August - October 2017 Balikbayan Magazine

SPECIAL REPORT: IS MEDICAL TOURISM THE RIGHT OPTION FOR YOU?

Issue 56, Volume VIII I August - October 2017

PHILIPPINES

INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS

Do you have what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur?

LEADERS Dr. Edgardo ‘Gary’ Cortez GREAT ESCAPES It’s More Fun In Batangas AESTHETIC How To Haggle Like A Filipino INVESTMENT Don’t Just Ask Why, Ask When RETIREMENT Staying Fit As We Age HEALTH Cost Analysis (USA vs Philippines) LIFESTYLE From Employee To Entrepreneur

ON THE COVER

St. Luke’s Medical Center

Inside One Of The Best Medical Institutions In The World

the asian journal’s quarterly briefing on the growth, development, and progression of theISSUE philippines.

56 — 01

02 — ISSUE 56

ISSUE 56 — 03

NORWAY

NORWAY NORWAY NORWAY OSLO OSLO OSLO

TORONTO TORONTO TORONTO

THE HAGUE THE HAGUE THE HAGUE

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6060 COUNTRIES. 60 COUNTRIES. COUNTRIES. OVER OVER OVER 100 100 CITIES 100 CITIES CITIES WORLDWIDE. WORLDWIDE. WORLDWIDE. 60 60 COUNTRIES. 60 COUNTRIES. COUNTRIES. OVER OVER OVER 100 100 CITIES 100 CITIES CITIES WORLDWIDE. WORLDWIDE. WORLDWIDE.

THAT’S THAT’S THAT’S INTERNATIONAL. INTERNATIONAL. INTERNATIONAL. THAT’S THAT’S THAT’S INTERNATIONAL. INTERNATIONAL. INTERNATIONAL. In partnership In partnership In partnership withwith thewith the Department the Department Department of Foreign of Foreign of Foreign Affairs Affairs Affairs of the of the Philippines, of the Philippines, Philippines, Balikbayan Balikbayan Balikbayan Magazine Magazine Magazine is is is

nownow distributed now distributed distributed at 101 at 101 local at 101 local and local and foreign and foreign foreign Philippine Philippine Philippine embassies, embassies, embassies, consulates, consulates, consulates, offices, offices, offices, andand outposts and outposts outposts to to to In partnership In partnership In partnership withwith thewith the Department the Department Department of Foreign of Foreign of Foreign Affairs Affairs Affairs of the of the Philippines, of the Philippines, Philippines, Balikbayan Balikbayan Balikbayan Magazine Magazine Magazine is is is compliment compliment compliment our our existing our existing existing distribution distribution distribution channels channels channels such such assuch bookstores, as bookstores, as bookstores, hotel hotel and hotel and resort and resort rooms, resort rooms, rooms, hospitals, hospitals, hospitals, nownow distributed now distributed distributed at 101 at 101 local at 101 local and local and foreign and foreign foreign Philippine Philippine Philippine embassies, embassies, embassies, consulates, consulates, consulates, offices, offices, offices, andand outposts and outposts outposts to to to banks, banks, banks, clinics, clinics, clinics, restaurants, restaurants, restaurants, shops, shops, shops, travel travel agencies, travel agencies, agencies, events, events, events, andand subscriptions. and subscriptions. subscriptions. compliment compliment compliment our our existing our existing existing distribution distribution distribution channels channels channels such such assuch bookstores, as bookstores, as bookstores, hotel hotel and hotel and resort and resort rooms, resort rooms, rooms, hospitals, hospitals, hospitals, clinics, clinics, clinics, restaurants, restaurants, restaurants, shops, shops, shops, travel travel agencies, travel agencies, agencies, events, events, events, andand subscriptions. and subscriptions. subscriptions.

ISSUE 56 BALIKBAYANMAGAZINE.COM BALIKBAYANMAGAZINE.COM BALIKBAYANMAGAZINE.COM 14 banks, 1404banks, 14— banks,

SOUTH SO

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VA GENEVA SAUDI SAUDI SAUDI JORDAN JORDAN JORDAN ABU DHABI ABU DHABI ABU DHABI AMMAN AMMAN AMMAN XIAMEN XIAMEN XIAMEN GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU MUSCAT MUSCAT MUSCAT NEW DELHI NEW DELHI NEW DELHI SEOUL BEIRUT BEIRUT BEIRUT OSAKA OSAKA OSAKA SEOUL SEOUL RIYADH RIYADH RIYADH IRAN IRAN IRAN AUSTRIA AUSTRIA AUSTRIA OSAKA OSAKAOSAKA LEBANON LEBANON LEBANON IRAQ IRAQ IRAQ BAGHDAD BAGHDAD BAGHDAD N ARABIA ARABIA ARABIA JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN THAILAND THAILAND THAILAND KARA JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN VIETNAM VIETNAM VIETNAM ANKARA ANKARA ANKARA TURKEY TURKEY VIENNA VIENNA VIENNATURKEY TEHRAN TEHRAN TEHRAN NLY QITALY IRAQ GHDAD BAGHDAD BAGHDAD BEIJING BEIJING BEIJING VIENTIANE VIENTIANE VIENTIANE MACAU MACAU MACAU LAOS LAOS LAOS MYANMAR MYANMAR MYANMAR ITALY SOUTH SOUTH SOUTH BANGKOK BANGKOK BANGKOK SHANGHAI SHANGHAI SHANGHAI SOUTH SOUTH ISRAEL ISRAEL ISRAEL AVIV TEL-AVIV TEL-AVIV MANAMA MANAMA MANAMA CUS MASCUS DAMASCUS CHINA CHINA CHINA HANOI HANOIHANOI SOUTH BAHRAIN BAHRAIN BAHRAIN IA TZERLAND LAND DAMASCUS DAMASCUS DAMASCUS SYRIA SYRIA SYRIA PAKISTAN PAKISTAN PAKISTAN JEDDAH JEDDAH JEDDAH TOKYO TOKYO TOKYO OMAN OMAN OMAN PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES INDIA INDIAINDIA YANGON YANGON YANGON SHANGHAI KUWAIT KUWAIT KUWAIT SHANGHAI SHANGHAI CHINA CHINA CHINA GREECE GREECE GREECE KOREA KOREA KOREA BUDAPEST BUDAPEST BUDAPEST CAMBODIA CAMBODIA CAMBODIA KOREA KOREA KOREA DOHA DOHA DOHA CHONGQING CHONGQING CHONGQING HUNGARY HUNGARY HUNGARY VA GENEVA QATAR QATAR QATAR EGYPT EGYPT EGYPT JORDAN JORDAN JORDAN AMMAN AMMAN AMMAN XIAMEN XIAMEN XIAMEN UWAIT KUWAIT KUWAIT MUSCAT MUSCAT MUSCATIRAN NEW DELHI NEW DELHI NEW DELHI SEOUL LIBYA SEOUL SEOUL ATHENS ATHENS ATHENS RIYADH RIYADH RIYADH OSAKA OSAKAOSAKA PHNOM PHNOM PENH PHNOM PENH PENH SEOUL SEOUL SEOUL BRUNEI BRUNEI BRUNEI UAEIRAN UAEIRAN UAE BANGLADESH BANGLADESH BANGLADESH NYA MMAN ISLAMABAD ISLAMABAD ISLAMABAD XIAMEN XIAMEN XIAMEN CAIROCAIROCAIRO THAILAND THAILAND THAILAND DUBAI DUBAIDUBAI JAPAN JAPAN JAPAN VIETNAM VIETNAM VIETNAM HONGBEIJING HONG KONG HONG KONG KONG IRANIRAN IRAN ANKARA ANKARA ANKARA BEIRUT BEIRUT BEIRUT TURKEY TURKEY TURKEY TEHRAN TEHRAN TEHRAN N QTRIPOLI IRAQ GHDAD BAGHDAD BAGHDAD OLI BEIJING BEIJING LEBANON LEBANON LEBANON IRAQIRAQ IRAQ BAGHDAD BAGHDAD BAGHDAD LY ITALY ITALY ATICAN THE N VATICAN DHAKA DHAKADHAKA KUALA KUALA LUMPUR KUALA LUMPUR LUMPUR BANGKOK BANGKOK BANGKOK SOUTH SOUTH MANAMA MANAMA MANAMA HANOI HANOIHANOI SOUTH BAHRAIN BAHRAIN BAHRAIN TEHRAN TEHRAN TEHRAN DAMASCUS DAMASCUS DAMASCUS SYRIA SYRIA SYRIA PAKISTAN PAKISTAN BEIJING BEIJING BEIJING SAUDI SAUDI SAUDI ABU PAKISTAN DHABI ABU DHABI ABU DHABI SHANGHAI SHANGHAI SHANGHAI GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU ARAIN MALAYSIA MALAYSIA MALAYSIA CHINA CHINA CHINA GREECE GREECE GREECE N BAHRAIN SHANGHAI SHANGHAI SHANGHAI ISRAEL ISRAEL ISRAEL TEL-AVIV TEL-AVIV TEL-AVIV CHINA CHINA CHINA CAMBODIA CAMBODIA CAMBODIA KOREA KOREA KOREA DOHADOHA DOHA CHONGQING CHONGQING CHONGQING PAKISTAN PAKISTAN PAKISTAN QATAR QATAR QATAR ROME EGYPT EGYPT EGYPT UWAIT KUWAIT KUWAIT ARABIA ARABIA ARABIA KUWAIT KUWAIT KUWAIT YA LIBYA HA DOHA ATHENS ATHENS ATHENS CHONGQING CHONGQING CHONGQING ATAR QATAR QATAR PHNOM PHNOM PENH PHNOM PENH PENH SEOUL SEOULSEOUL BRUNEI BRUNEI BRUNEI UAE UAE UAE BANGLADESH BANGLADESH BANGLADESH MMAN ISLAMABAD ISLAMABAD ISLAMABAD VIENTIANE VIENTIANE VIENTIANE XIAMEN XIAMEN XIAMEN MACAU MACAU MACAU MYANMAR MYANMAR MYANMAR LAOS LAOS LAOS CAIRO CAIROCAIRO JORDAN JORDAN JORDAN AMMAN AMMAN AMMAN XIAMEN DUBAIDUBAIDUBAI HONG HONG KONGHONG KONGXIAMEN KONGXIAMEN IRAN BEIRUT BEIRUT BEIRUT MILAN IRAN IRAN IRAN INDIA OLI TRIPOLI UAEIRAN UAEIRAN UAE BANGLADESH BANGLADESH BANGLADESH LAMABAD BAD ISLAMABAD JEDDAH JEDDAH JEDDAH LEBANON LEBANON LEBANON OMAN OMAN OMAN IRAQ IRAQ IRAQ BAGHDAD BAGHDAD BAGHDAD PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES INDIAINDIA DHAKA THE N TICAN VATICAN YANGON YANGON YANGON DHAKA DHAKA DUBAI DUBAI DUBAI KUALA KUALA LUMPUR KUALA LUMPUR LUMPUR HONG HONG KONG HONG KONG KONG TEHRAN TEHRAN TEHRAN BEIJING BEIJING BEIJING TEHRAN TEHRAN TEHRAN SAUDI SAUDI SAUDIMUSCAT SINGAPORE SINGAPORE SINGAPORE BEIJING BEIJING BEIJING ABU DHABI ABU DHABI ABU DHABI DHAKA DHAKA DHAKA GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU MUSCAT MUSCAT NEW DELHI NEW DELHI NEW DELHI ARAIN MALAYSIA MALAYSIA MALAYSIA N BAHRAIN SHANGHAI SHANGHAI SHANGHAI ISRAEL ISRAEL ISRAEL TEL-AVIV TEL-AVIV TEL-AVIV MANAMA MANAMA MANAMA CHINA CHINA CHINA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN RIYADH RIYADH RIYADHBAHRAIN PAKISTAN PAKISTAN PAKISTAN UDI ROME PAKISTAN PAKISTAN PAKISTAN ABUKENYA DHABI ABU DHABI ABUKENYA DHABI GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU ARABIA ARABIA ARABIA THAILAND THAILAND THAILAND KUWAIT KUWAIT KUWAIT KENYA VIETNAM VIETNAM VIETNAM HA DOHA QATAR CHONGQING CHONGQING CHONGQING ATAR DOHA DOHA DOHA CHONGQING CHONGQING CHONGQING QATAR QATAR QATAR VIENTIANE VIENTIANE VIENTIANE MACAU MACAU MACAU MYANMAR MYANMAR MYANMAR LAOS LAOS LAOS EGYPT EGYPT EGYPT BIAQATAR JORDAN JORDAN JORDAN AMMAN AMMAN AMMAN XIAMEN XIAMEN XIAMEN BANGKOK BANGKOK BANGKOK HANOI HANOI HANOI NAIROBI NAIROBI NAIROBI LIBYA LIBYA LIBYA MILAN IRAN IRAN IRAN UAE UAE UAE BANGLADESH BANGLADESH BANGLADESH INDONESIA INDONESIA INDONESIA BAD AMABAD ISLAMABAD VIENTIANE VIENTIANE VIENTIANE JEDDAH JEDDAH JEDDAHOMAN LAMABAD MACAU MACAU MACAU MYANMAR MYANMAR MYANMAR LAOS LAOS LAOS OMAN OMAN PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES HONGHONG UAE UAE UAE BANGLADESH BANGLADESH BANGLADESH INDIA INDIA INDIA ISLAMABAD ISLAMABAD ISLAMABAD YANGON YANGON YANGON DUBAI DUBAI DUBAI CAIRO CAIRO CAIRO HONG HONG KONGHONG KONG KONG DUBAI DUBAI DUBAI KONG HONG KONG KONG CAMBODIA CAMBODIA CAMBODIA AH TEHRAN TEHRAN TEHRAN OMAN OMAN OMAN TRIPOLI TRIPOLI TRIPOLI PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES JAKARTA JAKARTA JAKARTA SINGAPORE SINGAPORE SINGAPORE INDIA INDIA INDIA BEIJING BEIJING BEIJING YANGON YANGON YANGON DHAKA DHAKA DHAKA MUSCAT MUSCAT MUSCAT NEW DELHI NEW DELHI NEW DELHI DHAKA DHAKADHAKA MANAMA MANAMA MANAMA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN BAHRAIN RIYADH RIYADH RIYADH PHNOM PHNOM PENH PHNOM PENH PENH DI PAKISTAN PAKISTAN BRUNEI BRUNEI BRUNEI ABUKENYA DHABI ABU DHABI ABUKENYA DHABI SAUDI SAUDI GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU PAPUA PAPUA NEW PAPUA NEW GUINEA NEW GUINEA GUINEA MUSCAT MUSCAT NEW SAUDI DELHI NEW DELHI NEW DELHI ABU PAKISTAN DHABI ABU DHABI ABU DHABI THAILAND THAILAND THAILAND TIMOR EAST TIMOR TIMOR GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU KENYA VIETNAM VIETNAM VIETNAM EASTEAST DHMUSCAT MANADO MANADO MANADO DOHADOHA DOHA CHONGQING CHONGQING CHONGQING QATAR QATAR QATAR EGYPT EGYPT EGYPT BIA THAILAND THAILAND THAILAND BANGKOK BANGKOK BANGKOK KUALA KUALA LUMPUR KUALA LUMPUR LUMPUR ARABIA ARABIA ARABIA VIETNAM VIETNAM VIETNAM HANOI HANOI HANOI DILI-EAST DILI-EAST TIMOR DILI-EAST TIMOR PORT TIMOR PORT MORSEBY MORSEBY PORT MORSEBY NAIROBI NAIROBI LIBYA LIBYALIBYA NAIROBI INDONESIA INDONESIA INDONESIA VIENTIANE VIENTIANE VIENTIANE BANGLADESH MACAU MACAU MACAU MYANMAR MYANMAR MYANMAR LAOS LAOS LAOS UAE UAE UAE BANGLADESH BANGLADESH ISLAMABAD ISLAMABAD ISLAMABAD VIENTIANE VIENTIANE VIENTIANE MACAU MACAU MACAU MYANMAR MYANMAR MYANMAR LAOS LAOS LAOS BANGKOK BANGKOK BANGKOK CAIROCAIROCAIRO MALAYSIA MALAYSIA MALAYSIA DUBAI DUBAI DUBAI HANOI HANOI HANOI HONG HONG KONG HONG KONG KONG CAMBODIA CAMBODIA CAMBODIA AH OMAN OMAN OMAN TRIPOLI TRIPOLI TRIPOLI PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES JAKARTA JAKARTA JAKARTA INDIA INDIA INDIA JEDDAH JEDDAH JEDDAH YANGON YANGON YANGON OMAN OMAN OMAN PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES INDIA INDIA INDIA YANGON YANGON YANGON DHAKA DHAKA DHAKA CAMBODIA CAMBODIA CAMBODIA PHNOM PHNOM PENH PHNOM PENH PENH BRUNEI BRUNEI BRUNEI EASTEAST SAUDI SAUDI PAPUA PAPUA NEW PAPUA NEW GUINEA NEW GUINEA GUINEA MUSCAT MUSCAT NEW SAUDI DELHI NEW DELHI NEW DELHI MUSCAT ABU DHABI ABU DHABI ABU DHABI TIMOR EAST TIMOR TIMOR GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU GUANGZHOU MUSCAT NEW DELHI NEW DELHI NEW DELHI DHMUSCAT PHNOM PHNOM PENH PHNOM PENH PENH MANADO MANADO MANADO RIYADH RIYADH RIYADHMUSCAT BRUNEI BRUNEI BRUNEI KUALAKUALA THAILAND THAILAND THAILAND LUMPUR KUALA LUMPUR LUMPUR ARABIA ARABIA ARABIA THAILAND THAILAND THAILAND VIETNAM VIETNAM VIETNAM DILI-EAST DILI-EAST TIMOR DILI-EAST TIMOR PORT TIMOR PORT MORSEBY MORSEBY PORT MORSEBY VIETNAM VIETNAM VIETNAM SINGAPORE SINGAPORE SINGAPORE VIENTIANE VIENTIANE VIENTIANE MACAU MACAU MACAU MYANMAR MYANMAR LAOS LAOS LAOS KUALA KUALA LUMPUR KUALA LUMPUR LUMPUR BANGKOK BANGKOK BANGKOK MALAYSIA MALAYSIA MALAYSIA BANGKOK BANGKOK BANGKOK HANOI HANOIHANOI MYANMAR HANOI HANOI HANOI JEDDAH JEDDAH JEDDAHOMAN OMAN OMAN PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES INDIA INDIAINDIA YANGON YANGON YANGON MALAYSIA MALAYSIA MALAYSIA KENYA KENYA KENYA CAMBODIA CAMBODIA CAMBODIA CAMBODIA CAMBODIA CAMBODIA MUSCAT MUSCAT NEW DELHI NEW DELHI NEW DELHI NAIROBI NAIROBI NAIROBI PHNOM PHNOM PENH PHNOM PENH PENH RIYADH RIYADH RIYADHMUSCAT BRUNEI BRUNEI BRUNEI INDONESIA INDONESIA INDONESIA PHNOM PHNOM PENH PHNOM PENH PENH BRUNEI BRUNEI BRUNEI THAILAND THAILAND THAILAND VIETNAM VIETNAM VIETNAM JAKARTA JAKARTA JAKARTA SINGAPORE SINGAPORE SINGAPORE KUALA KUALA LUMPUR KUALA LUMPUR LUMPUR KUALA KUALA LUMPUR KUALA LUMPUR LUMPUR BANGKOK BANGKOK BANGKOK HANOI HANOIHANOI SINGAPORE SINGAPORE SINGAPORE PAPUA PAPUA NEW PAPUA NEW GUINEA NEW GUINEA GUINEA TIMOR EAST TIMOR TIMOR MALAYSIA MALAYSIA MALAYSIA KENYA KENYA KENYA MALAYSIA MALAYSIA MALAYSIAEASTEAST SYDNEY SYDNEY SYDNEY MANADO MANADO MANADO AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA CAMBODIA CAMBODIA CAMBODIA A IA IGERIA DILI-EAST DILI-EAST TIMOR DILI-EAST TIMOR PORT TIMOR PORT MORSEBY MORSEBY PORT MORSEBY NAIROBI NAIROBI NAIROBI INDONESIA INDONESIA INDONESIA PHNOM PHNOM PENH PHNOM PENH PENH BRUNEI BRUNEI BRUNEI CANBERRA CANBERRA CANBERRA BI AABUJA INDONESIA INDONESIA INDONESIA JAKARTA JAKARTA JAKARTA KUALA KUALA LUMPUR KUALA LUMPUR LUMPUR JAKARTA JAKARTA JAKARTA SINGAPORE SINGAPORE SINGAPORE SINGAPORE SINGAPORE SINGAPORE PAPUA PAPUA NEW PAPUA NEW GUINEA NEW GUINEA GUINEA TIMOR EAST TIMOR TIMOR MALAYSIA MALAYSIA MALAYSIAEASTEAST SYDNEY SYDNEY SYDNEY MANADO MANADO MANADO AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA PAPUA PAPUA NEW PAPUA NEW 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DILI-EAST DILI-EAST TIMOR DILI-EAST TIMOR PORT TIMOR PORT MORSEBY MORSEBY PORT MORSEBY NEW NEW ZEALAND NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND SYDNEY SYDNEY SYDNEY AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA WELLINGTON WELLINGTON WELLINGTON CANBERRA CANBERRA CANBERRA CANBERRA CANBERRA CANBERRA

SYDNEY SYDNEY SYDNEY AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA

H OUTH AFRICA SOUTH AFRICA AFRICA

SYDNEY SYDNEY SYDNEY AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA

H OUTH AFRICA SOUTH AFRICA AFRICA

CANBERRA CANBERRA CANBERRA

NEWNEW ZEALAND NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND

WELLINGTON WELLINGTON WELLINGTON SYDNEY SYDNEY SYDNEY AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA CANBERRA CANBERRA CANBERRA SYDNEY SYDNEY SYDNEY AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA

NEWNEW ZEALAND NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND CANBERRA CANBERRA CANBERRA WELLINGTON WELLINGTON WELLINGTON

SOUTH SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH AFRICA AFRICA SOUTH SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH AFRICA AFRICA

NEWNEW ZEALAND NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND WELLINGTON WELLINGTON WELLINGTON

NEWNEW ZEALAND NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND WELLINGTON WELLINGTON WELLINGTON

NEWNEW ZEALAND NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND WELLINGTON WELLINGTON WELLINGTON

NEWNEW ZEALAND NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND WELLINGTON WELLINGTON WELLINGTON

NEWNEW ZEALAND NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND WELLINGTON WELLINGTON WELLINGTON

ISSUE 56 — 05 BALIKBAYANMAGAZINE.COM BALIKBAYANMAGAZINE.COM BALIKBAYANMAGAZINE.COM 15 15

15

TRAVEL

01 REVIEW The Taste That Keeps You Coming Back Page 66 02 Wine & Dine Beyond Unbeatable Steaks Page 68 03 Great Getaways It’s More Fun In Rich Batangas Page 70 04 Tourism Invite Home A Friend Program Page 74 05 FORECAST 1-Year Accomplishment Report Page 76 06 Essence of Place All You Need Is Filipino Love Page 80 07 iNVESTMENT Don’t Just Ask Why, Ask When To Buy Page 96 08 AESTHETIC 01 7 Practical Spending Habits Page 102 02 How To Haggle Like A Filipino Page 104 03 Taking A Leap From Being An Employee to An Entrepreneur Page 106

Photographs by Christina M. Oriel 06 — ISSUE 56

www.LoveOfCountry.ph

The Philippines is not only home to pristine natural wonders and beautiful beaches, but also home to a vibrant, thriving, and booming metropolis that is filled with renowned hotels and resorts, restaurants, bars, shops, schools, investment opportunities, to a burgeoning music, art, culture, and nightlife scene. Come and see for yourself and rediscover the gems of the Philippines. We’ll help you find exactly what you’re looking for.

