Rica Peralejo on being a good mom at Avida's Homepossible: Familyscape

Avida's Homepossible: Familyscape was launched at Fairmont Ballroom last May 28. Avida celebrity ambassadors WholeMomPH trio Chesca Kramer, Rica Peralejo Bonifacio and Marilen Montenegro gave inspirational talks while ANC's On the Money Edric Mendoza hosted the launch.

The former actress turned online celebrity was among the guest speakers at the Avida’s Homepossible: Familyscape conference held Saturday, May 28, 2016 at the Fairmont Ballroom.

Ms. Rica Peralejo Bonifacio talks about being positive in all aspects of life. She is full of wisdom and also gives advice to all moms when one is about to give up and tired of everyday routine. The following are her tips:

*Get Out! – Sometimes its really just a change in scenery. Call up someone to take care of your kid and enjoy some “Me” time, pamper yourself get a massage. 2
*Find someone to talk to– If a change in scenery isnt enough, look for someone who you can talk to     and is willing to listen. Time to reach out to your friends, and and express what you really feel.          Sometimes you just need to rant and let it out.
*Have a strong spiritual side- Find your security in something that is unchanging and for me that is God!

Mendoza talked about how lifestarters can effectively plan their financials while the expert moms covered topics ranging from creating a place that affects family dynamics to nurturing one’s inner self amidst all the demands and responsibilities of a homemaker.

Starting a family and building a home, while a joyful life milestone, can be daunting. But there are a lot of ways to nourish the homemaker in you so that you can start out strong. Avida’s Homepossible: Familyscape conference, aims to encourage family-oriented individuals to pursue a multi-faceted lifestyle in an enabling community, offering a 360-degree approach on gearing up with the essential skills and knowledge that can guide them on the journey to being a homemaker.

Familyscape is the second installment of Avida’s Homepossible conference series this year. Homepossible is part of Avida’s campaign that is all about encouraging people to pursue the life that they dream of.

Visit http://www.avidaland.com/event/homepossible-familyscape for details.

Dads Month at Hotel Jen

This coming Father’s Day, let the superhero of your family experience a one of a kind delight at Hotel Jen Manila.

Let dad stay in our Deluxe Room and make him feel like a king. Inclusive of this overnight stay is a breakfast buffet for two at Latitude, one complimentary buffet lunch at Kitsho or Latitude, a complimentary cocktail or mocktail together with a Father’s Day Platter at our Windows By The Bay and a surprise gift from Hotel Jen Manila. Get all of these perks for only P4,230 ++ per night. Promo is valid every Friday – Sunday of June 2016.

If your dad’s favorite are some grilled seafood and meat then make sure to book him a seat at our Latitude Restaurant on June 19, 2016 as we feature fresh prawns, mussels, marinated pork belly, chicken barbeque, beef ribs and baby back ribs.

Don’t let this special occasion pass without showing your appreciation to that special man in your life and celebrate it here at Hotel Jen Manila.

For inquiries and advance reservations, please call (632) 795 8888 or email food&beverage.hjm@hoteljen.com. Terms and conditions apply. Visit Hotel Jen Manila’s website at www.hoteljen.com/manila and facebook at www.facebook.com/hoteljenmanila for updates and promotions.

Luks Lofts: The Ultimate Staycation Destination for Millenials

With millennials now outnumbering baby boomers for the first time, new brands are emerging specifically to cater to the preferences of this new generation while older brands are faced with the challenge of reinventing themselves or risk becoming irrelevant.

It is the same situation in the hospitality and travel industry, where big name brands are being challenged by boutique hotels which offer a more personalized experience and even Airbnb which offers not only cheaper rooms but also a way to further immerse themselves with the local culture.

No frills technology is also important for the Hashtag generation, and the availability and ease to book a room online, keyless room entry and perhaps the most important—wifi speed so they could constantly update their social media feeds with whatever activities they are doing.

Some things however, remain constant, such as the appreciation for luxury rooms, value for privacy and a unique hotel experience.

Last month, I got invited to check out one (if not the only five star hotel) in Batangas City. But unlike most hotels located in Batangas which also offer resort amenities, Luks Lofts was located just behind SM City Batangas.

