Express It At The Park Christmas Party 2012

Tacloban City, Philippines-Mayor Alfred Romualdez and his wife Councilor Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez were the gracious hosts during the Express It At The Park Christmas party at Patio Victoria, in San Jose, Tacloban last December 20. Also gracing …

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Express It At The Park Christmas Party 2012

Southern Leyte named as best DILG provincial office of 2012

Tacloban City – DILG-Southern Leyte romped away with the major awards in the recent Yearend Evaluation of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG-08) held at the Tacloban City Convention Center on December 14, 2012. Southern …

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Southern Leyte named as best DILG provincial office of 2012

City hit for unfulfilled promises

VICE Mayor Arvin Antoni, in a press briefing, said none of the promises of the administration of Mayor Alfred Romualdez has been realized since Tacloban became a highly urbanized city (HUC) on December 18, 2008. He said that during the HUChood …

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City hit for unfulfilled promises

Tacloban celebrates 4th year as highly urbanized city

The entire City Government of Tacloban led by its mayor Alfred Romualdez and wife Councilor Cristina G. Romualdez together with the city stakeholders will be rendering free consultation and medical services to Taclobanons during the Grand Barangayan at …

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Tacloban celebrates 4th year as highly urbanized city

On the Spot: What makes a hotel green?

Question: Can I be a greener hotel guest?

Answer: You can and you should. But, as Kermit the Frog noted, it's not easy being green.

The May 6 "On the Spot" column focused on behaviors of hotel guests that are wasteful and harmful to the environment. But, we should note, it's also up to the hotel to practice what the green gods preach. The question for those of us who are environmental novices — and I am one — is what is a best practice? I'd love to know if housekeeping is using environmentally sound products, but I don't have the expertise to assess that. Instead, experts made these suggestions:

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TACLOBAN CITY -- Transport between this city and Eastern Samar has been disrupted with the collapsed portion of a bridge due to heavy rain, an official said yesterday.

The Quinapondan Bridge that links to Samar South Coastal Road, which is under rehabilitation, is intact but the approach was closed to traffic, said Ricardo D. Odita, Public Works-Eastern Samar district engineer.
"The scouring was triggered by heavy rainfall and passing of trucks weighing more than the 10-ton load limit set while the bridge is still under retrofitting," Mr. Odita said in a phone interview.

"We are helpless in curbing violations since heavy equipment pass the bridge at midnight," he added.

With the collapse of the bridge approach, motorists will have to use the road connecting Paranas, Samar and Taft, Eastern Samar as an alternate route from Tacloban City to Borongan and other Eastern Samar towns.

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Pintados-Kasadyaan Foundation gets ready for the Sto. Niño fiesta celebration

TACLOBAN CITY, May 7 (PIA) — Preparations are underway for the forthcoming Leyte fiesta celebration on June 30, highlighting the festival of festivals in honor of Sr. Sto. Niño, the Patron Saint.

During the meeting attended by heads and representatives from government and socio-civic organizations, held recently at the SMED Center this city, list of different activities together with the corresponding month-long daily schedule were presented as the working guide for the different committees organized.

Among the group’s plans for this year’s activities is the street dancing and playground exhibition depicting the different festivals, which will be participated in by contingents from the municipalities of Leyte such as Abuyog, Tanauan, Alang-alang, Dulag, Palo, Sta. Fe, and Carigara, among others.

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Underwater hotel plans take shape.

Drydocks World signed an MoU with BIG InvestConsult, the representative of Deep Ocean Technology the Polish owner behind the unique technology and concept of Water Discus Hotel that envisages an ultimate leisure facility with a structure that is partly above water and the rest underneath – a residential Underwater Discus with an Above Water Discus.

The MoU was signed during the Annual Investment Meeting held at the Dubai International Convention Center under the aegis of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade.

Deep Ocean Technology holds special exclusivity rights for the customers and facilities located in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

According to the MoU, Drydocks and Maritime World is appointed as the exclusive main contractor for construction of the new concept hotels and cities floating in the Middle East.

