Manila Cathedral: A Timeline of Strength

The beautiful facade of the Manila Cathedral.

Timeline of Events:

• 1571. The first church was built out of nipa and bamboo.
• 1583. The cathedral was destroyed by fire.
• 1591. The second cathedral was built of stone and mortar.

In the facade is a Latin statement which may be translated as "Thy heart we entrust to you, immaculate and consecrated." 

• 1599. The cathedral was destroyed by earthquake.
• 1600. The cathedral was partially destroyed by earthquake.
• 1614. The third cathedral was built.

A picture in the interiors of the Manila Cathdral.

• 1621. The cathedral was destroyed by an earthquake.
• 1645. The cathedral was destroyed by an earthquake.
• 1654 - 1681. The fourth cathedral was magnificently built by Archbishop Miguel Poblete.

The facade up close.

• 1751. The cathedral was demolished.
• 1760. The fifth cathedral was inaugurated. 
• 1850. The cathedral was renovated.

The angel at the Narthex that holds the holy water.

• 1852. The cathedral was destroyed by an earthquake.
• 1854 - 1858. The sixth cathedral was constructed.
• June 3, 1863. The cathedral was destroyed by an earthquake.

The altar of the Manila Cathedral with an image of the Immaculate Conception.

• 1879. The seventh cathedral was inaugurated in 1879. 
• 1880. The cathedral was severely damaged by an earthquake when the belltower collapsed.
• 1945. The cathedral was totally destroyed during the Battle of Manila.

One of the authorized replicas of  Pieta sculpted by Michelangelo Buonarroti.

• 1953 - 1958. The present  and the eighth cathedral was built. 
• 1981. The cathedral was elevated to the rank of Minor Basilica by Pope John Paul II  and officially named Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.

Facing the cathedral, in Plaza Roma, is the statue of King Charles IV of Spain. This was built in gratitude for the king for his support of the Balmis Expedition during the 1800s. His royal doctor, Dr. Francisco Javier de Balmis, led the mission of giving out smallpox vaccines to the Filipinos. The king's daughter, Maria Luisa, said to have suffered the same illness.

To know more about the Manila Cathedral, please visit their website at http://www.manilacathedral.org/.


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Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manila_Cathedral,           http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balmis_Expedition

Rizaliana Furniture Exhibit: A Photoblog Tour

Jose Rizal's bust upon entering the Rizalian Furniture Exhibit. 

Some years ago, the Baluarte de Santa Barbara was just a curious and derelict room inside Fort Santiago. Today, it is now the site of the Rizaliana Furniture Exhibit. The exhibit showcases some of the interesting properties of the Rizal family from their ancestral house in Calamba. The entrance to the exhibit costs ten pesos and, to my delight, taking of pictures is allowed.

Jose Rizal's thick clothes he used during his stay in Europe.

When I saw Rizal's thick clothes that he wore in Europe, I can't believe that he was a just small guy. I mean, I know that he was just around 4'11" when he died. But I never thought that he was really that small- considering the number of things that he had accomplished not only for himself but also for the whole nation. When I saw how small his clothes were, my respect for him rose only higher.

A furniture set taken from the Rizal family residence in Calamba, Laguna.

The furniture exhibited are all awe-inspiring, being a fan of old Filipino style myself. Not only that they looked elegant in my eyes. There all still looked sturdy and highly usable, considering how old they already are.

The dining table and the cabinet were all from the Rizal family residence in Calamba , Laguna.

Did you see that blue translucent vase on the table-top? It glows with sunshine! But this picture was nothing compared with how I exactly saw it inside the exhibit. It was a beauty.

Each member of the Rizal family member was made a genealogy chart. This one is of Jose Rizal's sister, Olympia. 

The area that I stayed the most in the exhibit was in front of the clan's genealogy charts. I found it very delightful looking at the names of the ancestors as well as the children of each of the Rizal family member. Somehow, I mused to myself, "Could it be that we were a distant relative of the Rizals? We came from Binan, Laguna." Hahaha. Wishful thinking.

One of the copies of El Filibusterismo is kept inside the Rizaliana Furniture Exhibit.

Rizal's novels were all works of love. He wrote his manuscripts using his hands. No typewriters. No printers. No iPads. Just his mighty pen!

This is the writing chest Jose Rizal used.

