A Fabulous Women’s Night at Primavera Residences

Posted by Primavera Residences on March 24, 2014

A Fabulous Women’s Night at Primavera Residences

by Kathy Yu

Primavera Residences hosted a cocktail event last Saturday, March 22, 2014 to celebrate Women’s Month. I was there, of course, with my fellow lovely friends in our most glamorous outfits. I never regretted a single minute of being at the party because it was downright fabulous. Not only was it a fantastic night for women, it was so much more than that.

I’ll tell you what made it downright fab (aside from the fact that everyone looked great because that’s already a given).

Great Speeches from Empowered Women Speakers

I think every woman present in that event would agree with me when I say that the speakers delivered short but great speeches about women empowerment. To quote Ms. Adoracion Buat of Soroptimist Iligan from her prepared speech, “Modern women like us are superheroes. We are more independent and responsible of the many functions that we carry.” Oh, and this I like, “If a woman is empowered, her family will be better off. If a woman prospers, her village and community prospers.”

The second speaker, Ms. Rose Ann Saavedra, Club President of Rotary Club Iligan, was even more entertaining. She was filled with anecdotes that made the room erupt in laughter. She stressed how the women of today have become truly empowered in society, thanks to our government for giving women the chance to shine through gender-related programs. There’s one line from her speech I really love, and it goes, “Women are powerful enough that despite multi-tasking, we still find time to be beautiful.” Couldn’t be more true.

Ms. Rose Ann Saavedra of Rotary Club Maria Cristina wows the crowd with her speech

Artworks from Notable Local Artists

For art lovers out there, this is what you missed from the party. The entire hall was set up with well-chosen women-themed art pieces from distinguished local artists of Northern Mindanao such as Rhyan Casino and the Dire Husi Initiative, Mr. Nick Aca Jr. of Oro Art Guild, and Mr. Eli Tabasuares. One simply can’t help but be awed with their masterpieces.

SAMSUNG CSC — Paintings by Mr. Nick Aca Jr.

Event organizer and Primavera Residences’ Community Relations Specialist Janey Montebon Duterte, who is herself a lover of art, designed the event to be a complete tribute to women with great art works that capture and pay homage to the beauty and strength of the modern woman.

Aside from the wonderful art pieces on the exhibit, the audience was also treated to short films featuring women empowerment themes by Mr. Shaun Alejandre Yap Uy and his Film Production Class from Liceo de Cagayan University.

A Tour of Primavera Residences’ Condo Units

So, the lovely guests were grouped for a quick facility tour of Primavera Residences. Led by Ms. Cheryll Barriga as our tour guide who is the VP & General Manager of Italpinas, and definitely an epitome of a modern empowered woman, we were shown to 3 types of condo units of the city’s premiere eco-friendly condo. The units truly have a touch of class, and it amazed us even more to learn how Primavera aimed to commune with nature in its construction. Now, I understand why Primavera gained all those international accolades including the most recent International Property Awards!

Beautiful and Inspiring Party Guests

I was expecting some few good men in the party, but I was overwhelmed by the presence of guests like the women officers of the Philippine Air Force, members of women’s organizations, and several elegant-looking ladies. Then, of course I’ll always highlight the women speakers with their insightful speeches that just blew me away.

Primavera Residences’ very own empowered women with the guests from Soroptimist Iligan and Rotary Club Maria Cristina

The writer, Kathy Yu (third from right) with friends and guests

For more event photos, visit the official Facebook page of Primavera Residences at www.facebook.com/CondoPrimavera

Hats off to Primavera Residences for hosting a wonderful tribute to the modern empowered women!

Do you want to know where some of the best monthly events in CDO is being held? Click here and find it out yourself.

Join the #AnticipatingSummer Photo Contest on Facebook

Posted by Jane on March 18, 2014

Excited for summer? I’m sure you are. If you feel like reliving your fun beach photos and jump shots of summers past, feel free to tag the official Primavera Residences page on Facebook and you just might get the chance to win awesome prizes from us.

Here are three simple steps on how you can join:

Like the official Facebook page of Primavera Residences HERE.
Share your summer photos in the page or simply tag Primavera Residences.
Use the hashtag #AnticipatingSummer.

