5th Mindanao Franchise Expo at the Atrium of Gaisano Mall of Davao on October 15-17!

5th Mindanao Franchise Expo at the Atrium of Gaisano Mall of Davao on October 15-17. Friday's opening will have City Mayor Sara Duterte as guest speaker.

During the three-day exhibition offers direct access for entrepreneurs in Mindanao to meet and interact with franchisors from Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Davao and General Santos City.

Most of these franchisors are engaged in the food and beauty and wellness business. If you want to get to business head to Gaisano Mall on those dates.

"AS 1" Concert in Davao City on October 28!

For the first time Concert King Martin Nievera and Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano will be having a concert together in Davao City in “As One” at the Holy Cross of Davao on October 28 (Thursday) 7 p.m..

Valenciano said that their upcoming concert will be a proof that they are not rivals and they could work together as one.

“Kasi I think forever until the time that we are no longer around, there will always be that comparison between Martin and Gary. There will always be that me looking over my shadow to see what Martin is doing and Martin doing the same thing. But for one concert event something that we do, that we really have a passion for and we are passionate about we came together as one,” Valenciano said, adding:

“We are not talking about concert. We are talking about an event that could, maybe we are spearheading an event that could take place in the future of people coming together as one.  Kasi kakaiba talaga kapag nangyayari ‘yon that people come together na sasabihin ng tao na ‘wow is this people coming  together’ and it makes everybody look good na  paang ‘mayroon din pala sa kanila ‘yong ability to come together like one.”

Get your tickets now at the following outlets: Crossover Davao office, SM tickets, SM Davao cinema ticket booth, Blu Gre Coffee Landco, MTS, SM and Gen Santos City, Bigby’s Café Torres and SM and Antonio’s Bar and Grill Torres and SM.

Ticket prices: P3,500, P2500, P1500, P1000, P500, P250.

Watch a movie at SM Cinema and win a car promo!

The country’s biggest cinema exhibitor gives you more reasons to enjoy the latest movies with the BOX OFFICE WHEELS PROMO.

Beginning October 15, 2010, SM Cinema customers can get the chance to win one of the 3 Nissan Sentra 1.6 L cars and 1 Nissan Grand Levina Elite. SM Cinema movie-goers can drive home a brand new car with upcoming blockbuster movies like Harry Potter 7 Part 1, The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and Tron Legacy.

The promo is open to all Smart, Talk N Text, Addict Mobile, Globe, TM and Sun subscribers.

To join the raffle, a customer may register by texting: SM REG send to 2966. A transaction code found at the lower portion of the SM Cinema movie ticket entitles the customer to one raffle entry. Double up your chances of winning by purchasing IMAX Movie tickets!

Winners will be drawn on November 16, December 21, 2010 and the Grand draw will be on January 25, 2011!

Car and movie enthusiastic can test drive the new line of Nissan automobiles on October 16, 2010 at the Mall of Asia Sunset Drive. The Test drive event is open to the public and will be featuring up and coming bands and celebrities! Gates open 8am until 6pm in the afternoon.

Per DTI-NCR no. 6680 Series of 2010.

For more information, log onto www.smcinema.com or call SM City Davao at 297.6998 local 122.

2nd Philippine Russian Business Forum and Exhibits in Cebu City on Oct. 21-21, 2010!

CEBU should be able to make the most out of the coming of Russian officials, businessmen and journalists led by HONRABLE IGOR METELSKY, the VICE GOVERNOR of St. Petersburg for the 2^nd Philippine Russian Business Forum and Exhibits (PRBFeX) on October 21 to 24, 2010 to explore tourism, trade and investment opportunities in the Philippines.
Russian Consul Armi Lopez Garcia is calling on Cebuanos to extend the hospitality that we are famous for worldwide for the visitors as she urged local businessmen to pre-register because only 150 seats are available for local attendees.
“To be assured of seats and avoid last minute stress, they could also register online at prbai.com,” said Consul Garcia who just arrived in Cebu from a weeklong visit to St. Petersburg and Moscow with Governor Gwendolyn Garcia who both attended the ASEAN Cooperation Conference and to promote the forum.

