Estimated economic expansion of 6.8 percent in 2012.
Estimated economic expansion of 7.2 percent in 2013.
Estimated economic expansion of 6.1 percent in 2014.
Estimated economic expansion of 6.7 percent in 2015.
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15 Vibrant Small Living Room Decor Ideas
When we talk about small living rooms, we know for one thing that it is one important issue since small living room decor ideas is in demand and is pretty much significant. We are all concerned as to how we can decorate our small living rooms to make it more prettier or more conducive not only for us, but for the people in the house.
The next pictures that you will be seeing are 15 Vibrant Small Living Room Decor Ideas that we have picked up for you to choose from. Unlike other rooms in the house, we have to make sure that everyone who lives in that particular home is considered – it’s not like we just live alone, well, unless you do. For example, a bedroom can be decorated the way how the user wants it to be, but with the living room, we consider more people to make living more comfortable for all. Take a look at the next picture and hope that you will enjoy.
Austin Living Room
Image: Heather Scott
This living room is pretty thanks to the decors used in this space – just like the frames by the mirror and the long drapes which also gives the room a feel of high ceilings.
California Residence
Image: anddesigns.com
Thanks to the warm lighting for this living room, it made it more cozy and great to hang out in. The colors of the walls complement well with the furniture in the room!
Condo Living Area
Image: WCDesignStudio
This room may be small, but with the right decoration, this room makes large living rooms out of place!
Condo Living Room
Image: Gryffindor Prince
This condo looks all-modern with the appliances and lighting it has, but with making the room use white and greys – this room just became awesome!
Eclectic Living Room
Image: Casey Noble
This eclectic space looks incredibly stunning, thanks to the striped drapes and fabulously printed area carpet! And by the way, the center table and accent chair looks great too!
Traditional Blue & Brown Sitting Room
Image: Judi Ackerman
This lovely traditional living room sets the mood for things close to vintage! The chairs, the tables and the decors make this room one happy place to live in!
Living Area
Image: Roseven
Look at the stunning painting which evidently brightens up almost monochromatic room! Only the reds in this room seem to bring all the things together!
Living Blue
Image: Micoliver1226
This living room looks a little bit masculine with the colors used. But adding the printed pillows and scarf plus an interesting center table makes the look complete.
Living Room W Chaise
Image: Fini Home Design & Staging
Using a chaise paired to your sofa can look as charming as this. This is pretty as it already is because of the cute empty frames in the wall and a printed area carpet.
Modern Living Room
Image: Dawna Jones Design
Don’t you like the boat-like inspired touch this living room has? This room got tons of interesting decors that not all homes consider of getting. Totally a breath of fresh air!
Small Living Room
Image: Norman
Do you like the color of this room? The light coming from the windows creates an ambiance of comfort and modernism.
Small Residence
Image: Zaunbrecher Design
Cute color combination of white, grey and apple greens. The center table looks customized and the paintings look great on the walls too.
Studio Living Space
Image: Paulrd0021
The color of this living room is just vibrant and refreshing! The colors chosen sure lights up the room! Very unique furniture, don’t you agree?
Urban Loft
Image: Cortney and Robert Novogratz
This loft living space makes a regular living room look blank! We love how the wall was decorated with black and white photos matched with a great set of furniture and cute area carpet!
Vancouver Living Room
Image: Fluff Designs and Decor
Contemporary living in a beautiful place makes life better! Just like this living room! This one sure it pretty and contemporary!
And that was our 15 Vibrant Small Living Room Decor Ideas which sure is pretty stunning and astounding examples of living spaces that gives us ideas of how we can make these areas more spacious, pretty, and a whole better place to live in! Take a look at living room decor ideas for you to compare regular sized living rooms from the small ones we posted for you guys!
