Live with the King

Wouldn't it be cool to live with the King? Imagine having the best by your side and its features within your reach. This is what it feels like when you have a Nexus 6P.

King Nexus 6P

What makes it the best? Here's why:

• It has a powerful camera

The Nexus 6P has a 12.3MP lens, which is the best camera ever used in Nexus. |With the power of 1.55μm pixels, its camera makes your pictures capture more light even in less than ideal environment. No more low-light photo problems with the Nexus 6P. You can also harness the capabilities of the Google Camera and Google Photos which makes sure your photo souvenirs are safe ans can be accessed anywhere.

• Simplified Security

No need to remember those complicated patterns or PIN numbers with the Nexus 6P. Just use the ergonomic fingerprint sensor to access your messages, your apps and your photos. You can also depend on its dedicated keystore system and encryption engine to make syre your Android Pay transactions are safe and secure.

• Front Facing Speakers

Sometimes, you just want to relax and lay your phone down to play music but your phone speakers are in the back and the sounds get muffled. You then have turn them over but then you can see your screen. You won't have that issue with Nexus 6P. The phone's speakers are in the front. 

• Fast Charging and Long Battery Life

Let's face it we spend most of our day in front of our phone and they rarely stay alive for a whole day. The Nexus 6P has a 3450mAH battery which makes your phone's life longer. In addition, it supports a reversible USB Type C port that means faster charging time.

• Stunning Screen

Nexus 6P has a sharp 5.7" WQHD AMOLED display with 518 pixels per inch. This means a very clear screen.

With all these features, Nexus 6P is your way to get service like royalty.

Brightest Fitness Gym Review

Brightest Fitness Gym is a neighborhood gym or "bakal" gym located at PRC Makati. Situated at the 5th floor of the same building as the SSS and right in front of McDonalds PRC.

Introduction to a "Bakal Gym"

This gym is on my way home. I noticed it a few times during my commute so I decided to check this out after giving up on my Level X Fitness Gym membership. The rate is cheap with P60/session, P600/month and P1200/quarter. As posted in their fan page, they have ample set of equipment that I could use for my program so I dropped by one Friday to do my workout. I started with the daily rate of P60 and went back the next day to pay for the monthly rate.

Photo from Jm Labrador's FB

It is a good example of a "bakal gym". The place doesn't have air conditioners. They don't even have electric fans. They don't have olympic bars and bumper plates. But they have a cheaper version of barbells and plates though that can still help you proceed with your workout. They don't have thread mills but they have cardio machines to help you warm up. They have ample space to do your workout but not so much, just enough to get things done. The people who work out there know their stuff and would be there to finish their sets.

For a couple of weeks, I went to this gym. I appreciate the "feel" of the gym as it keeps me motivated to finish my workout. However, some gymgoers are too into their own workout that they hog machines for 30 minutes to hours. My workout time had to be extended from 45 minutes to 2 hours since I have to wait for them to finish.

On a holiday, I dropped by there and there are still a number of people doing their workout.

Gym Review

In standards of a "bakal gym", the space is big. The equipment is as expected, given the price, but it is enough to make programs work. You can't drop the weights due to both quality of the equipment and the location of the gym (5th floor so 4th floor peeps might hear dropping weights). This meant you can't go too heavy on your own.

Photo from Leizle Mae Glory Bolivar's FB

The fee is cheaper when you commit to long term progress. For example, P60/day turns to P40/day when you workout for 4 times a day for a month. However, they don't have caliber equipments like olympic bars so if you do workouts on a different gym or in a standard lifting event, you cannot have a baseline of weights you can carry. (This should be a small deal but I am maarte.)

The gym also has a lot of equipment hogs that is the reason for extended workout times.

But nonetheless it is a great gym to workout in.

Level X Fitness Gym Review

Level X Fitness Gym is a small gym located in Buma Building in San Antonio Village, Makati. It is located beside the Mega Pro Karaoke Place and a few steps away from Ayala Avenue. This gym is you typical gym that has machines, weights and a regular cardio class schedules

Introduction though Metrodeal

I was trying to save money by finding a cheaper gym to workout in when I stumbled into a voucher in Metrodeal. The offer was a month of unlimited gym use with a personal trainer assessment for P999. I grabbed the opportunity and scheduled my first PT (Personal Trainer) Assessment. If you are interested to try this deal too, check out this link.

First Visit

I went to the gym after office hours at around 5:30 pm. I had trouble finding the place as google maps was pointing me on a longer route. (It turns out walking at Chino Roces Extension and San Antonio Village is a quicker route)

Where to squat? No space during peak hours 

(Photo from their FB Page)

Upon arrival, I found that the gym was small and had little space. Coach JC guided me through the assessment which was your typical assessment including 1 mile run, reaching your feet, the star position and push-ups test. If you have been assessed by Fitness First and Gold's Gym. It is basically the same thing. This is ideal practice for beginners but for seasoned folks like me, this is pretty useless.