Submit your entries until March 31 and wait for the official announcement on April 2. Winner will get gift checks for his/her summer shopping needs!

Hurry, submit your entries now!

Know more about Primavera Residences, the premiere green building in Cagayan de Oro HERE.

Primavera Residences Partners with Cagyan de Oro Rugby Club

Posted by Primavera Residences on March 14, 2014

Primavera Residences has partnered with the Cagayan de Oro Rugby Football Club (CDORFC) in bringing the much-loved sport in Italy to the city.

“The beginning of rugby in CDO is very inspiring,” said Jane Montebon Duterte, Community Relations Specialist of Primavera Residences. “From just one man, Noel Villa, the group now has more than 30 active members. It continues to grow with its Get Into Rugby program for children, high school and college students – even including women. This is now the fastest-growing sport in Cagayan de Oro.”

Rugby, an outdoors sport, is a way of promoting the advo

cacy for nature and sustainability of Italpinas Euroasian Design and Eco-Development Corporation (ITPI Corp.), developer of Primavera Residences. “This is a very eco-friendly activity and will promote going out of the house instead of spending time indoors using up electricity,” said Ms. Duterte.

Primavera Residences is the first eco-friendly condominium complex in Mindanao. This 10-story two-tower mixed-use condominium building located in Pueblo de Oro Business Park is noted for its elegant Italian design and energy-saving features.

Noel Villa, founder and coach of the club, recalled in a blog post his effort to attract possible players by jogging around his subdivision, tossing a rugby ball. Although his first attempts had not been successful, he did not give up, feeling the need to share his enthusiasm for the support.

“Back in the United Kingdom where I stayed for 27 years, I grew up playing rugby for my school,” he stated. “I love how the sport teaches discipline, strategy and team work and of course, the show of strength and agility which every sportsman can relate.” Finally, through Facebook and friends, he was able to put up a team.

“Now I can proudly say that after five months of training under the sun or rain, CDO RFC is ready to take on another milestone: compete in a real game against more experienced teams,” Mr. Villa wrote.

On February 22 this year, Primavera Residences sponsored the CDORFC in the kick-off games of the VisMin Rugby league. CDORFC played against the Davao and Cebu rugby teams. Primavera Residences is looking towards a bigger partnership with the club which will include community outreach activities and events.

“Italpinas, through Primavera Residences, is very happy with this partnership with the Cagayan de Oro Rugby Football Club,” said Arch. Romolo V. Nati, CEO of ITPI.

“Seeing that their advocacies are very much aligned with the company, we look forward to seeing them lead the growth of rugby as a sport, not only here in Cagayan de Oro, but in nearby regions also.”

Primavera Residences has recently been awarded for Mixed-Use Development in the Philippines by the International Property Awards. In 2011, the South East Asia Property Awards commended Primavera Residences as One of the Best Condo Developments in the Philippines.

9 Things that Made February in Primavera Residences Super Fabulous!

Posted by Jane on February 28, 2014

How was your February? Ours at Primavera Residences was beyond awesome. We had a singles event and a cool online contest, we helped stage a romantic marriage proposal, and a lot of other exciting events.

Here, let me go through the events with you one by one.

1. Selfies galore! I know that at this point, you are probably cringing at the idea of taking selfies. But wait — how about Valentine-themed selfies that feature the first multi-awarded green condominium in Mindanao in the background? And you can do it too in the spirit of Valentine’s Day which is, of course, characterized by loads of cheesiness, quirky good fun, and an outpouring of love.

And guess what? We’ve already picked a lucky winner! Stay tuned as we announce who wins a free dinner date courtesy of Primavera Residences!

2. National Geographic feature. Did you know that Primavera Residences and its developer Italpinas recently got featured in the February 2014 issue of the prestigious magazine National Geographic? ITPI Corp. (Italpinas Euroasian Design and Eco-Development Corporation) was noted for leading the country’s push into sustainable architecture and property development. Read more of this HERE.

3. A surprise proposal at the rooftop!

A day before Valentine’s day, our collective hearts got melted when we witnessed a heartfelt and uber romantic surprise proposal that we helped stage at the rooftop. Nikko professed his undying love and devotion and asked Audrey to spend happily ever after with him in a proposal that rivals that of fairy tales. With tears in our eyes, we wiped off our mascaras and sniffed away tears of joy.

