Reviews
The announcement for the New 7 Wonders of the World will be announced in the early months of the year 2012 in an official inauguration ceremony. But as early as now, there is an available provisional list for the new 7 wonders of the world which was based from the first count of vote result last November 11, 2011. It is now being checked and verified by certain individuals to confirm the real winners for the new 7 wonders of the world. There might be a possibility in the list once the winners are confirmed. Here are the alphabetical lists (not based on ranking) of the provisional new 7 wonders of the world.
Amazon. The Amazonia or Amazon Rainforest is located within 9 nations namely Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela. It represents the planet’s remaining rainforest and has the most specie-rich tract of tropical rainforest in the whole world. The Amazon River located in the Amazon is the largest river (by volume) in the world.
Halong Bay
Halong Bay. It is located in Quáng Ninh, Vietnam and features isles in various shapes and size with thousands of limestones karsts. A specific feature of the Halong Bay is the lake that is within the limestone island like the Dau Be Island which has 6 enclosed lakes. Several of the islands in Halong Bay is hallow with enormous caves that has 200 species of fish and 450 different types of mollusks.
Iguazu Falls. Located in Iguazu River in the borders between Argentine Missiones and Brazilian state of Paraná, the Iguazu Falls is one of the largest waterfalls in the world. Devil’s Throat is the tallest with 80m in height among the 275 falls that make up the Iguazu Falls.
Jeju Island. Jejudo is a volcanic island is the smallest province and largest island located in the southern coast of Korea. Hallasan is the tallest mountain and dormant volcano that is the main feature in Jeju Island.
Komodo. Alive and breathing real dragons are located in Komodo National Park Indonesia which makes it to the list of the provisional new 7 wonders of the world. Unlike the fantasy stories of the ancient world, these komodo dragons grow up to three meters long only but considered to be the largest lizards on earth.
Puerto Princesa Underground River
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River. The Puerto Princesa Underground River is one of the famous tourist spot in the Philippines. One of the world’s longest subterranean river that flows through the underground of dramatic caves then coming out into the lagoon with heavenly clear waters that placed it in a spot in the provisional new 7 wonders of the world.
Table Mountain South Africa. Famous for having an iconic peak late looms that has a distinctive flat top located above Cape Town in the foot of Africa which reminds the island of Eigg of Scotland. Table Mountain is the only place on Earth to have a constellation of stars named after it.
By Mini Zamora Arceo
New Cofi Acad! The new Coffee Academy branch at the lobby of AUF Medical Center, Angeles City.
She never thought that her sweet life will ever become sweeter. When she left government service in 2007, she took a risk in business that would eventually give her warmth and joy as well as financial benefits.
In a recent interview with the Flor I. Arrozal, the owner of Coffee Academy, NET@Fia and Essensa Spa, Punto found out that this young woman with three brilliant sons is very much enjoying her life as an entrepreneur. After three years away from public’s eye (she used to be an executive at the MPC-HUDCC-PPMO), Arrozal said she has no regrets in finding a new life with Coffee.
Among all her businesses, she gets elated about her Coffee. While I was taking a sip of Coffee Academy’s delightful Café Mocha, she animatedly recalled how she found a new meaning in putting up the coffee bar and resto in 2007.
“When I decided to put up Coffee Academy, I did some research and study about the coffee industry. And I was very surprised to know that the Philippine Kape Barako is near extinction and our coffee industry, which 200 years ago was among the top five in the world, is fast dying. We are providing only .0012 percent of the world’s requirement for coffee,” she said.
Café Mocha
The reasons for this, she added are tough competition against imported beans and lack of support systems like infrastructure for coffee growers.
So she made it a point to support the local coffee growers and made Kape Barako as the main bean for Coffee Academy’s house blend.
“Our house blend is a concoction of quality beans, all four varieties, locally grown in the Sagada mountains and highlands of Cavite and Batangas. Roasted into perfection and patented for the Coffee Academy. Culinary Exchange is preparing the blend for us. Our syrups and sauces are made from 100 percent sugar cane with no artificial flavouring. We could be among the very few coffee bar which uses Da Vinci Sauces and Syrups, which are made from pure sugar extracts,” she said.
