(Photo taken for Philstar.com)

 Much have been said to the Run for Pasig event, all of them positive things. Still, I want to share my thoughts on this very inspiring and important event in our country. Run for Pasig shows that we will and can revive the long lost romantic tales of Pasig River. But more importantly, it shows and bears the heart of the Filipinos.
We are a country that is slowly reaching maturity on moving forward social issues. We are a country the is comprised of people who love our environment and our homeland.

Eclipsing a Guiness Book of Record is not the main highlight of this feat. The highlight is that we want you, the world who loves following us Filipinos, to know that our country is one country you will LOVE to Visit. It is a country where the people are fun loving and friendly to a fault.

The Filipino spirit is in full display in the Run for Pasig Event. This is a symbol that we wanted you - the world to see and share. We hope that you enjoy it and know us more by visiting and marvelling one of the friendliest and caring people in the world.

The first Tree500 Movement tree planting activity in Barangay Calawis, Marikina Watershed, Antipolo City

I was zapping my remote control for T.V. at a frantic pace when I stumble with Disney Channel showing WALL-E, I watched it in the cinema with my family and watched it in DVD and yet here I am glued in the T.V. screen watching the movie for the 3rd time.


Why? You see I cannot help but fall in love with the love story of WALL-E and EVE. It is a relaxing love story. Second and most importantly, the story is about humans stranded in the outer space because the Earth is not liveable anymore.

In the story, humans have become lazy and fat because they have forgotten how to use their limbs resulting to atrophy of sorts. Also, humans are controlled by a supercomputer that is programmed to prevent them from going back to Earth.

I like the scene where the plant in a can is the key for the spaceship to be programmed back to Earth. It shows how important are plants and trees in our world. It shows how plants and trees is the most effective measure that Earth is liveable. The plants and trees disappearing spell humanity’s end. I know we all don’t want this to happen.

So having enjoyed WALL-E allow me to invite you to the second run of Tree500 Movement’s Tree Planting Activity this coming October 23,2010 at Barangay Calawis, Marikina Watershed, Antipolo City.

Tree500 Movement is an organization that aims to plant a minimum of 500 trees in every tree planting activity it conducts. It is also a tree planting activity that has a line-up of interesting activities other than tree planting (e.g. nature awareness orientation).

Right now, the focus of the movement is to increase bamboo tree in all riverbeds of the Marikina Watershed. Most especially, near the bridges of the communities residing around the watershed. It is said that bamboo trees are the most effective deterrent to soil erosion. Also, when it grows its roots spread as far as six meters and, since it is identified as related to grass, a single bamboo tree can produce many sub trunks forming a bigger and wider bamboo tree in its mature age.

I know I have said too much but I can’t help my excitement because the first tree planting activity was just last month and here we are again.

It’s Friday and events in Metro Manila is more than a handful but I will be going around the Metro to see three events that interests me.


First is the 1st Philippine Chocolate and Ice Cream Show at the World Trade Center, new events like this gets me excited. I wanted to know what it is all about and also to show support to the organizer which is a newbie or the first time I have heard of them.

Second, it’s the annual Philippine Franchising Expo at SMX Convention Center. The vibrancy of this event is one indicator of how our economy will fare. Visitors here are all businessmen and entrepreneurs, all wanting to see opportunities in starting a business or expanding an existing business.

Lastly, my life is not about business events because if ever that will be it will be such a bore right? So I am going to watch a Cinemalaya movie, in my top list is “Ang Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio” directed by Mario O Hara. I have heard and read good reviews of this one so I am not depriving myself a chance to have it slip by and not watch it.

Yes, I know majority watch commercial movies meant for entertainment but in Cinemalaya watching movies are not only for entertainment but for mental and spiritual stimulation. I am afraid only few wanted to go there at this point in time but I believe someday soon the public will buy this kind of movies and ideas.

It is a crazy Friday, the Metro is still recovering from Basyang’s fury, but scheduled events and expo must continue and that is a true hallmark of an event organizer that lives in the dictum that the show must go on.

