DUNKIN’ DONUTS AGUINALDO IN EVERY CUP

As children, the joy and excitement we feel during the Christmas season can be encapsulated in one word: aguinaldo. The term refers to gifts received, specifically, during the holidays.  As grown-ups, we find ourselves on the other side of giving with younger relatives now expecting their presents from us. However, no matter how old we are, there is always a child within us who is giddy with happiness when we receive an aguinaldo. 

This holiday season, you can have that “just got a gift” feeling every day with the Dunkin’ Donuts Aguinaldo In Every Cup promo.  Every time you purchase one 12-ounce cup of hot or iced Dunkin’ Coffee, you have a chance to instantly win a Free Classic Donut or cash  — P500, P1,000, P5,000, and for the lucky ones who will surely have a Merry Christmas, P20,000.

To get your Aguinaldo, peel the perforated coupon found on the side of your Dunkin’ Coffee cup that says “Open your Holiday Surprise!” and “Peel Here.”  It’s best to do this after finishing your drink because the excitement might make you spill it.

Your Aguinaldo is waiting for you in any of your Dunkin’ Coffee favorites like Dunkin’ Brewed Coffee, Dunkin’ Black Iced Coffee, or Dunkin’ Iced Coffee. So, are you ready for some Christmas feels?  Then get your Dunkin’ Donuts Aguinaldo In Every Cup from now until December 15, 2019.

Open letter to myself

Dear little grown up boy,

How fast time flies and you are now on the end of your teenage dreams. Hanging in between three (3) and Zero (0). So how would you label this young new feeling you are heading to? The freedom of having your own wings, no longer frightened of what the future holds. Indeed, there is strength in numbers. 

Welcome to another bold new chapter of your future. Furtive, dark and a little bit twisty. But you were always a little bit of crazy. And I am sure your friends can truly validate that. Now that you are growing up, please lessen the recalcitrant nature. You can’t skip the process all the time. And stop going back and forth to your glory days, the days you regret the most, the itchy heartaches, and the stupid you. Breathe and move forward little guy. You deserve so much happiness if you just learn how to warm up a little. Thaw that ice inside your heart that keeps you from moving forward. Unfreeze your spirit, maybe then you’d grow. 

Stop worrying about the what if’s and what will be. It is such a waste of energy. You have to start believing that you have a beautiful soul. 

Please little boy, start writing those stories you have made up in your head. Pick up that pen and write. Fill up that page and never bother about that comical grammar choice you always had. You cannot start something up by just wondering if it’s in the right framework or verb agreement. 

Remember the 5 things you told me before? Let me tell them again to you:

1. Never delay lunch. It will make you counterproductive. And less energetic. There is always a reason why you need that middle of the day break. 

2. A little patience will save you. Yup, you know how erratic your moods are. Remember the time you just smiled on that rude lady? It was a miracle. Give yourself some more practice and you’d be the best grown up boy there is.

3. At the beginning of each day, set a mini achievable goal. Like the one you did earlier. Pick up a random trash and dispose it properly. Motivate three people today. Smile at five random strangers. Those simple acts of randomness can save lives. 

4. Embrace individuality. You can never be everybody. Start appreciating your hair. Give comfort to your color. You too have traits that others do not possess. And that makes you stand out against anyone. 

5. Never stop learning. Get to know new things like renaissance art, Russian literature, African mythology, research, Economics. Because life will always be a bore. And through learning we spice and shake it up a little bit.

Little boy, you are on your own for the longest time and that has made you who you are today. It’s time to let the bad things go now. Good things are everywhere and you are surrounded by such crazy family and friends who loves you unconditionally. So go ahead and conquer the world. Never doubt yourself. See things differently and love your life even more. Happiest birthday. 

P.s.
Don’t forget to thank your friends and everyone who gave you well wishes and love. They make life better. 

P.PS.
I am not done writing to you yet. 

Love, 

Jan Rae

iQor Iloilo, Rotary Club team up for Cervical Cancer Screening Drive in Pototan

POTOTAN, ILOILO – Consistent with its core values of giving back to the community, iQor Iloilo partners with the Rotary Club of Iloilo and the Panay Marian Rose Foundation in the recently-concluded Cervical Cancer Screening in Brgy. Purog, Pototan, Iloilo on September 2, 2019. 

