Congratulations to the PRIMAVERA Residences, the first eco-friendly condominium in Northern Mindanao takes pride for being nominated as one of the best condo developers in the country by the most prestigious South East Asia Property (SEAP) awards 2011. Another great milestone in the City of Cagayan de Oro.

The P500 million on-going condominium projects by Primavera Residences at Pueblo de Oro in Cagayan de Oro City was chosen among thousands of nominees submitted from across the region, including major developers, architecture and design firms, residential projects, condominium and villa developments. It as well nominated for the Green Development Award selected as one of the finest in the region and gained the appreciation after a long and comprehensive judging procedures.

International media partner and leading TV news network Channel News Asia is providing live coverage of the event, which will be hosted by Channel News Asia celebrity Otelli Edwards.

The Dinner and Awards Ceremony  received extensive coverage on Channel New Asia and via other media outlets online and in print. Nizah Yusoff of Ensign Media, producers of Thailand property awards The South East Asia Property Awards on its sixth year in giving the awards aims to showcase the best that the region’s real estate industry has to offer and aims to promote the high level of quality of South East Asia’s real estate, construction, architectural and interior design, and industry professional services.

Through a professionally run judging system, the awards will help put South East Asia’s real estate on the world stage.
Yusoff thanked Primavera having been selected in one of the greatest representing the region.

Eligibility for the South East Asia Property Awards started with nominations from the public and industry, with submissions judged by a panel of professionals; and will conclude with site visits for the top short-listed developments in each category to decide the winner in each category.

Development awards  recognized a) Design and concept, including functionality, green initiatives, innovations and amenities; b) Value for money, including suitability of location and pricing relative to quality; c) Sales and marketing, including creativity and performance; d) Construction, including state of completion and quality of construction; and e) The Green Development award will pay additional attention to community benefits and environmental innovation.

Non-development awards including the following sub-categories: a) Developer awards criteria include reputation, image and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); quality of projects; track record; and innovation; b) Architecture/Interior Design awards criteria including use of space; c) Design concept and innovation; d) Material usage; and e) State of completion.

The inaugural South East Asia Property Awards was held on Wednesday 30th November at Hotel Fort Canning Singapore.

Second, the homeowner gets time to practice skills honed over the years from the television reality shows and in magazines. Most of the television channels have a variety of shows by experts in different fields, with a bigger programming time allocated on the weekends. This gives homeowners ideas about things they might want to do in their houses and it might be hard to translate these needs to contractors. For that reason, the homeowner might try to make sense of the thought and see how it turns out. There is no fun for such homeowners when they have to watch the contractors from a distance without playing a part.

Third, enhancing the family members relationship is also one of the benefits of DIY home improvement projects. The family members bond when undertaking projects that help then change the outlook of the house or its interior. For instance, if a father and his grown up sons decide to fit a dormer roof window as part of their summer projects, they all anticipate for the experience and the coordination and planning helps them fit their thoughts and activities within the team. These projects provide excellent bonding times for family members and it is one experience all will enjoy within the family.

In addition, the homeowner can adjust the design or the outlook of the results. This might be the case if the material in use can form a variety of items. For instance, if he or she was painting the interior walls, a new design may come up like adding a ceiling molding if it was not present. Lastly, working at the desired pace also stands as one of the benefits of DIY home improvement. There will be no one behind your back watching how long you take to get the project done. Indeed, the benefits of a DIY home project is one that will last for a long to come and will be remembered by all who took part in it.

There’s good news for businessmen engaged in the sale of real estate and lease of residential properties.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue or BIR in the Philippines adjusted upwards just recently the threshold amounts for the sale of residential lots and houses and the leasing of dwelling units which are exempted from the payment of value-added tax or VAT.

Revenue Commisioner Kim S. Jacinto-Henares signed revenue regulations No. 16-2011 exempting from paying the VAT for lot sellers if the value of the property is not more than P1,919,500 and P3,199,200 if there is a house in the said property. Previously, the VAT threshold for a lot and house and lot were placed at P1,500,000 and P2,500,000, respectively.

