HSMA Launches The 1st Virtus Awards

We talked to the very good people behind The 1st Virtus Awards a few days ago. The HSMA (Hotel Sales and Marketing Association International) with 60 member hotels and resorts in the Philippines is doing it's debut Sales and Marketing awards show on November 25, 2015 at the New World Manila Bay Hotel. This is to recognize great Sales and Marketing Professionals from the travel and hospitality industry who have worked above and beyond their usual walk of life.

We also got to talk to some of the nominees for the 4 categories that they'll be vying for which includes 3 for Sales and Marketing and one for the Marketing Campaign of the Year. 

Here's a few words by one of the founders Ms. Rose Libongco and nominee Ms. Janice Vicente from The Linden Suites.

Virtus Awards - The Linden Suites
Posted by Kumagcow on Friday, November 6, 2015

Here are the nominees who hail from Midas Hotel 

Virtus Awards - Midas Hotel Posted by Kumagcow on Friday, November 6, 2015

Here are two of the ladies from Hotel H2O

Virtus Awards - Hotel H2O
Posted by Kumagcow on Friday, November 6, 2015

They've represented their hotels well and mighty proud of their accomplishments as they are battling with hotels from international chains. Aside from that, I could see how they've been able to tell their story on how they were chosen among those who have vied for the awards. The culmination night will be a Black Tie event and will happen on the 25th. I'd be really happy if the winners came from these people we talked to as I genuinely see how eager they were telling their stories and hope what could make the difference in becoming the first Virtus awardees. 

Thank you also to Midas Hotel's Yanagi Japanese Buffet Restaurant for hosting our lunch. It was awesome! I'd like to go back with friends and family soon!

For more information about their organization:

HSMA The Virtus Awards

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Visit their official website

http://www.hsmaph.com/

Philippines Breaks Guinness World Record of Largest Serving of Lechon

It was a hot and humid day but we were still happy during the event for Calata Corporation. For those who don't know, they're one of the largest agricultural conglomerates in the country. They are the corporation behind the distribution of brands like Bayer, Syngenta, Bmeg, Jardine, Monsanto, Dupont, Sinochem, Leads Agri, Planters Products, Swire, Yara. They are also behind agricultural chemical corporations such as AGRI Crop Protection, Heisenberg veterinary medicines, Thomson and Hine and Ivansmith agrochemicals.They also own Golden Bean Feeds which supply most of their products in AGRI stores nationwide. They're celebrating their 16th Anniversary and what better way to do it but by preparing a huge feast of roast pork commonly known as Lechon in this country. The premise is to break the Guinness World Record for the Largest Serving of Roast Pork set by Mexico a couple of years back. By the way, they supply huge corporations like Puregold, Lydia's Lechon, and others with produce, technology, distribution so you can just imagine how big they are in the industry. Instead of having just their company's posh party, they wanted to share it with the community. with those who couldn't really afford the well loved Filipino dish usually served in huge parties. Everything goes!

Here's what happened during the Guinness World Record Attempt


Calata Corporation World's Biggest Serving of... by kumagcow

That's not all. Calata Corporation is partnering with other NGO's, Foundations to give scholarship grants to deserving students. They're eventually planning to also do this specifically for agricultural courses so they could further improve the lives of Filipinos in the agricultural sector. Their dream is to make agriculture cool and dubbed it AgriCOOLture. Since they're already making waves and earning a ton in this industry, they hope to inspire more people to work and change the manner they perceive the business because true enough, they're showing that there is money and opportunity in agriculture. Our aging farmers won't be there forever and there should be another generation of people who would want to spend their life working, tilling the fields with the help of new technology, advanced ways so this agricultural country would eventually NOT import goods anymore and just locally produce everything here.

Previous record set was about 3,015 Kgs, we however set 4,046 Kgs. An honor for the Philippines and Calata Corporation. Congratulations to Calata Corporation on your 16th year!

For more information about their company:

Calata Corporation

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Visit their official website

http://calatacorp.com/

Let's Make This One A Cherry Christmas!

It's just so heartwarming to see families get together, bridging the gap of distance with technology available in Smart Phones and apps. That's what Cherry Mobile has been doing in the last few years. As part of their efforts to give back, they launched the #CherryChristmas promo so they can reward OFW's who they remark as the unsung heroes. They also had Piolo Pascual as their OFW Ambassador when they launched this campaign a few weeks ago.

Through the #CherryChristmas promo, they want you to send videos and tell them why how it feels to be together with your family. Yes, they'll fly them home for Christmas and submissions will only be until November 14, 2015. You can visit the Cherry Mobile Facebook Page here or visit their website http://www.cherrymobile.com.ph for details about the contest. That's a good thing to do this Christmas Season and we have Cherry Mobile to thank just because they thought of your loved ones and you too. Make sure you send your entries before that date ends!

Let's get them home!

For more information about their cause:

Cherry Mobile

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Visit their official website

http://cherrymobile.com.ph

Christmas Sparkles at the Araneta Center

It's been a tradition for people in the metro and Quezon City to converge at the Araneta Center at the start of Christmas Season. The most awaited Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony just happened and there were tons of artists from The Voice of the Philippines, some teen idols from Star Magic and the one and only Vice Ganda to join the occasion. The ceremony itself was done my the first lady of Araneta Center Korina Sanchez, LP Vice President bet Ms. Leny Robredo, Mr. Berndt Schneider GM of Novotel Manila and several beauty queens of Binibining Pilipinas. 

Here's a glimpse of what happened that evening!


A Sparkling Christmas at the Araneta Center by kumagcow

I loved the part where Jerome Ponce, comedian Negi, Bradley Holmes, Daryl Ong and Jason Fernandez performed for the crowd and even played a few games with them. I won a few cans of Coca Cola too during that event. I can't wait to see what else is up for the lovely new Araneta Center this Christmas Season. I've seen concerts, a few UAAP games and even The Jets in the brand new Kia Theater. If you want to shop conveniently in Cubao, make sure you get it done in the Araneta Center. It's so near my hood I could call it home!

For more information about their place:

The Araneta Center

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Visit their official website

http://www.aranetacenter.net