Berkeley, ISBB win SBP-Passerelle Luzon finals

Berkeley School and International School for Better Beginnings (ISBB) bagged the championship title for the Luzon finals of SBP (Small Basketeers of the Philippines) – Passerelle, the largest twin tournament in the country, held at the Easter College Gym in Baguio City.

Berkeley School of Baguio easily won the SBP tournament against Wonderland School of Dagupan and earned their 4th consecutive regional championship title, 69-36.  3rd place went to Sacred Heart University after winning the battle against St. Scholastica’s Academy, 56-50

Meanwhile, it was a hard feat for ISBB to beat St. Louis University during the Passerelle tournament until they finally took the lead halfway through the last quarter, ending the intense battle with 67-64 score. Holy Angel University came in 3rd in a match against Urdaneta City National High School, 50-47. 

ISBB also received the much-coveted Sportsmanship award for the Passerelle tournament while for the SBP tournament, the award was given to St. Scholastica’s Academy. Organized by the multi-awarded school for basketball and volleyball, BEST Center, sponsored by Milo, and supported by Chris Sports and Rain or Shine, SBP-Passerelle emphasizes the importance of fair play not just among players but also among coaches and parents. BEST center does not only aim to build future basketball champions, but also helps athletes develop values and discipline and team work and sportsmanship.

The last to host its regional finals is the Visayas, to be held in Roxas City on November 19-20, 2016. Other representatives for each region are La Salle Greenhills for SBP and Adamson University for Passerelle from NCR; and Xavier University for SBP and Holy Child of Davao for Passerelle from Mindanao, 

Winners for each regional finals will battle it out on the national championship to be held in Bacolod City.

Now on its 31st year, SBP-Passarelle is the longest running and most prestigious interschool basketball competition for children where students ages 9-11 compete in the SBP tournament, while students ages 12-14 compete in the Passarelle tournament. 

For more information about BEST Center’s classes and tournaments,

call the hotlines 411-6260, 3723066 and 372-3065,

email bestcentersports@gmail.com or follow its official Facebook page .

NABH International Accredits Cabrini Medical Center as its first in Southeast Asia

The National Accreditation Board for Hospital International (NABH International) continues to support the Philippines in gaining international accreditation in the field of healthcare. The latest accreditation was awarded to St. Frances Cabrini Medical Center.

St. Frances Cabrini officials led by Dr. John Alonzo and Dr. Florentino Afable (7th and 10th from R-L) were awarded by NABH International CEO Dr. K K Kalra and Director Dr. BK Rana (6th and 8th from R-L) as witnessed by HealthCORE executive director Joyce Socao-Alumno 

A non-profit organization, NABH International is recognized by International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua). One of the organization’s main objective is to redefine healthcare quality in the developing worlds but at the same time, providing accreditation with an affordable cost.

The organization has seen their main objective being imbibed by this world-class provincial medical center. St. Frances Cabrini Medical Center, located in Sto. Tomas, Batangas, has always held on to their mission statement which is to passionately strive in providing healthcare needs and deliver high quality healthcare service to improve lives.

The hospital has aimed to provide excellent service to the entire Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) region. They have achieved various milestones one of which is to be one of the only four hospitals in Southern Tagalog accredited as a Center of Excellence by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

It has also been the chosen venue for international medical missions targeting indigent people of Region IV and V that do not have access to proper medical care. These missions support the hospital’s advocacy and that is to ensure that they extend the same quality of service to everyone who goes inside their hospital doors who is in need of medical care.

St. Frances Cabrini celebrates momentous achievement

“St. Frances Cabrini has complied with all the standards of NABH International. This ranks them at par with the best hospitals in the world in terms of patient care and patient safety.” NABH Director Dr. BK Rana stated who was also one of the assessors.

St. Frances Cabrini is the only hospital who is a participant in the United Nations Global Compact Initiative. An organization that is anchored in the practice of human rights, fair labor practice, and protection against corrupt practices.

"Although our hospital had all the universal equipment and qualified specialists all these years, the hospital achieved NABH accreditation only when it thoroughly started following all the NABH norms of documentation, patient safety and patient education. The NABH accreditation is actually more for the interest of the patients’ care and safety as it ensures best treatment for patient," said Dr. John Cresencio F. Alonzo, SFCMC President/COO.

