Tuesday, August 31, 2010

FCCT Photo Contest 2010


The Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT) is now accepting photo entries for this year's contest. Win $1000 cash prize for 1st place in the spot news, feature photography and photo essay and $2000 cash for 1st place in Human Rights category. An additional $1000 goes to photographer of the year.


Any photographer with images shot in the Asia-Pacific region are eligible to join. Photographers do NOT need to be members of the FCCT. This region includes the following countries: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, or Vietnam.

Contest rules and guidelines (from the FCCT contest page)

Who’s Eligible? Any photographer with images shot in the Asia-Pacific region. Photographers do NOT need to be members of the FCCT.

What Kind of Photos? All photos must be taken in the Asia-Pacific region. Judges will accept submissions in four categories:

* Spot news - for the best single image photograph taken at a news event in the Asia-Pacific region. No more than five photographs per photographer may be submitted in this category.

* Feature photography - for the best single-image non-news “feature” photograph taken in the Asia-Pacific region. No more than five photographs per photographer may be submitted in this category.

* Photo essay - for the best collection of up to 12 photos on a single topic taken in the Asia-Pacific region. No more than three photo essays per photographer may be submitted in this category.

* Human Rights – A special category, sponsored by the European Union, for the best single photo or photo essay of up to 12 images focusing on human rights in the Asia-Pacific region. No more than five single images and/or three photo essays per photographer may be submitted in this category.

* In addition, the judges will select one Photographer of the Year to recognize either the best single image or the most impressive collection of work submitted by a single photographer in 2010.

What Can You Win?

First-place winners in spot news, feature photography and photo essay: $1,000 cash and 1 round-trip ticket for economy-class air travel in Asia, courtesy of Star Alliance, the global airline network whose members include Thai Airways and other carriers.

First-place winner, Human Rights, sponsored by the European Union: $2,000 cash

Photographer of the Year: an additional $1,000 cash prize and round-trip ticket for economy-class air travel in Asia, courtesy of Star Alliance.

Winners will also receive a selection of travel vouchers for leading hotels in Southeast Asia, including Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, the Amari Emerald Cove resort in Koh Chang, the InterContinental Bangkok and the Holiday Inn Bangkok, as well as dining awards Espresso InterContinental Bangkok. Cash awards are courtesy of Pfizer (Thailand) Ltd., the contest’s principal sponsor.

In addition, all winners and finalists will be recognized in a special edition of FCCT’s quarterly magazine, Dateline, published to profile their work. Winning photos and finalists will also be displayed in a two-month exhibition at the FCCT gallery in Bangkok, including a Friday-night reception attended by local photographers and media.

What’s the Deadline? Photos must be submitted to FCCT and received by Sept. 24, 2010. Winners will be announced in late 2010.

Contest Rules:
Photos must be submitted on compact disc or DVD. All photos must be digital images saved in JPEG format and be 3 MB or greater in size. Submissions can be published or unpublished work taken within one year of the contest submission deadline. Photos taken earlier are eligible ONLY if they are part of a photo essay in which a significant portion of the work occurred within a year of the contest deadline.

Photographers must provide their name, a brief biography, full contact information (including phone and email address) and short photo captions (including location, subject matter and date of photograph) for all photos.

Photographers may submit entries in more than one category, but individual images can only be entered once, either as a single image or as part of a photo essay; images submitted more than once will not be accepted. Individual images entered as part of a photo essay are eligible for an award in other categories but cannot win more than one prize.

Images must be free of manipulation other than ordinary changes that might be made using conventional darkroom techniques, such as spotting dust and scratches, changing colour balance, contrast and other levels. Composite images and photos with special effects, borders, added backgrounds, and/or embedded names (such as photographer names or agency names) are not permitted.

Photos must be taken in Asia-Pacific, defined as: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, or Vietnam.

Submissions that do not meet any or all of these requirements will not be considered.

Photographers retain copyright to any images they submit to the contest.
By submitting images, photographers agree that the FCCT and its contest sponsors will have the right to reproduce any winning images - with attribution to the photographer - for use in marketing efforts related to the contest, including future contests and on the FCCT website. The FCCT also has the right to distribute winning images to the media to promote the contest. Submissions cannot be used by the FCCT or its sponsors for any commercial purposes or other uses unrelated to the contest.

Photographers agree that prints of the winning images may be produced by FCCT and may be exhibited by the FCCT and its sponsors provided that such use is related to the contest.

Submissions will not be returned and FCCT has the right to destroy all entries.
----

Personal Notes:
The drawback of this contest is that you have to submit your entries on a DVD, meaning you will have to mail your entries to the FCCT office. There is no online submission.

Mail your entries to:
Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand
Penthouse, Maneeya Center Building
518/5 Ploenchit Road (connected to the BTS Skytrain Chitlom station)
Patumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel.: 02-652-0580-1
Fax: 02-652-0582
E-mail: info[at]fccthai.com
Web Site: http://www.fccthai.com

Hours of Operation - All departments are open Monday-Friday and closed Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays

If you want to know the level of competition for this international photo contest, you may check out the winning entries of last year's. My opinion on the entries? Most paint a very vivid picture of the harsh realities of life, and their works leave a lasting impression.

Some from the Philippines won last year's contest. Their works can be found in the FCCT 2009 contest page. Hopefully more would take interest in submitting their work this year.

Based on last year's entries, the level of competition is quite high. photojournalists will have a better chance winning this, but amateur photographers are always welcome to try.

Deadline for submission is on Sept. 24, 2010.

Click here to read more...

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Solo Online's Blogger Promo


Solo Online is having giving away free Larry Alcala memorabilia to bloggers who will promote their latest contests and promotions. They recently released an apparel collection inspired by the late cartoonist, Larry Alcala dubbed as "Slice of Life".


They also launched an Online Model Search where aspiring models, photographers and digital artists may win big cash prizes and Solo GCs. Check out my previous blog post to find out more about the contest.

Joining their blogger promo is simple. All you have to do is complete the following...

1. Blog about the (a) Pinoy Cartoonist Memorabilia featuring Larry Alcala and the (b) Solo’s Online Model Search contest.
2. Link back on our website, ModelSearch contest site and Facebook and Twitter pages.
3. Feature at least one piece of Larry Alcala collection; pick your most favorite piece. (You will get a chance to own this!)
4. Email us the blog entry URL at marketing@solo.com.ph
5. That’s it! If you complied all, we will give you your fave Larry Alcala piece from Solo’s Pinoy Cartoonist Collection. PLUS we will give you an extra Larry Alcala shirt which you can raffle out to one of your loyal readers!
6. Feel free to promote your blog entry in Solo’s Facebook page, Twitter and anywhere else.

Check out Solo Online's blogger promo link to view promo mechanics and more downloads.

