philstar.com : Here everything is just a click away

A festive mood descended over Greenbelt 2 in Makati as the country’s newest star was unveiled at Mezze! restaurant. Indeed, there was every reason to celebrate, with the launch of the better and brighter philstar.com – the leading mega-portal for the Filipino Global community today.

philstar.com celebrated its fifth year of providing Filipinos here and abroad with unparalleled service in news and entertainment with a truly star-studded fiesta. Special guests, partners and advertisers were treated to Mezze’s specialty hors d’oeuvres, including scrumptious samosas, ensaladas, adobo stuffed eggs and banana tartlets. Guests also toated the new philstar.com with glasses of superb Listel wines from France, as well as San Miguel Pale Pilsen, San Miguel Light, Ginebra Premium Gin and Johnnie Walker.

Among those seen enjoying the party were president and CEO of RFM Corp. Joey Concepcion III, EVP and COO Jun Nacino and executive assistant to the president Mon Lopez, Philippine Star editor-in-chief Isaac Belmonte, advertising director Lucien Dy Tioco, editor at large of ABS publishing and Allure columnists Philip Cu-Unjieng and Johnny Litton, Philippine Star contributor Patrick Garcia, EJ Litton and Jay Fonacier.

Other friends present were Enrique Gonzalez, Mary Ann Go, Martin Lopez, Karrie Bitanga, Grace Cerdenia, Honey and David Almendral, Johan and Marga Espiritu, Baba Ibazeta, architect Angelo Mañosa, Itos Valdes, RJ Ledesma, Rene Fuentes and Miguel Vesin.

The Bloomfields band also got the crowd into the swing of things with their rollicking renditions of rock and roll classics by the Beatles and the Beach Boys. Spotted on the dance floor were Philippine Star’s Mike Maneze and Jeff Reyes and philstar.com’s Amanda Sandoval, Eden Nares and Kat Sandejas.

philstar.com’s president and CEO Kevin Belmonte, Philippine Star chairman and publisher Max Soliven, Stargate Media Corp. president and CEO Babe Romualdez and Philippine Star EVP Grace Glory Go led the unveiling of the website’s new look, after the special presentation announcing the site’s stellar new features and services.

One of the main highlights of the new philstar.com is its introduction of two additional news channels, Cebu-based The Freeman and hard-hitting Banat. Together with The Philippine STAR and Pilipino STAR Ngayon, they power philstar.com’s main and most popular feature – up-to-date, objective and accurate news – in English, Filipino and Cebuano.

Entertainment buffs will be pleased to note that one of philstar.com’s steady content partners, PEOPLE Asia, continues to profile the most exciting personalities in the Philippines and in the region.

Aside from its daily news and infotainment articles, philstar.com continues to offer web specials and newsflash reports. It will also bring back its online polls, message boards and back issue archives in the next few weeks. And philstar.com is also not just limited to the Internet, as it offers mobile services like the Star Instant Messenger and Star News Alerts.

The site’s partners have also updated philstar.com users’ favorite services and introduced new ones. The site provides foreign exchange and real time stock quotes through 2TradeAsia.com; safety and self-defense information from Karate Development Arts & Sports (KDA), the latest travel deals from Lakbay.net, Star Matchmaking through Itzamatch, a handy electronic directory through e-Yellow Pages (eYP), online auctions at Bidshot Auctions, and more jobs than you can shake a stick at from JobStreet Philippines.

philstar.com has also just introduced the Classifinder service, which is a spin-off from the Philippine Star’s Classified Ads section.

In line with its thrust as the mega-portal for the Filipino Global Community, the site also offers Filipinos a chance to help their fellow countrymen through Operation: Damayan.

philstar.com users will also find products and services to cater to the needs of Filipinos here and abroad, thanks to advertisers who offer everything from the delivery of gifts to money orders, from real estate and property to financial services. These include Philsend, PNB, Filgifts, Pinas Gifts, 22ban.com, e-pacific, Megaworld, Philtown, Robinsons, Century Properties, Cathay Land, Magic Sing, Adidas, Paystone, FXCM and PLDT Online.

Indeed, the new philstar.com shines on with innovation, dedicated to the service of the Filipino Global Community – truly something to celebrate.