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ISSUE 56 — 07

THE HEALTH ISSUE I. INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS—Pages 46-51 01 Is Medical Tourism The Right Option For You? 02 8 Steps To Analyse 03 Philippines Ranks 8th In World As Medical Tourism Destination 04 The Rising Epicenter of Medical Tourism 05 World-Class Facilities 06 Cost Analysis (PH vs USA) II. THE NATION—Pages 52-53 01 The Philippines Bans Smoking III. LIFESTYLE—Pages 54-59 01 9 Practical Ways to Stay Fit & Healthy While Travelling IV. retirement—Page 60 01 Best Exercises for Senior Citizens V. HEALTH—Page 61 01 The 6 Benefits of Exercise VI. CLINICS— Pages 62-63 01 Novodental Philippines

ON THE COVER

An Inside Look At One Of The Best Medical Institutions in the World Pages 14-45

01 St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City Pages 16-19 02 St. Luke’s Medical Center Quezon City Pages 20-21

07 They Have You Covered Page 26 08 Comparative Costs Page 27

14 How St. Luke’s Is Taking The Lead In Advanced Fertility Treatment Pages 40-41

09 IMPROVING HEALTHCARE IN THE PHILIPPINES Pages 28-32

15 Expert Insights From St. Luke’s Dermatology Centers Page 42

10 Improving The Quality Of Life And Functional Capacity Of Patients Page 33

16 World-Class Eye Care From St. Luke’s Vision Laser Center Page 43

05 Global Patient Management System Page 24

11 CELEBRATING LIFE AFTER TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT Pages 34-35

06 Specialized Medical Treatments & Procedures Page 25

12 Robotic Surgery In Gynecology Pages 36-37

17 St. Luke’s Medical CenterGlobal City’s Institute Of Digestive And Liver Diseases Page 44

03 THE CONCIERGE At St. Luke’s Page 22 04 St. Luke’s Medical Center Redefines Excellence In Philippine Healthcare Page 23

08 — ISSUE 56

13 The Cancer Team At St. Luke’s Pages 38-39

18 St. Luke’s Medical Center Kidney Transplant Page 45

ISSUE 56 — 09

55

PHILIPPINES

PUBLISHER & CEO PRESIDENT & CO-PUBLISHER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Vice President for Marketing & Special Events, Philippines Vice President for Sales SENIOR ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE EDITOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

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PORTFOLIO: THE 2017 INVESTMENT ISSUE

Issue 55, Volume VIII I June & July 2017

PHILIPPINES

BUSINESS

How to balance work and summer vacation as a family.

GREAT ESCAPES 8 Things To Do In Davao DISCOVERY 72 Hours In Batanes PORTFOLIO Lombard By The Bay, The Next Big Thing In The Philippines THE ECONOMY A Tribute To Filipino Workers LEADERS Norman Agatep WINE & DINE Izakaya Kenta Japanese Restaurant

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ON THE COVER

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the asian journal’s bi-monthly briefing on the growth, development, and progression of the philippines.

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE I KEEPING A JOURNAL

’m proud to say that the Philippines is indeed the next Silicon Valley or Shenzhen—Facebook, Google, AirBnB, Uber, to fresh tech start-ups and modern developments unfolding each day—they’re all here and it’s all happening.

You can see it. You can feel it.

In the Philippines today, I meet so many entrepreneurs with innovative ideas—dreams and aspirations to further develop or create the next brilliant technology that aims to revolutionize the World—and working with Filipino engineers, programmers, and designers along the way. From young to old, from all over the World, I’ve encountered people coming to the Philippines to turn their dreams into reality and create their products.

As I’ve sat in these meetings and read through countless emails, I’m so optimistic about what’s taking place in our country.

I’ve been pitched remarkable products to invest in and advise on.

In each meeting, I’ve constantly advised all of these dreamers, movers, and shakers the importance of accomplishing these things—collaborate, partner up, understand your strengths and weaknesses, focus, stay passionate, and thus—find the likeminded people—the talent that will help your idea become truly transcendent. And transcendent need not only be defined to the next big thing—but can be that food cart or community organization that employs even just 1 person in the province.

For every Nikola Tesla, there needs to be a Thomas Edison to bring power to each home on Earth. For every Mark Zuckerberg, there needs to be a Sean Parker to scale your product beyond your original borders. For every industry, such as the auto industry, there are people like Elon Musk who aim to shake things up.

In the World of business and innovation, no one does it alone, period. No idea was completed in singularity despite our fascinations with the brilliant lone inventor—the mad scientist who exists out of our own societal norms and institutional bubble of innovation that creates, say for example, the internet.

We all, in some shape or form carve the path for the innovations of future generations. As Tesla once wrote in the year 1900, “The scientific man does not aim at an immediate result. He does not expect that his advanced ideas will be readily taken up. His work is like that of the planter–for the future. His duty is to lay the foundation for those who are to come, and point the way.”

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In order for our great nation, the Philippines to truly level up, become great, and reach the heights we’ve always hoped and prayed it would finally realize, we all need to work together. It’s important to me. It’s important for you—it’s important for our future. So build something. Start it today because it’s not just about tomorrow or next week—it’s about 5, 10, 100 years from now.

That is why in this issue, we bring to you the incredible vision and performance of St. Luke’s Medical Center, the gold standard of healthcare in the Philippines. Read about how St. Luke’s Medical Center is at the forefront of servicing the global medical tourism industry in the Philippines. Understanding the vision and quality of St. Luke’s Medical Centers, I am supremely confident that the Philippines will soon become one of the top 5 biggest countries in the medical tourism industry—after all, we as a nation truly have it all. Filipinos are known to deliver worldclass healthcare outside of the Philippines—and it’s time we’re known to deliver it at home as well, for everyone.

Collaboration and focus are two things that I constantly advise and push my son on as he directs our new projects, the Balikbayan Program and the Love of Country Network which are lofty endeavors that he and I hope will help all Filipino businessmen and women succeed in all industries locally and internationally.

Because great ideas are just that—great ideas. It requires a team of people to transform, unite, and make the World a better place—isn’t that what we’re all here for anyway?—To make the World a better place than how we entered it? And that precisely is what Love of Country is truly all about.

Our bodies have 35 trillion cells. And as the older we get, the rate of aging increases exponentially. But combining and uniting each of our 35 trillion cells into one cohesive energy and project, the results can be long lasting—a legacy. For an institution to be created, we must combine these trillions of forces working together.

Roger L. Oriel CEO & Publisher, Asian Journal Media Group

A UNIQUE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT

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MONTEMARIA ESTATES, BATANGAS CITY, PHILIPPINES

WINDING ITS WAY SOON

A PROJECT OF

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ON THE COVER I INSIDE ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER

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St. Luke’s Medical Center —An inside look at one of the best medical institutions in the World. writerS Jennifer Soriano Iris Vicente Joanna Estorque Elijah Roderos Krissy Aguilar

PHOTOGRAPHER Noel Ty

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ON THE COVER I INSIDE ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER

St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City —Committed to bringing world-class healthcare in the Philippines writer

Iris Vicente

t. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC), in its commitment to deliver top-tier patientcentered care, steadily grew to being an internationally recognized medical institution with outstanding expertise and facilities from the time it was established in 1903.

Following the success and growth of St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City since its establishment in the area in 1961, a second St. Luke’s facility was finally opened. In 2010, the institution launched one of the most modern hospitals in the country 016 — ISSUE 56

—St. Luke’s Medical Center in Global City, Taguig. With the architectural design of a hotel, the hospital includes a 14storey Nursing Tower with a capacity of 600 beds, a helipad, 11-storey Medical Arts Building, hotel rooms for patients’ relatives or companions, and a grand main lobby unparalleled by any other hospital at that time. In 2012, it landed on healthexecnews. com’s list of the “25 World’s Most Beautiful Hospitals” where it was ranked 11th out of the 25 most beautiful hospitals worldwide.

It is arguably one of the best-equipped hospitals in the country with technology and medical expertise that can only be found in other world-class healthcare facilities such as the third generation da Vinci Si Robotic Surgical System, Linear Accelerator, PET/CT Scan, 256-slice CT Scan, and a 3.0 Tesla MRI. It also houses the first hospital-based IVF facility known as CARMI (Center for Advanced Reproductive Medicine and Infertility) and a water birthing suite.

Two years after its inauguration, St. Luke’s-Global City received its first Joint Commission International ( JCI) Accreditation, a prestige bequeathed only to hospitals that comply with excellent management and international patient safety standards. It is also accredited by a Germany-based accrediting organization Temos (Trust, Effective Medicine, Optimized Services.) for its merit in quality medical services for the international society including medical travelers and expats.

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ON THE COVER I INSIDE ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER

Along with the Quezon City facility, it was named among the 20 Best Hospitals Worldwide in 2014 by the Diplomatic Council of Europe, a Global Think Tank and Business Network that adheres to the charter of the United Nations.

With a number of accolades from prominent international organizations, St. Luke’s-Global City maintains its reputation as a world-renowned healthcare institution with superiority and excellence in all its functions in technology, medical expertise and patient experience. This only fuels the hospital’s persistence in being at par with the best medical institutions in the world.

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ON THE COVER I INSIDE ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER

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St. Luke’s Medical Center Quezon City

—From humble beginnings to the top multispeciality hospital writer

Jennifer Soriano

t. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) in Quezon City started small before earning its reputation of being a world-class healthcare institution in the Philippines, Tracing its humble beginnings back to 1903, it was initially a free clinic called the Dispensary of St. Luke the Beloved Physician located on Calle Magdalena, Tondo, Manila. It was opened by the Episcopal Missions to serve the poor. Two years after, it opened a modest 9-bed ward.

With its number of patients growing, the clinic expanded into a 30-bed hospital in 1907 and was named the University Hospital. Dr. Najib Mitry Saleeby, a Lebanese Protestant physician and naturalized U.S. citizen, became the hospitals’ first Medical Director and initiated treatment and prevention modalities. By 1910, the hospital expanded to 52 beds, which catered mostly to charity patients. The name was changed to St. Luke’s Hospital in 1912 to differentiate it from the University of the Philippines Hospital.

In the 1930s, the Sunday Tribune recognized St. Luke’s as one of the best-equipped hospitals in the country.

For three consecutive years (1935-1937), the hospital won first prize during National Hospital Day, which eventually elevated the institution to the Hall of Fame.

The following year, 1938, the Philippine government recognized St. Luke’s as a Model Hospital.

In 1961, the hospital transferred to a bigger facility in Cathedral Heights, Quezon City. It was renamed St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) in 1984 and that year witnessed how the hospital further gained its reputation as a healthcare institution with world-class expertise and facilities, thanks to its highly advanced equipment and internationally -trained doctors.

In the mid-1990s, the management inaugurated the St. Luke’s College of Medicine-William H. Quasha Memorial, now considered one of the top medical schools in the country.

In 2003, St Luke’s-Quezon City became the first in the Philippines and second in Asia to be accredited by Joint Commission International ( JCI), the international arm of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations ( JCAHO), the oldest and most prestigious healthcare accreditation organization in the world. It has since gathered numerous accolades and introduced many more pioneering treatments and procedures which have made it a frontrunner in the Philippine healthcare industry.

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ON THE COVER I INSIDE ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER At the ribbon cutting ceremony of The Concierge at St. Luke’s are (L-R): St. Luke’s-Quezon City VP & Assistant Head of Medical Practice Group and Assistant Medical Director Dr. Anthony T. Uygongco, Plan Administrator of Calvo’s Selectcare Mr. Frank Campillo, St. Luke’s President and CEO Dr. Edgardo R. Cortez, Executive Director of the Association of Health Maintenance Organizations of the Philippines, Inc. (AHMOPI) Mr. Carlos da Silva, St. Luke’s SVP & Head of Marketing and Industry Relations Ms. Jo C. Aguilar, and St. Luke’s-Quezon City SVP and Head of Medical Practice Group and Medical Director Dr. Jose B. Moran.

t. Luke’s Medical Center-Quezon City introduces the first hospital-based medical concierge in the Philippines.

It started in 2011 with the creation of the first hospital-based HMO Concierge.

Six years after, The Concierge at St. Luke’s is now housed in a two-storey facility dedicated to private, international, and HMO patients where Medical Concierge Officers guide patients through every step of their medical journey. Services at The Concierge include seamless planning and coordination of inpatient and outpatient medical requirements including synchronized appointment setting with the consultation of doctors, scheduling and guidance on tests and procedures, facilitating doctor-to-doctor conference calls for continuity of care, facilitation of Letter of Authorization (LOA) and Guarantee of Payment (GOP), computing medical cost estimates, and assistance in facilitation of admission and discharge.

Patients are also provided with The Concierge PASS Card which serves as a primary care pass to exclusive privileges at The Concierge. Upon presentation of the PASS Card, patients can save up to 36 percent when availing of the services.

Given the volume of medical tourists going to the two medical centers, St. Luke’sQuezon City and St. Luke’s-Global City, The Concierge also addresses non-medical concerns such as transportation services, hotel accommodations, visa extensions, and other travel arrangements. An added convenience is the eHealth Hub where patients can conveniently access St. Luke’s online for test results, room reservations, executive checkup reservations, online payment during admission, and order and pay of tests and procedures.

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St. Luke’s Medical Center Redefines Excellence in Philippine Healthcare St. Luke’s Medical Center has earned the respect and admiration of both local and international accrediting and award-giving bodies.

Joint Commission International (JCI) St. Luke’s Medical Center-Quezon City and Global City are both accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), the world’s most prestigous accrediting body of healthcare organizatons.

JCI is the international arm of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JCAHO), the oldest and most prestigious healthcare accreditation institution in the world. It is an independent, non-profit organization based in the United States that evaluates and accredits healthcare organizations and programs worldwide.

St. Luke’s - Quezon City: • First accredited hospital in the Philippines (2003) • First accredited Academic Medical Center Hospital in the Philippines (2016) • Hospital accreditation awarded in 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2012 • Clinical Care Program Certification (CCPC) for the Primary Stroke Program awarded 2014 & 2017

St. Luke’s - Global City: • Hospital accreditation awarded in 2012 and 2015 • Clinical Care Program Certification (CCPC) for the Primary Stroke Program awarded 2014 & 2017

American College of Radiology (ACR) St. Luke’s-Global City and Quezon City are accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR) for Breast Ultrasound and Mammography services. St. Luke’s-Global City was recognized as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence after being accredited for its Stereotactic Breast Biopsy Services in July 2014. Both are the only facilities outside North and South America to receive ACR accreditation which assures patients of the highest quality standards in radiology.

ACR is a non-profit medical association in Reston, Virginia composed of diagnostic radiologists, radiation oncologists, interventional radiologists, nuclear medicine physicians and medical physicists.

St. Luke’s - Quezon City: • Accredited for Breast Ultrasound (2012) • Accredited for Mammography (2011)

St. Luke’s - Global City: • Breast Imaging Center of Excellence (2014) • Accredited for Stereotactic Breast Biopsy (2014) • Accredited for Breast Ultrasound (2013) • Accredited for Mammography (2012)

American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) Temos (Trust. Effective Medicine. Optimized Services.)

St. Luke’s-Global City and Quezon City are both certified

by Germany-based accrediting organization Temos, making St. Luke’s the first in the Philippines to have been awarded certificates for Excellence in Medical Tourism and Quality in International Patient Care. St. Luke’s hospitals are two of only ten hospitals worldwide recognized as prime medical tourism destinations.

Temos certifies and accredits hospitals and primary care facilities worldwide based on adherence to international Quality Management Systems standards and compliance with its stringent and comprehensive criteria.

St. Luke’s - Quezon City: • Certified for Quality in International Patient Care in 2010 and 2013 • Certified for Excellence in Medical Tourism in 2013

St. Luke’s - Global City: • Certified for Quality in International Patient Care in 2013 • Certified for Excellence in Medical Tourism in 2013

The Cellular Immunology and Molecular Pathology Section of St. Luke’s – Quezon City’s Institute of Pathology is the only facility outside North America and Dominican Republic to achieve the honor of AABB Relationship Testing Accreditation.

Investors in People St. Luke’s Medical Center is the first hospital in the world to be awarded a Gold Certification by Investors in People (IiP) according to its Sixth Generation Standard. The institution was given this certification due to its high standards of leadership and people management practice, continuous improvement, and unity among its members towards achieving its corporate goals.

IiP is the internationally recognized standard for people management that defines what it takes to lead, support, and manage people for sustained success.

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) St. Luke’s Medical Center is the first hospital in the Philippines to be granted the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) certification by SGS Philippines, Inc. – the country’s leading provider in certification, testing, verification and inspection. A HACCP Certification signifies that the hospital provides patients with the highest standard of safe and healthy food.

The Diplomatic Council of Europe St. Luke’s-Global City and Quezon City have been cited as two of only 20 “Best Hospitals Worldwide for 2014”and “Preferred Partner Hospital for 2016” by the Diplomatic Council, a non-governmental Think Tank organization that adheres to the principles of the charter of the United Nations. The Diplomatic Council, based in The Hague, The Netherlands, awards top medical facilities around the world to help promote medical tourism and assure the safety and comfort of medical tourists.

Mayo Clinic Care Network St. Luke’s Medical Center is the first hospital in the Philippines and the fourth outside the United States to become a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, a network of independent health care providers committed to working together to benefit patients and their families.

Mayo Clinic ranks No.1 hospital in the US with headquarters located in Rochester, Minnesota, USA.

St. Luke’s is also an International Affiliate of: New York-Presbyterian Hospital Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University

St. Luke’s International Business Relations medtravel@stluke.com.ph (63) 9985821426 (632) 7897700 ext. 5304/ 1086ISSUE 56 — 023

GLOBAL PATIENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM At St. Luke’s Medical Center, you receive end-to-end service from the moment your medical appointments are booked, upon arrival in the Philippines, during healthcare treatment, and departure to your country of origin.

TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

ARRIVAL DEPARTURE

WELLNESS DOMESTIC TRAVEL

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Specialized Medical Treatments & Procedures REMINGTON HOTEL AND BELMONT HOTEL

Expert doctors armed with cutting edge technology.

St. Luke’s expert doctors are highly-skilled and widely experienced in their various specializations. Their physicians and medical staff have received international training on the latest medical procedures to ensure excellent patient care and safety. Some of the healthcare services offered include: 01 Cardiac Diagnostic & Therapeutic Procedures 02 Latest Cancer Treatment Options 03 Orthopedics 04 Infertility Treatments

ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER QUEZON CITY & GLOBAL CITY

05 Cosmetic Surgery 06 Dental Procedures 07 General Surgery 08 Organ Transplants 09 Rehabilitation & Geriatric Medicine 10 Bariatric Surgery 11 Pediatrics

TREATMENT & RECUPERATION

12 Second Opinion Consults Patients can save an average of 63% to 82% on healthcare services at St. Luke’s Medical Center, which are competitively priced compared to other countries like the U.S., Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and South Korea.

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THEY HAVE YOU COVERED

YOUR HEALTHCARE NEEDS COME FIRST AT ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER. HERE IS A LIST OF THE VARIOUS ADVANCED MEDICAL SERVICES THEY ARE KNOWN FOR: I. Diagnostic Services 01 Imaging Services (Digital Radiography, CT Scan, MRI, Ultrasound) 02 PET / CT Scan 03 Advanced Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 04 Digital Mammography 05 Coronary Angiogram II. Medical & Surgical Services 01 Orthopedics 01 Total Knee Replacement 02 Total Knee Replacement (Peripheral Nerve Block) 03 Total Hip Replacement 04 ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) Reconstruction 02 ONCOLOGY 01 Respiratory Gating for Radiotherapy 02 HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy) 03 IGRT (Image Guided Radiation Therapy) 03 cardiology 01 CABG (Coronary Artery Bypass Graft) 02 Angioplasty 03 Atrial Fibrillation Ablation 04 TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement) 05 EVAR (Endovascular Aortic Repair) for Aortic Dissection & Aneurysm

07 Reproductive medicine & infertility 01 In Vitro Fertilization 02 Time-lapse Videography for In Vitro Fertilization 08 general surgery 01 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy 09 bariatric & metabolic surgery 01 Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding 02 Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy 03 Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass 04 Laparoscopic Duodental Switch 10 opthalmology 01 FLACS (Femtosecond Laser-Assited Cataract Surgery) 02 SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) 03 Bladeless LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) 04 Collagen Cross-Linking 11 Dental 01 Endodontics 02 Oral Surgery 03 Orthodontics 04 Pediatric Dentistry 05 Periodontics 06 Prosthodontics

THE TRUSTED HEALTHCARE PROVIDER

04 digestive & liver 01 EMR (Endoscopic Mucosal Resection) 02 ESD (Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection) 03 Liver Dialysis 04 Liver Transplant

01 WORLD CLASS MEDICAL CARE

05 minimally invasive & robotic surgery 01 General Surgery 02 Gynecologic 03 Thoracic 04 Colon 05 Urologic 06 Bariatric Surgery

St. Luke’s clinical outcomes are comparable to, if not better than the performance of the best hospitals around the world based on latest available data.