Here are my personal favorites of Solo's Larry Alcala collection.

Men's long sleeves polo

Men's all over print graphic tee

Ladies' cap sleeves all over print blouse


What I personally like about my selection of the Larry Alcala collection is the lively cartoon printed all over the apparel. The cartoon depicts a typical busy district Pinoy style. A lot of cartoon characters are drawn, so you might want to check out the funny details within the strip. Among my top three picks, I would like to own the print blouse. Not that I am going to wear it... but it would be a great gift for my girlfriend. :)

Check out the rest of the Solo's Slice of Life collection by downloading the promo images at this link (just click the image to start download) or at Solo Apparel stores near you.

Click here to read more...

Friday, August 27, 2010

Solo Model Search 2010


Join the Solo Model Search 2010 and get to win 20,000 pesos in cash and 15,000 worth of GCs from Solo. Similar to last year's model search, Solo now launched this year's model search with the theme "Slice of Life" with the works of cartoonist Larry Alcala.

There is also a category for photographer / digital artist with a cash prize of 10,000 pesos and 15,000 worth of GCs at stake.

This contest is open to males or females at least 18 years and residing in the Philippines.

Contest Mechanics and guidelines:

* Male or Female, at least 18 years old, residing in the Philippines
* Contestant can be an individual or a team which consists of a model and a graphic artist/photographer.
* Doesn’t have a modeling contract/endorsement contract with a clothing line or competing label.
* Submitted images should follow the specifications below:

- 450 x 573 pixels
- at least 72 DPI resolution
- JPEG file

* Entries must be submitted between August 22, 2010 to October 31, 2010. Voting ends November 15.


RULES AND REGULATIONS:

PHOTO SET UP

* Buy any Larry Alcala apparel from SOLO.
* Complete the registration form at www.solo.com.ph/modelsearch/user/register
* Wear the Larry Alcala garment in your photo entry.
* You may mix other pieces of clothing, but no apparent/visible/noticeable branding of other labels.
* Innovation/Alteration is allowed but the majority of the print should stay intact.
* Props to show personality is allowed.
* Full face of the model should be visible.
* Be creative. Model is encouraged to showcase his/her modeling talent.

DESIGNING

* One or several of the supplied design element from the vectors packet which can be download from the Mechanics page may be part of your submission.
* Embed the Solo logo in your entry.
* All Larry Alcala vectors, images and design elements may NOT be used outside this contest.

VOTING

* Anyone who registers in the website may vote.

* Criteria

Voter’s choice - 35%
Solo’s choice - 65%
Being Photogenic - 40%
Creativity & Styling - 15%
Layout - 10%

* Voters may leave comments for each entry, but will be subject to approval by web manager. Derogatory remarks are not allowed.
* Deadline for submission of entries is on October 31, 2010; Voting ends November 15.

WINNERS

* Winning submission will be featured in Solo in-store wall photos nationwide and on the Solo website in 2011.
* Winning photos may also be used in other marketing materials.
* Winning models may be asked to do a separate photoshoot.
* Winning Categories:

-Model for Winning Male Photo Entry.
-Photographer/Graphic Artist for Winning Male Photo Entry.
-Model for winning Female Photo Entry
-Photographer/Graphic Artist for Winning Female Photo Entry.

* Both Model winners will receive P 20,000 in cash and P 15,000 Solo Gift Cerfticates each and both Graphic Artist/Photographer winners will receive P 10,000 cash and P 15,000 Solo Gift Cerfticates. Should an individual wins, he/she will receive both prizes for winning model and winning graphic artist/photographer.
* Entries not complying with the contest rules are subject to disqualification without prior warning.

Per DTI-NCR Permit No. 4285 Series of 2010

Personal Note: Check out last year's gallery of the Solo online Poster Making Contest - Discover You. It has a similar format to this contest.

Here are last year's winning entries for female category and male category.

This contest has a comment box for other users to place their comments. As you will notice from last year's contest, there are a lot of negative comments placed even on the winners' entries. If you plan to join this contest, for sure you will receive negative or derogatory statements specially if they find your entry appealing. Ignore these haters (losers) because other people's negative comments are not part of the contest criteria.

For more information or inquiries about this contest, you may visit the Solo Online website or at the Solo Facebook fan page.

Click here to read more...

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Why do I need an Adtel Home Solar Kit?


The Adtel Home Solar Kit - the alternative energy source right in your very own home.



In this modern age, the need for an alternative energy source is evidently growing. As of today in the Philippines, most of our power is supplied though coal fire power plants, crude oil and geothermal energy (cited from a statistical report from Nationmaster.com website). And, as the Philippine population steadily grows, so too is the need for more energy.

And because of the steady rise in demand for energy, the faster our energy supplies will be consumed. To curb this rise in demand of consumers, energy distributors raise the price of electricity. (law of supply and demand)

To compensate for the demand, we should learn to harness alternative renewable sources of energy. One of the most promising alternative energy source is solar energy. Energy from the sun is clean, renewable and readily available. Through solar cells, energy from the sun can be collected, transformed into electrical energy (electricity) for home consumption and can be stored in batteries for future use. There are products out there in the market that provides a solution to a fast-growing need for an alternative power source. Adtel Home Solar Kit is one of them.


What is an Adtel Home Solar Kit?

Introducing, the Adtel Home Solar Kit

The Adtel Solar Kit is an innovative product that allows you to store and use electricity collected from solar energy. The system comes with a 20-watt solar panel; a control box that includes an inverter, controller, cable and battery; a 2-W LED lamp; and an 11-W energy-saving lamp.
components of the Adtel Home Solar Kit

The kit can store 200 Watts of power, which can be used to power up an electric fan (40W), a 21-inch TV (70w), a DVD player (30W) and a computer (60W), in addition to charging mobile phones and portable music players.

* information above taken from the Lopez.ph Adtel Home Solar Kit blog. The above specs is the souped-up version of the Adtel Home Solar Kit.

There is also an economical version of the Solar Kit - a cheaper five-watt option. The solar home kit includes a control box and a 2W LED lamp and can power a three-volt radio and a cellphone charger. (taken from the Lopez.ph blog)


Why do I want to own an Adtel Home Solar Kit?

1) the solar kit is economical - The solar kit is a sound device that can help reduce my electricity costs. Because solar energy is absolutely free, I will be able to enjoy the benefits of using my household appliances like the TV, electric fan or computer without spending too much on my Meralco bills.

