GenSan News Online Mag

Happy New Year!

As we end the year 2011, allow me to release the layout of the official calendar of General Santos City for 2012!

The calendar features the  Honorable City Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio in a full-body shot looking confident in a take-charge pose.  Her administration’s battlecry – Think Global, Act Local is prominently captured in the layout.

This official 2012 calendar of General Santos City was designed by Soccsksargen blogger/photographer Leonard Pe who also took Mayor Darlene’s photograph.  Hope you like it since I also had a say on its layout. 

Happy New Year everyone!

Just in time for the 2011 Christmas Season, KFC released upon an unsuspecting public a new TV Commercial which capitalized on the country’s being the Call Center capital of the world.

The KFC commercial features a call center agent at work while entertaining the call of a lady one Christmas night.

The TV advertisement was short and simple but was so poignant in its portrayal of the professionalism of the call center agent.  The ending immediately made me remember my late mom and how she could have done the same to me if I was a call center agent myself.  It was a moving and touching ode to moms and their love for their children, regardless of their age.

Without giving away much, here is the Christmas-themed KFC Call Center TV Commercial.

 

Kudos to KFC for conceptualizing this ad and also for putting into the forefront the plight of the thousands of young, dedicated and unheralded call center agents out there who work mostly on graveyard shifts and have managed to help the country afloat.

For me, next to our OFW’s, they are the country’s modern-day heroes.

And yes, the Philippines being a matriarchal society, this KFC Call Center TV commercial has surely pushed the right buttons.

With Christmas Day over and the countdown to 2012 just beginning, here’s a piece of good news from KCC Malls!

Both KCC Mall of GenSan and KCC Mall of Koronadal are conducting a CLEARANCE SALE!

Opening soon:  KCC Veranza Mall up in 2012

This means they aside from their Christmas Deals (click here), both malls are selling off their old inventory at discounted prices by as much as 70% off the original!  Isn’t that great?

So if you still have spare money left from your Christmas shopping, why not spend the remainder at KCC Mall of GenSan or Koronadal’s Clearance Sale? There’s something right there for everyone, promise.

Now and give yourself a nice New Year’s gift!  You owe it to yourself!

Ever since eight-time World Boxing Champion Manny Pacquiao started his string of major wins in the field of professional boxing, he has already poured in a lot of money in major business investments in his original hometown, General Santos City.

First was a convenience store in his old barangay, Labangal.  This was followed by a bigger convenience store along Santiago Boulevard which has already closed shop.

Next were two buildings, christened JMP Building 1 (JMP meaning Jinkee-Manny Pacquiao) at the corner of Osmena South-Champaca and JMP Building 2 at corner of Aparente Avenue and Provido Village.

JMP BUILDING 1 AT THE CORNER OF CHAMPACA & OSMENA SOUTH

He has also bought houses for his mother Dionisia, his siblings and a bigger mansion along Salvani Street (Block at Barangay City Heights.  Then there’s the JMP Gymnasium at Barangay Tambler where he holds his cockfight tournaments and where his mother celebrated her birthday party earlier this year.

He has also purchased large parcels of land in Yumang Street (for his radio station) and along the Bula-Lagao Road behind KCC Mall of GenSan (for a large hotel), among other areas within GenSan.

He and wife Jinky has also invested in Team Pacquiao, a novelty store selling all his souvenir items and apparell;  Jinkee’s Fashion World;  Flawless Skin Clinic plus dining and entertainment joints like JMix Resto Bar, Pacman SportsBar, and Blu Gre Coffee Shop; a water refilling station named Pacman and many more.

Right now, Manny and Jinkee are focusing their time and resources in the impending opening of their first foray into the hotel business.  Soon to open is a much bigger mixed-use office-restaurant-and-hotel edifice (which we blogged in June this year) located a stone’s throw away from JMP Building 2 along Aparente Avenue.  Situated right at the corner of Aparente Avenue and Block 1 Dadiangas Heights Subdivision, is Pacquiao’s very own ROAD HOUSE ECONOMY HOTEL.

The hotel is actually located at the back of the building.  The facade will be made available for commercial establishments and offices.

The hotel lobby and office will be along the Block 0 Street, beside the car entrance.  See above photo.

"THE UNFINISHED LOBBY OF MANNY PACQUIAO'S ROAD HOUSE ECONOMY HOTEL. THE STAIRS LEAD TO THE OFFICES OF THE CHAMP'S MULTI-BUSINESS VENTURES."

The 2nd floor of the hotel lobby will reportedly house the new office of Manny and Jinkee’s various ventures, all under the umbrella of the Pacquiao Group of Companies.