06 aesthetic surgery 01 Abdominoplasty 02 Rhinoplasty 03 Blepharoplasty (Local Anesthesia or IV Sedation) 04 Breast Augmentation

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St. Luke’s Medical Center has seamlessly combined the expertise of its locally and internationally-trained doctors and medical professionals with the latest medical technologies to continuously deliver to make accurate diagnoses and appropriate treatments.

02 A TRADITION OF OUTSTANDING SUCCESS RATES

03 A CULTURE THAT PUTS PATIENTS’ NEEDS FIRST St. Luke’s patient-centered culture assures you that you will receive the best possible care and attention from admission until discharge, sometimes even beyond the time you have left the hospital.

04 PATIENT SAFETY AND CONFIDENTIALITY St. Luke’s adheres to the highest standards imposed by the Joint Commission International and Temos (trust, effective medicine, optimized services) to ensure the safety and security of all of its patients. Patient data and other pertinent medical and personal information are held in strict confidence.

COMPARATIVE COSTS

Healthcare services at St. Luke’s Medical Center in the Philippines are competitively priced compared to other countries.

Illustrated by Kristine Tan

RHINOPLASTY USA: $6,200 SINGAPORE: $4,750 SOUTH KOREA: $4,700 THAILAND: $4,300 MALAYSIA: $3,600 ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER: $1,200

VALVE REPLACEMENT1 USA: $85,000 SINGAPORE: $49,000 SOUTH KOREA: $33,000 THAILAND: $22,000 MALAYSIA: $18,500 ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER $18,140 CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS GRAFT USA: $88,000 SINGAPORE: $54,400 SOUTH KOREA: $29,000 THAILAND: $23,000 MALAYSIA: $20,800 ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER $18,140

KNEE REPLACEMENT USA: $34,000 SINGAPORE: $19,200 SOUTH KOREA: $15,000 THAILAND: $11,500 MALAYSIA: $12,500 ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER: $9,000

*Rates are estimates which may vary because of exchange rates and the nature of the individual’s medical condition. *Source: Patients Beyond Borders. Based on published rates in April 2014, Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council, 2016.

1 Inclusive of procedure and professional fees only.

HIP REPLACEMENT USA: $33,000 SINGAPORE: $21,400 SOUTH KOREA: $15,500 THAILAND: $16,500 MALAYSIA: $12,500 ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER $10,000 To help you prepare for your medical care, St. Luke’s Medical Center can furnish you with a Medical Cost Estimate (MCE). Their goal is to provide you with a worry-free hospital experience before, during, and after treatment. Their Specialists can help rationalize your utilization in order to develop a clear understanding of what you can expect to pay. This service provides an estimation of hospital bills and professional fees based on the real cost of the most recent similar cases.

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ON THE COVER I INSIDE ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER

Improving Healthcare in the Philippines —Dr. Edgardo “Gary” R. Cortez President and CEO, St. Luke’s Medical Center writer

Jennifer Soriano

xecutives who understand the complexities of exceeding the highest job standards are more likely to set appropriate goals and create superb work environments.

Take for example Dr. Edgardo “Gary” Cortez, a surgical oncologist who is also the president and CEO of St. Luke’s Medical Center, now one of the country’s leading and most respected and recognized healthcare institutions in the Philippines.

In his 31 years of practice, he has witnessed the tragic plight of the patients afflicted with this terrible disease. He has also shared in their joy after having a successful cancer surgery. As a physician, Dr. Cortez also understands the sort of ideal working conditions under which his fellow workers may be able to function effectively and provide their patients the best care.

This is why, when he was given the chance to run the affairs of St. Luke’s in 2012, he immediately set into motion plans to promote people empowerment, improve the delivery of stateof-the-art healthcare that patients deserve, and how to turn the hospital into an internationally recognized academic medical center.

Dr. Cortez also saw this new assignment as his unique chance to prepare St. Luke’s to become an instrument to contribute new knowledge through medical research, and to train new breed of specialists in various fields of medicine.

In accepting his new assignment five years ago, Dr. Cortez realized he was about to bring onto the same page two different mindsets—as a doctor and as a business leader—and be able to use these two to deliver the level of quality that all stakeholders strive for.

First love Right out of medical school Dr. Edgardo “Gary” Cortez fell in love with hospitals. Becoming a consultant in General Surgery at the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center (UERM) and later, as he finish his postgraduate training in Cancer Surgery at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City in 1988, Dr. Cortez already knew that hospital work was his calling.

He loved the long walks down the halls, caring for patients from room to room, comforting some with words and saving others with his newly acquired medical skills.

He regarded being a cancer specialist “a great achievement of his medical career.”

Back in high school, he fondly recalled how he was delighted with the allure of healthcare, and eventually, found himself falling in love with it. “Even in high school when something happens in the house, [if ] someone gets a wound, I have this medical encyclopedia and do the remedy. I [even] operated on animals. I was quite inquisitive at that time,” Cortez recalls of his younger self.

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“The expertise, the cutting-edge technolgy that St. Luke’s has, and the caring hands are the key drivers to our success in medical tourism.”

Hailing from a middle class family, he pursued his passion for healthcare and took his pre-med course at the University of the Philippines Diliman, the country’s premier state university.

It was during this time when Dr. Cortez contemplated shifting to another course: that of running a business organization—an interest that was piqued when, as a university undergraduate, he was exposed to a wide array of experiences and ideas.

“At that time, there was a point that I wanted to go into business. I wanted to take up Masters of Business Administration.

And so my dad scolded me: ‘I will give you two hours to decide if you want to go to medicine or not’,” he shared and then added, “Eventually, I decided to go to medicine. Although, deep in my mind all throughout the years, I said okay, I’ll go to medicine but maybe I’ll end my career in the corporate world, so that stuck with me but I did not know how to realize it.’”

Putting his other dream on hold, he quickly rose up the medical career ladder, becoming the youngest department head (Surgery), at age 40, of a university hospital.

“Normally people (in this position) would be 55 or 60 so my challenge was, how do I make all my people follow me despite my relatively young age?” he said.

His organizational skills soon became apparent after meeting his staff who incidentally, were his former teachers.

“I said, those of you who share my vision and are willing to cooperate, I welcome you. For those who are still unsure of what

I think is right, I can sit down with you and convince you, and then you help me. But for those who are against about what I think is right after sitting down, then please do not obstruct. Let me do my thing together with all the rest and judge me in the end. That’s been my kind of thinking. Fortunately, they followed,” Cortez said.

The same business acumen led him to lead several professional national organizations: becoming president of the Philippine College of Surgeons, Surgical Oncology Society of the Philippines, Philippine Academy for Head and Neck Surgery, Philippine Association of Training Officers in Surgery and chairman of the Philippine Board of Surgery.

Dr. Cortez was also the editor-in-chief of the Philippine Journal of Surgical Specialties.

These were some of the things that he brought to the table when he was elected medical director at the University of the East-Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, which he served for six years.

Journey with St. Luke’s Medical Center After 25 years of teaching surgery at UERM Memorial Medical Center that taught him the value of education, training, research— he has published about 80 papers; attended business courses at the Asian Institute of Management, the Advanced Executive Education Program at the Kellogg School of Management at ISSUE 56 — 029

ON THE COVER I INSIDE ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER

Northwestern University; spent four years at St. Luke’s as VP for Medical Affairs and Medical Director, it was time for Dr. Cortez to take his career to the next level.

“They interviewed me for a Chief Operations Officer (COO) position. And I had an interview with each member of the Board only to find out that I have to go again on the second round and the questions were different,” he shared.

He recalled that the chairman at that time informed him that their minds changed.

What surprised him was the next announcement: “We want you to be the President.”

In June 2012, Dr. Cortez became the first doctor to be named president and CEO of St. Luke’s. It was now his turn to lead the charge in making sure that St. Luke’s hospitals in Quezon City and Global City continue to provide excellent healthcare for Filipinos.

Interestingly, Dr. Cortez is still able to selectively perform complex surgeries before or after office hours alongside his administrative duties.

Becoming a world-class healthcare facility for global Filipinos While partnering with the best doctors in the country, investing in state-of-the-art medical equipment and infrastructure facilities of international standard, and ensuring it receives and maintains the most prestigious international healthcare accreditations, Dr. 030 — ISSUE 56

Cortez also saw the importance of working with Mayo Clinic, a worldwide leader in health care.

He saw the value of collaboration that would allow St. Luke’s to access the latest Mayo Clinic knowledge and promote doctor collaboration that complements local expertise. Through such shared resources, Dr. Cortez saw the benefit of getting answers to complex medical questions while allowing St. Luke’s patients to stay close to home.

“Back in October 2015, a representative of Mayo Clinic came and invited St. Luke’s to be a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. Launched in 2011, the Mayo Clinic Care Network currently has 44 affiliated hospitals mostly in the continental United States. The Philippines, through St. Luke’s, is one of the few medical institutions outside the US to have collaborated with Mayo Clinic.”

“After a long process, several stages, there came the approval sometime in September 2016 and so we became the 34th member of the Mayo Clinic, only the second in Southeast Asia. It’s a partnership where we can access their resources, for instance, second opinion, for patients with difficult cases.”

“We get access to any health care questions that we may have, even hospital design, they will share with us. We have access to patient education materials. All these are at no expense to our patients. Even the second opinion is free. Otherwise, they’re going to spend about $5,000 (about P254,000) just to consult via internet,” Cortez proudly explained.

Quality yet affordable healthcare Comparatively, healthcare services in the Philippines cost less than those in the US and other Western countries. However, it is more important to note that on top of the relatively cheaper cost, the country has hospitals such as St. Luke’s that provide medical care regarded as at par with or even more exceptional than a number of these hospitals located abroad.

Furthermore, St. Luke’s prides itself with excellent specialists who were trained in world-renowned medical institutions, and have access to the most modern facilities and equipment to complement their skills and knowledge.

For Dr. Cortez, it is important to let people know that the Philippines has a hospital that can really compete with some of the best medical institutions in the world.

“What we do is to benchmark all our results with the best figures in the world and there were a number of times when we’re even better,” Cortez said.

Medical tourism “The expertise, the cutting-edge technology that St. Luke’s has, and the caring hands are the key drivers to our success in medical tourism,” he said.

With the Philippines ranked among the top medical tourism destinations in the world, Dr. Cortez has high hopes that the country will eventually make it as the topmost medical destination in providing accessible healthcare for tourists and locals, including Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), Filipino-Americans, and balikbayans.

The ranking, that placed the Philippines 5th in 2015 and 19th in 2016, is annually compiled by the International Healthcare Research Center and the Medical Tourism Association (MTA),

“Now we are known as a destination hospital. But then if the opportunity occurs, I said we go into it. We’re going to build another hospital in Davao. We’re currently in the planning stage. 1 year planning, 2 years construction.” a global non-profit association for medical tourism and international patient industry which represents healthcare providers, governments, insurance companies, employers and other buyers of healthcare.

“We have packages for medical tourists as well as packages for local patients. It’s a menu type, which is easy to understand for foreign patients so that they will never come to us without having an idea how much their needed services will cost,” Cortez shared.

As for St. Luke’s, they benchmark their services with the strict standards of the aviation and hotel industry.

“As a premier healthcare provider, we have learned several lessons from the airline industry such as checklists, training, crew resource management, and organizational culture. Like us, the airline industry also takes care of the lives of people. Moreover, to increase patient satisfaction, we have also turned to the techniques used in the hospitality industry to keep our patients happy. Indeed, improving the experience at all levels of care can improve patient satisfaction scores and eventually promote loyalty.

Moreover, we have also taken advantage of the fact that Filipino medical professionals are renowned across the world for their skills and brand of care,” Cortez explained.

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Value for money For Dr. Cortez, the battle cry should be “value for money.” He contends that the fees the hospital charges is always reasonable— but not too low considering St. Luke’s invests in people and in technology. “We’re the only hospital who sends doctors abroad to train at our own expense.”

He added: “Part of the expenses of St. Luke’s goes to the scholars —60 percent of our medical students are scholars. We also spend about 10 percent of our net income for research. We also spend about P400 million a year for social service,” he related.

Cortez also emphasized that St. Luke’s is a non-profit organization, which means whatever profit it makes goes back to the improvement of the hospital and the services it renders to patients.

Growing and expanding Cortez shared St. Luke’s is slowly transforming itself in Quezon City—planning is ongoing for a first class, 2.7-hectare academic medical center complex located at the back of the current 60-year-old building, which incidentally will be knocked down once everything is completed at the new site.

While the new facility is taking shape in Quezon City, St. Luke’s will also begin the construction of its third hospital facility located in the Azuela Cove, Lanang in Davao City.

Cortez reveals, “We’re in the planning stage at the moment (design of the building). Afterward, it will take about two years for the construction. This new hospital, St. Luke’s first outside Metro Manila, is expected to generate close to 2,000 new jobs in the Davao and Mindanao area.”

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Old notion While St. Luke’s is regarded as among the top hospitals in the country, a lot of people, however, view it as an expensive one.

However, Dr. Cortez was quick to clarify that this is no longer true. “This is already an old notion.”

He related that in its effort to help Filipinos afford quality health care, St. Luke’s already adjusted its prices, allowing more patients to be treated without sacrificing care quality.

“Well it’s a disadvantage (to be viewed as an expensive hospital) because for so long it was true. But now it’s no longer the case because when I took the helm, I right away rationalized the pricing. We reviewed everything and found we need to adjust,” Cortez shared.

As an example, Dr. Cortez recalled that a few years back, the Philippines only has two PET/CT (positron emission tomography/computed tomography) scans and they were all located at St. Luke’s hospitals—one in Global City and another in Quezon City. While this means St. Luke’s could set any price that it wants, the hospital decided on a price level that is comparatively lower than its counterparts in Asia.

Dr. Cortez’ move to reduce the prices even without any competitor at that time was a strategy to keep people needing a PET/CT scan from going abroad. He reckoned that it was quite a challenge to convince people that St. Luke’s was not expensive.

“Filipinos have the right to expect safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care. As a leading hospital in the Philippines, we play a vital role in making sure that care services meet those expectations. Our job is to constantly improve the standards of health care in the country and become a regional ‘destination’ hospital,” Cortez said with a smile.

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Improving the Quality of Life and Functional Capacity of Patients

writer Iris Vicente

n line with the vision to be an internationally recognized academic medical center, St. Luke’s is blazing a trail of yet another imperative in the medical terrain with its joint replacement surgery service. The only center in the country that caters primarily to joint replacement surgical cases involving the hip, knee, shoulder and ankle, this procedure is aimed to improve the quality of life of patients.

As the head of the Center for Joint Replacement Service at St. Luke’s Medical Center in both Quezon and Global City, Dr. Antonio Tanchuling, Jr. shared how the center utilizes stateof-the-art mechanized systems—like power tools and intraoperative imaging modalities — to achieve high success rates and long-term favorable outcomes with few or no complications.

“When a person gets older, from very active years, through time they develop some kind of destruction of the joints, the weight bearing joints-this is the hip as well as the knees. Of course there are other joints, but we are talking of the most common diseases that will involve the hips and the knees. The group of doctors here in St. Luke’s are trained to do it, we came from, trained from different parts of the world, mostly United States,” Tanchuling said.

A joint replacement surgery is done due to the pain caused by arthritis, thus the misconception that the condition can only happen to older people. However,

the operation is occasionally performed on younger persons for specific conditions.

The surgery will provide complete or nearly complete pain relief in 90 to 95 percent of patients. It will allow patients to carry out many normal activities, as well as return to active sports or heavy labor (under a physician’s instructions, of course). Most patients with stiff hips before surgery will regain near-normal motion, and mostly all have improved motion.

“The procedure is very safe. Through the years we have already established a technique, we can predict the outcome,” Tanchuling said, as he tried to describe the secured procedure. “The issues like complications related to it like infection—just like any other procedures-our infection rate is very low, it is 0.42 percent last year. The universal acceptable infection rate is 1 percent — that’s Mayo Clinic’s.”

For the last 29 years of being in the field, he considers Joint Replacement Surgery as the most gratifying experience he has ever had the honor to be involved with.Being able to get rid of pain and hearing the testimonies of patients is what delights him at the end of the day.

He encourages Filipinos who are in medical schools in the different parts of the world to continue advancing their knowledge and skills, to duplicate what they can do and help others by making it available to everyone — to every Filipino who needs it.

“It’s a good thing that US-trained Filipino doctors just like myself, had a chance to come back because I think we’re needed here more, than [in] the U.S. I came back basically for this reason because I think I’m needed here more, I can help more,” Tanchuling said.

As the head of a department in a globally competitive hospital like St. Luke’s, Tanchuling still has visions for the next five to ten years by looking for good procedures to deliver the finest results for his patients. He is also always striving for excellence by studying, going out of the way to attend conferences and learning so much by innovating things, and coming up with good results.

With all these, patients are assured that St. Luke’s Center for Joint Replacement Surgery Services maintains a secured, safe and high quality when it comes to healthcare standard and is constantly monitored to continuously improve.

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Celebrating Life after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement —TAVR patients living longer, fuller lives or Filipinos with serious heart problems, among the local hospitals that come to mind for their treatment is St. Luke’s Medical Center.

Recognized worldwide, the hospital’s Heart Institute provides comprehensive cardiac care of the highest quality, ensuring that patients receive the most advanced treatments known to medicine.

Over the last three decades, the Institute has introduced several pioneering, minimally invasive procedures including catheter based aneurysm repair using endografts (endovascular aneurysm repair) in 1999, hybrid repairs of complex aortic vascular diseases, transcatheter aortic valve replacement or TAVR in 2012, transcatheter mitral valve repair using the mitra clip system in 2013 and graft endo fixation, among others.

“In order to successfully perform all these

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advanced and highly sophisticated procedures, a medical center needs to have dedicated, knowledgeable and skilled multispecialty teams of care; the most sophisticated medical imaging equipment, medical support systems and optimized hospital systems of care designed to ensure unmatched post-operative care and best possible procedural outcomes,” explains Dr. Fabio Enrique Posas.

As an interventional cardiologist, he heads the newly launched Center for Structural Heart and Vascular Diseases at St. Luke’sGlobal City. The center was created with the aim of promoting, pioneering, researching and perfecting technologically advanced, minimally invasive technologies designed to treat structural heart and vascular diseases. It also aims to promote, design and test optimized systems of care as well as comprehensive, multispecialty treatment approaches.

Aortic valve stenosis or narrowing, is a disease process that prevents the aortic valve from opening fully, resulting in the obstruction of blood flow from the heart into the aorta and the rest of the body.

Patients who suffer from aortic valve stenosis (AS) are usually elderly and often have multiple medical problems. Severe AS may manifest as chest pain or tightness; shortness of breath especially on exertion but also while at rest; fatigue; heart failure; fainting spell especially during times of strenuous activity and heart palpitations and irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias). The onset of symptoms in patients with aortic valve stenosis is ominous as these are commonly associated with increased mortality, worsened quality of life and sudden cardiac death. Lifestyle changes, medicines, and a careful diet do not usually help given the mechanical nature of the disease. Without

01 The patients of St. Luke’s who underwent successful TAVR procedures gathered to celebrate their life and the hospital’s milestone.

02 Dr. Fabio Enrique Posas (center), Head of the St. Luke’s-Global City Center for Structural Heart and Vascular Diseases with members of the TAVR team (L-R) Dr. Ferdinand V. Alzate, Dr. Dahlia Estrera-Benavidez, Dr. Ofelia N. Valencia, and Dr. Estanislao E. De Castro.

valve replacement, symptomatic aortic valve stenosis is more deadly than most cancers.

Open heart valve surgery was, until recently, the only option for aortic valve replacement.

However, traditional open heart surgery may be tough on the elderly or those who are too ill or weak to survive an open heart procedure. Other patients may not be good surgical candidates due to multiple disease processes/co-morbidites or due to anatomical factors that preclude successful open surgical procedures.

Fortunately, in 2012, a St. Luke’s-Global City team of physicians led by doctors Fabio Enrique Posas and Estanislao De Castro performed the first Philippine TAVR, a catheter technique that allows for the minimally invasive replacement of the diseased aortic valve without the use of heart lung machine, open chest surgery, and, in some patients, even without the need for general anesthesia or surgical cuts.

Passing the 100th milestone Five years later, the St. Luke’s TAVR team is celebrating the completion of its 105th TAVR procedure and the launching of the first Philippine transcatheter valve center of excellence.

This body of work represents technical proficiency and the largest, single center TAVR experience by a dedicated team of experts in the country.

It in fact represents one of the most extensive single center TAVR experience, and one of the most experienced centers in the Southeast Asia region with outcomes that match those reported from the best centers in the world.

While TAVR was originally tested in nonoperable or extra high risk surgical patients, recently published randomized studies led the Unites States Food and Drug Administration to approve TAVR for patients at intermediate, high and extra high risk or inoperable patients.

“For patients who are elderly, not healthy enough for open heart surgery or those who refuse open heart procedures, TAVR represents a highly effective, lifesaving alternative to open heart surgery.

The introduction of TAVR as a valve replacement option at St. Luke’s has already made a difference in countless patient lives.

After 105 TAVR procedures, we are proud of the 98 percent procedural success rate which we have been able to achieve despite the complexity of disease and the number of co-morbidities in the patients we treat,” says Dr. Posas.

Best equipment To achieve a successful TAVR procedure, the St. Luke’s TAVR team has optimized systems within the cardiac catheterization laboratories, but also requires accurate and clear preprocedure planning images. “We need to acquire clear and precise images of the valves, its annulus, left ventricle, the coronary arteries and the access vessels. We have the best equipment to do it at significantly less (radiation) dose

to the patient and the operating team,” says Dr. Ofelia Najos Valencia, a cardio-imaging expert and the team’s cardiac imaging head.