Today, Coffee Academy, which main bar is in Balibago, is already a household name for Angelenos. In a very short span of time, the coffee bar grew in leaps and soon will have another branch in Sindalan, City of San Fernando. Arrozal said the new bar will open by June.
Blackforest Frappe. Coffee Academy’s bestseller
Coffee Academy’s success can be attributed to its finest bestsellers made from the coffee bar’s patented house blend. Café Mocha is an espresso-based chocolate served hot for espresso lovers while the Black Forest is an ice-blended espresso-based frappe. And since Coffee Academy is for the whole family, it serves a non-coffee ice blend Cookies and Cream for children with sweet tooth.
The coffee bar had already expanded its menu. They are now serving sisig, crispy pata, pancit guisado, pansit bihon and other meals the family can enjoy. “Before, customers will dine first somewhere else before going to Coffee Academy for a coffee siesta. But now, they can dine and enjoy the coffee in same place,” Arrozal said.
Also, Coffee Academy’s clientele grew fast because of its 24/7 service. No other coffee bar and resto in the city is open 24 hours a day. Most of the people staying inside Clark Freeport Zone stay at the Coffee Academy, especially during wee hours of the night when all the entertainment establishments in Clark we closed.
“This is our greatest edge. We are 24/7 and we have free WIFI access. Most of our customers are professionals, businessmen and even students. They love the place because they know they can rely on us when they need a place to work or to stay during the wee hours of the day,” she said.
Coffee Academy has another branch at the lobby of Angeles University Foundation Medical Center in Angeles City. You can relax and enjoy the coffee with piano accompaniment during Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. AUF cultural director and art master Sir Boron plays the piano for the hospital residents and Coffee Academy family on the said days.
So next time you think of coffee, cookies, meals and WIFI, try Coffee Academy. The main bar is located in Balibago, Angeles City in front of Marlim Mansions.
Architect Reynolds Basilio
Architect Reynolds Basilio is one of the young urban professionals of the Kapampangan nation who could be credited for reawakening and redefining the tourism industry in this once United States military installation – the Clark Freeport.
At the heart of the Freeport lies one of this young architect’s latest creations – Casino Widus, which recently opened to tourists and guests visiting Clark.
Architect Bas’s design for Casino Widus is centered on a philosophy based on “providing contextual regional design, through a socially conscious and environmentally sensitive approach to the profession of architecture for people and communities.”
According to Bas, his passion for the arts and fondness of appreciating beautiful things are the qualities that keep him striving for perfection.
A high school graduate of the prestigious Don Bosco Academy in Pampanga, Bas earned a degree in architecture at University of Santo Tomas in 1998 and is a licensed architect and member of the United Architects of the Philippines.
Architect R. Basilio
In 2006, Bas and his associates established Club 3 Asia Projects, Inc. – an architectural, interior design and project management company established at City of San Fernando in Pampanga. Bas is the principal architect and one of the founders of Club 3 Asia Projects.
Club 3 Asia Projects, located at Unit 101-C FRDC Bldg., Greenfields in Brgy. Sindalan, boasts of a track record for completing a diverse range of commercial and residential installations using environmentally responsible materials and art finishes.
The company also provides a comprehensive range of quality architectural, planning, interior design and other specialized design services for residential, hotel, and commercial projects.
Architect R. Basilio
Bas also boasts of a comprehensive 13-year career in the field of architecture providing him an experience in a wide range of building types and scales.
But according to Bas, the primary focus of his career has been the design and project management of complex civic projects such as multi-use facilities and intuitions hence, Casino Widus – his latest project which has placed Clark in the prime list of top tourist destinations north of Manila and in the Central Luzon region.
Due to strict attention to detail and for maintaining the highest of standards, Bas and Club 3 Asia Projects have earned a reputation for successfully responding to a diverse clientele and community aspirations.
Today, Club 3 Asia Projects has worked with a range of clients on more than 200 successful and challenging projects in Region 3 and the National Capital Region.
“I firmly believe that design, technical and management disciplines are inseparable and that the success of a project is dependent on the way it has been designed, documented, managed and built by individuals who share a cross-disciplinary understanding of the practice,” said Bas.
Throughout his career, Bas has endeavored to understand and continually improve the process by which his projects are executed. He has, likewise, excelled in situations where, because of the uniqueness of one or more of the project parameters, a default approach to project management cannot be applied and a project-specific process must be designed.
