Art De Noel and New Year Shindig at Sofitel Manila

Christmas at Sofitel Manila certainly is an event to experience. With their upcoming Art De Noel 2023, the management, staff and guests of the hotel will be able to help once again the Virlanie Foundation. The organization helps disadvantaged children and families in the Philippines for years now and Sofitel Manila has been a constant partner in making sure their mission stays accomplished every year. The decor in the hotel has changed quite a lot over the years, and this year, they've got a few trains on display right at the entrance and floating right beside the huge Christmas Tree displayed at the center of Spiral, one of the world's best buffet. 

This year, they want to also put importance on reuniting families. Aside from that, they're yearly New Year celebrations will be held at the Sofitel Grand Ballroom and Harbor Garden Tent, with an event called SHINDIG, showcasing dance across eras, with some of the brightest stars of the 80's, 90's, 2000's and the present. Let's just say it involves Juan Miguel Salvador (who played the 80's hits so good that evening!), DJ Tom Taus, Joshua Zamora and Jon Supan, The InnerVoices, and your boy Darren Espanto headlining the show. Tickets will be available starting November 30 so if you've got plans to celebrate New Year's eve without the fuzz, this might be your best bet. They also have an early bird rate, so go call +632-85735557 for it. 

Here's a glimpse of what will happen at Sofitel Manila, I'm telling you, it's super fun! I had the urge of dancing even with strangers during the launch a few days ago.

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As you can see, Sofitel Manila's SPIRAL, LE BAR and Cocos will also be serving food during these dates. Reserve a table through their website, social channels or their number posted above. Take a bite of the Holiday Logs, Cheese, Foie Gras, seafood, pasta on the cheese wheel, and tons of desserts. They will also have a fireworks display, Art de Noel Light Show, good rates for stay, the Sofitel Bears (to help Virlanie Foundation too!), live music entertainment while you dine the best food at SPIRAL.

We got to experience part of that last week, and I'm sure the actual dates will be even bigger. You definitely shouldn't miss this, only at Sofitel Manila!

Firework Accidents Down 25% says DOH

Despite campaigns and warnings from the government, hard headed pinoys still go out and do their own thing. When would they ever learn!

The Department of Health in the Philippines issued reports this evening that incidents of firework accidents went down 25 percent this year. These are good figures and I think the rain and drizzles around the metro contributed to these figures by the National Epidemiology Center of the same department. Upto 346 firecracker related injuries were only reported. This is the lowest it has become in this decade.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque said that the rain showers contributed a lot aside from the rigorous campaign their office made before the celebrations. The global financial crisis was also to blame for the smart spending of people he added. They however are still in their Code White alert on government and private hospitals until January 5 this year because they expect victims to arrive even after the new year's eve. 241 got tolerable minor wounds, 18 had their limbs severed while 76 had their eyes stricken.

The dreaded piccolo was still at the head of the pack followed by rockets, five star, light sticks, whistle bombs and about 9 people were reportedly hit by stray bullets according to local police. How I wish Filipinos would stop buying them and resort to more spectacular fireworks in malls and other nice venues. That would be much better! I hope we get 0 victims in a couple of years.

Fireworks Victims arrives at Philippine Hospitals

Some guys just never learn!

The Philippines is still following the footsteps of Chinese nationals in spending for fireworks in celebrating New Year's Day. I was happy last night because there was a lot of places in Metro Manila that had rainshowers and drizzles. I thought there wouldn't be a lot of hard headed Filipinos that would do fireworks because of it, but I was wrong. It still was a little noisy in our streets. I even saw a glimpse of people who got hit by explosives watching the news. Its just sad that they won't learn if they don't get hurt.

Slowly they came one by one in the hospitals of Quezon City. In East Avenue Medical Center, there are about 17 people that fell victim since yesterday. Most of them were hit by the prohibited PICCOLO, faulty local "KWITIS" or rockets,Luces (lightsticks) and 5Star (a local triangle). All of them are very strong explosives but most have only sustained minor injury so some of them were already sent home but not an 8 year old kid that swallowed WATUSI (red scratch firecrackers).

In Quirino Labor Hospital, a young lad was also hit by a rocket in his neck. In Caloocan City, about 9 were sent to Tala Hospital since December 24 which also sustained piccolo caused wounds.What a bad day to spend your New Year at the Hospital!