Century Tuna SUPERBODS Super Challenge 2014: Send-Off Party

Century Tuna SUPERBODS Super Challenge 2014: Send-Off Party 

I know now why summer is again getting much hotter these days.

Sara Polverini, former child star (Ang TV), former member of girl band Eurasia

It's because the sizzling hot finalists for the Century Tuna Superbods Super Challenge 2014 are now getting ready for the final showdown to be held on April 26, 2014 at the Pearl of the Pacific in Boracay.

The 20 finalists for the Superbods Super Challenge 2014 were introduced on April 3, 2014 at the Eclipse Bar in Solaire Resorts and Casino, Paranaque City. 

They are:

Female finalists -

1.   Sara Paola Polverini, 26, model, make-up artist and fashion designer, from Iloilo, 
@ sara_paola

2.   Catherine Almirante, 22, from Cagayan de Oro City, @marieien

3.   Darlene Anderson, 22, @dars_anderson

4.   Nicky Marable, 19, member of the Philippine Red Cross, @nicmarable

5.   Diane Tan, 22, major in Financial and Investment Management, from Marikina, @dianetan

6.   Grace Murillo, 30, Animal Rights and World Wildlife Fund advocate, @grace_s_murillo

7.   Paula Marciano, 20, tourism management major, from Quezon City, @paw_marciano

8.   Nicole Kauffman, 24, model and taking up BA Multimedia, @nicolekay

9.   Alaiza Malinao, 20, model and taking up BS Psychology, from Davao, @alaizafloridad

10. Michelle Magno, 26, registered nurse, @mishimagno (still in the U.S.)

Male finalists -

11. Antonio de Murga, 27, football player and model, @antonio_demurga

12. Julio Alberto de Leon, 21, physical therapy student of Our Lady of Fatima Univ., @juliodoe 

13. Mauro Lumba, 21, model and tourism graduate from UST, @maurolumba

14. Gerard Go, 25, Masscomm student, from Marilao, Bulacan, @gogerardgo

15. Marneil Lim, 23, from Pampanga, @marneilanthony

16. Evan Spargo, 25, personal trainer and entrepreneur, @evanspargo

17. Rendon Labador, 28, @rendonlabador

18. Jose Miguel Lasala, 25, from Quezon City, @jmiguelasala16

19. Laurens Tolenaars, 27, football player, @lauresito

20. Joshua Lubrico, 18, student, @joshlubrico (still in the U.S.) 

Aside from the judges' scores, you can also vote for your bets through www.centurytuna.ph/superbods. 

Each vote could get you a chance to win a free trip to Boracay to watch the grand finals.

Sara Polverini

You can show your support for your bets by sharing on Facebook or Twitter.

By the way, this year's theme for the Superbods Super Challenge is about transformation, i.e., to help you transform yourselves to be superbods.

Yes, you too could be a superbod with the help of the diet specially prepared by top dietitian Nadine Tengco and the Century Tuna Superbods Workout Plan by Coach Jim Saret. They are the very same Nadine and Jim who are the coaches in the Biggest Loser Philippines TV show. 

BELL'S PALSY: Up Close and Personal

BELL'S PALSY: Up Close and Personal

God wanted me to appreciate my ability to smile so he gave me Bell's palsy. At first, I asked God, why me? Then I came to realize that God wanted me to know that with my second life and second chance I should be smiling more. After all, it is free.

I am a ruptured brain aneurysm survivor. My neurosurgeon coiled and put a stent on my brain to stop the internal bleeding. After the operation, my doctors told me that I will never be 100% again. That statement made me sad.

I was bedridden for four grueling months. That means bed bath and my assistant fed me with tasteless food, fruits and vegetables. Those people who had seen me going to the mall in a wheelchair were so amazed with my health's developments.

I had my first bath inside our comfort room after four months. That is the most refreshing bath I ever had. Money could not buy the happiness I felt that day.

After that, I re-learned how to sit down, stand up, walk and eat on my own. My balance was shaky at first. My physical therapist patiently taught me how to regain my balance again. I thought, I was well again but then I had Bell's palsy.

What is Bell's palsy?

According to Mayo Clinic, Bell's palsy causes sudden weakness in your facial muscles. This makes half of your face appear to droop. Your smile is one-sided, and your eye on that side resists closing.

Bell's palsy, also known as facial palsy, can occur at any age. The exact cause is unknown, but it's believed to be the result of swelling and inflammation of the nerve that controls the muscles on one side of your face. It may be a reaction that occurs after a viral infection.

While stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) can cause facial paralysis usually in one side of the face, there is no connection between stroke or TIA and Bell's palsy. However, one must see a doctor immediately in order to rule out a more serious condition like stroke or TIA or brain tumor.

For most people, Bell's palsy is temporary. Symptoms usually start to improve within a few weeks, with complete recovery in about six months. A small number of people continue to have some Bell's palsy symptoms for life. Rarely, Bell's palsy can recur.

By the way, Bell's palsy got its name after the Scottish surgeon Charles Bell who first described it in 1829 in his presentation before the Royal Society of London.

Famous people who had Bell's Palsy:

• Bernadette Sembrano, Filipino newscaster, host of the medical program Salamat Dok! and anchor of TV Patrol Weekend.
• Katie Holmes
• Pierce Brosnan
• Sylvester Stallone
• George Clooney

God works in mysterious ways. Two weeks after rigid physical therapy and rehabilitation I had my smile back. God is great and God is good all the time.

PHILHEALTH: General Computation Table

PHILHEALTH: General Computation Table

Hi, there! Have you paid your monthly contribution to Philhealth this year? If not yet, then make sure to find time to pay for your premium so you'll get the full benefits from Philhealth if ever you get hospitalized. You could find a summary of Philhealth’s member general contribution below.

Who must pay Philhealth premiums?

• Employed Workers in the government and private sectors who have an established employee-employer relations 2.5% of income base within the salary bracket, with the employee and employer equally sharing the contribution
• OFW Active, land-based Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) who went through the regular registration process as an OFW at POEA offices. P2,400 per year
• Self-employed Professionals Doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, nurses, architects, dentists and accountants not employed by a company P900 per quarter
• Individually Paying or Voluntary Members Self-employed or those who work for himself/herself Those with monthly income of P25,000 and below pay P600 quarterly or P2,400 per year. 
• Those earning at least P25,000 pay P900 quarterly or P3,600 per year.
• Foreigners If employed, will be registered under the Employed group. If self-employed or merely residing in the Philippines, may enroll as a Voluntary Member. See "Employed" or "Voluntary Member" groups.
• Indigent / Sponsored Members Indigents belonging to the lowest 25% of the Philippine population Free. Must be endorsed by DSWD and LGU.
• Retiree. A member at least 60 years of age and has made at least 120 monthly contributions to PhilHealth Free

Premiums and Contribution Table for Employed Members

PhilHealth members who are employed in the government or private sector must pay a premium based on their monthly salary. The contribution is around 2.5% of the salary base.

The total amount is shared equally by both the employer and the employee. The total monthly premium, depending on the employee’s monthly salary are shown below.

The “Employee Share” column reflects the amount deducted from your salary every month, while the “Employer Share” is how much your employer contributes to your PhilHealth premium.

The “Total Monthly Premium”, meanwhile, is the total amount remitted to PhilHealth on your behalf.

Salary Bracket                        Salary      Employee    Employer  Total Monthly
Salary Range (in PHP)          Base        Share           Share        Premium

  1    8,999.99 and below      8,000.00   100.00        100.00        200.00
  2    9,000.00 - 9,999.99      9,000.00   112.50        112.50        225.00
  3 10,000.00 - 10,999.99  10,000.00   125.00        125.00        250.00
  4 11,000.00 - 11,999.99  11,000.00   137.50        137.50        275.00
  5 12,000.00 - 12,999.99  12,000.00   150.00        150.00        300.00
  6 13,000.00 - 13,999.99  13,000.00   162.50        162.50        325.00
  7 14,000.00 - 14,999.99  14,000.00   175.00        175.00        350.00
  8 15,000.00 - 15,999.99  15,000.00   187.50        187.50        375.00
  9 16,000.00 - 16,999.99  16,000.00   200.00        200.00        400.00
10 17,000.00 - 17,999.99  17,000.00   212.50        212.50        425.00
11 18,000.00 - 18,999.99  18,000.00   225.00        225.00        450.00
12 19,000.00 - 19,999.99  19,000.00   237.50        237.50        475.00
13 20,000.00 - 20,999.99  20,000.00   250.00        250.00        500.00
14 21,000.00 - 21,999.99  21,000.00   262.50        262.50        525.00
15 22,000.00 - 22,999.99  22,000.00   275.00        275.00        550.00
16 23,000.00 - 23,999.99  23,000.00   287.50        287.50        575.00
17 24,000.00 - 24,999.99  24,000.00   300.00        300.00        600.00
18 25,000.00 - 25,999.99  25,000.00   312.50        312.50        625.00
19 26,000.00 - 26,999.99  26,000.00   325.00        325.00        650.00
20 27,000.00 - 27,999.99  27,000.00   337.50        337.50        675.00
21 28,000.00 - 28,999.99  28,000.00   350.00        350.00        700.00
22 29,000.00 - 29,999.99  29,000.00   362.50        362.50        725.00
23 30,000.00 - 30,999.99  30,000.00   375.00        375.00        750.00
24 31,000.00 - 31,999.99  31,000.00   387.50        387.50        775.00
25 32,000.00 - 32,999.99  32,000.00   400.00        400.00        800.00
26 33,000.00 - 33,999.99  33,000.00   412.50        412.50        825.00
27 34,000.00 - 34,999.99  34,000.00   425.00        425.00        850.00
28 35,000.00 - up                35,000.00   437.50       437.50        875.00

