Santa Rosa City Laguna Philippines - attracting investors from all over Asia and the world.
Come meet your
favorite super heroes and mega robots brought to life by SM City Santa Rosa in the thrilling "Toy Fusion" event, happening every day January 6-15, 2012 at the Activity Grounds near SM Supermarket!
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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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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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CONGRATULATIONS TO GWENDOLINE RUAIS FROM MUNTINLUPA!
Her second place at the Miss World beauty pageant in London has only ever been achieved
once before by a Filipina. Read the story
and see more photos on our Opinion
page.
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BEWARE!!! BEWARE!!!
"FUN TOUR" PROMOS
OF CEBU PACIFIC AIR
CEBU PACIFIC'S ONLINE CHEAP FLIGHT PROMOS ARE GENERALLY FINE BUT IF YOU BOOK A "FUN TOUR" PACKAGE TO INCLUDE A HOTEL STAY, YOUR TRIP CAN BECOME A NIGHTMARE.
Some friends of mine booked a 5 day 4 night "Fun Tour" with Cebu Pacific and paid in full online 3 months in advance including the 4 night stay at a hotel chosen from the recommended list on the Cebu Pacific website.
Before their trip, on searching for the hotel's website to print out a location map, they discovered to their astonishment that the hotel had closed down almost 2 weeks previously, yet no word of this had been communicated to them by Cebu Pacific.
Then came the serious problem with CP's online bookings: contacting anyone about them is almost impossible. Their website gives no email address. Just "Hotline" telephone numbers in Manila and Cebu that are permanently busy.
My friends spent nearly a whole day repeatedly dialling before at last getting through. But these "Hotlines" are not to Cebu Pacific. They are to a Call Center with the function of filtering, taking notes, and passing queries to a supervisor who decides whether or not to pass them on to Cebu Pacific. It's a slow, laborious, frustrating, inconvenient, costly (you're paying for phone call) process.
In this case my friends' message was considered serious enough to pass on, and some hours later they received a call from Cebu Pacific saying they had contacted the destination hotel which informed them it had only been closed for a single day and there was no problem with it.
My friends questioned this because it contradicted the notice on the hotel's own official website, and were asked to hold while Cebu Pacific double-checked. The caller, who gave no name or direct line for future contact, returned to say the hotel had confirmed it was open and there would be no problem. "Just go there." So they did.
"Fun Tour" was Nightmare Trip for vacationers who booked Cebu Pacific online promo.
Upon late night arrival at the destination airport and clearance through immigration and customs, they encountered another regular difficulty with "Fun Tour" promos. No transportation to hotel is included. After trying unsuccessfully to find a bus going in the right direction, they were finally forced to take a taxi, which cost them as much as a night at the hotel, which they reached at about 2am.
When they got there, the door was open but the reception desk was unattended. Calling out and knocking on the counter a few times eventually resulted in the appearance of someone clearly irritated at being disturbed. She looked at the reservation details on the Cebu Pacific e-ticket, brought a man out from inside and told my friends to follow him.
The man, whose manner was equally disinterested and offhand, made no attempt to help carry their baggage and walked out of the hotel into the street, where it had started to rain. Carrying their own baggage and struggling to keep up, my friends followed him in the rain through narrow dimly lit streets, then up some stairs, through an empty building, down the stairs on the other side and further along another dark and wet street to end up at a different hotel.
This hotel was part of the same group of budget hotels, but it was not the one my friends had chosen and did not provide the same room facilities. The hotel receptionist was aggressively rude on being questioned about the one they had booked, confirming that it had permanently closed and adding that if my friends did not like this one they could get out and go somewhere else.
They pointed out that they had paid for 4 nights in advance, had already lost half of the first night, and asked if they could get their money back. The receptionist replied that they had paid the owner, not him, and there would be no refund if they did not stay there. He then demanded a substantial deposit for the room key, although no such deposit was mentioned on the Cebu Pacific website.
The Cebu Pacific e-ticket shows 4 nights' stay with checkout on Friday September 30.
By then it was too late and my friends were too tired to search for another hotel, and without refund they did not have enough spare cash to pay another hotel for the same 4 nights they had already paid Cebu Pacific for. Reluctantly they paid the room key deposit and stayed there 4 nights.
On the positive side, next morning their included American breakfast was fine, and the hotel's eatery staff were efficient and friendly. When they wandered out to walk around, they found that the location was in a tourist area largely frequented by backpackers so there was plenty of cheap transportation for sightseeing and a pickup point nearby for the airport shuttle bus.