Joyce Socao-Alumno, NABH Philippines Representative and Country Head of Aster DM Healthcare says, “Accreditation is beyond licensing which is the basic requirement for hospitals and even more than ISO certification. Accreditation is a tool that is meant to assist hospitals achieve excellence by benchmarking with the best of the best. A hospital cannot claim it is world-class if there is no third party expert to say that what they are indeed of global standard. NABH International, just like JCI, is recognized by the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQUA) as an accredited agency that audits hospitals against the global standards of patient care and patient safety. These assessors were trained and licensed to do the audit. The NABH International assessment is more than lip service. It involves audit of the entire organization of the hospital from the CEO down to the lowest ranking staff, and every nook and corner of the facility.”

Having an international accreditation also gives the Philippines the opportunity to explore the medical tourism industry that is currently on an uptrend. St. Frances Cabrini is the first to be proclaimed as a Medical Tourism Special Economic Zone. Another achievement under the hospital’s long list of distinctions.

The NABH International plans to continue extending their international accreditation to the Middle East and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries.

The process may be tedious but once the organization completed and passed the assessments, they will be accredited for three years.

“This accreditation does not only target city hospitals. NABH International also provides accreditation to small health care organizations, wellness centers and blood banks to name a few. Each category has a set of standards that they need to comply with. These organizations may apply under the relevant accreditation program that depends on the services that they offer. Hopefully, more hospitals and wellness centers in the Philippines will achieve international accreditation in order for the Philippines to gain global acceptance in the field of healthcare,” Alumno added.

60% of patients with heart disease fail to comply with their medication, study shows

For patients with cardiovascular disorders, adherence to medication goes a long way in ensuring that their health is in its tiptop condition. However, 60 percent of these patients are not complying with the medication as prescribed by their doctors, according to a study.

Published in the American Heart Association, the study revealed that non adherence to medication remains to be a major problem for cardiovascular patients, often leading to poor clinical outcomes, frequent hospitalizations, and increased mortality.

To prevent the worst consequences of heart disease, expert says that religious compliance to medication should be a top priority—starting from curbing the risk factors associated with the disorder.

“One of the risk factors for developing heart disease is having high blood cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of formation of plaques and atherosclerosis,” said Dr. Amado Nazal, medical director of Pharex HealthCorp. “If our patients will comply with their medication from the moment their doctors instructed them to lower their cholesterol levels, then we will be able to keep their condition from worsening.”

He added, “We believe that many patients fail to adhere to their medication because of the costs that come with it. However, medication need not be expensive. This is why at Pharex, we provide optimum health assistance to these patients through maintenance medicines that are not only of high quality but also affordable.”

Pharex HealthCorp., the most prescribed brand of medicines, offers quality maintenance medicines that are designed to help curb high cholesterol levels at an affordable price.

With Pharex’s 15-day Compliance Pouch for Cholesterol, patients will be able to comply with their medication to prevent tendencies of having chronic cardiovascular diseases.

“Fat as a result of bad cholesterol can build up on the walls of your heart’s arteries, which suppresses the smooth blood circulation that’s crucial to our body system’s functions,” Nazal said.

When arteries are narrowed down or blocked, the heart will not be able to pump blood to the other parts of the body, Nazal added. “Too much cholesterol weakens our heart, therefore putting to risk our lives.”

“With the new Pharex 15-day Compliance Pouch for Cholesterol, we are assuring patients of three things: first, they can conveniently bring their medicine whenever and wherever they go as it is packed in a resealable foil pouch. Second, it’s affordable and accessible to leading drugstores nationwide.Lastly, healthcare professionals proved and tested the effectiveness of the medicine, making it a top choice for people who have high cholesterol levels,” said Nazal

Nazal concluded, “Failure to comply with medication could cost our lives more than we realize. Now that the new Compliance Pouch for Cholesterol is here, patients will be more able to improve the quality of their lives without the added costs.”

The new Pharex Compliance Pouch is available in all leading drugstores. For more

information, please contact 4338088 (local 820).

60% of patients with heart disease fail to comply with their medication, study shows

For patients with cardiovascular disorders, adherence to medication goes a long way in ensuring that their health is in its tiptop condition. However, 60 percent of these patients are not complying with the medication as prescribed by their doctors, according to a study.

Published in the American Heart Association, the study revealed that non adherence to medication remains to be a major problem for cardiovascular patients, often leading to poor clinical outcomes, frequent hospitalizations, and increased mortality.

To prevent the worst consequences of heart disease, expert says that religious compliance to medication should be a top priority—starting from curbing the risk factors associated with the disorder.

