Filipina receives Guinness World Records recognition for “Largest Collection of Jigsaw Puzzles of Any Size, Shape or Form”

 

Filipina receives Guinness World Records recognition for “Largest Collection of Jigsaw Puzzles of Any Size, Shape or Form”

In a modern world so turned on to video and digital entertainment, a lady who assembles jigsaw puzzles as a hobby takes center stage as she receives Guinness World Records recognition for The World’s Largest Collection of Jigsaw Puzzles in Any Size, Shape or Form” today, November 29, 2012 at The Puzzle Mansion in Tagaytay.

Guinness World Records Adjudicator and Representative of Turkey, Seyda Subasi Gemici, awarded Ms. Georgina Gil Lacuna, with the official Guinness certificate attesting to the new record she has set in this category. Ms. Lacuna has 1,030 jigsaw puzzles in her collection – all completed by her – housed in her Bed and Breakfast in Barangay Asisan, Tagaytay City aptly called The Puzzle Mansion. The previous Guinness World Records for jigsaw puzzles was 238, collected by Luiza Figuereido of Brazil on May 21, 2010.

The puzzles in Ms. Lacuna’s collection were adjudicated on the morning of November 29 in the presence of two official witnesses, Sister Angeline Ilagan and Professor Monette Narciso of the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts. The puzzle collection includes mural-sized puzzles that are 14 feet long and 5 feet tall and smaller pieces of various shapes and sizes, some in 3D and 4D.

Ms. Lacuna is currently working on one jigsaw puzzle that is acknowledged also by Guinness to be the biggest jigsaw puzzle in existence in the world : Keith Haring’s Double Retrospect with 32,000 puzzle pieces – 17 feet long and 6 feet tall.

Lacuna, who started doing jigsaw puzzles 27 years ago, says she is able to finish two 500-piece puzzles a day and a 1000-pieces puzzle overnight. “If the puzzles have only 300 pieces, I am able to finish five of them in one day,” she said.

Present at the Guinness awarding were Tagaytay Mayor Abraham Tolentino and Director Luella Jurilla of the Calabarzon Region who represented Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez. Foreign dignitaries as well as local and international media also witnessed the awarding ceremony.

“We are very proud to have this awesome puzzle collection in our City and this recognition from Guinness World Records, the ultimate authority on record-breaking achievements, will place Tagaytay on the world map. We congratulate Ms. Lacuna on her singular feat and salute her for the role that her puzzles will play in boosting tourism in this part of the country,” Mayor Tolentino said.

For her part, Ms. Lacuna said she wants to turn more people – especially the youth – into solving jigsaw puzzles. “They are very rewarding to do because they are educational and have many psychological and health benefits as well. They relax you even as they make you think. According to doctors, working on difficult jigsaw puzzles exercises your brain. The more you work your brain, the better off your mind will be. Solving jigsaw puzzles can help stave off memory loss and brain aging.”

The puzzle collection is on view daily at The Puzzle Mansion from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Sunday. For more information about the puzzle collection and The Puzzle Mansion, visit www.Facebook.com/puzzlemansion.

For more pictures regarding the event pls clck this link ,

Villar Foundations Brings Blessings to More OFWs

 

Villar Foundations Brings Blessings to More OFWs

Record Turnout at the 2^nd OFW & Family Summit

It was so timely and proper that the so called Heroes of the 21st Century the OFW’s should learned how to use their resources right and be aware of their vulnerability to loose their hard earned income after which they retired from their works.

On its second year, the OFW and Family Summit of the Villar Foundation and GoNegosyo once again attracted record number of participants. Overseas Filipino workers (OFW) returnees as well as their families once again trooped to the World Trade Center in Pasay City in full force for the one-day summit on November 22.

Senator Manny Villar and Cynthia Villar—Chairman and Managing Director, respectively, of the Villar Foundation— joined by a representative of Pasay City Mayor Antonio Calixto, GoNegosyo’s founding trustee Joey Conception and Executive Director Ramon Lopez led the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Concepcion and Mrs. Villar led the lineup of speakers and resource persons. The Former Las Pinas Representative emphasized the important role and contribution of OFWs in the country in her speech as she encouraged OFWs and their beneficiaries to handle their salaries and the remittances they receive very well by looking for business opportunities.

“We want to remind OFWs and help their families understand that handling their finances or salaries well is very important, so whatever they have worked hard for will not go to waste. It is even better if they can make their earnings from abroad grow through proper investment such as venturing into a business of their own” cited Mrs. Villar, now fondly called Misis Hanep Buhay because of all the livelihood projects she started with the Villar Foundation.

The OFWs sat down and listened attentively to all the speakers and resource persons invited for the event, each of whom gave not only tips and information but also encouragement and inspiration to OFWs about starting their own businesses, overcoming challenges and even about life in general.