This was Rizal's "iPad" during his time. This was his writing chest. I have also read from somewhere that Rizal actually used a wooden pen with a metal nib- not a quill. This is contrary to what most of the paintings and illustrations of him told us.

I enjoyed my quick visit to the Rizaliana Furniture Exhibit. It was very telling of how rich the Rizal family was- judging from the characteristics of the properties that they had. My ten pesos went a long way!

Top 10 Reasons to Visit (and Revisit) Fort Santiago

The imposing gate of Fort Santiago.

1. The Gate. The imposing gate of Fort Santiago was decorated with the image of St. James, Slayer of Moors. St. James is the patron saint of Spain. According to the legend, he appeared as a warrior on his white horse with white banner to help the armies of King Ramiro I in his battle against the moors. St. James was known in Spain as Santiago Matamoros. The name of the fortress came from him.

The Martyrdom of Rizal by Carlos "Botong" Francisco.

2. The Painting on the Wall. The Martyrdom of Rizal was created by Botong Francisco, a National Artist of the Philippines for Visual Arts. Personally, I believe that Botong Francisco is one of the best Filipino painters who ever lived- alongside Fernando Amorsolo and Paeng Pacheco. Among his unforgettable works are The Blood Compact, First Mass at Limasawa, Bayanihan, Magpupukot, Fiesta, Bayanihan sa Bukid, Sandugo, Portrait of Purita, The Invasion of Limahong, Serenade and Muslim Betrothal.

Jose Rizal's prison cell. 

3. The Cell. From November 3 to December 29, 1896, Jose Rizal was detained as a prisoner in this very cell. He was falsely charged with rebellion, sedition and formation of illegal societies. His death was announced at 6:00am of December 29 and then was kept in an improvised chapel until his execution at 7:03am of December 30 at Bagumbayan, outside Intramuros. In the walls outside his actual prison cell, his words were carved in metal plates and were lit from the inside. One if it says, "To foretell the destiny of a nation, it is necessary to open the book that tells of her past."

The original copies of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo are exhibited in the Chamber of Text in Fort Santiago.

4. The Chamber of Text. The Rizal Shrine in Fort Santiago was divided into different parts with different interesting names such as Silid ng Pagninilay or Contemplation Room, Ang Piitan or The Cell, Silid ng Nalalabi or The Reliquary Room, Ang Tulaang Walang-Hanggan or The Valedictory Poem and Bulwagan ng Panulat or Chamber of Text. Among the divisions, the one that stood out the most for me is the Chamber of Text. In this chamber lie the various objects I only have read about from my books on Philippine history and Jose Rizal during high school and college! Among the objects that I saw were Jose Rizal's pictures, sculptured works, medical tools, the animal species he discovered and named after him, calling cards and most importantly, the original copies of his novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.

Jose Rizal's bone in an urn.

5. The Urn. Felice P. Sta. Maria's words were etched on the glass case protecting the glass urn located at the heart of the Reliquary Room. It says:

"After the execution, the name Rizal was not to be spoken. He was referred to safely as El Difunto (The Dead One). He has been abandoned directly in the soil. After the Philippines declared itself independent on June 12, 1898, it honored Rizal officially. Narcisa retrieved her brother’s remains and placed them in an ivory urn. A bone with a bullet wound was enshrined separately in a glass urn and is now a secular relic at Fort Santiago."

Jose Rizal's clothes.

6. The Last Vest. Some of Jose Rizal's clothes can be found in Reliquary Room in Fort Santiago. Looking at the size of the clothes, it can be said that he wasn't a tall man. He may have died 4'11" but many people from around the world, not only Filipinos, look up to him.

The actual written piece of untitled poem hidden inside the alcohol stove, not an alcohol lamp.