Optimal imaging using multiple modalities such as CT scans, echocardiography and angiography is integral to the planning and guidance of the procedure. Dr. Valencia states that a complete and comprehensive understanding of the anatomy of the patient as well as the intended transcatheter device and pre-specified delivery access is mandatory.

Optimal imaging strategies also allow the visualization of other organ systems and to rule out previously undiagnosed disease processes which may influence treatment strategies.

“Our goal is to provide patient care where technology supports cardiac services and treatment strategies, surgery is less invasive and where imaging delivers real time, actionable information. Advanced imaging systems in the operating room allow our operators to make the best possible decisions even in the most difficult anatomies,” describes Dr. Valencia.

Less invasive The TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure which is done, in most cases, via the arteries at the groin. The procedure can be done effectively and rapidly in most patients—average device implantation time at the hospital’s laboratory is 45 minutes—and can be done with 80cc to 100cc of contrast. For patients who are still functional prior to the procedure, recovery is rapid and in-hospital stay post-procedure averages three to four days which compares well to the seven or more days for open heart surgery patients.

For patients with multiple, complex, comorbidities or frailty, discharge times may be longer.

Randomized controlled trials involving intermediate, high or extra high risk patients have now shown that TAVR is either superior or non-inferior to standard open valve surgery.

The TAVR patients do as well as open heart valve replacement patients at midterm follow up. As a result, the US FDA has approved TAVR for such patients. Ongoing updates of guideline recommendations are likely to classify TAVR as class Ia recommendation for such patients (TAVR can be used instead of surgical valve replacement for patients at intermediate or high risk for surgical valve replacement).

“Whereas eligible TAVR patients would have previously had to fly out of the country in order to undergo the procedure, that is no longer necessary. We have the experience and expertise to perform TAVR here with outcomes that are comparable or better that those reported from the best centers in the world. The TAVR program at St. Luke’s is unrivalled in the Philippines as far as experience and volume. In fact, it is currently regarded as one of the largest, most advanced and most successful programs in Southeast Asia,” describes Dr. Ferdinand Alzate, an interventional cardiologist and member of the TAVR team.

Alzate relates that the St. Luke’s team has

been mentored by world-renowned innovators and inventors of the TAVR technique.

“Through the personal tutelage and supervision of highly-acclaimed, world renowned TAVR operators and structural heart disease specialists such as French TAVR inventor Dr. Jean Claude Labourde and Dr. Eberhard Grube, our team easily honed and perfected the technique from the maestros themselves. Dr Posas is now one of the few Southeast Asia international certified proctors (teacher) for the TAVR procedure and the only one in the Philippines,” adds Dr. Alzate.

Dr. Dahlia Estrera, the team’s cardiovascular anesthesiologist, adds that when patients are made aware that valve replacement can be done in an equally safe manner with minimally invasive options like TAVR, they often choose the less invasive option.

“The increasing burden of chronic diseases and older patients who often have multiple concurrent diseases/comorbidities have increased the need for new, innovative and minimally invasive technologies and the creation of dedicated teams and centers of excellence. With the advent of TAVR procedures successfully performed at St. Luke’s, there will be no need to travel abroad or to incur unnecessary costs transferring from one hospital to another,” says Estrera.

Future Over the last 100 years, cardiovascular disease (CVD) has shifted from a relatively inconsequential disease to a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. At the beginning of the 20th century, CVD accounted for less than 10 percent of all deaths worldwide.

Today, however, CVD claims an estimated 17.7 million people, representing 31 percent of all global deaths. By 2020 or three years from now, it will claim 25 million deaths each year, becoming the world’s leading cause of death and disability.

The St. Luke’s Center for Structural Heart and Vascular Diseases in general aims to optimize medical delivery systems designed to improve the outcomes and accelerate the introduction and adoption of new and beneficial technologies. Using quality controlled processes of care, the Center seeks to make a dent in the rising number CVD deaths and disability associated with such diseases while minimizing the invasiveness of life saving technologies and treatments.

“Most patients until recently were limited to open surgery, or worse, to not be operated at all because of the potential risks. At the Center for Structural Heart and Vascular Diseases, we aim to find solutions to complex medical problems and to harness the most advanced and effective technologies available at the best centers in the world. We not only offer hope, but also give a glimpse of the future, of what we can successfully accomplish in the field of structural heart and vascular diseases,” says Dr. Posas.

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Robotic Surgery in Gynecology —A ‘Game Changer’ for Surgeons writer Joanna Estorque

ysts, polyps, tumors, cancer, infertility, incontinence, prolapses and other abnormalities in the gynecologic tract and reproductive system have become common tolls of a woman’s anatomy. If present in the female reproductive system, these abnormalities must be addressed through gynecological surgery; otherwise, the condition may worsen and several complications may arise.

Undergoing gynecological surgery, however, has effects that may have an impact on the productivity, strength, and health of the patient. As technology advances, various treatments have become available to lessen these risks brought about by surgeries. Today, St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC), can be defined as a “game-changer,” as it has entered the medical field of Robotic Surgery – where surgeons utilize robots to enable them to conduct surgeries in hard-to-reach areas of the anatomy.

Robotic Surgery in Gynecology The third generation da Vinci Si robotic surgical system has been used in gynecological surgeries and demands for it continue to rise due to the advantages it gives to both surgeons and patients.

The downtime of patients who undergo robotic surgery is very short, and hence, leads to faster recovery and return to daily activities. This is made possible through decreased blood loss, lower risk of infection, shorter hospital stay, and less post-operative pain compared to other surgical options. Moreover, scarring is minimal because only four (4) small incisions are created to conduct the operation.

This surgical option is recommended for elderly patients who could not tolerate painful surgeries with a long recovery process, and for patients with low hemoglobin who could not undergo blood transfusion.

Aside from its various patient benefits, robotic surgery has also been advantageous for surgeons. Through its advanced instrumentation, high definition 3D optics, ergonomics, and more precision in autonomous surgical control, complex and delicate specialized surgeries such as hysterectomy, removal of malignant gynecological tumors, myomectomy or removal of uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and pelvic organ prolapse repair have been made easier.

“It’s like me working inside the body of the patient, so I’m beside the blood vessels and the nerves, and my instruments are like my wrists,” said Dr. Jennifer Jose, a robotic surgeon at St. Luke’s-Global City.

In robotic surgery, surgeons have precise movements and targets—organs that should not be touched are isolated.

The method is used by gynecologists and urologists because the wristed instrumentation of the robot makes it feasible to operate deep down in the pelvis which is very difficult to do minimally invasively.

Surgeons who also want to become experts in robotic surgery can study it in less time. The learning curve is actually reduced. They just have to be well-trained in conducting the procedure and be welladept to the robot.

St. Luke’s offers its patients three options for gynecological surgery: open surgery, laparoscopic surgery, and robotic surgery.

Open surgery is the traditional way of surgery in which incisions are made using a scalpel. On the other hand, laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure.

Instead of creating a long cut in the target region, laparoscopy needs only a small incision. Through inserting a laparoscope, a thin rod with a lighted telescope at the end, and small surgical instruments at the tiny incision, a visual display of the target area is provided from a distance while the surgeon is performing the procedure.

In robotic surgery, St. Luke’s is close to reaching a thousand cases, with very good clinical outcomes. At present time, surgeons can already perform difficult cases but are still advancing their training to tackle more complicated procedures.

Making History Jennifer Marie B. José, MD, FPOGS, FPSURPS, FSPGE, FESAG is the first Filipino robotic surgeon to be certified internationally by Intuitive Surgical, Inc.,

makers of the da Vinci Si surgical system.

She can be found on the international surgeons locator list of the website of Intuitive Surgical, Inc., making her accessible to patients all over the world who are looking for robotic surgeons in the Philippines.

“So far I’ve been reaching the required number of cases to keep the accreditation,” Jose shared.

According to her, she has already had about more than 140 cases operated. She is also training doctors in Vietnam and teaches Robotic Sacrocolpopexy to other countries like Korea and Singapore.

Jose is a proud board member of the Asian Society for Gynecolocic Robotic Surgery, a group of surgeons and healthcare professionals who aim to raise the standard of women’s surgical health care across Asia.

The group researches, innovates and leads robotic surgery.

Meanwhile, she will be awarded by Filipino Women’s Network (FWN) as one of “100 Most Influential Filipino Women in the World” as an Innovator and Thought Leader in Toronto, Canada on October 25, 2017.

She also did laparoscopy in India, and then Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery in Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Canada for three years.

Jose also trained in robotic surgery through St. Luke’s, but she did not stop there. She also trained in the United States to keep updating herself about the technology and the different procedural cases.

“I’d like to be master of the different gynecologic procedures so I’ve been going to Florida and doing all these masterclasses with cadavers,” she said.

Jose also shared her thoughts that the next generation should embrace the advancement of technology like the newly innovated robotics for surgeries.

“It is a surgical armamentarium that really benefits both the gynecologic surgeon and the patients. The robotic technology keeps us updated and makes us at par with the modern world. That’s technology, so why not embrace it?”

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The Cancer Team at St. Luke’s

— Pushing the survival rate for cancer patients writer Iris Vicente

n the continuing advancement of technology in the medical field and in research, treatments for diseases have steadily improved, resulting in better quality of life and longer patient survival. This holds true for the “Big C” -- Cancer – which continually challenges physicians to find ways to help their patients from further suffering the effects of the disease.

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Dr. Cecilio “Jay” Hipolito, Surgical Oncologist and Head of the Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) Service in St. Luke’s- Quezon City and Global City, seems to diverge from the gravity of how onerous his area of expertise is. Dealing with one of the most feared diseases, he discussed the nature of his oncologic expertise in the country’s leading hospital and his department’s advanced explorations in helping prolong the lives of their patients.

In 2011, St. Luke’s Medical Center introduced in the Philippines the concept of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for peritoneal Carcinomatosis. This is specifically to address a life threatening condition in cancers arising from the appendix, colon, rectum, stomach and ovary that have spilled into the abdominal space and seed onto the surface lining of the intestines and

abdominal organs. These “seedings” will eventually cause gastrointestinal obstruction, pain and bleeding if not treated early and ultimately cause death approximately 6-12 months from the time of diagnosis.

The goal of CRS+HIPEC is to have complete eradication of gross tumor nodules in the abdominal cavity by safely removing with surgical precision and apply heated chemotherapy after surgery to expose the residual microscopic cancer cells at the time of operation.

“In our service, we have a team of surgeon oncologists, medical oncologists, gynecologic oncologists and anesthesiologists who are extremely skilled and knowledgeable in this particular disease entity and who work under a multidisciplinary approach to tailor this specific treatment for each patient with peritoneal carcinomatosis.”

HIPEC is performed to eradicate the cancer cells that are potentially left behind after CRS. “We deliver heated

chemotherapy directly into the abdominal cavity and expose and kill the cancer cells that may remain on the surfaces of the intestines, liver, surface lining of the abdominal cavity and those just floating in the abdominal space. Delivering chemotherapy directly into the abdominal cavity at temperature of 41-430C exposes these cancer cells to very high concentration of chemotherapy with deeper penetration into the tumor because of the increase temperature making it more effective ” Dr. Hipolito explained.

Unlike the standard systemic chemotherapy given thru the IV, HIPEC causes minimal systemic side effects.

Absorption of the drug into the blood is low thus producing minimal and limited systemic toxicity like bone marrow suppression, nausea, vomiting and hair loss that are usually experienced in intravenous and oral chemotherapy.

This frontline treatment has been proven to extend the lives and improve the quality of life of many patients suffering from Peritoneal Carcinomatosis.

“In our data of 130 patients with

Peritoneal Carcinomatosis, there’s about more than 70 percent three-year survival for patients who underwent CRS + HIPEC. Appendeceal carcinoma has the highest survival approximating 80 to 90 percent at 5 years, followed by ovarian cancer. That is pretty high because particularly for ovarian cancer, where the median survival upon diagnosis of Peritoneal Carcinomatosis is only about 12 months.”

The experienced team of surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, and gyne-oncologists at St. Luke’s Cancer Institute provides the most up-to-date treatment modalities, exceptional service, and personalized care to patients with advanced malignancies. “At St. Luke’s, we have surgeons who are highly skilled in performing these kinds of procedures safely,” he said.

“Success in the management of peritoneal carcinomatosis relies heavily on the knowledge on tumor biology and its application by the medical team, surgical skill and experience of the surgeon and the capability of the hospital in providing the necessary facilities, medicines and

equipment in the care of these patients during and after operation,” he explained further.

“The definition of cancer is wide. In layman’s terms, when you say cured, it will never come back. But for us oncologists or those who specialize in cancer, when you say cure, we’re looking at cancer not coming back for the next five years,” Hipolito said.

“At St. Luke’s we believe that cancer is a formidable disease to treat. We have to balance our treatment goals based on what is realistic and achievable to provide sensible hope to our cancer patients. In dealing with cancer, compassion is our edge with other medical centers which I believe translates to comfort and better quality of life to our patients. As the saying goes “We can cure sometimes, extend life often, comfort always.”

In the attempt to combat complex diseases, there is no stopping St. Luke’s from delivering outstanding healthcare as it continues to delve in advanced applications for the well-being of the Filipino people and the international community at large.

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How St. Luke’s is Taking the Lead in Advanced Fertility Treatment writer Jennifer Soriano

“CARMI has an allFilipino clinical and scientific support staff who are well-trained and compassionate to provide personalized and individualized care. These qualities earned the trust and confidence of both locals and international patients, helping them to realize their aspirations to have a baby.”

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nfertility affects 1 in 10 Filipino couples, according to a study commissioned by pharmaceutical firm Merck Serono. Today, most cases are treatable — thanks to miracles of modern science through medications and advanced technological procedures.

At St. Luke’s-Global City’s Center for Advanced Reproductive Medicine and Infertility (CARMI), couples are ensured of fully integrated and comprehensive fertility services. CARMI was established to fill the gap in experiencing competent assisted reproductive technology in the Philippines at a reasonable price.

Dr. Virgilio M. Novero, Jr., head of CARMI and one of the pioneers of IVF practice in the Philippines, emphasizes the important determinants for a successful outcome — the profile of the couple, medical staff competence, quality of IVF laboratory, and the use of cutting-edge technology.

How do couples know if IVF is for them?

Infertility should be diagnosed first as to find the cause, said Novero. IVF is prescribed to females who have blockage problems in their fallopian tubes, or those who have had pelvic disease from endome-

triosis and infections. Candidates for IVF also include women with ovulation problems, advanced age with or without decreased ovarian reserve, uterine fibroids, or with a genetic disorder or unexplained infertility Contrary to the notion that infertility is a women’s issue, there are cases that males are also accounted for. “Male factor infertility is very important. It accounts for about 55 to 57 percent as a contribution to infertility,” said Novero.

IVF also aims to address cases when a male has low sperm count or low sperm quality. This is done through a supplemental procedure called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) where the sperm is directly injected microscopically into the egg during the IVF process. When prescribed in certain subsets of infertile couples, ICSI has been found to elevate the success rates.

Excellent all-Filipino medical staff St. Luke’s CARMI is the IVF facility to have gathered multiple disciplines (reproductive endocrinology & infertility, urology/male infertility, OB-GYN ultrasound, immunology, genetics, complementary medicine/ acupuncture, psychology, and anesthesiology) under one roof.

CARMI has an all-Filipino clinical and scientific support staff who are well-trained and compassionate to provide personalized and individualized care. Many of its specialists are among the most competent, having trained in recognized fertility centers in the US, Europe, and Asia and are leaders in the Asian and national fronts. These qualities earned the trust and confidence of both local and international patients, helping them to realize their aspirations to have a baby.

State-of-the-art diagnostic, medical, and surgical equipment St. Luke’s offers state-of-the-art equipment from diagnostic to therapeutic approaches that are among the most advanced in Asia, many of which are not available in other local and international fertility centers. It is also the only hospital-based ART (Assisted Reproductive Technologies) facility in the country, thus, expediting screening examinations and pathology tests, an ideal arrangement for managing infertility. Given this, patients are ensured of maximum safety and convenience.

CARMI has also initiated numerous procedures in fertility medicine in the country.

It was the first to offer cutting-edge diagnostic tests such as the Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) testing for ovarian reserve,

sperm DNA Fragmentation Test (Halo Test), time-lapse videography (TLV) of embryonic development, and very recently, preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) where embryos may be evaluated for genetic disease before they are transferred to the uterus. It is also in CARMI where the only in-house acupuncture service as a complementary treatment protocol for infertility is found.

The center has an ever-growing list of firsts in the field of fertility treatment in the country. In October 2012, it was in CARMI where the first IVF pregnancy and delivery after Micro-TESE (Microsurgical Testicular Sperm Extraction) was documented. Others include an ever-growing list of deliveries after using introducing TLV and uninterrupted embryo incubation in 2015. It was also the first to have ovarian tissues cryopreserved for future fertility, in this case in a patient with breast cancer. And with its recent introduction of PGT, CARMI is proud to announce the country’s first pregnancy after trophectoderm biopsy and preimplantation genetic testing.

Since 2011, CARMI has consistently achieved high clinical success rates. In 2013, it achieved an overall pregnancy rate of 43 percent, higher than the world average of 31 percent, based on World ICMART (International Committee for Monitoring

Assisted Reproductive Technology) reports.

To date, CARMI is responsible for over 400 babies born through IVF. Reasonably priced The price for an IVF procedure at St. Luke’s Medical Center is more affordable than those offered in the United States and other Asian countries, attracting both Filipinos and foreigners alike.

“The cost of IVF in the U.S. would be somewhere between $15,000 to $20,000 at least. That’s why we have many balikbayan Filipinos in the U.S.who come over for treatment. Now, even American couples who are not working here travel to CARMI from the U.S.,” said Novero.

At St. Luke’s CARMI, one IVF cycle (extraction, fertilization, and implantation) for a patient can start from an average of Php280,000 to Php350,000, including hospital charges, medicines and doctor’s fees.

This is equivalent to approximately $5,000$7,000.

Other advanced assisted reproductive technology (ART) services offered by CARMI include, gamete inter-fallopian transfer (GIFT), in-vitro maturation (IVM), surgical sperm retrieval, and embryo/egg/ sperm cryopreservation, and intrauterine insemination.

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ON THE COVER I INSIDE ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER

Expert Insights from St. Luke’s Dermatology Centers

—Safe and effective treatments for skin concerns writer Joanna Estorque

he combined physical appearance and health of the skin completes the overall wellness of the body.

Achieving this, however, has been a complicated goal due to factors that must be considered in choosing the institution to trust with aesthetic and medical skin concerns.

St. Luke’s Aesthetics provides a variety of readily available skin treatments that address skin concerns including depressed scars, superficial moles, unwanted hair growth, vascular lesions, tattoos and colored birthmarks. The hospital has been at the forefront of making available the latest, state-of-the-art equipment needed to conduct quality treatments with effective results while ensuring the safety of patients, both local and international.

Unlike other aesthetic centers in the Philippines, St. Luke’s Aesthetics is hospital-based. Their primary dictate is to put safety as a priority, assuring that all things should be covered, making available all necessary machines and doctors in case any other health issues arise. Aside from this, their dermatologists are boardcertified and skilled in the procedures they conduct. Their expertise and the availability of advanced medical technologies ensure efficacy of treatments.

Prioritizing safety An important factor that is considered in choosing the hospital to trust with aesthetic and medical skin concerns is safety. The desire to have perfect-looking and healthy skin is hindered by 042 — ISSUE 56

doubts on the safety of treatments offered by several dermatology clinics and centers. At St. Luke’s, patients’ safety is the primary concern. Before letting patients undergo treatments, they ensure that the he or she is a good candidate and the benefits that would be received would far outweigh the risk of complications.

The first step is to trace any underlying conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, as this may drastically affect patient safety. The skin type of the patient is another measure to be considered, as some may have allergies. They also check on any possible effect of the chemicals being used on the patient.

Lastly, they trace the medical history and skin color of a patient,which can determine the risk for possible post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. All these measures are taken for proper planning—to be medically prepared for whatever medication to administer, to set the device on an intensity suited for the patient’s skin, and to recommend post-operative skin care that would hasten recovery.

Erbium YAG Laser Resurfacing Dr. Maria Pilar L. Leuenberger, head of the Department of Dermatology of St. Luke’s-Global City, discussed Erbium YAG Laser Resurfacing in fractional mode, one of the novel treatments offered by St. Luke’s Aesthetics. To date, only St. Luke’s Aesthetics offers hybrid fractional laser resurfacing, a new technology that simultaneously delivers the energy of two lasers Erbium Yag and Diode - to rejuvenate fine lines and rough skin texture, and resurface deep scars. This particular innovation has a roller tip for the convenience of delivering shots evenly over the affected area. It also minimizes the pain or discomfort that the patient will experience.

According to Leuenberger, Erbium YAG Laser Resurfacing is like a wound-injury stimulus. The second layer of the skin, where collagen is located, is wounded. This wounding process stimulates healing. The term “new collagen formation” or “remodeling of collagen” takes place during this healing process. It should heal with new skin — younger, fresher-looking skin — provided that there is no bacterial nor viral infection during the healing period.

Prior to this innovation, treating depressed scars and wrinkles has been done aggressively. The innovation of hybrid Erbium YAG Laser Resurfacing, however, gives patients more reason to improve their skin as the healing period has been cut to more than half —from the usual two months with bulk ablative resurfacing to a mere 5 -7 days for fractional.

Leuenberger also reminded that any treatment is a work in progress, hence, expectations should be very realistic. Scars would appear shallower by 20 to 30 percent after the first session, and touch-up sessions would follow. The number of sessions depends on the severity of the lesion.

To keep skin looking healthy after treatment, St. Luke’s dermatologists will give a specific topical regimen based on the details of the patient’s skin.

Also offered at St. Luke’s Aesthetics are Aesthetic Surgery services done in the most discrete manner as the center has its own operating room, separate from the hospital’s operating room complex. These are done on an outpatient basis. Services include rhinoplasty (nose lift), blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), chin augmentation, otoplasty (ear surgery), lip surgery, inflation/removal of tissue expander, suction lipectomy and auto-fat injection.