"THE COURTYARD OF THE ROAD HOUSE ECONOMY HOTEL AS SEEN FROM THE BACK"

The two-storey hotel which has two wings, will have 40 airconditioned rooms, all equipped with LCD TV with cable, hot & cold showers, Wi-Fi, plus other modern amenities.

The courtyard shown above can actually be used to park the vehicles of the hotel guests.

"THE HALLWAY OF THE 2ND FLOOR OF THE RIGHT WING OF THE HOTEL."

Just recently, Manny Pacquiao’s staff submitted a letter to the Office of the City Mayor of General Santos asking permission to cement the portion of the Block 0 which runs parallel to their hotel.

"THE HALLWAY TERRACE OF THE ROOMS FACING BLOCK ZERO WHICH WILL BE CEMENTED SOON BY MANNY PACQUIAO'S GROUP."

This hotel which is set to open during the first quarter of 2012, is one really good investment of the Pacquiao couple considering that General Santos City is still in dire need of more hotel rooms to be able to fill up the growing number of conventions and conferences being conducted in the city.  And with the numerous guests that the Sarangani Congressman receives regularly, and whom he billets in the city’s various hotel establishments, he might just as well construct his own and save money.

This is basically the reason why the Road House Economy Hotel is just right for that purpose.

The people of General Santos City and the rest of Soccsksargen who are in the midst of celebrating Christmas Day today are in for a special treat as all the cinemas in the city are showing the movie entries of the 2011 Metro Manila Film Festival!

This simultaneous showing of the MMFF entries nationwide started years back when cineplexes in the major malls in the countryside started popping out.

For Robinsons Movieworld GenSan, here is their Christmas Weekend and beyond movie line-up:

• Cinema 1 – Ang Panday 2
• Cinema 2 – Enteng ng Ina Mo
• Cinema 3 – Segunda Mano
• Cinema 4 – Shake, Rattle & Roll 13

Ticket price at Robinsons Movieworld GenSan is P100 for the MMFF 2011 entries.

For KCC Cinemas, here is their Christmas offering:

• Cinema 1 – Mission Impossible 4 2D
• Cinema 2 – Househusband
• Cinema 3 – Panday 2
• Cinema 4 – Segunda Mano
• Cinema 5 – Shake, Rattle & Roll 13
• Cinema 6 – Enteng ng Ina Mo

Ticket price at KCC Cinemas is P95.00 (inclusive of P5 for MMFF Fund) for Cinemas 2 to 6.

Personally, I would like to watch Shake, Rattle & Roll 13 first because I have never missed a single installment ever.  And besides, all its three episodes are helmed by new directors and that’s something worth anticipating.

So what are you staring there at?  Enjoy your Christmas break and watch a Pinoy movie with your families and loved ones.  Now na!

The honorable mayor of the Home of Champions, General Santos City, Honorable Darlene Antonino-Custodio, who is celebrating her birthday tomorrow, December 26th, 2011 has released her official Christmas Message to her constituents.

This is through a print ad in the city’s various local tabloids and newspapers.

Worded in the vernacular, here is Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio‘s Yuletide greetings to the generals.

Merry Christmas too Mayor!

May you continue to lead General Santos City and the generals towards the vision for a more progressive, more livable and globally competitive city that is truly Magandang GenSan!

Mindanao’s Funnest Blogging Circle, the Soccsksargen Bloggers was privileged to have been invited to witness the official launching of Dolefil’s Light-A-Tree, Light-A-Life Project for Christmas 2011 at the Dolefil Cannery Compound in Polomolok, South Cotabato, earlier this month.

Now on its 15th year, this program is one of the Corporate  Social Responsibility (CSR) Projects of 2011 Grand Kapatid Awardee Dolefil.   (One of the most notable is their Chairs-for-Trees Program.)

The Light-A-Tree, Light-A-Life Program has two components, the first of which is the Fund Racing Contest where Dolefil’s nine divisions battle it out to raise the biggest amount for various charitable institutions.  The total funds accumulated will be matched by Dolefil management.

The 2nd component is the Light A Tree Competition where they decorate and dress up Norfolk Pine Trees assigned to them along the compound’s covered walk.  The Soccsksargen Bloggers were privileged to have been there during the simultaneous lighting of the Christmas tree entries.

DOLEFIL'S LIGHT A TREE ENTRY FROM CANNERY DIVISION WHICH WON THE GRAND PRIZE

Together with them were some wards of the charities they support, St. Gemma’s Orphanange & Marcellin Foundation in General Santos City and the St. Lawrence Kalinga Foundation in Koronadal City.