The initiative, which aims to spread the #IHadMine advocacy, successfully provided free testing to the women of the said local community. According to the Rotary Club of Iloilo’s Official Facebook Page, the initiative was an active response to the threat of Cervical Cancer being the second leading type of cancer among women, with over 7,000 cases and 3,000 deaths each year, according to the Department of Health.  This partnership is only the first of many social activities that iQor Iloilo plans to take part of this 2019. 

Going all-in on corporate social responsibility 

iQor is a managed services provider of customer engagement and technology-enabled BPO solutions in Iloilo Business Park. The company has mushroomed its population to more than triple its size since its launch in 2016. Now, with 4 operational sites, 6 accounts and more than 3,000 local employees, the company is now on a steadfast commitment to amplify its responsiveness to social obligations. 

“Our organization has been fortunate to bring in the best talent that Iloilo has to offer, and that’s why we’re continuing to acquire additional businesses and expanding our workforce,” says Roselle Lao, Director for Recruitment at iQor.   

“We owe our success to the Ilonggo community, and now is the time to give back. We want to continue working side by side with other humanitarian organizations, such as the Rotary Club of Iloilo, to make sure we’re doing our part in providing social service to our fellow Ilonggos,” she added. 

Opening doors to more jobs for Ilonggos 

iQor has been actively spreading brand awareness across all channels in order to bring in a more diverse workforce including students and college graduates looking to enter the call center industry for the first time. It offers flexible job arrangements that allows young professionals to gain experience and eventually work their way up the career ladder. 

The company is currently in ramp mode as it gears up for a major expansion, eyeing 1,000 more jobs to be opened in the last stretch of this year. Apart from conducting job fairs, iQor is partnering with universities and local barangays to bring career opportunities closer to jobseekers. 

In another form of giving back to the community, iQor Iloilo is also set to launch its New Hire Training program in the coming weeks. The project aims to provide free, competent training to call center neophytes and equip them with the proper skill set to boost their chances at getting hired and becoming successful in the industry.  

Find out more about iQor Iloilo recruiting events on their Official Facebook Page, facebook.com/iqoriloilo. 

The 8 Best Moments of EXO Planet #5 – EXplOration in Manila

A spectacular two-night #EXplOration filled with roaring performances and unforgettable moments for Pinoy EXO-Ls and the K-mmunity PH

After almost a year of anticipation, the most-awaited of days has finally arrived when the extraordinarily popular K-pop boyband EXO (they are the only Korean Artists who have over 10 million cumulative album sales in Korea) made their return to Manila with their 5^th world tour, EXO Planet #5 – EXplOration. Originally set as just a one-night concert, #EXplOrationinManila became a two-night affair, thanks to the outpour of requests from the passionate Filipino EXO-Ls.

This year’s installment of the EXO Planet only saw 6 members (Suho, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, Kai, and Sehun) visit Manila as Xiumin and D.O. just enlisted for their mandatory military service, while Lay is still promoting his mini-album “Honey” in China. Albeit the absence of the three, PH EXO-Ls did not fail to still showcase their undying love and support for the group.

With the hashtag #EXplOrationinManila dominating the top spot of worldwide and local social media trends, there is no question as to how ecstatic PH EXO-Ls are to see EXO in the flesh and see them perform hits such as “Tempo,” “Love Shot,” “Call Me Baby” and “Growl.”

Whether you’re team #EXplOrationinManila Day 1 or Day 2, let Globe and the K-mmunity PH relive the best moments of the boys with their Eris at #EXplOrationinManila.

1.       #TheUltimateStan winners and EXO-Ls enjoying the K-mmunity PH studio booths

     Prior to the two-night concert, Globe and Happee Hour announced the Search for the Ultimate Stan: EXO Edition on the K-mmunity PH Facebook group to look for the best EXO-Ls that can complete a set of challenges. Globe at Home also had a pre-sale raffle for existing customers of Home Prepaid WiFi and even gave out exclusive merch to lucky stans for every purchase of Home Prepaid WiFi or Streamwatch Xtreme Prepaid units.

