How Does Mobile Technology Affect Us?

Mobile Technology is a term used to describe various communication technologies which have rapidly revolved over the past few years.  Innovation of technology and mobile computing has recently become the latest trend.   It has significantly touched all areas in people’s lives nowadays.  

Furthermore, mobile technology serves as the avenue to enhance your businesses and other areas and gives the user the capability to innovate their own areas of concerns or businesses. However, it is also rather important that there is a proper integration of the business process to what has influenced it. 

It is not debatable that technology amplifies potential business gains and reduces risks in business endeavors. It is highly noticeable that technology is now leading the path for all business industries, and other aspects in the society.  In fact, mobile technology has touched not only the area of business, but also other areas as well like education, government and most especially, the media, which has been the most influenced area in terms of mobile technology.  Because of the influence of mobile technology, we can find that movies, games, banking, blogging, and reading e-books, etc. are now becoming the trend in mobile computing. 

One significant area of development that the mobile technology enhances is that of communication which is very essential in businesses, social media, education, finance and other areas worthy of attention.   

Communication helps to accelerate all of these processes, thus saving time, energy and money as well.  Adhering to mobile technology gives you the potential opportunity to gather more clients into your chosen business, thus, putting your business to the next level.  Being well connected through mobile communication is an offshoot of mobile technology nowadays. It is indeed a very important aspect to the improvement of your career since anybody can access your businesses from anywhere anytime.

Technology today has totally gained a giant leap in terms of success.  It guarantees your device’s capacity and thus, giving your business career and other areas of concern, a sure domain.  Some common questions asked by business people are how does the mobile technology virtually change the business enterprise and what is the best mobile application that is relevant to their businesses.  The answers to those questions depend on what technology and specific industry they are involved in.  In business offices, they must focus on mobile communication since their line of industry deals with various communication projects.   

In businesses like banks and other finance organizations, they must focus on specific mobile applications that cater to financial aspects.  There are also specific types of mobile applications that are suitable for the education industry.  In terms of gaming and entertainment, there are a lot of various types of applications that promise to give a whole lot of enjoyment ranging from music, games, and other activities created for the enjoyment of all the internet users.

Interestingly, some companies do have the list of benefits the mobile technology gives to the company.  One of which is the fact that mobile computing gives the enterprise the flexibility that leads to quicker results and responses in communication – be it interoffice or among various related companies.  Some great areas of concern that is addressed by the fast mobile technology is the easy access to confidential resources and the flexibility of communication that entails important decision making processes.  These are the key areas that would lead the organization to grow. 

In summary, MobileTechnology is rapidly growing significantly.  Millions of people are doing more and more research on their mobile gadgets and other stuff than ever before to find deals, coupons, bargains, and product reviews.  In addition to doing mobile stuff like research, gaming, business, and education, people have been focusing on mobile commerce transaction, like mobile banking and other business transactions. Mobile technology is definitely here to stay and would continue to lead the industries towards the progressive path.  

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Author:  Ann Cervales, MPA

               Skype:  ann_cervales 

               Yahoo Messenger:  ann_cervales

The Mystic Island of Siquijor

Siquijor is said to be a mystical and magical island used to be a part of Negros Oriental.  It is rumored that the island is the home of shamans, witches and sorcerers which added to the island’s mystic appeal.  The island is popular for its adherence to festivals and activities that focus on primitive healing rituals where incantations are chanted or sung. Regardless, the island remains one of the famous tourist destinations in the country.

The Island of Siquijor is only about an hour pump-boat ride from Dumaguete City.  Upon reaching the island, what catches your attention are the white sand beaches that stretch up to 100 kilometers along the coastline.  The presence of the colorful and interspersed coral reefs, the sugary white fine sand, and the expansive clear blue sky make the island one of the must-see travel spots in the Philippines.  The beaches are very ideal for snorkeling and scuba diving and lately, water sports have become part of the fun beach activities in the island of Siquijor.

Tourist Destinations in the Island of Siquijor

Siquijor Island is rich in tourist attractions mingled with the mystic appeal that shrouded the island.

Salagdoong Beach Resort

Salagdoong Beach Resort is deemed as the perfect island getaway wherein one can make use of the services and amenities that the resort offers which includes a tour around the mystic island’s historical and awesome places.