Just before it gets totally out of my head and completely forgotten I must share to you why I enjoyed reading “Catching Fire” of Suzanne Collins her sequel to the equally blockbuster “Hunger Games”.


It has been almost three months since I finished this book but many developments prevented me for giving my say to this nice piece of work.

Anyways, “Catching Fire” as a story shows the importance of symbols. In Katniss Everdeen’s universe she has become a symbol to oppressed people of different districts in Panem. Her insignia the Mockingjay, a hybrid of a mocking bird and a jabber jay, has become her representation, a symbol of their support to the uprising that is about to take place because of Katniss unconscious but witty action in the first book “Hunger Games” where she defied the authoritarian regime of Panem.

This show of defiance stokes the fire of rebellion and the Mockingjay insignia became a symbol of the revolution and of hope in toppling the oppressive regime.

We saw the power of symbols in Da Vinci Code and immediately fell in love with Robert Langdon. Even in the movie American Treasure we fell in love with Nicholas Cage character. In real life, the color yellow symbolizes hope and catapulted PNOY to power in the Philippines.

I know this may have been discussed a lot of times but in events one of the ingredients to make it successful are symbols that create connections with its target audience. One of the symbols or the most important symbol of all is the logo of the event. It maybe trivial to some but to those who knows well a logo that sinks inside the target markets consciousness create a very formidable contribution to the positive results of the event.

Symbols cannot be encapsulated by a number of beautifully stringed words. It lives and grows inside each and every attendee in an event or expo.

This is why I am very thankful for”Catching Fire” for reaffirming in me what I have already known. Now I am in a waiting mode as to when will the third sequel of the book will land in the Philippines that will be one of the best days of my life in the year 2010.

The celebration is slated this August 16-20, 2010 at the Universidad De Manila Auditorium.

The activity will be free and open to the public which will showcase different business topics and livelihood skills that can be readily use for earning money.

It will also have free certificate of completion to those who have completed the event.

The battle cry is well written in everyone’s running shirt’s back, it will remind you each time you are about to give-up. There are 4,000 runners and on this fine day, each has reasons why they decided to participate in this great event.


I am talking about the Milo 34th National Marathon an annual event that exhibits runners and Filipino spirit of tenacity and bayanihan. This year the event is dedicated to giving shoes to less fortunate children in the provinces.

Each runner participating is equal to a pair of shoe to a child. I feel honoured that I have joined the event, that a child will have a shoes because of my participation is satisfying.

This is the reason we make this event an EXLINK event, all the members of the organization are obligated to join the event. It is an event that has a social call, and we can only say yes to this great call.

Of course, the branding of MILO in this event will go down to the deepest recesses of our hearts and minds because it is more that an event for profit. It is an exhibit of an organization that takes care and make sure that its social responsibilities are performed.

Congrats to the MILO Event Organizer! However, just one thing, I hope that the baggage counter will be orderly next year. Some of the EXLINK staff got trapped in the stampede because of this area.

Oh well, this minor improvement will not diminish the experience to be part of this event.

See you again next year!

 
 
 
 

Last time around I talked about how critical is managing time gaps in an event. I was elated that after writing that article a great example took place during the National Marketing Conference where I attended.

Ms. Matec Villanueva, Chairman of Publicis Manila, one of the speakers, showed a lot of creativity in not getting caught in those time gaps. The situation is this, when it was her turn to speak, her powerpoint presentation encountered a technical problem. It is not projecting in the big screen. A lot of time was spent trying to trouble shoot the problem. Alas, the trouble shooting activity took a lot of time from her presentation before it was projected to the screen.

However, instead of losing the energy of the audience, Ms. Matec Villanueva told a lot of stories, crack jokes and, even, dance to the enjoyment of the crowd as it gets involved with the antics of Ms. Villanueva. When everything is already ok, the audience is more pumped up and involved to Ms. Villanueva. It is like the speaker became a personal friend and her presentation became a casual conversation between two people.

She expressed why she hates encountering technical problems during presentation that is she does not like dead air.

I guess dead air brings more intensity to the meaning of time gaps. It brings more the emotion of enervation or a state of stagnation to a much more serious and deeper consequence.

