1st Miss Earth Design Competition

Riyadh top fashion models showcase collections of Emil Santos (a fashion designer based in Riyadh) during the Ystilo Fashion Show at the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh

I received an email below regarding the forthcoming Miss Earth Design Competition and hopefully more fashion designers from Saudi Arabia will be encouraged to participate.

We in Carousel Productions recognize not only beauty and wit, we also discover and appreciate talents worthy of international acclaim. This year, for the first time in the Miss Earth pageant history, we are launching a project that will showcase the skills and creativity of professional or even budding designers here in the Philippines and even abroad, on fusing fashion and Filipino culture in coming up with timeless designs that are eco-friendly perfect for the Earth's most beautiful.

The 1st Miss Earth Design Competition is open to professional, non-professional and students who have experience, is learning or even just plain enthusiastic about the field of fashion design. You can join solo or form a design and implementation team of no more than 3 members. One important requirement is your ability to translate the sketches into real garments when chosen. Meaning, you will do it yourself or you have the capacity to outsource people to do it for you. The inspiration for the design is the Philippines; our culture, products, people, festivals, resources. Designs made in the past shall be allowed as long as it has not been showcased to the public (i.e. no media coverage, not shown in a national, local event).

Interested parties must complete the entry form which you can get by emailing cathyuntalan@gmail.com and submit the all the requirements in a short brown envelope to: 7 Ideal St., Shaw Blvd. Mandaluyong City on or before September 30, 2008. You can send as many sketches as you want.

Contents of the envelope:

1. Completely filled-out application form (please print multiple for teams) You can use additional sheets if the pages are not enough. Please submit comprehensive fashion design CV if you have one.

2. Sketches (back and forth) ideally colored or send pictures if they are already made

Top 90 sketches (or corresponding number of candidates) will be chosen to be worn by the candidates for Miss Earth 2008 to be showcased in the commemorative calendar made each year distributed to sponsors, franchise holders and made available for public purchase. The names of the 90 designers (or corresponding number of candidates) will also be featured. Not only that, the clothes will be worn by the Miss Earth beauties in a fashion show were the top 3 designs will be awarded.

Winners will be chosen based on the following criteria:

40 pts. Relevance to the theme and aptness of design
20 pts. Use of the latest fashion trends in materials, colours and trims
20 pts. Wearability and usefulness for purpose
10 pts. Accuracy of representation (of Philippine culture, products, etc)
10 pts. Over-all impact



With a grand total of 100 points.

Please feel free to pass this on to friends.

Flash news: 55 arrests after suspected 'gay party'

At least 55 people have been arrested following a police bust at an alleged homosexual party in eastern Saudi Arabia.

According to police, drugs and alcohol were found at the farm near Qatif, while two young men were allegedly found wearing women’s makeup and dancing on stage.

Many of those arrested were Filipinos and Pakistanis.
A labor attaché at the Embassy is now trying to help them.

Tarek is now Tony Phillipp

Latest photo of Tarek (a.k.a. Tony Phillipp); Tarek's appearance during a fashion show in Riyadh dubbed as "Ystilo"

In my recent visit to Tarek's friendster account, i was surprised to see the new photos for the promotion of GMA's Daisy Syete Season 18 (Prince Charming and the Maids)..



Way back in Riyadh, Tarek appeared in several fashion shows but we didn't thought that someday he will take our advise seriously to enter showbiz. Seeing great potentials from him - the height, the looks and everything, we encouraged him to try his luck in showbiz coz we're sure that he can easily find a notch in showbiz.

Finally, he grabbed the opportunity in showbiz.

In the Philippines, watch Daisy Syete every Monday to Friday after Eat Bulaga. In Riyadh, it will take 6- 8 months before this Episode 18 will be finally be shown in GMA Pinoy TV.

Old Diriyah is closed!

As part of the Saudi plans to pump up tourism in the country, The Old Diriyah, which was the original home of the Saudi royal family, and served as the capital of the first Saudi dynasty from 1744 to 1818, is temporarily closed to the public for renovation for at least 3 years.


Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Chairman of the Board and Secretary General of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) outlined the strategic plan for tourism development in the kingdom which includes the restoration of some tourist spots in the region, antiquities and museums, including exploration, plus accommodation, travel agents, tour operators and tourism masterplans.

The commission has to restructure the industry and highlights the importance that is now given to the tourism sector.


While explaining that the mandate for the Supreme Commission for Tourism and Antiquities was to ensure that tourism adds value to the economy, culture and society, Prince Sultan emphasized that the first major target market was to attract the domestic audience, five million of whom travel overseas each year.


Other initiatives complementing this expansion included the addition of four more airports, bringing the total to 30, plus the construction of gateway airport cities, starting with Jeddah, which would include accommodation, exhibition and conference facilities to target the meetings sector.

Plight of jailed blogger exaggerated by media

According to the kingdom’s Deputy Interior Minister Prince Ahmed, the media "exaggerated" the plight of jailed Saudi blogger Fouad Al-Farhan, who was released on Saturday after spending four months in a Jeddah prison, despite having no charges pressed against him.

Before his December 10 arrest, Al-Farhan wrote to friends saying he expected to be detained for his writings about a group of reformists arrested in February 2007 for alleged links to terror funding. Al-Farhan had also criticised a number of influential Saudi figures as well as religious extremism in the kingdom.

However Price Ahmed said Al-Farhan had been arrested for mistakes he had committed, according to a report from Saudi Press Agency.

“The issue [of Al-Farhan] was not that important as it represented the mistake committed by a person on himself. A man who commits a mistake should bear its result,” the agency quoted Prince Ahmed.

Prince Ahmed did not confirm whether Al-Farhan had been released after his arrest four months ago.

Shoot the Difference!

I have a reason to be proud of myself. I appreciate the amazing progress I am managing to make… I do what I’m good in doing..

Last week, I enrolled in a 2-week Basic Digital Photography Session , hoping that i could not just “focus-shoot-click” with my Sony DSH 6MP camera, rather learn how to use the aperture, shutterspeed, focal points, ISO, etc. (This is one reason why I posted very seldom in my blog lately!)

All the while, I thought my valuable 3-year old camera is enough to make a good start, but seeing the high quality Canon and Nikon (mostly SLR ranging from US$1,500 to as much as US$10,000 (a 21-megapixels Canon ) that my co-enrollees own, I feel sooo insecure! I though of backing off then. But because I know most of the “Camerades” and my desire to learn how to shoot rightly, I sacrificed my week-end appointment and continue the session.

Our last session was intended for workshop and actual shooting. Supposedly, the original plan was to go to Old Diriyah for an outdoor session, but since it was closed for renovation, the group decided to hold an indoor shooting. 2 Harley Davison bikes, as well as models were provided.

Most of my co-enrollees rolled up their shoots focusing on the subject… and the models. They were so excited to take their best shots, looking for right angles, come closer to the subject and adjusting their cameras.

When I shoot, I always want something different.. a shot that will result on telling a story to the viewer. I just let my colleagues shoot-and-click on some angles without any thoughts of an art.. Me? I stayed afar and when I saw a chance to put my idea in a picture, I took my camera and shoot. Most of them had taken a hundred shots, while I took only few but self-satisfying shots.

After the actual session, I choose the best shots and rushed to the photo studio for printing.

It was judgment and critics day the next morning. When I arrived, there were almost a hundred entries ready to be posted on the wall. I have seen good quality shots, of course taken by a high-quality cameras, but no one has ever make the viewers caught their attention and dig out stories from those pictures, except for my entries. A good-looking critique-cum-judge who is a top advertising mogul in Saudi Arabia, had good reviews of my work. It was so obsequious for a famous advertiser to reward my shots with an inspiring assessment.

The result? Out of a hundred shots, my 2 entries won!

Expats to blame for Saudi unemployment

The huge number of foreign workers in the kingdom was making it difficult for Saudis to find work according to a survey conducted recently.

The World Bank puts the Saudi Arabia's unemployment rate at around 12%.
Saudi Arabia, like all other Gulf Arab states, is heavily reliant on foreign workers to fuel its booming economy.