At first I thought it was just going to be one of those “themed” boutique hotels which boasts of the usual interiors and warm hotel staff, every hotel in the country has been bragging about. I made the mistake of not checking their website first, which turned out to be a good decision, as it proved to be a day full of unexpected surprises.

The first surprise was our hotel “shuttle” service. We were used to riding the usual Toyota or Nissan Vans to take us to our destination so we were looking for a big van as our driver told us his location. Turns out we were not taking a van—but a BMW to Batangas!  Now how often do you get the chance to be chauffeured in a BMW?

The trip to Batangas via that new expressway was quick and smooth and in just an hour and a half we were looking at the black and red cube façade of Luks Loft.  It reminded me of something that came out of a video game with its red and black square tiles, It looked kind of strange I admit, resembling more of a themed restaurant or bar than hotel. But as soon as we stepped between those sliding doors, it felt like we were transported to a futuristic lobby with large screen TVs and large wall mirrors.

According to Badette Baco and Shami Khokar, Luks Lofts is a replica and extension of their house in Batangas. “Whenever we would have friends over, they would always complement the design of our house, so when we put up Luks Loft we decided to make it a bigger version of our home so that our friends and guests would also get to experience what we have.”

 Shami who is of Turkish descent and lived in the US said Luks is Turkish for luxury and it looks like they  definitely spared no expense in making sure that every piece of furniture, and amenity are either customized, imported and truly one of a kind.

We were then ushered to one of the 11 LoftStyle hotels rooms. Badette said each of the room has an identical theme and look except for the Honeymoon Loft.



Unlike other hotels, keys are unheard of at Luks Loft, since they just often get misplaced anyway. Instead the door uses a high-tech facial recognition system, all you need to do is look at the camera and Voila! The door will automatically open! Its like something straight out of a James Bond movie.
If that wasn’t  enough to make your jaw drop, wait till you get to see the room interiors! Instead of a sofa and living room area you get a full size wave pool crowned with a digital fireplace! The pool uses fresh clean water and absolutely no chlorine so, its perfectly safe for you and your partner .

There is also a private sauna room just adjacent to the dinner table.  So you can either choose to warm up in the sauna or cool down and take a dip right after finishing your meal!

There is also a big LED TV that shows more than just 1000 international TV channels and doubles as your videoke machine.

The 49’ inch screen also puts other SMART TVs to shame as it serves as your digital butler which you can access via a specially designed menu where you can call for room service, order food, check your running bill and even open your door!

If you are planning to cook something special, each room has a complete kitchen appliances and utensils with a refrigerator that’s packed with imported snacks and drinks and even Ben & Jerrys ice cream pints.

To make your meal even more luxurious you will be using exclusive Versace Luxury Medusa fine dining wares. The plate alone is peg at $655 apiece so be extra careful not to crack or god forbid! Drop it!


Each room has 2 bedrooms located at the loft, with amenities that you’d never want to leave the bed! The exquisitely designed queen size bed is adorned with memory foam mattresses, premium linens, vanity and a wireless tablet for communications—yes none of that old school phones! Make calls or skype via the tablets located at your bedside tables.  Complete with bathroom and toilet and automatic close and open glass doors.

To say every single corner of the room is “instagrammable” would be an understatement as you can take a picture of even the wall and still get lots of likes for its unique design and texture.

The rooms are not the only instagram worthy things at LuksLofts. Head over to the 3rd floor and check out the Luks Café which is exclusive to hotel guests only. The Asian fusion-inspired cuisine and the molecular gastronomy desserts tastes as good as it looks.  And if you don’t see a lot of waiters that is because you order via the tablet that will be provided to you.

The dining room is a state of the art itself with modern interior and a make believe fireplace . I love the blue and yellow combination of the dining room. The food was satisfying and again worth posting on all your social media accounts.