7. The Untitled Poem. Did you know that Mi Ultimo Adios is not the actual title of the poem of Jose Rizal hid inside an alcohol stove (not alcohol lamp)? In fact the poem was untitled, unsigned and undated. A copy of the news story taken from The Inquirer dated December 30, 2002 says:

"On the afternoon of Dec. 29, 1896, a day before his execution, Dr. Jose Rizal was visited by his mother, Teodora Alonzo, sisters Lucia, Josefa, Trinidad, Maria and Narcisa, and two nephews. When they took their leave, Rizal told Trinidad in English that there was something in the small alcohol stove (cocinilla), not alcohol lamp (lamparilla). The stove was given to Narcisa by the guard when the party was about to board their carriage in the courtyard. At home, the Rizal ladies recovered from the stove a folded paper. On it was written an unsigned, untitled and undated poem of 14 five-line stanzas. The Rizals reproduced copies of the poem and sent them to Rizal's friends in the country and abroad. In 1897, Mariano Ponce in Hong Kong had the poem printed with the title "Mi Ultimo Pensamiento." Fr. Mariano Dacanay, who received a copy of the poem while a prisoner in Bilibid(jail), published it in the first issue of La Independencia on Sept. 25, 1898 with the title "Ultimo Adios."

The final resting place of approximately 600 Filipinos and Americans who were victims of atrocities during the last days of February 1945.

8. The Cross of Memories. Approximately 600 Filipinos and Americans were brutally killed inside Fort Santiago during World War II. Their bodies were found inside a nearby dungeon which had inner doors of massive iron bars and outer doors of iron plate on wood. It is said that the appearances of their bodies suggested starvation and possible suffocation.

The dungeons of the Baluarte de Santa Barbara used to give an eerie feeling to every visitor who passes by it.

9. The Dungeons.This can be the dungeon that the inscription below the cross was referring to. These dungeons used to be storage vaults of the Baluarte de Santa Barbara. Because of the dampness caused by the humid weather and its nearness to the Pasig River, the Spaniards built a new powder magazine on top of the baluarte in 1715. From then on, the dungeons were turned into prison cells.

Jose Rizal's last footsteps.

10. The Trail. These were Rizal's last trail of foot steps leading to Bagumbayan, his place of execution.

Ristorante delle Mitre: The Catholic Restaurant

The beautiful facade of Ristorante delle Mitre. Looks like from another country, eh?

Ristorante delle Mitre is an Italian phrase which literally means Restaurant of the Miter. The miter is the official headdress of the bishops. I'm sure you have seen this cap being worn by bishops on TV. It is a tall cap with a top deeply cleft crosswise, resembling a pointed arch.


More than 80% of the Filipinos are Catholics. That's the result of being conquered by the Spaniards for more than 300 years. But would you believe that Ristorante delle Mitre is the only Catholic-inspired restaurant in the Philippines?

Ristorante delle Mitre has a very cozy ambiance. Perfect during laid back weekends.

It is said that the head chef of the restaurant is the former personal cook of Archbisop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal. Her name is Sister Evangeline Paras. She is a Theresian nun.

Kare-kare is PhP248.00 per order.

The dishes being served at the restaurant are said to be the favorite dishes of the Archbishop and the other priests and bishops as well. By looking at the menu, we'll have an idea of how the priests and bishops live. Just like any other Filipinos, the clergy loves to eat.

Pinakbet is PhP168.00 per order.

It is also said that the restaurant was created to bring the church closer to the people.

Grilled Sole fillet with rice is PhP148.00 per dish.

They even serve budget meals that the masses can afford. At Ristorante delle Mitre, they can already enjoy a full meal for as low as PhP35.00!

Vanilla ice cream is PhP35.00 per cup.

Ristorante delle Mitre is located at CBCP Building, 470 Calle Real del Palacio (now Gen. Luna St.). Just in front of San Agustin Church. You may give them a call at (02) 559-5220 or send them an email at ristorantedellemitre [@] yahoo [.] com.

How to be an Intramuros Tour Guide: A Short Story

Even heaven knows I love to take pictures. But during that day that finally, my life-long dream of becoming a tour guide had been realized - I didn’t bring a camera with me and this was the only photo that I have to remind me of that wonderful memory. How come? I guess I really enjoyed finally being a tour guide that day that I have forgotten to be a photographer.

The day was November 26, 2011. A 23-year old girl from Hong Kong named Sally Xu met me at the train station in Recto Avenue. A couple of days ago, she asked me to be her tour guide in Manila for her short vacation. I was excited! Finally, my occasional daydreaming of becoming a tour guide, a promoter of my own city and country to foreign visitors, paid off. Sally was able to find my profile online where I posted myself as a guy offering tour guiding services to Intramuros - and that I speak a lil’ Mandarin. Turned out the latter wasn’t necessary. Sally can speak English.


