Alviera Go Play features world’s first game show inspired playground…

A few years ago, the SandBox at Alviera, Porac, Pampanga have launched some of the very first adventure parks that allows guests to experience fun yet relatively challenging outdoor activities within a state of the art facilities. My family and I have experienced fist hand some of these awesome activities as it evolved through the years.

Explorac. One Alviera's adventure offerings to the thrill seekers

I considered myself lucky to be part of its historic beginnings where it was still in a raw state. Runners and bikers from all over the place took part of the very first Explorac Adventure race where I ran a 21k route within the whole 1,225 hectare township development being constructed by Ayala land. The experience was awesome because it was also my first time to run along the river bed of lahar sand dunes left by the Mount Pinatubo Eruption in 1991.

 

Alviera's raw landscape. Ideal for trail running and mountain biking...

A few years later, as the SandBox is coming into form, Alviera put in another "first" outdoor facilities in the development.Some of which is the Aerial Walk. It a nerve racking high from the ground rope and cables facility where a person can cross from one pole-station to another on intricate rope connection and wood planks and is protected by a safety harness. Of course, many people are also raving about the Giant Swing and the vertical wall climbing. 

SandBox's first attractions...

 And recently, Alviera introduced another one that brings exciting and fun to another level. In partnership with Runtertainment, the group that introduced Slidefest Philippines, Escape Room Game and of course the zombie fun runs like Breakout Manila and Breakout Philippines, is now bringing you Go Play. 

Go Play. Bringing out the kid in everyone's heart

Go Play is the very first Game Show styled playground in the world, where one can experienced a TV inspired wacky games and outdoor fun like the Takeshi’s Castle, Wipe Out and the Gladiators. The Alviera Go Play kicked off last June 11, 2016 at the SandBox for a full day of lively games that challenges not just the physical but also your mental wit as well. 

A TV game show inspired adventure...

Some of Go Play features that challenges one’s craziness are the Human Foosball, the Wacky Karaoke, Run in Sumo Suits in Sumo Relay and play Agawan-based dressed in Zorb ball. For a free and easy fun, you can also do the Foamy Frolic and the bouncy inflatables. 

Agawan-base in Zorb suit...

Guests can enjoy these fun activities with a minimum registrations of P800 for A Regular Go Player and P1,200 for the Extreme Go Player. And for the kids, it’s only P400. The Go Play ran one day only, but may extend its operations throughout the whole month of June.  

Outcast: The newest Horror Series from FOX

After the phenomenal record breaking hit of the Walking Dead is another horror TV series from FOX that surely made an initial nail-biting impact to the tele-viewers out there with their first three episodes shown in the last three Saturdays, every 8:55pm. It has been almost three weeks after its premier global showing last June 4 that is keeping fans at the edge of their seats, while this heart pumping story is slowly being revealed. 

Outcast from the award winning director of The Walking Dead Adam Wingard

For those who have followed the Waking Dead throughout its nine seasons, the Outcast with its award winning director Adam Wingard brings another riveting horror TV series, that will give everyone a different kind of scariness and suspense. It’s like watching Exorcist movie every Saturday. But this show is not the ordinary poltergeist phenomenon, because the hero behind the story possesses some kind of special power that is being revealed every episode.

A beautiful mural art work that can be found at BGC by Team Manila

Personally, I hold a special interest in this type of horror stories because of a personal experience when I was young. My mother was a in the military at that time where she and a handful of supernatural believers often times bring people under “possession” in to our house where they were exorcised repeatedly for several days. I remember my mother would bring me and my sister to our neighbor’s house for the time being, while they do the rituals. 

Mr. Jude Torquato, Executive Director of FOX Philippines

Often times, my sister and I sneaked out and peek from our window to see a possessed person in action. Me, as a young and innocent boy, I never felt scared while witnessing those stuff, it was more of curiosity seeing a young woman in her 20’s and who was just like over five feet tall would easily beat the crap of three abled military men, including my dad with a single blow when they tried to hold her down.    

Bloggers seated comfortably while waiting for the premier telecast...

Seeing people levitate on bed, projecting different kinds of deep-creepy voices with sharp and burning eyes were the typical manifestations normally see. But after they were “released”, these people had no single recollection on what happened to them. Much like what the boy experienced in the first episode where the hero Kyle Barnes, played by Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous) and Reverend Anderson played by Philip Glenister had tough encounters with a different kind demon.

