
* Water conservation systems built into core infrastructure
* Advanced waste management and recycling systems
* Road networks with dedicated bike lanes and walkways
* Privately managed eco-friendly mass transport systems
* Energy-efficient equipment and fixtures
Economic Sustainability
* Eco-friendly building features that lead to lower long-term operating costs, lower insurance costs, higher marketability and higher asset values
* Open, natural, and peaceful environment that yields greater productivity and better worker retention
* Diversity of opportunities to live, work and recreate
* Improved economic progress in the greater Laguna area
Social Sustainability
* Abundant public spaces, schools, museums, and park
* Workforce supported by local communities, who will benefit from training programs established by Nuvali
The first phase will have a retail center linked to the developments first business and technology campus. It will also have an iconic visitor's center, gathered around a four-hectare multi-functional lake. Nuvali’s first phase includes three residential communities: Abrio, Treveia, and Avida Settings. From its inception, Nuvali will be developed with one thing in mind: Evoliving, a way of life that promotes intelligent and systematic care for the environment, enriches the community, and values its people. Low-density residential neighborhoods are designed to promote a healthy social atmosphere without overcrowding. In line with Ayala Land's eco-friendly master plan for Nuvali, approximately 50 percent of the residential areas will be devoted to open spaces.
Solenad blends essential shopping with leisure and dining in a relaxing, al fresco, lakeside environment. The area is connected to the now operational Lakesize Evozone commercial area by dedicated pedestrian and bike lanes. The Lakeside Evozone is the refreshing campus-like commercial area of NUVALI. It creates a new space for offices and businesses to thrive in an environment of productivity and connectivity. Solenad sits at the entrance of the Lakeside Evozone area coming from the Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road, and is nestled next to a 4-hectare lake. Its accessible and picturesque location invites people to sit, sip and dine with family and friends. Solenad has also become a destination for the surrounding communities of Sta. Rosa, Calamba, Tagaytay and Manila.
Conti's, Italianni's and Domo Tomo are inviting to those seeking an alternative flavor in the area. Options for casual dining such as Yellow Cab enjoy a relaxing atmosphere. Bookworms can find a nice quiet spot in National Bookstore. Coffee aficionados find a sipping spot and a quiet space for conversation at Starbucks. Find your own spot within the intimate spaces of Solenad. On weekends, one can find time for bonding or discovery. Biking, boating, fish feeding are only some of the things one can enjoy in between a heavy meal or sips of coffee. And to start (or end ) the week right, regular Sunday masses are offered. Beyond the shopping, leisure and wellness destination, Solenad creates new avenues to embrace nature, nurture relationships and enjoy life.
Part of an approximately 150-hectare commercial hub dedicated to become the premier business district of Nuvali, the 46-hectare Lakeside Evozone provides perks to locators such as fiscal incentives for business establishments operating within the Lakeside Evozone. Incentives include income tax holiday, exemption from import and export tax, foreign exchange assistance and financial assistance for PEZA registered companies and industries. Nuvali's Lakeside Evozone was carefully conceptualized with well-thought out facilities and infrastructures such as telecom redundancy, central sewage treatment plant and underground utilities in a campus-type setting with generous open spaces, landscaped parks and side walks, parking areas with permeable blocks, and located near the lakeside shops and the transport terminal area.
LOT CLASSIFICATIONS
Premier
Lots facing a 25-meter wide road providing oppurtunity for excellent frontage and direct access from NUVALI Boulevard.
Premier Plus
Corner lots provide great vantage points, excellent frontage, and better access as it is bounded by a 25-meter wide road on one side, and a 15-meter wide road on the other.
Prime
Lots are nestled at the heart of the district. Facing away from the main road, it provides for more privacy yet is conveniently accessible through a 15-meter wide secondary road.
Prime Plus
This individual's lot is afforded a prime corner location directly accessible from NUVALI Boulevard and bounded by two access roads, yet provides unusual privacy.
Evo Lot
Evo lots are all frontage locations accessible through a 15-meter wide road, and beside a 10-meter wide buffer area.