However, my friends' "Fun Tour" package vacation nightmare was by no means over. The worst part was yet to come...
- Edu Garcia (Story of Cebu Pacific customers' ongoing nightmare to be continued.)
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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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L to R: 1st Runner Up (Lithuania), Winner Danica (Philippines), 2nd Runner Up (Poland)
CONGRATULATIONS TO FILIPINA DANICA FLORES MAGPANTAY ON WINNING THE TITLE OF FORD "SUPERMODEL OF THE WORLD" 2011!
Danica Magpantay, a 17 year old Fine Arts student at the University of the Philippines, won the title Ford Supermodel of the World 2011 at the annual contest held in New York, beating contestants from over 50 countries and thereby gaining a $250,000 modeling contract. At 5'9" and 109 lbs, Danica has the perfect physique for a career on the international catwalk. She trains hard to keep in shape and her ambition is to be a top model for Victoria's Secret.
Another deserved worldwide success for another beautiful Filipina!
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CONGRATULATIONS ALSO TO
LI NA - FIRST ASIAN TO REACH A GRAND SLAM TENNIS FINAL
The very popular Chinese tennis player Li Na defeated former world and Olympic champion Venus Williams to reach the 2011 Australian Open Women's Final at the Rod Laver Arena
in Melbourne. Every year this is the first of the four top tournaments in professional tennis, dubbed Grand Slams. The other three are the French Open (Paris), Wimbledon (London)
and the US Open (New York). Although beaten in the final by Kim Clijsters of Belgium, Li was thrilled at her own achievement as the first Asian to be there and delightedly wished all the international tennis fans who packed the impressive arena a Happy Chinese New Year.
Li Na is always happy, always smiling, and always popular with tennis fans!
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WOMEN INSPIRING
THE WORLD
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 the videos
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PEOPLE AND NATIONS CHANGE FASTER THAN SCIENCE FICTION WRITERS EVER PREDICTED
We all know that airplanes, submarines, space travel, cell phones, holograms, transplants, cloning, foods in tablet form and many other things were described in science fiction long before they became reality. Even present day security cameras and television's Big Brother show were spawned by the SF novel "1984" written by George Orwell and first published in 1949. New ideas and discoveries are now communicated so widely and rapidly in what is often dubbed the Information Age that scientific developments are overtaking fiction in the current real-life race to create a modern real-world utopian society. Click here to read more and see the videos
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VIDEO GAMES ARE GOOD FOR YOU (AND FOR OUR PLANET'S PROGRESS)
Far from their earlier image of fantasies that wasted kids' time and money,
video games are now acknowledged as a powerful force for improving the
real world we live in. Here's a selection of innovative thinkers and
doers who will open your minds to amazing new possibilities. Click here to read more and see the videos
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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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International Travel
LOOK WHERE KARTING LED DAVID COULTHARD
Raymond Medina enthuses on a distinguished career that began with a go-kart
DAVID COULTHARD was always one of the nicest guys in Formula 1. He learned his basic driving skills in karting, and later came third overall in the F1 world championships of 1997, 1998 and 2000. Then in 2001 he came second overall to Michael Schumacher.
David Coulthard flies over Abu Dhabi in a 2-seater piloted by Red Bull's Sergio Pla.
Now team consultant for Red Bull's astonishingly successful F1 racing team, David was in Abu Dhabi for the United Arab Emirates' first ever grand prix. The two Red Bull cars driven by Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, both also graduates of karting, came first and second in this exciting race held at the spectacular new Yas Marina circuit.
While in Abu Dhabi, he met up with some of the pilots from the Red Bull Air Race series, whose reigning champion is Paul Bonhomme. Below is the Red Bull Air Race World Championship table:
1. Paul Bonhomme (Britain), 67 points. 2. Hannes Arch (Austria), 60 points 3. Matt Hall (Australia), 36 points 4. Kirby Chambliss (USA) 34 points 5. Nicolas Ivanoff (France), 33 points 6. Nigel Lamb (Britain), 32 points 7. Mike Mangold (USA), 31 points 8. Peter Besenyei (Hungary), 24 points 9. Matthias Dolderer (Germany), 23 points 10. Michael Goulian (USA), 22 points 11. Sergey Rakhmanin (Russia), 17 points 12. Alejandro Maclean (Spain), 16 points 13. Yoshi Muroya (Japan), 9 points 14. Glen Dell (South Africa), 3 points 15. Pete McLeod (Canada), 1 point
Red Bull Air Race World Champion Paul Bonhomme
As well as being there in his capacity of Red Bull team consultant, David Coulthard also commentated for the BBC on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. What a great ambassador he is for motorsports, and what a credit he is to karting, where his career began.