2) the solar kit is environment-friendly - As I mentioned above, most of our energy comes from power plants that use coal fire or crude oil. Because I use solar energy in my home, I am doing my part in saving the environment as well. Imagine if all of us used solar energy in our homes, less crude oil and coal will be burned. The overuse of crude oil and coal causes the greenhouse effect, one of the major culprits of global warming.

the Adtel Home solar kit can curb the use of coal fire and crude oil which affects global warming

3) the solar kit is portable - because the Adtel Home Solar Kit comes straight out-of-the-box, I can bring this wherever and whenever I want. Imagine bringing this in the wilderness.I will be able to use my common household appliances out in the field, or in far-off rural areas where electric power is unavailable.
It would be nice taking the Adtel Solar Kit to places like this where electric power is unavailable

4) the solar kit is practical - The Adtel Home Solar Kit is a very versatile product. In times of emergencies or brownouts, I will still be able to use my home appliances whenever I need it. If a major blackout occurred and will take days for electricity to be restored, by that time my cellphone won't have enough juice to communicate. During those emergencies, communication is vital, and with the Adtel Solar Kit, you will still be able to connect despite the absence of power.

To demonstrate its practicality, I made a video showing why Adtel home solar kit is very useful specially for the younger generation. I thought about this skit because it already happened to me before.


My Adtel video commercial - "Last Minute Crunch"

It is a big hassle when unexpected situations occur during those times you need electricity the most. When you try to meet deadlines for projects, a brownout is the last thing you will ever need. During those bleak moments, you might not even have the option of going to your friend's place to work.

This is where Adtel home solar kit comes in handy. With the Adtel home solar kit, I will be able to finish my work even with brownouts whether I use an ordinary desktop PC or a laptop. Laptops have a limited battery life, which is approximately two hours. With this product, I will be able to do your work beyond the laptop's 2 hour battery life span.

Furthermore, one can never tell what emergency life-and-death situations can come your way. Whether it is due to floods, a powerful typhoon or a devastating earthquake, the Adtel Home Solar Kit is a dependable tool for charging cellphones, radios, lamps, and many more appliances that are critical to survival.

vital communication and electrical equipment can still be used even if there are brownouts caused by floods and typhoons.

To sum it up, the Adtel Home Solar Kit is something I would very much love to own. It can save money, the environment, your career, and your life as well.

This is my entry to the Adtel Home Solar Kit blog contest sponsored by LopezLink.ph. For more information about this contest, feel free to visit the Adtel Home Solar Kit contest blog post. Deadline for this contest is on August 27, 2010.

The Adtel Home Solar Kit is very practical and economical, I believe all households should have it specially in times of emergencies. To get to know more about this product, feel free to visit this link at http://lopezlink.ph/promos-and-offers/1234-exclusive-offer-adtel-plug-n-play or at the Adtel Philippines website.

Please support my entry for this blog contest by clicking the Facebook "like" button directly below. The "likes" are also part of the contest criteria. Many thanks to all those who "liked" my entry! :)


Click here to read more...

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Alagang SuperMOM Kid Photo Contest


Join Alagang SuperMOM Kid Photo Contest and get to win as much as 50,000 pesos for the grand prize. This contest promotes Bisolvon, a product of Boehringer-Ingelheim.

This contest is open to all parents residing in the Philippines.

Contest Mechanics

Who can join?

* Contest is open to all parent/s residing in the Philippines.
* Employees of Boehringer Ingelheim and its agencies, and their relatives up to the 2nd degree of consanguinity or affinity are not eligible to join.

Entry Submission

For submissions to be valid, you have to upload your entries within the period of July 31, 2010, 12:01AM to October 2, 11:59PM

How to join

1. Register for free at http://www.alagangsupermom.com.ph *For new users, wait for email confirmation before you can join contest.
2. Buy specially marked Bisolvon products.
3. Click on the Join Now button then click on Upload Here.
4. Upload photo of your kid showing off his achievement or talent.
5. Key-in your Bisolvon Syrup unique promo code to submit entry.

How to upload entries

1. Click on the Join Now button
2. Click on the Browse button to choose an image from your computer
3. Click on the Submit button once an image is chosen
4. Key in your Bisolvon Syrup unique promo code to begin uploading your photo
5. Wait for confirmation message that your photo is successfully uploaded.
*Note that maximum file size is 3 MB.

Entries should not contain any of the following:

* Obscene, pornographic, or sexually-explicit content or information.
* Content that is considered offensive to the users, such as those which encourage the commission of an illegal, immoral or threatening activity, promote harassment, racism, hatred or discrimination against any group or individual, or provide information which you know are false, misleading, or harmful to any group or individual.
* Content which show strong support or opposition to any political or religious group or person.
* Content which are defamatory or libellous in character or those which violate the privacy of any group or individual.
* Content which infringe upon the rights of any third party, including copyright, publication right, or any other intellectual property or proprietary right, or those which promote the infringement of any party's intellectual property rights.

Finals

* Boehringer Ingelheim and its agencies will judge all the entries based on the following criteria:

Contest Criteria:

o Image Quality - 40%
o Creativity - 50%
o Photo Description/caption - 10%


* 50 finalists will be posted in the photo gallery for voting from October 3, 2010 to November 8,2010.
* Winners from the Top 50 will be determined based on the following criteria:


o Votes - 60%
o Image Quality - 30%
o Photo Description/caption - 10%


* Only votes secured from October 10, 2010 12:01AM to November 8, 2010 11:59PM will be counted.

How to Vote

1. Click on the View the Gallery button
2. Click on a thumbnail to view an entry
3. To vote for an entry, click on the Vote for this Entry button
4. A window will appear prompting you to enter the unique promo code or just simply cast your vote
5. Key-in your Bisolvon unique promo code as proof of purchase to boost your voting power or click on the Submit to cast your vote.


* Example:
o Without promo code: 1 user = 1 vote per day
o With promo code: 1 user = 50 votes


6. A confirmation message will appear to confirm your vote.

Winners

* Voting and judging will determine the following winners:


o Alagang SuperMom Kid
o Alagang SuperMom Kid Runners-up


* An electronic raffle will be conducted to determine the lucky voters

Contest Prizes

* Alagang SuperMom Kid : Php 50,000
* Alagang SuperMom Kid Runners-up: 8 winners of Php 5,000
* Lucky Voters: 5 winners of P1,000 each

Lucky Voters

* An electronic raffle draw will generate 5 lucky voters and will be announced on November 22, 2010

Announcement of winners

Winning entries and 5 lucky voters will be published on the contest website on November 22, 2010. Winners will be notified via email and SMS
Where to claim prizes

Prizes can be claimed at the Universal McCann office: 33/F GT Tower International, HV Dela Costa corner Ayala Avenue, Salcedo Village, Makati City within 60 days from date of notification. Winners must bring at least 2 valid IDs when claiming prize as well as the Bisolvon product and official receipt as proof of purchase

List of Valid IDs:

* Driver's License
* Philippine Passport
* SSS ID
* TIN ID
* Postal ID
* And/or any government issued ID

Grant of Rights

By joining the contest, each contestant grants Boehringer Ingelheim, its agencies, successors, licensees and assigns, the irrevocable right, but not the obligation, with or without your knowledge, to use the entries or any portion thereof in any and all media, whether known or hereafter devised, including without limitation, television and publishing, and in connection with the advertising, sale, promotion, marketing, merchandising, distribution, publicizing and all other types of exploitation of the contest or the website or any part thereof, or in any manner whatsoever, which use shall not entitle each or all winners to receive any compensation whatsoever in addition to the prize awarded.

