La Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel: The Vacationers and Celebs Choice Resort

La Carmela de Boracay, the iconic resort/hotel owned by Boy So is the answer to every vacationers' needs. The resort hotel has everything anybody needs when on a holiday in the paradise island of Boracay.

La Carmela de Boracay is known by both local and foreign tourists for its affordable rates, homey interiors, pleasant staff and crew and accessibility. It is also the most suitable choice for occasions like birthdays, holidays, wedding anniversaries, and other events because of its affordable rates and the amenities necessary in celebrating such occasions.


La Carmela de Boracay is frequented by local celebrities, including Boy Abunda and his celebrity friends. The resort hotel has been featured in some of ABS-CBN's shows. It is no surprise if one spots a local celeb in the pool or having breakfast or dinner in its dining room.

La Carmela de Boracay is centrally located at Station 2, near the Tourist Center, in the heart of Boracay. It is at the center of the island, only a few meters walk to the shopping mall or the market.

Making room reservations in La Carmela is easy. It's staff and crew will offer answers to every reservation question.

The hotel offers beachfront convenience at affordable rates on Holidays. It also has special package rates for groups, barkadas and families.

La Carmela which was built in 2011, has now five buildings.

The Main Building houses Standard, Semi Deluxe, Main Deluxe, Panorama Deluxe and Super Deluxe rooms.

The Executive Wing includes Executive Deluxe, Panorama Deluxe, Family-room Wing, and Panorama Super Deluxe rooms.

The Premiere East and West building offers Premiere Deluxe and Premiere Super Deluxe rooms.

The Ocean View building has Premier Ocean View, African Safari Suite, Greco Roman Suite, and Celebrity Suite.


Hospitality among the hotel staff and cleanliness in the hotel are of utmost importance. La Carmela de Boracay sees to it that its guests are comfortable and happy in their stay at the hotel resort.

Since 2011, La Carmela has been frequented by both local and foreign the tourists. It has a steady stream of guests from all walks of life. Everyday is peak season for the hotel-resort.

"We want our guests to feel at home while vacationing. It is important to us that they have a happy and wonderful experience in La  Carmela," says Boy So.

This year, La Carmela De Boracay has lined up a series of activities for guests to enjoy.

"We will be more active in engaging the public in our entertainment activities. Gusto namin mas mapasaya  pa sila," adds Boy.

The Celebrity Suite

Facade of La Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel

The Poolside

Ocean View Suite

The Premiere West Lobby

For more information visit La Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel's official Facebook page

Starbucks features the new Tahitian Vanilla Macchiato and Valencia Orange Cocoa Cappuccino

To all Starbucks coffee lovers, Starbucks brings you the new espresso handcrafted beverages that would set your coffee experience a top- notch level. Expect the new handcrafted macchiato and cappuccino beverage to hit every coffee lovers instagram feeds and help make it trend nationwde.  I cant wait to taste a sip and snap a picture of these two starting February 21!

Delight in the wonderland of Espresso with the new Starbucks espresso layer collection which includes the new Tahitian Vanilla Macchiato and Valencia Orange Cocoa Cappuccino. The global coffee brand welcomes customers to the next level of coffee artistry with new indulgent beverages.

Available starting February 21, these beautifully layered espresso beverages are set to introduce an extraordinary coffee experience that will surely excite even those who are only starting their coffee exploration.

Tahitian Vanilla Macchiato offers a twist on the classic pairing of vanilla and coffee – a marriage made in heaven. Tahitian Vanilla has a unique floral aroma and mild sweetness which pairs the roasty coffee, complemented by a layer of velvety steamed milk, then topped with Starbucks signature espresso and finished with vanilla bean specks and vanilla drizzle in our classic double crosshatch pattern.

Meanwhile, the refreshing Valencia Orange Cocoa Cappuccino is perfectly blended to suit the taste of those who need the reinvigorating sweet flavor. In this beverage, Valencia Orange Mocha Sauce is combined with milk, topped with dense and creamy foam and then layered with affogato-style signature espresso shots, sweet cocoa powder and tartly-sweet bits of orange peel to add even more flavors.

These layered espresso beverages are handcrafted by Starbucks Baristas, reflecting their true artistry and sharing their passion for coffee to the customers with every sip.

“We are delighted to introduce Starbucks latest take on espresso, with Baristas offering unique and sophisticated treats for coffee lovers. They vary in flavor, texture and experience but espresso is always at the core. Starbucks Baristas craft carefully selected ingredients with espresso to produce stunning combinations of flavors and layers. These beverages invite customers to experience new and different ways to enjoy coffee,” said Keith Cole, head of marketing, Starbucks Philippines. 

