by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 10, 2023 | Real Estate
Two Filinvest Alabang Inc (FAI) projects were awarded gold recognitions at the recently held Property and Real Estate Excellence Awards organized by the Philippine chapter of the Paris-based International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI). Filinvest City, FAI’s flagship township in Alabang took home the Gold award under the Sustainable Development category while Filigree’s Botanika Nature Residences, its ultraluxury condominium, bagged Gold under the Residential Mid-Rise category.
Filinvest City Gold award acceptance led by (L-R) FIABCI World president-elect Budiarsa Sastrawinata, FIABCI-Philippines president Arch. Nestor Mangio, Filinvest Alabang Inc (FAI) president and COO Catherine Ilagan, FAI first vice president Don Ubaldo, and FIABCI-Philippines chairman Dr. Reghis Romero II.
The awards recognize FAI’s dedication to creating resilient, future-ready, and people-focused communities that can be enjoyed by many generations. “As we mark our 30th anniversary this year, we continue to be committed to our mission of building communities that are sustainable and people-centric,” shares Catherine Ilagan, FAI President and COO. “Our ultimate goal is to make all of our developments really experiential and engaging, supporting healthier and more fulfilled lifestyles, with Filinvest City and Botanika serving as our flagship projects,” she adds.
Botanika Nature Residences Gold award acceptance headed by (L-R) FIABCI World president-elect Budiarsa Sastrawinata, FIABCI-Philippines president Arch. Nestor Mangio, FAI first vice president Daphne Sanchez, FAI president and COO Catherine Ilagan, and FIABCI-Philippines chairman Dr. Reghis Romero II.
With global and local recognition certifying its efforts in building a green central business district in Alabang, Muntinlupa, Filinvest City’s FIABCI gold award further affirms Filinvest City’s commitment to sustainability. Other green recognitions include its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEEDv4 Gold for Neighborhood Development (LEEDv4 ND) certification by the US Green Building Council in 2020 and, more recently, its 3-star Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (BERDE) Districts Certification by the Philippine Green Building Council–making Filinvest City the first & only Philippine CBD to be accorded with these two certifications.
“We have taken the big leap years ago when Filinvest Development Corporation Founder Mr. Andrew L. Gotianun, Sr. envisioned a sustainable and future-ready CBD and established FAI to transform the Alabang stock farm into what Filinvest City is today. All these awards and certifications prove that we have been doing this right from the start and that there are alternatives to the accustomed way of building cities in the metro,” Don Ubaldo, FAI’s First Vice President for townships, says.
Filigree’s Botanika Nature Residences took home the FIABCI Gold award under the Residential Mid-Rise category.
The way that Botanika Nature Residences combines aesthetics and functionality while embedding energy efficiency into its design sets it different from other upscale residential buildings. A flagship project of Filigree, FAI’s brand of high-end residential developments, Botanika’s promise of authentic green living is seen beyond its interior as it harmoniously co-exists with its environs.
Approximately 70% of its total land area is dedicated to gardens and open breathing spaces, while the building itself, covering 30% of the land, was designed to respect and complement its natural surroundings being located at the most exclusive portion of Filinvest City. On top of the FIABCI gold award, Botanika is also a 4-star BERDE-certified development, and just last year was recognized as the first H+W (Health and Well-being – Pilot Version) 3-stars Certified residential building by the Philippine Green Building Council.
“As the post-pandemic world takes shape, there is a growing need for space that keeps people close to the center of activities while also allowing them to retreat to a sanctuary of greenery and clean air at any time to safeguard and promote their health and well-being. Botanika Nature Residences guarantee a stress-free, healthier suburban lifestyle,” says Filigree deputy head and FAI First Vice President Daphne Sanchez.
The company’s thrust to fostering a culture of innovation and development has also been recognized through the awards received by Filinvest Development Corporation President and CEO, and Filinvest Land Inc. CEO Josephine Gotianun-Yap. She is named FIABCI’s first Property Woman of the Year and is the first woman to receive the Real Estate Personality of the Year award in the Philippines Property Awards by Property Guru last year.
To know more about Filinvest City and Botanika Nature Residences, visit filinvestcity.com and filigree.com.ph.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 7, 2023 | Book Reviews
I am trying really hard to appreciate Bullied By My Alpha Stepbrother by Joy Apens. As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I hate bullies and bullying in any form but I gave this story a shot because I was curious to see how the author would develop the romance between the lead characters.