Winning entries secured through both the voting and judging process are final and not subject to disputes.

All users will be duly acknowledged for their entries but Boehringer Ingelheim and its agencies will have the rights to all submitted entries in the contest.

Qualification and Disqualification of Contestants

If any of the contestants is an employee of Boehringer Ingelheim and its agencies or are relatives up to the 2nd degree of consanguinity or affinity, the contestant is immediately disqualified to join the promo.

Boehringer Ingelheim and its agencies reserve the right to delete or discount votes from dubious accounts or email addresses.

Personal Note: This contest has two rounds. The elimination round is where Boehringer-Ingelheim will choose 50 entries based on their criteria (see above). Make the best out of your creativity to pass the selection process.

- The selected entries will move on to the finals, where online voting is 60% of the criteria. The weight of online votes will be a big factor in determining the winner. The Bisolvon unique promo codes will play a big role in online voting because a promo code is worth 50 votes.

- 5 Lucky voters may also win 1,000 pesos in the electronic raffle.

- Deadline for uploading of photo entries is on October 2, 2010 11:59 pm

Voting period is from October 10, 2010 12:01AM to November 8, 2010 11:59PM

For more information about the contest, visit the Alagang SuperMOM Kid contest site.

Click here to read more...

Bow & Wow Petparazzi Photo Contest


Give your pets a chance to shine in the Bow & Wow Petparazzi Photo Contest! Join this contest and win 1 years worth of Bow & Wow products, Bow & Wow GCs, and your pet might be featured in the Bow & Wow Times magazine. Bow & Wow is a specialized pet store for dogs and cats.
To be eligible to join, you must currently own a pet dog or cat, and must be a fan of the Bow & Wow Facebook page.

To join, simply follow these steps:

1. Log in or create an account in Facebook.

2. Like BOW & WOW's Facebook page.

3. To join the contest, go to the contest homepage and click Join Now!

4. Once registered, upload your photo according to the specified bi-weekly theme.
* Theme#1: say woof or meow!
* August 9 to August 22: upload photos of pets flashing their cutest smile

* Theme#2: chow time
* August 23 to September 5: upload photos of pets enjoying their favorite food or treat

* Theme#3: perfectly pampered
* September 6 to September 19: upload photos of pets being pampered

* Special Theme: my bow & wow day out
* September 20 to September 30: upload photos of pets in the Bow & Wow store, or with their favorite Bow & Wow product


5. All photos submitted will be entered into the gallery. However, the Panel reserves the right to remove inappropriate pictures.

6. Winners will be chosen based on the following criteria:
1. Relevance to the Theme: 25%
2. Creativity: 25%
3. Votes (from users): 50%

7. Tips for winning:
1. Your entry must be creative and relevant to the week's theme.
2. Garner as much votes as you can by constantly promoting your entry in Facebook!
3. More positive, funny, and engaging comments in your entry will merit additional points.

8. A facebook user is allowed 1 entry per theme only.

9. A facebook user can vote for multiple entries however can only vote once per entry for the duration of the campaign

10. All activities should prompt user to post wall and news feeds. Additionally, a widget will be placed on user's Facebook profile page once user approves it.

11. The top 10 entries with the most number of votes after the contest period will be shortlisted and evaluated by the Bow & Wow panel. One (1) grand prize winner and three (3) consolation prize winners will be chosen.

12. Prizes for the winners will be as follows:
1. One (1) weekly winner per theme will receive a P2,500 Bow & Wow gift certificate.
2. One (1) grand prize winner will receive 1-year's worth* of Bow & Wow products, and the privilege of being on the cover of the next issue of Bow & Wow Times.
3. Three (3) consolation prize winners will also receive Bow & Wow gift certificates: P5,000 for 1st Runner Up, P3,000 for 2nd for Runner Up, and P2,000 for 3rd Runner Up.
4. Two (2) special theme winners "one (1) DOG and one (1) CAT" will receive 3-months' worth* of Bow & Wow products, and will also be featured in the next issue of Bow & Wow Times.

13. *P2,500 Bow & Wow gift certificates each month, redeemable only during the specified month.

14. Bi-weekly winners will be announced at 5:00PM on August 23, September 6, and September 20. Grand prize and consolation prize winners will be announced by end of September. Winners will be notified through:
1. Notification e-mail
2. Mobile SMS
3. Facebook fanpage announcement

15. Prizes can be claimed at the Bow & Wow stores located at the 5th Level of Shangri-la Plaza Mall or at the Lower Ground Level of Greenbelt 5. Winners must acknowledge the notification e-mail and indicate the store where they would prefer to claim their prize from.

16. Prizes may be claimed within sixty (60) days after receipt of notification. For grand prize winners, prizes may be redeemed monthly at the chosen Bow & Wow store. Failure to claim prizes during allotted period will mean that prizes will be forfeited in favor of Bow & Wow.

17. No purchase necessary to participate in this promotion.

18. Users are only allowed to submit only one photo per pet. If a user has multiple pets they are permitted to submit multiple pets as entries.

19. Users must bring their pet when claiming their prize. If winners do not have the pet for validation of authenticity of image their awarding is considered null and void.

For more info about this contest, visit the Bow & Wow Facebook Fan page.

Click here to read more...

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Ministop's Pic Me to Singapore Photo Contest


Ministop is currently holding a photo contest - Pic Me to Singapore! Join and get a chance to win a free trip to Universal Studios Singapore with 3 days and 2 nights hotel accommodation.


This contest is open to all residents in the Philippines up to 60 years old.

Promo Mechanics

1) To join, customers have to buy a minimum of P 50 worth of any of the following grocery participating products (in a single receipt purchase)
- 2L Coke
- 1.5L Coke, Coke Zero, Sarsi, Royal or Sprite
- 1L Minute Maid Orange, Minute Maid Mango
- 330mL Coors, Coors Light, Coors light (in can)
- Kape Alerto 21g
- Samurai Energy Drink
- 40g Nizzin Mini Seafoods
- Lucky Me (Mini Batchoy, Mini Jampong, Mini Seafood)
- Ding Dong 100g

AND/OR at least one Ministop fastfood product (Sundae, Kariman, Chillz, Rice Meal, Sandwich, Hotdog, Siopao) and take a photo of themselves while eating the aforementioned products, and e-mail the photo and a copy of their scanned/photographed receipt to marketing[at]ministop.com.ph from August 10, 2010 (12:00am) to September 12, 2010 (11:59pm)

NAME, CONTACT NUMBER AND ADDRESS should be indicated in the e-mail.
Photo entries should be in JPEG, TIFF or PNG file and not more than 3MB in size.