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Hottest day: Residents in Manila swelter in 36.6C heat

 Star I9220(n9000)5.0 Unlocked Smartphone N8000 5 Inch Screen Android 4.0 Smart Phone Dual SIM Mtk6575 1ghz 3g Tv GPS HTC A9192 Inspire 4G Unlocked Phone with Android OS, 3G Support, 8 MP Camera, Wi-Fi, and GPS--(Black) Mooning Garden Gnome 5:00 Somewhere Tropical Party Gnome Garden Statue THE Garden Gnome 10 Gifts & Decor Slumbering Gnome Garden Statue

Metro Manila and most of Luzon might be wilting under an unforgiving summer sun, but Eastern Visayas is finding sweet relief in occasional rainshowers that have tempered the heat of recent days.

As Manila sweltered at 36.6 degrees Celsius Monday-the highest this year so far-Tacloban City experienced intermittent rains the whole day Monday.

The rains were a welcome respite for residents of Tacloban whose hottest day was recorded at 32.5 degrees Celsius on April 15, with average humidity level at 31.8 degrees Celsius.

The local Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) office said that for the next three to four days, Tacloban could experience more rains due to the low pressure area spotted north northwest of General Santos City.

Other areas in Eastern Visayas also experienced scattered rainshowers, said a staff member of the local Pagasa office who did not want to be named.

The highest temperature reading in Metro Manila this year was taken around 2 p.m. Monday at Pagasa Science Garden in Quezon City, prompting the weather bureau to warn residents against heat stroke and exhaustion.

The previous maximum temperature reading in Metro Manila for 2012 was 36.4 degrees Celsius, which was recorded last Friday.

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What the hotel rankings really mean

Ever wonder why the same hotel gets four stars from one website and three stars from another? What's the difference between a bed-and-breakfast and an inn? What exactly is a boutique hotel, and what do you get when you stay at a resort?

Here's a primer on hotel rating systems, categories and definitions.

Bed-and-breakfast: An owner-occupied property with no more than 10 or 15 guest rooms, plus common areas. Breakfast is included in room rates.

Inn: Usually an independently owned property with more than 10 rooms but fewer than 50; often the owner lives on-site. Some inns include dinner and breakfast in room rates; some have full-service restaurants open to the public.

Boutique hotel: Characterized by unique, stylish or even quirky décor and interior design, offering a stark alternative in appearance and experience to chain brands where furnishings may be identical in every location. Boutique hotels were originally independently owned, but today there are boutique hotel chains, such as Kimpton hotels and Starwood's Ws. Marriott is launching a boutique brand called Edition.

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Carnal Cartagena blase about sex scandal

CARTAGENA, Colombia –  Days after U.S. Secret Service agents were sent home over allegations of hard-partying and bringing prostitutes to their hotel, the mayor of this Caribbean city was wondering what all the fuss was all about.

After all, prostitution is legal in Colombia, and it's a big draw of this steamy Caribbean port where sex is as easy to buy as a bottle of beer.

"It doesn't bother people at all," Mayor Campo Elias said Tuesday, echoing many of his constituents. "First, because adults were involved and, second, because here, it's normal."

To find a prostitute, guests at the hotel where the Secret Service agents stayed ahead of President Barack Obama's recent visit need only step out to the beach. There, scrappy men peddle everything from shrimp cocktails to sex workers.

"I think prostitution is part of the city's culture. That is, a tourist comes to Cartagena and it's part of his plan to look for company," said Gerardo Javier May, a security industry executive.

In Washington Tuesday, Secret Service officials began briefing U.S. Congress members over allegations that agents took prostitutes to their hotel before the Summit of Americas attended last weekend by Obama.

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A look at the Secret Service sex scandal hotel

The U.S. Secret Service's embarrassing sex scandal that unfolded in the last few days in Cartagena, Colombia, took place in an historic, high-end hotel that's considered a national treasure by the Colombian government.

Located on a Caribbean beach, it's also known for catering to families.