Having read so many bully romances I was prepared for the male lead, Hardin, to be Jasmine’s bully. What I didn’t anticipate was how many times he sexually assaulted her. I’m sorry, is this supposed to be okay? We are just supposed to accept that since Hardin and Jasmine are the lead characters no matter what happens it is okay because they may end up together.
Pardon me, but there is nothing right about sexual assault, whether it is something as “minimal” as fondling or all the way to penetration. IT IS NOT OKAY.
As a story arc and trigger, I get it, especially at the beginning when they don’t know each other and Hardin is still horribly bitter. But 25 chapters in and it is still happening? And Jasmine is still not reporting it? How is this right? Like most prolific readers I immerse myself in the story and embed myself in the character. This means that I put myself in Jasmine’s persona and I am not okay with being violated repeatedly.
He called her a slut, whore, etc., took her virginity, and all she can do EVER is cry. SIGH. Victim mentality.
I know at some point in the future we will see a change of heart with Hardin and he will somehow fall for her. At some point, it will probably be revealed that they are mates. Fyi, at the part I’m at there isn’t any sign so I don’t even know if the author will allow for fated mates or if this is a human-like romance in a werewolf romance setting.
At the moment, I don’t ever want them to be together. I want Jasmine to end up with Lorenzo. In her shoes, I would never forgive someone who has done what he has been doing. It doesn’t matter if her body responds. If the girl you are with is saying NO and crying the entire time (even if she is supposedly wet) that means her mind does not agree. It is still rape.
IT IS NOT OKAY. If you are curious and want to weigh in, you can find Bullied By My Alpha Stepbrother by Joy Apens on several reading apps including Goodnovel, where I found it.
I finally caught up to the latest chapter (Chapter 37 as of this update). It is her birthday and, what does Hardin do? He rapes her. SERIOUSLY?!? And this is a romance novel? Even if it categorized as a dark romance I think there has to be a cap on how much abuse a girl can take.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 6, 2023 | Book Reviews
To be honest I have mixed feelings about Tasting All My Mates by Alexis Dee mainly because I’m also reading Sharing Beatrice, which I recently reviewed and it follows the same formula. A young Omega girl is rejected by her first mate and finds several mates soon after who all happen to already live together, then realizes she isn’t like other Omegas … that she has powers other wolves do not possess.
For several chapters onwards none of her mates are willing to accept her and even go out of their way to mock and bully her. One particular mate is kinder than the rest but also does not accept her. All her mates at some point are willing to accept her if she agrees to reject the rest.
Names are different, and the setting is different, but the story flow is more or less the same. What probably makes this story slightly different is that Enya, the female lead character has a stronger backbone than Beatrice at the beginning of the story.
To be fair, Tasting All My Mates was supposedly written first so, if anything, this is the template for Sharing Beatrice. The story has potential and, yes, despite how expensive it is, I have spent money to read more chapters just to see if it gets better. If you are a fan of serialized TV shows, that is more or less the experience you get when reading this book. Each chapter feels like an episode of a TV show.
So far I’m on chapter 94 and she hasn’t tasted a single mate, lol! For the grammar nazis out there (like me!) beware of all the grammatical and spelling errors. Believe me, there are a LOT! That aside, if you can get passed that, the story has a lot of potential … just don’t read it at the same time as Sharing Beatrice like I am doing or you will not be able to help but see. the parallels. 😀
If you would like to check this story out yourself, you can find it on the iReader app.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 5, 2023 | Events
In partnership with Radyo Kalusugan, Glam and Fab and Dear Self Aesthetic and Wellness Center‘s The Beauty Mission Dermatological Care, the clinic’s first-ever medical mission, was successfully conducted last February 8, 2023, in Payatas Bistekville 5 Covered Court.
With the objective to provide free basic skin treatment and consultation to those who are financially challenged, GNF and DS made sure to give top-of-the-line services and skin and wellness guidance to everyone in attendance.
Registered nurses and professional aesthetician gives free consultation to residents of Payatas.
“We would like to provide aesthetic services to communities, with further focus on those who may not have access to these services due to financial difficulties,” Ms. Anne Garalde, Branch Owner and Medical Mission Project Manager, said.