Also available for a limited time is the Starbucks Tribute BlendTM created to celebrate the company’s 40th anniversary in 2011. It combines the all-time favorite coffees: Ethiopian sun-dried beans with an exotic flourish of dark cherry; Aged Sumatra, loved for its syrupy body and cedary spice notes; juicy, herbal and complex coffees from Papua New Guinea; and our Colombia coffee, bright, balanced and nutty. You can also enjoy this coffee anytime, anywhere with the Starbucks VIA® Tribute BlendTM so you won’t miss out its layers of flavors even on the go.

What’s more, the Starbucks Cold Brew, the slow-steeped and brewed without heat coffee which was previously available only to Starbucks Reserve stores, is now available in all Starbucks stores nationwide.

“Why Iconic Characters Wear Chucks” x Millie Bobby Brown

In celebration of the daring spirit of youth, Converse debuts the Forever Chuck, a digital and social media series exploring three core cultural scenes that made the Chuck Taylor iconic: film and TV, LA culture and style and the world of Fashion, high and low.

Directed by award-winning filmmaker Karim Huu Do, the Forever Chuck series kicks off with “Why Iconic Characters Wear Chucks” celebrating the types of unique characters that have made Chuck Taylor an iconic symbol on-screen.

Actress Millie Bobby Brown is the host of this episode, exploring why the coolest characters in film wear Chucks, and what Chucks say about the characters who wear them – meeting legendary stylist Stephanie Collie (whose credits include Peaky Blinders & various feature films) to get her expert opinion. Brown was most recently nominated for a People’s Choice Award and
Screen Actors Guild Award on behalf of her performance in the critically acclaimed Netflix sensation "Stranger Things."

“The Chuck Taylor has remained a symbol for underdogs, rebels and teen heroes – the characters we love and identify most with - in films and television,” said Julien Cahn, Chief Marketing Officer at Converse. “By pairing some of the most memorable scenes of the past with rising stars of today, we celebrate Chuck Taylor’s legacy and pay homage to its place within youth culture - both on and off screen.”

All of the films within the Forever Chuck series will highlight the confident and daring spirit of youth, a spirit that has defined Chuck Taylor loyalists in the past, present and future.

Buhay Saya, Bahay Sagana at Bella Vita Alaminos, Laguna

Buying a house, is perhaps the biggest commitment one can make in a lifetime.

With so many aspects to think about, you really have to consider everything, from your financial capability to your emotional stability as having your own house is also a big responsibility (almost like or even more than getting married)

Factors like location, mortgage payment, property taxes, utilities homeowner-association dues and maintenance should be listed down because you have to take care of your financial wellness even after you have paid for your house.

Living Room

So while everyone dreams of having a house they could call their own, you have to be brave enough to commit and pursue it.

Last week, I was invited to visit Bella Vita Land in Alaminos Laguna. It was a Saturday, no traffic and it only took us 1 hour from Makati to reach Laguna. We had an ocular-on-site visit to check out their model houses called Poli Inner, Poli End, and Gemelli (Duplex). 

Poli End's Price List:

Floor area             23 sqm
Lot Area (Ave.)   56 sqm
Unit Price (Ave.)  Php693,000

Price varies accordingly, you may check out their site and an agent to show you around the Bella Vita communities of your choice.

Bella Vita is owned by Ayala Land and the property encapsulates the objective of providing decent and affordable homes. Established in 2011, BellaVita Land Corporation brings well planned communities to more Filipinos. It caters to starting families, civil servants, private workers, entrepreneurs and OFWs. who are seeking to own their first home, looking for rental opportunities, want to live near their place of work or want to ensure that their hard earned money are well spent.

Bedroom

Owning a house may be complicated but with properties such as Bella Vita, it makes the decision a little easier to make.


Here are the complete list of Bella Vita communities

BellaVita Porac
BellaVita Capas
BellaVita Cabanatuan
BellaVita Cabanatuan East
BellaVita Pililla
BellaVita General Trias
BellaVita Alaminos
BellaVita San Pablo
BellaVita Lipa
BellaVita Tayabas
BellaVita Pila
BellaVita Lian
BellaVita Iloilo
BellaVita CDO

Visit their site http://www.bellavita.ph/ for more details

Playground and a Basketball court at Bella Vita Alaminos

Bella Vita made Christmas 2016 a season of empowerment

BellaVita, one of the country’s forerunners in building homes in social enterprise communities, marked its 5th year by giving back to its residents in the latter part of 2016.Focused on “living and livelihood integration” as an approach to developing its communities, the company organized workshops to help BellaVita residents create simple yet affordable livelihood projects in time for the Christmas season. The program was called “Saya-SaganangPasko Handog ng BellaVita.”

The company held the workshops in multiple locations nationwide during the last quarter of 2016.  These activities were done specifically in Cavite,Pampanga, Iloilo, and Cagayan De Oro. Residents, mostly homemakers, learned how to make pastries like Graham Balls and Blueberry Cheesecake in jars.