ON THE COVER I INSIDE ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER

World-Class Eye Care from St. Luke’s Vision Laser Service

writer Krissy Aguilar

“The goal is to eliminate eyeglasses,” said Dr. Irwin Cua, head of Vision Laser Service of St. Luke’s Global City.

t. Luke’s Medical Center’s (SLMC) Vision Laser Service promises patients clearer vision and efficient treatment with their advanced laser technology and customized care from outstanding eye experts.

“The goal is to eliminate eyeglasses,” said Dr. Irwin Cua, head of Vision Laser Service of St. Luke’s-Global City.

Laser refractive surgery is the use of laser to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism by reshaping the cornea.

The procedures done are quick and painless but still offer an excellent solution from the patients’ dependence of wearing glasses and contact lens.

To ensure optimal outcome, Dr. Cua says that a complete eye examination is done prior to undergoing the surgery in order to “see which procedure is ideal for the patient.”

One of the latest and most advanced types of laser refractive surgery St. Luke’s currently offers is called Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) which is ideal for patients with myopia (nearsightedness) and astigmatism. This can only be done using the first FDA-approved ZeissVisumax femtosecond laser available in their center. This is a flapless procedure and causes less side effects like dry eyes.

Moreover, the center also offers customized care, suitable for balikbayans and foreigners.

Dr. Cua explained that after undergoing eye assessment, he will check your results and he will also be the one to do the surgery and the follow-up care.

This kind of system will allow one doctor to know everything about the condition of a patient’s eyes and their individual concerns.

Being one of the country’s most technologically advanced refractive eye centers guarantees the highest quality of patient care and safety.

According to Dr. Cua, the Vision Laser Service team of specialists “are trained abroad and have formal training for laser refractive surgery.”

More so, they are all board-certified refractive surgeons who underwent formal cornea and refractive surgery fellowship training in the best eye centers and universities in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

All of these, along with the assurance that the patient’s safety and well-being comes first, make St. Luke’s Vision Laser Service at par with the best refractive surgery centers in the world.

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ON THE COVER I INSIDE ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER

St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City’s Institute of Digestive and Liver Diseases

writer Jennifer Soriano

n 2015, St. Luke’s-Global City’s Institute of Digestive and Liver Diseases (IDLD) set yet another milestone in Philippine healthcare through a partnership with Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan. This is a first in the Asian region wherein Filipino gastroenterologists are able to learn and apply highly advanced Japanese technological knowledge and skills in performing innovative endoscopic procedures, holding of clinical conferences and conducting clinical research. Coinciding with this partnership is the opening of the first Center for Advanced Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in the Philippines. This is an advanced gastrointestinal diagnostic and therapeutic center that is able to diagnose and treat upper and lower gastrointestinal (GI) diseases using highly-advanced technologies from Japan, and manned by expert staff.

Dr. Juliet Gopez-Cervantes, Head of the IDLD in St. Luke’sGlobal City, said that whatever will be developed in Japan when it comes to endoscopy as well as in liver disease treatment will be continuously transferred to the Institute. The Center for Advanced Gastrointestinal Endoscopy focuses on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of difficult medical and gastrointestinal problems, particularly polyps that are hard to reach or excise in the GI tract. Accordingly, if not identified and removed, polyps may progress into colon cancer. The prevention, diagnosis and treatment of such entails the use of highly advanced endoscopes which are highly flexible and equipped with lenses capable of ultra-high definition imaging. This new, highly-advanced stateof-the-art technology significantly helps the gastroenterologist in the easier and earlier identification of small polyps which may otherwise be missed by regular endoscopes. This also enables the gastroenterologist to help prevent the onset of colon cancer by safely removing or excising the polyps. This is particularly important in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of colon cancer. Among the procedures performed in the Center, also using these advanced endoscopes, include endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (EMD).

Both procedures allow the endoscopic removal of larger and/ or deeper polyps or lesions instead of removing these through open surgery. Most cancers originate from the innermost lining (mucosal surface) of the gastrointestinal tract, including colon, esophageal and stomach cancer. According to Dr. Cervantes, many colon, esophageal and stomach cancers can be prevented with early diagnosis and through minimally invasive, endoscopic means.

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“Particularly in colon cancer, it all starts with a polyp. If polyps are not detected early, there is a 40-60% chance of developing colon cancer. That is why once we reach the age of 50, we must be diligent enough to have a colonoscopy. And a polyp can easily be removed endoscopically,” said Cervantes. With this latest, highly-advanced state-of-the-art endoscopes operated by highly-skilled endoscopic gastroenterologists at the Center for Advanced Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, more patients with difficult and complicated gastrointestinal diseases can be helped in a minimally invasive way.

ON THE COVER I INSIDE ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER

Kidney Transplant

writer Elijah Roderos

ach year, approximately 12,000 Filipinos suffer end-stage renal disease, a period wherein the options are to undergo dialysis or kidney transplant for the organ to function well. People with end-stage renal disease need to have waste removed from their bloodstream through a machine (dialysis) or a kidney transplant to stay alive.

Dialysis is typically done for two to three times a week—about four hours per session, thus, a number of patients encounter difficulties in managing the demands of the treatment. It becomes a struggle for these patients to achieve and sustain a satisfying quality of life.

Several studies have shown that kidney transplantation offers the best option for patients with kidney failure. The quality of life of a transplant patient is superior to one on dialysis (Lagula et al Philippine Journal of Internal Medicine Jan-Feb 2002). To answer the needs of patients requiring transplants, St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City established the Eduardo M. Cojuangco, Jr. and Ramon S. Ang Center for Organ Transplantation, named after the two prominent businessmen who supported the Center’s organ donation program and committed themselves to help transplant patients find matching organ donors, whether living or deceased.

The program aims to change people’s perception about organ donation in order to create a new culture which can save more lives. The donation was initiated by Dr. Angel Joaquin Amante, head of St. Luke’s-Global City’s Center for Organ Transplantation, and Assistant Medical Director Dr. Brian Michael Cabral, who also heads the hospital’s Renal Diseases Service and is also the VP and Assistant Head for the Medical Practice Group.

Dr. Cabral says that the fear and hesitation of people getting donations from their friends, family or even the deceased is due to cultural aspects. “The only reason it has not taken off is cultural: A great number of Filipinos just don’t want to give parts of their recently departed loved ones away.” Dr. Cabral stressed that receiving a kidney from a deceased donor has a huge potential to save many lives. He emphasized that it is an opportunity to better the lives of others. Amante added that the goal of organ donation is to let the family of the person who passed away know that their loved one can still live on through other people.

The survival rate of patients who undergo the kidney transplant are at par with local and international outcomes. Cabral reminds that kidney transplant is the best treatment because it has a high survival rate. “It’s the best option for treatment. As a matter of fact, kidney transplant should not be considered as a last resort—it should be the first resort for those people who meet the requirements for kidney transplantation,” Cabral said.

ISSUE 56 — 045

IS MEDICAL TOURISM THE RIGHT OPTION FOR YOU? The 8 primary reasons for medical tourists to seek treatment in the Philippines.

01

High Savings

08

02

travel opportunities

No wait-lists

07

03

customer care

High quality treatment

04

06

World-class Facilities

best surgeons

05

Access to latest technology 046 — ISSUE 56

THE PROCESS

There are thousands of hospitals throughout the world that offer remarkable services and care, but it’s critical that you do your due diligence. after all, this is your life.

Here are 8 steps to analyse before you make this important decision.

PATIENT PREQUEL

DESTINATION / HOSPITAL SELECTION

FOLLOW UP CARE

ARRANGE FOLLOW UP CARE / REVIEW ENTIRE PROCESS

GO HOME

TRAVEL TO SELECTED HOSPITAL

RECOVERY

TREATMENT

ISSUE 56 — 047

IN-DEPTH I MEDICAL TOURISM

#1 #8

048 — ISSUE 56

GERMANY

ITALY

COSTA RICA

SINGAPORE

ISRAEL

UNITED KINGDOM

In 2015, the Philippines was ranked 8th among the top medical tourism destinations in the world, ahead of countries such as Japan and France, according to a list compiled by the International Healthcare Research Center and the Medical Tourism Association (MTA), a global non-profit association for medical tourism and international patient industry which represents healthcare providers, governments, insurance companies, employers and other buyers of healthcare.

According to the MTA index, Canada emerged as the top medical tourism destination worldwide, providing the most suitable economical, secure and cultural environment, and an acceptable healthcare cost. The UK and Israel came second and third, respectively.

Singapore ranked 4th, ahead of Costa Rica (5th), Italy (6th), and Germany (7th).

Clients of the Philippines for medical tourism come from East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan), Sri Lanka, the Pacific Islands (Guam, Palau, Marshall Islands, and Micronesia), Australia, North and South America, Europe and the United Kingdom, and the Gulf States. Filipino expats and overseas Filipino workers likewise prefer to have their medical procedures done in the country.

The Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Trade and Industry – Board of Investments (DTI–BOI) have a joint programme to promote Philippine medical tourism. This informal partnership resulted in a roadmap that identified five major segments in the international medical travel sector: tourists, who come for spa and other wellness services; medical tourists, who avail of low-acuity medical procedures; medical travelers, who purposely come to specifically avail of more complex procedures; international patients, including overseas Filipino workers, expats, and retireers; and accompanying guests, either friends or immediate kin of travelers.

To date, medical tourism in the Philippines caters to approximately 80,000 to 250,000 patients or clients annually. As of the DOT, DOH, DTI-BOI’s latest count, 62 hospitals around the country are now internationally accredited. To date, five Philippine medical institutions, namely Asian Hospital and Medical Center (Muntinlupa City), Makati Medical Center (Makati City), St. Luke’s Medical Center (Global City and Quezon City), and The Medical City (Pasig City) have been certified as institutions for excellent medical care by the Joint Commission International ( JCI), the only patient safety and quality healthcare accreditation and certification body with membership in more than 100 countries worldwide. JCI accreditation is both intensive and extensive in its standards, and assessment is comprehensive, thus ensuring that a hospital with the JCI seal can provide the care that medical tourists require.

In a 2014 study by renowned medical tourism author Ian Youngman, global health and wellness tourism market is worth US$438.6 billion. And Philippine medical tourism was able to generate US$66 million and US$145 million for 2013 and 2014, respectively.

Among the factors cited in the survey include competitive price of

CANADA

—Department of Tourism

PHILIPPINES

Philippines ranks 8th in world as Medical Tourism Destination

health and wellness services, the warm hospitality and compassion that Filipinos are known for, high standards of healthcare provided in internationally-accredited hospitals by well-educated and English-speaking healthcare professionals. The country’s proximity to major international hubs and its tropical climate are also a boon to medical travelers, encouraging healing and relaxation after medical procedures.

DOT Director for Medical Travel and Wellness Tourism, Cynthia Lazo, said it is crucial to have a ‘One Country Package.’ “It has to be a country effort, a collective effort of every medical and wellness facility in the country, for the Philippines to be accepted in the medical and wellness market,” she said, citing it as the game changer in Philippine medical tourism.

“Our value proposition is, time and again, our 7,107 islands which a medical traveler can choose from, while availing of a clinical or wellness procedure in the country,” Director Lazo expounded, citing Cebu-Bohol package which identifies the former for medical and the latter for holiday.

According to Director Lazo, the Philippine medical and wellness tourism market opportunities come from the United States of America/Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Middle East, Europe, Papua New Guinea, Micronesia, Fiji, and other short-haul markets.

The DOT has also been gathering market intelligence that would enable Philippine medical and wellness facilities tap potential markets such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, Qatar, Ethiopia, and Argentina

writTEN BY Dee Mandigma, Media and Communication Service Media Release, Department of Tourism-Philippines

THE PHILIPPINES

THE RISING EPICENTER OF MEDICAL TOURISM

Over $200 million is now generated from the medical tourism industry alone and continues to grow exponentially each and every year. In recent years, over 200,000 foreigners have specifically come to the Philippines to undergo medical treatments. With rising costs of healthcare in developed countries such as the USA, the trend will continue especially with the Philippines strong command of the English language unlike its regional neighbors or even parts of Europe. Today, the Philippines is the third largest English speaking nation in the World second to the UK and US.

REPUTATION

01 KNOWN AS THE REGIONAL HEALTHCARE HUB OF ASIA. 02 A MEDICAL, HEALTHCARE, AND WELLNESS TOURISM DESTINATION. 03 millions of filipino healthcare practitioners throughout the world.

ISSUE 56 — 049

WORLD-CLASS FACILITIES 01 STATE-OF-THE-ART HOSPITALS, INTENSIVE CARE FACILITIES, AND EQUIPMENT. 02 PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN THE COUNTRY’S TOP HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS ALL OVER THE WORLD, PARTICULARLY WITH THE US. 03 JOINT COMMISSION INTERNATIONAL (JCI) ACCREDITATION ALONG WITH CERTIFIED BY THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION (ISO).

INDUSTRY EXPERTS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS KNOWLEDGE

FILIPINO DOCTORS AND NURSES RECEIVE SOME OF THE BEST MEDICAL EDUCATION IN THE WORLD FROM ESTABLISHED INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE RECOGNIZED AROUND THE WORLD.

EXPERIENCE

MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS IN THE PHILIPPINES HAVE UNDERGONE EXTENSIVE TRAINING AND ARE CERTIFIED TO PRACTICE IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND STAY UPDATED ON THE MOST ADVANCED TREATMENTS. 050 — ISSUE 56

LIFE-CHANGING

THIS IS NOT JUST ANOTHER HOSPITAL VISIT, BUT A LIFE EXPERIENCE— WHERE TRAVEL AND HEALTHCARE INTERCEDE HARMONIOUSLY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A RENEWED QUALITY OF LIFE.

DEDICATION

THERE’S A REASON FILIPINOS ARE KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE WORLD FOR THEIR PERSONAL CARE AND DEVOTION TO PROVIDING PERSONALISED CARE TO PATIENTS.

COST ANALYSIS

(PH vs USA)

The philippines offers a wide range of high-quality services at just a fraction of the cost compared to those in north america and europe—ranging from upwards of 50% to 80% cheaper. For a deeper understanding, analyse the diagram below.

LASIK (BOTH EYES) USA $4,000 vs PH $1,500+ FACE LIFT USA $11,000 vs PH $3,500-$4,500

CATARACT SURGERY (PER EYE) USA $3,500 vs ph $1,300-$3,300 DENTAL IMPLANT usA $2,500 vs ph $500-$600

BREAST IMPLANTS USA $6,400 vs ph $3,000-$3,500

LIPOSUCTION USA $5,500 vs ph $3,000-$4,000 GASTRIC BYPASS USA $25,000 vs ph $9,800+ IN VITRO FERTILIZATION (IVF) USA $12,400 vs ph $5,300+

Source(s): 1 Philippine Heart Center website, www.phc.gov. ph *Prices updated on 1 June 2015 and are subject to change without prior notice.

2 Coronary Angioplasty/Stenting Pack Semi-Private/Standard package at The Medical City. *Stated rate is an estimation and does not include room accommodation.

Source: www.asktmc.com.

3 Average medical costs in local hospitals taken from the Medical Tourism Philippines website, www. medicaltourism.com.ph.

4 Implant package does not include Bone Augmentation and Sinus Lifting procedures.

Duration treatment is estimated at six months.

Source: Dental World Philippines’s website, www.dentalworld.com.ph 5 Estimated prices taken from the Philippine Orthopedic Center.

Source: www.doh.gov.ph.

TUMMY TUCK USA $8,000 vs ph $3,000-$4,000

THE SAME QUALITY OF CARE AT A FRACTION OF THE COST.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS I THE PUBLIC @ LARGE

NATIONWIDE SMOKING BAN —Public Health

Under the EO 26, covered by the ban are public and private transportation utilities, schools, gov-ernment facilities, children activity centers, food establishments, street or walkway, waiting shed areas, markets, health care facilities, parking lots and transportawriter Krissy Aguilar tion terminals, church grounds, markets and parks, among others.

The EO also requires establishments to put up “No Smoking” signs that measure at least 8 by 11 inches, with a “No Smoking” symbol occupying at least 60 percent of the The nationwide smoking ban mandated by sign. Designated smoking areas should be President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order open or rooms with adequate ventilation and 26 has taken its full effect last July 23. must be separated from other rooms.

Department of Health secretary Paulyn Ubial said local government units will take Ubial said some 1.5 million Filipinos will the lead in implementing the nationwide be spared from de-veloping tobacco-related smoking ban. There will be “no grace period” illnesses in the next five years with this mile- for establishment and vehicle owners to adjust stone taken by the govern-ment. to the EO’s require-ments, hence all local This kind of health policy work on multiple governments are required to create a task force levels because it reduces secondhand smoke that will oversee the ban’s implementation. exposure, sends a message, especially to kids, Individuals caught violating the smoking ban that smoking is unacceptable and makes it will face fines ranging from P500 to P10,000 easier for smok-ers who wish to quit. depending on the number of offenses.

More than this, an aspect of smoking the Meanwhile, owners of establishments only a few consider is the resources needed to caught violating it may be fined P5,000 or produce cigarettes itself. In fact, entire forests imprisoned for not more than 30 days. are cut down to create the paper for rolling The government has also implemented tobacco as well as the fuel for drying tobacco. other policy changes under the banner of Imagine how much trees can be saved if less smoking: Sin Tax Reform Law which puts people smoke. higher taxes on tobacco products and the 052 — ISSUE 56

Graphic Health Warnings Law, which requires cigarette manufacturers to put gruesome pictures of the effects of continued smok-ing, such as gangrene and mouth cancer, on their packaging.

The Department of Health (DoH) has established a hotline for the public to report establishments violating the nationwide smoking ban.The public may report establishments in violation of the provisions of the smoking ban through the DOH Hotline (02) 711-1002.

Smoking ban had been implemented at Davao City in 2002 where President Duterte had previously served as a mayor. Through the Davao City Anti-Smoking task Force, individuals who violate the anti-smoking ordinance are issued with citation tickets which specifies the corresponding penalty.

Aside from the issuance of citation tickets, the new ordinance now prohibits smoking of any tobacco product including e-cigarettes, shishas and the like, in all accommodation and entertainment estab-lishments, workplaces, government-owned vehicles, other means of public transport, etc. within the territorial jurisdiction of Davao City.

Aside from the Philippines, many countries in Asia had long before implemented the smoking ban like China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.

“Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of cancer in the world.”

-World Health Organization SMOKING FACTS 1.1 BILLION SMOKERS IN THE WORLD TODAY

THERE ARE

17.3 MILLION SMOKERS IN THE PHILIPPINES (NSO, 2010)

55%

65%

EXPOSED TO SECONHAND SMOKE AT HOME

YOUTH EXPOSURE

EXPOSED TO SECONHAND SMOKE IN PUBLIC

(age 13-15)

SMOKING KILLS 10 FILIPINOS EVERY HOUR

-15

(department of health)

smokers die on average 15 years sooner than nonsmokers

OR

80,000 FILIPINOS per year

9%

women who smoke

48% men who smoke

ISSUE 56 — 053

LIFESTYLE I HEALTH & WELLNESS

9 Practical ways to stay fit & healthy while travelling —Lifestyle writer Charisse Trinidad

Preface Trying to stay healthy while traveling is actually more challenging than it might seem. Most people equate traveling with indulgence.

Often times over-eating, binge drinking and not getting enough exercise are normative behaviors when taking that much-needed vacation. In a study conducted by British Medical Journal, they concluded that both men and women could increase their longevity up to 5 years by incorporating healthy eating and exercise into their daily routine.

This article gives you the top tips and tricks for staying healthy while traveling. Whether you’re taking a two week backpacking trip through Southeast Asia or living long-term in a far away country as a digital nomad, all of these recommendations will help you kick start and continue a healthy lifestyle while traveling.

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LIFESTYLE I HEALTH & WELLNESS

01 The 5 minute “Hotel Breakfast” This might sound simple, and it is… but most people just don’t remember to eat breakfast before heading out on their next big adventure. Beginning your day with healthy choices is the smartest way to ensure that the rest of the day will follow suit. One of the best things to do when waking up, is to eat breakfast at your hotel or hostel.

If your accommodations don’t provide breakfast, you can try picking up some fruit and oats at a local market. Simply mix in some bottled water into the oatmeal, cut up a banana into thin slices, and you have yourself a meal! Travelers who forfeit breakfast typically will find themselves confronted with strong hunger cravings by mid-afternoon. If you eat in the morning, you’ll be more likely to make healthier decisions by the time lunch and dinner roll around.

02 Get Your Sweat On Using your own body weight to exercise is one of the easiest ways to stay fit even when you don’t have a gym readily available. Having traveled through Southeast Asia where gyms aren’t very common, I’ve found that it’s a good idea to learn how to get your heart pumping without fancy machines.

The good news is that practicing yoga without a mat or a studio membership is now possible. Pick up a pair of Yoga Paws for a mat free experience in which your palms become portable mats. There are also some great yoga Youtube Channels out there like” Boho Beautiful” as well as “Yoga with Adrienne” that cater to folks practicing in the comfort of their own home (or hotel room).

You can also do dips, squats, push-ups, and crunches in your hotel room before heading out for the day!

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Curated travel programs in the Philippines designed by Balikbayans for Filipinos all over the world.

Coming soon in 2018. For inquiries and partnerships, contact business@loveofcountry.ph www.LoveOfCountry.ph I #loveofcountry ISSUE 56 — 057

LIFESTYLE I HEALTH & WELLNESS

03 Use your Legs Exploring a new city by foot can be more fun than sitting in a cab or waiting around for a subway to arrive. It’s also better for your health because you’re burning calories while walking to your next destination.

When traveling through Metro Manila, walking several miles every night can be a great way to get in some daily exercise.

Walking allows you to see more of the place your visiting.

When you’re zipping by in a tricycle, you might miss out on all the little details that make the city so wonderful. Of course, if you’re in a rush then it makes sense to take public transportation. However, if you ever have the option to walk from point A to point B, try it out and see how amazing you feel afterwards!

04 Avoid Becoming a Junk-food Burnout When you arrive to a foreign country, your senses will be kicked into overdrive.

You’ll probably find yourself trying to visit as many tourist attractions as possible while eating whatever you can find along the way.

Chomping down on some French fries and downing a soda in between taking pictures with the Statue of Liberty isn’t exactly going to make you feel the greatest. This leads to the inevitable junk-food burnout. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there.

