Top 10 Places to be for New Year's Eve

BY Ana Valenzuela

December 30, 2011

Like all good things, 2011 is about to come to an end, but certainly not without a bang! If you're young, restless, and all set to party and let go of the year and usher in 2012, here’s a list of places to be on New Year’s Eve.

1. Makati Street Party. Said to be inspired from the New York Times Square New Year’s Eve countdown, the Makati street party is back after a two-year hiatus. The countdown will happen at the intersection of Ayala and Makati Avenues with the theme, ‘Magical, Musical Makati 2012’.

Organized by the Makati City government, in partnership with TV5, the party will see performances from The Dawn, the CompanY, Antimano Band, Bloom Brothers, Grupong Pendong, and many more. Party goers would surely be amazed by the magic tricks that Jeffrey Tam would provide. At the same time, mime performers, clowns and fire dancers will be doing their acts along the main stage area to add to the festive atmosphere. Capping off the year is a 15-minute grand pyro-musical show.

Food booths from traders of the Ayala Center, Salcedo Weekend Market, and major hotels in the city will also be available. Surely, party goers and revellers would have a wide variety of Media Noche choices. Six five-star hotels will also provide catering for invited VIP guests. This year’s event is expected to raise funds for Makati Festivals Foundation, in between the performances will be a series of raffle draws with valuable prizes and a brand new luxury car as grand prize.

2. Resorts World in Manila. Resorts World (RWM), the Philippines’ first integrated tourism destination, is holding not just one but three countdown parties at the complex. The elegant plaza of the Newport Mall will feature magicians, dancers, acrobats, and bands perform while stilt walkers, mimes and clowns roam the halls of the mall to the delight of guests. Singing group Primo will be hosting the countdown party alongside Classix Band will be delighting mall goers with song numbers.

At the Resorts World Casino, Bar 360 has RWM sensation the Draybers and Shayne and the Perfect Jam to delight the revellers all the way to 2012.

Check out the newest Club in the metro, the Genting Club, which will have its own New Year countdown led by the CompanY and the Bloom Brothers over choice cigars, the finest martinis, selections of single malt and whiskey, satisfying meals, and many more.

3. The Manor Camp John Hay, Baguio City. Baguio also ends 2011 with a bang as The Manor Camp John Hay presents the Yin Yang Band with heart-thumping music. There will be other performances from top acts such as Aaron Paraiso on the harp and others. A sumptuous dinner buffet of international cuisines will be served with champagne, priced at P2,800. Party giveaways and noise makers would also be given to guests. A display of fireworks over the Baguio sky greets the year 2012.

4. Boracay beach party. Still unsure of where to go to for the New Year then book a plane and head off to Boracay. After all Boracay is known for its parties, and the best time would definitely be on New Year. “In Boracay, it’s only three times a year when there are really a lot of people here: Chinese New Year, Holy Week and New Year. The island really is full and crowded,” says Alfonso Chusuey, Chief Operating officer of the Boracay Gardens Resort.

It’s during New Year’s Eve when revelers look forward to the resort’s grand buffet feast and, by 12 midnight, a 15-minute fireworks display mounted on a barge fronting sister resort Boracay Regency.

5. Mountain View Nature Park in Cebu. Most clubs and bars in Cebu are closed during New Year’s Eve. However if you want to enjoy the fireworks without so much noise, then your best bet would be at the Mountain View Nature Park in Citio Garahe, Busay, Cebu. It offers an astounding view of the city just over looking Mount Busay. Rooms cost from P500 to P2,000. Better book early as Mountain View Nature Park is jampacked during the New Year season.

6. Makati Shangri-La Hotel. Enjoy a lavish feast and musical concerts as 2012 sets in. The country’s queen of bossa nova, Sitti, Joey Lee de Guzman with EV Band, and Highway 54 will be performing at the Lobby Lounge on December 31. The performance will be capped off with a grand fireworks display. Regular seats are at Php 5,000+++, while VIP seats are at Php 5,500+++ and Php 6,000+++. Balcony seating is at Php 20,000+++ per table of four.

Also, in Makati Shangri-la, a Brazilian themed celebration for the New Year at Conway’s bar with it’s Samba de Carnivale, featuring a raging performance from Escola de Samba de Manila. All for P500 net consumable.

Guests can eat away as they can choose from an extensive menu planned out at the hotel’s various restaurant outlets. Book a room through (+632) 813-8888 or reserve a table at Restaurant Reservations and Information Centre at (+632) 840-0884. For more info, log on to www.shangri-la.com.