Consecutive Visits

I have been to the gym following a basic body building program for a couple of weeks in this gym. I found that it is too small to do an actual workout. Given the peak hours of 5:30pm to 8:00pm, it proved to be too small to complete a decent set.

On one day, I was doing sets of squats with a minute rest. I was too difficult to complete my set following this protocol as after doing 5 reps of squats. I had to wait for the guy on the cable machine to finish his set and the lady on the floor doing lunges before I could proceed to my next set, The sets which could have been done in 10 minutes was completed in an hour.

I also had no space to do a tabata workout on the floor so I had to omit that to my program. There wasn't enough space to jump anywhere as machines were cramped up in that gym and there were too many personal trainers walking around.

Generally I decided to not use my month's worth of unlimited gym use as it would just be a waste of my precious time.

Gym Review

The gym is conveniently located inside San Antonio Village and nearby Ayala Avenue so it would be great for residents and Makati employees. It is an ideal gym for beginners as there would be numerous personal trainers who could assist you in starting your fitness goals. However, this gym is not recommended for people who know their way around the gym as the little space left to do an actual work out will probably be used up by a personal trainer and his client. Group classes are also a failure because the room for that is too small to do anything unless there are only 3 people in that class which won't happen.

How can you maximize this group class exercise 

when you don't have the room to  move? (Photo from their FB Page)

Personal Trainers in this gym, in my opinion, exhibited behaviors wherein they are only after your money. One example is when this trainer was checking his phone while his client was doing a set. Another instance was when another trainer was carrying his client's barbell for him, which will not help the client's progress, at all.

Someone may actually get results in this gym but they must work in odd hours so they have the gym to themselves. Otherwise, looking for another gym is a better option.

For more information on this gym, check out their facebook page.

NESTEA Love the Beach: A Call to Chillax Responsibly

Press Release

(Manila, Philippines, 15 March 2016) To officially kick off summer’s most anticipated event in Boracay, NESTEA raises the bar by giving back to the beach we love as it launches the NESTEA Love the Beach campaign on March 15 at the Palace Pool Club.

Now on its 19^th year, NESTEA Love the Beach takes the lead in preserving Boracay’s shores through responsible tourism and various activities that keep the island clean.

To make the advocacy bigger and more sustainable this year, NESTEA is partnering with Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI), a non-profit organization composed of over 150 members representing Boracay’s leading establishments, residents, and expatriates, which aims to bolster the island’s environmental, business, and social needs. Together with BFI and NESTEA brand ambassadors Jessy Mendiola, Tom Taus, Joyce Pring, Sam YG and Arisse De Santos, NESTEA is enjoining everyone to take part in coral rescue & replanting and shore & underwater cleanups.

“With the NESTEA Love the Beach campaign, NESTEA aims to encourage everyone to chillax responsibly—that is, to instill that sense of accountability and stewardship that is required of partygoers, tourists, locals, and consumers alike to keep Boracay one of the most beautiful and loved beaches in the world, while still setting the bar for fun, refreshing, a

nd relaxing experiences.”, says Sherilla Bayona, Business Executive Manager for the Beverages Business Unit.

Everyone is given a chance to have fun with NESTEA ambassadors while giving back to the beach by signing up with the NESTEA Love the Beach squad of their choice assigned on each day of the three-part shore cleanup sessions. Interested volunteers can log on to www.nestealovethebeach.com.ph, powered by PLDT ALPHA Enterprise & SMART, to register and get more information.

Further championing its love for the beach, a portion of the proceeds from the NESTEA pitcher and merchandise selling will be donated to the Boracay Foundation Inc. to fund a beach cleaning machine that will help keep Boracay clean not only during summer but all year round.

NESTEA Kiwi Lemon

To make this year’s NESTEA Love the Beach a more chillaxing experience, NESTEA launches its newest variant and ultimate summer drink, the refreshingly exotic NESTEA Kiwi Lemon Blend. Made from real tea leaves and light at only 19 calories, this is NESTEA with a kiss of kiwi—the perfect thirst-quencher for a refreshing and relaxing summer.

Leanne Jacinto, AVP Consumer Marketing for NESTEA, shares, “NESTEA is a brand that draws inspiration from the energy & youth of our consumers and wants to be at the forefront of always providing innovative, healthy and relaxing beverages.”True to its mission of being a delicious and relaxing drink that is light on the belly, NESTEA presents its brand new Kiwi Lemon variant that is the perfect company at the beach this summer.”