That’s why it’s always a good idea to do some research before arriving to a foreign city. Planning out where you’re going to eat at before you actually get to a new destination can help you find healthy, plant-based options nearby. Making a list beforehand allows you to choose restaurants that fit your budget, meet your dietary restrictions, and are highly recommended by other travelers.

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05 Get your Snack on The number one reason travelers eat unhealthy is because they were in a time crunch. Perhaps they were rushing to see the Mona Lisa or on their way to Central Park and they just needed a quick bite. Carrying healthy snacks around with you as a traveler, can help you curb those hunger cravings.

Try picking up some plant-based protein bars, a bag of nuts or seeds, or even a piece of fruit to carry along with you on the road.

Eating small snacks throughout the day and in between meals can help maintain a healthy blood-sugar level and keep you energized throughout your adventures. Also, sometimes healthy snack options might not always be available so it’s good to stock up beforehand and bring them along so you can have something to munch on!

06 Visit a Local Farmers Market One common thread between local markets all around the world is that they typically have a great selection of fresh fruits and veggies. Visiting a local market in Salcedo Village, Makati will provide a plethora of basic and exotic fruits. These markets can be a great place to find affordable fruits that you can snack on throughout the day or bring back to your hotel room for a quick 5-minute hotel breakfast.

07 Learn a little bit of the Language Teaching yourself a couple key words and phrases in the language of the country you’re visiting can help you immensely. If you’re headed over to Manila, it’s helpful to learn the words for eggs, milk, and sugar. If you don’t want sugar in your smoothies for example, you can learn the phrase for “without sugar” (Wa-lang Ah-su-kal). If you want your Tapsilog made without eggs, you can also learn the phrase for “without eggs.”

Learning the words for the ingredients that you are allergic to or simply don’t want to eat can help you order food more easily. Keep in mind that most street food stalls in Southeast and South America have owners that don’t speak English. Figuring out how to communicate your needs is the best way to get what you’re looking for.

08 Get out of the city Staying in a busy city like Metro Manila or New York City can be exhausting. You might feel yourself getting worn out from the pollution and congestion. Make an effort to visit a park or public garden to surround yourself with some greenery. Parks are a great way to relax and detox from the craziness of a metropolitan area. You can also plan a day trip to a nearby National Park in place of a city attraction. You can pack a healthy lunch and have a picnic at the park. Surrounding yourself with nature will help clear your mind and induce clarity.

09 Stop telling yourself you’re going to fall off the wagon First of all: there is no wagon. Your lifestyle on vacation may be worlds away from ordinary life, but that doesn’t mean you’ve fallen off any sort of healthy routine. If anything, we view travel as taking flight! No matter where you go, there are always opportunities to help your body thrive while abroad, especially when it comes to incorporating fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains, water, and sleep into your routine. How you treat yourself on vacation is entirely in your hands and you have everything you need to feel great throughout.

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HEALTH I RETIREMENT

BEST EXERCISES FOR SENIOR CITIZENS —Retirement

writer Charisse Trinidad

Preface Seniors who engage in physical activities as they age lead healthier lives with a better overall quality of life. What can be difficult for seniors, however, is knowing what types of activities count as exercise and how frequently these types of activities should be done. As people age, they should focus on four main areas of physical fitness: endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. By addressing each of these four areas in any given exercise routine, seniors will achieve a well-rounded workout that helps them stay healthy and active.

Here are four easy exercises that address each of these areas that seniors can practice in the comfort of their own homes.

01 Arm raises It may seem simple, but raising your arms – and adding resistance with a light weight – is an easy way to build upper body strength. Using light hand weights or everyday items, such as books or a full water bottle, sit or stand with feet flat on the ground and hold weights at shoulder height with palms facing forward. Lift the weights above your head and then return them to shoulder height. Repeat the lift 10 times for a beneficial strength exercise.

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02 Leg raises Be sure to use a chair for better balance while doing leg raises. Holding on to the chair at your side, lift the opposite leg out to the side, keeping the heel and hip aligned and a slight bend in the supporting leg. Then, return your raised leg back to a standing position. For leg raises to the rear, follow this same method, but place the chair in front and lift your leg behind you instead of to the side. Repeat the lift and lower 10 times for each leg for a beneficial strength and balance exercise.

03 Walking As seniors age, regular walking can help maintain a level of endurance, which can make everyday activities like grocery shopping and gardening that much easier. A senior who walks up and down each wing of a community building will most likely receive the right amount beneficial endurance in exercise to stay active and healthy.

04 Stretching An important part of any exercise routine is stretching. Focusing first on your upper body – with feet shoulder-width apart, bring your arms behind you and clasp your hands; hold for about 30 seconds. To stretch your lower body – place both palms flat against a wall keeping your arms at shoulder height. Step forward with your right leg and bend your knee. Then bend your left knee until you feel a stretch in your calf muscle.

Switch sides. Remember to always keep both feet flat on the floor and hold each leg stretch for 30 seconds.

It is important to remember to warm up and cool down before and after your exercises to give your muscles a chance to prepare for the work and then slowly return to rest once your workout is finished. When warming up for your exercises, start by doing the exercise slowly and deliberately. As you feel your body and muscles warming up, you can speed up your walking, make your stretches deeper, etc. To cool down after exercising, take a few moments for some deep breaths and allow your heart rate to return to normal before moving on to the next activity.

cular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily chores.

05 Exercise promotes better sleep Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep.

Just don’t exercise too close to bedtime, or you may be too energized to hit the hay.

the 6 benefits of exercise —Wellness

writer Charisse Trinidad

Preface Want to feel better, have more energy and even add years to your life? Just exercise.

The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. Everyone benefits from exercise, regardless of age, sex or physical ability.

Need more convincing to get moving?

Check out these seven ways exercise can lead to a happier, healthier you.

01 Exercise controls weight Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help maintain weight loss. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn.

Regular trips to the gym are great, but don’t worry if you can’t find a large chunk of time to exercise every day. To reap the benefits of exercise, just get more active throughout your day — take the stairs instead of the elevator or rev up your household chores. Consistency is key.

02 Exercise combats health conditions and diseases Hoping to prevent high blood pressure and heart disease? No matter what your current weight, being active boosts highdensity lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol and decreases unhealthy triglycerides. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which decreases your risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Regular exercise helps prevent or manage a wide range of health problems and concerns, including stroke, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, depression, a number of types of cancer, arthritis and falls.

03 Exercise improves mood Need an emotional lift or need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A gym session or brisk 30-minute walk can help. Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed.

You may also feel better about your appearance and yourself when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.

04 Exercise boosts energy Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance.

Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovas-

06 Exercise can be fun and social!

Exercise and physical activity can be enjoyable. It gives you a chance to unwind, enjoy the outdoors or simply engage in activities that make you happy.

Physical activity can also help you connect with family or friends in a fun social setting.

So, take a dance class, hit the hiking trails or join a soccer team. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and just do it.

Bored? Try something new, or do something with friends.

The Bottom Line on Exercise Exercise and physical activity are a great way to feel better, boost your health and have fun. Aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise, or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise.

Try to engage in a combination of vigorous and moderate aerobic exercises, such as running, walking or swimming.

Squeeze in strength training at least twice per week by lifting free weights, using weight machines or doing body weight exercises. Space out your activities throughout the week. If you want to lose weight or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to ramp up your exercise efforts.

Remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you haven’t exercised for a long time, have chronic health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes or arthritis, or you have any concerns.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS I MEDICAL TOURISM

NOVODENTAL PHILIPPINES —Reach The Unreachable writer Charisse Trinidad

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What if you walked into a dental clinic greeted by warm welcomes and bright comforting white walls? Going to the dentist should never be a literal and proverbial pain for patients. A dental chain that would provide such inspiration for relaxation during cleanings and procedures can now be found within the Metro Manila area.

Novodental is making it a lot harder for patients to put off their biannual cleanings.

With state of the art dental technology, Novodental offers high quality and advance procedures which are all reasonably affordable. Dentists and nurses believe in “Ultimate Patient Care”. Upon entrance, the clinic’s sight and smell automatically gives off a warm toned atmosphere which sets the charts for professional service yet to come. Some may even be able to relate the clinic to a modern day dental establishment in the United States.

Novodental not only wants to be your best go-to dental team, but strives to make you feel nothing but comfort for you and your family when choosing the finest dental clinic.

Breakthrough Services 01 General Dentistry Procedures includes professional cleaning, sealants and other preventive treatments, and restorative procedures such as fillings, etc.

02 Teeth Whitening Teeth’s whitening removes the discoloration and restores the original whiteness.

Novodental is currently using a state-of-art home treatment. The home treatment begins with a casting of the patient’s teeth made from an impression taken at the office.

03 Veneers These are porcelain shells that are bonded to the front of the teeth. They reshape the tooth and make the tooth whiter in color.

04 Gap Removal This procedure uses tooth-colored plastic that is bonded to places where there should be tooth material. The removal of gaps makes a significant improvement to a smile.

05 Oral Surgery Procedures such as surgical extractions, Odontectomy, wisdom tooth removal, and dental implants.

For More Information on Novodental or if you would like to schedule an appointment, you may contact at 0917-115NOVO (6686) or 720-9096.

Novodental is open from 11am to 9pm, Monday to Sunday, at the 3rd floor, Ayala Malls the 30th, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City or their new branch at the 3rd Level of Pedro Gil Wing, Robinsons Place Manila, 917-158NOVO (6686) I 02-740(NOVO) 6686.

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LEADERS I FROM THE EXECUTIVE’S DESK

3 life lessons from A FIRST generation entrepreneur & restauranteur —Prasoon Mukherjee writer Maria Nimfa Nadtja H. Villaver PHOTOGRAPHER Dennise Salvador and Jerome Jocson

Simple and sociable. Far from the usual image of a chairman. Who would have thought that this down to earth man is the one who brought the world-renowned Outback Steakhouse chain of restaurants to Southeast Asia?

Prasoon Mukherjee is a business magnate, investor and philanthropist and a first-generation entrepreneur. At the early age of 26 years old, he started his first business in trading crude oil. Just like any other entrepreneurs, he had his ups and downs but it didn’t prevent him to chase success.

In 1995, Mukherjee established Universal Success Enterprises (USE) and ventured into energy trading, his first initiative as an entrepreneur. So how did he eventually become engaged in the restaurant industry? The chair of the (USE) Group fell in love right away with Outback when he dined in one of its restaurants in the US. This lead him to acquire a franchise of Outback Steakhouse and in year 2000, opened its first outlet in Southeast Asia.

With extensive years of experience being an entrepreneur, Balikbayan Magazine didn’t miss to ask for tips to aspiring entrepreneurs. In fact, these tips are very much applicable to everyone entrepreneurs or not.

01 Don’t be afraid to take risks.

One advantage of being a first-generation entrepreneur is being a risk-taker. Mukherjee remembers that he experienced failures along the way but these only helped him become better.

“It’s liked being a child who has no fear. If he falls down from the bed, it will hurt. If a child didn’t fall, he will not learn how to get down from the bed.”

Entrepreneurs who take the risk might also fall down and fail but every time they fall, it teaches them to hold on to the other side – or strive to achieve success.

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02 Success comes from giving.

One of the things we can admire from Outback SEA Chairman is his culture of giving. He learned this value from his mom. He can remember that even though they don’t have much, his mother still gives something to the needy. That’s why he believed that success comes sharing a part of your business, a part of your profit to the people. This is also one of the reasons why he loves working in Outback because the company shares the same mission.

Don’t restrain yourself when given a chance to help because there’s a larger community that needs help. Generosity generates blessing. Need a proof ? Just take a look at how successful Outback Steakhouse is all over the world.

03 Never walk away from your commitment.

Don’t make promises if you cannot keep it. Cliché as it may sound but this is also true when it comes to business.

“Trust is the last thing in business. Once you lose trust, you lose everything.” *Bonus Tips for Entrepreneurs: 01 Do enough research before venturing in any business.

02 Keep the company as low debt as possible. It doesn’t matter if the growth is slower because in time you’ll reap the rewards.

03 To keep the business in balance, don’t be hesitant to hire better people than you—people who can tell you that you’re wrong because this will help your business become better.

TRAVEL. TRADE. INVEST.

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GREAT PLACES I WINE & DINE

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the taste that keeps you coming back writer Maria Nimfa Nadtja H. Villaver PHOTOGRAPHER Dennise Salvador and Jerome Jocson

There may be lots of food parks around the Metro but believe us, it’s still worth visiting casual dining restaurants, like Outback Steakhouse.

It was innovative creations, bold flavors and traditional classics that Balikbayan Magazine feasted on during one fine afternoon. We begin with Typhoon Bloom1, served with the restaurant’s spicy signature bloom sauce. Just by looking at this aussie-tizer, it will definitely blow you away. The hand-cut, stacked fresh onion strings, looked good together just like a flower.

You might not even think that it’s an onion, but it is! Each bite delights. We loved how it was cooked golden brown, enough to be crunchy yet didn’t lose the softness and tangy taste of onion.

Chicken wings lover will simply get crazy over the Kookaburra Wings2. As a fan of flavored wings, I must say that this chicken tossed in a savory blend of secret spices is one of a kind. Though you can eat it as it is, we recommend to still dip it in the cool creamy Blue cheese dressing to bring out its delectable taste.

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will be their newest Volcano Shrimp3.

Though I’m not a fan of spicy dishes, I can’t help but eat this not just because shrimp is my favorite but I loved the crispness of the shrimp and the spicy yet luscious sauce.

Before we partake on the mouthwatering steaks, grilled chicken, ribs, fresh seafood, we didn’t let it pass to taste one of their signature salads–Steakhouse Salad4. The mixed greens, Aussie Crunch, tomatoes, red onions and cinnamon pecans and seared sirloin, drizzled with Blue cheese vinaigrette, is a perfect combination for those who want a healthy, hearty meal but still get a taste of Outback’s beef.

We now go to the favorite part.

Every minute is worth the wait for these fall-off-the-bone ribs. I must say that it doesn’t just look good, but it tastes perfect. Each rack of their succulent and saucy Baby Back Ribs5 is smoked, grilled to perfection and brushed with a tangy BBQ sauce.

Another must-try restaurant favorite is the Alice Springs Chicken6. This not just an ordinary chicken dish from any other

8 menu. It’s a flame-grilled chicken breast topped with sautéed mushrooms, crisp strips of bacon, melted Monterey Jack and cheddar and finished with honey mustard sauce.

Completing our Western dining experience is their irresistible dessert –Chocolate Thunder from Down Under7. Chocoholics will surely love this extra generous pecan brownie topped with rich vanilla ice cream, drizzled with warm chocolate sauce and finished with chocolate shavings and whipped cream.

Seldom do we find a restaurant wherein you’ll really enjoy the food and the ambiance. And Outback Steakhouse is one of those. Once you taste it, you’ll keep coming back – for more.

Editor’s Pick: Typhoon Burger8 Mouthwatering burger topped with Outback’s own friend onion strings, American cheese, lettuce, tomato and Typhoon Bloom sauce.

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GREAT PLACES I WINE & DINE

BEYOND UNBEATABLE STEAKS writer Maria Nimfa Nadtja H. Villaver PHOTOGRAPHER Dennise Salvador and Jerome Jocson

Good Food, Good Price These were the words Mukherjee used to describe the restaurant. “You get the Morton’s Steakhouse’s steak when you eat in Outback Steakhouse. You spend $100 in Morton’s, whereas you only spend $10 here and you get the same high quality beef,” he said when asked about what’s the best part of the restaurant.

Focused Customer Service If you’re one of those guests who often complains about sluggish service from restaurant staff, well, you won’t have to worry when you dine at Outback. Aside from sumptuous dishes and laidback interior, they are proud to provide a superb customer service.

“Whether in the Philippines, Singapore, If you’re wondering about their steak, or any store, we have a 3-table station policy. they only buy high quality grain-fed beef One (1) waiter looks after three (3) tables from pre-approved beef purveyors. All only. He does not look after more than that Outback steaks are hand-trimmed and so I[we really have a] focused service.”

aged up to 27 days for tenderness.

While the menu in the Philippines is The Concept of Sharing Beyond filling the tummy with yummy similar with Outback international, they have Whenever we hear ‘Outback,’ the first added smaller sizes like 8 oz. to accommodate food, here’s an amazing fact to make us thing that always comes to our mind would the appetite of every Filipino. love more our favorite restaurant. Outback be steaks. But beyond this AustralianSteakhouse shares it success with its people. inspired restaurant is an unparalleled dining Fun Dining Experience Every manager is an individual proprietor. experience and a story of fun and success.

Their restaurant managers are called with the Entire Family Unlike other steak house with dark ‘managing partners’ while operations manager Setting foot in the Philippines and heavy ambiance, it’s the other way in who handles specific area are called Outback Steakhouse has been operating Outback Steakhouse. As you enter the ‘operating partners.’ With the term itself, in the country since 1997. In the year 2010, restaurant, you can embrace a casual atmo- Outback has a high regard for its people Prasoon Mukherjee, Chairman of Outback sphere that would even make you feel like and they value their contribution to the Southeast Asia (SEA), acquired the franchise you’re right there in the Australian Outback. company. Also, every operating level of the from the Bistro Group. In addition to the But what’s more important is the restaurant company is a shareholder of the business. original branches – Glorietta, Eastwood and is absolutely suitable for families and the Besides this concept, Outback Steakhouse Alabang – a 170-seater restaurant in Bluebay younger crowd. also partners with charitable institutions.

Walk along Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City “Giving part is the whole of Universal “This is the restaurant where you can bring was opened in 2014. your mother or grandmother for a treat. Success but sharing success with your people But what really keeps us coming back to You can come with your husband or fiancée is the core of Outback Steakhouse.”

Outback Steakhouse? There’s no better per- or take your kids for dinner. We cater all The next time you’re craving for good son to answer this question than Outback’s categories of family – that’s what we are. food and want to have fun with your SEA Chairman himself; and Balikbayan We are not a high profile, fusion, expensive loved ones, there’s no doubt that Outback Magazine is privileged to have a small talk restaurant. People can come to our restaurant Steakhouse should be your destination. with him. every day,” Mukherjee added.

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LIST OF PROPERTIES FOR SALE

For more information, contact RENE CINCO US nos.: (213) 291-8688 / (213) 291-3368 Mobile no.: (63) 917-824-1555

GERRY PALABYAB US no.: (510) 418-8079

or Email:

info@premiereasiapacific.com | renemcinco1215@gmail.com

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AMAZING ESCAPES I BATANGAS

IT’S MORE FUN IN RICH BATANGAS

—24 Fun things to do at the Lakeshore District

02 The year 2017 marks the 153rd birthday of the true son of Batangas —Apolinario Mabini, the Brains of the Revolution. Know more about writer this genteel hero at the newly-reviRose Muñoz-Landicho talized, high-tech Museo ni ApoliPHOTOGRAPHERS nario Mabini in Tanauan. One of the Serica Rojas and Peter Cons biggest museums under the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, It’s definitely more fun in the this museum exhibits the life and heroic Philippines, where its more than 7,000 deeds of Mabini. It is open from 8 AM to islands promise sun, surf, and beach. In 4 PM Tuesday to Sunday. the Philippines, we work hard, but we party harder. We’ve got celebrations for 03 Get on a banana boat ride or try all reasons and occassions. In fact, we your hand at rowing a dragon boat in Taal seriously plan for holidays. Check out our Lake. Want a twist? Gather the squad tip sheet for all the long holidays in the and try a unique tug-of-war (or tug-ofPhilippines for 2018. oars, if you please) on a dragon boat.

And when you’re planning a trip back home and got just a few days to spend, 04 Are you a cycling enthusiast, a you don’t have to go far. South of mega devotee, or both? Get on your bike and Manila just a couple of hours or even less head out to visit the beautiful churches is a destination that’s heaped with diverse of the Batangas Lakeshore District for a attractions. unique Bisikleta Iglesia.

Here’s a serious fun list of 24 things that you can see, do, eat, and experience at 05 Enjoy a huge bowl of Batangas lomi the Lakeshore District of rich Batangas. swimming in hot soup thickened with cassava flour. Batangas lomi is a local 01 Devotion is so much alive in noodle dish that first became popular in Batangas. Your first stop should be at the ‘80s and is served in carindenrias that the National Shrine of St. Padre Pio in dot the roadsides. The best place to eat San Pedro, Sto. Tomas. Offer flowers and Batangas lomi? Head over to Lomi King prayers for your intentions. in Lipa.

06 A pilgrim’s haven, Lipa City is dubbed the “Little Rome of the Philippines.” Take time to visit any one of its numerous Catholic churches, convents, seminaries, and retreat houses, and other religious destinations for a glimpse of Catholic devotion.

07 Admire the beautiful Romanesque architecture of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian (San Sebastian Cathedral), established by Pope Pius X as the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lipa in 1910.

08 Visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Carmel of Lipa, where the supposed 1948 apparitions and the shower of rose petals happened.

09 Attend a novena mass to Our Lady of Perpetual Help at the Divino Amor Chapel Redemptorist in Lipa. The Redemptorist in Lipa started attracting devotees when the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was said to have appeared in a tree trunk that was cut by a church worker in 2009.

10 Visit the Casa de Segunda heritage museum in Lipa, the ancestral home of Segunda Solis Katigbak who was the first love of Philippine hero Jose Rizal.

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AMAZING ESCAPES I BATANGAS

11 Take a spin on your bike through the winding, picturesque trails of Balete, known as the Biking Capital of Southern Luzon.

12 Head to the instagram-perfect Marian Orchard in Balete. A pilgrimage site dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Marian Orchard features fountains and gardens blooming with bougainvillea in a riot of colors. Points of interest are the Sacred Heart Chapel, Sacred Heart Tower reminiscent of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Via Crucis, the Rosarium, and a tower of 14 bells that chimes every 15 minutes.

13 When at Marian Orchard, spend quiet moments of prayer and refection at the Via Crucis, a linear garden with life-size statues depicting the passion of Christ. Light an LED candle for your personal intentions at the Hall of Petitions, and say a prayer of gratitude at the Thanksgiving Hall.

14 Enjoy freshly-made suman with a steaming cup of kapeng barako alongside locals near the talipapa of Balete for some local taste and color.