“We try to go beyond building homes to create a community that is sustainable – masaya at masagana, and we do this by providing ways for learning and livelihood among our residents,” saidVice President & COO, May Platero-Rodriguez.

Integrated Communities

At present, BellaVita has a total of 14 live projects, with 12 projects located in Luzon, one in Visayas and one in Mindanao. The company remains steadfast in providing decent homes to Filipinos. These are quality homes that are strategically located and designed to to offer residents a comfortable living experience.

BellaVita is a residential brand of Ayala Land, the Philippines’ leading developer of sustainable estates offering a diverse mix of quality residential and commercial developments that support local economic growth.

This year, BellaVita will be marking its 6th year in the industry.

The Epson Solutions &Technology Convention 2017: Helping Local Businesses Be Future Ready

Epson, a world leader in digital imaging and printing solutions,showcased its winning products and solutions in the Epson Solutions & Technology Convention 2017. Held at the Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, the convention aims to support local businesses to be competitive amidst economic uncertainties, controlled labor market conditions and increased foreign competition.

The one-day event showcases Epson’s intelligent and innovative solutions that will help the business community meet the demands of the future through the integration of self-service, augmented reality, interactive projection and other technologies. It showcases Epson’s solutions across print, projection, label and smart glasses in an enterprise setting; as well as showcases Epson’s latest products in the pipeline. Invited guests include partners, reseller base, media and select customers and end-users from various industries.

“The Epson story has always been about creating Inspirational Technology for a Better Future. Always at the heart of these developments is our deep commitment to understand the changing needs of customers. Epson owns innovative technologies that are continuallyexceeding their expectations,” explains Mr. Cris Sanchez, Sales Division Head, Epson Philippines.

The Epson convention will demonstrate how the adoption of the company’s print, scan, label and projection solutions will strengthen Philippine businesses in facing the challenges of the future. During the program, Epson experts will provide insights on how to develop a holistic strategy when investing in technology. This integration across devices will help drive cost savings, process improvement and realize gains in productivity.

A guided SolutionsTour will feature several booths on various solutions and applications for every business department including Customer Service, Marketing, Training, Finance and Logistics and Warehouse.  Some of the innovation products to be unveiled are the Moverio smart glasses in the Customer Service booth, Epson’s interactive projectors and large format printers in the Training Department and Marketing Department booths. Epson’s Moveriosmart glasses will be used to let guests appreciate the immersive Customer Service experience that the Moverio smart glasses can offer while the interactive projectors and large format printers will be used to show guests the convenience and efficiency of the solutions offered by Epson.

“In the past few years, Epson Philippines has gained the leading market share in its key categories, a testimony to the successful product designs and solutions that the company has created and offered to our customers.  We hope that through this convention and our other undertakings for the corporate segment, we can help boost the successful integration of technology to Philippine businesses. This way, Epson can be a partner in making Filipino business owners pursue a global approach that will help them flourish, even with stiff competition from local and foreign providers,” concludes Mr. Ed Bonoan, Senior General Manager and Head of Marketing, Epson Philippines. 

For local businesses who would want to have an in-depth consultation on their technology requirements, they may reach out to Ms. Sheinne Padilla of Epson Philippines through sheinnep@epc.epson.com.ph

Vivo V5 Plus is likely to win the hearts of a nation of selfie-lovers

Vivo V5 Plus, the flagship model of the top five premium global brand Vivo, is expected to dominate the local market for selfie-centric smartphones.

Dubbed as the perfect selfie phone, the Vivo V5 Plus is likely to win the hearts of a nation of selfie-lovers, with the Philippines now known as a certified selfie hot-spot and with Filipinos putting a premium on selfie-friendly camera features when purchasing smartphones.

The Vivo V5 Plus, features the most advanced selfie technology to date, which includes a dual 20-megapizel front camera, a true bokeh effect—the aesthetic blur or out-of-focus impression of a photo—on the spot, without editing; a selfie soft light; and a face beauty mode 6.0.

Globally, Vivo has been known for its competitive premium-range offerings, becoming the top five global smartphone vendor for the third quarter of 2016, a spot it has held for four consecutive quarters now.

This is according to data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, which provides detailed and timely information on total mobile phone and smartphone markets across the globe.

According to the market-research firm IDC, the worldwide smartphone market grew 1.1% year over year for Q3 2016, with 363.2 million shipments. Of these shipments, global smartphone brand Vivo shipped a record amount of 21.2 million smartphones, giving the brand a 5.9% share in the smartphone market.

The continued upward trajectory of Vivo is attributed to a growing following in China and India, the world’s two biggest smartphone markets, and to a significant growth in Myanmar. The remarkable growth is also recorded as Vivo expands to different markets in Southeast Asia.

Known for its competitive premium-range offerings, the top five premium global brand is also poised to develop one of its biggest markets here in the Philippines.

