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Paradise lost in Boracay?
Boracay, with its crystal clear water, white powder sand and constant
sunshine, presents itself as a slice of paradise – but scratch the surface
and the island is seething with discontent.
The island has been transformed in 40 years from a sleepy limestone outcrop
without electricity into one of the country's priciest chunks of real
estate.
But the scramble to secure ownership of some of the most valuable real
estate in the Philippines has led to violence including tear gas, fires and
allegations of kidnapping, as well as prolonged court action. [Trouble
in Boracay]
myPH recommendations
myPH partners in the Philippine online community are known for
their good products and services. We commend them to you for easy,
cost-friendly, safe online shopping. Advertisements linking to their
websites are included in the appropriate sections of myPH – and each week
we feature some special recommendations here on Page One:
myPH
Adpost Classifieds
Looking for a job, selling a car, buying furniture or renting an
apartment? myPH Adpost Classifieds may have exactly what you’re looking
for. It’s the Philippine edition of the world’s top online classified ads
service. Standard ads are free while upgraded ads cost little. [myPH
Adpost Classifieds]
Farm-fresh roses in the Philippines
Island Rose grows its own high quality varieties of
European roses south of Manila, and delivers to most parts of
the Philippines at competitive prices. The company is known for its professionalism, reliability,
quality and caring customer service. [Island
Rose]
World travel with Travelocity
Travelocity.com is the world’s top website for online travel
bookings and information. Travelocity offers the best prices,
comparative travel data, fast online bookings, customer service and an
uncompromising quality guarantee for its flights, hotel bookings, cruises
and other vacations. [Travelocity.com]
Tips from travelers who've been there
TripAdvisor gives you a wealth of tips, free advice and reviews
about places to visit, where to stay, how to get there, what to see, where
to eat out and have fun – and where it's not much fun – as assessed by
travelers who have been there. And when
you decide where to stay, the website offers you great hotel deals.
[TripAdvisor]
Sightseeing in you-name-it
myPH has teamed up with the award-winning online tour organizer
Viator, to help you find and book online the best sightseeing, tours and
activities in favorite as well as obscure destinations in many countries,
making your travels easier, cheaper and a lot more fun. [myPH
Viator Travel]
Website hosting & management
dotPH Inc. is the website server host for myPH (and many other
companies) – and we like the company. dotPH is technically excellent and
its customer support is great. [dotPH]
Online poker and casino games

Betfred lets you play poker (Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo and
more) for real money or on fun tables. The Betfred Casino has over 60
games including blackjack, roulette, baccarat and massive progressive
jackpot slots. [Betfred
poker & casino]

Better buys worldwide
The myPH World guide to international shopping offers a broad
selection of products and services which can be ordered online from the
Philippines, selected by myPH staff who spend a lot of time
browsing and window-shopping around the World Wide Web on the internet. [myPH
World]
| Search the Philippines – and the World
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'Best' hotels in the
Philippines
Judgment of the “best” hotels and resorts depends on the criteria.
Some places are best value-for-money, others are the best at any price, best
beach resorts, best family places, best business hotels. myPH Explorer uses
votes by travelers who have stayed there to assess its regular Philippines
Top 20 listings, and there are surprises this week.
• In the Metro Manila area, many
of the better known hotels are in the Top 20 but some surprisingly are not.
There are also less-well-known hotels that are highly rated by travelers.
• In Cebu and the resort
areas of Boracay,
Bohol and
Palawan, the Top 20 line-ups are
full surprises and highly rated "finds." [myPH
Explorer]
Fernando Amorsolo on show
Dozens of paintings by Philippine National Artist Fernando Amorsolo
are currently on show spread across seven museums in Metro Manila and other
venues around the country.
Also in myPH Happenings this week:
• Pianists Pia Diño Balasico, Abelardo Galang II and Jose Artemio
Panganiban III share the grand piano with the Philippine Philharmonic
Orchestra in a concert this week
• Franco Laurel, Pam G and Shiela Francisco are
featured in an upcoming re-staging of the show “Joseph the Dreamer. [myPH
Happenings]
Citigroup growing in Manila
Ailing American financial giant Citigroup may be cutting jobs around
the world, but it is hiring more workers in the Philippines, where it plans
to establish a regional hub for its call centers.
Also in myPH Business this week:
• The Philippines is not expected to slip into recession next
year despite the impact of the global financial crisis, according to
government experts.
• Imports by the Philippines rose 2.5 percent year-on-year in
September to US$4.86 billion, with electronics imports down 26 percent at
$1.74 billion from $2.33 billion – indicating a slowdown in electronics
exports. [myPH Business]
Want a visa? Just hire 10
staff
Foreign businessmen coming to the Philippines will soon be able to
obtain indefinite residency visas if they employ at least 10 Filipino staff.
Also in the myPH Community news this week:
• In the first semester of 2008, the Philippine police recorded
3,228 cases of violence against women, with abuse by a spouse or partner now
the greatest violation committed against women. But this could well be the
tip of the iceberg.
• An impeachment complaint against Philippine President Gloria
Arroyo has been dismissed, and analysts said the victory will embolden
allies trying to extend her term. [myPH
Community]
Price wars hit website shops
As deserted malls and department stores struggle to court cash-short
consumers with steep discounts this holiday season, a similar and even more
ferocious price war is being waged online.
Also in myPH Online this week:
• The online classified advertising company Craigslist has
agreed to tame its notoriously unruly “erotic services” listings, long used
by prostitutes and sex-oriented businesses.
• Microsoft has unveiled what it says will be a slimmer and more
responsive version of its Windows operating system, while dropping the brand
name Vista. [myPH Online]
Time out in California
Along California’s mystical redwood coast, 1,000-year-old trees as
much as four times the height of the Rockefeller Center Christmas spruce
command cliffs that overlook golden beaches.
Also in myPH Traveler this week:
• Redevelopment around the Seattle waterfront, once reserved for
tchotchke shops selling “Sleepless in Seattle” T-shirts, is bringing with it
fashionable boutiques, trendy restaurants and gourmet shops. [myPH
Traveler]
Which are
good hospitals?
"I'm getting some very mixed reviews about the quality of hospitals
and medical care in Metro Manila," says a myPH Forum member.
Other topics in myPH Forum this week include:
• "The Ateneo basketball team may be this year's champions, but they won no
admiration for their celebratory bonfire, when they threw pieces of wood
into the flames to burn – each carrying the name of a La Salle player."
• "I've got really irritated with some of the travel websites and their
tricks," complains another myPH Forum member. [myPH
Forum]
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