“One of the risk factors for developing heart disease is having high blood cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of formation of plaques and atherosclerosis,” said Dr. Amado Nazal, medical director of Pharex HealthCorp. “If our patients will comply with their medication from the moment their doctors instructed them to lower their cholesterol levels, then we will be able to keep their condition from worsening.”

He added, “We believe that many patients fail to adhere to their medication because of the costs that come with it. However, medication need not be expensive. This is why at Pharex, we provide optimum health assistance to these patients through maintenance medicines that are not only of high quality but also affordable.”

Pharex HealthCorp., the most prescribed brand of medicines, offers quality maintenance medicines that are designed to help curb high cholesterol levels at an affordable price.

With Pharex’s 15-day Compliance Pouch for Cholesterol, patients will be able to comply with their medication to prevent tendencies of having chronic cardiovascular diseases.

“Fat as a result of bad cholesterol can build up on the walls of your heart’s arteries, which suppresses the smooth blood circulation that’s crucial to our body system’s functions,” Nazal said.

When arteries are narrowed down or blocked, the heart will not be able to pump blood to the other parts of the body, Nazal added. “Too much cholesterol weakens our heart, therefore putting to risk our lives.”

“With the new Pharex 15-day Compliance Pouch for Cholesterol, we are assuring patients of three things: first, they can conveniently bring their medicine whenever and wherever they go as it is packed in a resealable foil pouch. Second, it’s affordable and accessible to leading drugstores nationwide.Lastly, healthcare professionals proved and tested the effectiveness of the medicine, making it a top choice for people who have high cholesterol levels,” said Nazal

Nazal concluded, “Failure to comply with medication could cost our lives more than we realize. Now that the new Compliance Pouch for Cholesterol is here, patients will be more able to improve the quality of their lives without the added costs.”

The new Pharex Compliance Pouch is available in all leading drugstores. For more

information, please contact 4338088 (local 820).

Good medication adherence plays part in controlling high cholesterol

Healthcare experts suggest the importance of a well-balanced lifestyle in curbing illnesses. However, a study found another important factor in easing diseases, including those that are triggered by high cholesterol.

Based on the most recent survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST), one in every ten Filipino adults has high cholesterol, while 21 in every 100 are in borderline high. While it is important  to  keep  proper  nutrition  and  lifestyle  in  check,  a   study  published  in  the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of  America suggested that  successful treatment of diseases require consistent intake of medications as indicated by doctors.

“Proper medication adherence is found to be an effective way of managing, if not averting, known diseases,” said Tomas Marcelo Agana III, president of Pharex HealthCorp. “That’s why for people with high cholesterol, we want them to bear in mind that good compliance to medication will keep their cholesterol levels at  ease and  eventually, improve the quality of their lives.”

Almost one-third of patients discontinue their medication earlier than instructed, leading to “poor clinical outcomes, high healthcare costs and lost productivity.” However, for some people who wish to continue their medication, Agana noted that certain factors like budget constraints may keep them from doing so.

This is why Pharex HealthCorp., the most prescribed generic brand of medicines, offers its 15-day Compliance Pouch for high cholesterol.

The new Pharex 15-day Compliance Pouch for high cholesterol is designed to help patients comply with their medication while saving on costs. It helps patients maintain their cholesterol at its normal and desirable levels, keeping them from acquiring the worst consequences of high cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a type of fat (lipid) in blood that plays vital roles in the body system’s day- to-day functions. However, too much of it can clog and harden  arteries, the blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart.

Because of this, the normal blood flow is suppressed, affecting one’s body system.  High cholesterol triggers the development of different cardiovascular diseases like stroke and heart attack, and other health problems like  renal failure.

“This product is specially produced to fight low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is often referred as ‘bad’ cholesterol,” said Agana. “With the new Compliance Pouch for high cholesterol, patients can continue their medication without worrying about ceiling-high costs.”

Agana concluded, “Complying to your medication is a high priority, but while healthcare providers give the best advice to ease cholesterol levels we are no less responsible for our own health. On top of proper medication, we also have to prioritize proper diet and
exercise. At Pharex HealthCorp., we will aim to provide the best possible care that every
Filipino deserves.”

The new Pharex Compliance Pouch is available in all leading drugstores. For more information, please contact 4338088 (local 820).