Sally studies engineering in a university in Hong Kong. She hails from the province of Hunan, a province I vividly remember with its ultra-spicy dishes – where chili peppers are actually dominating the entire dish - not just a mere “spice”. (Imagine a picture of a dish floating in chili oil and chili peppers. Whew!) Anyhoo, Sally says she was here for a short vacation to find “energy” for 3 major exams waiting for her in Hong Kong. (Thank God I’m so done with college.)

I admired Sally for her sense of adventure. I was able to take her to one of the noisiest and the most crowded part of Manila. I was able to let her experience riding a jeepney too. I had hesitations at first, riding a cab might be the best option that time, but it turned out Sally was enjoying everything about it. She even let me take her photo inside the world-famous public utility vehicle of the Philippines. I like the fact that I was able to let her experience that part of the Filipino culture. Something that I think some tourist probably miss out when they come here – because they take the cab.

Going back to the photo. Can you guess where this was taken? The clue is on the picture itself. Take a look.

It was inside a money changing shop in Sta. Cruz. The photo was taken by the storekeeper herself. This was after the whole day of walking tour in Intramuros- we visited Fort Santiago, Manila Cathedral and the Lights and Sounds Museum. When we are about to depart from each other, Sally declared she was running out of peso. She needed it for her trip to Taal Volcano scheduled for the next day. I willingly helped her find the nearest money changing shop. After seeing a couple of closed shops (it was 6:00pm then and most businesses are already closed), we- at the end -successfully found one. Sally got her peso and at that moment, nothing could truly stop her to seeing the magnificent volcano sitting at the middle of Taal lake.

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When Sally finally reached her youth hostel in Makati, she sent me a short message. She said, “Thank you. Phillipino are nice.”

I smiled. It was a job well done.

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Blogger's Note: If you have personal stories, articles or photos related to Intramuros that you would like to share to IntramurosManila.Asia, just send us an email at intramurosmanila [@] ymail [.] com. Thank you and hope you can share our blog to your friends too. Enjoy!

Carlos Celdran Announces December 6 Barter Tour

[Photo Credits: http://www.ironwulf.net]

Never thought I can actually join Carlos Celdran's Intramuros walking tour by simply giving him anything- any object- that he may appreciate. That I don't need to worry about paying money- if I know I can give him postcards, fried chicken or a floral bouquet. Amazing.

Today, Carlos Celdran announced his Christmas Intramuros Barter Tour for tomorrow, December 6. If you want to join, meet-up is at Fort Santiago Ticket Booth at 3pm. Just bring your barter goodies with you.

Click on the image below to take you to his Facebook page for registration.

A nice pair of shoes and how I reached the Golden Age of Consumerism

Above is a photo of a simple-looking but extremely stylish shoes I bought for as low as PhP199.75 at a huge mall in Metro Manila. Never in my imagination I will be able to put into use a PhP199.75 in my pocket to purchase such a lovely merchandise like this. This is pure bliss- especially during times that I'm really looking closely at how I spend my money without necessarily depriving myself.

It's perfect how Ms. Kris Aquino put it in her latest milk commercial. Sulit (a Filipino word), according to her, is getting more than we pay for.

Today I had just reached the Golden Age of Consumerism!

Bow.

Ang Kayamanan ni Ka Paeng and the Intramuros Visual Artist's Group

[Photo Credits: http://mannydeguzmanartist.wetpaint.com/]

Ang Kayamanan ni Aling Cela. I saw this painting way back when I was still the small wide-eyed wonder kid who's fascinated with colors and illustrations. This painting started my fascination with the arts and I hoped that one day I will be able to see its creator- renowned hand painter from Rizal, Maestro Rafael "Ka Paeng" Pacheco.

Last November 25, 2011, my wish was granted. I saw Ka Paeng during the establishment of the Intramuros Visual Artist's Group (IVA) in one of the chambers in Intramuros Manila. Ka Paeng was not anymore at his best health but he still continues to paint very good pictures using his fingers. Take a look at this one.

Rafael Pacheco with his Koi painting

It's a beautiful painting of Koi fishes and this, along with the works of the other Lakeshore Artists from Rizal Province, was exhibited at Intramuros Manila last November 25. On that day too, the Intramuros Visual Artist's Group was created along with Ka Paeng's announcement of the establishment of his foundation, the Pacheco Art Foundation.