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Italpinas soars anew: World Bank’s IFC awards Primavera Residences with its 1st EDGE completed condominium project in East Asia
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, the innovator of EDGE (“Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies”), has awarded its green building certification to CDO’s twin-tower Primavera Residences, a mixed-use mid-rise condominium development in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines. The twin-tower building is the flagship development of Italpinas Development Corporation (IDC) in its thrust to build quality and sustainable homes to emerging market cities in the Philippines.
Dubbed to be the first completed condominium project in East Asia, Primavera Residences and IDC take pride in having reached EDGE’s qualifications to be certified.
“This is a proof that IDC delivers its commitments of being a genuine sustainable real estate developer. We maintain our propositions and we are proud to see Primavera Residences be recognized as a green building by an international rating agency which is part of IFC of The World Bank,” Arch. Romolo Nati, IDC Chairman and COO, said.
IFC’s EDGE (“Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies”) is a new green building certification system created for emerging markets. It provides clients with technical solutions for going green and captures capital costs and projected operational savings, in order to prove the business case for building green. While the drivers behind EDGE are financial, the results are environmental – EDGE helps mitigate climate change by encouraging resource-efficient development.
To qualify for EDGE certification, companies must utilize the EDGE software to prove their building design will reduce energy, water, and embodied energy in building materials by at least 20 percent compared to a conventional building.
“Now that our building has been certified green by the World Bank’s IFC, our units also increased its value in terms of being genuinely eco-friendly with its green features. IDC, once again, has proven to be able to deliver profit not only to shareholders but also to the most important stakeholders—our valued residents,” Nati concluded.
One distinct feature of Primavera Residences’ facade is the set of cantilevers that surround the building. Apart from making the building look unique and modern, these ledges serve to create a shadow from within, thus keeping direct sunlight from getting through the windows and reducing the heat in the unit. This is best experienced especially in the balcony of a two-bedroom unit.
The green inner courtyard within the building is also designed to increase natural ventilation, keeping the air across the units cool while pushing warm air out through the roof. Photovoltaic solar panels are also installed on the rooftop to produce the building’s own energy and power its common areas.
To know more about the first EDGE-certified condominium project in East Asia—Primavera Residences, you may visit their website at www.primaveraresidences.com or call them at (088) 880-5002 or (+63) 917 794 2221.
Eco-friendly tips for an early Christmas shopping
Oh hello there! Are you feeling the Christmas spirit? Do you already have presents for your loved ones? Better have your Christmas shopping now! Isn’t it hassle-free to buy your Christmas presents in this early moment? Instead of waiting for rush and last minute shopping, running all over the town and putting yourself in crowded places, secure a safe and eco-friendly early Christmas shopping. Yes, an eco-friendly Christmas shopping.
Do you know how to be an eco-friendly shopper? Well, let me give you some tips on how to make your Christmas shopping helpful to our mother earth:
Make a list– Before going to shopping places; make a list of the things you need to buy. This will help avoid wasting gas from commuting or even with your own car, not just that, it will also make you spend less because this will make you stick to your budget. Your loved ones will appreciate more if you give them a well thought present and at the same time bringing no harm to our environment.
Shop in one place– Stop exhausting yourself from walking and running all around shopping places. As much as possible, try to look for a mall or a group of stores where you can buy all you need for presents. It will help to reduce carbon emissions produced from your car, and will lessen time consumption.
Use Eco-bags– Refrain from using the usual plastic bags that will take approximately 500 years or more to decompose, and would contaminate soil, waterways, marine life, and animals upon digestion. Instead, use eco-bags or any reusable shopping bags that you could bring with you every time you shop. There are also lots of shopping malls and stores who sell eco-friendly bags, have it and enjoy your green Christmas shopping.
Shop Online– If you don’t want outdoor shopping, why not try to have your shopping online? There are lots of online shops that give you easy access and convenience. Aside from the fact that it’s more comfortable and relaxing way to shop, this is also one great way of reducing carbon emissions produced when running around the city to buy your Christmas gifts. One more thing, shopping online would also help you save your time and avoids you from unwanted situations like waiting on long lines and being in a middle of the crowd.
