I am one of those who watched ABS-CBN’S PINOY BIGGEST LOSERS.

After watching it and finding myself in the shoes of the participants, I realized I am more or less a part of the Filipinos who needs to be challenged to be fit.

It also crossed my mind “If I have an Ideal Fitness Coach, that would be Coach Jim Saret.”

But that would be wishful thinking to begin with, until I saw a blog post that Coach Jim Saret is coming to Cebu to start the FITFIL Fitness Bootcamp.

Aside from my personal reason of finally getting my four pack abs under celebrity fitness coach Jim Saret there are other 10 Top Ten Reasons why you need you Join FITFIL Fitness Bootcamp.

For Cebuanos and tourists, here is FITFIL Bootcamp in Cebu schedules:

May 15 to June 9, 2012
(Tuesday and Thursday) from 6 pm to 8 pm
(Saturdays) from 6 am to 8 am
The Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu, Cebu City

To register, visit this page: http://www.coachjimsaret.ph/2012/04/join-coach-jim-sarets-fitfil-fitness.html

Just a reminder: This offer is only for 100 lucky registrants.

Feel free to visit the link I mentioned above or you can also visit https://www.facebook.com/FitFilCebu for more updates.

Get Fit Filipino!

 

The Aboitiz Group is taking its efforts to reduce carbon footprint a step higher by partnering with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Cebu City Government in celebrating Earth Hour 2012.

On March 31, the Aboitiz Group and its partners will join the rest of the country and the world in shutting off lights for an hour, from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., as a way to conserve energy and lessen carbon dioxide emissions.

In line with this year’s Earth Hour theme “Uniting Filipinos to Protect the Planet,” the WWF will present a live streaming broadcast of the other Earth Hour activities taking place in Manila and Davao. It will also show video messages of President Benigno Aquino III and international leaders of WWF.

Also before lights will be shut off, Earth Hour co-founder Andy Ridley will deliver his keynote message, which will also be shown through live streaming.

Activities in Cebu will kick off with essay-writing and poster-making contests among high school and college students, respectively, at The Persimmon Plus in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City. There will also be an eco-bazaar that will display items from recycled waste and organic food.

At 5:30 p.m., Aboitiz Group team members and residents of Cebu City’s 80 barangays will walk from the Fuente Osmeña to the Plaza Independencia as their way of supporting global environmental initiatives.

Aboitiz Group President & CEO Erramon Aboitiz will lead Group executives in the shut-off ceremony. He will be joined by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, Miss Earth 2008 Karla Henry, Miss Cebu 2012 Pierre Anther Infante and her court, and WWF representatives.

The Aboitiz Group has adopted sustainability as a strategic goal in the operations of its various businesses. Sustainability is striking a balance among People, Planet and Profit. Various activities are being developed across the Group through its five sustainability pillars of Reduce, Reuse/recycle, Rejuvenate nature, Renewable energy and Recharged communities.

 

Home-grown Julies Bakeshop has embarked on a new business model that focuses on its core competency which has made it the largest community bakeshop in the country.

JFC CEO and President Joseph R. Gandionco said the company’s new direction aims to achieve its goal of providing improved quality yet affordable bread-products and to expanding its product reach.

In expanding its product reach for the benefit of more Filipinos, JFC’s vision is to provide more support to its franchisees to help them succeed.

Julie’s franchising company, Julie’s Franchise Corp. (JFC), is also looking at the company’s franchise design to make improvements for the benefit of its business partners, its existing and prospective franchisees.

A Julie’s franchise investment amounts to P1.8 million to P2 million. This includes the security deposit, P250, 000 franchise fee, start-up or business development cost, building renovation cost, ingredient, and machinery and equipment cost. Based on company studies, the average return-on-investment of its existing franchisees is only in two years.

Interested investors need only to submit a letter of intent to franchise, the certified copy of the property’s certificate of title for those who own the property where the bakeshop will be located. For those who will be leasing a property, a letter of intent to lease and the proof of ownership of the lessor and copy of the building’s tax declaration and location map are needed.

Julie’s started business in 1988. It has grown through the years with the help of its over 600 franchisees all over the country. Julie’s has received numerous awards and recognitions from various institutions for consistently exhibiting high standard of growth and development in all aspects of franchise operations.

In June 1999 Julie’s was dubbed as the “Success Story of the Year” and on October 1999 as Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry “Outstanding Country – Side Investor” Awardee.