On the lessor side on the other hand. They are exempted from paying the VAT if the total rental payment per unit is P12,800 annully from the previous P10,000

When we added a few decorative throw pillows into the mix, however, It brought everything together in a way that surprised my whole family. We had some decorative pillow covers made which combined all the colors of the room’s palette, while somehow still looking natural and not “forced.” There were touches of brown to bring out the floor, turquoise along with a complimentary orange to harmonize with the couch and even a gray and silver patterned border that brought the cushions into synch with the wall art – The one thing that we had thought would be irreconcilable with the rest of the room. We put two cushions on the couch and a third one on the love seat and, suddenly, the whole room just worked!

Since then, we have become big fans of decorative throw pillows, as you might imagine, and they have become a sort of unifying theme for our entire house. Our upstairs bar and TV room, the guest bedroom, and even our master bedroom use decorative pillows to add color and softness. In the guest bedroom, they have a folksy, primitive look to go with the aesthetic of the room. In the master bedroom, we have purple and blue pillows to go with the relaxing color palette we prefer there.

Because each room has a very specific palette to match, we spent a lot of money on having custom pillows and pillow cases made. Recently, however, I learned that you can make your own decorative throw pillow without a lot of expertise. Buy a premade pillow without a case, find a fabric pattern you really like, and you can put the two together in an afternoon if you have some basic fabric skills. As I develop my sewing skills, I plan to experiment with making more elaborate and interesting pillows as gifts for friends.

Decorative glass can come in the form of stained glass windows, though these are not as common as they once were. Some people get lucky when they buy an older house and find that the house has one or two of these that have been in place since the house was built. There are still some sources through which you can buy stained decorative glass windows, but it will cost you quite a bit of money. If price is not object and you want one of these, go online to find someone who can make what you seek in home stained glass windows.

Some decorative glass is a collection of glass bottles. There are many ways that you can get these. Some like to get them all in the same color, just collecting different shades of this color and then arranging these on a shelf or window sill. Some like to get all different colors that seem to look good together. You can find these decorative glass items in almost any store that sells home decor, and you can look on the Internet for great sources of colored, glass bottles that you can add to your collection, or use to start your own collection. They look stunning set near a window that lets in a lot of sun light each day.

Glass does not have to come in the form of a window or a bottle to be decorative glass for your home. You can find blown glass in many great shapes and forms. Some are simple vases that are going to look amazing in any home. You can find figurines, glass eggs, abstract items, and bowls that will add beauty to any home. Never under estimate what a great piece of decorative glass can do for any room in your home. Just remember to keep them in a secure location if you have kids, as it only takes one bump for your artwork to be gone forever.

When ordering decorative glass items, you should not have to worry too much about shipping, as most companies that send this out have tried and true methods of getting these items where they are going in one piece without breaking or chipping. However, accidents that are beyond their control can happen, meaning you may open up a box of broken glass. When ordering decorative glass, order from a company that has a very liberal return policy in the event your artwork does not arrive in one piece.

Water is one of the biggest natural causes of soil erosion. When it rains, drops of water impact the soil, sending small particles up into the air. These particles, along with the rainwater, can run downhill in sheets, pulling other particles off of the soil with them. This is called sheet erosion. Sometimes, the rain starts to form channels called rills in the soil. As the soil wears away, the rills cave in at the sides, growing larger and larger as more and more soil is worn away. Over decades, centuries and millenia, what starts as rill erosion can end up forming creeks, rivers and even canyons as more and more soil is worn away by water flowing through.

Rainfall causes soil erosion in another way. Sometimes, too much rain will saturate a hill, causing it to get heavy and waterlogged. At the same time, the rain decreases the friction inside the hill, causing it to become less stable. Gravity does the rest, turning previously stable hills into huge mudslides. This sort of erosion is a particularly bad problem in areas with a lot of clay in the soil, since the clay soil does not drain well and becomes very slippery when it holds too much water.

Wind is another big cause of soil erosion. Wind can pull particles of soil off the surface, carrying them away. It can also gradually wear down at rocks, eroding them over centuries. A big wind storm can also cause cataclysmic soil erosion, breaking off big chunks of a hillside by giving them that final push. Wind can also blow over trees, destabilizing hills and contributing to erosion in the process.