Lakeside Evozone inquiries
Leasing of BPO Offices/Spaces: Ayala Land Businesscapes, (632) 841.5879
Lakeside Commercial Lots for Sale: Cel Hing, Ayala Land Premier, (632) 841.5536
Land Leases: Stephen Comia, NUVALI, (632) 841.5814
Three new residential communities make the promise of EVOLIVING possible for all.
ABRIO delivers an extraordinary level of privacy, exclusivity, and security to Ayala Land's top-tier clients, who place great value in the ability to live in a discreet environment where freedom of movement can be enjoyed without having to live behind high walls. Abrio's roads are designed to conceal homes from street view, and its main road will have a right-of-way nearly as wide as the carriageway of Ayala Avenue. The property's size is limited to only 380 lots, and its building density will only be half that of comparable premium neighborhoods. Security and resource-management systems will employ the latest technology, such as infrared fencing and rainwater harvesting, to ensure an unrestricted yet environmentally responsible lifestyle.
TREVEIA introduces a lifestyle that warmly nurtures close family and community ties in a healthy, upscale and eco-friendly environment. Almost half of its 60-hectare land area is dedicated to tree-shaded open spaces and parks, with an extensive array of beautiful-designed and innovative modern amenities. The development is neatly organized into several small neighborhood clusters, and grouped into four distinct themes after the natural elements of water, wood, earth and wind, each one creating interesting opportunities for community activities. At the center of it all is a 2.5-hectare grand central park with an impressive clubhouse and expansive outdoor area that cater to different peer and individual activities for all ages. Treveia definitely presents plenty regain quality time with the people who matter the most.
AVIDA SETTINGS is an affordable, environment-friendly community designed with the Mother Nature at its center. It offers well-planned community amenities and facilities that allow more time for family bonding activities. The house and lot offerings of this neighborhood create many firsts for Avida's residential developments. Consistent with the overall NUVALI master plan, 45% of the property has been allotted to open space, which means wider roads and more areas for families to play and relax outdoors. House designs are also more modern and contemporary. Three neighborhood patters will be available to choose from: the standard block, the courtyard, and a new concept called green ribbons. The green ribbon layout is an exclusive feature of the development. Here, one can have immediate access to open space surrounding the house, creating mini-gardens, which are easily accessible and visible from homes.
The above photos, graphic, and text are from the developers of Nuvali, Ayala Land Inc.
To find out more please visit their official website: Nuvali Evoliving
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Support the stand of Wikipedia, US President Obama, Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Boing Boing, Reddit, Flickr, Cheezburger network, and others against the draconian bid by computer-illiterate American lawmakers to destroy the international freedom of the internet. Voting on the offensive proposed bills has now been postponed pending further consultation, but to combat the continuous lobbying and bribing of congressmen and senators by lawless corporations we will need to maintain our global pressure. To find out more and to stay updated on this issue just click anywhere on the above graphic. See also Angel Tugado's comments on our Opinion page.
If you are an American citizen, even if you are traveling outside the country on business or vacation and even if you are currently living overseas, you can help immediately by signing Google's petition to the US Congress. Please note the great urgency. Time is of the essence, because voting starts January 24, 2012.
Forget the negative attitudes of stick-in-the-mud critics and do a Google search to see the creativity of Filipinos who have posted on the internet their own versions of DOT's inspiring
new tourism slogan. Who cares what the Swiss did in 1951? They didn't invent the English
language and they didn't coin the "it's more fun" phrase. Positive-thinking Filipinos like the
new slogan and are having lots of fun proving the truth in it. DOT deserves congratulations!
(See Angel Tugado's comments on our Opinion page.
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See our Home Page to find out how the new "I Am Involved" SM Eco Bag helps to conserve Philippine forests
Treveia is Alveo Land's maiden project in Nuvali.
It is a 60-hectare development located in Canlubang,
Calamba, Laguna, centrally located within Nuvali,
Ayala Land's newest and biggest township development
for the 21st century, offering modern urban conveniences
to be readily available for its residents.