The scandal, according to the Associated Press, involves charges that some Secret Service agents brought alleged prostitutes to their hotel rooms.

The image of partying agents flies in the face of the image that they typically portray.

On Saturday, the agency placed 11 agents on leave and brought in new agents in advance of President Obama's visit while an investigation takes place, the AP says.

USA TODAY ASKS: Ever had a hard time getting a hotel refund?
USA TODAY ASKS: What do you expect from a hotel's Twitter, Facebook feed?

House Homeland Security Chairman Rep. Peter King told ABC News how he thinks the situation became publicly known:

"My understanding is that 11 secret service agents did bring women to their room and there was a dispute the next morning when one of the women did not leave there room," King said. "One did not leave, police came and she refused to leave until she was paid for her services. So that is what started all this."

For more info, ABC News posted this most recent story.

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Robinsons Land to open 3 new malls, expand 2 others

MANILA, Philippines - Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) the property development arm of tycoon John Gokongwei’s flagship firm JG Summit Holdings Inc., will open three new malls and expand two existing ones to boost its steadily growing chain of commercial centers.

In March, RLC opened its first full service mall in Calasiao, Pangasinan. The company is slated to open Robinsons Place Palawan in May and Robinsons Magnolia in July.

RLC recently completed two mall expansion projects in Tacloban and Bacolod.

Together with the two expansion projects, RLC’s gross leasable area will reach 917,000 square meters at end-September this year. In 2013, RLC will add another 100,000 sqm of GLA with four new malls and one expansion, all of which will be outside Metro Manila.

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Going to the Dogs: Pet-Friendly Hotels Raise the Welcome Sign

With money to spend and time to fill, empty nesters Roy and Mary-Ann Ramsey travel the world with their canine "child," Zahra. The travel agency owners, both over 55, take their black British Labrador on at least three trips a year and are serious about ensuring Zahra enjoys them just as much as they do.

Kimpton's hosPETality on offer.

Luxury hotel groups such as Fairmont and Kimpton, and properties such as the DoubleTree by Hilton Asheville-Biltmore, are taking notice of travelers like the Ramseys and offering pet-related amenities to gain their business.

Recession or no, the pet industry is booming. It has enjoyed� average growth of 5% for the past five years and is estimated to hit $53 billion this year, according to the American Pet Products Association. In its 2011-12 Pet Owners Survey, the group reported that 10.6 million dog owners had taken their pet on a trip within the previous month. In addition, 23% of owners are willing to travel with their dog for more than two nights, compared with 21% in 2008 and 19% in 2006.

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Hotel’s Free Wi-Fi Comes With Hidden Extras

Justin Watt, a Web engineer, was browsing the Web in his room at theCourtyard Marriott in Midtown Manhattan this week when he saw something strange. On his personal blog, a mysterious gap was appearing at the top of the page.

After some sleuthing, Mr. Watt, who has a background in developing Web advertising tools, realized that the quirk was not confined to his site. The hotel’s Internet service was secretly injecting lines of code into every page he visited, code that could allow it to insert ads into any Web page without the knowledge of the site visitor or the page’s creator. (He did not actually see any such ads.)

Mr. Watt posted about the discovery on his blog, and that soon spawned a conversation on Hacker News, a discussion site for tech topics, about the ethics of this technique. One commenter described it as “icky,” and another asked, “Why aren’t they putting ads in my pillow?”

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Magnitude-4.5 quake jolts Eastern Visayas, another quake hits Negros

A magnitude-4.5 quake jolted the Eastern Samar area in Eastern Visayas before dawn Friday, with the quake felt as "moderately strong" in some areas.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the quake was tectonic in origin and was recorded at 4:29 a.m.

In its bulletin, Phivolcs said the quake's epicenter was 65 km northeast of Tacloban City.