“Tagumpay Forum”, which delves on the challenges and triumphs by OFWs turned entrepreneurs, who have persevered, passionately believing they can succeed, was among the highlights of the event. Former OFWs Mike Casas, Annie Sitjar and Cherry Yack shared their experiences and the challenges they faced before becoming successful in their chosen businesses. Casas has embarked on bottled sardines while Sitjar and Yack ventured into a poultry business.

“Starting small, they’re now making good money while enjoying life with their loved ones in the country. And so, there’s no need for them to work abroad, and this is what the Villar Foundation together with GoNegosyo have been espousing, giving our OFWs and their families an option to earn a living,” noted Villar.

And many more lives were changed and blessed that Thurday with the raffle prizes that were given away. These are no ordinary prizes, most of which are livelihood packages, so the winners can start their own small business right away after the event. These include motorcycle units that can be converted into tricycles from Motortrade; sari-sari stores packages from Aling Puring of Puregold and Finds Convenience Store, Kettle Corn franchise from RFM Corp., items from Markina Shoe Expo; SIM cards from Smart; dealership/membership kits from Fern-C; and of course, the much-awaited brand new house and lot from Camella Homes.

Russel Nalayog, a seaman from Greece, was the very lucky winner of the house and lot. He could not contain his happiness and gratitude for the Villar family for the huge blessing he received. Last year’s winner Foresa Morada (wife of an OFW in Saudi Arabia), who was part of the audience, could of course relate to Russel’s emotions.

Indeed, the OFW & Family Summit was not only a success in terms of turnout, it is an even bigger success because it makes a difference in the lives of our dear OFWs—they learn, they get inspired and they win. The third one next year will surely be another summit to remember!

Click the link below for more photo regarding the said event,

 https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.467861633257028.101700.345046595538533&type=3

Twilight Saga Part II

 

The Twlight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2, the final chapter in this saga of bloodsucking teenage swoons, gets the answer to that one out of the way fast. Bella's eyes turn red and gaze hungrily at human flesh, her skin sparkles (for about five seconds), she does some of that Road Runnery fast-motion travel  and beyond that, Kristen Stewart acts more or less the way she always has, with an engaging fusion of ingenue vulnerability and flashing-eyed I'm with the undead Leader of the Pack! empowerment, Bella slips into vampiredom as if it were a set of designer clothing she'd always been meant to wear. Besides, what's not to like about never having to sleep or get old?

With her transformation nimbly accomplished, and Here's the real final conflict: Bella and Edward (Robert Pattinson) now have a baby girl, who they've given the slightly hilarious name of Renesmee (it's funny because it sounds just la-di-da enough to be a contemporary baby name bestowed by an actual celebrity couple). And this means that they're in deep trouble, since the Volturi, the powerful coven that enforces the laws of the vampire world, won't allow a bloodsucking child to exist. It appears that vampire kids, at the age that they ''turn,'' become far too reckless, going on rampages that threaten to expose their fellow vampires. So the Volturi must destroy them — and, for good measure, their parents too.

But  Renesmee isn't a full-fledged vampire; she's a half-breed. And so Bella and Edward decide that if they can reach out to Edward's vampire comrades from around the world, collecting a team of ''witnesses'' to attest to the fact that Rensenmee is not, in fact, immortal (and therefore not dangerous), they can save her, and rescue themselves, from the wrath of the Volturi. The whole gathering-up-of-witnessess plot sags in the middle. The idea is also more than a bit silly, since it doesn't really make sense that the all-knowing Aro (Michael Sheen), head of the Volturi, would desire the testimony of a kind of Benetton commercial of international hipster predators to see what his powers should instantly be able to tell him: that Renesmee poses no threat. But then, Aro just likes to make trouble, and one of the pleasures of the movie is Michael Sheen's more-unhinged-than-ever performance as this archly civilized but always naughty fascist. Sheen rules the screen with his evil-in-the-House-of-Windsor diction, kitschy giggle, and frozen double takes.

The Movie starts off slow but gathers momentum, and that's because, with Bella and Edward united against the Volturi, the picture has a real threat. It's structured as a classic monster-movie showdown, and when the two are standing with their ragtag rebel team in the Northwest snow, facing Aro and his monk-hooded Volturi army, the film takes off — into eye-popping violence and spectacle, complete with fantastic decapitations, and also into a rather touching all-for-one mythology, with Taylor Lautner's werewolf Jacob spiriting Renesmee away, in what appears to be the likelihood of her never seeing her parents again. And wait until you get to the twist ending! It's one of the most shocking moments in the series, yet also one of the lightest. It made me realize that, as narratively lumpy as they can be, I like the Twilight films because they're really about the eternal movie romance of vampires at play.