“The forum will be a great time for local businessmen to link up and do business with an expected powerhouse delegation of Government Officials of the Russian Federation, Rectors of the St. Petersburg University and State University for tourism and services, Russian traders and investors. The Russian journalists who will be coming with them would also be interested in doing stories about the local business environment, local products, and enterprising Cebuanos,” she said.
The PRBFEx 2010 is being organized by the Philippine Russian Business Assembly, Russian Embassy in the Philippines, Philippine Exhibits and Trade Co. or PETCO in cooperation with the Province of Cebu, the City of Mandaue, Department of Tourism, Department of Trade and Industry, Board of Investments, Department of Energy, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cebu Business Club, Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cebu FAME, Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation (CFIF), and the Cebu Gifts, Toys and Housewares (GTH), and The Fashion Council of (FCC).

Extending their support as sponsors are Global Business Power Corporation, Cebu Properties Ventures & Development Corp., EPSON, Pascual Consumer Healthcare Corporation, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes, Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan, PLDT – SME, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casinos, and Be Resorts Mactan, SUNSTAR AND PAGCOR.
An optimistic Consul Garcia said the forum is expected to stimulate Philippine

economic growth and “enterprising Cebuanos should be at the lead.”
Consul Garcia, along with Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia, led the delegation with mostly top Cebuano businessmen, mostly officers and members of The Cebu Chamber of Commerce, headed by Ms. Tess Chan, past VP for membership together with past President Edward Gaisano, Vice President-External Affairs, Engr. Nestor Archival and past Trustee Mr. David Chan.



Other members of the delegation were Ms. Elsa Basubas, VP Finance of Diamond Cane Int’l. Inc., Ms. Melissa Basubas, Operations Manager of Vienna Kaffeehaus, Ms. Cristine Gaisano, Merchandising Manager of Metro Gaisano, Ms. Jane Gocuan, First-VP CHINATRUST  Commercial Bank, Ms. Ingrid Gocuan, Executive Assistant Golden Harvester Int’l., Mr. Lim Seng Hock, Pres., Singaport Technologies and Engineering, Mr. Luis Moro Jr. Treasurer, Alenaire Engineering-Airconditioning, Mr. Paul and Mrs. Marigold Pilapil of Black Angus Steakhouse, Atty. Tomas Riveral, President Oriental Port and Allied Services Corp., Mr. Nelson Rosales, GM-TRUEOHMS Power Resources, Mr. Mariano Selma and Mr. Segundino Selma Jr. of ANSECA Development Corporation, Mr. Rodrigo Taneda, President SUPERGRO Products Corporation, Mr. Cesar and Mrs. Mira Ting of Extreme Systems Distributors, and Mr. Ronald Conopio, Protocol Officer, Province of Cebu.
“We achieved the four objectives for the trip. First, for the governor to inform the Business sector and the delegates of St. Petersburg-ASEAN conference about Cebu Province. Second, promote participation for the 2^nd Philippine Russian Business Forum and Exhibition in October 21-24, 2010. Third, provide   members of the Cebu Chamber of the chance to visit the office of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and meet with Mr. Vladimir I. Prokopyev, Deputy President of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce as both Associations are sister chambers, and Fourth, provide Cebu delegation the chance to experience the Russian culture and better understand history and its people.” said Consul Garcia.
The delegation also met with his excellency Victor Garcia, Philippine Ambassador to Russia.

The delegates will have the chance to visit the gallery of Mr. Gregory Pototsky, famous artist and sculptor, who donated “The Bust of Leo Tolstoy” which will be unveiled during the opening of the 2^nd PRBFEX. They also have the chance to listen to short lecture. He

will come to participate in the joint Philippine-Russian Art Exhibition and to give lectures to art students of different universities at the CICC.

