Making Your List: Early Christmas Preparations for Hassle-Free Holidays

Half of the year has already passed and pretty soon it will be Christmas time again. It’s never too early to start preparing for Christmas. In fact, if you plan early enough, you might be able to save yourself from having to deal with all the hassles and scurrying around during perhaps the year’s busiest season. Get your planning notebook out and start putting down your plans to get all ready and set to go when the season rolls in. Here are some of the items that you should have on your list: 

Décor

You can start planning what theme you want this year’s Christmas decorations to be. Think about your tree, ornaments, centerpieces, Christmas lights, etc. There might be some decorations from last year that you can use in this year’s theme. Or, you can be a little bit crazy this year and get new decorations to have a surf and sand Christmas theme in your home while it is chilly and snowy outside. You can be as creative as your budget will allow you to be. Besides, if you are planning this early, you have all the time to look for and wait for great deals and discounts on new Christmas decorations. 

Christmas Gift List

Santa’s watching the whole year round. You should be too. Have your Christmas gift list ready earlier so you can pick up items for specific people throughout the year. Spot sale events and save some money on your gift-giving. You can also check out bulk sales for wholesale items for groups of people. In most cases, you can get great discounts when you order in bulk. 

Events Calendar 

Not all the dates and venues for the parties you will be having will be set this early. But, there are annual events that are usually already set even before the previous year’s party ended. Start putting these dates on your calendar so you know which days to avoid when planning your other Christmas parties. It’s already a given that Christmas time, aside from being one of the happiest times of the year, can be stressful. You can reduce the amount of stress the season brings and enjoy more of the cheer it brings by planning early.

CdeO Celebrates Social Media Day 2014!

Sad to say that I wasn't able to be with my group (Cagayan de Oro Bloggers, Inc.) during the Courtesy Call of our City Mayor Oscar "Oca" Moreno which happened last June 25, 2014 due to office schedule conflict. Anyway, I am just proud that our organization was formally announced by the administration as one of the instruments in supporting the information dissemination drive of the city's progress.

Grabbed photo from www.chadacdo.com & www.cdoblog.com

This coming June 30, 2014 is s the 5th Annual Social Media Day (#SMDay) event launched by Mashable. It is an annual global event that recognizes the digital revolution happening right before our eyes. But here in our city we will be celebrating it today June 28, 2014 and we are so glad that even our our beloved Mayor showed his support for the #SocialMediaDayCDO!

photo credits: www.cdoblog.com

As one of the members of #CDOBloggers Inc, I am proud to say that I am here to make the City of Golden Friendship make known to the whole wide world as the 

City in Blossom, in Bloom and in Boom!

A Proud Kagay-anon indeed! :)

Solaire Resort and Casino Unveils Its New Plane Livery

Solaire Resort and Casino, the Philippines’ premier integrated resort, in partnership with Air Asia unveils a breakthrough branding project in the Philippines.  

Solaire again raises the bar as it wraps its brightly colored livery on Air Asia’s popular Airbus A320, which is scheduled to embark on its maiden flight this July.  Solaire is the first-ever consumer brand in the country to fully wrap and brand a commercial airline, with an underlying thrust of further promoting tourism in the Philippines and in greater Asia.  

This dynamic collaboration between Solaire and Air Asia represents another step forward in an on-going journey towards providing modern travel and leisure experiences for its customers, with a fresh new approach to their target market.  This partnership will facilitate more passenger and cargo traffic in both regional and domestic flights, and foster stronger trade, cultural and tourism ties within Asia.

“This milestone is a key undertaking between two passionate brands with entrepreneurial and dynamic mindsets. This unprecedented branding project in the Philippines may be taken as a "leadership statement," which attests to Solaire's strong growth momentum in the industry. Yes we are again raising the bar; this time we're taking it to the skies.” says Donato Almeda, Board Director of Solaire Resort and Casino.

Currently, Solaire’s brand colors are donned by just one airplane, but nothing is stopping them from further rolling out this innovative wrap on additional aircrafts in the future with broader partnership arrangements.  The campaign will continue until 2016 and it is envisioned that this high-impact ad in the sky will generate more hype and publicity as the partnership progresses.

Jasper Evangelista, Vice President of Brand & Marketing, Solaire Resort and Casino said, “This aircraft-branding campaign is a strategic branding initiative which would allow us to literally take our brand to greater heights. We have created amazing moments for our customers since Solaire launched last year, and now we’re aiming to further connect with our local & foreign guests and travellers by reinforcing our brand presence in the country’s airports. Sky Solaire will enable us to get immediate traction on this effort and even take it to a level all its own.”

In-line with Solaire’s “Create Your Moments" campaign, which highlights Solaire as the perfect place to create unforgettable memories, this fitting partnership with AirAsia, one of Asia’s leading and multi-awarded airlines in their category, harmoniously evokes the key thrusts of customer service, hospitality, and excitement for both their industries.  This marketing initiative is also primed to open up new revenue streams for both the integrated resort and the airline carrier.

AirAsia Philippines Chairman Maan Hontiveros said, “AirAsia Philippines is a sociable and innovative brand. We also take pride on our collaborative nature. This new livery demonstrates our creative approach to partnerships and marketing opportunities especially with companies that support our vision to grow tourism. We are thrilled to carry Solaire’s brand in the sky and on the grounds at the airports here and abroad extending to as far as our destinations in Malaysia, China and Korea.”