Filipinos can now practice karting affordably at the SouthKarting Raceway in Carmona, just outside Santa Rosa City. It's fun and it's safe, so could you develop the skills to become a professional race driver? One day in the future we hope to have a Filipino driver beating the rest of the world in Formula 1. If you have the talent, the single-minded dedication, and the work ethic for motorsports that Manny Pacquiao has for boxing, there's nothing to stop you from achieving similar heights in car racing.
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HONG KONG'S AWESOME SYMPHONY OF LIGHTS
Next time you feel like a short vacation, take a trip to Hong Kong.
Al Collins outlines a few of its many attractions.
Staged every night at 8pm over Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, it showcases the vibrancy and glamorous night vista of Victoria Harbor with interactive lights and music involving 44 key buildings. Not surprisingly the show is officially recognized by Guinness World records as the world's "Largest Permanent Light and Sound Show".
There are 5 major themes, taking spectators on a unique journey celebrating the energy, spirit and diversity of Hong Kong:
The first scene "Awakening" begins with flashes of laser lights that give life to a nucleus of light-energy which gradually illuminates participating buildings using an array of dancing lights and rainbow colors. This scene symbolizes the genesis and powerful growth of Hong Kong.
The second scene "Energy" is represented by the display of rising color patterns and the sweeping of the lasers and searchlights energetically across the night sky, signifying the vibrant energy of Hong Kong.
In the third scene "Heritage", traditional lucky red and gold colours are displayed across buildings on both sides of the Harbor, complemented by the introduction of music using Chinese musical instruments, symbolizing Hong Kong's colourful heritage and rich cultural traditions.
The fourth scene "Partnership" features a display of laser beams and sweeping searchlights scanning across the Harbor, representing an illuminated connection with the opposite side. Beams reach out to symbolically connect the two sides of the Harbor into one greater and unified partnership.
The finale "Celebration" brings out a powerful rhythmic display of swirling, kaleidoscopic patterns of lights and beams dancing across the Harbour. The exciting final scene signifies the celebration of the close partnership between the two sides of the Harbor and represents an even brighter future for what is known as Asia's "World City".
The best viewing locations are along the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront between the Avenue of Stars and the Kong Kong Cultural Centre, the promenade at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai, or from sightseeing ferries in the Victoria Harbor.
Music and narration of this show is broadcast every night along the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront between the Avenue of Stars and the Kong Kong Cultural Centre, and the promenade at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai. Broadcast of the soundtrack is in different languages: English on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; Putonghua on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; and Cantonese on Sunday.
Spectators can also listen to the music and narration at the harborfront area by tuning to FM 103.4 MHz (English), FM 106.8 MHz (Cantonese) or FM 107.9 MHz (Putonghua). They can also listen to the same soundtrack via their cell phones by dialing 35-665-665 (English) or 35-665-668 (Putonghua). Usual service charges apply.
Special occasions bring even more spectacular pyrotechnic displays. Dates of these enhanced shows are announced nearer the times.
OTHER PLACES TO VISIT IN HONG KONG
There's a lot more to see and do in Hong Kong. Here is a small selection to while away the time between eating and shopping, shopping and eating, and shopping and shopping.
Two of the most popular attractions are Hong Kong Disneyland (above) divided into 4 "Lands" including "Main Street USA", and Ocean Park (below) which has the famous Giant Panda Habitat, a dolphin breeding center, and a 20-storey free fall ride.
The picture below shows Peak Tower, at the highest point of Hong Kong Island, with its magnificent panoramic views and superb choice of shopping, dining and entertainment.
Just nearby to Victoria Harbor the Avenue Of Stars is shown below. This celebrates Hong Kong's highly successful movie industry and is very closely modeled after Hollywood's Walk Of Fame.
For those who like contact sports The Hong Kong Rugby Sevens has developed into a major annual event, and the sport itself is due to be added to the 2016 Olympics. If you think it might always be dominated by the sporting firepower of big countries, think again: the most wins of this event have been achieved by the Pacific island of Fiji. The Hong Kong Sevens take place in March or April every year at the Hong Kong Stadium, sponsored by Cathay Pacific Airways and Credit Suisse.
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Wouldn't it be great for the Philippines if it would stage a major international sports event in the not too distant future?
Asian
news and photos for Santa
Rosa Magazine are always welcomed. See Contact
Usfor how to get in touch.
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Globe continues to lead the way in Sta. Rosa with its innovative customizable broadband.
We highly recommend that you visit the official City Government Website frequently.