Siquijor Marine Reserve

The island of Siquijor was declared as a marine reserve way back in 1978.  Up to the present time, the island is still home to the untouched interspersed colorful coral reefs which serve as the home of varieties of fishes and other marine lives like damselfish, parrotfish, and lapu-lapu, which are only among the many fishes that hide in the deep.

The Mystic Old Cang-isok House

This mystic house is situated in Barangay Libo, only three kilometers from the central point of the town of Siquijor.  This century-old house was built in the mid 1800s and is the oldest house in the province of Siquijor.  Some have even told stories in hush that this structure is even the oldest in the whole of Visayas.

Because of the oldness of the Cang-isok House, it has become a celebrated treasure in the island.  The mystery behind is that, even though the house is over a century old, it still stands proud though it is only made from native and indigenous materials like bamboo, the hardwood tugas and nipa sheets.  This interesting work of art has mysteriously stood against the tests of time and is still intact up to the present.

The Church and Bell Tower of St. Francis of Assisi

Another tourist attraction in the island is The Church and Bell Tower of St. Francis of Assisi.  This century-old religious heritage was constructed in 1870.  What makes this church unique is that the structure is mostly made of corals, which proved to be very strong, thus, the church has surpassed the tests of time.  This old religious structure is located in the central town of Siquijor.  The church has its own bell tower which was built with the thought of forewarning the townspeople of impending perils, like approaching pirates, fire in the town and other emergency situations.

Capilay Spring Park

This is another popular tourist attraction in the island of Siquijor.  This park houses three springs with its refreshing fresh waters that emit from the springs ideal for swimming especially during the hot seasons.

Cambugahay Waterfalls

This waterfall is rumored to be enchanted and that apparitions of “white fairies” or “enkantadas” are seen bathing in the pool beneath the waterfalls.  Indeed, the waterfall itself looks charmed.  With its multi-tiered waterfalls, this natural beauty looks enchanting and its spectacular beauty stands out.  The rushing of the water has a soothing and calming effect to the one beholding it.  The lush green trees serve as a magnificent backdrop amid the chirping of the birds.  The exhilarating over-all effect of the scenery makes the Cambugahay Waterfalls a truly spectacular tourist attraction in the island of Siquijor.

Come and visit the enthralling beauty that makes every person visiting the Island of Siquijor be enchanted by its natural beauty of nature that truly deserves to be called a magical and enchanted island owing to its endless tourist attractions!

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Boracay, Philippines

     

       
Boracay is deemed as one of the most beautiful islands in the Philippines and has marked its way up to be named one of the most sought-after tourist destinations, not only in the country, but in the world.  It is located approximately 315 km south of Manila and thus offers a perfect getaway from the hubbub of the city life.  With its pristine waters and white sand beaches and other stunning vistas, such as the amazing dive sites, Boracay qualifies as the perfect holiday destination.  Various activities like scuba diving, windsurfing, snorkeling, cliff diving, kite-boarding and beach sports activities are what draw tourists to this exceptional tourism site.  People from across the globe come to the place to witness how beautiful this island is.  

Boracay shores are now dotted with various stalls where vendors sell collectible items ranging from necklaces and bracelets made from sea shells, t-shirts with statement about Boracay printed on them, food and sporting equipment.  Most of the Boracay sites captivate and entice tourists from all over the world.  There are a lot of activities to do and places to go in this stunning island – Boracay, Philippines.

    

     White Beach is at the top of the list if we talk about popular beaches in the island.  With its beautiful white sands that contrast the azure waters amidst the expanded blue sky, it is not a wonder why tourists place this spot at the top.  This is also the commercial site of the island with its numerous prime resorts and hotels, restaurants, bars, cafes, shops, bakeries and internet cafes and a lot more. 

      Puka Beach is another popular beach here in the island and won’t be left behind when we talk about amazing tourist attractions.  It also boasts of blue waters, white sands and palm groves.  The name “puka” was derived from puka shells, which are used for fashion accessories and usually line the shorelines of this island.   

     Bat Cave is located in the western part of the island.  It is a unique tourist spot as it houses lots and lots of bats seeking shelter in the cave.  To go to this spot, tourists have to hike through the forest to reach the mouth of the cave.  This tourist spot is more popular to photographers, nature lovers and adventure seekers.  

      Baling Hai Beach is another beautiful and popular beach in Bocaray where tourists can enjoy swimming, snorkeling and dining in a relaxed, peaceful environment. It boasts of a restaurant on top of the cliff that overlooks the whole area and provides visitors an amazing view of the island.