Phivolcs said the quake was felt at:

- Intensity IV: Llorente, Eastern Samar; Borongan, Eastern Samar
- Intensity III: Tacloban City; Mercedes, Taft, Oras, Sulat, Eastern Samar; Palo, Tolosa, Dulag, Leyte
- Intensity II: San Policarpio, Eastern Samar; Leyte, Leyte

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Starwood Hotels to Open Its First Dual-Branded Ski Resort Complex in China

STAMFORD, Conn., Apr 04, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. HOT -0.91%today announced it will open its first dual-branded ski resort complex in Changbaishan, China later this year. The Westin Changbaishan and Sheraton Changbaishan Resort will open in August 2012, adjacent to the slopes of Changbai Mountains, one of China’s leading ski areas. The highly anticipated resort complex will lengthen Starwood’s lead as the largest international luxury and upper upscale hotel operator in China.

“We look forward to introducing both Westin and Sheraton to Changbai Mountains with this spectacular, new ski resort complex where guests will enjoy world-class amenities set against the backdrop of one of China’s most visually stunning mountain ranges,” said Stephen Ho, Starwood’s Senior Vice President of Development for Asia Pacific. “China is both our fastest growing global market and our richest source of loyal travelers, and we expect that this dual-branded Starwood resort development will resonate with Chinese travelers who stick with the brands they know and love.”

The Westin and Sheraton resort complex is close to Yingfu Expressway and just six miles to Changbaishan Airport (NBS). Known for its breathtaking natural beauty, the Changbai mountain range extends through several countries and is home to 200 animal and bird species. Guests will enjoy downhill on trails surrounded by unspoiled pine forests, as well as ice skating and ice fishing.

The world-famous Changbai Mountains are known as one of the most beautiful areas in China. Endowed with rich natural resources and amazing scenery, the more than 494,000 acre nature reserve has been established to protect the Changbai Mountains’ natural environment and eco-system.

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The Hilton Minneapolis/Bloomington Hotel Receives 2011 Hilton Brand Award of Excellence Honored by Hilton Hotels & Resorts for top quality standards

MILWAUKEE, Apr 03, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Marcus® Hotels & Resorts, a division of The Marcus CorporationMCS -3.47% , today announced that the Hilton Minneapolis/Bloomington hotel in Bloomington, Minn. has been recognized by Hilton Hotels & Resorts as a 2011 Hilton Brand Award of Excellence recipient. The Hilton Minneapolis/Bloomington was one out of only nine Hilton properties recognized in the Americas for this award, out of 293 Hilton Branded hotels. The property is owned by W.P. Carey & Co. LLC and managed by Marcus Hotels & Resorts.

Tweet this: @Hilton494France Recognized as @HiltonOnline 2011 Brand Award of Excellence Recipient http:/bit.ly/GRQtTm

“It is an honor to receive this extraordinary award from Hilton Hotels & Resorts,” said Gary Gentile, senior vice president of operations at Marcus Hotels & Resorts. “We are pleased that travelers appreciate the high level of operational excellence our teams strive for every day. We are proud to have earned this recognition and look forward to continuing to deliver exceptional service to our guests.”

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London Olympics: Luxury Hotels Boast Rooms, At A Price (PHOTOS)

LONDON -- Coming for the Olympics with money to spend? Then there's still time to ensure you can take tea at The Ritz, drink at the Savoy's American bar, or sleep in an Art Deco room at Claridge's.

Most of London's most exclusive hotels have been booked for the Olympics, snapped up by Olympic officials or companies block-booking rooms for favored customers, but there are still amazing places to stay.

That is, if you can afford the bill.

"You can still get some rooms in certain periods of the games, although we expect to be fully booked soon," said Simon Negger, spokesman for the Maybourne Hotel Group that owns three of London's most iconic hotels: Claridge's, The Connaught and The Berkeley.

London's hotels are walking on their own balance beam this Olympic year, trying to maximize revenues during the July 27-Aug. 12 event while not alienating loyal customers and still fulfilling obligations to Olympic organizers, who asked all hotels to hand over some rooms to house Olympic officials, athletes and delegates during the London Games.