19^th NESTEA Beach Volleyball Tournament

On April 26, NESTEA opens the weeklong summer event with a 2-day volleyball clinic for the local youth in Boracay. NESTEA Love the Beach, in partnership with Mikasa, the official volleyball of the 19^th NESTEA Beach Volleyball Tournament, also promises an exciting time for volleyball fans and players alike with the return of its iconic intercollegiate beach volleyball competition on April 28. The country’s biggest volleyball belles Abigail Marano, Ella De Jesus, Melissa Gohing, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Rachel Anne Daquis, Michelle Gumabao, Cha Cruz, and Sheila Pineda will also be facing each other in the ultimate beach volleyball showdown in the 2nd NESTEA Fantasy Volleyball Match on April 29-30.

Summer Party Plunge

Finally, in the tradition of hosting the best and most anticipated LaBoracay parties, NESTEA partners with ZoukOut to bring international DJ Kaskade, electronic duo DVBBS, and the country’s hottest DJs to this year’s epic beach party on April 30 and May 1 on Boracay shores. You may get your tickets at SM TICKETS, Valkyrie, and The Palace Pool Club.

Jr.NBA and Jr.WNBA Presented by Alaska search for best basketball players continues in Davao

Press Release

The Jr.NBA and Jr.WNBA Presented by Alaska continues its search for the best basketball players in the country when it holds its second Regional Selection Camp at the Ateneo de Davao University (Grade School, High School at Matina Campus) on Feb. 27 and 28.

Boys and girls may join the search for the ten best boy and five best girl basketball players who will become members of the Jr.NBA and Jr.WNBA All-Star team. There is also a search for the boys and girls coaches who will handle the two teams.

The All-Star Team will travel overseas for their NBA experience trip together with fellow Jr. NBA All-Stars from Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia. The 2015 Jr. NBA All-Stars traveled to China to watch the NBA Global Games in Shenzhen featuring the Charlotte Hornets and the L.A. Clippers.

The Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA Presented by Alaska is free and open to boys and girls ages 10 to 14 years old (born 2002 to 2006). Interested parties may register at the venue in Ateneo de Davao University or online through www.jrnba.asia/philippines.    

The Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA Presented by Alaska is one of Alaska Milk’s programs that shape, train, challenge and inspire children to achieve their dreams and aspirations in life.

“These holistic programs train children to be confident, disciplined and hardworking because Alaska Milk Corporation aims to prepare them to be winners in life in the future. This year’s program includes new locations such as Batangas, Catanduanes and Cavite to reach more children and coaches and discover the best basketball players across the country,” said Blen Fernando, Marketing Director. 

The 2011 National Nutrition Survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) revealed that three out of ten children aged 5-10 years were underweight while eight out of one hundred children of the same age were overweight, making malnutrition and obesity two of the most pressing nutritional problems in the Philippines today. 

The Jr.NBA and Jr.WNBA presented by Alaska is under Alaska Milk’s Nutrition.Action.Champion program. It helps address the issue of overweight and undernourished Filipino children with the promotion of proper nutrition and active lifestyle through sports and outdoor play.

This year’s program started with the tip-off at Don Bosco Technical Institute Makati last Jan. 23. School clinics, that teach the fundamentals of basketball, will run until April with stops in Bukidnon, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Dagupan, Davao, Iloilo, Metro Manila and Puerto Princesa. New locations include Batangas, Catanduanes and Cavite. 

Other than Davao there will also be Regional Selection Camps in Cebu (March 5-6) and Metro Manila (April 9-10).  The top 50 boys and 24 girls from the Regional Selection Camps will advance to the final selection stage in the National Training Camp in Manila on April 22-24.

NBA and WNBA players or legends will attend the National Training Camp to help train and inspire the finalists. The program will culminate with the selection of ten Jr. NBA and five Jr. WNBA All-Stars.

More than 36,000 players and 2,700 coaches have participated in the program since it started in the Philippines in 2007. During the 2015-16 season, the Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA program will reach more than 6.5 million youth in 32 countries.

The Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA is the league’s global youth basketball participation program for boys and girls which teaches the fundamental skills as well as the core values of the game at the grassroots level in an effort to help grow and improve the youth basketball experience for players, coaches and parents. 

For general information about Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA Philippines presented by Alaska please visit www.jrnba.asia/philippines, www.alaskamilk.com, and   www.alaskapowercamp.com/basketball.  For live updates log on to www.playph.com follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @playph #jrnba #jrwnba.

