What is it that makes running such a desirable pastime? It started out as a solitary sport reserved only for serious athletes. Lean, gaunt runners rose at dawn, guzzled electrolyte drinks, and braved the elements to ply deserted race ovals or rain-drenched streets. Then a few years ago, people started to see running as a gym alternative: Easy to start, with no complex routines, expensive gear or even much time needed. Its popularity soared when excited gymgoers persuaded workout buddies to join the fun, and soon scores of converts were racing to sign up for the sport christened “the new badminton”.

No longer just a solo pursuit nor a trendy pastime, running is now a mainstream physical activity with a unique social character, with thousands turning up at the frequent runs held around the metro. It is fun, healthy and a great way to meet new folks as well as cement friendships you already value. And there is nothing like the mind-blowing feeling of crossing your first finish line with your buddies in close stride, sharing that adrenalin high. High fives abound, and everyone rushes to Tweet success or shout out “Just finished my first 5k!” on Facebook®. You’ll even develop a newfound respect for your friend who runs a 21k in under two hours and barely breaks a sweat.

This year you and your pals can share your proud day at Globe-Ayala Land Run for Home 2010. On March 21, 2010, runners of every ilk — serious athletes, health buffs and weekend warriors alike — will converge at Makati City’s Ayala Triangle Garden to join one of the biggest urban runs of the year. With a route winding through the premium Makati Central Business District, casual runners can cruise the 3k or 5k routes, while the more competitive can test their mettle with the 10k or 15k. As for the hardcore runners, they can get their game on with a 21k half-marathon.
Last year’s Run for Home event, held at the Bonifacio Global City, was one of the first races to breach the 6000-runner mark. And that day in 2009 was peppered with personalities, many of whom were already good friends, such as business scions Fernando Zobel De Ayala and Lance Gokongwei, political powerhouse Senator Pia Cayetano, celebrities Christine Reyes and Samboy Lim, and power couples like Anton and Nina Huang, Paco Sandejas and Christine Jacob, and Anthony Pangilinan and Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan.

This year, Globe lets you bring along your whole brood by offering special packages for group registration. In 2010, Run for Home will give out discounts of up to P 1000 for groups who register for the shorter runs, while groups who sign up for the longer distances can get up to P 2000 off their registration fees.

If you’ve got well-wishing non-runners in your party, they can wait for you at the Ayala Triangle Garden, noshing on finger foods and drinks, or getting online via Wi-Fi to tweet news and post live Facebook ® updates.

In a unique bonus, race kits come with the first-ever environmentally-friendly singlet made from recycled PET bottles. And when you cross that finish line, your success will automatically be posted on your Facebook® page, thanks to the electronic timing chip provided by Run for Home, which tracks your progress to the second. In the days following the run, you can check your race photos and post-run results and analysis on Globe’s website, so you can see how you and your pals did and relive the moment you powered past that finish line.

Add in the very worthy cause of providing Filipinos with affordable housing, with Globe and Ayala Land donating a portion of the race proceeds to Habitat for Humanity, and Globe adding an additional P 200 for every Globe Platinum subscriber who joins the run, and Globe-Ayala Land Run for Home 2010 is now this year’s top human race.
Globe Chief Marketing Officer Menchi Orlina explains, “Globe-Ayala Land Run for Home 2010 is all about bringing people together to share that sense of achievement and the enjoyment of doing something they love, and then using that collective passion to make a difference in the lives of others. With the support of our Ayala family and the goodwill of our subscribers, we can do great things. Now, being Globe-connected is more than just being able to call, text and surf affordably and conveniently; it also means celebrating the bonds that keep us together, and using our shared strength to be a force for positive change.”

Registration for Globe-Ayala Land Run for Home 2010 opens on February 14 and continues till March 5 at participating Globe Stores; runners can also register online at globe.com.ph/run.

Filipino fans of multi-awarded author Neil Gaiman will have the chance to have up to 2 of their favorite Gaiman books signed by the famed author this coming March 18, 2010.