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LTO implements DOTC’s “Ligtas Oplan Cuaresma 2012”

TACLOBAN CITY Leyte, Apr. 1 (PIA) -- Land Transportation Office (LTO) Region 8 Director Camilo Guarin said recently that the “Ligtas Oplan Cuaresma 2012” will again be implemented in Eastern Visayas, from April 2 to 10. 

This is pursuant to the DOTC Memorandum directing for a nationwide implementation of “Ligtas Oplan Cuaresma 2012” to assist the travelling men, women and children, Director Guarin said. 

Guarin said he has directed all the heads of LTO districts and extension offices all over Eastern Visayas to set up DOTC-LTO Help Desks in various transport terminals in their respective areas of jurisdiction. 

Moreover, the LTO Regional Director called for the deployment of Field Enforcement Team to extend assistance and services to the general riding public to ensure their safety and welfare. 


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Laura Ashley to open boutique hotel

The fashion firm Laura Ashley - famous for its flowery decor - unveiled plans to open a boutique hotel in the United Kingdom's Hertfordshire, according to The Guardian.

The paper says Laura Ashley bought the hotel (actual address still unknown) for around $9.2 million (£5.8 million) as a unique way to showcase its home accessories, furniture and decorations.

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Hotel lobbies go digital

Welcome to the iHotel, where you can check in — but there's no check-in counter.

At the Andaz West Hollywood, a host stands near the entrance to register guests on an iPad tablet.

The 239-room boutique hotel — which also features free Wi-Fi and communal tables designed for laptop use in the lobby — is just one of many hotels that have adapted their reception areas to be a better fit for the digital-savvy guest.

Because working alone in a hotel room seems as antiquated to young business travelers as typewriters, these hotels are going for a Wi-Fi coffee-shop atmosphere in their lobbies.

At the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort in Indian Wells, electrical outlets have been installed on the surface of the lobby bar so guests can power their laptops and mobile devices 24 hours a day.

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Saving energy pledge preludes Earth Hour event

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, March 28 (PIA) -- Around 300 people participated in a pledge to save energy and save the environment at the Oriental Hotel, MacArthur Park, Leyte, Tuesday as a prelude to the observance of Earth Hour. 

The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Regional Office Region 8 partners with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Department of Energy (DOE) gathering participants from government agencies, schools, business establishments, the army, media, and non-government organizations to commit themselves to save energy. 

Led by a student of Tanauan, Leyte high school, the 300 participants pledged to "save energy everyday." 

The pledge culminated the half-day Seminar on Electricity Conservation in Households and Schools. 

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Heavy rains flood Tacloban

TACLOBAN CITY Leyte, March 28 (PIA) -- The continuous downpour on March 27 has rendered many areas in Tacloban City flooded and several road impassable, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported. 

OCD Region 8 Director and RDRRMC Chairman Rey Gozon informed at about 5:30 in the afternoon of March 27 that among the roads reported to have been rendered impassable to light vehicles were Maharlika-Nulatula at Barangay 74, Maharlika-Tigbao at Barangay 94and Maharlika-Abucay at Barangay 9, Barangay 109 at V&G Subdivision and Barangay 109-A. 

The other areas which were flooded were Abucay, Barangay 95 Apitong, Barangay 95 and 95A in Caibaan, among others. 

The Tacloban DRRMC through the TOMECO conducted ocular land survey on the flood and landslide prone areas in the City. 

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P28M needed for flood project rehab

TACLOBAN CITY — Over P28 million worth of funds is needed for the rehabilitation of a Japanese-sponsored flood control project in Ormoc City, a local Public Works official said.

Irwin L. Antonio, assistant district engineer at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Ormoc City, said urgent desilting is required in the flood mitigation project in the Anilao and Malbasang Rivers constructed in 1998 through a grant from the Japanese government.

The efficiency of the projects has been reduced by silt deposits and debris which have accumulated over time, Mr. Antonio said.

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Councilor Questions Tourism Slogan

Tourism plays a vital role in a local and national economy because of its potential to create jobs, but tourism promotion for this city is lacking, a councilor said.

Councilor Bianco Mate questioned during their recent session the status of tourism campaign, particularly the tourism slogan.