7. The Peninsula Manila. Glam up your celebration and greet the New Year as The Pen’s celebrated lobby becomes the venue of a glitzy countdown with the Sparkle Ball and big band music. And, as the clock strikes at 12 midnight, say “cheers!” with your glass of champagne as balloons and confetti rain down on merrymakers.

Executive Chef Patrick Boucher serves a dinner buffet that starts at 9pm until 12mn. After the countdown, the revelry goes on at Salon de Ning with Hyperbeat and Main Avenue. The Lobby New Year's Eve Sparkle Ball
is priced at P 6,200++ for adults and P6,700++ to include a glass of champagne. For children under 12 years old, dinner buffet price is P 3,700++. Midnight
entertainment is from 9 pm to 2 am. The Salon de Ning After Party
is from 7 pm to 2 am
(P1,500++ for minimum consumption). For more details, (+632) 887-2888, extension 7401 (Festive Desk) and 6694 (Restaurant Reservations).

8. Eastwood Mall. Bring your family at the mall’s open park and celebrate the coming of 2012 with a free concert featuring Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano and his sons Paolo and Gab Valenciano along with other artists like Billy Crawford, Urbanation, Amber Davis, and The Dawn. A grand fireworks display said to top its weekly fireworks show happens at midnight.
For inquiries, (+632)

9. Power Plant Mall in Rockwell. Party till sunrise is what Rockwell’s new and reinvented “31 to 1: 100% Rockwell New Year Party” is all about. After midnight, don’t miss the After Party from 1 am till sunrise. Get into the beat with the metro’s best DJ’s like Cao Ocampo, Yoshi Uy, Amber Davis, David Ardiente, and DJ Buzz at the Rockwell Tent. Tickets at P550 per person with unlimited drinks. For inquiries, call 0906-336-0797 or 0917-533-1464

10. Crossover buffets in hotels. Then again, if you’re a great believer of the saying, “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow is another day,” then get your appetite going at the city’s various five-star hotels where grand crossover buffets in its various restaurant outlets are the way to say goodbye to 2011. Among these hotels are the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City (+632 238-8888) and the Manila Hotel (+632 527-0011).

Happy New Year!

Now hear this--it's Deafness Awareness Week

BY Ana Valenzuela Published November 8, 2011

MANILA, Philippines - By age one, six out of ten infants would have had more than one episode of an ear infection. By age three, 4 out of 5 children would have experienced at least one ear infection. By age seven, at least one of three children would have had at least six ear defects.

These children would add to the number of people suffering from hearing disabilities. Twenty-eight percent of the Philippine population is suffering from hearing impairment. This chunk of our population is just part of the 287 million individuals, reported by the World Health Organization, who have hearing problems.

"We want to pick up hearing loss at an early stage so that we can rehabilitate as early as possible," stresses Dr. Gretchen Navarro Locsin, a pediatric Ear, Nose and Throat specialist at St. Luke's Medical Center, as she spoke at the launch of Deaf Awareness Week, which is sponsored by the Metro Manila Federation of Agencies for the Deaf in cooperation with Glaxo Smith Kline and other institutions.

Hearing loss can occur as early as infancy, so the Metro Manila Federation of Agencies for the Deaf is pushing to educate the public early on. The federation also aims to encourage Filipinos to utilize the hearing screen that is packaged in newborn screenings in hospitals.

"In 2009, it already became a law, that newborn screening would also include hearing screen. In fact, newborn screening now is packaged by Philhealth. It would be significantly helpful to children who have the potential to have hearing loss," said Locsin during the kick-off of Deaf Awareness Week on November 6 at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center in Quezon City. Hearing screen would assist in learning if the baby has congenital hearing loss that may be caused by maternal diseases or genetics.
There are signs if your child might be experiencing hearing loss.

Locsin says parents should pick up certain indications such as the child's performance in school and socialization skills.

"The mom or the caregiver should see the cues," says Locsin. "Why is the baby not yet speaking? For example, if your child is two years old, that is already delayed. The child should have been talking at a much earlier stage. He should have been babbling by the age of eight months. Even more so, if the child is not startled or surprised, or if your child's head is not turning. Head control develops by the age of four months. So, parents should take notice of that."

"There are [types of] hearing loss that are associated with genetic abnormalities, but there are also cases that up to now, we still do not know what is the cause," says Locsin.

