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Creating Wealth Through Real Estate Crash Course in Dubai

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To buy house and lot, to invest in rental apartments, to secure properties… these are some of the common answers to the question, “Why are you working abroad?“
These days, we OFWs, often get a lot of offers and invitations to various investment opportunities such as properties.  Some of us easily sees the value in it, while many remain doubtful.  
It is always best to equip ourselves with the right knowledge to handle these ‘opportunities’ and manage the risks.
‘Creating Wealth Using Real Estate’ aims to contribute in shaping up our minds and guiding us until we’re ready to make the decision – yes or no, and, which property to invest in.
This introductory course is designed for first-time investors who want to make money from real estate, for property investors who are looking for a non biased advice on what property to buy, and for Stock Market investors who want to diversify their portfolio as well.
The 3-part course costs AED60 only.
Here’s what to expect from the modules:

Module 1: Which property to buy?

  • Is investing in rental property for you?
  • Pros and cons of each type of rental properties
  • Advantages of investing in properties
  • Disadvantages of investing in properties
  • Building your team
  • Sources of financing
  • Factors to consider when selecting rental properties

Module 2: How to make money with my property?

  • Doing the numbers
  • Marketing your property
  • Furnishing your property
  • Protect yourself with a solid lease contract
  • Taking care of your tenant
  • Horror property purchase to avoid
  • Lessons learned about rental properties

Module 3: Questions and property tips for offshore Filipino investors


Who will teach us?

Carl Dy is the president of Spectrum Investments, a property portfolio management company. He has over a decade of experience in the real estate industry working for property giant Ayala Land as Sales Director of Ayala Land Primer.

He is continuously building up his property portfolio with an ultimate goal of living on passive income from real estate. He believes that property investment, just like business, is not an automatic money-generating product. One must have a passion for it, create and execute a strategy, and give time and effort for the investment to flourish.

An architect by education, Carl has written articles on property investing and has been featured in MoneySense magazine, Entrepreneur magazine, various broadsheets and in various radio and TV programs including ANC’s On the Money.

Event is organized by Money Talks UAE.

PBA brings Ginebra, Rain or Shine and Globalport to Dubai

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Filipino basketball fans in the UAE have another reason to be happy.  PBA superstar Mark Caguioa, Gilas Pilipinas standout Gabe Norwood and prolific rookie Stanley Pringle are bringing their teams to play two official PBA Governor’s Cup games in Dubai.

The league’s most popular club Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, the formidable Rain or Shine Elastopainters and the beefed up Globalport Batang Pier will surely give the Filipinos a grand treat of Philippine-brand basketball.

Games are scheduled on:

May 21, 2015 – Rain Or Shine vs. Globalport
May 22, 2015 – Rain Or Shine vs. Ginebra 


All games will be played at Al Shabab Al Arabi Club, Mamzar in Dubai (near Century Mall). 

Who’s coming?

If the current team rosters today remain intact come Governors Cup, here are some of the players to watch out in the Dubai games:

Caguioa will be joined by Jayjay Helterbrand to showcase the iconic ‘Fast and Furious’ tandem of the PBA. Twin towers Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter, Mac Baracael, LA Tenorio, Joseph Yeo and Dorian Peña make up the royal lineup of Barangay Ginebra.  Ato Agustin heads the stellar coaching staff which also includes Allan Caidic and Olsen Racela.

Update: Newly-appointed champion coach Frankie Lim will be at the helm when they visit the emirate.

Photo courtesy of InterAKTV

The gutsy squad of coach Yeng Guiao will have Norwood, Raymond Almazan, Jeric Teng, Beau Belga, Ryan Araña, Chris Tiu, Jeff Chan, and Paul Lee among other Elastopainters.

Photo courtesy of InterAKTV

The sensational rookie Pringle will be supported by Terrence Romeo, Ronjay Buenafe, Denok Miranda and the newly-acquired Doug Kramer and Billy Mamaril for Globalport.  The cerebral interim head coach Eric Gonzales will still call the shots for Batang Pier unless a new coach gets appointed prior to the third conference.

Update: Pido Jarencio reassumed the head coaching job at the end of Commissioners Cup.

All teams will also be parading 2 imports – the traditional Governor’s Cup imports and the Asian reinforcements. This will be the first time that natural Asian-born imports will be playing in the league.