Another tourist attraction in the island is Mount Luho, which is the highest peak in Boracay.  It rises up to an altitude of 100 meters above sea level.  Upon reaching the top, one can have an exhilarating view of the island.  

Come and visit one of the top tourist destinations in the world – Boracay Island!

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Philippines

Philippines, which is officially known as the Republicof the Philippines, is a beautiful country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean.  Taiwan lies to its north across the Luzon Strait and Vietnam lies to its west across the South China Sea.  The country is an archipelago comprising 7, 107 islands and has the 5^th longest coastline in the world.  The islands are categorized mainly into three geographical divisions:  Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.  Manila is its capital city. 

With an estimated number of 92 Million people, the Philippines is the world’s 12^th most populated country in the world.  The country boasts of its diversity in terms of ethnicities and cultures owing to the presence of the numerous tribes in the country.  All year round, the country mostly enjoys a tropical climate which is one of its pride as a beautiful country. 

There are a lot of tourist attractions and destinations scattered around the country, Philippines.  Tourists from all over the world flock to this amazing country to enjoy the sun, the fun, the sights and sounds, the foods and the white sand beaches yet to be discovered.  Vacationers will have the glee of swimming with “butanding” or whale sharks, explore tropical islands, admire mountains, volcanoes and the ancient Banaue Rice Terraces, enjoy world-class beaches and dive sites and venture into rainforests to visit native tribes. 

Filipino People

Filipinos are widely known as being hospitable.  Tourists to the country are greeted with warm smiles and sincere hospitality that is distinct to the Filipinos.  Upon visiting their towns or provinces, vacationers will enjoy the bountiful food and be amazed as they witness elaborate festivities in the country.  Gregarious locals everywhere dispense smiles everywhere they go, a picture of a happy people. 

Transportation

Transportation in the Philippines consists mainly of buses, taxis and jeepneys, which are unique to the Filipinos.  In the provinces, there are also “tricycles,” a motorized ride with a side car wherein only accommodate about 4 to 6 people at the most.  In very remote places or inside the villages, there are means of transportation called “tricicad,” which is a bicycle with a side car which can seat only two people and is driven as though the driver is biking. 

Currency

The unit of currency is the peso, divided into 100 centavos. Banknotes come in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 pesos. The most common coins are one, five and 10 pesos.

Cash

Emergency cash in US dollars is very helpful in case you get stuck in an area with no working ATM. Other currencies, such as the euro or UK pound, are more difficult in this country.

Credit Cards

Major credit cards are accepted by many hotels, restaurants and businesses. Outside of Manila, businesses tend to charge from 5% to 12% extra for credit card transactions. Most Philippine banks will let you take a cash advance on your card.

Exchanging Money

Moneychangers are much faster than the banks and give a better rate for cash. They prefer US dollars. Ask your hotel front desk to recommend a local moneychanger. In the provinces, hotels will often change money for you.

Come, enjoy and witness the beauty of the country blessed with spectacular mountains, volcanoes, waterfalls, hot springs and cold springs and white sand beaches – The Philippines.  Do not forget that to top this all are the warm and friendly smiles of the Filipino people.  

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Boracay and Its Neighboring Dive Sites

Boracay, one of the famous tourist destinations in the world, is known for its powdery white sands, crystal clear blue waters that contrast the expansive clear blue sky.  Without doubt, Boracay is popular as one of the world’s best as to water activities such as swimming, jet skiing and other water sports.  Scuba diving is also included in the list.  There are at least 12 dive centers doing lucrative business around this island, which offer excellent diving lessons for those who are yet to start to learn the sport and provide dive equipment for the advanced dive enthusiasts. 

There are also several diving sites in the hard to reach locations in the neighboring islands such as Sibuyan Sea, Tablas, Romblon, Semirara Island among others.  Closer to Boracay, there are some first class scuba diving sites catering divers of all levels, that is, from the neophytes to advanced divers.  Some sites are excellent for snorkeling as well.  Some diving sites are between 10 to 18 meters deep and are the favorite dive sites for beginners.  However, advanced divers prefer deep dive sites such as the Friday’s Rock. Here you will find interspersed colorful corals, the variety of which range from soft to hard coral reefs.  A lot of variety of fishes can be found in these dive sites.  These include butterfly fishes, wrasses, damsel fishes, tangs, snappers, stingrays, lion fishes and scorpion fishes.  Most dive masters can take you to the fish feeding station where the fishes swarm around divers expecting to be fed. 