So if, for example, your salary is P15,000 per month, check the appropriate “Salary Bracket” (Row 8 ) and look for the corresponding Employee and Employer Share. Every month, your payroll statement should show that a total of P187.50 has been deducted from your salary as your PhilHealth contribution.

Your employer adds the other half, P175.00, and a total of P350.00 should be remitted to Philhealth on your behalf every month.

NAIA 3: Overnight Parking Rate

NAIA 3: Overnight Parking Rate

My brother and I were so surprised that the rate for overnight parking at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport 3 ballooned to Php300 per night from the usual Php50 that we used to pay whenever we left our car there.

According to the sign board, the new rate was imposed effective December 2013. I guess that is still a small price to pay than losing your car.  I hope that with the price increase comes tighter security. After all, you and I could not buy peace of mind.

Happy Summer everyone!

You might want to see:

http://www.travelonshoestring.com/2011/02/overnight-parking-sa-naia-terminal-3.html

What Network is the Unknown Number that's calling you?

What Network is the Unknown Number that's calling you?

Have you ever experienced receiving a call from an unknown number?  You keep getting missed calls from unknown numbers and you wonder if you'll reply or not?

Do you wonder as to whose network that unknown number belongs too? As you all know, most of the promos of the networks cover only calls between the same network.  Just like me, I bet, you don't want to be charged with inter-network charges as much as possible.

To save you from your predicament, I decided to make a list of Mobile Network Prefixes in the Philippines.

Here are the list of the mobile number prefixes so you would not wonder anymore if you'll reply to them or not.

Smart numbers and TNT numbers

These are the prefixes of the numbers belonging to Smart Telecommunication and its subsidiaries, Talk N' Text and Addict Mobile. 

0813
0907
0908
0909
0910
0912
0918
0919
0920
0921
0928
0929
0930
0938
0939
0946
0947
0948
0949
0989
0998
0999

Sun Cellular Numbers

Sun Cellular is now part of the Smart Telecommunications corporation but still has independence when it comes to promos. So, to prevent you from incurring extra charges, here are the list of prefixes of numbers belonging to Sun network. 

0922

0923
0925
0932
0933
0934
0942
0943

Globe Numbers and Touch Mobile Numbers

Here are the prefixes of the numbers of Globe Telecommunications and its subsidiary, Touch Mobile.

0817
0905
0906
0915
0916
0917
0926
0927
0935
0936
0937
0994
0996
0997

Next Mobile

If you're wondering what the heck is Next Mobile. Then wonder no more, Next Mobile is the mobile network owned by the Iglesia Ni Cristo.

0977
0979

Exetel (Express Communications)

0973
0974

I hope these lists will help you avoid accidental text or calls to other network from now on. 

Don't be ignorant. Prevent extra charges. 

EARTH HOUR: March 29, 2014

EARTH HOUR: March 29, 2014

Join millions of people across the world who will switch lights off for an hour on 29 March at 8:30 pm - to raise awareness for the planet.

As you all know, Earth Hour is a movement using the power of the crowd to protect our planet. The only one we got.

#EarthHour

SOLAIRE RESORT: 1 Million Fans In 1 Year

SOLAIRE RESORT: 1 Million Fans In 1 Year

Isn't it amazing? For such short period of time Solaire Resort accumulated more than 1 million Fans on Facebook. A very good way to celebrate its first year anniversary in the Philippines.