Can’t wait to see the next episode tonight while our outcast heroes encounter and battle an “old” evil that follows and haunts Kyle Barnes and Reverend Anderson.

RX International: An Events and Marketing Company

Last year, my wife and I started toying on the idea of professionalizing and putting the principle of standard practice in the industry of media relations among media practitioners which revolves both traditional and online media, the brands handlers and Public Relations practitioners of brands. It was an idea which we wanted to organize among friends in the media relation industry.

Ms. Xialemar Valdeavilla and Dr. Robert Sy

Events management on the other hand, is a close related industry which has been a major player in the sphere of marketing and promotion of brands. The work of the events management is equally very challenging, most especially in a competitive world where more and more brands are competing to capture a significant share of the market.

These industries has become more complex as the market becomes more intricate in their taste, preference and choice. And in order to catch up with the changing times, events management must equally adapt with these changes. RX International, the newest player in the industry of brand marketing and events management, acknowledges these changes and is committed to deliver events management work with the principle of professionalism and market impact among its valued clients.

Ms. Valdeavilla presenting RX International's prgrams

Last May 28, 2016, RX International was launched at the Sage Bar, Shangrila, Makati. It was witnessed by members of the media and some selected people who have been significant in the company’s formation. These people represents academic institutions and government agencies which have expressed their support to the company’s endeavor in professionalizing the events management industry.

RX International Events and Marketing Consultancy was formed with a mission to integrate global standards in the implementation of vents 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 a common goal to increase the number of Filipino professionals to uplift the industry and the lives of the stake holders.

Dr. Robert C. Sy, a surgeon by profession is philanthropist and international organization leader. He is known if the medical community for not charging professional fees since he became a surgeon more than 40 years ago. He is currently the Vice-President of Chinese General Hospital, Chairman of UST Alumni Association, A trustee of the Philippines College of Surgeon and the Director of the Philippines Red Cross, Manila Chapter. 

Working a long side with Dr. Sy is a dynamic visionary and scholar Xialemar “Xiameer” Valdeavilla PhD MBA. She has spent more than a decade in the events 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 degree at London School of Marketing, Associate College of Anglia Ruskin University, UK, and a post graduate of diploma in event management and Public Relation from the Fitzwilliam Institute Group, London.

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

GSK Celebrates World Asthma Day with Asthmalaya Campaign…

My father decided to retire from military service at an earlier age because of asthma. And partly because of genetics, his illness worsened from the stress of all the combat duties he experienced from the Korean War, Vietnam War, and from our own domestic insurgencies during the 70s and 80s. 

ASTHMAlaya ka ba Talaga? Campaign is an initiative of PSAAI, PCCP and GSK...

Thankfully, after he retired, his condition got a lot better. He had some minor attacks here and there, which were very manageable, but he was in much better shape than before, most especially when the grand kids started to sprout up one by one, which got him preoccupied and entertained. It was a stress-free life for him. 

Philippine College of Chest Physicians - PCCP and Philippine Society of Allergy Asthma and Immunology - PSAAI

Unfortunately, his stress-free life did not last. Due to some domestic land disputes with his relatives in the province plus the constant travels to and from Manila and Bicol for the court hearings took so much toll in his 72-year-old battle-scared body. With some other personal problems mounting up, his asthma went back with a vengeance and eventually gave so much fatigue to his heart that lead to a massive and fatal heart attack. My dad was 73 years old when he passed away.

Panel of Medical experts from PSAAI and PCCP...

My dad’s passing due to asthma was a wake-up call to me and to all of my siblings. Vices were toned down and diet was also watched but, sometimes, when emotional stress comes, just like my dad, asthma attack follows.

ALL ABOUT ASTHMA

According to Dr. Melvin Pasay, Pulmonologist and Glaxo Smithkline Philippines Medical Affairs Manager, asthma is a recurring inflammatory disorder in the airways of breathing which undergoes expiratory flow and reversible broncho-constrictions. In people with asthma, airways are chronically inflamed. Another expert, PSAAI President, Dr. Carmela Kasala, says that asthma has predisposing factors such as family history, allergic rhinitis, excema, weight and smoking history. It has no known cure but it can be controlled. 