The year’s biggest book signing event happens on March 18, 2010 at the Powerplant Mall North Court, from 4:00 to 8:00 PM. To get in all you have to do is purchase P2000 worth of Neil Gaiman books from Feb 27 to March 4, 2010 at any Fully Booked branch in Luzon. You’ll be issued a Book Signing Pass for the event.

If you weren’t able to get a Book Signing Pass, you still have another chance at getting your books signed. Just bring your two books and attend the 3rd Philippine Graphic Fiction Awards on March 17, 2010, 7:00 PM at the Rockwell Tent in Makati City. You might be one of 100 lucky Gaiman fans to win book signing slots! The book signing will take place on the same night. Entrance to the event is free of charge.

Neil Gaiman and Fully Booked initiated the “Philippine Graphic Fiction Awards” in 2005, after Gaiman visited the country for the first time. During that visit Gaiman and Fully Booked decided to help spur the growth of unrealistic fiction in the country, after the author realized that “there is already a fine tradition of realistic fiction in Filipino literature.”

Fully Booked branches in Luzon are located in Bonifacio High Street, Rockwell, Greenhills, Gateway, Mall of Asia, North Edsa, EDSA Shangri-La, Trinoma, Greenbelt 5, Eastwood Mall, Marquee and SM Clark; Bibliarch branches are in Glorietta 3 & Pasong Tamo; while Sketch Books is in Greenbelt 3.

It’s the time of the year folks. The stage is set for this year’s World Pyro Olympics. (more…)

The Metro Manila Flood that hit the capital of the Philippines by Typhoon Ondoy left hundreds of thousands of people affected and hundreds killed.

Here’s a screenshot of the map photo of the areas affected (powered by Google Maps):

View Ondoy situation map for Metro Manila in a larger map

Photos of the Manila Flood are all over Flickr. See slideshow of flooding photos below:

Thousand and thousands of people took pictures of the aftermath and uploaded them on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Flickr.

Katy Perry who popularized the song “I Kissed a Girl” will be having a one-night-only concert in Manila, Philippines on October 3, 2009, at the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds.

Joining her is pop rock band Boys Like Girls with a special performance. Tickets are now available at P3,500 for VIP, P2,200 for Gold, P1,200 for Silver, and P400 for Bronze at TicketWorld (02) 8919999.

Visit Ticket World Online to book a ticket for the concert show.

NBA stars will be having a duel with our very own PBA stars tonight at the Araneta Coliseum. The four former NBA greats will see action as they play an exhibition game against the PBA All-Stars. Coach Rory White will be coaching for the NBA generations while coach Yeng Guiao will call the shots for the PBA All-Stars. For those basketball fanatics out there, its your time to see them play live. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see your favorite basketball stars tonight at the Araneta Coliseum.

Saturday Youth-Oriented Show Ka-Blog celebrates their 1st Year Anniversary this coming September 12, 2009. Hosted by Mico Aytona, Lucky Mercado, Andrea Torres, and Monica Verallo, they brought different features on their episodes about culture, the latest in technology and the issues that involves teen life. In line with their 1st year anniversary, Ka-Blog is serving you with one blasting night of rock and roll this September 12 at 7PM as the hottest bands in the country unite to celebrate Ka-Blog’s first birthday in “KA-BLOGAN!, The Ka-Blog 1st Anniversary Concert ” happening at Eastwood City in Libis. Tune in this Saturday and join with your favorite Ka-Blog barkada this Saturday as they celebrate this special event.

The APO Hiking Society will conquer the concert stage once again as they made a music comeback entitled, “APO Kayang-Kaya Pa” to be held at the SM North Edsa Skydome this coming September 25 & 26. The three-male group continues to bring us timeless classics and hits that most of the artist of today chose to add to their list of repertoire. Compose of Buboy Garovillo, Jim Paredes and Danny Javier, music lovers will surely love their latest offering. See them as they perform live this September,produced by Viva Concerts & Events. For tickets, you may call SM Ticketnet outlets at 911-5555 or Viva Concerts at 687-6181 loc. 627/620.