Wisdom from Robert Laurel Yupangco of Zoomanity Group

Robert Laurel Yupangco is undoubtedly very charming, rich, successful and a bachelor. His diverse business from Tourism to Finance industry made him received awards from different sectors. He will be one of the speakers this May 27, 2016 at Asia Digital Marketing Expo 2016 and will be there for 3 different activities; As the panel speaker, round table lead under the topic "The Digital Tourism" and as one of the incubator at the StartUp Pitching Session. The participation is and only because, he can. He was a favorite in all speaking gig. That's also because of his wit, humor and experience. Please read his message that will be published in the souvenir program of Asia Digital Marketing Expo 2016. 

“Timing is important!” Let me re-quote the English proverb: “The early bird catches the worm” but “The early worm was eaten by the bird”. We may act promptly but without strategy we may not get our desired results.

Having a good and well planned strategy is one key to cope up in the digital era that we are now facing. Technology change and consumer adapting to technology are drawing marketing innovators to a fast face media platforms. Hospitality and tourism is one of the industries that is most affected by digital development. Technology enables consumer make better travel alternatives causing higher expectations.

In order to perform well and gain competitive advantages, players in the travel industry, like us in Zoomanity Group are always looking for the newest and better ways to reach our customers. We are focusing on “real experience” through a real and live interaction with animals and nature. Zoomanity Group parks: Zoobic Safari in Subic, Residence Inn Tagaytay, Zoocobia in Clark, Pampanga, Paradizoo in Mendez, Cavite, Zoocolate Thrills in Loboc Bohol, are now expanding internationally through our projects in Nagano, Japan called Zootopia, a Ski and Summer resort park, and animal breeding center in Shepparton City in Victoria, Australia. To give our customers a better and easy way to visit our parks we’ve launched an online ticketing system called www.zoomanitypayment.com.ph.

Change has been a vital part in our growing tourism industry especially in digital aspect. The rising customer expectations gives companies like us to have better opportunities to expand our market by giving a more quality and unique experience.

With this, I want to share you this message:

“Think out of the box. You will never grow if you stay inside the limited corners of an idea. Business is a world of infinite possibilities. You will not succeed if you are afraid to tap the only permanent thing in this world, Change”.- Robert Laurel Yupangco 

TAG Media and Public Relations is the marketing & branding arm of Zoomanity Group. For more info: 09166299381.

Summerventures 101: What You Need to Know about Sunscreen

Sunscreen is arguably the number one skincare product associated with summer. As the sun shines brighter, temperature goes higher, and the days become longer, it's best to be prepared and protect your skin the best way you can.

Not many people, however, know what is written on the sunscreen label. To make the most of your time under the sun, here are a few things to know about your favorite sunscreen lotion.

The UVB Rays

Most people think that the Sun Protection Factor is everything there is to check in a sunblock-- and it does count a lot. The SPF measures the product's ability to block UVB rays, which are related to sunburn and skin cancer.

SPF, however, only measures UVB rays. It does not have much effectiveness when it comes to UVA rays.

The UVA Rays

UVA is often the most misunderstood part of sunscreen formulations. This is present every day, and can penetrate through glass windows. Much like UVB, it is also linked to higher risk of skin cancer. Unlike UVB, however, UVA does not get filtered by the ozone.

UVA doesn't cause sunburn, but it can lead to skin darkening and aging, as the rays penetrate deeper into hte skin, affecting the collagen.

Dermplus sunscreens, for example, protect against both UVA and UVB rays, giving you complete sun protection in one go.

The SPF

The SPF number measures how well a sunscreen protects against UVB rays. If your skin would normally burn after staying 10 minutes under the sun, using an SPF 15 sunscreen would allow you stay out under the sun for about 150 minutes (a factor of 15 times longer) without burning your skin.

However, it does not mean that an SPF 15 sunscreen is half as effective as an SPF 30. The difference in the SPF numbers also takes into account UVB filtering capabilities.

SPF 15 can filter about 93% of UVB rays, SPF 30 about 97%, SPF 50 about 98%, and so on. The type you choose depends on your skin tone, how sensitive your skin is to the heat, and how easily you get color on your skin.

Dermplus Sunscreen comes in different varieties to suit your needs. Whether you want an everyday sunscreen for indoor use, or one that will protect you when doing extreme outdoor activities, there's a product that's right for you.

The Right Amount

For the sunscreen to work as advertised, you have to apply a liberal amount on all exposed areas of the skin, and re-apply it every after two hours or when you feel it has worn off.

This summer, enjoy the best sunventures ensuring you get the most out of your sunscreen lotion.