The interior looks like an extension of your own room with the same amount of detail and elegance in each piece of furniture and personalized dining wares. Luks Café serves Wide Range of Menu Selection Premium Meats, Fish & Produce, Selection of Fine Wine & Spirits. Among the dishes that I couldn’t forget were the steak,  the Dynamite Chicken, and the Molecular Egg Milk and mango dessert plated in a form of sunny side up egg, with bacon coated half with chocolate and strawberry sauce. All their dishes are prepared by their award winning chefs who only use Olive Oil.

I should say the whole place is worth to be blogged and featured. It is a class of its own. It is something you should definitely check out if you are looking for a truly unique and modern hotel.

The only downside is that you would never want to leave your room!

After a day of swimming, eating, singing and relaxation. We had a hard time leaving the lofts, we left at 9:00pm and prayed along the way that we could get the chance to visit and re-experience the luxury only LuksLofts can offer.

Lukslofts is located at LuksLofts Building Joseling Road, Batangas, 4200 Batangas, Philippines.

Joe Fresh, a fresh take on fashion in Manila

Its good to know that PH is not Third World Country anymore when it comes to imported fashion brands coming to Manila one after another. The retail fashion cult favorite Canadian brand Joe Fresh recently opens at Edsa Shangri-la Plaza on May 28, 2016, brought to you by the SSI Stores Specialists, Inc., a division of SSI Group, Inc..

Celebrities, Joe Fresh execs, and fashion bloggers attended the opening of Joe Fresh flagship store in Manila. with DJ David Callum provided music on the background.

I took pictures of DJ David Callum and some cute celebrities. After taking snapshots of the womens apparel, childrens wear and mens wear, I decided to shop, given that we had our budget for the day. The jogger pants at the 2nd floor are cute and comfy,  too bad though that they dont have my (small) size.

I went up and down to shop for anything that would caught my fancy, until I saw a mens jacket at the second floor. I asked for an xs size, but they only have "small" at the rack. So I looked for some dressy shirt, after what it seemed like an eternity, I got myself 2 tops and one casual dress. I got 3 for the price of that one jacket. Ill be back next week wishing that mens jacket has my size na.

Loblaw Companies Limited and its affiliates, the owners of the Joe Fresh brand, in partnership with SSI, are pleased to announce the launch of Joe Fresh in the Philippines.

The first Joe Fresh store opens May 28th in the Shangri-La Plaza mall in Manila. The new store encompasses 674 square meters (7,255 square feet) and offers a complete lifestyle range of Joe Fresh women’s, men’s and children’s collections. A second store, located in the Trinoma Mall, also in Manila, will open in August 2016.

(From Left to right) SSI Group President Anton Huang, Joe Fresh Creative Director for Global Visual and Merchandising Jack Ribbas, Joe Fresh Senior Director for Global Communictaions Kari Talley, Joe Fresh VP of National Retail Operations Tom Cario, Joe Fresh Marketing Manager Crickette Tantoco, and Special Assistant to Chairman and CEO at SSI Michael Huang.


Founded in 2006, Joe Fresh offers accessible, modern design in lifestyle collections for women, men and children. Today one of Canada's leading fashion retailers, Joe Fresh brings a value-driven point of view to everyday wardrobe favorites full of color, polish and thoughtful details. In categories spanning apparel, accessories, footwear and beauty, Joe Fresh provides quality and style for the entire family.

“We are pleased to introduce Joe Fresh to the Philippines, a dynamic new market for the brand. I believe our spirited, modern designs and exceptional value for the entire family will resonate with fashion consumers here. Leveraging SSI Group’s unparalleled expertise in the region, we look forward to providing an exciting and accessible new style choice in the Philippines,” said Mario Grauso, President of Joe Fresh.

Joe Fresh launches at Shangri-La Plaza with a spring collection alive with pretty prints, from fanciful butterfly and bird motifs to ornamental floral and mosaic patterns. With signature Joe Fresh details, shoppers will find a fresh take on essentials designs like the city trench, classic oxford shirt and the perfect pencil skirt. Faded denim and utility styles ground the collection in time-tested favorites while the shirtdress adds a key silhouette to spring wardrobes. Completing the season is an expanded active range in lightweight fabrics perfect for exercising in the warmer months ahead.