NESCAFÉ Philippines: Fans Day , 2 million Likes and millions of memories shared together

 

NESCAFÉ Philippines: 2 million Likes and millions of memories shared together

NESCAFÉ is top Facebook brand page in the Philippines

(Manila, Philippines) NESCAFÉ Philippines is proud to announce its current position as the country’s top brand page on Facebook. The brand is celebrating its success through NESCAFÉ Fan’s Day, a public event that engages fans to commemorate its online journey of reaching a milestone with 2 million Facebook likes.

November 17 marks a whole-day affair packed with pocket events such as interactive video and photo booths, games, and variety shows to reward fans that have made the success of the brand possible. Merienda will also be served, with the favorite Pinoy coffee sidekick - the pandesal, and other special NESCAFÉ treats. It is a day dedicated to entertain and bring enjoyment to the people, capturing millions of memories through a one-day-only event.

To cap the celebration, a NESCAFÉ event is not complete without the appearances of popular local celebrities and top-favorite bands. YouTube sensation and comedienne, Petra Mahalimuyak will be joining celebrities Frank Magalona, Survivor Philippines castaways Betong and Maey, and sports enthusiast Drew Arellano; while Callalily, 6 Cycle Mind, and Urbandub will set the stage for the after-party concert.

“We receive overwhelming support every day on Facebook. One post may get as many as a thousand likes and shares, and comments may reach up to the same level – we’re blown away. It is heartwarming to see people love and understand your product at almost the same level that you do, and through this event we say, ‘Thank you’,” says Mark Castillo, Consumer Marketing Manager of NESCAFÉ in the Philippines.

The brand page launched on Facebook on July 8, 2009; in December 2011, it reached the 1 million mark, and shortly a year after, on October 23, it held its spot as the no.1 brand page in the Philippines, with 2 million likes.

NESCAFÉ shared that from the time it hit a million fans, it has been adding over a thousand fans every day, and now that they’re at 2 million, fans grew daily by over 3,000 likes.

NESCAFÉ Philippines has shown that constant engagement and genuine interest in fans’ opinions will not only earn mass respect, but also garner love. Undoubtedly, the brand’s efforts to add local flavor to its Facebook posts have paved the way for this social media success. Understanding what matters such as friends, families, celebrations of life and love are what brought NESCAFE closer to the hearts of Filipinos.

“This event is a testament that fans and brands go hand in hand in ensuring social media success. We listen, we care, we respond. Your fans will know if you are worthy of their attention, more so, their love, and we cannot be any happier that they gave us both,” says Christophe Stern, Business Executive Manager of NESCAFE in the Philippines.

 

About NESCAFÉ

Launched in 1938, NESCAFÉ today is one of the world’s most popular brands. In the Philippines, NESCAFÉ offers pure soluble coffees, coffee mixes, healthy coffees, premium coffees, and ready-to-drink coffees. For more information, visit our website at http://www.nescafe.com.ph, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nescafe.ph, and follow @NescafePH on Twitter.

Nativity scene ushers in the true meaning of Christmas

 

Nativity scene ushers in the true meaning of Christmas

 

The setting up of the Nativity scene ushers and reminds every people in this community in Araneta Quezon City that Christmas season has just around the corner no matter what condition they may be in.

 

For 20 years now, the Araneta Center has put up the Belen, a traditional Filipino Christmas icon that depicts the birth of Jesus Christ. This life-sized depiction of the Nativity at the Farmers Market, which serves as a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas, has come to be a yearly local attraction, and Christmas at the Araneta Center is not the same without the Belen.

Following the Giant Christmas Tree lighting last November 9, the Araneta Center continues the tradition of ushering in the holiday season with the annual Belen Lighting ceremony.

This year’s Belen Lighting ceremony was held on November 16 at Farmers Market. Present to witness the solemn ceremony were Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, Quezon City 3^rd District Congressman Jorge Banal, Barangay Socorro Barangay Chairman Joey de Guzman, Quezon City 3^rd District Councilor Pinggoy Lagumbay, and Quezon City Market Department OIC Noel T. Soliven.

The Christmas cheer continues at the Araneta Center after the Belen lighting, so be sure to check out all the holiday sights, sounds, treats, and activities lined up for the whole family from November until January 2013:

Buy all things Christmassy at the Parolan bazaar in Farmers Garden; get your fill of fresh-cooked puto bumbong and bibingka, plus other mouth-watering treats at the Christmas food fair in Quadrant C (Giant Christmas Tree area); and be dazzled with the showcase of brightly-lit electric capiz floats also in Quadrant C. Get great bargains as well during the Araneta Center Pre-Christmas Sale on November 23 to December 2.