Yes, dead air! We do not like it during events, therefore, we must labor hard to avoid this for taking over our events which we painstakingly created to be possible.

You created a great concept and content for your event but placed in a situation where the next speaker is not yet ready, the stage is being fixed and, suddenly, dead silence emanates followed ebbing of the audience energy to the lowest level takes place.


Most of the times, this is what happen. We do our Daily Run Sheet but forgot to give special attention to time gaps that always happen in between topics or during breaks. We forgot to consider that in this critical period an enervating inertia may take place. Inertia that makes us slips within our hands the attention of the audience. Even, sadly, sometimes, we are judged because of this area which is critical but overlooked.

So next time that you are creating your Daily Run Sheet, make sure that you give a special attention on time gaps that take place inside your event and give it creative ways with the objective of maintaining the audience energy created at the start of your event. For sure, handling the time gaps properly will help you sustain the energy until the end of your event.

Since the explosion of the vast frontier of the internet many have attempted to conquer this new space. Some called it the white space, a new battlefield that everybody is magnetized. It is a space that gave birth to millions of jobs and new millionaires.


I myself is still trying to grasp the enormity of this new space. I myself is trying to make sense of this unique animal that when tamed can give enormous wealth.

Good thing that there is an event slated tomorrow that will introduce us to some of the peculiarities of Google’s adwords – one of the most important moneymaking tool in the internet.

It is a two day affair that may happen again next year, and it’s a very long time if that is the case. So I invite you to attend this opportunity and grab every bite of what you can learn. Definitely, it will be a big help.

The event takes place in Crown Plaza Ortigas, you may walk-in or call tel# 643-3887. The investment rate is P10, 595 + vat.

Speakers are from Singapore, they are Simon Leung and Fabian Lim. They are both experts in internet marketing, so the time you spent hearing them is worth it.

See you there and let us exchange knowledge in this once in a lifetime event.

Last Sunday was Father’s Day and oh boy the traffic in Julia Vargas Avenue is so horrible it's tail went as far as C5 Rd. So while I am on the driver seat contemplating why we have this kind of Sunday, I resigned to the truth that all fathers are going out of their way to treat or be treated by their families.

After waiting for almost an hour and finishing a plastic pack of Nagaraya, we reached the mall of our destination. A sigh of relief covered my face after the ordeal. The left part of my body is almost numb because of the shifting movements I must do to interchangeably push the break and clutch pedal (Oh well a small discomfort for this kind of celebration).

We went to church and after it comes the moment we all have been waiting for - to watch Toy Story 3. It’s been quite a while, if I do recall, watching Toy Story 1 and 2, so I am very curious how the plot develops on its third serving. I am also nervous that my expectations for the movie will not be met and I will end-up regretting the day’s celebration which is for people of my kind.

Again, we encountered long lines, but luckily because of the Citibank promo I ended lining-up to a lane for this purpose only, and thank God, it is very short and comfortable. I feel sorry to those who have to battle lines that are 30 to 40 people deep just to have a ticket – but that is another story.

I and my family proceeded to watch Toy Story 3; I can only express happiness for reconnecting again with Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the gang. It is hilarious (I remember laughing many times in different scenes), and dramatic (I try to avoid being drown into sadness, however the scenes crafted for this emotions are so powerful I can't help but be swept away).

After watching the movie, there are 3 important lessons that was etched into my mind:

1. Family Stick Together No Matter What

Wood, Buzz and the rest of the gang are a family. Despite the situation that was given to Woody, he never left his family even if the opportunity to be with Andy, who is going to college,  is a very enticing proposition.

The sense of family shown in Toy Story is very applicable to organizations. In an organization, most of the time, there is no blood connection but if members of the group stays together to pursue the goals agreed upon, in the end everything will be fine, just like in the movie. Goals are achieved and members are happy.

2. Loyalty and Being Responsible Goes Together

Despite Andy’s biological changes, Woody remained loyal to Andy as a toy even if he is seldom being played anymore by Andy. He also shows that his Loyalty means that he must defend Andy to the criticisms of his “family”. He showed that you can only be loyal if you performed the role assigned to you responsibly.
In this situation being a responsible part of Andy's toy. For these traits, Woody was rewarded and Andy's most favorite toy.

