Cebuanos Find Around the Clock Hangout in Tom N Toms Coffee

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Viewed from outer space, Metro Cebu is one of the few places in the Philippines outside Metro Manila that shines bright at night amidst a sea of darkness.

With the recently opened Tom N Toms Coffee, the first in Cebu and the second in the country, Cebuanos have found a round the clock hangout fulfilling the demand of a cosmopolitan haven that has grown to ignore sleep.

“With Cebu’s dizzying growth, more and more are staying up until the odd hours. Tom N Toms Coffee is open 24 hours to serve a growing number of Cebuanos who are taking part in the Metro’s prosperity,” said Tom N Toms Cebu General Manager Jose Mari Alba.

The world-famous Korean coffee chain, the top brand in South Korea based on the number of stores, opened just last September 8 at The Greenery on Pope John Paul II Avenue, Kasambagan, Mabolo.

“Coffee lovers who need a cozy place to stay beyond midnight will find Tom N Toms to be an ideal place,” said Alba. The Cebu location follows the opening of Tom N Toms first branch last year in Bacolod.

Alba anticipates the coffee shop to be popular with millennials hanging out with friends all night, professionals, BPO workers, and others who work night shifts, adding Tom N Toms boosts the visible rise of a number of coffee shops with its 24-hour service.

Tom N Toms offers the usual variety of coffee drinks, espressos, frappes, smoothies, pretzels and snacks. But the shop also offers other amenities such as strong wifi, cozy seats, free charging, and a wide assortment of food from baked goods to healthy picks and heavy meals.

“Given any coffee shops’ need for a high customer volume to be sustainable, the availability of other food items and special drinks on top of the usual coffee fare around the clock is an advantage for Tom N Toms,” said Alba.

The Tom N Toms Cebu General Manager said the friendly staff of the new coffee chain are looking forward to serving Cebuanos during the busy nights of a progressively sophisticated city that has begun to escape the need for sleep.

AXN Announces World Premiere Date for The Amazing Race Asia Season 5 on October 13 at 9pm

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Get ready for a race like no other as AXN prepares to unleash The Amazing Race Asia Season 5 in its world premiere on October 13 at 9pm.

Adrenaline-fueled action mixed with nail biting drama and comedic overtones sets this 10-episode season apart from the pack as 11 teams from six different countries vie for the winning crown and USD100,000 in cash.

Hailing from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, the teams are an eclectic bunch of brains, brawn and beauty united by their determination to win, while having a bit of fun along the way.

Virginia Lim, Senior Vice President and Head of Content, Production and Marketing, Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia said, “This season is the most dramatic, crazy and surprising yet. It’s a wild, culturally mesmerizing ride against some truly spectacular destinations. One second a team is in the lead, only for another to come out of nowhere to take top spot. It’s anyone’s race!”

During each episode every Thursday at 9pm, AXN viewers can take their place in the middle of the action and interact with celebrity show host Allan Wu and their favorite teams live via social platforms using #AXNTARA and @AXNTARA

“I’m excited to chat with viewers and share the race experience throughout the series. We have created a lot of exclusive race footage that is only available online. It will add a whole new dimension to watching the race as viewers will witness what’s happeningbehind-the-scenes like never before,” said Allan.

The Amazing Race Asia premieres on Thursday, October 13 at 9:00pm, first and exclusively on AXN.

TheAmazingRaceAsiaSeason5issupportedbypresentingsponsorWonderfulIndonesia,andpartnersGarudaIndonesia,GrabandGreatEastern.

Check out www.AXN-Asia.com/TARA for all the latest news on The Amazing Race Asia.

AXN isseen on Cable Link Channel 38, Cignal Digital TV Channel 61, Global Destiny Cable Channel 61, Dream Channel 20, GSat Channel 51, and SKYCable Channel 49.

2nd One Stop Shop Center for OFWs Opens at Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arturo Tugade on Friday (September 16, 2016) led the opening of the 2nd One Stop Shop Center for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) that will fast track government processes especially for overseas workers.

“This is part of President Rodrigo Duterte’s program to provide convenience to our OFWs mostly working in the Middle East and other parts of world, they can now go to Clark to transact their requirements for their convenience,” Bello said.

According to Bello, “this is the 2nd one stop shop center for OFWs established inside Clark Freeport Zone and it is near the Clark International Airport.”

He said that “the requirement is to put up a one stop shop at Clark and at the same provide all the facilities which will include not only the Foreign Affairs, actually the NBI and DOJ as well as the medical facilities to our Kababayans.”

Bello said that they will put up the same centers in other parts of the country such as in San Fernando La Union, Cebu City, Cagayan de Oro and Davao City, adding that the facilities will be completed within the year.

Bello said that Clark Airport is being geared as the next alternative airport to ease decongestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Metro Manila.

“There is now a move to transfer several flights at Clark Airport, and the establishment of the one stop shop in Clark is timely,” he added.

For his part, Tugade also said that the establishment of the One Stop Shop center in Clark is part of the requirements of International carriers especially those from the Middle East wherein OFWs will benefit from this facility in Clark Freeport.

Tugade also said that the facility in Clark will benefit OFws mostly residing in Central and Northern Luzon who flies at Clark International Airport (CRK) in Pampanga.

Tugade said that the one stop shop center is now open and operational for the convenience of the OFWs.

The opening of the facility were also attended by Former President and 2nd District Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda, Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, Catanduanes Congressman Cesar Sarmiento, Former Nueva Ecija Rep. Renato Diaz, CIAC President Alxander Cauguiran and CDC President Noel Manankil.

The DOTr and DOLE took the lead for the establishment of the said Center at Clark. The Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) and the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) also provided support for the establishment of the facility.

The new facility is home to sixteen agencies in a single building located at Clark Polytechnic, just a few kilometers from the Clark International Airport (CRK).

Among the agencies are, the Bureau of Immigration (BI), Philhealth, Pag-Ibig Fund, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Overseas Workers Welfare (OWWA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Social Security System(SSS), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO) and Bayad Center.

The one-stop-shop center will provide services such as the processing of the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), NBI clearances , the processing of Pag-Ibig OFW members contributions, Philhealth payment premium contributions and members registration, SSS registration and membership data amendment including acceptance of loans and benefits claim applications, PSA’s processing and issuance of birth certificate, marriage certificate, death certificate, and CENOMAR.

MARINA’s issuance and revalidation of seamans’ book, issuance of PRC’s professional licenses and TESDA’s issuance of training certifications and applications for scholarship programs will also be facilitated in the Center.

The facility is also equipped with a WiFi internet connection for the convenience of the agencies and the OFWs.