Prizes:
1st Prize:
1 winner if trip for 5 to Universal Studios Singapore with airfare and Fort Canning Hotel accommodation (3 days / 2 nights)

Consolation Prize:
10 winners of Enchanted Kingdom Ride All You Can passes for 5.

* All travel packages of Cebu Pacific will have one (1) year validity period.
* Enchanted Kingdom passes will have one (1) year validity period.
* Participants with multiple entries can only win once (they will automatically get the place with the higher value)

2) Male or female up to 60 yeas old can join the contest.

3) Photo entries should have a minimum of two members.
a. Customers are allowed to submit more than 1 photo provided that each entry has separate participating scanned/pictured receipts.
b. However, one photo with two separate entries (different senders) will be disqualified.
c. Altered photos (edited with Photoshop or other equivalent programs) will be disqualified.

4) Entries will be judged according to the following criteria:

Cirtieria for judging
a. creativity in using participating products 40%
b. Uniqueness 30%
c. Execution 30%
Total: 100%

5) Announcement of winners is on September 26 (Sunday) through the Ministop Facebook page. Winners will be notified via registered mail and phone call by a Ministop representative. Winners must bring valid ID and registered mail (e.g. driver's license, school ID, voters ID, etc.) to claim their prize at Robinson's Convenience Store Inc., Head Office (401 F. Legaspi St., Maybunga Pasig City) for GMA winners or at Ministop Erson (Sto. Entierro corner Sto. Rosario St. Sto. Rosario, Angeles City ) for provincial winners.

6) all prizes are tax-free

7) prize is non-transferrable and non-convertible to cash.

8) RCSI Employees and business partners of Robinson's Convenience Stores Inc., Robinson's Distribution Center Inc., store personnel, suppliers of the participating products, their agencies including their relatives up to second degree of affinity or consanguinity are disqualified from joining the promotion.
9) Promo duration is from August 10 to September 12, 2010.

Personal Note: Photo contests are a fun way of expressing creativity. It is also relatively easy to do! Joining photo contests is also a great way of learning basic photography - you get to compare your work against the winning entries.

This photo contest has restrictions in using photo editing software like Photoshop. Make sure you follow this rule if you do not want your entry to be disqualified. This includes composting (inserting additional images into your photo) , color correction and cropping (cutting out the unwanted portions to make your photo look better). Photo contest organizers will know that you edited your photo when they inspect its metadata (the information embedded in your photo including editing software).

For more information about this contest, you may visit the Ministop Facebook page or e-mail them at marketing[at]ministop.com.ph

Click here to read more...

Monday, August 16, 2010

Nokia: My Life Promo


Manila Reviews is currently holding a raffle promo called Nokia My Life. Join this promo and you will have a chance to win Nokia phones. Winners will be drawn at random.

click image or here to get the full image of the promo banner week 1

This promo is open to all readers of all the Manila Blogs Family sites, except relatives of the Manila Blogs Family to the first degree of consanguinity and affinity. All contestants should be living currently in the Philippines.

Promo Mechanics:

1. For the Nokia: My Life contest, each contestant will have the chance to gather raffle entries to win the FREE Nokia phone. To gather raffle entries, the contestant may:

a. Comment on this post (1 raffle entry): The comment should be a reply to this question: “How does this Nokia phone fit your lifestyle?” Please post just 3 sentences at the maximum.

b. Like our Facebook Fanpage (1 raffle entry): Please click on this link to like Manila Review’s facebook fanpage.

c. Be a member of our forum and introduce yourself (1 raffle entry): Please go to this link Manila Reviews Family Forum and introduce yourself! We would like to get to know you c”,)

To get more raffle entries, you can do the following:

d. Create a blog post (3 raffle entries): You can create a blog post, where you can write about the Nokia: My Life contest and the featured phone. Be sure to (1) link back to http://manilareviews.com, (2) use the poster that we have uploaded/used in this article, and (3) also place a link to Nokia.com.ph. (*edited 8/16: changed link back to home page versus this post. entries already done before the edit will be considered. :) )

e. Update your Facebook wall/status (1 raffle entry per week): We will be uploading new pictures into each blog every week, which in turn you will have to upload into your facebook account and tag at least 10 friends plus the fanpage of the blog (Manila Reviews Fanpage).
- banner for week 1 - click here...

f. Send a Tweet (1 raffle entry per week): Tweet about the Nokia: My Life contest using the link to our entry.
These are the ways in which you can earn points. The more steps you follow, the greater the chances of winning.

2. Upon doing any of the given steps, please notify Manila Reviews IMMEDIATELY that you have joined by commenting on this post (Manila Reviews contest page) and placing the links that you have accomplished. Without this post, your entries will not be valid. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!

3. At the end of the promo period, we will place all your entries and use randomizer.org to choose the specific winner for each of the blogs. From September 16-17, we will be tallying the number of entries and on September 18, we will be announcing the winners. The winners for each site will be posted in the particular site. We will send you a confirmation email that you will print out as proof.

4. You may claim your prize from the Nokia Office (40F Philamlife Tower, 8767 Paseo de Roxas, Makati). Please bring a valid ID and the confirmation email. Please look for Janelle from 10am – 3pm, Mondays to Fridays.

5. Nokia: My Life will be open to all readers of all the Manila Blogs Family sites, except relatives of the Manila Blogs Family to the first degree of consanguinity and affinity. All contestants should be living currently in the Philippines.

6. Since each Manila Blogs Family site (ManilaMommy.com, ManilaFitness.com, ManilaShopaholic.com and ManilaBlogs.com) will give out one FREE NOKIA phone each. A contestant may join and follow steps a-f for each site.

7. Entries for each site will be tallied and taken separately. We will have 5 winners of the 5 FREE Nokia Phones.

8. Promo period will last from Aug 16 – Sept 16, 2010.

Personal Note: Looks like there are a total of 5 different blog sites holding a similar contest for each (including manilareviews.com, pls. read item 6 above...). You will have a better chance to win a Nokia phone by joining all of them! Winning raffle contests like this would take some effort because your chances will only increase if you follow all of the steps mentioned above.

Also, doing all the steps above does not automatically make you win. Winners will be drawn at random so no matter how many entries you send (even if 99.9% of all the entries are yours), if your name wasn't drawn, then better luck next time. :)

For more information, please visit the Manila Reviews contest page.

Click here to read more...

YugaTech Contest: Show me your PC, win 1TB!