This is also said to be a lot different from other medical missions being conducted in communities. “We know that there are a lot of agencies and companies who conduct medical missions already, we want ours to be different and to focus more on problems that are usually not addressed but definitely something to be discussed and cured,” Ms. Krystal Tecson-Garalde, founder of both brands, said in an interview.
Almost 500 individuals participated in the said medical mission. Each of them received free consultation and brought home free products based on the recommendation of the resident nurse and aestheticians to address specific concerns.
Moreover, participants also had sessions on proper skin care and nutrition-related topics to further promote health and wellness in their community.
“We are providing free skin consultation with the help of our professional aestheticians and registered nurses. We are also offering educational sessions on proper skin care and nutrition because we believe that these are critical components of skincare and wellness,” Ms. Anne Garalde added.
The first and definitely not the last
“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa Glam and Fab at Dear Self, sa pagpunta po nila sa lugar namin. Kakaibang medical mission po ito, so halos lahat kami dito gusto ma-experience, sana po maulit po ulit,” Aling Pinky, one of the event participants, cheerfully responded when asked about her reaction.
Residents of Payatas get professional advice from Glam and Fab x Dear Self
Overall, the event was well-received. Participants were very happy with the personalized attention and care provided by the professionals. Everyone left the medical mission feeling more confident and beautiful which is also one of the objectives of GNF and DS – to uplift everyone’s confidence in themselves through self-care.
“Their participation in this medical mission makes them one notch away from other boutiques and skin clinics,” Mr. Gil Aller, Host of Kalikasan at Kalusugan, Radyo Kalusugan, mentioned in their radio show last February 22, 2023.
Glam and Fab and Dear Self Aesthetic and Wellness Center’s participation in medical missions stem from their belief in the importance of giving back to the community and helping those in need.
They plan to continue participating in medical missions and other community outreach programs in the future.
Glam and Fab and Dear Self Aesthetic and Wellness Center advocate for an affordable healthy skincare routine for all. Call 0272543723 for a FREE Consultation.
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by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 4, 2023 | Book Reviews
The love lives of celebrities are always titillating news for fans everywhere. Never More Than Enemies by Veronica Adler is a story about two actors who fall in love. Madelaine was cast as the lead female character in the West End play written by her grandmother many years ago called Betrayal. Unbeknownst to her, the director was replaced at the last minute by her nemesis, Gabriel, who also plays opposite her in the play. Gabriel’s father was the director of Betrayal the first time it ran on the West End many years ago.
Madelaine and Jack, Gabriel’s younger brother, are best friends. Gabriel’s animosity towards Madelaine stems from the fact that he thinks she is a bad influence on him and is likely to put Jack’s life in danger. She can’t really blame him as she did have episodes with recreational drugs, alcohol, and driving fast cars in the past, and Jack just went along with everything.
This story is a slow burn. 25 chapters in and they are still fighting but we can see that it is partially because of their struggle in resisting each other. When they finally reluctantly acknowledge that they have feelings for each other, the next challenge is keeping it a secret from everyone else.
Their romance is titillating but if you are not a fan of the slow burn, this might frustrate you. I, for one, enjoyed it because I found it interesting that once they acknowledged how they felt for each other, they worked just as hard to defend and take care of each other secretly. Thankfully, the secret was not from their family and friends, only from the rest of the world.
If you want to check out Never More Than Enemies by Veronica Adler you can find it on Amazon for $3.99 or free with Kindle Unlimited.
I am trying really hard to appreciate Bullied By My Alpha Stepbrother by Joy Apens. As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I hate bullies and bullying in any form but I gave this story a shot because I was curious to see how the author would develop the romance between the lead characters.
To be honest I have mixed feelings about Tasting All My Mates by Alexis Dee mainly because I’m also reading 
The love lives of celebrities are always titillating news for fans everywhere. Never More Than Enemies by Veronica Adler is a story about two actors who fall in love. Madelaine was cast as the lead female character in the West End play written by her grandmother many years ago called Betrayal. Unbeknownst to her, the director was replaced at the last minute by her nemesis, Gabriel, who also plays opposite her in the play. Gabriel’s father was the director of Betrayal the first time it ran on the West End many years ago.
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