“We are very excited for the addition of Joe Fresh to our portfolio of brands. Joe Fresh further strengthens our lineup of value brands, allowing us to tap and delight an even broader base of Philippine consumers,” said Anthony Huang, President of SSI Group, Inc.

The new Philippines stores are designed to mirror existing Joe Fresh locations around the world. The stores are clean, modern and uncluttered, creating an easy-to-shop environment that showcases the colorful and contemporary Joe Fresh collections.

Toshiba unveils its newly-minted monochrome multifunction product (MFP)

Toshiba TEC Corporation  unveils its newly-minted monochrome multifunction product (MFP), the e-STUDIO 2303A. The latest addition to the industry acclaimed e-STUDIO monochrome line enables small-to-medium size business (SMB) owners to affordably manage their printing, copying and scanning needs.

Touting an array of standard and optional features within a rugged and compact chassis, Toshiba's ledger-size MFP completes most any print job, large or small. With a 2,400 x 600 dpi resolution and up to 23 letter-size pages-per-minute (ppm) output, the e-STUDIO2303A delivers crisp and clear text at a rate professionals can appreciate.

For businesses seeking to conserve paper while optimizing document space, this print device has an option for an automatic duplex unit for seamless two-sided printing. This model scans color documents at up to 25 ppm for electronically delivering vibrantly-hued materials.

Combining an accelerated 18-second warm-up time and first-copy-out time of less than seven seconds, Toshiba's new MFP is capable of quickly producing output. A standard 350-sheet capacity - with room for 600 sheets by adding another paper drawer - makes the product suitable for virtually any office environment.

The company's e-STUDIO models also support the company's resolve to soften environmental impact while meeting the stringent Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive - or RoHS - compliance. Toshiba has developed many of the world’s leading technologies for conserving energy and protecting the environment. The e-STUDIO 2303A is friendly to users as well as the environment as it conforms to the newest test criteria set forth in ENERGY STAR.

Our e-STUDIO2303A affordably equips customers with feature-rich monochrome products in a spacesaving footprint that provide an ideal complement to their existing print fleet. "The robust functionality of our new product comfortably fulfils the content management needs for individual workgroups and smaller businesses.” says Andy Ow, Country Manager for Philippines.
Major Features & Specifications 1
• A4 Size A3 Capable MFP
• Print & Copy Speed: 23ppm
• Colour Scan Speed: Up to 25spm
• FCOT (A4): 6.4 sec.
• Power Consumption: 1.5kW (220-240V)
• Printer driver: Windows
The e-STUDIO2303A is available through authorized Toshiba dealers. For more information about Toshiba products, or to locate an authorized Toshiba dealer in your area, visit www.tricom.com.ph or call 890-6525. Click-to-Tweet: @TricomDynamics
About Toshiba TEC Corporation
Toshiba TEC Corporation is a Toshiba Group company, a leading provider of technology solutions, operating across multiple industries – ranging from retail, logistics, manufacturing, and education, to hospitality. For more information, please visit www.toshibatec.co.jp/en/

RX International fuses art with the science of a real event and marketer expert

“The active participation of event enthusiasts, marketers and entrepreneurs would be vital in creating a module for event management. Having a unified front to professionalize the events industry would eventually result to a win-win situation for event organizers and their clients alike,” Ms. Valdeavilla points out.

A new events and marketing group joins the spotlight not only to offer strategic marketing communications solutions, but, more importantly, to redefine the events management culture in the country.

The immense impact of an event’s experiential approach is undeniably effective. It is no longer relegated as advertising’s poor third cousin. The overwhelming way events have changed the market’s mindset paved the way for a paradigm shift in the industry’s playing field, resulting to a growing demand for event organizers. It’s no wonder why college classmates and former colleagues in the workplace pool their resources together and form their own events management companies. More so, different academic sectors and organizations have started offering programs, courses and seminars on event management.

The events doctors are in
RX International Events and Marketing Consultancy Co. (RX International) was formed with a mission to integrate global standards in the implementation of events and marketing programs. At the helm of the company are two professionals who share the passion for community service. Although they come from different fields, they both have the common goal to increase the number of Filipino professionals to uplift the industry and the lives of stakeholders.