I first heard about Solaire Resort and Casino when it opened its door in the Philippines last March 2013. My brother and I actually had circled the vicinity but we did not park our car because we still have to go somewhere else.  So it is only on December 2013 that we finally were able to visit. We did not stay long though because I am allergic to cigarrette smoke. 

I was really amazed at how tall the imported Christmas tree from Canada that Solaire placed on its lobby to the delight of everyone. I really hope that we can go back there and dine in one of the restaurants or maybe stay in one of its rooms or watch one of its events.

A one night stay in this world-class hotel to relax and get de-stressed would be nice. Solaire currently has special room rates as it celebrates its first year anniversary. To check them out, please click HERE.

Solaire is the first integrated resort to embrace Social Media with its own in-house digital marketing team since the property opened in March 2013 and has indicated its strength within a year. Social Media is an essential part of its continuing efforts to innovate and provide impressive and exceptional entertainment to all its clientele. Growing engagement with fans of Solaire has contributed significantly to the business success. Social Media platforms will enhance the marketing plans of Solaire and allows it to interact and update regular patrons on all events, activities, shows and promotions. 

Solaire engages its valued followers through Facebook and this platform provides them the opportunity to participate and share those special experiences of great memories. This provides an opportunity to connect our most supportive and passionate fans in a quest to find ways to enjoy and “Create their Moments” at Solaire.

“This is something we are proud of and wish to express our sincere appreciation to our loyal supporters and 1 Million Facebook fans for their continued support as we celebrate our 1st year in business. We are glad to be able to connect with our guests through Social Media,” says Jasper Evangelista, Vice President Brand Marketing, Solaire Resort and Casino.

Solaire’s Facebook page has inter-active postings daily on the gaming and resort promotions, events, raffle and other activities. Solaire has a strong social media presence in the Philippines and a rising presence in Asia.

Stay updated with Solaire through Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Solaire Resort & Casino, the primary property of Bloomberry Resorts Corporation, is a USD $1.2 Billion integrated destination resort on an 8.3-hectare site in Manila, Philippines opened March 2013. Solaire, a luxury destination casino resort, is the first property to open in the Entertainment City, a government sponsored (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) economic development zone.

Solaire’s Bay Tower (Phase 1) features 500 luxurious rooms, suites and bay side villas, 18,500 square meters of gaming space, a wide range of award-winning signature restaurants, sophisticated bars and lounges, and an ample multi-level car park. The property has additional 258,721 square meter expansion project under development which is expected to open 3rd quarter of 2014.

For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or access the website at www.solaireresort.com

APPRECIATING YOUR SMILE

APPRECIATING YOUR SMILE

I used to ignore my ability to smile. Suddenly last January,  right after our blog conference with Angel Locsin, Maja Salvador and JC De Vera for Legal Wife, my smile has completely disappeared. Gone just like that.

I was actually posing for a picture because I got the biggest portion of ice cream than any of my blogger friends, so I was smiling from ear to ear, so I thought.  Imagine how bewildered I was when I saw all my pictures showing me with a smirk.  I told my friend to delete it and never show it to anyone.

The following day I got admitted to the emergency room of the hospital near our home because my blood pressure that shot up to more than 200. Then the neurologist confirmed my fear it was Bell's Palsy. Sad as I was because I can't smile anymore as often as I'd like to. I consulted a rehabilitation doctor and a cardiologist and underwent a physical therapy at the hospital.

At first, I asked God why me? I survived a ruptured brain aneurysm not a long time ago and here it is again a different disease which took away my ability to smile.  Yeah, grumpy as I am, I usually smile when being photographed. 

You can Imagine my frustrations because I could no longer attend events plus somebody I met from an event asked me to invite bloggers then cancelled at the last minute. Buti siya hindi siya kilala ng mga bloggers, eh ako? Hay kaka bwisit talaga. Kaya siguro lalo lang ako nagkakasakit dahil sa mga taong tulad niya. Lipulin na sana kayo sa mundong ibabaw para wala kayong napiperwesyo. Pero teka, itapon na sa kankungan ang mga negang tao na tulad niya dapat pa rin tayong mag pasalamat kasi buong buo ang mga ngiti na namumutawi sa inyong mga labi.

So guys and gals don't forget to smile always! Appreciate your smile mga kabagang.

God bless us all!

Smile,

Travelonshoestring