The winners of the Ultimate Stan received a special VIP experience and a tour of the K-mmunity studio booths, which was opened to the public later on.  The Ultimate Stan winners and the rest of the K-mmunity PH definitely had a blast as they got to sing and dance to their beloved EXO hits; on top of that, everyone who signed-up for the K-mmunity Facebook group took home collectible concert pins, too!

2.       A thrilling opening set

Once the lights and smoke cleared, the six members, clad like speed racers, made their presence felt amidst the sea of roaring EXO-Ls and started strong with their 2018 title-track dance hit, “Tempo.” It was immediately followed by a nostalgic dance rendition of “Transformer,” another chart-topper from their 2015 album EXODUS.  EXO capped off their exhilarating opening set with the spacey retro-funk “Gravity” and electro-pop bob “Sign.”

  

DUNKIN’ COFFEE DAY FOR A LONELY SAILOR

A cup in hand makes all the difference

I have always been a Dunkin Donut baby. My mama would bring home a box of assorted sweet treats and the pin box with orange accent brings much excitement to the little me. My favorite would be the strawberry sprinkles and the Bavarian donut. Thinking about it brings me great smiles. I remember biting the sugar powdered bread and having to wipe my face with my baby hanky just to dust off the Bavarian cream in my cheeks.

So which should we get first?

I remember this one time I was probably 6years old. My mama and I went grocery shopping and there was this Dunkin' Donut stall inside the supermarket. I wanted one. She was in such a rush with all the stuff we brought. I cried because I WANT ONE. She said no. I gave her "the attitude" all through out the ride home. She got fuming mad because I was screaming inside the jeepney making sure that "everyone" can hear me. Telling random people that I am really hungry and she was starving a poor boy. She gave me the stare. I gave her the stare back. She pinched my legs. And the rest, well, was history. *wink*

  

In some of my bad days at work, my only quick fix would be one bunwhich and some cold coffee. Then I would sit in a corner and contemplate about my life, my dreams, aspirations and fantasies. After quite some time, i'm okay again. Ready to face the world. Yep, nothing beats a bad day than just a moment of silence inside a sweet vanilla smelling Dunkin' Donut store.

That's my very good friend A Not so Secret life who is so
effortless when it comes to posing for a good shot

Growing up, I have become a habitual coffee drinker. My work days would consist of daily lunch routines to be capped off by a nice sweet smell of Dunkin Donuts coffee. The ladies in the Dunkin store already knew what I wanted. One cup of black coffee and two sugar. No donuts on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. And on Tuesdays and Thursdays, three butternuts.

Yup, my afternoon is fueled by the caffeine boost. Not only that it costs lesser than other brands, the sweet smelling vanilla scent when you enter the store brings back a lot of good memories.

COOL OFF YOUR STRESSFUL DAYS AT MALUMPATI COLD SPRING, ANTIQUE

This post might be long overdue but let me tell you a little story. There are times when I imagine myself floating in a river of ice and drifting towards an ice castle. Further down, a row of white polar bears would wait in line to welcome me in their kingdom. I am a king there.

And then I wake up.

Some days, I lose myself dreaming about mundane things, and other days, I am planning on unexpected weekend getaway with friends.

This particular trip, I was with a good buddy Joebert. He is a seafarer and just gotten off from a 9-month contract. A trip we both needed. It was a three day travel from Aklan to Antique which eventually led us to this cool spring water resort.

One of the cleanest river in the country

Malumpati Cold Spring is located in Brgy. Guia Pandan Antique. The resort is known for its pristine spring water popular for the family. From Aklan, we took the bus going to Antique and instructed the driver to drop us off in the transportation area going to the cold spring.

I had often wondered where the word MALUMPATI came from. But through some thorough research, it has come to my conclusion that it is actually a local word which means “Malumpat and Ati” or the Aeta will jump. Talking with the locals, it was believed that before, when the resort was not as known as it is today, many aeta or atis used to jump and take a clean bath in the crystal clear blue waters. Thus MALUMPATI had its name.