Rafel Pacheco with fellow artists and Intramuros Administration officers

The event was highlighted by the raffling off of the paintings of Maestro Pacheco himself and of the paintings of other Lakeshore Artists. I can only imagine how much these paintings are worth but Maestro Pacheco's heart is filled with so much gratefulness to the Lord, the source of all the beauty of the world, and gratefulness to all the people who supported his foundation- that he willingly raffled off his priced paintings.

Maestro Pacheco's speech was moving and I figured there might be a single element that all great artists are made of -- their hearts are filled with joy seeing the beauty of the world that they attempted to duplicate it through the works of their hands.

The last few words of his speech stayed in me. "Pasensiya na kayo... wala akong alam kundi iyan... ang gumawa po ng sining. Wala akong alam sa buhay kundi gumawa at kopyahin ang kagandahan at kadakilaan ng ating kapaligiran!"

David's Teahouse with Jie Jie and Lis Pengyou

You heard people say, sometimes spontaneous get-togethers are better than the planned ones. It shows the people who will show up during moments of “impulsive needs”. Thanks to Jie Jie* Argee and Lis Pengyou** for being my good company tonight – topped with a delicious Chinese dinner at David’s Teahouse and some “Bad Boy” cocktail mix at Central Boy BBQ in Makati.

5 Interesting Things to Know about the Intramuros Administration

Whenever I go to Intramuros, one thing that really ignites my interest is the presence of the architectural style during the Spanish Era inside the whole place- not just in the old schools and churches but also in the modern-day fastfood chains and restaurants such as Jollibee and Max's. All of the buildings seemed to comply with a certain blueprint or style in order to preserve the ambiance of the Walled City during the Philippine colonial period.

I was grateful to have met some of the officials of the government organization that is above all these things- the restoration, preservation as well as the promotion of Intramuros. The organization is called the Intramuros Administration. It's nice to know that there is actually a group that is assigned to take care of the Walled City. That even though it is said that Intramuros was not anymore as glorious as it was during the 18th and 19th centuries, with Intramuros Administration Intramuros may be able to "relive within its imposing walls the dramatic walls of the Philippine past".

The Intramuros Administration is located at 5th Floor,  Palacio del Gobernador, Gen. Luna cor Aduana Sts. Intramuros, Manila. [Photo Credits: http://miteasia.com/] 

Here are 5 interesting facts to know about the Intramuros Administration.

1. National Government Agency. The Intramuros Administration is a national government agency created on April 10, 1979 under Presidential Decree 1616. It is tasked to restore the Walled City of Intramuros and develop it into a prime urban tourist destination.
2. Main Center of Tourism in Manila. IA's objective is to make this "city within a city" socially, economically and culturally viable again while keeping pace with modernization. IA intends to enhance the potential of Intramuros as a main center of tourist activity in the City of Manila. It is involved not only in restoration but also in urban renewal and income generation
3. Cultural Center. Today, IA provides a more enjoyable visit to the Walled City for its guests. With ninety percent of the walls restored, Intramuros has become a busy cultural center featuring the performing arts, exhibits, flea markets, book fairs, music and art contests, and religious activities. Restored chambers of the gates have been converted into commercial establishments like food stalls and souvenir shops. Tourists can also visit antique and handicraft stores.
4. Fil-Hispanic Ambiance. IA has ensured that business offices and residences have locational clearances and that they follow designs of Philippine colonial architecture to recapture Fil-Hispanic ambiance of the Walled City.
5. Cultural Heritage Treasures. IA is also recovering the treasures of our cultural heritage. To date, it has an impressive collection of antique furniture, period decor, paintings, jewelry, icons and other items of the Philippines' past. Some of these are exhibited at Casa Manila Museum.

Bloggers Note: Do you have any questions or suggestions to the Intramuros Administration? Please feel free to email us at intramurosmanila [@] ymail [.] com. We will be more than happy to relay all your questions and suggestions to the government organization. 

[Source: Intramuros Map]

Talahib People's Music: Album Launch

TALAHIB band was formed in the event of the Payatas Tragedy Benefit Concert in 2001. It started as an acoustic folk group of tour whose artistic comfort is to promote peoples music. Those early days of Talahib has brought them to various region of the archipelago, and later exposed to traditional rhythms and harmonies of the different Philippine indigenous tribes. With such immersion, the band shaped its music by absorbing the sound of the mountains- the chants, the drumbeats and the enthralling melodies of our native instruments.