It will be Ginebra’s 4th and Rain Or Shine’s 2nd trip to play official games in Dubai.

This sporting event is produced by FilPro Business Center and organized by Clique Events in cooperation with blckmarket international and partnership with TV5.

Please follow this Facebook Page for tickets and more info.

What did some passengers at Dubai Airport receive from Coke?

Ion
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Coca-cola strikes again! As part of the #WishUponACoke campaign, the generous and genius Coke team surprised select boarding passengers at the Dubai International Airport – passengers who were worrying not able to carry all of their presents for the holidays because they exceeded the baggage limit.

The passengers are travelling to the Philippines, India and other South Asian countries.

Coke agents approached the passengers at the Excess Baggage area handling them 500ml bottles with the special red labels. The labels, peeled, double as an excess baggage tag, allowing them to carry extra 5 kilos of ‘pasalubong,‘ of happiness.
Here’s the video:

My New Year’s Race-solution

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There’s this one very unpleasant observation many of us commonly receive when returning home and meeting old friends and families, “Tumaba ka ah!”

The assumption that many Filipinos in Dubai go back home with “extra baggage” has become common.  Well, it probably shows. But the growing popularity of recent running events in the emirates could prove this notion wrong.

Last month at the #WeRunDXB 10K race, Filipinos formed a huge chunk of the eight thousand strong crowd. Running, apparently, is also a big hit as it is back home.

The primary reason I joined the run is to introduce a sustainable physical activity and to bring balance to my otherwise, very hectic lifestyle.  The discipline, the values I gain from training inspire me to do the same in other aspects of my life.

The beginner in me has quickly discovered great things about running. In addition to the obvious health and fitness benefits, I feel an improvement in my well-being as a whole. Unlike before where stress beats me up, running relieves me from it.   My mind feels very refreshed and relaxed.

A few friends discouraged to join the run as it is not my field and it might be bad for my knees and worsen the pain in my joints. Well, it didn’t! It may not be easy in the beginning but eventually the body pains went away and I feel conditioned.

I’m happy to see thousands of people running with the same motivation. New Year’s resolutions are always full of wishes to get fitter and healthier.  If you’re one of the hopefuls, you might as well try running.  It’s not costly and you can do it at a park near you.  And best of all, your competition is yourself.

Participating in a running event is fun and friendly too. You’d be surprised at what you can achieve.  I will be joining the Dubai Marathon again this month. So see you at the start!

So, hopefully, the next time you go home, your friends will then say, “Wow sexy mo na!“

Illustrado

You’ll love Crab Craze at Benjarong, Dusit Thani Dubai

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Sawasdee!

In a crab shell or, a nutshell, Benjarong’s first offering of their Crab Craze goes beyond your traditional crab festival. This promotion boasts of 6 appetizing crab dishes prepared with a touch of subtle royalty.

I came prepared to crack shells and clippers.  I expected to get my hands busy and messy, but actually it’s not. No hammering, no cracking throughout the night – not in this Crab Craze. The dishes were served out of the shell or partially cracked and ready to eat. Very suitable for a low light yet elegant ambiance of the restaurant.

Benjarong is an award-wining restaurant situated at the 24th floor of Dusit Thani Hotel. It offers gorgeous views of the Sheikh Zayed Road skyline, the Burj Khalilfa at the Downtown side and the Financial District, whilst serving the unforgettable flavors of Royal Thai cuisine. The restaurant’s majestic interior resembles the royal dining halls of King Rama IV, and the gentle sounds of classically trained Thai musicians add to the authenticity of this unique dining experience.

With the elegance, you may be thinking this must be pricey.  Well, not really. The prices only range from AED 35 to AED 75 and are already inclusive of municipality fees and service charges.