Applicants for military now open!

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is now accepting applicants for its PAF Regular Officer Procurement (PAFROP) and Candidate Soldier (CS) programs.

Qualifications and requirements for male or female applicants are:

1. natural born citizen;


2. educational attainment for PAFROPP, Baccalaureate Degree Holder;  educational attainment for candidate soldier, at least 72 college units;


3. must be at least 152.5 cm (5’0” ) tall for both male and female;


4. age must be, for PAFROPP; 20 to 24 years old, for candidate soldier, 18 to 23 years old;


5. must be single and no legal obligation to support a child;


6. must be physically and mentally fit for military training; and must possess good moral character.

Examinations for the PAFROPP are on October 17, and for candidate for soldier, October 16.

For inquiries, the public is enjoined to visit or call: Tactical Operations Group 11, PAF; Old Davao International Airport; in Sasa, with telephone number 234-2588.

Floral Float Parade for Kadayawan 2010 Winners revealed!

Pamulak Floral Float Parade, is the grand finale for the Kadayawan Festival.

The Floral Float Parade started at eight and finished close to five hours later as the floral float parade was participated in by almost a hundred groups from different organizations and sectors based in Davao City.

The 2010 Floral Float Parade winners are:

Big Float Category Winner:

1st prize - LBC Air Cargo float made by Malagos Farms -  Top prize was P500,000.

2nd prize - Davao Merchant Marine Academy (DMMA) that made a ship made of flowers

3rd place - International Pharmaceuticals Inc. that had a three-headed lion made of tambo on a float dotted with mums and durian shells.

Small Float Category:

1st prize - Synnex Concentrix, which had happy lumad cartoon figures made of styrofoam and an eagle clothed in mums on a base bedecked by anthuriums, orchids, and other ornamentals, won the first price worth P300,000.

2nd prize - Amiya by Kisan Lu Lands, with similar decorations as the first prize

3rd prize - Anflocor.

Consolation prizes went to Cebuana Lhuillier and Bagobo Klata tribe.

Alternative Category:

1st prize - Barangay Sasa witha P100,000 cash prize was grabbed by Barangay Sasa, which was a hand-pulled yellow fish made of mums and ferns.

2nd place - Sr. Sto. Niño de Davao,

Consolation prizes went to Guardians Philippines International inc. Anti-Crime Organization and Teh Obu-Manuvu tribe.

With the e-passport Davao passport production increased!

Following La Union, Clark and Cebu the City of Davao ranks next on the highest number of passport production since the start of implementation of electronic passport processing.

Regional Consular officer in charge Linda Albay bared this figure showing the growing number of passport applicants not just attributed to overseas workers but also the growing number of foreign travelers.

The Regional Consular Office here in Davao City before could only accommodate 200 applications per day, but now they jumped their quota to 400 per day.

The Davao office started e-passport processing last March 2010 following Manila and major cities in the country to lessen the hassle experienced by applicants.

With the electronic system, an applicant will have to call or visit the office to set an appointment. The Davao office is only allowed to accommodate until three weeks since the time the appointment was made.

The applicant will be asked to visit the office 2 to 3 weeks as the latest for the actual processing. Normal processing usually takes 23 working days with a cost of P950 while the express processing which is done in 13 working days costs P1,200.

During the actual processing, one is advised to bring all the documents required – both the original and photocopy. Papers required include NSO-authenticated birth certificate, at least three supporting documents, and the filled-up passport application form.

The Consular officer clarified that the old passport is still recognized in some Asian countries, however, for those who wish to apply for visa to United States and Europe they might as well apply for the machine-readable passport.

Aside from Davao, there are five other consular offices in Mindanao: Zamboanga, Cagayan, Butuan, General Santos, and Cotabato City.

However, the consular office has already removed jurisdiction in passport application. One who comes from Mindanao may actually apply for e-passport in Manila or in any other consular office.