Watch the video here:

4. Primavera Residences officially partners with Cagayan de Oro Rugby Football Club! Have you heard about the fastest-growing sport in Cagayan de Oro? Rugby Football has swept Cagayan de Oro by storm. Last February 22, the CDORFC competed for the first time with the more experienced Davao and Cebu teams during the kick-off games of the VisMin Rugby Football League. See more about this exciting sport in this article by CDORFC coach and founder Noel Villa.

5. Primavera Residences joins the “GREENGINEERING” movement of engineering students through their activity called SIGMA: the youth engineer’s response to the call for a greener nation. Our very own CEO Arch. Romolo Nati who is highly acclaimed for his innovative green designs, spoke at the event about green architecture and sustainable development.

6. Two words: Singles Party! Who says Valentine’s month is only for the happily hitched? Singles can have fun, too! Especially with events like the Primavera Singles Freedom party held a week after Valentine’s day. It was an evening full of laughs, trivia quizzes, games, acoustic music, and loads of fun and prizes. See the details of the event through this blog post from Nino of TsadaGyud.com.

7. It’s our CEO’s birthday! ITPI’s very own architect and CEO Romolo Valentino Nati celebrated his birthday on Valentine’s day!! No wonder his name is Valentino, right? That and four other awesome things about our CEO here.

8. We joined kagay-anons in celebrating Mayor Oca Moreno’s birthday. On February 28, different groups from all over Cagayan de Oro celebrated the city mayor’s 63rd birthday through a whole day event at Gaston Park and CDO City Hall. Activities include medical and dental mission (through the Mis Or Medical Society and Phil. Dental Association), free legal assistance, feeding program for street children, free haircut and massage, blood letting activity, free anti-rabies vaccines, and outdoor camp for the arts. As a show of support, Primavera Residences provided 250 packets of over-the-counter medicines as part of the free medical assistance activity.

9. We participated in the 2014 PinoyWork.com Career Expo. Job hunting and career development can be quite tiresome. But thanks to events like the PinoyWork.com Career Expo, it can be a lot easier and more exciting! Last February 26 – 27, Italpinas joined the career fair at Centrio Activity Center and met jobseekers and mallgoers alike.

March is here and we are brewing a whole lot more fun activities for you. Be sure to visit Primavera Residences and join us in our next events!

Wanna know more about Cagayan de Oro’s first eco-friendly building and its exciting events, go HERE.

Cagayan de Oro Rugby Football Club (CdO RFC): A Kagay-Anon Journey to The Sport of Rugby

Posted by Jane on February 25, 2014

BY NOEL VILLA (founder and coach of the Cagayan de Oro Rugby Football Club)

Each one of us has a role to play in this world: a good father, a great leader, and a lot more. As for me, I choose to be a simple teacher who loves to teach and share my passion for Rugby.

I admit, I am no Jonah Lomu (the first global superstar in Rugby Union) and I will never be like him inside the pitch. But that’s not the only way one can spread love for the sport, especially in a place where almost nobody has ever seen a real rugby ball.

Back in the United Kingdom where I stayed for 27 years, I grew up playing rugby for my school. I love how the sport teaches discipline, strategy and team work and of course, the show of strength and agility which every sportsman can relate.

When I came home to the Philippines for a vacation in September 2011, I was lucky to find a rugby team to train with. My first team, The Raging Bisons, won 2nd Place in the Plate Division during the first ever Rugby 7’s in the 2012 Philippine National Games. I later joined the Globe Immortals Team and have contributed to Rugby 101 program to teach the sport at the Ultra grounds, which I find quite fulfilling.

noel vila cdo rugby — *Winning a Silver Medal in the Plate Division during the 2012 Philippine Games*

Love brought me to Cagayan de Oro City in June of 2013 and I have settled in this lovely City ever since. But there was one problem: nobody that I talked to knew anything about Rugby when I first came here. So, I started jogging at Pueblo de Oro carrying my only Rugby Ball, tossing the ball up in the air from 5:30am to 7:00am, with the sole mission of getting a curious jogger to ask what the egg-shaped ball was for. That proved to be a challenge and yes, I got some odd looks from the people who saw me then. For the next few days I did this religiously and though not having much luck, I didn’t think of giving up on the sport that has helped me a lot growing up.
After a few days of no luck, I realized I have to change my strategy. Since there was no Rugby club in the local scene, I decided to create one.

