BRIA Homes eyes stronger VisMin presence in its portfolio of residential developments

With such buoyant prospects for VisMin, BRIA Homes,
one of the country’s top developers of best-value housing,
 has bolstered its presence in these regions

In the past, one prevailing socioeconomic myth held the idea that all roads led to bustling Metro Manila, where bountiful employment and business opportunities awaited ambitious and hardworking Filipinos. Tiny as the Philippine archipelago is, Visayas and Mindanao used to be considered as trailing behind the National Capital Region in terms of progress and development. 

Fast-forward to the present times, nothing could be further from the truth. Business and industry have fast acknowledged the tremendous potential that VisMin offers, making it a much-coveted region for both government and private sector investments. With Visayas and Mindanao as hosts to some of the country’s most fascinating and culturally diverse places, the region is developing into a center for agro trade and world-class tourism, providing a plethora of employment opportunities to local Visayans, Mindanaoans and Filipino migrants who have set up roots in the South. 

PhilPop announces finalists from Visayas and Mindanao clusters

PhilPop, the country's premier songwriting competition, has officially unveiled its top 6 finalists from the Visayas and Mindanao cluster. With #MusicBreakingBorders as its newest tagline, the music institution sets its sights in promoting top-notch Filipino compositions on a scale that’s never been done before: by going global and forging regional ties.

Carefully handpicked from thousands of submissions, the first batch of finalists from PhilPop Songwriting Festival 2020 recently graced the online media presentation last August 24, 2020 (Wednesday).

In no particular order, the finalists from the Vis-Min cluster include: 

Visayas:

• Jerika Teodorico – “Ayaw Na Lang” (Cebu City, Cebu)
• Noah Alejandre and Reanne Borela – “Suyo” (Ormoc City, Leyte)
• Michael Catarina – “Hinungdan” (Cebu City, Cebu)

Mindanao:

• John Cadeliña  – “Akong Bililhon”(Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur)
• Christian Chiu – “Kasadya” (Corandal City, South Cotabato)
• Sherwin Fugoso – “Pahuway” (Jabonga, Agusan del Norte)

According to PhilPop Executive Director Dinah Remolacio, the entries underwent multiple rounds of selection process until Top 3 per clusters were handpicked. “We wanted our process to be inclusive so the decision making involved local and international representatives from Warner Music, representatives from our regional partner for each cluster, and representatives from PhilPop,” Remolacio shares in a statement. 

The selection committee is headed by Festival Chair and PhilPop Musicfest National Artist Ryan Cayabyab, as well as Foundation Board Members, adjudicators, partners, and Warner Music Philippines Executives such as PhilPop Musicfest Foundation President Victorico P. Vargas, Festival Co-Chair and PhilPop Musicfest Foundation Board Member Noel Cabangon, PhilPop Musicfest Foundation Executive Director Dinah A. Remolacio, PhilPop Musicfest Foundation Lead Adjudicators Jungee Marcelo and Trina Belamide, Warner Music Philippines Managing Director Ian Monsod, MinPop Musicfest Director and Mindanao Cluster Partner Jeremy Sarmiento, and Kadasig Founder and Visayas Cluster Partner Jude Gitamondoc.

PhilPop is currently wrapping up its adjudication process for the remaining clusters namely: North Luzon, South Luzon, and Metro Manila. The finalists representing the remaining regions will be announced next month.

In terms of the selection of finalists from the Mindanao Cluster, MinPop Musicfest Director Jeremy Sarmiento takes pride of how the top three finalists took inspiration from various sources, yet their songs sounded truly ‘Mindanaoan’ in terms of cultural context and identity. Sarmiento also cited the importance of regional representation, and how this platform helps in introducing different stories and diverse experiences through music. “There's no better way to achieve that than giving an opportunity to those in the regions to tell their own stories. Representation provides a reflection of each of their languages, ideals, feelings and that's what we ultimately need to understand each other better, the uniqueness of the Filipinos, expressed through songs.”

Kadasig Founder and Visayas Cluster Partner Jude Gitamondoc is also optimistic about their official picks for the Visayas cluster, citing diversity and universal appeal as two of main reasons that make these songs a standout in the competition. “I think the songs chosen to represent the Visayas are a great representation of the region,” says Gitamondoc. “We have an electronic-infused track, another one that's soulful, and another that's folksy. That pretty much shows how varied the musicality is in the Visayas. We are at the center of the country. We are a melting pot of cultures, influences, and ideas.”