Pu-Ja

Pu-Ja is a deep-fried crab meat and minced chicken in a crab shell with sweet chili sauce.  This reminds me of a lean ‘embutido‘ stuffed in a shell.  The concoction of chicken and crab with select Thai herbs makes it heavenly. It was an instant favorite.
Price: AED 35

Som Tum Punim

Som Tum Punim is made of spicy green papaya salad with crispy soft shell crab.  I thought it could be compared to ‘atsara,’ but the green papaya shreds are really spicy for me. Mix it up with the fried soft shell crab and we have a good combo.
Price: AED 45

Gaeng Som Puma Normai Dong

Gaeng Som Puma Normai Dong is a hot and sour curry with blue crab and sour bamboo shoot. I’m not much a fan of hot and sour soups but this one goes well with the white rice – lots of white rice that is.  I should’ve paused after that spicy papaya shreds before having a mouthful of another spicy bite.
Price: AED 70

Pu Pad Prig Gaeng

Pu Pad Prig Gaeng is a stir-fried Alaska King Crab with  red curry paste, string beans and sweet basil.  Another dish I like with lots of white rice.  I think the flavor of its paste/gravy comes out very well with rice.
Price: AED 75

Sen Jun Pad Pun

Sen Jun Pad Pu is a fried rice noodles with crab meat.  Its flat noodles suggest that it has resemblance with Pad Thai. No. It doesn’t have a strong saucy flavor, but the crab on top of the noodles fits well for the overall.
Price: AED 55

Lon Pu-Kem

Lon Pu-Kem is a salted crab in coconut cream dip served with vegetables. Looking at the presentation though, it’s like the other way around – a veg salad platter with it as a dip.
Price: AED 65

Indeed a classic line-up of Thai cuisine specials, great for crab lovers!

Thanks to renowned Chef Narue Mol Poolkuan, who has been personally serving many royal Thai families until today, for generously introducing every dish she prepared for us that night.

Miang Kham

Oh, before the crabs, we had a taste of a traditional Thai street snack, an appetizer called Miang Kham. The name means, “eating many things in one bite.”  Ground nuts, some little dried veggies (or fruits?) and roasted coco shreds were on top of the leaf.  Rolled it and finished in 3 bites.

Green Curry Chicken

We were also served with Green Curry Chicken. A bonus I must say. Who could resist Thai green curry?

Did I say I finally had a taste of an authentic and fresh coconut juice? Yes indeed! Welcome to Thailand in Dubai!

Always a favorite (don’t call it Buco juice, they don’t know that)

The ending? Oh well, Mango and Sticky Rice lang naman. This was one of the best sticky rice I’ve ever tasted, and the mango was fresh and sweet! Perfecto!


The hospitality of the staff adds warmth to the experience.  We were welcomed with wai – the traditional Thai greeting wherein they slightly bow and join their palms together like in a prayer.  They did it again when we were leaving, apparently to express gratitude. The servers, chef, the management… they were all smiles from start to finish.

Traditional Thai music and performances also in the house

Note!
The Crab Craze ends on 31st January so you better do your reservations and never let this experience pass.

It is available lunch time 12 – 3pm, and dinner, 7 -11pm, again, until 31 JANUARY 2015 only.

You won’t go wrong with Benjarong, so book it at Dusit!
Follow them on Facebook and Instagram to learn more of this and their future offerings.

with Sheila, Chef Narue Mol, Carla, Doc Gelo and Kenneth
I had a magnificent time with fellow bloggers so please do check their reviews as well:

Pinoy Fiesta 2015 promises quality time and fun

Ion
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Latest update (29-Jan) – Side-A, Aiza Seguerra and K Brosas are not showing up for Pinoy Fiesta 2015. The show will go on with Kim Chiu and Paulo Avelino – follow the event page on Facebook to learn more.

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What do we get when stars from drama, romance, comedy and renowned musical acts come together in one show?

F I E S T A!

An official event of the 20th anniversary of Dubai Shopping Festival, Pinoy Fiesta 2015 promises a variety of fun and quality musical entertainment show as Kim Chiu, Paulo Avelino, Aiza Seguerra, K Brosas and Side A prepare a grand treat for the Filipino community in UAE.

Pinoy Fiesta happens on Friday, 30th January 2015 at Zabeel Park Amphitheatre. In addition to the stellar line-up, there will be side events that all ages could enjoy. Kids below 7 years old enter free.

If you’ve been living in the Emirates for so long, this event would reconnect you to our brand of entertainment. So shall we meet the stars?

Kim Chiu is busy with her TV and film projects as usual. One of the most significant development for her young career happened recently when her childhood dream becomes a reality. She will be part of an upcoming Disney project in Southeast Asia this year. Her recent photo shoot in a Mulan costume hints that she will play the role.

Here she is inviting us to the event. How sweeter could an invitation be?