Jr.NBA and Jr.WNBA Presented by Alaska search for best basketball players continues in Cebu

Press Release

The Jr.NBA and Jr.WNBA Presented by Alaska continues its search for the best basketball players in the country when it holds its second Regional Selection Camp at Don Bosco Technical School in Cebu City on March 5 and 6.

Boys and girls may join the search for the ten best boy and five best girl basketball players who will become members of the Jr.NBA and Jr.WNBA All-Star team. There is also a search for the boys and girls coaches who will handle the two teams.

The All-Star Team will travel overseas for their NBA experience trip together with fellow Jr. NBA All-Stars from Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia. The 2015 Jr. NBA All-Stars traveled to China to watch the NBA Global Games in Shenzhen featuring the Charlotte Hornets and the L.A. Clippers.

The Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA Presented by Alaska is free and open to boys and girls ages 10 to 14 years old (born 2002 to 2006). Interested parties may register at the venue in Ateneo de Davao University or online through www.jrnba.asia/philippines.    

The Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA Presented by Alaska is one of Alaska Milk’s programs that shape, train, challenge and inspire children to achieve their dreams and aspirations in life.

“These holistic programs train children to be confident, disciplined and hardworking because Alaska Milk Corporation aims to prepare them to be winners in life in the future. This year’s program includes new locations such as Batangas, Catanduanes and Cavite to reach more children and coaches and discover the best basketball players across the country,” said Blen Fernando, Marketing Director. 

The 2011 National Nutrition Survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) revealed that three out of ten children aged 5-10 years were underweight while eight out of one hundred children of the same age were overweight, making malnutrition and obesity two of the most pressing nutritional problems in the Philippines today. 

The Jr.NBA and Jr.WNBA presented by Alaska is under Alaska Milk’s Nutrition.Action.Champion program. It helps address the issue of overweight and undernourished Filipino children with the promotion of proper nutrition and active lifestyle through sports and outdoor play.

This year’s program started with the tip-off at Don Bosco Technical Institute Makati last Jan. 23. School clinics, that teach the fundamentals of basketball, will run until April with stops in Bukidnon, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Dagupan, Davao, Iloilo, Metro Manila and Puerto Princesa. New locations include Batangas, Catanduanes and Cavite. 

Other than Cebu there will also be Regional Selection Camps in Manila on (April 9-10).  The top 50 boys and 24 girls from the Regional Selection Camps will advance to the final selection stage in the National Training Camp in Manila on April 22-24.

NBA and WNBA players or legends will attend the National Training Camp to help train and inspire the finalists. The program will culminate with the selection of ten Jr. NBA and five Jr. WNBA All-Stars.

More than 36,000 players and 2,700 coaches have participated in the program since it started in the Philippines in 2007. During the 2015-16 season, the Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA program will reach more than 6.5 million youth in 32 countries.

The Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA is the league’s global youth basketball participation program for boys and girls which teaches the fundamental skills as well as the core values of the game at the grassroots level in an effort to help grow and improve the youth basketball experience for players, coaches and parents. 

For general information about Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA Philippines presented by Alaska please visit www.jrnba.asia/philippines, www.alaskamilk.com, and   www.alaskapowercamp.com/basketball.  For live updates log on to www.playph.com follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @playph #jrnba #jrwnba.

PLDT HOME Ultera ambassadors headline biggest UAAP volleyball rivalry

Press Release

ADMU’s Alyssa and Bea and DLSU’s Mika and Ara face off in epic volleyball showcase

MANILA – UAAP Women’s Volleyball Season 78 presented by PLDT HOME Ultera reached an all-new pinnacle at the recent highly anticipated battle between long-term archrivals ADMU and DLSU. Headlining the intense and exciting tourney were no less than the PLDT HOME Ultera ambassadors Alyssa Valdez and Bea De Leon representing the Ateneo Lady Eagles, and Mika Reyes and Ara Galang for the De La Salle Lady Spikers.

De La Salle triumphed against the defending champion Ateneo with a 25-22, 25-14 and 25-18 win, breaking the latter’s six-win sweep and resulting in their first loss this season. The Lady Spikers consequently advanced their own record to five wins and only one loss. The Ultera ambassadors and Volley Friends members who led these strong teams in this round one showdown are geared to go all out for the remainder of the season. For access to behind-the-scenes kulitan and fun candid moments among the volleyball superstars, follow Volley Friends on Viber Public Chat (chats.viber.com/volleyfriends). For real-time updates on UAAP Women’s Volleyball Season 78, follow @pldthome on Instagram.

PLDT HOME Ultera delivers Ultra-Fast LTE for a Happy Connected Family! Get the all-new Plan 699! Affordabudget! Affordafamily! Log on to pldthome.com/ultera for more ultra-fun offers.