Yugatech is currently sponsoring a photo contest called Show Me Your PC, win a 1 TB! All you have to do is post a photo of your PC, laptop or net top, and you will get a chance to win a 1 Terabyte Hard disk drive from Western Digital and Yugatech!

This is open to all interested in posting their photo entry. You may use any social networking site like FB or twitter, or you may post your photo on your blog. Just make sure that the photo is available for public viewing.

My entry: My Pooped Out Laptop!

My Pooped Out Laptop - click image for full resolution

About my entry: I wanted my entry to have a cartoony feel so I drew a cartoon face that looked worn out. I used the WD and Yugatech logo to draw my cartoon face, then used it as my desktop wallpaper. The tired laptop face represents a full hard disk that needs an upgrade because of its excessive use. I also placed a towel on top and steam to emphasize it's really tired!

To know more about the contest, here are the Contest Mechanics:

1) Take a photo of your workstation — it could be a laptop, a nettop or a desktop PC.

2) Use this image as the wallpaper of your station when you take the photo (download here). This will allow us to know that the photo is new and/or original.

3) Upload your photo to any photo sharing site (Flickr, Picasa, Twitpic, etc.) or post in your blog or website. The photo must be publicly accessible — not set in private, locked or anything that requires a password or login.

4) Leave a comment in Yugatech's blog post with the URL to your photo, gallery or blog entry. Don’t forget to go to the WD Philippines Facebook Page and Add/Like them.

The deadline of this contest is on August 17, 2010 midnight.

Criteria:
The photo should convey the idea “why you need an extra terabyte hard drive” without actually saying/writing it. We’ll be in the look out for the weirdest or cutest or funniest or most creative or most kick-ass workstation. It’s up to you how you shoot the photo.

For more information about this contest, you may visit the Yugatech contest page.

Follow Yugatech on twitter: Want an extra 1 terabyte HDD? Check out the YugaTech-Western Digital giveaway — http://bit.ly/boBzZY

Click here to read more...

Friday, August 13, 2010

Nagaraya Nutty Video Contest


There's a cool video contest sponsored by Nagaraya called "It's Fun to be Nutty!" All you have to do is upload a funny video and get to a chance to win the grand prize of P 50,000 pesos! Special prizes also await for those who will participate in the online voting.

This contest is open to all Filipino residents 13 years old and above.


WHO CAN JOIN THE CONTEST?


1. The contest is open to all Filipino residents 13 years old and above.
2. The contest allows participants via two ways:
1. Uploading an original nutty video
2. Vote for your favorite video and get a chance to win in the raffle

HOW DO I JOIN THE CONTEST?

1. Visit the Nagaraya website (www.itsfuntobenutty.com.ph). Create an account and fill in all the required fields.

HOW DO I UPLOAD AN ORIGINAL NUTTY VIDEO?

1. Download the "It's fun to be nutty!" JPEG file from the Nagaraya website.

2. Create a video with the theme "It's fun to be nutty!"

3. Incorporate the "It's fun to be nutty!" JPEG file in your video.

4. Go back to the Nagaraya website. Log-in and upload your video.

5. One uploaded video is considered one entry. Once uploaded, the video cannot be edited nor changed. Participants can submit as many entries as they want provided that they are different videos.

6. Once uploaded, participants may post links to their videos on their sites and social networking profiles to get people to vote.

7. Only administrator-approved videos will be posted on the website for judging and voting. FII reserves the right to determine whether an entry qualifies or not. FII’s decision in this regard is final.

8. Submission/s should revolve around the theme "It's fun to be nutty!"

9. Submission/s must be in one of the required formats: .avi, .mpg, .flv with maximum file size of twenty megabytes (20 MB)

10. The maximum length for submitted video/s is 3 minutes.

11. Submissions should not contain inappropriate content, including but not limited to:
1. Obscene, pornographic or sexually-explicit content or information
2. Information that poses a risk to the health and safety of others
3. Support or opposition to any political or religious group or person
4. Content that is offensive to others, such as that which encourages the commission of an illegal, immoral or threatening activity, promote harassment, racism, hated or discrimination against any group or individual, or provides information which is known to be false, misleading, or harmful
5. Content that is defamatory or libelous in nature, or that which violates the privacy of any group or individual

12. Nagaraya, FII and/or its advertising/promotion partners and suppliers will not be held liable for any copyright infringement the uploading of any entries for this contest may incur.

13. Submissions must not feature any snack brands that are in direct or indirect competition with Nagaraya or any other FII product.

14. Submissions must be original and must not have been submitted for any other contest.

15. Submissions must be uploaded directly to the Nagaraya website. Videos posted to or linked from other sites will not qualify as valid submissions.

16. Once uploaded, all submissions become property of FII and the submissions (and all the talents, props, and their content) may be used for any and all advertising and promotion methods as it sees fit.

UPLOAD AN ORIGINAL NUTTY VIDEO: SELECTION OF WINNERS

1. A total of 2 monthly winners and 1 grand prize winner will be selected.
2. Monthly winners
The submission with the highest votes at the end of each month will be selected from all the video uploads for that month.

3. A total of 2 monthly winners and 1 grand prize winner will be selected.
The grand prize winner will be selected by a panel of judges from FII based on the following criteria:
1. Concept – 30%
2. Execution – 30%
3. Overall Impact – 40%

HOW DO I VOTE FOR A VIDEO FOR A CHANCE TO WIN IN THE RAFFLE?

1. To vote for a video, you must be a registered user in the Nagaraya website (see Section 2).
2. Log in and choose your favorite video from among those uploaded.
3. Click “Vote.”
4. Each vote counts as 1 raffle entry. You may vote for as many videos as you want, but you may only vote for each video once.
5. Once you have voted for a video, you will not be allowed to “unvote.”

VOTE FOR A CHANCE TO WIN IN THE RAFFLE: SELECTION OF WINNERS

1. At the end of the promo period, the prize will be raffled off among all those who voted within the promo period.
2. An electronic system will be created to randomize the drawing of winners from among all qualified contestants.

SPECIAL PRIZES

1. At any time it may deem necessary, FII will award special prizes to random submissions based on criteria it may deem worthy.
2. Sample criteria:
1. Best Choreography
2. Best Video Filmed at Night

PROMO PERIOD

1. The promo period is from July 26- October 1.
2. The voting periods for the 2 monthly winners is as follows:
1. Monthly Winner 1: July 26- August 27
2. Monthly Winner 2: August 28- October 1
3. The voting period for entry into the raffle is from July 26- October 1.