At present, Talahib has 26 compositions for almost a decade of performing people’s music.

Julie's Bakeshop and WFP Team Up to Fight Hunger in the Philippines (World Food Programme & Julie's Bakeshop)

New “Bayan” bread product to generate proceeds for WFP’s school feeding programme

MANILA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Philippine’s largest bakery chain, Julie’s Bakeshop, have entered into an innovative partnership to fight hunger in the Philippines.

Julie’s Bakeshop is launching a new product called Julie’s Bayan Sliced Bread, and will donate two pesos to WFP for every loaf of Julie’s Bayan Sliced Bread sold.

While nationwide in scope, proceeds from this initiative will exclusively benefit school children in conflict-affected areas of Central Mindanao through WFP’s Emergency School Feeding (ESF) programme, which provides on-site nutritious meals in targeted elementary schools in Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Maguindanao. WFP implements its school feeding programmes in partnership with the Department of Social
Welfare and Development and the Department of Education as well as the nongovernment organization Community Family Services International.

The ESF programme helps to bring children back to school after a protracted period of displacement in 2008/2009. With the participation of Parent-Teacher Associations, it promotes a sense of normalcy in the lives of the families of the school children and enhances their participation in class. “Giving back to society is part of our corporate ethic at Julie’s Bakeshop, and this is shown by our latest partnership with the World Food Programme,” said Joseph R. Gandionco, president and CEO of Julie’s Franchise Corporation. “More than just bringing bread to the Filipino people, we want to enhance Filipino lives. We consider it a true measure of success by placing a healthy relationship with our customers alongside business excellence.”

Julie’s Bayan Bread is packaged with a WFP logo, raising awareness of WFP’s central role in the fight against hunger and providing customers with an easy way to get involved.

“WFP is extremely grateful for this initiative from Julie’s Bakeshop which will significantly boost our efforts to provide nutritious school meals to vulnerable children in Central Mindanao,” said WFP Philippines Country Director Stephen Anderson. “This programme helps keep children in school and gives them a fighting chance for education, which is key to overcoming poverty and hunger.”

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, there are around 12 million undernourished people nationwide. Julie’s Bakeshop supports efforts to reduce their number in Mindanao, where WFP is currently assisting around 80,000 school children. “We hope this partnership can pave the way for further opportunities for the private sector and WFP Philippines to fight hunger in the country,” said Gandionco.

About Julie’s Bakeshop

Julie’s Bakeshop is the country’s larget bakeshop chain. Founded by Julia Gandionco in 1981, Julie’s Bakeshop today has more than 500 bakeshops. The opening of the first full franchise Julie’s Bakeshop on June 24, 1998, in Camiguin Island was a trend-setting event – one of the keys to Julie’s Bakeshop’s exceptional boom that solidified its nationwide market reach and leadership position in the bakeshop industry. Now regarded as among the hottest franchised businesses for entrepreneurs, Julie’s Bakeshop provides full management and marketing support to franchisees through its corporate organization, Julie’s Franchise Corporation (JFC).

Julie’s Bakeshop is committed to serve quality hot breads to Filipinos. Visit our website at http://juliesbakeshop.net or like us in our Facebook page, Julie’s Bakeshop Official Fan Page.

About WFP

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. Each year, on average, WFP feeds more than 90 million people in more than 70 countries. WFP now provides RSS feeds to help journalists keep up with the latest press releases, videos and photos as they are published on WFP.org. For more details see: http://www.wfp.org/rss.

Follow us on Twitter !
@wfp_media and @wfp_philippines

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Lhara Urquiola
Business Unit Director
PRC, Inc. (Julie’s Bakeshop PR Agency)
Tel. No. 7250237
Fax. No. 4708535
Email Address: lhara_torioprc (at) yahoo.com

Ms. Mei Nebreja
Communications and Partnerships Unit
UN World Food Programme – Philippines
Tel. No. +63 2 750 2561 loc. 2430
Mobile No. +63 917 5713162
Email: mei.nebreja (at) wfp.org

Source: Press Kit

Spooky Halloween Treat: A Cooking Demo with Chef Hasset Go

What: A Cooking Demo and Kiddie Workshop with Chef Hasset Go; All bloggers are invited

When: Today, October 31, 2011, 2:00pm

Where: SM Megamall Foodcourt

Who to Contact: Chef Hasset Go at 0915-487-1332

Why do I want to become a Blog and Social Media Entrepreneur?