Here you go! You can enjoy your shopping in an eco-friendly way that’s not just beneficial to our environment but also for us.
Have a Green Merry Christmas!
Do you want to know more about Primavera Residences? You may click here for more information!
The Aperitivo, a true Italian food and wine event in CdO!
Finally something that we don’t see every day in Cagayan de Oro. The Italian Chamber of Commerce and the Italian Embassy in partnership with Oro Chamber present an extraordinary insight into the habits of an Italian, a real piece of Italy’s everyday life: The Italian Aperitivo.
Let’s take away all doubts right from the beginning: the Aperitivo is what it says: an aperitif, which is an alcoholic drink to be had at pre-dinner time to stimulate one’s appetite. In Rome or in Milan people gather for an aperitivo just after leaving office and drink wines, camparis, bellinis and a lot of other fancy drinks, cocktails and mixers. All this is accompanied by a buffet style of “antipasti”, Italian appetisers and finger foods like cold cuts, prosciutto, cheeses, panini and even spaghetti and other specialities. Doubt arises if this is a pre-dinner snack or real dinner?? Well, most often you wouldn’t want to eat anything else after an Aperitivo but Italians are known for eating so many do have late dinners thereafter.
The Aperitivo CdO is a lifestyle event where people gather and indulge in good conversation apart from sipping delicious wines and served with sumptuous buffet. Definitely a venue where worries and stresses have no home and where togetherness and friendship prevails.
This unique event should signify another step to Cagayan de Oro’s friendship with Italy and Italian culture and business. We have already witnessed the rise and shine of Primavera Residences by Architect Romolo Nati, now a pride of for all the city and other Italian companies active in servicing the bottling lines of Coca Cola. With the Philippine economy growing so is also Mindanao and the opportunities are unfolding. A growing mutual cooperation between public and private entities and also thanks to the efforts of Oro Chamber we shall see more foreign investments meaning more jobs for the local community. “If we keep a positive mindset and help each other for the common good then all the community can grow accordingly. Mindanao has a great future.” says Lorens Ziller, vice-president of the Italian Chamber of Commerce and maker of this international tie-up together with Engr. Cerael “Dodong” Donggay, president of Oro Chamber. The two chambers have a tie-up signing scheduled for the upcoming Oro Best Expo 2015.
Sunshine Paquibot, part of the organizing team, reminds us that there are limited tickets available for this event and all those who still want to be part of it should hurry to grab this opportunity.
Focus Fixed on CDO as Primavera Goes Public
Italpinas Development Corporation (IDC), the company behind Cagayan de Oro real estate project Primavera is set for an initial public offering (IPO) in the coming weeks.
The IPO is ground-breaking in many ways. To begin with, IDC has staked its future on a road not often taken, embarking on its flagship venture Primavera in Cagayan de Oro and following it up by announcing an even more ambitious multi-function development around it, Primavera City. The company is also favoring a focus on sustainable design – again, a not too common tack among local real estate developers. In what must be a first in the industry, IDC is unmistakably mestizo, rooted in a partnership between Italian architect and designer Romolo Valentino Nati, and Filipino-born, Sydney-educated lawyer Jojo Leviste.
With the foundations of its future fixed firmly on the City of Golden Friendship, the IDC IPO will likely be viewed as a barometer of investor confidence in Mindanao, in general; and in Cagayan de Oro, in particular.
Of course, it will also be seen as a vote on IDC’s seemingly counter-intuitive and potentially disruptive business model: target the up-and-coming cities, instead of the already established ones; and offer them elegant yet accessible eco-friendly buildings in safe locations.
To Nati and Leviste though, just getting to the IPO stage is already a victory in itself.
Nati reveals that before Primavera even broke ground, many were discouraging them from doing their debut development in Cagayan de Oro, questioning the location, the market and its readiness.
But Leviste happily points out that the doubters have since been proven wrong. Units at the first condo tower in Primavera were snapped up predominantly by local residents and by overseas Kagay-anons, putting to rest the notion that the market was not ready for condo living and high-rises.