As members of an organization, we are put to test with our loyalty be performing the duties that we have responsibly. We cannot declare that we are loyal to our company or family then stab them at the back by criticizing them to non-members of the organization.

Just like in the telenovela Queen Seon Dok, followers of the opposing power holders follow and perform their assigned duties for their leaders.

Simply put, we can never declare ourselves loyal if we will not perform our responsibilities.

3. Changes is inevitable, Adaptation is necessary

When Woody and Buzz’s group accepted that they must move forward because of the changes that took place with Andy, a better opportunity fell into their hands. They found a new owner that will love them the same way they were loved by Andy.

In life, changes is inevitable and the faster we embrace it the better we can see the opportunities that changes bring to fore.

There are other lessons that I have learned in watching this very enjoyable movie. All the hassles that we encountered before watching this movie are erased and trivial because of the benefits that we reaped.

No wonder Toy Story 3 is the number one movie to date worldwide.

There is only one thing that I disagree in the movie, the part where Ken declares he is not a girl’s toy (LOL). Just kidding.

I suggest that you should watch this movie. It is one event that your attendance is a must!

Now that the dust of the election campaign has settled it is time to buckle down to work.

Base on all economic indicators, like consumer price index and GNP, all is looking up. However , before anything else. Before we are drown into celebration, I would just like to request that President Noynoy Aquino and his government should prioritize in creating an International Caliber Airport.

Yes! An Airport that will awe the tourist visiting in our country. An airport that will symbolize our resurgence as a country that will grab the economic opportunity the changing world offers.

Each time I go out of the country, there is always that gnawing feeling that our airport is one of those lagging behind our Asian neighbours and the world. I know the same sentiment is shared by other Filipinos who wanted to showcase how great our country is in terms of tourism and doing business here.

No wonder our tourist visitors last year is only at three million while our Asian neighbours generated as high as 14 Million.

It is not rocket science, if we do not have the facility and infrastructure to welcome visitors we will not have visitors. Tourist visitors that can promote our country thru world of mouth when they get back home to their respective countries. Business tourists that can be encouraged to set-up shop in our country.

Even our three million visitors are mostly comprise of Balikbayans. A sad reality that does not augur well to our country.

We are declaring that we are embracing globalization and yet we are not doing anything to improve the access of our country to the rest of the world who are very eager to get inside, provided there is ease of access and security.

President Noynoy I know that the past government will leave you a big budget deficit. But please do not make it as an excuse not to create an International Airport – the country’s welcome lobby to the world.

I once attended an event welcoming a new tourism official, she said that our country is the heart of Asia. I like that and I hope the rest of the world can personally know that the Heart of Asia truly is something worth seeking and immersing for.

But only if the heart provides an accessible door way for those willing to enter – an Airport that is.

I have a young team that youthfullness is what we can boast as our strength! Youth being the same as energy and passion.

Being in the event industry, it is a plus factor. However, the challenge is how to realize the potential of the team. The potential is there but to harness it and convert it to results that is the journey that we all have to take. Together we need to discover ourselves.

Our organization's culture and values are very much the heart of our edge in the competition. We do business for our country. We do business to grow this country to one of the most admired nation in the world, particularly in the business events category.

But first and foremost, youthfullness must be blended with maturity, to which we are now focusing our efforts alongside maintaining our service with our esteemed clients.

I don't know if I sound Greek. I hope that I am no over generalizing so as to make this discussion go to a plain that is perched in the philosophical. I don't want that! What I want is how to convert the fire in the eyes of our young group to a productive force that will serve our clients and achieve our vision.

Our vision is to be one of the best Business Event Organizer in Asia not to feel our egos but to generate business in our country and make the outsider consider the Philippines as one of their business destination.

There are others like us, but for now I am concern about our group. Hopefully as I write, all of the members of my organization is on the same page.

No matter what, right now we will meet head on what is in front of us!