The eraly morning view of the resort.
People would usually flock on Saturdays and Sundays at 8AM

A lifeguard is on watch the entire time to make sure that no accident will take place

The resort has a lot of photo worthy spots you can lounge on

One of it's exciting adventure is jumping on this 7ft ledge

How to get there:

1. From Iloilo City, ride a jeep to Molo Terminal. Ride a ceres bus going to Pandan, Antique. Bus fare is at P100

2. Drop off at Pandan Plaza and ride a motorcycle going to Malumpati Cold Spring. Fare is at 250 one way

Things to take note:

Opening Hours: 7:30AM – 4PM

Admission Fee:

P40- Adults

P30- Senior Citizens and PWD’s

P10- Kids

Accommodation:

Cottages- P200-500

Overnight rooms- P1200-1800

Activities:

Water Tubing- P200/person

Trek- P200

Food- 1,000 for 3 pax depending on appetite

The serene set where the preparation and briefing happens
before you do the water tubbing

Us not minding the happy people doing their jump shots

Us doing the mandatory jump

When in Antique, do what the tourist do

The very sturdy floater

Skincare essentials at Zensuals Beauty and Nail Lounge

Please don't judge me. I seldom do my skincare sessions and this is the first time I am sharing it in public. You see, I do not do any steps when taking care of my skin. And to pamper myself daily, I usually follow these simple routine:

1. Wash your face before sleeping

A must for me since I usually spend my time outdoors. This would give you some breathing space to clear out all the pollution and dirt that got stuck in your pores.

2. Sleep

Yep. As much as I am a night person, I make sure to get enough sleep and that would range from 6-7 hours of total rest. I get all cranky if I tend to receive less of it.

Yup, that's basically my skincare process. But hey, i do not have the perfect skin and that is because of my poor time management and being lazy in applying all these inorganic chemicals. My therapist would tell me that I have a very bad case of uneven skin tone. I totally agree with her. With forceful perseverance, I tried Zensuals Beauty and Nail lounge. And so, my skincare sessions begins.

Located at the 2nd floor of Festive Walk Mall, Iloilo Business Park

But to sum it all up, let me show you my very first attempt to VLOG. hahaha

Unplugged 101: Tell me something I needed to hear

Dear 29-year- old self,

How are you doing? It’s been a while since my last attempt to get in touch with you. I know you are scared right now and things will be scarier in the coming days. Hold on tight, life is meant to be scary and terrifying and dark at the same time. That is the reason why outliving life is even more special.

Never forget that you were born strong, and no amount of fear or rejection nor hurt can ever bring you down. You have been through the worst and maybe some of the most down you can ever be. Did you remember the time when you had nothing but a dime in your hand a head full of dreams and possibilities? You never gave up then. You saw the future as a bright glittering universe ready to be conquered. You were hopeful, and nothing can ever come between you and your victory. It was wonderful how you vividly planned and spun the web of success in your spinning wheel.

But reality is cruel and mean in its own way. You fell hard into that corporate stream of heartbreaks crushing your innocent spirit away. Yes, you have experienced rain, and it was just not the usual drizzle, it was a hurricane of tears and disappointments taking the very hope of your life. But did you give up?

No, you did not give up. Not even when your mama gave her permanent goodbye leaving you lifeless and lost. Not even when you took over the baggage that needed to be carried when she left. You did not give up. You took the stand with dry eyes and a hard cold heart. I know you have given a piece of yourself away in that process, and you were ok to willingly give it anyway. You had no choice. Its either you move forward, or you lag and sulk with the shallow misery. Remember this: You did not give up.

Think again how sweet the taste of success felt like. How addicted you were to its honeycomb sweetness and how it became your ambrosia to strive more and become the man you were meant to be. Can you remember the determination in your eyes every time you wake up in the morning? Your eyes, oh how scary your eyes looked then. Mischievous and cunning, sharp and ravenous. But people would not understand why you were hungry. They would never comprehend your desire because it was disguised as greed for recognition and validation. Your silence has made them think it was true.