So in August 2013, I formed a Facebook Page which I named Cagayan de Oro Rugby Football Club (CDO RFC) hoping to catch the attention of those who are curious about the sport and possibly get them to play Rugby. I made sure to advertise the Club in different FB Groups, subtly recruiting boys and girls to try playing the sport and practically promoting its history and growth into the mainstream sports scene.

Three guys showed up during the first training session, then became ten and soon enough, we got girls into the Team. Now there are over thirty members in the Club and counting.

Above all, I am proud that CDO RFC Team has developed a heart for the community through our social advocacy, “Help Change the Life of a Child” providing sports therapy and feeding program to the children of Boys Town in Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City.

help save the life of a child — *“Help Change the Life of a Child” – Sports Therapy and Feeding Program of CDO RFC for the children of Boys Town Lumbia.*

We also advocate the value of charity and goodwill to the community through our “Give Blood, Play Rugby” Program where we donate blood through the Northern Mindanao Medical Center.

Creating and maintaining the CDO RFC was no walk in the park and there is still so much work to be done.

I started the Club with no funds and had to rely on friends to share some of their precious savings so I can run the Club with integrity. There were paper works to accomplish, fees to pay and plenty of unanswered questions such as, “Where shall we train the kids?”, “Where do we get the balls, crash pads and cones for training?”, “How do we produce the kits?”, “How do we recruit players?” or “Where do we get the budget for rugby development?” and so on. Most of the answers to these questions actually cost me my own savings and precious time.

Steve Jobs once said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle.” True, there were challenging obstacles along the way but I chose to do this because I love what I do and I believe that there are talents waiting to be discovered. Now I can proudly say that after five months of training under the sun or rain, CDO RFC is ready to take on another milestone: compete in a real game against more experienced teams.

——————-

UPDATE: On February 22, 2014, the Cagayan de Oro Rugby Football Club competed with the Cebu Dragons and Davao Durians at the Pelaez Sports Complex in Cagayan de Oro City. The day began with a free Get Into Rugby (GIR) Clinic which was open for boys and girls aged 11 to 16 from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. followed by the kick-off games of the VisMin Rugby Football League from 12 noon onwards.

See below for photos taken during the event.

Do you know which multi-awarded green condominium building in CDO is proudly supporting the Cagayan de Oro Rugby Football Club? Click here.

My Surprise Proposal at Primavera Residences

Posted by Jane on February 24, 2014

By Nicolo Antonio Duterte

There comes a point in a man’s life when he can either man up and decide to spend his lifetime with the woman he wants to marry or just continue being single and free. I chose the former, and so now I will talk about how I pulled off a nail-biting and nerve-racking marriage proposal .

Most men I know don’t bother about staging a full-blown surprise proposal since it entails careful preparation and creativity. Others would choose to be practical and pour all of that effort in the wedding itself. But being a self-confessed true blue romantic that I am, I decided to give it my best shot and show the woman I love how truly blessed I am to have her in my life.

To those who wish to do the same, here are some tips that just might help you.