The Solaire experience is stamped with an unparalleled brand of service style, world-renowned Philippine hospitality, top-of-class luxurious accommodations, diverse dining options and impressive gaming facilities, which have all contributed to the way people people view resort casinos in Manila. Many have opted to extend their stay at the resort, to have simply grown to embrace the aspirational and stress-free lifestyle offered to them at Solaire. Solaire Resort and Casino clearly offers the utmost experience of comfort, elegance and luxury in the Philippines right now. 

About Solaire Resort and Casino:

Solaire Resort & Casino, the primary property of Bloomberry Resorts Corporation, is a USD $1.2 Billion integrated destination resort on an 8.3-hectare site in Manila, Philippines opened March 2013. Solaire, a luxury destination casino resort, is the first property to open in the Entertainment City, a government sponsored (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) economic development zone.

Solaire’s Phase 1 features 500 luxurious rooms, suites and bayside villas, 18,500 square meters of gaming space, a wide range of award-winning dining experience and signature restaurants, sophisticated bars and lounges, and an ample multi-level car park. The property has additional 258,721 square meter expansion project under development which is expected to open 3rd quarter of 2014. For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or access the website at www.solaireresort.com

CDO Gears Up for Its First CDO Startup Weekend

This July, Cagayan de Oro plays host to its first ever Startup Weekend. Basically, the SW is like a crash course in creating a business. For 54 hours, managers, developers, designers, leaders, product managers, students, and anyone with entrepreneurial goals will gather in one venue to pitch ideas, form teams, and develop and launch startups. The 3-day event is open to both aspiring and experienced entrepreneurs.

What Should Participants Expect in a Startup Weekend?

The Startup Weekend is a concept-to-launch event that follows one model. One the first day, participants will be given time to pitch their ideas (usually 60 seconds or less) without visual aids or any other supporting material. Each participant is then given the opportunity to vote for the pitch he likes best and to choose a team. On Saturday, everyone will be busy working with their teammates develop their chosen pitch. There will be discussions on which business models and designs to use, while others will be thinking about marketing and customer development. On the third and last day, Sunday, all groups will have the chance to present and demonstrate their prototypes in front of a panel of judges composed of industry leaders and local entrepreneurs. The judges will offer feedback and choose a winning startup team.

Throughout the 54-hour event, mentors and leaders will move around so participants can interact with them. They can share ideas and even fish for suggestions. The Startup Weekend, after all, is an event for like-minded individuals whose goal is to become a part of global communities by launching their own startups.

Why You Should Join Startup Weekend

There are two main goals that Startup Weekend organizers all over the world intend to highlight. First, to create local startups; and second, to support local businesses. SW is an activity that encourages growth and innovation, especially in the local scene. Anyone who is success-driven will want to be a part of this campaign.

Aside from these, there are other reasons why you should join the Startup Weekend:

·         It is the ideal way to meet and interact with people who share your passion, ideals, and goals.

·         It is the best way to meet and connect with inspiring business leaders, successful entrepreneurs, developers, marketers, and success-oriented students.

·         It is an excellent opportunity for learning from some of the best and most successful people.

·         It is a good venue for welcoming opportunities that showcase your business and creative abilities.

·         It is your chance to become a part of the city and the region’s growing startup community.

Who are Qualified to Join the SW CdeO?

Every Startup Weekend gathers people with varying backgrounds. If you’re a kindergarten teacher wishing to experience a big change in your life; if you are a college student oozing with interesting ideas; or if you are an established businessman who wants to try out something different, the Startup Weekend is for you. Every SW is designed for anybody; for everybody – even for high school students. It is not just for managers, business leaders, or programmers. It is for anybody who is eager and passionate to share, create, learn, and develop ideas.

CDO’s First Startup Weekend

The success and influence of Startup Weekend is evident in the many cities and countries that have participated in the event. There are hundreds of grants around the world at present, and the number of Startup Weekend alumni total to around 100,000.

Kagay-anons will get the chance to become a part of this distinguished group through the Startup Weekend happening on July 11, 12, and 13, 2014 at Capitol University. The intense 54-hour weekend event will have local entrepreneurs and industry leaders serve as mentors for the teams. Startup enthusiasts, marketing people, designers, programmers, developers, students, and anyone interested in developing and launching a startup are invited to register through http://cdo.startupweekend.org/.  

Cagayan de Oro’s first Startup Weekend is co-presented by the Cagayan de Oro ICT Business Council, DevCon (Developers Connect), Ideaspace, DOST-ICTO, and Microsoft. Updates about the event can be found through the SW CdeO Facebook Page.

About Startup Weekend

Startup Weekend started in 2007 in Boulder, Colorado when Andrew Hyde decided to gather some people for a weekend of brainstorming for a business idea.  The group spent the weekend working on the idea and bringing it into fruition by Sunday. By 2-009, the Startup Weekend was registered as a non-profit organization. Since then, it has been operating in Seattle under the direction of Marc Nager, who gained full ownership of the organization along with Clint Nelsen. Together, the two developed the Event Model that is currently used in all SWs.

About the CDO ICT Business Council

The Cagayan de Oro ICT Business Council is CDO’s recognized and official ICT (Information and Communication Technology) organization. It is accredited by the city government as a social organization. CDO ICT members include BPO stakeholders, members of the academe, computer hardware vendors, and locators. The organization works in partnership with the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and government agencies that support its objectives and goals.