On hand to welcome them were Dolefil Vice President and Managing Director Simon Denye and HR Division Director Atty. Mel Hernandez.  Emceeing the affair was HR Communication Division’s Gwynee Ebol and Logistics Division’s Aethan Yting, also a member of the Soccsksaren Bloggers.

To find out more about the Soccskargen Bloggers‘ experience at Dolefil’s Light-A-Tree Project, check out a few of their blog posts by clicking on the links below…

• South Cotabato News Online
• Pinas Backpackers
• Tales of a Newlywed Couple
• Pinay Travelogue
• Rosilie

Thanks to Lynette Gallinero, of Pinay Travelogue & Nanardz Fernandez of SouthCotabato Tambayan for the photos.

For the benefit of shoppers who are on their mad rush to buy Christmas gifts for their loved ones, we are giving you KCC Mall of GenSan‘s December promos, treats and deals!

Here they are:

Up first is the FREEWAY Holiday Promo…. which gives away a gorgeous satchet for every P5,000 single purchase receipt. This one is valid until January 31, 2012.

The HANFORD brand of shirts, underwear, etc. gives away a TOTE Bag for every P300 purchase of their brand.

Plains & Prints gives away a BONGO BOX for every purchase from P700-P2500.

Then there’s DICKIES JEANS USA’s free FASHION BAG for every P1,200 single receipt purchase!  This one is available until December 31, 2011!

Here’s another one!  Burlington together with Biofresh, Puma and Camo and Bally Products brings you Merry Many Christmas Promos. Enjoy the convenience brought to you by these brands plus a chance to win your dream gadgets this Christmas. For a minimum of P300 single receipt purchase you are entitled to one (1) raffle stub. Once you’re done filling out the necessary information,  drop your entry on designated drop  boxes at KCC Department Store.

With all these plus more to guide you, your Christmas Rush Shopping at KCC Mall of GenSan will definitely be a breeze!

Merry Christmas shopping everyone!

Yesterday, while a lot among us lesser mortals were busy scratching our heads trying to figure out ways on where to find the money to buy our Christmas gifts for our loved ones, World Boxing Champ and Sarangani Province lone congressional district representative Manny Pacquiao was at the Port Area of the municipality of Glan, to unveil his present to his pretty wife, Jinky – a brand new yacht!

The Italian-made yacht cost Manny Pacquiao twenty-five million pesos (P25,000,000.00), which is considered peanuts compared to his earnings from his last victory over Juan Miguel Marquez.  He has also raffled off two-million pesos (P2,000,000.00) during his 33rd Birthday Party two days earlier, on December 17, 2011.

The unveiling of the yacht which was named Sarangani’s Pride, was also timed with its blessing by a Catholic priest and witnessed by Congressman Pacquiao’s friends including Glan Mayor Victor James Yap, Sr., Jinky’s relatives and members of the media.

As news of the event spread nationwide, not a few of our kababayans expressed disappointment at the fact that Manny Pacquiao chose to unveil it less than three days after the disasters which struck Northern Mindanao and parts of Eastern Visayas.

Read more about their reactions by clicking here.

In fairness, Manny Pacquiao slashed 1million pesos from his pork barrel to donate to the Typhoon Sendong survivors.  He has also reportedly ordered his staff to deliver truckloads of relief goods to Northern Mindanao this week. Bravo Manny!

I have misgivings though with this surprise unveiling of his P25million worth of gift to his dutiful wife.  He could have postponed it to a much-later date.

But then again, Manny Pacquiao is Manny Pacquiao!  Either way, he will still get reactions from all over especially on something this expensive.

How about you?  What do you think?

(Pictures courtesy of Boyette dela Cerna)

I have heard reports from some insiders of SM City that their branch here in General Santos will not open in time for the Kalilangan Festival in February 2012.  Nor will it open on April 2012 too.

The latest news is that the unveiling of SM’s biggest mall in Mindanao is on June 2012, which is still almost six months away from today on reasons that only the developers know.

Not a few of my friends were disappointed upon hearing this piece of info.  Most of them are very excited at setting foot inside what is one of the most modern malls to be built in these parts of the Philippines and couldn’t wait for its eventual opening.

Personally, I don’t mind if SM GenSan opens up much, much later.  This gives owner Mr. Henry Sy along with his son, Hans, and their people more time to ensure that the mall is structurally sound, secure and safe for the people of the region.

And when they really open their doors to the expectant Soccsksargenians, the whole mall will be very much ready to serve their needs along with their tenants which hopefully will fill up 90% of the building’s rentable spaces by then.

Good luck SM City General Santos!