Strange Fruits In Lipa

In a span of two weeks, two different stories on strange fruits came to the enchantment of netizens of Lipa after it was originally posted in Lipa City Philippines group.

First was the papaya shaped like a carabao's head with two horns in Baranggay Antipolo del Norte. The other one was almost 5ft in height banana overload in Baranggay San Isidro. Both photos are not edited and taken directly from the cellphone of the photo contributors.

There has been a lot of same stories around the world with unusual shapes of fruits and vegetables but it always amuses us whenever it will give us a perfect resemblance of human body parts for example or shape of an animal in this case in Lipa. According to Plant Answers website, Vegetables or fruits usually grow into unusual shape or size due to environmental conditions. Damage to one part of the vegetable or fruit can cause the growth to change from its normal appearance.

Photo Credits:
Carabao Head Like Papaya - Belle Bautista
Overload Banana - Angelica Palicpic Pera

Quick Facts: Lipa Banking

As of March 2016 from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas website on Philippine Banking System statistics, Lipa City is ranked #10 among Luzon cities with highest Deposit Liabilities and #35 nationwide where Makati City and Manila are on top two spots (see table below).

In terms of number of banking offices, Lipa City is #3 in CALABARZON next to Calamba and Santa Rosa Cities.

Jollibee's 7th Store In Lipa

Jollibee opened its 7th store in Lipa City last week along the highway of Marawoy to cater travelers using Levitown exit, students, workers and residents of the area. This store has drive thru as well similar to Tambo and Uptown (Ayala) branches.

Jollibee's existence will boost Levitown as additional commercial district of Lipa similar to Tambo where they opened their 6th branch and eventually other establishments followed. Also in Marawoy specific to Levitown area, present are local food stores, University of Batangas - Lipa Campus, Citi Hardware and APEC School.

Lipa remains to have the most number of Jollibee stores in Batangas. Where do you think is the location of Jollibee's 8th store in Lipa?

TeleTech Is Celebrating 10 Years In Lipa City

It was 10 years ago when TeleTech has announced its mass hiring for the opening of its provincial site in Lipa City. Occupying portions of 1st & 2nd floors and whole 3rd floor of Robinsons Place Lipa, TeleTech started training inbound agents for a British broadband company last August 2006 and successfully routed a caller from UK to a Customer Service Representative in Lipa City last Sep 2006.

TeleTech Lipa is the pioneer call center in Batangas and has marked another major expansion of BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) operations outside Metro Manila. It was in Aug 30 2007 when TeleTech Lipa was inaugurated by the former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo together with former TeleTech’s Vice President for Asia Maulik Parekh and former Governor of Batangas now Lipa City Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto.

TeleTech’s presence in Batangas and Lipa in particular has opened new opportunities for the city and its residents. Lipa is consistently among the Next Wave Cities of the Philippines while Batangueños has conquer the world without leaving their hometown and working closer to their families and friends.

At present, TeleTech Lipa has more than 2,000 employees providing world-class customer service to 3 international brands of Australia, USA and New Zealand.

In Photos: Talent Acquisition (hiring department) of TeleTech Lipa celebrates 10 years with applicants. Aggressive hiring is ongoing for 200 employees for Australian Telco. Visit TeleTech during regular days at 2nd floor Robinsons Place Lipa.

Is Lipa Ready To Host Passenger Airport?

In 2012, the former Congressman now Governor Hermilando Mandanas created a bill for Fernando Air Base in Lipa to be utilized for both military and commercial purposes. It was in 2nd reading that time but had no further updates. Then last year, Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement (PGKM) was pushing to scrap Sangley Point project in Cavite and develop Clark and Lipa airports instead to decongest traffic in Manila.

This year in 17th Congress, Representative Raneo Abu of Batangas City introduced House Bill 469 to include Fernando Air Base in Lipa City in the conversion of military reservations into other productive uses to decongest Metro Manila and to hasten economic development in CALABARZON. It can be recalled that Rep Abu was a former executive assistant of Gov Mandanas before the former Gov Vilma Santos-Recto (now Congresswoman) seated in 2007 until he became Representative of Batangas 2nd district in 2013 replacing Mandanas.

It seems that our current Governor is serious in lifting Batangas into an economic powerhouse by having a passenger airport in Lipa City other than the existing Batangas seaport. If this will push through, Lipa will be anticipating major economic advancement that will require traffic, facilities, roads and infrastructure improvements & developments as early as now. Just like any developments it will always come with pros and cons but regardless if it will put into reality or not, Lipa City should bring its physical and organizational structure into next level.

photo: from PAF website

Lipa's 2015 Total Operating Income

Lipa City bounced back to #9 spot among CALABARZON Cities in terms of Total Operating Income for 2015 as released by Bureau of Local Government Finance.

Lipa City was at #10 rank last 2014 with 1.155 Billion pesos and now up to #9 again (same rank in 2013) with 1.368 Billion pesos total operating income. Calamba and Santa Rosa cities which are known for having multiple techno parks remained at #1 and #2 spots respectively while Batangas City known for having heavy industries and sea port came third this time.

Lipa City's main contributors to its operating income are portion of light industries from LIMA techno park like Epson, BPO industries, Nestle, PKI, private establishments like malls among others.

data source: Bureau of Local Government Finance

New Shopping Experience In Lipa Soon

AboitizLand Inc. is bringing the first and only authentic outlet shopping experience in Luzon through the soon to open "The Outlets in Lipa". According to Business World Online, it will be located on a 9.4 hectare lot across Lima Technology Center. It will be patterned after the outlet centers abroad but will be six times bigger than its counterpart in Cebu, which is The Outlets in Pueblo Verde located in Lapu Lapu City.

The Outlets will carry world-famous labels and restaurants with unique homegrown concepts. In Cebu, they have outlets of Onitsuka Tiger, Nike, Asics, Puma, F&X and more brands which are also expected to open their outlets in Lipa version. The Outlets in Lipa is expected to open in April 2017.

Photo below in Cebu is how The Outlets will look like. It is just a portion (a new wing) of the The Outlets in Cebu.

Photo: Cebu Daily News (Inquirer)

The 6th Mc Donalds Branch In Lipa

The 6th Mc Donald's branch in Lipa opened last Friday infront of La Salle Lipa. Its official branch name is Mc Donald's JP Laurel. In this branch can also be seen the first Mc Cafe logo in Batangas and houses a dedicated counter for Mc Cafe menus like espresso, float, frappe, smoothie and others.

It can be recalled that the first Mc Donald's branch in Batangas is also located in Lipa which is just few steps away from this new branch. Also in photo are LipaSallian Folkloric Guild which performs during the grand opening day.

Where do you think the 7th branch of Mc Donald's in Lipa will open?

Photo: LipaSallian Folkloric Guild