Paulo Avelino‘s elimination from Starstruck did not stop him from pursuing his dreams. After playing supporting roles in GMA, he transferred to ABS-CBN where his popularity soared higher.  He has been leaving indelible marks to millions of viewers of his latest TV soaps. He is now one of the most versatile actors in this generation.

Here he is inviting us to the event:

Side A is no doubt an icon of longevity in the music industry. The band will surely bring us back in time when we had our first love, first heart break, first of everything and moments of moving on. Admit it, there will always be at least one Side-A hit that always strikes you when you hear it. How about a live reminiscence huh?

Here’s the band inviting us to the event:

Aiza Seguerra as we all know never fail to create masterful acoustic songs. Look back ten years ago, you might have told yourself “pagdating ng panahon baka ikaw din at ako…” to someone. She is also doing great in her recent acting gigs on TV. Flexible indeed!

 Here’s her invitation:

I call K Brosas the “ambassador of the homesick.” Man, when she starts, she don’t just own the stage, she could own the whole arena! One of the most viral comedy videos in social media are hers. I’m pretty sure you have stumbled upon many of them and had laughed out loud. I can’t wait to watch her perform live.  Yes, this comedy diva can belt out too!

What else to expect at the Fiesta?

Kid Zone by Etisalat promises fun for the little ones with face painting, balloon bending, jugglers games and prizes. There will also be basketball shoot-out competitions courtesy of Anta.

For tickets, call 052-873-0015, or see the poster above for more options.

  • VVIP – AED 300 (with meet and greet for the first 300 buyers)
  • VIP – AED 228
  • Platinum – AED 148
  • Gold – AED 88

NLEX ready to win in Dubai; Interview with Asi Taulava, Mac Cardona, KG Canaleta

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The NLEX Road Warriors represents the Philippines in this year’s Dubai International Basketball Championship.  We talked to the team ahead of their opening game tonight.

Asi shared how he keeps himself in tip-top shape especially with the challenge of the upcoming PBA Commissioner’s Cup where he sees himself playing against bigger imports.  The team is doing good and the players, coaching staff and management appreciate the efforts of their NBA veteran import, Al Thornton – the results are getting better and better each day.

In addition to preparing for the next PBA conference, Asi assures that this Dubai tilt will be fun. They’re targeting to finish the eliminations in the top 2 for a better road to the playoffs, and eventually win the crown.

Al Thornton was drafted 14th overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2007 NBA Draft.  He averaged 12.7 points per game in his first season in the league. He was selected in the All-NBA Rookie First Team,

After 3 seasons with the Clippers, Thornton moved to Washington Wizards (2010-2011) and the Golden State Warriors (2011).

The following years saw him playing for China Zhejiang Lions and Puerto Rico Guayama Wizards. NLEX Road Warriors will be his 3rd international stop.

Here’s the full video of my interview with the ageless, The Rock himself, Asi Taulava:

Captain Hook, Mac Cardona invites Filipinos to come to Al Ahli Stadium. He’s 100% fit and ready to compete.

KG Canaleta stressed out that one of the main purpose of their participation in this tournament is to further build-up the team chemistry.  The jelling of the team, on and off the court would be a great factor to develop, especially with the new import and a bunch of rookies.

Rookie and former NCAA scoring machine, Juneric Baloria is proud to see himself playing in the PBA where the level of competition is definitely higher and more physical than the collegiate league.

Here’s the schedule of NLEX in the elimination round (updated 17th Jan):

Friday 16th January 9:00PM 
NLEX Philippines vs Al Ittihad Libya 
Result: W (PHI 81 – 71 LIB) (report)
SUNDAY 18th January 7:00PM
NLEX Philippines vs Al Riyadi Lebanon 
Monday 19th January 9:00PM 
NLEX Philippines vs UAE 
Tuesday 20th January 9:00PM 
NLEX vs El Zamalek Egypt 

The Road Warriors is in Group A along with the UAE National Team, Al Riyadi (Lebanon), Zamalek (Egypt), and Ittihad (Libya).

Group B has Sagesse (Lebanon), Al Shabab (UAE), Sale and And1 (USA).
The top 4 teams in each group play in the crossover quarterfinals on Thursday, 22nd January. Semis will be played on Friday, and Finals on Saturday.