Dr. Melvin Pasay, GSK Medical Affairs Manager

The World Asthma Day is an annual event organized by the “Global Initiative for Asthma” (GINA) to improve public and patient awareness and care about asthma around the world. Among its partners, Glaxo Smithkiline Philippines unveils ASTHMAlaya ka ba Talaga? Campaign which focuses on the disease awareness on patients to be more proactive and consult their doctors on how they can achieve asthma control.

ASTHMAlaya ka ba talaga? Campaign

The launch also covered some myths in curing asthma such as eating Geckos (Tuko), which are very popular in the province. The experts also debunked the misconception that asthma can be outgrown, which is also far from the truth. They emphasized that there is no known cure for asthma but this illness can be controlled and can be managed properly to allow a patient perform his normal activities, even physical exercises. 

PCCP, PSAAI and GSK culminates the launch by a signature of commitment...

Last May 2, 2016, was the kick-off of the ASTHMAlaya ka ba talaga? Campaign that was held at Shangrila Makati City. Experts from various medical specialization gathered together and presented to the media how the medical community and its partners, such as GSK, can effectively help asthma patients manage the illness and live normal lives.

Medical Experts from PSAAI and PCCP with Glaxo Smithkline executives...

I’ve been running marathons for almost six years now and I have asthma. I think the first step anyone with asthma should take is accepting the fact that one is asthmatic. But despite my condition, I’m not bounded by it, and I can live my life to the fullest by being sensitive on what my body can and cannot do and with the help of the medical community that guides me to continue what I love to do and that is running. In my state, I can safely say that I’m already ASTHMAlaya.

World Vision Run 2016

Five years ago, I remember being part of the team of neophytes who braved the odds of coming up with the very first Fun Run for World Vision back in 2012. Everyone was anxious, at the same time excited, despite the lack of experience in mounting a huge undertaking. As a runner, I made sure to contribute good vibes, keep everyone’s spirit lifted, and imbibed them with a positive attitude. 

It was the time when fun runs were just starting to pick up and the growth of the running community was also beginning to build up, occupying many of the running routes in Metro Manila. With these contexts, we were very confident that our first run would be a successful one. 

World Vision Run 2013...

After my service to the organization ended and I decided to join Habitat for Humanity next, I didn’t get any opportunity to join the succeeding runs. After several years, I’m glad that I was invited to join this year's event. I attended the launch of the World Vision Run 2016 at Uncle Cheffy’s in BGC and I was happy to see my former colleagues Pam Millora, Jun Godornes, and others who have become pros and veterans now in organizing running events. Good job guys! Practice really makes perfect. 

Coach Rio, The Perkins Twins, Pam Millora and Jung Godornes of World Vision...

I was also surprised and happy to find out that the 3,000 plus runners who ran the first race has now almost doubled in numbers just after three years. It was nice to see familiar faces in the running and blogging community and to meet the Perkins Twins who have been supporters of World Vision for quite some time now.  

Efren of Zambales in his running pose...

In the launch, a video was presented featuring the story of a sponsored child whose dream is to become a teacher someday. Consequently, he happens to be a Palarong Pangbansa runner athlete! After the short video, Mr. Rio dela Cruz, the CEO of RunRio Inc, who had humble beginnings saw and was able to relate to Efren’s situation, because Coach Rio himself took the same challenging path and was able to hurdle obstacles to succeed in life. 

Sponsored Child Efren with his loving parents...

That was why Coach Rio dela Cruz took the opportunity to announce in public that he will take it upon himself and personally support Efren so that his dream will become a reality someday. Thus, this coming June 26, 2016, you’ll be seeing Efren run with us at the Blue Bay Walk in Pasay City. It will also be the first for World Vision to use Blue Bay Walk as a race venue, so this new change might also add inspiration to others. 

World Vision Ambassador Ms. Miriam Quiambao, promoting World Vision Run 2016 at GMA7 morning program, Marz hosted by Ms. Camile Pratz and Suzie Abrrera.

Aside from Efren, we will also see some famous celebrities joining us along the route. Some who support World Vision Run 2016 are Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Sam Concepcion, Aljur Abrenica, Tippy dos Santos, Kim Atienza, Miriam Quiambao, Matteo Guidicelli, Christian Bautista, Suzi Abrera and Camille Prats.

For more information about World Vision Run 2016 and registration details, visit worldvision.org.ph or call 374-8413 and look for Nina or Michelle.