Around a third of the 27 million people living in Saudi Arabia are expatriates, with the percentage of expatriates that make up the kingdom's workforce even greater.

The high number of foreign workers in the GCC is commonly attributed to the fact that Saudis and other Gulf nationals are often unable or unwilling to do the work of expatriates.

Respondents also blamed unemployment on a lack of vocational education, with over half of those surveyed saying it was a contributing factor.

According to recently released government statistics, around 90% of unemployed Saudi men lack the appropriate education even for minor jobs.

A further 23% of respondents said unemployment was due to excessive "fussiness" among graduates in choosing jobs.

Over 56% of those surveyed said they would consider moving abroad to find employment.

Saudi Arabia, like other Gulf Arab states, has been implementing numerous schemes to both encourage nationals into employment and force companies to hire more nationals.

Saudi Arabia, like other Gulf Arab states, has been implementing numerous schemes designed to encourage nationals into the workplace and force companies to hire more nationals.

However, these efforts have largely been unsuccessful in reducing Gulf states' reliance on expatriates.

OFWs need not to pass by Labor Assistance Center at the Airport

The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh announced thru its Press Release No. APV-30-2008, that pursuant to POEA Advisory dated 19th March 2008, exit clearances of Overseas Filipino Workers, leaving for work overseas, shall no longer be validated at the Labor Assistance Center (LAC) at the airports. effective March 24, 2008.

Instead, OFWs should present directly copies of the POEA Exit Clearances to the airlines counter, terminal fee counters and the Bureau of Immigration counters. However, LAC shall remain open 24/7 to handle issuance of balik manggagawa overseas employment certificate on one (1) day validity, week-end processing of seafarers for immediate deployment and processing of other documentation requests at the airports.

Thousands attend first mass at Qatari church

UNDER GUARD: Dozens of police were deployed to guard 15,000 worshippers who attended mass at Qatar’s first church. (AFP)

Almost 15,000 Christians took part on Saturday in the first mass at Muslim Qatar's only church, which like elsewhere in the Gulf Arab region has no bells or crosses on its exterior, despite threats from Islamists.

Vatican envoy Cardinal Ivan Dias presided over the eucharist at Our Lady of the Rosary Roman Catholic church in Doha, thanking "God and Qatar for this great gift".

The mass was conducted in English, but prayers were also said in Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Tagalog, Spanish and French for the many nationalities that would worship in the church.

Dozens of police were deployed around the church, which cost some 20 million dollars (13 million euros), and female officers searched the handbags of women worshippers.

Western embassies, particularly from the US and Britain, warned nationals living in Qatar to be extra vigilant after an Islamic militants on the Internet made threats linked to the opening of the church.

Worshippers said they were not concerned by the threats.

The UAE prides itself on its religious tolerance and cultural diversity, and most Gulf Arab states have long allowed Christians to worship in churches.

But Saudi Arabia, which adheres to a rigorous doctrine of Islam known as Wahhabism and is home to Islam's holiest sites, bans all non-Muslim religious rituals and materials.

However, the papal nuncio in the Gulf, Archbishop Paul-Munjed Al-Hashem, said on the sidelines of the Doha mass that talks had begun with Riyadh to convince it to become the final Gulf Arab state to allow churches.

Discussions are underway with Saudi Arabia to allow the construction of churches in the kingdom.

Friday's opens in Riyadh

Richard Apostol (center), the Regional Manager of Friday's, with the new waiters during the soft-opening of Friday's in Riyadh

A common expression of relief at the end of the work week and anticipation of relaxing or partying over the weekend is the phrase “Thanks God It’s Friday!”.

The chain is known for its appearance, with red-striped canopies, brass railings, Tiffany lamps, and frequent use of antiques as decor.

Yesterday was the grand opening of Fridays in Riyadh along Takasussi Street beside Euromarche Supermarket. We were so privileged to be invited during their soft-opening last March 5.

Just like any other Friday’s resto, the exterior features a red-and-white striped awning, and blue paint, and the interior includes wooden floors and striped tablecloth. The employees wore wacky red-white stripe uniforms almost full of commemorative and fashion pins.