The company’s emphasis on design has also reaped rewards, including Best Mixed-Use Development in the Philippines at last year’s International Property Awards in Kuala Lumpur, Highly Commended Condo Development from the Southeast Asia Property Awards in Singapore, and a Special Energy Award at the Design Against the Elements Competition in Quezon City.
Going public will mean many things to the different stakeholders in the future of IDC. For the company, the fresh funding will fuel the development of Primavera City, which it forecasts will fast-track the arrival of locators to the Uptown business district. For Cagayan de Oro, the spotlight on IDC will showcase how the city is both investor-friendly and investment-worthy. For the whole of Mindanao, the listing can only bolster confidence in much-anticipated growth led by its Northern gateway.
The investor vote on the trail blazed by IDC is crucial. A yes will ensure not only the development of what will likely be a new landmark for Cagayan de Oro, but the construction of what could be a catalyst to bring in long-awaited locators. A yes will also be a validation of IDC’s deeply-held belief that the future of the Philippines – perhaps even of the rest of ASEAN – lies in designing emerging cities, to make a difference.
Pueblo de Oro Golf Club official Golf Partner of Primavera Residences
On August 18, 2015, Primavera recently established partnership with Pueblo de Oro Golf Club as the green condominium development’s official golf partner. Pueblo de Oro Golf is an 18 hole, par-72 championship golf course intricately designed by Architect Robert Trent Jones II International.
The golf course was inaugurated on May 5, 1998 by President Fidel Ramos and was heralded as one of the finest in the Philippines with a majestic driving range, clubhouse, and tee houses. Strategically placed sand bunkers and grass add to the variety of challenges in this course.
“Our partnership with Pueblo de Oro Golf Course is just one of the add-ons that we give our tenants. We aspire to always provide them with the best options and deals,” Melissa San Jose, IDC general manager, said.
As the first eco-friendly property in Cagayan de Oro, Primavera Residences is a front-runner in promoting and supporting green advocacies and projects in the city. Also committed in sustainable properties, Primavera makes sure to fully support projects that stimulates environmental campaigns in the city.
Primavera Residences’ developer, Italpinas Development Corporation (IDC), won numerous local and international awards for its contemporary design with natural airflow through inner spaces, and architectural elements designed precisely for the location’s latitude to shade the building’s surface from the sun throughout the year. The project has been cited as one of Asia’s top 10 clean energy projects because of its capacity to help residents save as much as 32% on air-conditioning energy consumption.
Primavera Serviced Residences offers long and short term stay
The 10-storey condominium property in uptown Cagayan de Oro offers serviced apartments with hotel-like services that are a less expensive and homier option for visiting businessmen and travelers and golfers.
All the units for rent are fully fitted with kitchen, cable TV, refrigerator, and air conditioning. Amenities include a green inner courtyard for natural lighting and ventilation, 24-7 security, CCTV, indoor pool, gym, function hall, laundry station, and twin elevators. Located in the booming business and commercial area in uptown Cagayan de Oro, it is just walking distance to SM City CdO, and easily accessible to public transportation, and Pueblo de Oro Golf Course.
“This coming August 27-30, Pueblo de Oro Golf is holding a tournament. I’m inviting all golfers to join the event and experience “Higalaay”. As you join this prestigious gold tournament, make Primavera Residences your home as we have prepared exciting promos just for you,” San Jose concluded.
To know more about Primavera Residences and its partners, you may reach them at (088) 880-5002, (+63) 917 864 4061, or email them at leasing.pso@italpinas.com. You can also access their website at www.primaveraresidences.com.
5 Healthy Tips to Maximize your Workout Habits
Oh hello there! It is not yet too late to assess your eating and exercise habits as Primavera Residences gives you tips on how to maximize your workout habits. They say, you are what you eat. Well, it is important for you to know what to eat because wanting to be fit can be very exhausting but will be worth it at the end of the day.