Of course, there are also manmade causes of soil erosion. Modern agricultural techniques often leave the soil fallow without enough plants to hold it in place. Uncontrolled mining like in the Iponan river here in Cagayan de Oro City. This soil is much more susceptible to other erosion causes, and can wash away more quickly than it can be replenished. This is a major problem in farming, because loosing topsoil can stop a farmer from being able to grow crops in the future. Fortunately, farmers are more aware of erosion than ever before, and many newer agricultural techniques safeguard against soil loss.

The first eco-friendly building in Cagayan de Oro City will have its Grand Launching on July 5, 2011. Its along Trade Street in Pueblo de Oro Business Park. If you are interested to attend the event please contact 0917.733.9934 and look for Mike so I can accomodate you on the list of guest.

You may also avail of there 18 months equity installment at zero interest promo which is a limited time offer. Primavera Residences is an Italian designed building and constructed by a well-known Manila Contractor at Cagayan de Oro affordable price.

Cebu Pacific the major airline in the Philippines will be introducing a new direct flight from Cagayan de Oro City to Iloilo City and vice-versa effective October 14 starting with a seat sale promo of P688 for the period: Oct 14 – Nov 30, 2011. Schedules will be Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays starting October 14, utilizing an Airbus A319 aircraft. Departure time will be 12:50 pm (ILO-CGY) and 2:20 pm (CGY-ILO). Travel time is approximately 1 hour. Regular fare is P1,299. For more information just visit the Cebu Pacific website.

With the unstoppable economic growth of Cagayan de Oro City and the worsening traffic, Mayor Vicente Emano in his Executive Order No 043-2011 created an Integrated Traffic Management Board to coordinate, monitor and evaluate the planning and implementation of the traffic management components undertaken in the city. The mayor chairs the board with Councilor Alden Bacal, chair of the City Council committee on public utilities as its vice chair.Members are: Roads and Traffic Administration executive overseer PSupt Antonio Montalba, RTA Assistant Department Head Engr. Nonito Oclarit, City Administrator Griscelda Joson, City Planning and Development Coordinator Estrella Sagaral, ABC President Councilor Dometilo Acenas Jr. and a representative from the private sector. Mayor Emano named LTO Regional Director Esteban Baltazar, Acting City Police Director PSSupt Gerardo Rosales, the district commander of the Traffic Management District, Region 10, City Engineer Jorie Bingona and Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya, representing the City Peace and Order Council and chair of the committee on police, fire and public safety, as ex-officio members of the TMB. The board will recommend schemes to the City Council as part of comprehensive traffic management, review and approve relevant annual work plans and budgets; develop and prescribe rules and procedures for internal operations and management. It will also regularly submit to the City Chief Executive special reports on traffic management activities and perform such other related functions as may be necessary to ensure effective planning and implementation of traffic management schemes, among others. Mayor Emano cited that the successful implementation of a traffic plan will enhance and further boost the city’s reputation as a prime investment, business and tourist destination. More power to CDO.

Cagayan de Oro Electric Power Light Co. Inc. (Cepalco) is planning to put up a 30-megawatt (MW) solar power project in Mindanao, a top company official said.
Cepalco president Ramon Abaya said they will initially build a 10-MW facility and expand this by another 10 MW in the near term.

“We have 40 hectares to host this 20-MW (facility) in the next one and a half years. If there would be a definite feed-in tariff (FIT), we may increase this to 30 MW in the next three years,” Abaya said.

He said they would be doing the first phase of the solar project on their own.

For the larger capacity, they may tap partners in the succeeding phases.

Abaya pointed out they are not in talks with potential partners negotiations will not be sealed until the final FIT is determined.

FIT is prescribed under the Renewable Energy Act which gives guaranteed revenue for renewable energy developers based on the technology they would use. Base on initial discussions among the industry players, Abaya said the FIT would likely be at the range of P19 to P10 per kilowatthour but said this cost may go down once more players come in.

“We hope to bring down the costs. We will bid out the contracts so we will have an option to get the most competitive price,” he said.

Abaya said they are in the process of bidding out the first phase of their solar project in Cagayan de Oro.

“There are more than 10 that have submitted their bids. But we have shortlisted three.

All are German integrators,” he said. The solar panels, he said, would be sourced in Taiwan and China which offer competitive prices.

He said if the FIT is in place, they would be able to construct the solar project within six months.

This article is reported by Donnabelle Gatdula of The Philippine Star.