"About half of the known causes of hearing loss are actually preventable. If we look at the data, a lot of the cause is wax, but a significant number of hearing loss is caused by an ear infection which is known as Otitis Media. Acute Otitis Media (AOM) is acquired when you have infection and inflammation of the middle ear," shares Locsin. "AOM is one of the leading ailments among Filipino children. In fact, it occurs in three out of four kids aged three and below.

"The problem is that if your acute ear infection is not treated properly or does not go away spontaneously, then it goes on to develop into a more chronic severe form of disease," says Locsin. "You go on to have luga (AOM), which could go on to hearing loss, and lead to other diseases that are greater than hearing loss." The WHO reports that in a year about P5.7 billion is spent for the care of children who are suffering from AOM.

Apart from those mentioned, the other causes of hearing loss are Otitis Externa, infectious conditions, non-infectious conditions, intake of certain medicines and old age. There are ways to prevent acquired hearing loss---immunization for mothers and children, immediate and appropriate management of ear disease, and avoidance of exposure to loud noise.

Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK), one of the supporters of Deaf Awareness Week, offers vaccines to help prevent hearing loss.

"Among those vaccines offered by GSK is the pneumococcal vaccine (for pneumonia) which can help prevent infections that could lead to hearing loss. We also have the Rubella vaccine (German Measles). Rubella can cause deafness in the unborn babies if pregnant women are sick with it. We also manufacture flu vaccines. Influenza, unknown to some, could also cause ear infections," shares Derrick Sim, vice president of Glaxo Smith Kline for Commercial Vaccines.

"Some vaccines only require one shot, while others require two or three shots. The vaccines stimulate the body to produce antibodies to fight the infection so that the body can protect itself."

Immediate and appropriate management of ear problems or diseases is also important to prevent hearing loss.

"The mother would tell us there is no problem, but that does not mean the patient is alright, that just means that maybe the mom does not see anything. That does not mean that the wound would heal itself. The child or the adult would still go into complication," says Locsin.

What she advises is to have a check-up.

Another way to prevent hearing loss is by avoiding loud noises.

"How would you know if the volume on your MP3 or IPod is too loud?" asked Locsin.

"If the person beside you could already hear it, that is too loud," she says. "You are the only one who is supposed to hear the music especially if you are using insert earphones. If you are exposed to long and abnormally loud sounds, in a long period of time, it causes hearing loss."

For some, silence might be golden, but for others it is a burden as they live in a world without sound.

"A large number of deafness is preventable. Glaxo Smith Kline is interested in educating people to avail vaccinations. Vaccination is a good way to prevent the disease, including those diseases which can cause deafness," says Sim.

As part of GSK's advocacy on deafness, GSK gave out 300 pneumococcal vaccines to Better Hearing Philippines to help in its commitment to protect Filipino children and prevent potential hearing loss.

During Deaf Awareness Week, activities such as seminars, dance competitions and ear check-up are offered at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center and the University of Santo Tomas.

For more information on Deaf Awareness Week, please contact Better Hearing Philippines at (02) 406-1611.

Ten good things to do for the long weekend break

ANILA, Philippines - Flowers? Check. Candles? Check. Now that you're all set for the annual ritual of honoring your dearly departed, but are still opting to stay in the city over the long holiday, you could still have that relaxing, fun weekend break anyway. Here are some ideas to keep you going.

1. Get shokot to the max. Can’t get enough of the hit film Zombadings? Now, enter the Zombadings Shokot House at Eastwood City Walk. This house of horror will either scare you so much that you would race for the exit or make you laugh like the movie did. Open until October 31, from 5PM to 11PM. Entrance fee is P100. Midnight screenings are also scheduled at the Eastwood Mall Cinema on October 28 to 30, go if you haven’t seen it yet or go and watch it again and again! For more information, call 709-0888.

2. Much ado about Resorts World. What? You haven’t been to Resorts World Manila? Well, this weekend is the time to satisfy your curiosity to find out what’s all the fuss about Resorts World Manila. Check out its high-end bars, casinos and luxury malls, and while you’re at it, visit the Newport Mall for its Halloween Cocktail, held daily until November 15, and Grand Masquerade on October 30.

Talk about responsible drinking, in Halloween Cocktails,11 participating restaurants have concocted drinks---and a portion of each sale will go to Alay sa mga may Kapansanan Association Inc. Feeling thirsty now? Get the gang together for drinks tonight and go resto-hopping for drink like Johnny Chow's Bloodfire, Crisostomo's Sisa's Ghost, New Orleans Diablo Mojito, and UCC Cafe Terrace's Vampire's Kiss, to name a few. Resorts World is located at Newport Boulevard, Newport City, Cybertourism Zone, Pasay City.