You may want to consider these eating and exercise tips:
- A healthy meal for breakfast
If you plan to exercise in the morning, it is best to wake up early enough to eat your breakfast at least an hour before your workout. Most of the energy you got from dinner the previous night is used up in the morning, and your blood sugar might be low. If you don’t eat, you might feel lazy or lightheaded when you exercise.
You may eat a light breakfast or a glass of energy drink. Emphasize carbohydrates for maximum energy. Good breakfast options include:
- Cereals of bread
- Low-fat milk
- Juice
- Energy drink
- Bananas
- Yogurt
If you normally take coffee in the mornings, remember, a cup before you exercise is fine.
- Eat right.
Be wary by not trying to overwhelm yourself with the food served at breakfast, lunch, or dinner before taking your exercise. Please see below the general guidelines:
- Large meals.Eat these at least three to four hours before exercising.
- Small meals.Eat these two to three hours before exercising.
- Small snacks.Eat these an hour before exercising.
Eating too much before you exercise can leave you feeling lazy. Also, eating too little might not give you energy to keep you feeling strong throughout your workout. Best thing to do is to eat right.
- Never go wrong with your snack options.
There is no other way to determine what’s enough or not for your snacks. The key is how you feel and what works best for you. Most people eat small snacks right before and after exercise. Snacks eaten before your workout won’t give added energy, but they can help keep up your blood sugar and prevent distracting hunger spasms. These include:
- Energy bars
- Bananas or other fresh fruit
- Yogurt
- Fruit smoothies
- Crackers
- Oats and granola bars
- Sandwiches
P.S. A healthy snack is especially important if you plan a workout several hours after a meal.
- Eat after you exercise
To help your muscles recover and to replace their glycogen stores, eat a meal that contains both protein and carbohydrates within two hours of your exercise session if possible. Good post-workout food choices include:
- Yogurt and fruit
- Peanut butter sandwich
- Low-fat chocolate milk and pretzels
- Pasta with meatballs
- Chicken with brown rice.
5. Drink Up
Don’t forget to drink fluids. You need adequate fluids before, during and after exercise to help prevent dehydration.
To stay well-hydrated for exercise, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you:
- Drink roughly 2 to 3 cups of water during the two to three hours before your workout.
- Drink about 1/2 to 1 cup of water every 15 to 20 minutes during your workout. Adjust amounts related to your body size and the weather.
- Drink roughly 2 to 3 cups of water after your workout for every pound (0.5 kilogram) of weight you lose during the workout.
Water is generally the best way to replace lost fluids. But if you’re exercising for more than 60 minutes, use a sports drink. Sports drinks can help maintain your body’s electrolyte balance and give you a bit more energy because they contain carbohydrates.
Be fit and enjoy living healthy
Always bear in mind that length and intensity of your activity will dictate how often and what you should be eating and drinking.
When it comes to eating and exercise, everyone is different. Pay serious attention to how you feel during the workout and your overall performance. Be fit and enjoy living healthy to the habits that works best for you. Monitor how your body reacts to meals, snacks, drinks so that you can adjust your diet for maximum performance.
Your health and well-being plays a very significant role in helping you achieve your goals, and we at Primavera Residences understand how important it is to constantly be on optimum health.
And oh, Primavera Residences Condominium Corporation is conducting an M-W-F Zumba Fitness Program at the La Rondine Hall, 2F Primavera Residences. What are you waiting for? Join us now!
Do you want to know more about Primavera Residences’ lifestyle stories? You may visit our website at www.primaveraresidences.com or call us at 088-880-5002 for more information.
Tips to Make Mother’s Day Even More Special
Mother’s Day is a celebration of all mothers and of the everlasting bond they share with their children. It is the time where we stress our recognition for our mothers’ selfless love. We always wish to do everything to express the depth of our feeling for our mothers and one way of doing is by adding a personal touch to the gifts you prepared for her.
This Mother’s Day, there are gift ideas that are a definitive solution to a successful celebration. Here are some ideas that are sure to inspire family members to make their mom even more special.