Vivo is largely known for its first-to-market innovations such as the Vivo X1, one of the slimmest phones in 2012, and the world’s first smartphone to feature a Digital-to-Analog (DAC) converter Hi-Fi chip, and the Vivo X3 in 2013, the first smartphone in the world with a 2K resolution display.

Now, the global manufacturer has produced the Vivo V5 Plus, the world’s first smartphone to have a dual 20-megapixel front camera.

Aside from its front-facing dual cameras, the Vivo V5 Plus also has a 16-megapixel rear camera that captures candid moments beautifully.

These outstanding camera features, however, make up just one aspect of the Vivo V5 Plus. The phone is revealed to have a 4GB RAM, 64GB ROM, Qualcom Snapdragon 625 processor, and Funtouch 3.0 OS, for superior power and efficiency.

Additional features include a 3160 mAh battery, a fast-charging feature, an upgraded fingerprint sensor, and an ultra-slim bezel technology.

Consumers may now experience the Vivo V5 Plus perfect selfie phone, available for Php 19,990.

For inquiries about Vivo V5 Plus, visit the Vivo website at vivoglobal.ph, or check out their Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/VivoPhil), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vivophil/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/vivophil) accounts. #

1according to International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker (http://www.idc.com/promo/smartphone-market-share/vendor;jsessionid=7595C1498F4F0FBF496CC767E273121B)

10 Foolproof ways to lead a healthier lifestyle this 2017

As we enter the New Year, many of us promised to commit to a healthier lifestyle as part of our New Year’s Resolutions. Sticking to a resolution is easier said than done, but as long as we have a plan to fall back on, it shouldn’t be as daunting or as difficult as it seems. To help us out, here are 10 foolproof ways to ensure that we live a healthier and happier lifestyle.

Following these simple steps will ensure that you can make the most of 2017 towards a healthier and happier you.

1. Eat more fruits and vegetables.
- The health benefits of eating a diet with generous servings of fruits and vegetables are endless. Not only are they dense sources of a variety of essential minerals and nutrients, they are generally high in fiber which will keep your digestive system happy and smooth-running. Pro-tip: fruits and veggies have unique antioxidant properties depending on their color. Eat the rainbow!

2.    Go for regular check-ups. 
- Don’t leave your body to take care of itself. We all need a little help sometimes, and your doctor’s job is to ensure that everything is in tip-top condition and to provide solutions when needed.

3.    Stay stress-free. 
- While diet and exercise are very important in leading a healthy lifestyle, your mindset and attitude may be sabotaging their benefits. Stress can affect your sleep, your tendency to engage in unhealthy behaviors, and your productivity. Ensure that your lifestyle is as stress-free as possible by organizing your financial and work life; create a long-term financial plan to alleviate financial pressures and increase your financial security.

4.    Avoid foods high in saturated fat and simple sugars.
- Swap out your white bread for wholegrain, and use canola or olive oil instead of butter in your cooking. Complex carbohydrates give you slow-release energy which will keep you energised throughout the day, and unsaturated fats will promote healthy cholesterol levels, keeping you trim and combating fatigue.

5.    Find an exercise program you enjoy. 
- It is no secret that exercise gives you more energy, helps keep your head clear, and keeps you in shape. Find what you enjoy and stick to it! If you hate jogging, try dancing. If you don’t like exercising alone, look to join a basketball or frisbee team.

6.    Make sure you get at least 7 hours of sleep per night.
- Give your body a well-deserved break, so that it can re-energize and prepare itself for a happy and productive day.


7.    Ditch your unhealthy vices. 
- Smoking, drinking, or consuming too much caffeine is toxic to our bodies. Replace your unhealthy habits with healthier ones, such as exercise. If you are struggling to give up smoking, join a program that offers support and guidance.

8.    Make time for friends and family. 
- Social interaction is essential to human well-being. Appreciate the supportive people in your life and invest in the meaningful connections that will ultimately lead you to a happier lifestyle.

9.    Stay hydrated.
- The common recommendation for water intake is eight 8-ounce glasses a day. Drinking a sufficient amount of water promotes healthy skin and will prevent headaches and other symptoms of dehydration. Additionally, for those of us trying to lose weight, a common sign of dehydration is the feeling of hunger despite having eaten adequately. Drink up!

10.   Set and track fitness goals by using apps and devices.


Having fitness goals is a sure fire way of ensuring happiness; overcoming hurdles, whether small or big, can increase your confidence. One fitness app that helps you track your progress and remind you to hit some benchmarks is Philam Vitality Active, a free mobile app that allows you to enjoy immediate and free rewards such as free cinema ticket, free game of bowling to name a few, upon completion of your weekly goals. To experience a whole new journey to being fit and healthy.

You may download the Philam Vitality Active app now available in Apple Store Phils or Google Play and sign-up using the promo code “liveactive”.