Be serenaded by the different chorale groups as they sing your favorite Christmas carols every weekend from November 17 to December 23 during the Chorale Competition; marvel at the fireworks display every Friday and Saturday all throughout the holidays; and get your kids to meet Santa at Gateway Mall, Ali Mall, and farmers Plaza every Friday to Sunday from December 1 to 25.

The British are coming to Manila, as well as your favorite Disney Princesses and Heroes, this December! Catch Sir Elton John and Sting as they stage back-to-back concerts at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on December 8 and 9. And on December 25 to January 3, see your favorite Disney princesses Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Aurora, Snow White, Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Tiana, and their equally dashing princes in Disney on Ice: Princesses and Heroes! Log on to www.ticketnet.com.ph or call (02) 911 5555 for tickets.

For more photos on the event proper pls click this link https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.354795797950114.81732.348405828589111&type=3

Last Two Minutes “ For Another Life Lost to Cervical Cancer:.

From all over the world, a woman dies from cervical cancer every (2) two minutes. And without prevention, the next casualties maybe yourself of the women closest to you.

That’s why Anne Curtis and 1500 Doctors in the Philippines are dancing for (12) Pinays who are about to die tomorrow because of a fatal but highly preventable disease

It so happened that this particular event held at Philippine International Convention Center will pave a way for the Philippines to garner Guinness World Record for Doctors dancing for the cause of Cervical Cancer awareness program.

HPV :: The virus behind the Cervical Cancer

HPV is common virus that can be transmitted not only by engaging in sexual intercourse , but also from mere skin to skin contact such as rubbing of genital area even without the actual penetration. Most of the HPV infections heal on their own but it doesn’t apply to all cases. That’s why when HPV persists it could develop into Cervical Cancer.
There are (2) ways to prevent Cervical Cancer

First It’s Through Screening , Pap Smear its a technique wherein cells are scraped from the cervix and examined under a microscope to check for disease or other problems and Secondly Through Vaccination, It’s a good thing vaccines are now available against cancer-causing HPV types 16 and 18. Along with regular screening, getting vaccine can reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer by 94%.

GSK Philippines supported this event because we believe that through this dance event, we'’ll encourage Filipina’s to be healthy by taking care of themselves-, not just through exercise and a well-balanced diet, but also making sure that they are protected from diseases such as Cervical Cancer”. says Bing Salandanan, GSK Philippines product manager.

Tradition of Happiness Lives on at the Coca-Cola Tree Lighting Event @ Araneta Center

 

Tradition of Happiness Lives on at the Coca-Cola Tree Lighting Event at the Araneta Center

On its 100^th year, Coca-Cola pays tribute to the Filipinos for believing in happiness. The magical season of Christmas is the perfect backdrop to rally the Filipinos to continue believing in happiness. Coca-Cola sparks among us this season that it is not about the big gifts nor the big gestures that make Christmas special, but rather the small and meaningful things that we express and share with one another – the warm and welcoming spirit, the acts of generosity and even shared meals - to make someone happy.

The Coca-Cola Tree Lighting Event at the Araneta Center is a towering reminder to the Filipinos to let happiness live on. Now on its 5^th year, families and friends gather around the biggest tree in the country to collectively open happiness.

November 9, 2012, Coca-Cola kicked off the tradition of happiness through a simple celebration.

     

     

A Grand Christmas Salu-Salo was prepared and shared among the attendees. The salu-salo table was joined by Coca-Cola and Araneta Center officials, media and a roster of Kapuso and Kapamilya stars like Enrique Gil, Jessy Mendiola, Myrtle Sarossa, Yves Flores, Alden Richards, Louise delos Reyes, Jeric Gonzales and Thea Tolentino. And what better way to enjoy all of these yummy treats but be complimented by no more than the Filipino family’s meal partner for 100 years—Coca-Cola.

Coca-Cola officials Cecile Alcantara, President of Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines and Adel Tamano, Public Affairs and Communications Director of Coca-Cola Philippines shared exciting news on the delivery and soon turnover of the 100^th schoolhouse in Matuog Elementary School, Tayasan, Negros Oriental. This is a response to the commitment made earlier in the year to bring more happiness to Filipinos by providing access to quality education.

Coca-Cola President Guillermo Aponte also gave an inspiring message that highlighted the importance of 100 years of happiness. The Coca-Cola President headed a toast joined by celebrity guests, government officials, Araneta Group Officials and media friends. This symbolized the company’s commitment to open more happiness to Filipinos in the next 100 years to come.

      

Through this annual celebration, Coca-Cola continues to inspire and encourage Filipinos to share more moments of happiness. Coca-Cola encourages you to go and make someone happy today, because we believe that the more happiness we share, the more happiness will also return to us.

To the next 100 years of happiness! Ituloy ang Happiness.