Dr. Robert C. Sy, a surgeon by profession, is a philanthropist and international organizational leader. He is known in the medical field for not charging any fee since he became a surgeon more than 40 years ago. He is currently the Executive Vice-President of Chinese General Hospital, Chairman of UST Alumni Association, Inc., a Trustee of the Philippine College of Surgeons Foundation, and Director of Philippine Red Cross Manila Chapter.13324434_10154964183424199_1855502274_o

Working alongside Dr. Sy is the dynamic visionary and scholar Xialeemar “Xiameer” Valdeavilla, PgD, MBA. She has spent more than a decade in the events and marketing industry, and has created several local and international acclaimed projects geared toward the promotion of leadership, community service and education development. She holds an MBA from the London School of Marketing, an associate college of Anglia Ruskin Unversity, UK, and a Post-graduate Diploma in Event Management and Public Relations from the Fitzwilliam Institute Group, London.

Dr. Sy and Ms. Valdeavilla envision RX International as a company that fuses art with the science of a real event and marketer expert.

“We offer customized services that are creative by nature, marketable in scale, and can propose an attainable return of investment for our clients,” Ms. Valdeavilla enthuses. “At the same time, we also want to propagate event management education and professionalization in our country.”

The events and marketing prescription
Leveraging on the promising industry, Ms. Valdeavilla is very optimistic that event management in the country can be raised to global standards as practiced in other parts of the world. She cites that in the US, Event Planning is ranked among the Top 50 careers across all professions according to the US News and World Report. Meetings and conventions have become a trend in an industry where organizations and businesses are becoming more global.

In her dissertation on events management practices in the Philippines, Ms. Valdeavilla observes that most event managers or organizers gain their foothold in the industry based on their portfolio of projects and not on their curriculum background.

“Practically everyone from any industry sector with any course and of any age can organize an event,” states Ms. Valdeavilla. “We’re not saying that this is not good, but the country’s event management industry can have a paradigm shift and reach international standards if we can inject the basics of event management in the current K-12 course curriculum.”

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) promulgated the Training Regulations on Event Management National Certificate III in 2007. Ms. Valdeavilla, through her dissertation, proposes that event management may be included in the K-12’s senior high school program or Grades 11 and 12, which carries TESDA’s National Certification I and II. By doing so, it can be aligned with TESDA’s current Event Management NC III, which can lead to a better understanding of the subject and also to further studies related to event management.

Ms. Valdeavilla further states that with this structure in place, event management can eventually be an undergraduate degree as embraced in most developed cities around the world. In 2015, Hotcourses.com reported that Europe has the most number of schools teaching event management with an estimated number of 114 schools and 341 event management related certifications and courses, from undergraduate to doctorate. This is followed by the US and Australia, and some Asian countries already integrating event management in their curriculum.

“The trend for professionalization and certification accreditation for event managers has already been making waves globally. With the innate talent of Filipinos, it’s high time that we take event management to a higher and professional level,” she adds.

A dose of events and marketing professionalism
With professional event managers, the RX International team believes that event practitioners can have better employment opportunities both here an abroad. Overseas employment often require diplomas or certifications on specific fields, and having the necessary certificate on event management from an accredited body such as TESDA could open the gates of opportunities for many.

It could also be advantageous from the client’s point of view. Certified event managers can assure clients that they are in good hands, and that their partnership could lead to mutually beneficial returns.

However, Ms. Valdeavilla admits that they cannot roll out this professionalization campaign on their own. She says that it would take the help of industry practitioners to help push the country’s decision-makers to re-evaluate the existing curriculum and make it more responsive to global trends.



In addition, this undertaking would also create a ripple effect that would further boost the country’s tourism sector. With hundreds of festivals mounted each year all over the country, professional event planners and managers can work wonders to mount well-organized and world-class public gatherings.

As team RX International team starts attending to event and marketing needs their clients, they still remain steadfast on their goal to promote event management education and professionalism in the country. It is, after all, the key to raising the bar of service excellence and maximizing the economic impact of event and market.