PhilPop Songwriting Festival 2020 is an initiative of the PhilPop Music Foundation, chaired by Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan. This year's PhilPop is co-presented by SMART, MERALCO, and MAYNILAD, with official partners, Warner Music Philippines, Kadasig, and MinPop.

BRIA Homes set to build more communities in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao

BRIA seems unstoppable as it expands its scope in more areas in
Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, offering stylish and well-laid-out
house and lot packages located within safe, secure, and modern
communities located close to schools, churches, hospitals,
and retail establishments.

In the wake of its outstanding success in building affordable homes for all Filipinos, BRIA seems unstoppable as it expands its scope in more areas in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

To date, BRIA has over 50 projects in progressive towns and cities in the Philippines, luring aspiring homeowners—from young professionals to blue-collar workers—to its family-friendly communities.

Indeed, its winning formula, Affordability (Mura) + Quality (Dekalidad) = A Beautiful BRIA Home for Every Filipino, BRIA Homes has helped legions of ordinary Filipinos purchase their own well-designed homes at prices they can afford.

Operation Tulong By SM To Help Affected Typhoon Victims

Now that the stormed Pablo has passed the islands of Mindanao and Visayas, it time to rebuild and help our fellow kakabayans down south. As we here in Luzon are fortunate enough to have never felt the wrath of the typhoon this Christmas season. It would be a great and noble deed to share what we have for the victims of the recent super typhoon.

You can be part of rehabilitaion revolution with SM supermalls' Operation Tulong in selected SM Malls in the country. You may also donate through the SM Foundation Inc. Banco De Oro account number 15000-706-94.

Operation Tulong Express at SM City Cagayan De Oro had 1,221 families using the grounds of the mall as shelter during the height of Typhoon Pablo (composed of 4,838 individuals), which was 13.5% of the total number of evacuees during the Typhoon in Cagayan de Oro. With that, we'd like everyone to know that we are accepting donations for those who have been affected by the Typhoon. We have also set up Operation Tulong Express in SM Lanang Premier and SM City Davao.

AKSYON PILIPINAS: Earthquake Alert Cebu-Negros

A 6.8 earthquake just hit the Visayas Region this morning with the epicenter at 72 KM North of Dumagete City in Negros Island.  According to Pacific Tsunami Warning Center there is no Tsunami warning levels but wants to practice caution:

NO DESTRUCTIVE WIDESPREAD TSUNAMI THREAT EXISTS BASED ON
 HISTORICAL EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI DATA.


 HOWEVER - EARTHQUAKES OF THIS SIZE SOMETIMES GENERATE LOCAL
 TSUNAMIS THAT CAN BE DESTRUCTIVE ALONG COASTS LOCATED WITHIN
 A HUNDRED KILOMETERS OF THE EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER. AUTHORITIES
 IN THE REGION OF THE EPICENTER SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS
 POSSIBILITY AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.


THIS WILL BE THE ONLY BULLETIN ISSUED FOR THIS EVENT UNLESS
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.


THE JAPAN METEOROLOGICAL AGENCY MAY ALSO ISSUE TSUNAMI MESSAGES
FOR THIS EVENT TO COUNTRIES IN THE NORTHWEST PACIFIC AND SOUTH
CHINA SEA REGION.  IN CASE OF CONFLICTING INFORMATION... THE 
MORE CONSERVATIVE INFORMATION SHOULD BE USED FOR SAFETY.  


(from PTWC)


Two other after shocks, a 5.6 Magnitude earthquake, and 4.8 Magnitude earthquake were also recorded with epicenters also near the original. No official numbers of damage and casualties were reported yet many expressed and reported the event online via social networking sites.


If you are living in the said areas of Panay, Negros, Cebu and Bohol and felt the tremors, do contact local authority for help and report any damages. We at AKSYON PILIPINAS will also post information from affected areas.

(from AKSYON PILIPINAS)

LAKABAYAN: San Juanico Golf Hotel - A Holiday Paradise Beckons

Enjoy Christmas and vacation trips at a holiday paradise with families and friends. The San Juanico Golf Hotel is a 30-room hotel surrounded with breath-taking verdant landscape of flat and gently sloping greens, panorama of endless rolling hills and mountains offers world-class amenities and accommodations to those visiting Eastern Visayas. 

Guests at the hotel get an exquisite view of the San Juanico Bridge, a historic structure and an engineering marvel that spans two kms across the strait that connects Samar and Leyte provinces.  It is considered the most beautiful sea-spanning bridge in the Philippines.