Nuvali
Less than an hour south from
Metro Manila is Nuvali, Ayala Land's vision of a new,
fully-sustainable metropolis of the future. Nuvali
represents the evolution in Ayala Land's approach
to master-planning and is the first large-scale development
in the Philippines to be built in the principles of
sustainable design.
Treveia
Alveo Land Corp. sets its
mark in Nuvali with Treveia, a residential haven that
introduces a lifestyle that warmly nurtures close
family and community ties in a healthy, upscale and
eco-friendly environment.
Modern
and Eco-friendly
Treveia offers modern conveniences
which are readily available for its residents. Eco-friendly,
tech-ready and cutting edge amenities in Treveia will
revolutionize contemporary living. Eco-Friendly In-line
with Nuvali's sustainability campaign, Treveia is
designed to be an eco-friendly living environment
with sustainable elements infused in the design. Living
an eco-friendly lifestyle will be easy, if not effortless
for Treveia's residents through forward planning of
community facilities, utilities and educational programs.
Family
and Community Nurturing
Treveia will foster relationships
within the community. Treveia's extensive and innovative
open spaces will give residents a venue to nurture
the bond between family and neighbors. Highlighted
by its 2.5 hectare grand central park and nature-
themed pocket parks, Treveia will provide much needed
space for community building among its residents.
Available
for sale:
Phase
1
Size of Lot: 239-576 sqm
Price Range: 2.6-4m
Phase
2
Size of Lot: 250-400 sqm
Price Range: 2.6-5m
For more information and site
viewing call: ADZNA MALLI
0917.523.9626 / 0939.363.5225 or
email: adznamalli@gmail.com.
VERDANA
HOMES MAMPLASAN
In Bi?an, Laguna, just outside the stress and pollution
of the city, Verdana Homes Mamplasan offers houses
and lots that are perfect for those who want to combine
the warmth and traditions of suburban living with
modern-day facilities and amenities. With clustered
units to keep the neighborhood intimate, as well as
wide open spaces and recreational amenities for everyone
to enjoy, this sprawling 42-hectare subdivision is
designed to foster ideal family living.
Family
focused and neighborly
Verdana is a walkable, intimate
community primarily offering ideally sized residential
lots with an average size of 200sqm. Its unique sub-cluster
concept allows residents to get to know their neighbors
easily and enjoy the lush greeneries in the parks
near each cluster. The Asian-Balinese theme accentuates
this 42-hectare masterplanned development with a total
of 804 lots. With its top-of-the-line security features,
wide array of amenities, and accessibility, Verdana
is the ideal community where it's easy to become a
family.
Close
to all your family needs
By virtue of its location,
Verdana connects its residents to an extensive roster
of dining options, leisure and recreation destinations,
as well as prestigious educational institutions in
the South. Located in Binan, Laguna which is only
15minutes away from Alabang Town Center and an easy
drive to Paseo de Sta. Rosa. It's proximity to reputable
schools such as Brent International School, St. Scholastica's
College - Westgrove, Ateneo Graduate School and De
La Salle University - Canlubang.
Convenient
for work and leisure
With a scenic drive away
from vacation hotspots like Tagaytay, Batangas, Cavite
and Laguna. Easy access to Nuvali and its rising metropolitan
area creating possibilities for shorter commutes to
work, larger venues for interaction, and a more vibrant
community.
Available
for sale:
Phases
1 and 2
Size of Lot: 181-499 sqm
Price Range: 2-6m
For more information and site
viewing call: ADZNA MALLI
0917.523.9626 / 0939.363.5225
or email: adznamalli@gmail.com.
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Forget the negative attitudes of stick-in-the-mud critics and do a Google search to see the creativity of Filipinos who have posted on the internet their own versions of DOT's inspiring
new tourism slogan. Who cares what the Swiss did in 1951? They didn't invent the English
language and they didn't coin the "it's more fun" phrase. Positive-thinking Filipinos like the
new slogan and are having lots of fun proving the truth in it. DOT deserves congratulations!
(See Angel Tugado's comments on our Opinion page.