15 Did you know that Taal Volcano has 47 known craters and four maars? Find out things you did not know about Taal’s lake, volcano, and the islands at the Taal Lake Conservation Center (TLCC).

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21 At the break of dawn, head to the shores of Balete to watch fishermen haul in the day’s fresh catch of tawilis, the only freshwater sardine in the world found only in the Philippines, right at Taal Lake.

If you’re lucky, the womenfolk can cook 16 Spend a night under the stars while tawilis that you can enjoy for breakfast. listening to the gentle whisper of the 22 Balete is home to numerous honey Taal Lake waters. The TLCC welcomes overnighters and backpackers who are bee farms. Drop by to see how honey is harvested, then take home a bottle of real genuinely in love with nature. honey, or try the honey vinegar.

17 Navigate through Taal Lake and 23 Bring home sumang magkayakap, discover the numerous islands and rock formations that dot the lake on board the a local delicacy made from glutinous rice (kaning malagkit), wrapped in banana 30-seater Lady of the Lake catamaran. leaves, then bundled together. Best served 18 Take a 30-minute trek along the with a special coconut caramel sauce.

Lava Walk on Volcano Island in San Yum! Nicolas. The trek will take you over a 24 At the end of a full day, come home terrain covered in black basaltic rocks.

The dark-colored rocks are actually to Lima Park Hotel. Enjoy a dip at the hardened volcanic materials spewed by Horizon Swimming Pool. Indulge in Taal Volcano in past eruptions. Before bistecca and other Italian dishes at the leaving the island, bring home some La Terrazza. Enjoy a cold bottle of beer dried fish that is a source of income for under the stars at the Deck. Cap your the small local community on the island. night with a cup of freshly-crafted artisan Choose from biya, bangus, red tilapia, coffee while listening to live jazz sessions even shrimps—all caught from the lake. at the Brew Company. Then fall into a blissful slumber in one of its 136 tastefully 19 Going for a little more challenge? -appointed guest rooms and suites.

Lima Park Hotel is the first and only Try taking the extreme descent to the crater lake. The trip can be done on foot, 4-star hotel in Batangas located inside or you can rent a horse for the 45-minute the master-planned Lima Technology trip down to the main crater where you’ll Center in Malvar. It’s thrice voted find the blue-green waters of the crater for three years in a row now as toplake. Be sure to bring some eggs and try performing hotel as reviewed by travelers on TripAdvisor. Lima Park Hotel is a to boil these in the lake’s hot waters. mere 45 minute-drive from the Makati 20 Bird-watch at the bird sanctuary of Business District via the South Luzon San Nicolas, one of the towns under the Expressway (SLEX) and the STAR Taal Volcano Protected Landscape. Every Tollway. For room reservations and to year, migratory herons and egrets escape book a tour, call +63 43 981.1555. Send the cold winters and seek shelter in San an email reservations@limaparkhotel.com.

Nicolas. You’ll also find king fishers and Visit www.limaparkhotel.com. Like us on Facebook/LimaParkHotel. ducks here.

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INTERNATIONAL I FORECAST

Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo receives an award from the California State Assembly.

Invite Home a Friend PROGRAM —North America The Department of Tourism (DOT) is rallying Filipino expats in North America, particularly young professionals, millennials, and social media influencers to join and support the “Invite Home a Friend” program.

Originally launched by former Tourism Secretary Mina Gabor in 1994, Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo is reviving this incentive travel program because the Philippines’ second top source for foreign arrivals continues to be from North America.

The Invite Home a Friend program, as conceived by Gabor, spotlights the Filipino’s world-renowned hospitality and friendly nature. The program itself aims to provide free flights, hotel accommodations for friends while touring beautiful destinations such as Siquijor, Masbate, Negros Province, Palawan, Cebu, Baguio, Davao or Ilocos. Secretary Teo hopes on banking on the travel and tourism industry partners’ full support for the program.

Among the program’s initial target markets are 2nd and 3rd generation FilipinoAmericans who are looking for more leisure travel activities.

While the mechanics for the incentive program is still in development, Teo explained that the DOT plans to run “Invite Home a Friend” every quarter of the year via a raffle draw.

“We are hoping to award two lucky (a balikbayan and a friend-nominee) winners beginning September this year. Travel 074 — ISSUE 56

reward may be used anytime between January and April 2018,” the tourism chief said, describing the effort as DOT’s way of saying thanks to Filipino balikbayans.

Teo already instructed the DOT Los Angeles to spread the word out among Filipino-American communities such as recent events where Secretary Teo spoke to over one-hundred Filipino-American community leaders on July 20 at Mayflower Restaurant in Los Angeles—an event organised and sponsored by the Asian Journal Media Group.

DOT-Los Angeles Attache Richmond Jimenez echoed Teo’s message that the program is a great way to thank our kababayans from the US who continue to not only come to the Philippines themselves

but always tag along a friend or relative to visit and experience the Philippines.

“Our people is our strength. With our beautiful destinations as backdrop, it is in the company of great people that makes every visit to the Philippines more memorable and worth coming back for,” Jimenez went on to say.

In a 2016 survey conducted by the DOT, 56.60 percent of travelers visiting the Philippines from the US likely return for a repeat visit. These visitors from the US also stay long in the country at an average of 11.22 nights.

It is interesting to note that 54.40 percent of them came to the Philippines upon friend’s recommendation, while 14.20 percent have friends or relatives in the country.

For news and updates on the official platform launch, follow us on Facebook.com/BalikbayanProgram.

NORTH AMERICA I EUROPE I MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA I ASIA I AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND I SOUTH AMERICA ISSUE 56 — 075

INTERNATIONAL I FORECAST

1-year ACCOMPLISHMENT REPORt —Department of Tourism Milestone achievements marked the first full year of the country’s tourism program under the administration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, who acknowledges the industry as one of the top contributors to the gross domestic product (GDP).

Under the stewardship of Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo, the Department of Tourism celebrated a meaningful 44th founding anniversary in May, reiterating the agency’s commitment to a sustainable and inclusive tourism program.

The National Tourism Development of the Philippines (NTDP) for 2016-2022, which sustains 5.2 million jobs thus far, hopes to create 1.5 million more jobs.

The spectacular staging of the 65th Miss Universe pageant in January virtually put the Philippines on the map of world tourism.

The hosting of the 3rd Madrid Fusion Manila, ASEAN conferences, and the recent United Nations World Tourism Organization 6th International Conference on Statistics – are but a few of major events spearheaded by DOT. In a fitting tribute to the country’s heightened stature as a safe world-class destination, prominent Travel+Leisure magazine adjudged Palawan as the World’s Best Island for two consecutive years, with top rating on people’s hospitality.

To improve accessibility to emerging tourist sites, the government has embarked on a massive tourism infrastructure, as well as expanded international and domestic air connectivity as the key to opening more gateways.

“With selfless dedication and faith in God and good old Filipino resiliency among the stakeholders, we have hurdled obstacles and surmounted setbacks. We are up for the challenge in the next five years,” says Secretary Teo. 076 — ISSUE 56

Tourism: Philippine economy’s bright spot The tourism industry has become a bright spot for the Philippine economy during the first year of the Duterte administration, with the country more than doubling its tourism revenues to Php 222.30 billion from July 2016 to May 2017, a 109.13 percent increase compared to Php 106.297 billion receipts during the first 11 months ( July 2010 – May 2011) of the Aquino administration.

The country has also recorded a robust growth in international arrivals. During President Rodrigo Duterte’s first 11 months, the Philippines has welcomed 5,871,304 tourists, a 71.83 percent increase compared to 3,416,836 arrivals during the previous administration.

The year-long tourism boom can be attributed to the government’s firm resolve in dealing with threats creating a more secure and safe environment and raising tourists’ confidence.

The place to be Without a doubt, it has been a busy year for the DOT. Early this year, the Philippines secured the hosting of the 65th Miss Universe 2016 pageant giving 86 of the world’s most beautiful ladies a taste of the world-renowned Filipino hospitality and a glimpse of our world-class local destinations. In fact, the country hosted Miss Universe so good that the organizers offered the 2017 edition to be held in the Philippines once again.

The Philippines also retains its stature as Asia’s Center of Gastronomy with the 3rd Madrid Fusion Manila gathering some 1700 congress delegates from around the world and internationally acclaimed chefs in Manila.

Meanwhile, famous food critic Anthony Bourdain graced the World Street Food Congress 2017 solidifying the rise of Filipino cuisine in the international food scene.

Global tourism expert and Secretary General of United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Taleb Rifai led seven tourism ministers and some 1000 delegates from all over the world to the country for the 6th UNWTO International Conference on Tourism Statistics last month.

The Philippines will once again be at the center stage as it is set to host dignitaries from different parts of the world with ASEAN @50 events.

writTEN BY Media and Communication Service Media Release, Department of Tourism-Philippines

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INTERNATIONAL I FORECAST

Better bilateral relations The first year of Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo’s administration is perhaps one of the most prolific times in the tourism industry in terms of fostering better relations with some of our source markets.

In a span of one year, the Philippines has inked monumental tourism cooperation agreements with five countries namely China, Russia, Cambodia, Thailand and Turkey.

These agreements have yielded stronger bilateral relations and tourism partnerships between the Philippines and the aforementioned countries in terms of exchange programs for tourism professionals and students, joint promotions, cultural exchange, trainings and tourism investments.

These bilateral efforts and the strengthening of ties particularly with China has touted an immense growth in the tourism sector, making the Philippines one of the most favored destinations of Chinese tourists.

Since Duterte took office last year, Chinese arrivals surged to 36.3 percent. Numbers are expected to increase as China committed to sending at least a million Chinese travellers to the Philippines this year.

First year flying high Visits to these countries helped the Department of Tourism seal air negotiation agreements and action programs that will bring in more tourists from our major source markets.

Teo’s first year in the office spurred the availability of 811, 044 new seats with the opening of new air routes.

With almost all tourist arrivals coming via air at approximately 98%, the DOT has initiated development of new air routes and opening of other gateways outside of Metro Manila.

For the first five months of 2017, foreign airlines like China Eastern, Sichuan Airlines, Xiamen Air, Lucky Air and Air Asia opened 192,660 seats while local carriers Philippine Airlines and Philippines Air Asia added 230,880.

Applications of six international carriers will open new services to Cebu, Caticlan, Kalibo, Clark, and Manila. These are from West Air (Chongking-Cebu), Thai Smiles (Bangkok-Cebu), 9 Air (Guangzhou-Cebu), Hainan (Haiku to Cebu and Manila), Jetstar (Singapore to Caticlan and Clark), and June Yao (Shanghai-Kalibo).

The DOT is continuously working with different stakeholders and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in line with the ‘Build, Build, Build’ thrust of the current administration to further improve airport facilities and over-all airport experience of our tourists.

Booming Cruise Tourism This year, a total of 117 international cruise vessels dropped anchor on Philippine shores, a quantum leap increase as compared to the 10 cruise ships in 2011.

This year alone, the Philippines expects over a hundred port calls bringing in an estimated 122,000 cruise passengers by December.

Recently, Star Cruises’ Superstar Virgo made a homeport deployment in Manila bringing in over 4,000 cruise passengers.

The Philippines has recently yielded some major strides for the country’s cruise industry bagging major propositions from some of the world’s largest international cruise lines such as Carnival Corporation , The MSC Cruises , Oceana Cruises, Regent Seven Seascruise, Winstar Cruises and the cruise giant Royal Carribean.

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Tourism infrastructure projects thrive Infrastructure development by the DOT is undertaken with its attached agencies like the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and the Intramuros Administration (IA) as well as in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Under the DOT-DPWH Convergence Program, the construction and improvement of roads and bridges and the installation of lightings leading to tourism destinations were completed in 16 out of 18 regions of the Philippines totaling 209 projects.

The “Intramuros Revival Project” include the opening of the newly renovated Postigo Nuestra Señora de Soledad, Plaza Moriones in Fort Santiago and Casa Azul within Intramuros.

TIEZA, DOT’s infrastructure arm, is in full swing for the development of Tourism Enterprise Zones (TEZs).

For its Flagship TEZs, San Vicente town in northwestern Palawan is the pilot project. Works accomplished included the removal of hill obstruction along the new airport; bidding for feasibility studies on power & water supply; construction of tourism office and information center; and the LGU issuance of Deed of Restrictions and Development Guidelines.

At the Rizal Park in Manila, the bidding for construction of Esplanade, landscaping repair and rehabilitation, installation of permanent lighting of Rizal Monument and Flagpole have been completed.

There are on-going developments for other TEZs: Ciudad de Victoria in Bulacan, Bravo Golf Resort in Dumaguete City, and Queens Castle in Medellin, Cebu.

Aside from the Convergence Program with DPWH, other completed and on-going projects by TIEZA include the construction of tourist information centers and “green restrooms” nationwide.

Simultaneous construction are on-going for the new Tubbataha Ranger and Research Station in Cagayancillo, Palawan; Museo de Nuestra Senora de Penafrancia in Naga City; two-kilometer mangrove boardwalk and convention center in Del Carmen, Siargao Island; Mount Pinatubo Eco-Tourism Park in Sapang Uwak-Uwak in Porac, Pampanga; Mindanao Tourism & Cultural Village in Davao City.

Meanwhiler, Hinulugan Tatak Waterfalls in Antipolo City; Cagsawa Ruins Park in Daraga, Albay; and Manaoag Shrine Tourist Center in Pangasinan are undergoing rehabilitation as tourist destinations.

A swifter accreditation process Accreditation is part of the DOT’s mandate to prescribe and regulate standards for the operation of the tourism industry to

achieve global competitiveness, strengthen data gathering and, research on tourism, and facilitate the promotion of individual enterprises and the industry as a whole.

Primary tourism enterprises are periodically required to secure accreditation from the Department as to the quality of their facilities and standard of services. Accreditation is voluntary for secondary tourism enterprises.

And from July 2016 to July 2017, the DOT has issued accreditation to 4,057 enterprises and frontliners.

Meanwhile, orientation workshops are currently being held with stakeholders at the regional level on the implementation of a three-level Progressive Accreditation System (PAS) for primary enterprises reflecting progressive minimum requirements and includes customers’ expectations. The processes include registration, regular accreditation and star accreditation.

Plans and Targets The record pace drafting and approval of the National Tourism Development Plan v 2016 to 2022 itself is a feat of the DOT. The NTDP is aligned with this administration’s Philippine Development Plan and lays down the basis of for new goals and targets such as the 12 million foreign arrivals and 89.2 million domestic travellers for year 2022.

By the end of the Duterte administration, at least three million Filipinos would have been lifted from poverty because of opportunities spurred by tourism.

In addition, the tourism sector will have made a ten percent contribution to the country’s GDP. But more importantly, about 6.5 million workers will fuel the tourism sector as a result of job and business opportunities arising from higher visitor arrivals, visitor expenditure and foreign direct investments.

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TRAVEL I DEPARTURES & ARRIVALS

ALL YOU NEED IS FILIPINO LOVE writer Cameron Gonzalez photographer Christina Oriel

The warmth I felt upon arriving in the Philippines when taking my first breath of air exiting the airplane wasn’t just the temperature or humidity. It was love from the Filipino people. I have never felt more welcome in a new environment than when I first stepped foot in the Philippines this past July. My trip lasted one week and with so much to absorb and enjoy, I consistently felt I was going to miss something amazing.

After landing in Davao City, my first stop was at a store selling furniture, rolls of fabrics and a multitude of products hand-woven and crafted by local artisans. The craftsmanship, quality and pride were evident in everything displayed, as the saleswoman briefly explained history and local traditions regarding the different types of fabrics being sold. However, before speaking to me about the merchandise, she genuinely asked me how I was and how my time in the Philippines was treating me. Her face began to glow proudly once I relayed my happiness, even though I had only been in the country for a few hours. That glow and genuine concern regarding my well-being and happiness were consistent everywhere I went and unwavering from person to person.

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TRAVEL I DEPARTURES & ARRIVALS

“With the island’s beauty, coconuts and bananas, combined with a guided tour of the unmanicured forest nearby, I began to feel far away from home and more like I was in an Indiana Jones movie—on an adventure.”

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The love I had just felt was most evident during meal time. As in most cultures, food is a crucial element in the expression of people and the Philippines is no exception.

“Are you hungry? Here, eat some of this, it’s good,” was said to me multiple times, regardless where we were, followed by an explanation of what I was about to eat and where it came from. Everyone wanted to make sure I was well fed with a variety of local cuisine and traditions ranging from seafood to desserts derived from rice; I couldn’t have been happier than in those moments eating. Personally, the best way for me to experience a new place and its people is through their food and where they congregate. I want to know where the people buy their food, where they spend their time and what they love to eat. I was fortunate to experience this with so many proud Filipinos who wanted nothing more than to extend their hospitality and share their love of food with me.

As my trip continued, and I was fed regularly, I found my way to a coconut and banana plantation at Hijo Resorts. The natural beauty I saw there commanded my full attention making it difficult to focus on conversations. However, what truly made my day was a children’s guitar band. Filling the air all afternoon with the joy and

skill they put into their music, it elevated the ambiance from a place of relaxation to bliss — bliss that I enjoyed with plenty of banana chips and coconut to boot!

With the island’s beauty, coconuts and bananas, combined with a guided tour of the unmanicured forest nearby, I began to feel far away from home and more like I was in an Indiana Jones movie on an adventure. The guide was so happy and excited to share his knowledge and love of the forest and the Philippines and made me feel as though it was mine too. Although this was my first trip to the Philippines, it wasn’t my first exposure to the Filipinos’ vibrant culture and heritage. Living in Los Angeles has blessed me with many Filipino friends who’ve all shared with me their culture in various ways, but seeing the origin of what I’d been previously exposed to really brought a sense of wonder and greater appreciation. I could now see, feel and taste what had been so passionately extended to me. I loved it.

Venturing on through the Davao area I bounced from the beautiful Malagos Garden Resort, which houses the Chocolate Museum (yum), to the Philippine Eagle Center and eventually met the king...of fruits: the durian.

After hearing so much about durian, I

was finally able to experience the infamous fruit just outside of Chinatown in Davao.

We grabbed a small table on the street outside of a fruit store and I sat down eagerly not knowing what exactly to expect. The king is definitely in a league of his own and I’ve never seen anything like him. Durian is large with a commanding odor and delicious. This fruit is woven into Filipino culture giving a thread of commonality between the different islands and people of the Philippines. As I sat at the end of the table and took my first bite, everyone’s heads were turned towards me waiting for my reaction. Cheers and happiness filled the table when I nodded with enjoyment. While everyone else began to eat, I could see the comfort and joy on everyone’s faces enjoying the fruit. You have to try durian if you visit the Philippines or you won’t experience the country.

With my stomach full of durian, my trip pushed forward taking me to a slice of paradise on Samal Island. More kindness and excitement greeted me when I got off the boat at Pearl Farm Beach Resort, where I spent the night in heaven. I’ve been left speechless to describe this place and can only express my experience with a feeling I held during my stay, love. Love from the people, love for the people and love for my current surroundings.

Eventually, I had to leave and flew to Manila where I rounded out my Philippine experience. Manila’s energy, enormous size and overwhelming presence definitely leaves an impression. Although large cities tend to have a cold shoulder, I felt nothing but the opposite from Manila. The same warmth and embrace I’d been feeling the whole trip was there.

The world can be harsh, cold and we tend to forget about our neighbors and it’s largely agreed that the world needs more love. I say the world needs more Filipino love.

Instagram: @CameronCDG Cameron Gonzalez began his professional career studying marketing and advertising at Michigan State University with creative passions ranging from music to art history. Eventually, after working in brand development and brand education for companies, Cameron ventured out on his own and now passionately works for clients seeking his professional counsel and network. While steering clients through the intricacies of government affairs, brand expansion and real estate needs, Cameron makes sure to enjoy the most important part of life, the relationships built along the way. Outside of work, Cameron passionately reads and practices music.

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PEOPLE I NORTH AMERICA

MISS PHILIPPINES-USA —North America writer Monet Lu PHOTOGRAPHER Noel Ty

The sixth installation of the Miss Philippines USA 2017 and Miss Young Philippines 2017 held last Sunday, July 16 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale proved to be one of the most successful Filipino-American pageants in Southern California.

This year had the most number of contestants with 33 candidates vying for the crown.

“This year we are proud to stage a production with a fusion of Filipino and American. We have more candidates this year, and have screened more than 100 hundred applicants since 2016. There are teens that are already interested in beauty pageants and Miss Young Philippines USA is their platform to prepare themselves for their career choice. We are amazed at how many young applicants sent their profile to us,” said CEO and founder Lou Razon.

The evening’s co-hosts, broadcast personality Tony Cabrera and Cher Calvin, news anchor on KTLA 5 News, who have been co-hosting the pageant for six years, introduced the candidates as they opened the show with a dance number.

“The most memorable was the opening dance performance of the candidates wearing contemporary national costumes designed by me. I was screaming for joy while watching the girls perform,” Razon continued.

The swimsuit competition drew louder cheers from the crowd as 22 contestants competed in the Miss Philippines USA swimsuit category, while eleven competed for the Miss Young USA swimsuit round and was won by Jazlynn Dizon. Kayla Nadres won Best in Swimsuit for Miss Philippines USA 2017. The swim apparels were provided by Dylee & Lylee Active & Swimwear Apparel.

More exciting announcements were made throughout the program which was attended by over 1,400 distinguished guests. Mrs. Cora Aragon Soriano, the first Mrs. Philippines USA, officially announced that Mrs. Philippines USA segment would be included in the competition category for next year’s pageant.

The Long Gown category followed shortly and was won by April Rose Maniwang in the Miss Young Philippines USA category and by Nicole Guerrero for Miss Philippines USA. Seven semi-finalists were chosen from the 11 young contestants and 13 semi-finalists were chosen from the 22 Miss Philippines contestants to compete in the final question-and-answer portion.

The Question-and-Answer segment concluded with the following special awards: Alexandra Dalumpines won Miss Filipinotown; Jessica Cabanos won Miss Foodtrients World, Alyssa Sandra Guevara and April Rose Maniwang were appointed 2017 Ambassadors; Alyssa Sandra Guevara was the second runner-up and Sabrina Garcia was the first runner-up.