There are two dive sites situated a little northwest of Friday’s Rock named the Shallower Dive and the Deeper Wall.  You drop off to 24 meters then you’ll go deeper to 30 meters and down to 50 meters.  On the Shallower Dive, you will find that the top of the reef is covered with soft corals along with groups of angel fishes and trigger fishes.  Diving on the Deeper Wall, divers will find delightful large gorgonians of all colors as well as big stingrays.  There are also a lot of huge sweet lips, tuna and occasional barracudas and sharks.  

Found in the Southeast of Boracay is the Crocodile Island.  The island is named as such because of its shape which resembles to that of a crocodile.  The Crocodile Island is another popular dive site, but it has strong current owing to its location between Boracay and Panay.  The bottom seabed is about 234 meters at its deepest, but the top of the reef is only about 10 meters.  In this dive site, you can find sweet lips, wrasses, trigger fishes, butterfly fishes and snappers.  There are also pretty blue gorgonians found. Be careful as there are a few sea snakes found in the site. 

Another excellent dive close to Boracay is the Laurel Island.  Caution should be exercised as currents can get very strong here.  Yet, these strong currents encourage corals to open up their orange and yellow polyps to feed microscopic elements.  Big sponges and beautiful large gorgonians are found in this diving site.  

 

At the northern end of Boracay, divers can find Yapak.  This is a deep wall starting around 30 meters and descending beyond 60 meters depth. Currents are tricky in here and the water is usually rough, but for the advanced divers and enthusiasts for big animals, this is the best diving site Boracay has to offer.  Corals of different sizes, shapes and colors abound.  There are various fishes found in this dive site such as the snappers, sweet lips, surgeons, rainbow runners, pennants.  Barracudas, whitetip, manta rays, hammerhead and gray reef sharks are also sighted in this dive site.  This is definitely not a dive for beginners.      

Visit and explore Boracay!  The island is not only known for its excellent white sand beaches, crystal clear blue waters and expansive blue skies, but also is one of the most interesting and the most exciting dive sites in the country and in the world. 

BOOK HOTELS IN BORACAY, PHILIPPINES.

Ann Cervales, Philippines

Umbilical Cord Blood Banking: A New Life Saving Potential

This could be new and weird information for anyone, but umbilical cord blood banking can actually be a better way of saving lives.  Giving birth to a child always brings happiness both to the parents and the people around them.  This pure happiness the parents feel is never tainted and the overall well-being of the new-born child is the only thing on the parents’ mind.

But it is also rightful to think of some possibilities (though, of course, we do not wish them to happen) that some serious illness might affect the baby’s health in the future. Because of their immeasurable love to their baby, some parents choose to bank their newborn’s cord blood. So, what is umbilical cord blood banking, and is it right for you?

Facts About Umbilical Cord Blood Banking

 

What is umbilical cord blood banking? 

The blood that is left in your baby's umbilical cord after it has been cut is rich in stem cells which are genetically unique to your baby and your family. Umbilical cord blood banking is the process of preserving of your newborn baby's stem cells for future medical uses to treat life-threatening conditions and diseases. Your baby’s cord blood is usually just thrown away after birth. Why would you lose the opportunity of saving lives in the future?

 

How does it work?

The cord blood collection takes place shortly after birth in both vaginal and cesarean (C-section) deliveries. The collection process should be swift, as they can only be collected a few minutes after you baby is born.

How is umbilical cord blood collected? 

The collection of the cord blood is painless and is the first step in the procedure. This can be performed after the baby is born and usually takes less than five minutes.

What happens to the cord blood after it is collected? 

After your baby's cord blood has been collected and sealed, the cord blood will then be transferred to a processing laboratory by medical courier for treatment and future storage.

What are the pros and cons?

The primary reason that parents consider banking their newborn's cord blood is because they see the situation as the best way to preserve blood for future medical uses to treat life-threatening conditions and diseases.

If you are concerned about the risks the procedure brings to the health of both the mother and baby at the time of collection, we can say they are low, but they do exist.

Finally, consider this fact.  More than seventy five percent of the people treat life-threatening conditions and diseases cannot find blood match for them.  The process of umbilical cord blood banking and storage opens a new life saving point. Your new-born baby could be an agent for a new life solution!