[Source: http://janettetoral.tumblr.com/] 

This is my entry for DigitalFilipino.com's Blog and Social Media Entrepreneur Program contest.

As a young professional who would like to pursue a career in Marketing, I believe that being a Blog & Social Media Entrepreneur shall help me immensely in becoming a successful Marketing practitioner someday. I believe that blogs and other social media platforms will be the mainstream marketing channel of the future- and there is just no excuse for me not to get familiar with these new forms of media.

It is great to know that through non-traditional forms of media more and more people are given the opportunity to be heard and become influential in their own respect. Every day, we see statements, pictures and videos that move our hearts and change our thinking. More often than not, these statements, pictures and videos are just shared to us by ordinary people like us- our friends.

In a world where power and influence seems to be limited to just a chosen few, I believe that giving more and more people the chance to become an opinion leader or a “change maker” can already be called a big step forward towards creating social progress. Looking ahead, being a Blog & Social Media Entrepreneur will not just give me the opportunity to take the “front seat” as I watch more of those positive changes unfold- brought about by this social progress.

As a Blog & Social Media Entrepreneur, it will also allow me to actively partake in bringing forth those positive changes.

My Roomorama Experience

Lucky. A few months ago, I received a lucky Email from Roomarama.com asking me to write a review about the website in exchange of a $100-worth of GC that I can use anytime, anywhere. I was a fan of the service even before I got that lucky Email. Basically Roomarama.com is an online portal for travelers who are looking for more affordable apartments and condominium units to stay in during their travels. Indeed, gone are the days when we are just limited to very expensive hotels for our short-term stays abroad. Now, we have a list of apartments and condominium units (in a more affordable price and a more convenient online booking via Roomarama.com) that is being offered by locals from anywhere in the world.

5 Great Lessons I Learned From The Shack

[Photo Credits: http://www.ucobserver.org]

God loves us. We have heard this statement many times since we were kids. But how many of us had really realized this truth? Reading The Shack helped me a lot in getting closer to living this simple truth. I truly enjoyed every page of it. I recommend this to anyone who would like to know more about God and His great love for us.




Note: The Shack is not a book about religion nor any institution. It's a book about having a personal relationship with God and how an ordinary guy named Mack was able re-tell his true-to-life encounter with God in a place beyond his imagination. For more information about the book, visit their website. Click here.

[Photo Credits: http://oceanofgrace.org]

1. You are loved. "We tend to live either in the past or the future; dwelling on the pain and the regret of the past, instead of a quick visit to learn something from it. Or fearing the future, letting our imagination run wild with worry, and forgetting to see the future with Jesus. This happens when: a. we don’t really know we’re loved and b. we don’t believe that God is good."

[Photo Credits: http://rhythmontherock.com]

2. Forgiveness. "Ask for forgiveness and let the forgiveness heal you. Take the risk of honesty. Faith does not grow in the house of uncertainty."

[Photo Credits: http://citynoise.org]

3. Evil was never a plan of God's. "Evil was never a plan of God’s. We must return from our independence, give up being his judge, and know God for who he is."

[Photo Credits: http://www.about-jesus.zoomshare.com]

4. God's healing. "Sin is its own punishment, devouring from the inside. It’s not God’s purpose to punish it; it’s God’s joy to cure it."

[Photo Credits: http://cornishevangelist.wordpress.com]

5. God's light. "The darkness hides the true size of fears and lies and regrets. The truth is that they are more shadow than reality, so they seem bigger in the dark. When the light shines into the places where they live inside you, you start to see them for what they are."



Thank you, Gian, for the special gift.

The Blogger Apprentice

Top 3 Blogger Apprentices. It was a sheer moment of happiness to be declared as one of the 2011 Official Blogger Apprentices of Blogger Manila for 2011. The Blogger Apprentice is a program created by Jonel Uy of Blogger Manila that chooses newbie bloggers to be a part of the core group of the Blogger Manila network. Part of the perks of being a Blogger Apprentice is to get exclusive invites to some blogging events and to receive mentorship from none other than Mr. Blogger Manila himself, Mr. Jonel Uy.