While more projects are expected from Bas and his associates in Club 3 Asia Projects, one thing is sure to be the result of their work: Commitment to innovative and economical design solutions that include sound technical expertise in all phases of the communication, regulatory, management, design and construction process.
About Club 3 Asia Projects
Club 3 Asia Projects, Inc. is committed to providing a personalized and responsive service to its clients. A highly mobile, specialized team is dedicated to each project from initial briefing to completion.
Its talented and experienced team of architects and planners has provided the creative force behind numerous commercial buildings and residential establishments constructed throughout the National Capital Region and the central plains of Luzon.
Club 3 Asia Projects’ philosophy is based on five key architectural principles: Functionality, Personality, Transparency, Intimacy, and Proportion. Since its foundation, the company has developed an original architectural design and exterior spaces in harmony with the site, and with the way of the life of the future inhabitants. [Story by Peter C. Alagos/Photos by Borj Meneses]
Sons of Jupiter
Finding the right name is one of the most challenging tasks of every rock band in history. This is because most of the time, the name tells it all. But of course, there are exceptions.
As for the Sons of Jupiter, a budding all-Kapampangan rock band, expressing their music and identifying the same with their name is not really that hard.
A fusion of the classic blues and rock with distinctive guitar melodies is what inspires the members of the Sons of Jupiter namely Norman Coral (vocals), Richard Garcia (Guitar/Songwriter), Loyd Canoza (Lead Guitar), Michael Marcelo (Bass) and Yul Urbina (Drums).
As their band name suggests, they want to impart powerful and positive music to inspire and excite people rather than sulk on the traditional nostalgic themes of rock songs. In Roman mythology, Jupiter or Jove was the King of the Gods and the god of sky and thunder. He is the equivalent of Zeus in the Greek pantheon.
And Jovian is the adjectival form of Jupiter. The older adjectival form jovial, employed by astrologers in the Middle Ages, has come to mean “happy” or “merry,” moods ascribed to Jupiter’s astrological influence.
Indeed ironic but very interesting. For a solid rock band, seldom you here “feel good” words that pulls the audience into euphoria and peace.
But for this band that was formed in midsummer of 2006, to share the “feel good” spirit is the most important thing they want to accomplish, prior to their dream to stardom.
Having a day job is not a problem with the group. Despite their busy schedules, they find time to improve their craft, refine their music and perform in several gigs or events. Norman is a corporate executive while Richard is a court employee. Mike is an internet-café owner while Loyd is a car-dealer and Yul is into imports and retail trading.
All-Kapampangan rock band
They will be launching their first album soon titled “SONS of JUPITER” with sub-title “Ikaw,” the carrier single of the 12-track music album.
One of the songs in the album is “Winds of Seasons,” which was chosen as a “Standout track of the week” by NU 107’s In the Raw, The Home of New Rock, in April 2007.
Winds of Seasons was written by Richard in 1997 while being alone and broke in a remote place called Tabunoc in Talisay, Cebu . Then, Richard recalled how he fought his personal struggles and fears. The song is about life and its harsh realities. The brilliance of the human spirit to conquer such challenges is the message of the song.
Sons of Jupiter was part of Radio Pilipinas Bar Tour 2009, together with other Manila indie bands. They are also part of INDIEPINOY, an organization of independent artists covering a representation of all regions in the country.
Other tracks of their upcoming album include “Superstar,” a song for all “underdogs.” “Jupiter” is about soul-searching, personal faith and relationship with the Great Divine.
The Sons of Jupiter
The great utopia and spiritual enlightenment, Richard said “Top of the World “is about triumph and beauty of success. “Life is like an ocean, you should not swim with the current rather go against the flow and be different because what you do in life echoes in eternity,” Richard said.
Another song, a favorite among many, “Love is a Sunshine” is a song about the goodness of man. Love can put us united and strong while conflicts can put us down and disoriented.
A guaranteed hit for Kapampangans is the song “Queen of San Fernando,” one that is dedicated to all the women of Pampanga and the beauty of Kapampangan culture and heritage. Other songs are “So High,” “Ballad of Maryjane,” “Midnight Blues” and of course, “Ikaw” (Labsong of the year ), the band’s favorite. Ikaw is a certified best love song for all. (Story by M.A.)