Start with a plan. No surprise there, I used up a lot of lists and notes to get this done. I had to rack my brain for this. Planning when to propose, where to propose, what to bring, and what to leave out is really necessary. Think about it this way: a simple camping trip needs preparation. A proposal needs one too. If you cannot imagine a cool concept, try to just list two important things you want to recreate or accomplish in the proposal then go ahead and get it done.
Gifts? Flowers? Yep! Choose a color she loves. Red, white, blue, violet even. Remember to stick with what she loves. An added touch such as a card or an item (whether a card or little gift) will do. If you have the perfect ring for this, go ahead. For those who don’t, do not worry, you can save up for that, just give her the best that you can give without breaking the bank. The effort behind the proposal is indicative of the effort you will give in planning for the wedding, and for the rest of your marriage. Or so they say.
Food. Either you can order food in a fancy restaurant or have a friend who cooks really well (my chef friend made this a no-brainer for me). The plan you have in your mind and the energy to pull it off should include food. Again, just make sure to choose something she really loves and stick with it. Her preferences should be your top priority.
Photographs. Who says the “selfie generation” made it important to take pictures? We were doing it before they were even born. A proposal does not happen every day, so better capture the moment that both of you will re-live in the future. Ask for help from your photographer friends or hire one if you have to. What matters is that you take pictures. And more pictures to capture all the little details. Fifty years down the road, you will be very glad you did.
The venue. At this point in your life, you may (or may not) already have an idea where to pull it off. Restaurants are a common and easy choice. Beach proposals are cool too. For the adventurer types, a tour and scenic view on top of a mountain will do. Just pick one that is logistically possible and meaningful for the both of you. For me, I wanted to have it done in a rooftop on a late afternoon, preferably with a great sunset behind us. Primavera Residences was the perfect place for this. Not only do they have willing co- conspirators to help me plan and implement the BIG SURPRISE, they also exerted a lot of effort to make this day truly wonderful for me, my fiancé, and our guests. The view of Cagayan de Oro in the rooftop was a magnificent bonus too. Though the weather did not cooperate to give us the usual amazing Cagayan de Oro sunset for our backdrop, it was awesome nonetheless.

Proposals are not easy to pull off but if you plan it well and put a lot of thought into it, your significant other will definitely appreciate it. You do not have to spend a lot to propose. We can still be practical since these are practical times, however we must remember that this can happen only once in our lifetime, so better make it count.

Check out the proposal video here:

Planning your own surprise proposal or any event? Call +63 917 7921080 or visit our website at http://primaveraresidences.italpinas.com.

Primavera Residences Developer Sponsors Rotary Club of West Cagayan de Oro’s Golf Tourney

Posted by Jane on February 10, 2014

ITPI sponsors Rotary Club of West CdO’s golf tourney

ITPI Corp. (ItalPinas Euroasian Design and Eco-Development), the company behind Cagayan de Oro’s first eco-friendly mixed-use condo Primavera Residences, is working hard to become a valued member of the Kagay-anon community.

This was why ITPI did its best to support the Rotary Club of West CdO when it held its Oro Golf Tourney from February 7-9 at the Pueblo de Oro Golf & Country Club in Cagayan de Oro City.

The tournament, which brought together entrepreneurs belonging to the Rotary Club of West CdO, was meant both as a bonding and fund-raising activity.

According to the tournament director, Clifford Roa, proceeds of the event are expected to fund several projects of the Rotary Club chapter.

“Apart from funding our (the IBP chapter’s) scheduled projects, a certain amount will also be set aside to be donated to victims of typhoon Yolanda,” Clifford Roa, who is also the president of the Capitol University Alumni Association, said.

Winners of the tourney bounded away with huge prizes, including a Ford Fiesta, a Panasonic refrigerator, Sharp flat screen TVs, an LG washing machine, and even an overnight stay at the Italian elegant Primavera Residences, the first eco-friendly condominium development in the city of Golden Friendship.

Primavera Residences is a mixed-use condominium complex built in uptown CdO’s masterplanned Pueblo de Oro Business & IT Park, where 24/7 security, power and transportation are guaranteed.

It is accessible to virtually everything in CdO — schools, places of worship, airports, seaports, bus terminals — and even SM City CdO (as well as other commercial establishments).

Its 10 storeys twin towers can withstand strong typhoons and earthquakes because they were designed using state-of-the-art computer software to simulate how the structures would react to various strains and ground movement.

It is also the first eco-friendly condo complex in Mindanao, featuring the best principles of passive cooling technology: shadow and sunlight control, wind cooling and shape performance.

These features, combined with renewable energy that will be produced from solar panels found on the roof and walls of the towers, this will help reduce the overall energy consumption of the buildings — bringing long-term savings to its residents and making Primavera Residences even more desirable as an investment.

More event photos below.

This article is also published in tsadagyud.com.

Article written by Danilova Molintas

For more details about the first eco-friendly condo complex in Mindanao, visit this link.

Category: Lifestyle