PRIZES AND AWARDING SCHEDULE

AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT OF WINNERS PRIZE

Monthly Winner # 1 /Aug 30 /Sanyo HD Camera worth P7,000.00
Monthly Winner # 2 /Oct 11 /Sanyo HD Camera worth P7,000.00

Grand Prize / Oct 11 / P 50,000.00 cheque
Lucky Voters (5 winners) /Oct 11 / P 5,000 cheque for each winner

Total amount of prizes P89,000.00

Special Prizes - TBA

NOTIFICATION OF WINNERS

1. Winners will be notified via phone call through land line or mobile phone by an FII representative, and upon notification, an e-mail will be sent to confirm date, place, and requirements for the claiming of the prize.
2. If after two (2) days, a winner cannot be contacted through the phones, an e-mail will be sent in place of the call. If after seven (7) days, no acknowledgment e-mail from the winner is received, FII will be allowed to award the prize to the next video that adheres to the judging criteria stated above (see Sections 4 and 6).
3. Winners will be announced via a print ad in a major broadsheet.

CLAIMING OF PRIZES

1. Prizes may be claimed within 30 days after notification has been sent at the registered user’s submitted e-mail address:
2. Prizes must be claimed at PC&V Communications Inc. G/F Legaspi Suites, Salcedo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City. Winners will be responsible for all the expenses related to their getting to Makati City to claim their prizes.
3. All taxes, if any, related to the prizes will be shouldered by FII.
4. At least two Valid IDs must be presented upon redemption of the prize/s.

IMPORTANT NOTES

1. The decision of the judges in consultation with BFAD is final and not subject to dispute.
2. Contestants with more than one entry may only win once.
3. All Food Industries, Inc. employees, those of its promo partners’, Advertising and Media Agencies’ and their relatives up to the 2nd degree of consanguinity and affinity are not qualified to join the contest.

Personal Note: Try joining as early as possible so that you will have more time to rally your friends for the online vote. The entry with highest number of votes will be declared as the monthly winner.

Since the prize is a considerable amount, there are already good entries submitted this early. View them at the contest website.

Last day of submission of video entry is on
October 1, 2010 but my advise is to submit as early as possible.

For more information about this contest, please visit the Nagaraya Nutty Video Contest website, or you may visit the Nagaraya Facebook page for inquiries.

Click here to read more...

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Pure 'n Fresh I Heart My Body Contest


Win gift packs from Unilab's Pure 'n Fresh - I Heart My Body Contest. Winners of this promo will be drawn at random.
This contest is open to mothers or teen daughters who are fans of Unilab's Facebook Page.

Mechanics:
1. Save the "I Heart My Body Contest" on your desktop. Click here to get the image.
2. Post the "I Heart My Body" badge on Unilab FB wall (as fan photo) and tag 20 female friends.
2. If you're a mom, complete the sentence "As a mom, I tell my teen daughter to love her body because___."
3. If you're a teen, complete the sentence "I heart my body because___."
4. Each day, two winners (via electronic raffle) will receive a special gift pack from Pure 'n Fresh.
5. The contest will run from August 10 to 16, 2010. You can start posting and tagging on Aug. 9.
6. One entry per user only. No need to keep reposting. Once your entry appears on the Unilab wall, you're considered entered.

Reminders from Unilab:
1. Make sure your wall post is open to everybody. We can't see your post (even if you tag us) if your settings are locked.
2. For the duration of the contest, please open your Info tab so we can verify authenticity of the account.
3. If you have questions, just post on the Unilab wall.

For more information about this contest you may post your questions on Unilab's Facebook Page.

Click here to read more...

Monday, August 9, 2010

2010 Citizen Ambassadors Video Contest


The UN is currently holding the 2010 Citizen Ambassadors video contest. This aims to address the 8 millennium goals drafted by the UN.


Join this and be one of the 6 winners of the following prizes: ( 1 winner per region)
- 1 HD Mino Flip Cam courtesy of UN Foundation and Flip Video
- Honorary title of "Citizen Ambassador to the UN" for two years
- Complimentary flight + 2 night stay in New York City for UN Day 2010
- Meeting and photo-op with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
- VIP seating at UN Day Concert in the GA Hall at UNHQ

This contest is open to all individuals 18 and above who reside in the following countries. Click here to see the list.

How to enter the contest?

1. Watch any of the call-for-entry videos
2. Click in the comments box directly below the video
3. On the right of the box you will see an icon with a "Attach a video" link - click here
4. At the top you should see the following text: "You are posting a Video Response to: [Name] invites you to be a Citizen Ambassador to the UN"
5. Click "Choose a video" to select a video you have already uploaded, or click "Upload a video" to upload a new video.
6. Your video will require approval by a moderator, so please be patient while we finalize your submission.

How To Enter The Contest

1. Read the contest Terms and Conditions
2. Research the Millennium Development Goals
3. Choose one of following three options as the topic of your video:
* Why are the Millennium Development Goals important to you and your family?
* What is your community, city or country doing to achieve the Millennium Development Goals?
* How can the international community better work together to achieve the Millennium Development Goals?
4. Watch the Call-for-Entries videos on YouTube
5. Click in the comments box directly below the video
6. On the right of the box you will see an icon with a "Attach a video" link - click here
7. At the top you should see the following text: "You are posting a Video Response to: [Name] invites you to be a Citizen Ambassador to the UN"
8. Click "Choose a video" to select a video you have already uploaded, or click "Upload a video" to upload a new video.
9. Your video will require approval by a moderator, so please be patient while we finalize your submission.

Quick guide - the 8 Millennium goals
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a Global Partnership for Development

Selection Process (Judging criteria)

1. Relevance: How relevant is the video message to the MDG theme and challenges?
2. Merit: Does the video message merit viewing by world leaders?
3. Originality: Does the video message offer original opinions or suggestions?
4. Creativity: How creative is the video in its form and content?
5. Bonus points will be awarded for exceptionally aesthetic or compelling messages.

* MDG - millenium development goals

Deadline of Submission: 23 August 2010 at 11:59 p.m. New York time.

Personal note: Your entry will be uploaded on Youtube, so I suggest you make your video format into an FLV (flash video format) before uploading to make your video upload faster. See my previous blog about this tip.

For more information about the contest, please visit the United Nations Citizen Ambassadors web page.
Visit this page for complete terms and conditions.

Click here to read more...

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Who is My Super One?


If I ask myself, who is my Super One? Well... for me, it's hard to choose. Everyone in my family is SUPER! I mean... each family member has their own unique super powers.


My siblings are highly artistic. My sister has a lot of talent in drawing anime, while my brother is a highly skilled web developer, and can draw comic cartoons too! My parents are SUPER because they give me SUPER advise when I need it the most. My grandma too is also SUPER! She is at her 90's and she is still active and wanting to travel. I even consider my girlfriend SUPER, because she gives me the inspiration and motivation to seek the better things in life.

But if I have to choose only ONE person, that person would be no other than my father - the ULTIMATE SUPER ONE. There are several reasons why I choose him. It is because...

1. He is my first barkada
Ever since I could remember, my father is my first barkada. As a toddler growing up, we lived in a small town in Cebu City. There, he would take me out to our gimmick places... the beach in Mactan, famous landmarks like Magellan's Cross, and even big festivals like the Ati-Atihan! I remember being scared of going to those places and events at first, but because he always carried me on his shoulders, I know for sure nobody will harm me - because I'm bigger and taller than anyone! (probably riding on someone else's shoulders makes me feel like driving a super robot/tank)

swimming at sea near Mactan island

Sinulog Festival

2. He is my personal musician
I know I was a cranky kid back then. My parents often told me the story that I was difficult to feed. Before I took a spoonful of Gerber baby food, it was father's SOP to bring out the guitar and sing my favorite nursery tunes. At the same time, they let me play with the tap water running from the faucet sink. After all the conditions are met, then I take a bite. After that I would cry again to demand an encore. (kulang na lang daw itapon ako sa inis, hehehe)

dancing to the tune of ABBA

When I was two years old, I was exposed to a lot of radio music. During that time ABBA was the hit singing group. I know most of the ABBA tunes, and me and my father would dance to their music. And when I get tired of dancing, I would ask my father for an ABBA - my personal definition for this was I need to be carried. (which by the way, ABBA in Hebrew is 'father')

3. He is my playmate and 'exercise machine'
During my toddler years, I did not have much exposure to other children of my age. So it was my father who filled-in as playmate. He even made me wooden building blocks and even a kiddie kart - dubbed as the RDmobile!

presenting - the RDmobile!

For kiddie games, I remember one of his favorites - trap! The object of the game is for me to get out of his trap. He would clinch me in the legs or shoulders, and I try to wiggle out of it. Most of the time, he would let me win, but in some cases he would let me struggle with all my might. If I can't, I often cry - and he often spanks me in the ass because I did :(

4. He is my teacher and spiritual adviser
As I grew up physically, so too did my problems. Problems with friends and school were always at the top of my list. And whenever I feel down, my father is there to the rescue. He would listen to my problems, and would give me the advise i need.

helping me select my first guitar...

During my grade school, high school and even in college, I had some trouble with learning some select subjects. Somehow, I felt inferior and lacking, and made me doubt myself if I can continue. I would sometimes complain to my father that "I can't take it anymore..." But father would counter my statement with his personal story.

When my father was in grade school he joined an oratorical contest. His classmates found that idea ridiculous because they say he did not have the talent for it. And yet, my dad was able to make it all the way to the finals. His secret? Keep on trying, and always believe you can because others can do it too.

5. He is my lifesaver
I was a very forgetful student back then. There were times I left a project at home, and I would call up the house to know if I really did left it. And if I did, my father would drive all the way to school just to deliver the project I left behind.

he would drive through or wade through floods to reach me or take me home...

There were times that I was stranded in school because of flooding due to heavy rains. If my father found out I couldn't leave the school because of floods, he would charge through the floods just to get to the school gates. And because he did not want me to get sick because of flood waters, he would carry me on his back while crossing the flood waters, all the way to dry land.

Even today, if I needed his help, he is always there ready to lend a helping hand.


* Unfortunately, my SUPER ONE is not always that SUPER...

One June evening of 2010, a phone call told us of terrible news. My father was brought to the Makati Medical Center. We were all shocked at what had happened. We just found out from my uncle, who was with him when the incident happened. On that evening, my father and uncle went to a friends house. There, they had a small chat, ate a few snacks, drank a little beer, and then they left soon after. After walking a few blocks, my father suddenly collapsed! Good thing my uncle was there, and so he was immediately rushed to Makati Medical via taxi.

Makati Medical Center were my father was admitted...

He was brought immediately to the emergency room for treatment. There, the doctors found out that he had a very low blood pressure, but they were not certain of what was the cause. Because of this, the doctors speculated that it could have been due to stroke or heart attack. Fortunately there were no signs of blood clotting in my father's brain after undergoing medical checks. He was confined in the hospital for a few days for further evaluation.

A lot of things rushed into my mind... like, did I take my father too much for granted? And ...what could I do to make him all better? Seeing all this has happened, I pray that hopefully, my father will not suffer like this again.

I dedicate this to my father for always being there for me.
My father has already done a lot for me. Ever since I was a baby up to today, he was always there, and still is. I hope that one day I could return him the favor. I want to dedicate this song to my father - one of my most favorite songs. I hope readers out there could appreciate this too...


Leader of the Band by Dan Fogelberg

Father's A-okay now...
After a few days from the hospital, he has fully recovered. Nothing serious was seen, but the doctors told my father to watch out for his diet. He might be in danger of diabetes if does not control his sugar and carbohydrate intake. Have to remind him or else...

Now that everything is okay, from time-to-time, he would check up on me if I need his help. He even texted me to go home early because of typhoon Basyang. (tsk, naka-ALL CAPS pa...)


I guess that is always the way he is - always caring, always to-the-rescue, always ready to connect... My father, my ULTIMATE SUPER ONE.

P.S. This is my entry to the GLOBE SUPER ONE blog contest. To get to know more about the contest, you may visit the SUPER ONE blog contest page To know more about Globe's Super one, please visit this page...

Click here to read more...

Friday, August 6, 2010

Starfisher's Follow My Leader Essay Writing Contest


Win a cash prize of 2,000 pesos in Starfisher's Follow My Leader Essay Writing Contest.


All you have to do is write an essay on what is your idea of a transformational leader. 10 outstanding entries will receive a certificate of recognition and will be published in Starfisher's website, and 3 winners will each receive the cash prize.

This contest is open to college students in the Philippines.

Contest rules:

• No literary form other than an essay will be accepted.
• Essays may be written in English or in Filipino. No Taglish please.
• Each essay must reflect the contestant’s own writing, research, and original thinking.
• Only one (1) essay may be submitted by each participant.
• The essay must be at least 300 words but not more than 1000 words.
• Each essay must include a title page with the following information: essay title, author’s name, author’s email

Eligibility: College students in the Philippines.
Judging: Your essay will be judged on four criteria:

1. Content. How compelling are the main points/conclusion of the essay? (40 points)
2. Organization. Do the arguments follow a logical and easily understood progression? Do they tie into the main points of the essay? (20 points)
3. Creativity. Creative angle on the issue. (20 points)
4. Language. Correct grammar, spelling, punctuation. Flow. (20 points)

You may email your entries to inspire@jefmenguin.com
and subject: Leadership Essay

or you may post your entries in the comment section – http://jefmenguin.com/?p=40


Deadline of Submission will be on August 30, 2010 and the announcement of winners will be on September 6, 2010.

For more information, please visit Starfisher's contest page.

Click here to read more...