3. Hide in style. Stop worrying about household stuff (yes, washing dishes or making up your bed for a change!) and pamper your family with a stay at a luxury hotel like Acacia Hotel. The newest five-star hotel in Alabang comes with all the deluxe amenities you’ll ever need; reviews have raved about its efficient and warm service. The swimming pool, gym, and spa areas, however, are still non-operational. Till end of October, the hotel’s deluxe rooms are at P4,888 nett or 55 percent off the published rates. On October 30, the hotel has planned its Creep-tacular Forest Halloween Party at its new Samanae activity center. Acacia Hotel is at 5400 Asia Drive corner Commerce Avenue, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinglupa. For inquiries and reservations, call (632) 720-2000 and (632) 588-5888.

4. Get lost in space. Explore outer space at the Hotel InterContinental Manila’s Grand Ballroom and party with extra-terrestrials and space heroes. The hotel provides a lot of games, activities---trick or treats to arts and crafts--and of course, good food. The hotel is located at 1 Ayala Avenue, Edsa. For information call (632) 793-7000.

5. Sit back, relax, watch a movie. Scare each other’s wits out, and go see the horror and suspense flick that topped the US Box office weekend (and toppled Hugh Jackman’s latest starrer, Real Steel) Paranormal Activity 3. Although it is the third movie from the franchise, it is actually a prequel as it is set 18 years before the first two films. Paranormal Activity 3 is sure to be a spine-tingling treat for the Halloween. If a scary movie is too much, then the Three Musketeers would fill your weekend. The movie stars Orlando Bloom, Mila Jovovich, Luke Evans, and Logan Lerman.

6. Watch The Sound of Music. The Newport Performing Arts Theater (NPAT) at Resorts World Manila is alive with the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein, as it stages the well-loved and award wining Broadway musical. Joana Ampil and Cris Villonco star as Maria, while Audie Gemora alternates with Ed Feist as Captain Georg von Trapp. The show will run until December 11, 2011. Show times are 8 PM on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays; 3 PM and 8 PM on Saturdays and 3 PM on Sundays. For ticket reservations and inquiries, visit any Ticketworld outlet or the Resorts World Manila Box Office.

7. See Peter Pan fly. Catch some fairy dust at the Meralco Theater, Ortigas as Repertory Philippines and Stages presents Peter Pan. In the lead role is Sam Concepcion, who plays the boy who never grows up. He shares the stage with Menchu Lauchengco, Jaime Del Mundo, Tippy Dos Santos and Cara Barredo, among others. Show time is on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00PM, with a matinee show on Saturdays and Sundays at 3:30PM. The play runs till October 30. For more information call Repertory Philippines at (632) 571-6926 or (632) 571-4941.

8. See a concert. Spend the night of October30 listening to the relaxing music of international superstar, Jason Mraz. The singer-songwriter will have a one-night show at the Araneta Colisuem where he will perform hits like “I’m Yours” and “Lucky”. Tickets are priced at P800 to P3,500. For more information call Ticketnet at 911-5555.

9. Listen to orchestra music. The Cultural Center of the Philippines presents Greenilda versus the Litterbugs: A Halloween Family Concert on October 30, 2:30 PM at the CCP Little Theater. The concert features the Metro Manila Concert Orchestra led by Josefino Chino Toledo. Let your kids learn about orchestra music and environmental conservation. For more information and ticket reservations, call the CCP Marketing Office at 8321125. Students can enjoy a 50-percent discount while seniors get 20 percent off. Ticket prices range from P500 to P800.

10. Can’t beat ‘em, then party! But, of course, if you enjoy the thrill of seeing people in their scariest costumes and just having a good time, then join the parties scattered all over the metro. One big gig to go to is Black Party Manila 2011 at Orosa corner Nakpil Streets in Malate, Manila. Fun starts at 10 PM.

Families advised to keep Saints, Souls’ day solemn

MANILA, Oct. 30, 2011—A priest reminded people going to cemeteries to light candles and pray for their beloved dead on All Saints and All Souls Day to express their Christian faith meaningfully.

La Loma Cemetery chaplain Fr. Leo Gilbero said he is proud of this unique Filipino tradition of gathering the whole family during this time of the year to pray for their loved ones, but he also stressed the importance of keeping the faith within character.

“We should also set boundaries to keep with our faith, like for example the bringing of food [and partaking of meals] in the cemeteries. What is that for?” he asked.