Mate said Tacloban City does not have a slogan, which would help in catching attention of tourists.

Committee on tourism Chair Councilor Cristina Romualdez said some of the tourism slogans they came up during a meeting are: “City of Progress, Beauty and Love”, “City by the Bay”, and “Gateway to Eastern Visayas”.

“But these are not yet final,” Romualdez clarified.

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Extorionist Caught in Tacloban

A 44-YEAR-OLD man alleged to be an “extortionist” was arrested by operating elements of Police Regional Office (PRO)-Eastern Visayas Regional Intelligence Division (RID) in an entrapment operation at P. Zamora Street,Tacloban City.

RID acting chief Senior Superintendent Tomasito Clet identified the suspect as Marlon Buenaventura, a resident of Barangay 95, Caibaan, this city.

Buenaventura was arrested around 4 p.m. of March 10 at the vicinity of Sto. Niño Church at P. Zamora Street.

Before the arrest of Buenaventura, a certain Eleanor Bico, 66, widower from Barangay Tigawon, Calanipawan, also this city, had asked for the assistance of the police, Clet said.

Bico said she had been repeatedly extorted of cash with a total amount of P300,000 by the suspect. Instead of giving in to the demand of the suspect, Bico personally went to seek police assistance.

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Aggressive Business Expansion Targets Tacloban

ThreeSixty just opened two of its planned five outlets in Leyte. They now have 54 branches in total.

Tacloban, the provincial capital of Leyte, became the second Visayan city outside Cebu that ThreeSixty penetrated after Tagbilaran City in Bohol, where it operates two other branches. There are currently 50 branches in Cebu province.

“We are confident [we will] operate 60 stores when we mark our second anniversary on May 27 and 80 branches by the end of this year,” said business operations manager Len C. Ramos. Sites have been identified in Dumaguete and Iloilo cities.

Ms. Ramos said they were also scouting for sites in Ormoc City, about two hours away from Tacloban.

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Smart Store in Tacloban City Now Open

Smart, the leader in wireless communication just opened a Smart Store in Tacloban City. Located at 117 RSU Building, Zamora Street, with the goal “to provide a richer customer experience by enabling visitors to explore and play with products and services so that they would know which solutions work best for them.”

With newer, better and more innovative services and offers than the existing Smart Wireless Centers. Some of their features include a self-service section, a technical expert counter where the customers can go one on one with the questions they may have regarding their Smart products and the new launch pad (demo area) where users can test, interact and tinker with the showcased products.

This new Smart Store in Tacloban will open up new possibilities that will amaze all guests and visitors in the city, tourists and local residents alike.

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Calayan takes care of Kring Kring

One of the most beautiful Filipinas both in showbusiness and politics, Cristina “Kring-Kring” Gonzales-Romualdez remains to have a face even angels may envy.

And this lovely countenance is the new face of Calayan Surgicentre.
The two-term councilor of Tacloban City is the latest endorser of the leading cosmetic center in the country. She and two other lady politicians were chosen by doctors Manny and Pie Calayan, beauty doctors to the stars and pioneers of Smartlipo and Vaserlipo in the Philippines, to endorse the world-class Calayan Surgicentre.
Blessed with beautiful genes from screen legends Josemari Gonzales and beauty queen Rosario “Chayong” Gonzales, Kring-Kring’s mestiza good looks need special care, especially with her busy lifestyle.

As a councilor, Kring-Kring visits even the remotest areas of the city. She is also busy with her responsibilities as a public servant, the wife of Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, mother to two girls, and even a businesswoman.

Kring-Kring herself admits that politics is stressful, hectic, and definitely unglamorous. Unlike when she was still active in front of the cameras where she was always made up, Kring-Kring now usually is garbed in polo shirt, jeans and rubber shoes as she goes around the city. She hardly has time to exercise and maintain a fitness regimen but she makes it a point to eat healthy. Now with Calayan taking care of her skin, face and body, she can focus her mind and energy on her constituency and her family.

Read the original article here.