Scrapbook
One of the most creative and thoughtful gifts is a scrapbook. It is also an unusual yet practical Mother’s Day gifts. It all depends on the ideas that one brings the basic concept of scrap booking. The first step in making a scrapbook for your mother is deciding on a theme. Once that is decided, the next step is arranging for the materials that would go in to making this idea a success. These are, in no particular order, photographs, thoughts, poems or anecdotes, decorative things like glitter, colored paper and the album or frame in which the scrapbook would take shape.
Homemade Candles
Discover the artist in you to make homemade candles or decorate store-bought candles for a really beautiful gift on Mother’s Day. The decorations include adding other accessories to the candles, or beautifying them with embellishments or spray painting the candles and so on. The hand crafted gift of candles will take a center stage among all other decoratives in your home.
Hand-designed Pillow
You and your mother are sure to reminisce this Mother’s Day for a long time to come. You can do that by dressing up a pillow with a picture of you and/or your mom or painting it with a picturesque design or adding lace and ribbons to it. Let your creative juices flow and the result would be a happy mother and a very happy you.
Bake a Cake
Bake a delicious cake for her on Mother’s Day. Make sure to decorate it nicely and write your message on it. Organize a Mother’s Day party or get-together for her. This can be done easily with a little planning and effort. You can prepare the meal or take someone’s help in doing so. Be careful about the atmosphere as much as the food and the setting.
Primavera Residences, a multi-awarded sustainable building in Cagayan de Oro, wishes all mothers the love and happiness in this world. May your hearts be filled with joy and selflessness as you celebrate this special day with your family.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Do you want to know more about Primavera Residences? Click here.
Italpinas CEO speaks at FIABCI Asia Pacific Regional Secretariat Summit
Italpinas CEO and executive chairman Arch. Romolo V. Nati was chosen to speak at the 19th Fédération Internationale des Administrateurs de Biens Conseils Immobiliers (FIABCI) Asia Pacific Regional Secretariat Summit held recently at the Marriott Hotel Manila last April 17, 2015.
With the theme “Cities of the Future: Asia Pacific”, FIABCI-Philippines brought together international and prominent speakers in a program filled with timely information pertaining to global real estate.
Speaking before members of the FIABCI community across Asia, Nati talked about the importance of sustainable design in the midst of climate change and the problems plaguing many homeowners in the Philippines. In the real estate industry today, energy efficiency efforts are now becoming an essential component in property developments.
“With both a housing deficit and a power shortage problem prevalent in the country, it just makes sense that the future of design is in sustainability. We need buildings that not only look good, but also function well to help alleviate those two problems. This is why green design is important,” stated Nati.
Nati also explained one of the biggest misconceptions people have about eco-friendly structures being expensive. “A lot of people don’t realize that green, sustainable design can be done without the staggering costs. We at ITPI practice what is called passive green design, meaning rather than use expensive equipment to make a structure green, we incorporate design elements to help, say, lower the cost of energy,” he explained. “This way we can make the units affordable for the middle class,” he added.
Primavera Residences, ITPI’s flagship development, is a primary example for sustainable development. The 10-storey mid-rise twin tower is a winner of the 2014 Asia Pacific Property Award for Best Mixed-Use Development in the Philippines. Located in Pueblo de Oro Township in CdO, Primavera Residences is modeled after an anthill with a hollow column in the middle of each tower allowing air to enter and circulate, creating a chimney effect that helps cool down the building, lowering air conditioning and electricity costs.
“Power is one of the key issues in Mindanao, so it just made sense, especially in that area, to have energy-saving features. This can be seen as a benchmark for energy-efficiency. If we can do it in Cagayan de Oro, we can do it for the rest of the country,” Arch. Nati emphasized.
Primavera Residences’ Tower 1 has been completed while its Tower 2 is 90% complete.
Do you want to know more about Primavera Residences? You may contact (088) 880-5002 or 0917 794 2221. You may also visit their website by clicking here.