All games will be at Al Ahli Stadium. Tickets to the elimination games cost AED25 and available at the gates.

Little Chefs family brunch at Liwan Al Ghurair Rotana

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It’s very rare that a toddler would enjoy brunches as much as parents would.  I’m not actually keen of dining out these days as our 2-year old daughter wouldn’t just settle quietly in her baby chair – she’d roam around the restaurant and would touch everything – and we have to switch turns in eating and running after our doll.

Not the case when we’re at Liwan Restaurant‘s Waiting for Santa brunch though.

Upon seeing the play area, Aya ran quickly to it and found other kids playing. There are bouncy castles, soft balls, toys, coloring books and a popcorn maker. There are also balloon bending and face painting.

She enjoyed the kitchen play set the most.  There’s also food for them little ones inside like chicken nuggets and stir-fried noodles.

The restaurant, especially the lounge was well decorated. There’s a huge Christmas tree and shiny Christmas balls around the deck. There were candy canes, whirl pops and other Christmas sweet treats on the counters as well.

The Little Chef’s corner was the highlight of the afternoon. The kids got to wear a complete set of chef’s uniform as they get their hands on decorating their own gingerbread cookie. And the mom definitely enjoyed the experience teaching the very little one how to do it.

They received an adorable Little Chef Diploma after the 5-10 minute session.

Winnie the Pooh had an appearance for the kids. Santa came and sat beside the Christmas tree and gave every kid (even the naughty ones) a present – yeah, the naughty ones – the reason why Aya has no proper photo with Santa.

Food is great! It’s the traditional Arabic and international buffet. We were just so busy watching our Aya having fun with the activities and the cookies she decorated.

Now known as Little Chef’s Family Brunch, Liwan Restaurant continues to give quality time for families while dining.  In lieu of the gingerbread decoration session, the kids get to cook up their own meals this time. They can still enjoy the recreational play area throughout the brunch with a supervision of a watchful staff.

Certainly, Liwan knows how to do a family brunch.

The brunch costs AED125 per person. Children between the ages of five and ten dine at half price. For reservations, call 04 293 3000.

Highly recommended.

Video: 2015 New Year’s Eve Fireworks at Burj Khalifa, Downtown Dubai

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Again, we are in awe. Greater awe!

Thousands come together around Downtown Dubai to witness one of the world’s, if not the world’s best New Year’s Eve fireworks display in recent times. The obvious surprises thrilled even those that witness the spectacle from far away, including those that are only watching Youtube’s livestreaming.

This video of the Burj Khalifa view will continue the rest of this amazing story. Jump to the 27:00 minute mark for the countdown, and the start of the LED show and fireworks.

The show also paid tribute to the country’s leadership, its Expo 2020 hosting, and it’s neighboring countries, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait which ironically not having any fireworks show to celebrate the new year.

The 12-minute spectacular show ended with the flag of UAE on the facade and some gliterry and luminous showers from the roaming helicopters above.

We haven’t seen Burj Al Arab and Atlantis’ fireworks yet, but pretty sure Dubai stunned the world again! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

PBA’s NLEX to play in the invitational Dubai International Basketball Tournament 2015

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SCHEDULE OF NLEX ROAD WARRIORS GAMES – UAE TIME (updated as of 17th Jan)

Friday 16th January
9:00PM NLEX Philippines vs Al Ittihad Libya

SUNDAY 18th January
7:00PM NLEX Philippines vs Al Riyadi Lebanon

Monday 19th January
9:00PM NLEX Philippines vs UAE

Tuesday 20th January
9:00PM NLEX vs El Zamalek Egypt

Venue: Al Ahli Stadium

Tickets to the elimination games cost AED25 and available at the gates.
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Asi Taulava and his NLEX Road Warriors side will be competing against perennial Middle East ball clubs in the invitational Dubai International Basketball Championship 2015. The tournament is scheduled from 14th to 25th January.

The Road Warriors will be bringing in NBA veteran Al Thornton who will also be their import in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

“It’s an invitation from the PBA. Parang international league yan. Invitational tournament, which sasalian nang ibang teams from other countries,” said coach Boyet Fernandez to Rappler.

Current NLEX roster also includes KG Canaleta, Mac Cardona, Enrico Villanueva and Aldrech Ramos and the promising rookies Juneric Baloria and Harold Arboleda among others.

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