A One day event that features a business seminar for the youth will be held at the SMX Convention Hall at the SM Mall of Asia this coming September 11, 2009 from 9:00am to 6:00pm. The Go Negosyo Youth Entrepreneurship Summit is a one-day forum/expo which hopes to spark that entrepreneurial spirit among the youth. Forums with experienced Go Negosyo entrepreneurs and mentors will be sharing tips and advice on opportunity-seeking, marketing, financing, product development, and all the basics of going into business. Government leaders will also be sharing their views on the need for entrepreneurship development in the country. Admission is Free! Register now and learn!. For more info, log on to youthsummitgonegosyo.net or call ( 02) 637-9229.

A Film festival that tackles about the environment will be screened in selected SM Malls for people’s awareness about the factors that affect our environment today. Dubbed as the ” Green Film Festival “, it highlights environmental issues like climate change, scarcity of water, environmental decay and the need for people and nations to work together for a sustainable future. Green Film Festival is an international festival staged yearly in different countries worldwide, this time they will feature 8 films that is for free. It will be held at the Mall of Asia, Megamall & North EDSA this September. The Green Film Festival begins September 22 & 23 at the SM Mall of Asia then on September 28-29 at the SM Megamall and at the SM North EDSA on October 5-6, 2009. Watch out for It!

Comedy Concert Queen Ai-Ai de las Alas will take the centerstage once again at the Aliw Theater this coming September 12. The concert event was entitled ” Face to Phase…of Love, Life, Laughter and Beauty “, this time she will be having a new co-performer in the person of Jade Ecleo ,the Governor of the Dinagat Islands . Ecleo is temporarily taking time off from her official duties to headline the concert, which will help raise funds for Jade Ecleo-Villaroman Foundation. This would be a night of Music, fun and inspiration as Ai-Ai and Jade joined forces in a concert event for a cause. For those who want to see them perform live, watch their concert at the Aliw Theater this coming September 12, 9pm. Buy your tickets now!

Veteran Actress and Tayong Dalawa star Anita Linda topbills in one of the most prestigious film festival that was about to begin this October entitled ” Lola” a digital film that tackles the story of two elderly women who will do everything for the sake of their love ones as one will be the suspect and the other one will be a victim. Anita Linda received numerous awards for her performances in portraying different roles. She is now one of the mainstay actress in the No.1 Primetime Series, “Tayong Dalawa”. ” Lola” is about to be screened this coming October 15 to 25 as the Cinemanila International Film Festival opens this year to be held at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

Philippine Idol 2nd runner up and SOP Mainstay Jan Nieto is set to have his concert this coming October 16 at Teatrino Greenhills. He will be joined by Chris Cayzer and Lovi Poe. His all male group in SOp, Yo’uve Got Male got a Guillermo Mendoza Award as the most promising male group. He is also nominated for the upcoming Star Awards for Music as Male Pop Artist of the Year. His self-titled album is now on its second single ” Sana Naman” under IndiMusic, distributed by Universal Records.

The whole staff and crew of Wowowee fled to Las Vegas Nevada to have their series of shows last week. Meanwhile, fans put up colorful banners as a sign of their support for Willie, which further inspired the host to get back to work despite the nonstop intrigues surrounding his absence for almost a month now. The show was held in Lake Tahoe Nevada were Kapamilya Stars entertained them including Charice Pempengo who sang for them. It was indeed a very successful event for Wowowee as they continue to bring new hope and a lot of entertainment to people from all walks of life.

KC Concepcion now belongs to the roster of Filipino fashion designers of today as she designed her own brand of clothes for Bayo, a clothing line that she endorses since 2006. Bayo launched its new style of clothes yesterday named, “YOU”. It is a collection of casual wear that the multi-hyphenated star personally designed by KC. Proceeds of these clothes will benefit the UN’s efforts to fight hunger in Mindanao as KC was the UN World Food Programme (WFP) National Ambassador Against Hunger. This will also provide nutritious meals to 75,000 children from 427 schools that the WFP supports in Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato.