Filed under: daily discoveries, travel & living | Tags: corporal eduardo duran, corporal irvin hawk, honest cops rewarded
Honesty has its own reward. For Corporals Eduardo Duran and Irvin Hawk of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) police, it’s a family holiday in any of the country’s top destinations.
The two honest cops were recognized by the Department of Tourism (DOT) for returning a black bag containing wads of Russian Rubbles and US Dollars equivalent to almost P500,000 cash. The owner of the bag turned out to be Russian tourist Sergey Zhelenzyak, who was with his family for a vacation in the country.
DOT Secretary Ace Durano (center) offers Irvin Hawk (left) and Eduardo Duran (right) an all-expenses paid holiday with their family in any of the country’s top destinations during a courtesy call to the Department of Tourism (DOT). Hawk and Duran were recognized for returning a lost bag containing P500,000 to a Russian tourist. The two are seen here wearing buri hats as part of the ‘holiday kit’ given to them by the DOT.
“The tourism industry commends people like Corporals Duran and Hawk who render excellent service and present the best of the country through their exemplary ways. We hope our small token of appreciation highlights their big deed,” said Durano. The cops, accompanied by M/Gen Angel Atutubo (Ret), Assistant General Manager of the Manila Airport Authority, paid a courtesy call at the DOT office.
Duran and Hawk, in an interview, mentioned that Zhelenzyak was profusely grateful to them for returning his bag, with the money and other contents which included a digital camera, intact.
“These gentlemen prove that our people are also one of the best reasons to visit the country. Even the finest, luxurious services can never outshine the warmth, honesty and sincerity of our people,” said Undersecretary Eduardo Jarque, Jr., Tourism Planning and Promotions.
The two airport cops found the bag unattended in one of the immigration counters at the NAIA. They reported the lost bag which had an identification tag in Russian writing, to their Intelligence Division. After paging for the owner and getting no response, Duran and Hawk tracked him down through his embarkation card at the Immigration Counter. They finally reached Zhelenzyak, who was already in Bacolod, through his travel agent.
The tourist told them that he didn’t expect to get his money back, which he was saving for a holiday in the country with his family. Zhelenzyak, who was on his fourth visit to the country, vowed to them that he will promote the Philippines and the commendable values of its people.
Duran has been an airport police for 10 years, while Hawk has rendered service for 27 years.
Filed under: glorious food, travel & living | Tags: healthy juices, juice recipe boost system
It’s been months since i started drinking healthy juices (combos) on a daily basis. Got this recipe from my Mom which she snipped out of an article from Philippine Panorama. Just want to share it with you, hope you find this one useful.
Carrot + Ginger + Apple
Boosts and cleanses our system. Take 1 Washington apple, 2 medium sized carrots, and ginger (thumb size) and place them on your juicer. Drink immediately.
Apple + Cucumber + Celery
Prevents cancer, reduce cholesterol, and eliminate stomach upset and headache. Take 1 Washington apple, 1 large size cucumber, and whole stalk of celery from the fridge and place them on your juicer. Should make one full glass. Drink immediately.
Tomato + Carrot + Apple
Improves skin complexion and eliminate bad breath. Take 1 Large Tomato, 2 medium size carrots, and 1 Washington apple from your refrigerator. Throw this on your juicer. Drink immediately.
Bitter gourd + Apple + Milk (Fresh milk)
Avoids bad breath and reduce internal body heat. This is not for the faint of heart, if you can’t tolerate the taste of bitter gourd, i suggest you skip this one.
Orange + Ginger + Cucumber
Improves skin texture and moisture and reduce body heat. Take 1 Large Orange, 1 Large Cucumber, and Ginger (thumb size). Place it in your juicer and drink immediately.
Pineapple + Apple + Watermelon
To dispel excess salts, nourishes the bladder and kidney.
Apple + Cucumber + Kiwi
To improve skin complexion.
Pear & Banana
Regulates sugar content.
Carrot + Apple + Pear + Mango (ripe)
Clears body heat, counteracts toxicity, decreases blood pressure and fights oxidization.
Honeydew + Grape + Watermelon + Milk
Rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin B2 that increase cell activity and strengthen body immunity.
Papaya + Pineapple + Milk
Rich in vitamin C, E, Iron. Improves skin complexion and metabolism.
Banana + Pineapple + Milk
Prevents constipation.
Try these combinations at home. Go ahead, juice it!
Filed under: musings & meanderings, travel & living | Tags: sm north edsa, sm sky garden
When you think about your past, what events and places do you remember? What memories do you allow to play over in your mind? I’m sure some of you can come up with a massive list of memories that you’d want to play over and over, like Friends’ re-runs on a local channel.
Given the same question, i would personally handpick one specific place that i’d like to live in my mind forever.
SM City North Edsa.
As i sit here, i realized how memorable this place has been to me. It brings back a lot of happy moments, not to forget the painful ones. SM City North Edsa is where i usually go whenever i feel something, when i need to take a stroll and ruminate.
It’s a place that helps me sort out my confusions when troubles come my way and problems never seem to end. It somewhat comforts me in a way that only this place know. I find contentment just by seating there, watching people move on to different directions.
I’m a city girl, i was born and raised in Quezon City. Attended church, a private school, college, and got my first job for an American company right in the heart of the city. Every detail about my childhood and teenage years up to this point revolves around the city, and my solace, SM City North.
During elementary years, i had my first taste of the real world. It was the period when we had to go through a great difficulty as a family. It was also the time when my classmates in school started to treat me differently, an outcast. Oblivious to them, we were going through a lot of pain and hardships as a family. But as they say, every cloud has a silver lining, and it was during these years that my elder brother and i started to bond.
He would take me to SM North Edsa every Saturday so i can buy books and we’d go for hotdogs and just hang out afterwards. My passion for the written word and my positive outlook on life were weaned through the help of my elder sibling, under the roof of SM City North Edsa.
It sort of reminds me of the time when Mr. Henry Sy started SM City North Edsa back in 1985, it was a year or so after a great political and econonomic turmoil in our country. Mr. Sy did not choose the path of least resistance, he didn’t opt for mediocrity as an answer to the future. Instead, he decided to burst free from the cultural gravitational pull that tells each of us to settle and set our sights low for life. SM City North Edsa was built because people like Mr. Sy decided to pursue life with excellence and the desire to leave a legacy.
Interestingly enough, on Friday, May 29, 2009 SM City North Edsa will formally open its door to the new and innovative part of the mall, the Sky Garden.
I would like to personally invite you to visit my place of solace that will definitely leave a mark on history.
As of May 21, 2009, the Philippines has reported one confirmed patient afflicted with the Influenza A(H1N1) – a 10-year-old Filipina who arrived in the country after travelling to the United States and Canada.
At present, the patient is relieved of fever and flu but still has sore throat. She is now under intensive care and strict quarantine by the Department of Health. Household members who have been in contact of the said patient have received preventive medications and are undergoing strict quarantine and observation for flu-like symptoms.
The government continues to monitor incoming travellers in all airports, and entry points including chartered plane terminals and sea ports. Apart from strict surveillance, the government has likewise required travellers to monitor themselves within 10 days after arrival from for any flu-like symptoms.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) maintains that there is no reported cancellation on any of its tourism bookings. DOT’s marketing departments and regional units remain on heightened alert for any case of flu-like symptoms from arriving tourists.
The DOT has likewise urged tourism stakeholders and partners (transportation services, hotels, resorts and restaurants) to be vigilant and impose stricter measures on proper hygiene and etiquette to prevent the virus from spreading.
The tourism industry remains unhampered and has issued no travel restrictions.
[information source: Department of Tourism - Office of the Undersecretary for Planning & Promotions]
Filed under: blogger events, freebies & contests, travel & living | Tags: awesome philippines, mtv asia vj maggie wilson, philippine department of tourism
MTV Asia and the Philippine Department of Tourism have launched Awesome Philippines, a first-of-its-kind national tourism campaign for the country. Executed as part of MTV Revelations, the campaign uses a series of video vignettes and new media to promote the Philippines to youth travelers in eleven overseas markets, including the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Chris Pattinson, MTV VJ Maggie Wilson, DOT Secretary Ace Durano (image source: awesomephilippinesatmcafe.blogspot.com)
The Awesome Philippines campaign cuts through with its use of highly-interactive web activities. On its official website, www.awesomephilippines.com, an online contest, Video Remixes, allows you to create your own dream holiday in the Philippines in a creative video story that could possibly come true!
image credit: awesomephilippines.com and philippinetourism.com.au
On the site, you will find different clips of specific destinations. Just pick and edit cuts of the different travel clips and photos based on your own storyline; then choose the soundtrack for your video from the songs available. Finally, register online to enter the contest and upload your dream Philippine holiday video!
You can enter as many video entries as you want. If your entry is one of the videos with the highest ratings from other users, you stand a chance to win that dream holiday you remixed with a friend! The contest is ongoing and will last until May 24, 2009.
[info source: tim bongco of protege]