It was followed by another award in 2000 when the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commernce and Industry awarded a Recognition to Julies as “Outstanding Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneur and another award of the same title from PCCI.

In 2002 Julie’s garnered the “Who’s Who in the Philippines: The Best Bakeshop of the Year” by the National Consumers Excellence Award.

In 2005, Julie’s Franchise Corporation was awarded with an award from the Department of Trade and Industry, PCCI, Philippine Retailers Association and Philippine Franchise Associations – the Franchise Excellence Award. It was on the same year that Governor Gwen Garcia awarded “Garbo sa Sugbu” Award to Julies, which was followed with another recognition from Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), as the Most Socially Responsible Entrepreneur Award”.

Five years after Krispy Kreme set foot in the Philippines, the confectionary company immediately garnered its own niche leading to an extensive expansion across Metro Manila.

Krispy Kreme opened its 1st store at Bonifacio Global City in November 2006. At present, Krispy Kreme boasts of 23 stores that serve renowned melt-in-your mouth doughnuts and coffee.

“We achieved what the Americans have been feasting on since 1930’s—the famous Krispy Kreme doughnut line, best served after the hot light outside the store flashes on,” says Jim Fuentebella, Chairman of Krispy Kreme Philippines . “And we also experienced the long lines that people in the US do, every time a new store opens for business.”

In fact, what the Filipinos did was more than just a line. True to Krispy Kreme’s passion for fun and excitement, the first customers get a month or even a year long supply of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Thus, some camped near the branch hours and even days before the new store’s opening.

And this is probably the scene that Cebuanos should expect now that Krispy Kreme is about to land on the celebrated Queen City of the South.

Krispy Kreme in Cebu.

“Bringing Krispy Kreme in one of the country’s most vibrant cities is just one of the results of our continuous expansion outside Metro Manila,” says Fuentebella.

Meanwhile, Mark Gamboa, Marketing Manager of Krispy Kreme Philippines says that the Krispy Kreme branch in Cebu will also offer wide varieties of doughnuts and beverages that made Krispy Kreme famous across the globe.

“We want to share the Krispy Kreme experience in our Cebu market thus we are bringing what the brand has to offer all the way down to the south,” says Gamboa. “From the world’s famous Original Glazed, yeast-raised and cake doughnut varieties, to our Signature Coffee and its different hot and cold variants—they can experience them all.”

Soon to be located in Ayala Center ’s The Terraces, Krispy Kreme Cebu is poised to be a sweet-destination-treat in the thriving Cebu Business District. Surrounded with sophisticated establishments, green landscapes and orchestrated water features, Krispy Kreme’s future location promises a relaxing yet refined surroundings of Cebu.

KRISPY KREME Cebu Locations

By October 2011, Krispy Creme will open two stores in Cebu. One will be in the Active Zone of Ayala Center Cebu and the other at AsiaTown IT Park. Together with the development and introduction to the Cebu market, they will also bring in the technology to start a commissary that will, in the future, be helpful in penetrating other viable Visayas and Mindanao markets.

The Embassy of the Philippines invites everyone to the Asian Festival to be held on 23-24 July 2011 at the George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

Philippine Village is one of the four countries featured this year and will highlight the rich culture, tase and lifestyle of the Filipinos. The Embassy of the Philippines will participate in the festival through an information booth that will highlight travel destinations in the Philippines. The Embassy booth will also showcase unique and beautiful items from the Philippines such as the bamboo bike and sinamay (fiber from Philippine Abaca) hand-made items.

Favorite but elusive Filipino food lechon and halo-halo await you at the Philippine Village. There will also be demonstrations on Filipino karate , and modern Filipino dance and song performances. Angklung playing is also part of the program.

At the main stage, Filipinos and friends of the Philippines will get a rare treat from bands, The Speaks, led by vocalist Raf Toledo, a Filipino-American, and popular for their chart-topping single “High” and all-female Ivy Rose band .

Rex Navarrete, famous Filipino-American stand-up comedian, will perform on 8PM of July 23 at the GMU Center for the Arts Concert Hall. Tickets are available at the box office. Admission to the festival and parking are free.

Asian Festival
Saturday, July 23, 2011 (10am-10pm)
Sunday, July 24, 2011 (11am – 6pm)
George Mason University (Main Campus)
4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030