Filipino families traditionally gather in cemeteries every All Saints and All Souls Day to light candles and pray for their deceased family and friends.

But the gathering involves not just about lighting a candle, it also serves as a kind of small family reunion among family members and friends, where they not only pray but also eat together.

“All Saints’ Day is a family tradition. In a sense, it helps the family,” Gilbero said. “Even though it is because of a death of [a] loved one, [but] it helps bring the family together.”

“According to Church teachings, every time we visit the tomb or grave, and every time we pray for the dead, we gain a partial indulgence,” Fr. Gilbero pointed out.

“For us, there is a meaning to each visit that gives us indulgence. Maybe there is significance for the family — the reunion that happens around the tomb — but the Church teaches us that when we visit the dead we can gain partial indulgence with the conditions that we visit the grave or pray for the dead,” he explained.

The priest said efforts had been done to address the practice of bringing food in the cemetery but to no avail so far.

“Maybe it is due to the culture and the influence of other cultures,” he pondered. (Ana Valenzuela)

Tears of the Sun

by Ana Valenzuela

Caroline Mae Jenairo was like any other college senior. She had grades to maintain, papers to pass, professors to please, but unlike girls her age who were learning about the newest makeup products and how to curl her hair, she had to learn about power tools and how to use them. And not just your ordinary screwdrivers, mind you, but welding tools, as this girl was already building a car. Not just any other car but a solar-powered car.

Jenairo, a fourth year Mechanical Engineering student of De La Salle, is part of the team that built the Sikat II set to compete in the World Solar Challenge in the Australian Outback from Oct.16 to 23. The team consists of 22 students and three professors from De La Salle University Manila’s Mechanical Engineering and Electronics and Communications Departments. The product of the team's hard work was recently unveiled to a chosen number of the media at the campus grounds.

Harnessing the sun

Solar energy in terms of economies of scale is a relatively new technology. “People will come out with better manufacturing processes, higher yield. In the future it will become part of the power generation, not exactly solar powered cars but part of energy and powering portable equipment like cell phones and batteries,” predicts Jack Catalan, team leader and faculty adviser.

“The motivation for building a solar car is for the Philippines to field an entry to the world’s solar challenge. The idea is to have a Filipino car join the race,” says Jack.

The team started working on the Sikat II early February of this year. The Philippine team has a good chance of winning, as the organizers have cut down on the allowed space grade cells. “The organizers are cutting down on the performance versus the resources. They cut down the allowed size of the space grade cells; these are the type which is better performing more endowed teams are able to afford. Chances of getting to compete with richer teams are better compared to previous competitions,” says Jack.

As for technological improvements, it seems to be starting now as the team proudly introduced a few upgrading in to the design of the new solar car as compared to the predecessors Sinag, which also competed in the World Solar challenge in 2007 finishing 12th overall, and the Sikat 1, which travelled from Mindanao to Luzon.

“The flaws that we saw in our previous designs, we corrected in Sikat II. We used better composite materials. Unlike before, we used PVC comb so now we used lightweight carbon fiber-honeycomb composite for it to be lighter,” said student Caroline Mae. Indeed, the new material makes Sikat II is ten kilograms lighter than Sikat 1.

Aside from the weight, they were additional adjustments made to the car.“Sikat II’s solar panels are better. They are better in terms of encapsulation, if you can remember Sikat1’s solar arrays are bright. If we used the old materials it is very difficult to maintain, a little scratch, a little dust would affect the performance. But this one we respect that it would fare better in performance and maintenance,” says Jack.

“All the other components are inherited from Sikat1, but given all the improvements plus the method we used to construct it, we trust that Sikat II is a far better car. It is lighter, has better aerodynamics, its shape is better than Sikat1 that its air resistance would be lower. New materials and new techniques make it sturdier and lighter,” says Jack. With all the developments, the team hopes that Sikat II will have a great finish in the coming 3,000 kilometer run. Sikat II is faster than its predecessor able to run at a top speed of 110lph with its two kilowatt motor. When running on its 4,000 watt hour Lithium-ion battery and solar array power at a speed of 85 kilometer per hour, Sikat II can travel more than 800 kilometers.

The team has learnt much to set up the best car possible for the upcoming cross-continent World Solar Challenge. Apart from that Jenairo shares what they learnt, “Time management also. We worked day and night, so we had to do a lot of catching up in our academics, we have to sacrifice a little of our sleep, and a little of our social activities. But this is a once in a lifetime experience so for me this is really worth it.” She says with a smile.