The winners in all final categories for Miss Philippines USA 2017 were: Kayla Nadres who won World 2017; Gabby Pangan who won Filipinotown; Kristine Macalutas and Valerie Bondan who were appointed 2017 Ambassadors; Angelica Escandon who won third runner up, Andrea Valera as second runner up, and Angelica Escandon who emerged as the first runner up.

The evening culminated with the joyous crowning of both Miss Philippines USA 2017 and Miss Young Philippines USA 2017. Nicole Guerrero emerged as the Miss Philippines USA 2017 and won Miss Philippines USA Top Model of the World and Miss Philippines USA Foodtrients World. The title Miss Young Philippines 2017 was awarded to Jazlynn Dizon!

Amazing guest performances filled the night; Michael Keith, the Filipino “Michael Jackson,” performed two songs to get the show started, as well as an energetic performance by Bagyo, Eric G serenaded Miss World 2013 Megan Young, who was also one of the 11 jurors, and Ding Dong Avanzado closed with an awesome song number. Aces and Queen Founder and Beauty Queen Maker Jonas Gaffud was also among the judges that night. He joined Young on stage as they crown the Miss Philippines USA and Miss Young Philippines 2017. He and Young functioned as mentors of the candidates during the pre-pageant season. He pledged his support for next year’s competition and said, “it will be bigger and better–if not best.”

The Miss Philippines USA is co-produced by program and technical director Randy Trinidad.

This year’s pageant was directed by John De La Vega. With such an amazing team behind her, Ms. Razon expresses her deepest gratitude to all who made this event a successful and worth trailing, six years and beyond.

She said, “I feel blessed that we are in our 6th year. It is getting bigger and better and I feel like we need to move to a bigger location (laughs).

This year, we wanted to come up with a more cultural show that shows the roots of FilipinoAmericans. It took us three months to plan the theme and the costumes and the staging. Turnout was fabulous, the event was fun and exciting, it is a fusion of the Philippines and USA. I would like to thank all our sponsors, judges, candidates, parents, staff and crew and the audience for their support! I would like my candidates to know that they all looked beautiful. This year’s batch was one of the best. I do appreciate their hard work and dedication in making the pageant successful.”

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BUSINESS I INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS

5 BUSINESS SKILLS VITAL FOR SUCCESS —Forecast

writer Krissy Aguilar

Preface Regardless of how we define it, success can feel like an elusive target especially in business. Any venture entails inevitable risks, setbacks and unanticipated challenges. It requires broad range of knowledge, great talent in communication and an attitude that says “I can definitely do it!” More than this, setting principles for yourself will help you professionally grow while progressing your company.

Making time to ask the right questions and strategizing your movement in the early stages will help you shape direction and priorities over the rocky road to come. Here are some fundamentals to success that every entrepreneur should follow.

01 Make a plan, but be flexible When jumpstarting your career, people ask what your five-year plan is. Founder and CEO of Tumblr, David Karp, says that an entrepreneur has to have a vision for something and a desire to create it. Indeed, having a vision is important, but setting realistic goals and milestones must be considered. For an idea to get big, a humble prototype should be focused on and small incremental goals should be established.

Rather than instantly predicting what your company should be like in five years, narrow your attention to small steps in order to be ready whenever a setback comes.

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02 Execution, execution, execution Success doesn’t necessarily come from breakthrough planning, but from great execution. A great strategy alone cannot make you win a game, right? It also requires the ability to block the rival and tackle the missions with the right timing. No matter how much you work on writing your business plan and perfecting your Powerpoint presentation, adapting according to the ground realities will eventually have to happen. Most people are scared of taking action rather than simply hypothesizing because it may lead to unexpected failure.

03 Embrace the struggle Apple cofounder and late CEO, Steve Jobs once said, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” The challenges and problems we face in our lives represent the roadmap to greatness. The only way to nurture grit and capitalize on the opportunities that challenges offer is to demonstrate an unshakable will to thrive. It’s a counter-intuitive concept but what stands the way is the way to success.

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04 Manage energy, not time Social life, family, work demand time and the only solution in mind is time management. However, more time won’t help when you’re already mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. Productivity in work and perseverance to success is possible without risking your health by managing energy instead of time. Prioritize what needs to be done first by crafting your to-do lists well.

Or simply getting rest within workday can reduce stress which will boost motivation to accomplish more 05 Take risks, but be resilient We never know the outcome of our efforts unless we actually do it. Being an entrepreneur requires similar kinds of emotional and psychological fitness so that you don’t become the chokehold on your business’s success. Marissa Mayer, Yahoo’s CEO, says “I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow.

When there’s that moment of ‘Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this,’ and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough.” If you wait until your product or service feels perfect, someone else will already be doing a better job of helping your customers solve their problems. Validate your own business idea by launching fast, but never forget to stand up when you accidentally fall down.

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Your Community.

Your News. Your Journal.

Since 1991.

los angeles I san francisco orange county and the inland empire las vegas I new york I new jersey I the philippines ASIANJOURNAL.COM I INFO@ASIANJOURNALINC.COM ISSUE 56 — 089

BUSINESS I INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS

10 Signs that you’re an entrepreneur —Forecast writer Charisse Trinidad

Preface Entrepreneurs come from all walks of life, but almost all of them share similar personality traits. From confidence to curiosity, there are certain attributes that are inherently entrepreneurial. These are 10 signs that you were born to be an entrepreneur.

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01 Risk-Taking Behaviors Starting your own business is a risk in itself. That being said, the sort of risk that entrepreneurship entails is just one of many tests for entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs tend to take the saying “with no risk comes no reward” a little bit too literally, but that’s what makes them fearless leaders and successful business owners.

02 Tenacity Drive and the ability to stick with a task go a long way when it comes to building and running your own business. A lot of people don’t have what it takes to see a business through the tough times that can last for years, but at the end of the day, perseverance is what makes a great entrepreneur.

03 Confidence It takes a lot of confidence to break out on your own into uncharted financial waters and persist with something you love, even if it is difficult. But entrepreneurs tend to be some of the most confident people around, and they have to be in order to see their vision through to the end.

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BUSINESS I INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS

04 Adaptability Everybody knows how fickle the economy can be, and it takes an adaptable individual to navigate these changes with grace and persist to make a business a success. Furthermore, as somebody who will frequently encounter unchartered situations and difficult decisions, an entrepreneur is always willing and able to take challenges head on and try to find the best possible outcome. You never know what to expect as a business owner, but entrepreneurs are always ready and able to adapt to the challenge.

05 Curiosity Curiosity is a trait that most entrepreneurs have in spades, and it can really help them innovate and drive their own success.

Most businesses are built upon their owners asking questions of the market and finding problems to solve, and they persist by looking into new strategies and solutions to keep them on the cutting edge.

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the art of coming back home.

E

very Balikbayan embarks on a journey with a sense of purpose. Coming back home is a different story. This is a chapter that always brings with it that familiar feeling of joy and a sense of warmth that only family can provide. It is that respite from the world, that much needed calm after the storm.

Come home to The Picasso Boutique Serviced Residences. You see, there are hotels. And there are hotels. But, there is only one Picasso.

t he a r t of fam il y

We know how important family is to you, and we realize that Filipinos do not just have big hearts, but they have big families. To say that our rooms are roomy is an understatement; all meticulously crafted, all delightfully spacious: offering style, comfort and sanctuary.

t he a r t of g r ea t s t a y s

We want to make sure your sleeping environment is the best it can be. We even have a pillow menu for your comfort! At the end of a long day, head on over for a massage at our Qi Spa for some much needed calm, relaxation and balance.

f o r r eser v ations

t he a r t of fu n

Filipinos have redefined the word pasyal! The Picasso is centrally located in the heart of Makati’s Business District. Go for a weekend stroll in the Salcedo Saturday Market, or explore Ayala Center’s numerous shops and attractions. Pablo, our in-house restaurant, offers a gastronomic twist on Spanish cuisine, while our deli, Cartel, is a healthy and organic alternative for the mindful epicure.

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119 L.P. Leviste St., Salcedo Village Makati City, Philippines 1227 (+63) 2 828 4774 reservations@picassomakati.com www.picassomakati.com

MANAGED BY HOSPITALITY INNOVATORS INC. (HII)

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INVESTMENT I FORECAST

06 Restlessness There is quite a bit of work that goes into running your own business; in fact, there is something to do almost all of the time.

Entrepreneurs will have no problem with this, as they are always looking to have their hands on what might be the next big thing.

07 A Focus on the Big Picture Being able to juggle tasks and wear a million different hats makes a successful entrepreneur, especially at the crucial beginning points in the life of a business. A good entrepreneur can strategize and utilize all parts of a situation with ease.

08 A Rebellious Streak It takes a lot of guts to break out on your own, away from the security of working for someone else. This kind of rebellion definitely started early on in life, and you might notice a pattern of breaking the mold in your past.

09 A Desire to Build Things This doesn’t necessarily mean physically building things, but entrepreneurs really love the process of putting things together to create a whole to show. New challenges excite the entrepreneur and being able to build a successful business or product from the ground up is a source of pride for most.

10 Competitiveness Entrepreneurs love to show off their competitive side through their successes, and won’t give up until they’re on top. Just like the world’s most successful athletes, entrepreneurs have an undying drive to be the best of the best, and are always finding ways to outdo their competitors.

Every entrepreneur is different, but the most successful ones all share these 10 personality traits. If this list sounds like you, you may be cut from the entrepreneurial stone and maybe someday, you’ll be the founder of the next major company.

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INVESTMENT I FORECAST

DON’T JUST ASK WHY, ASK WHEN TO BUY —Forecast

1st Quarter January, February, March

Everyone’s new year resolution is to lose weight, hence the price cuts on fitness equipment. Gym mem-berships are also fairly cheap during the start of the year because people would want to reduce the writer Krissy Aguilar calo-ries they consumed during Christmas.

With the holidays over, clothing and shoes Preface that weren’t sold be-fore Christmas also goes Knowing when to buy what you need on sale. is of great help when trying to save If you’re willing to wait until after cash. Since sales have their own cycles February 14th to give something to your throughout the year, buying certain loved ones, chocolates and flowers are products in their seasons can slash cheaper right after Valentines’ Day. Also, your bill into quarter. The market retailers continue to discount select tends to anticipate the nature of electronics and video games released during people when it comes to buying during the gift-giving frenzy. holidays and other events. Thinking Since March is in between vacation the same way as them and long-term seasons like Christmas and summer, shops planning on when to shop can help you are dropping prices for luggages and cop your wants with great discount. anything beach-related. Grab any extra bags Below is a cheat sheet for the best you might need for the summer during this time of the year to buy everything. month.

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THE ECONOMY I FORECAST

2nd Quarter April, May, June

Umbrella and raincoats are the least needed when everyone wants to enjoy the sun in April. Since it’s off-season, prices for these are lower than during rainy days.

May being the back-to-school season causes suppliers to compete on who can sell cheaper school items like notebooks, gadgets or laptops. Also, swimsuits and beach necessities are low-priced as retailers clear out their inventory. Prices of hotels in beaches and renting swimming pools also decrease as the rainy season starts.

Tourism is at its lowest because of the rainy season in June, hence prices for airfare and hotels drop. You’ll have to brave the rainy season which can be intense, but at least your ticket is cheap. As the weather becomes cooler, air conditioners’ prices decrease as well. On the other hand, tools and other gifts for men are also on sale because of Fathers’ Day. While also being the season for weddings, expect discounts on home decor and dinnerware.

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THE ECONOMY I FORECAST

3rd Quarter July, August, September July and August are perfect for booking beach vacation packages. It’s off-season and off-peak, ideal for those who want to take a break without breaking the bank. It’s also the season for some fruits like avocado, guava, durian, lanzones and guyabano.

September is harvest time for wine, which means it’s the best time to stock up. Holidays are also ap-proaching and it’s just the right time to buy home decor and also appliances.

4th Quarter October, November, December During this time, people are making sure they have all the tools they need for holiday cooking, so re-tailers mark down kitchenware. Candies and flowers’ prices are also reduced for Halloween and Souls’ Day. Immediately after Christmas is the best time to buy apparel and jewelry since businesses try to clear space for new stocks.

Great discounts for cars and houses also come up to make way for new models that will be released and to take advantage of OFWs returning home.

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LIFESTYLE I AESTHETIC

03 Invest on shoes that are sturdy, but versatile The only shoes you need are the kind that you turn to again and again, year after year, occasion after occasion and basically, gets you through life. Slim down your choices for work or for school by pick-ing the most comfortable, yet stylish shoes you have. If you’re shopping for shoes and thinking about sacrificing comfort for flair, just put those back on the rack and focus on what you can wear almost every day.

This way, you’ll really get your money’s worth.

04 Accessorize, but don’t overdo it!

Accessorizing is one of the easiest ways to transform your outfit from plain and simple to fab and stylish. Courtney Hammonds, a fashion stylist and author, suggests adding one statement piece in or-der to achieve step up your outfit from “good to knockout.” Experimenting with hairpieces, belts, hats, scarves and jewelry will make the clothes you already own look different and new. If overdone, however, these may distract the attention away from your outfit.

05 Avoid shopping for the brand It’s hard to resist the lure of all the fancy brand names out there, but there are more brands offering goods at a range of prices.

Quality clothes don’t have to be expensive, but it requires legwork to find some. However, don’t hesitate to invest on a piece that may be expensive because it reflects the time and craft that went into it.

7 PRACTICAL SPENDING HABITs —Aesthetic

writer Krissy Aguilar

Preface Transportation, food, bills and socializing are a few of the necessities that require a lot of money and great budgeting skills. This leaves little money for clothing, forcing you to sacrifice style when it comes to work, school or just going out for fun. For most women, the concept of dressing classy without spending much seems impossible. However, splurging on designer items and trendy pieces doesn’t really equate to being stylish. It’s more about being creative while coordinating the clothes you already have. Achieving that chic look while still being frugal is easy with these practical tips.

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01 Your closet is full of forgotten treasures You have most likely disregarded some garments you purchased years go. Raid over these abandoned clothes and pick whichever pieces you’d still want to wear or are good enough to be sold. Not only you can discover clothes for more potential outfits, but you can also spare some cash for new clothes.

02 Stick with the basics You would want to buy something that you can wear more than once, right? This means looking for clothes that are neutral, free of complicated patterns and are easy to pair with other clothes. Fashion design student Gab Quijencio from School of Fashion and Arts says that her wardrobe staples are jeans, leather jacket, white button-down polo and “the” LBD (little black dress). These items can be easily interchanged to fill the days where you can’t just find what to wear.

06 Thrift stores can be your best bud Although you may not initially like the idea of wearing clothes that someone else has previously worn, thrift shops are gold mines for fashionable clothing. Searching through piles of clothes may require much effort, but scoring some beautiful items for a cheap price makes the hassle worth it. If you’re new to thrift shopping, photographer Shaira Luna suggests looking through your closet first to scan the colors and patterns of your existing items in order to visualize the kind of clothes you’d want to find to pair these with. So don’t be afraid, explore and embrace thrift shop clothes.

07 Having fun and experimenting Go for simplicity. There is no extraordinary dress, handbag shoes or make up. What there is; are ordi-nary items organized extraordinarily. Changing your blazer to a cardigan and your heels to some sneakers can take an outfit from work-friendly to weekend-outing. Think of outfits as entire combina-tions, and each item you swap in or out can make a new look.Staying fashionable doesn’t have to break the bank.

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HOW TO HAGGLE LIKE A FILIPINO —Aesthetic

writer Joanna Estorque

Preface Clearance sale, end-of-month sale, holiday sale, whatever kind of sale – you name it, and Filipinos will definitely mobbed the shopping malls and retail centers with their hard-earned salaries.

Sales are so magical that even the usually unnoticed markets are flocked with people when they are labeled with this engaging word. Besides looking forward to these occasional deals, Filipinos are also fanatics of freebies and other promos. No matter how long the line that they have to go through, they would conquer just to get the deal.

Apparently, Filipinos embrace the culture of thriftiness and surmount all hurdles to save every coin in their pocket.

It also explains why Filipinos are best hagglers. They do not easily accept the amount written on the price tags and negotiate until the seller agreed to their desired cost. What’s enchanting is that they succeed most of the time. Being a good haggler is a personality that shouldn’t be ashamed of; it is something that everyone should have. And if you want to save like a Filipino haggler, start practicing this one-of-a-kind skill as soon as you visit the market.

01 Don’t embrace the myth!

If you lived with the idea that haggling lowers your dignity, you are absolutely wrong! Ask the successful people you know, and surely, all of them have experiences of haggling. It is not impolite nor is it embarrassing to ask for a little price down. In an article of Save the Student, Owen Burek stated that “until money has changed hands in a shop, no contract on a price has been agreed.” This rule covers bargains and even high value items. But of course, there are circumstances that you have to consider like buying in grocery stores and being offered by a low price already.

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“

It also explains why Filipinos are best hagglers.

They do not easily accept the amount written on the price tags and negotiate until the seller agreed to their desired cost.

”

“It’s learning how to negotiate to keep both sides happy – whether it’s for a multimillion dollar contract or just which show to watch on TV, that determines the quality and enjoyment of our lives.”

02 Use your charm If you’ve been tired of being charming all this time but do no not know how to take advantage of it, try using it as a weapon in the market and your charm may bring you somewhere. Rather than being intimidating, rude, or arrogant, use your natural charisma to make the seller say “yes.”

For higher chances, accompany it with preparedness. Before wasting your time trying to negotiate, make sure you are properly armed with information on the regular prices of the items in the market. Canvassing is a great idea. After knowing the necessary details, the next thing to keep your wallet away from emptiness is to be confident enough while bargaining. Disregard all hesitations and show how well-prepared you are. Just keep in mind that arrogance and confidence are far different from each other.

03 Target the perfect time!

There’s a perfect time for everything. The sphere of market is not an exemption. Although haggling can be done anytime and anywhere, the result of your effort is most likely to be positive if you target the perfect time.

Burek further shared in his article his knowledge of the best time to achieve a favorable result, “The basic rule is that you should haggle on items whenever the demand for them is falling and sellers just want to get rid of the stock.” On a daily basis, it would be every end of the day. Since sellers’ energy is already drained by whole day of selling and they just want to have many items sold, they would be more considerate.

Your efforts will be wasted if you barter while people who are willing to pay the regular price crowd the store. The seller won’t mind entertaining you.

If there’s a more perfect time than the perfect time to haggle, it is during occasions that only appears on your calendar once a year.

Side by side stores can be seen selling seasonal items. The more intense the competition in the market is, the more deals sellers would agree with.

More than just saving your money, haggling also develops the skill of people to negotiate.

As Leigh Steinberg says, “It’s learning how to negotiate to keep both sides happy – whether it’s for a multimillion dollar contract or just which show to watch on TV, that determines the quality and enjoyment of our lives.”

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LIFESTYLE I AESTHETIC

TAKING A LEAP FROM BEING AN EMPLOYEE TO AN ENTREPRENEUR —Aesthetic writer Joanna Estorque

Preface Being a cog in a corporate world is not bad at all, especially if it helps you provide your necessities. But if repetitively doing your job is making you feel sick, do not think you are losing your sanity.

It is normal to question the worth of being stuck in the cycle of your work and feeling like a mediocre. You may be needing a fresh air to breathe in and to weigh things up.

Overworking can make you disinterested on the work routine you’ve been executing for some time. You can try resting for a while to bring back the fire of your passion or work for another company to try something new. But if these weren’t still enough to satisfy your inner self, the world of entrepreneurship is maybe calling you. Taking this high leap, however, is not as easy as closing the door of a room and opening another one.

01 Turn your passions, skills, and values into a business plan After tracing the roots of your doubts and arriving at a conclusion that you want to venture in entrepreneurship, you should figure out what business you want to start. This is a perilous decision-making that needs to be resolved with intensive contemplation.

Do not pressure yourself and take your time.

In an article of Entrepreneur Magazine, Entrepreneurs Justin Lafazan and Geoff Woods enumerated the factors that should be considered in identifying what you were born to do. According to them, your passions, skills, and values will drive you to the right path. Zhel Enriquez, owner of the successful online shop Buy & Zhel, strengthened this claim in an interview by saying, “You should have a passion for what you are doing.”

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Following your final business choice are the chunks of other essential elements that will make your business function including your products, delivery system, and medium of your business.

02 Your capital is your foundation It looks like you have a fascinating plan for your future business, but halt! Have you not forgotten to consider the cost? Although you want to put it aside and just smoothly continue with your dream, it will remain a dream without enough capital.

Entrepreneur and Marketer Sujan Patel of Entrepreneur suggested starting your business on a small scale, testing the possible outcome of your plans. It is also a good idea if you are still holding on your job as an employee and just want to try your luck in entrepreneurship.

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03 Your mindset dictates your success Shifting from being an employee to an entrepreneur will require you an array of adjustments, particularly on your mindset.

Your thoughts and outlooks will determine your prosperity and since you are your own boss in entrepreneurship, you need to be mentally tougher than those times you have someone at your back.

Your strength will first be tested in starting your business without any idea on how it will go.

“Don’t let fear stop you from taking risks,” Enriquez advised. She continued by sharing her motivational mentality, “I’m a risk taker. I love challenge. I love going out of my comfort zone. Whether I fail or succeed, it’s fine. After all the failures, I know that I will learn a lot of things that can help me grow personally as well as my business.

I don’t want to think of the ‘what ifs’ so I take risks, but of course, you need to think hundred times before you decide.”

04 Expanding your business Expanding your business is another difficult stage of entrepreneurship that you have to face with enough wisdom. Seeking help from successful entrepreneurs does not lower integrity, but helps in leveling up the status of your business.

The famous saying “customer is always right” is based on the reality that your business continuously run through the support of your customers. Without them, you will definitely fail. This is why the demands of the customers or clients should always be addressed. Another relationship you have to sustain is your connection with your suppliers. They are also vital parts of your success.

Alongside with these commitments, Zhel Enriquez stressed the importance of having time and patience. You need to acknowledge all inquiries of customers and clients despite their inconsistency in dealing with you.

Another way to expand your business is through marketing. Now that social media has been a powerful tool in influencing its users, you can take advantage of it by posting your products.

Time is running and together with it are changes you cannot control. You need to go with the flow so you will not be left behind.

You need to develop and if you think you can achieve self-development by taking a risk in entrepreneurship, go on and try it with boldness.

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