However in other Friday’s outlets, every time someone had a birthday, the entire restaurant crew came around with a cake and sang Friday's traditional birthday song. But in Riyadh, they are not allowed to do such…



Usually, Friday's has a large menu with an emphasis on alcoholic beverages but here in Saudi, it is much different. Dining cubicles for family are curtained, no pipe-in music and no bartending. They serve fruit juices, shakes and non-alcoholic beverages.

When entering or leaving Saudi Arabia, declare your cash and jewelry!

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh

To protect a traveler from any legal hassles, declaration of cash and jewelry should be made at the Customs upon arrival or departure from the Saudi Arabia.

All airports and seaports in the Kingdom now have declaration form stands. At land crossings, declaration forms are handed out by the border police and authorities. Any traveler carrying cash, travellers’ check or precious metals in excess of SR60,000.00 (around US$16,000.00) should fill a declaration form.

If the Customs authorities discover that a traveler has failed to do so, he will be referred to the border authority for investigation and the amount of cash over the legal limit will be held at the deposit department under the name of the violator. Precious metals will be held by the Customs authority until a decision has been made by the concerned investigating authorities.

"Bachelors" in Saudi Arabia

They may be married but they are known as ‘bachelors’ in Saudi Arabia. They are expatriate men who stay here as singles and who are forced to live like nomads except for those leaving in a company villa or accommodation provided by their sponsors.

The Saudi Arabia labor law grants a housing allowance equivalent to 3 months of the basic salary. If a bachelor is not meticulous in his habitat, he could save more from his housing allowance.

However, hard they try to find a home of their own here, most fail because landlords and real estate companies refuse to rent flats to ‘singles’ even though the law does not prohibit them from doing so.

But very few landlords rent out houses to bachelors as they are perceived to be noisy and untidy. Also, families with daughters don’t feel comfortable living in buildings that accommodate bachelors, even as other families rent out rooms to bachelors to augment their earnings in the face of the rising cost of living.

Once they rented a small room, they do not buy furniture or install amenities in their rooms because they are not sure of staying long in any one place.

A friend of mine is receiving SR4,000.00 (US$1,100) monthly salary and is entitled to a handsome housing allowance of SR12,000.00. Luckily, he was able to share a flat somewhere in Hara costs SR200.00 per month. Hence, he got a sure extra savings of SR9,600 (US$3,000) a year.

Embassy Advisory on Helping Fellow OFW

Philippine Embassy warns Filipino community organization helping runaway OFWs.

A recent case involving a Filipino community leader in Al-Khobar, Mr. Alberto B. Guanzon, President of Kasangga ng OFW, prompted the Philippine Embassy to remind everyone to be always mindful of the Kingdom’s rules, regulations, laws, customs and traditions of the local society in order to avoid problems with the authorities or tom the extent of even losing their jobs.

Mr. Guanzon was arrested last February 13, 2008 with a Filipina runaway worker on board a borrowed car. According to Mr. Guanzon, he only helped our Filipina kababayan who was scheduled for turn-over to the Police authority when he was apprehended.

We cannot resist the call for help of our own kababayans. However, as guest workers in the Kingdom, we are not only expected but are obliged to follow and respect the local laws and regulations being enforced by the Saudi authorities which includes the responsibility of not giving refuge to a worker who absconded from his employer. This is a serious offense which carries a penalty of imprisonment, lashes and excessive fines if found guilty.

In case we will be sought by runaways or we know a kababayan in distressed, the Embassy is giving the following hotline numbers to be contacted:

Embassy (Riyadh) – 0501050141
Consulate (Jeddah) – 0505691801
POLO Riyadh – 0508475882/0508475854
POLO Jeddah – 0565309816/0505397628
POLO Eastern Region – 0501269742
POLO Central Region - 0507537997

Just Play and Enjoy.

I might not be playing really well during our practice, but my focus on the game going into an important match of tournament might be really high. This was observed by my buddy (and my coach) in badminton when I first try to play outside our club.

Actually, my palms get sweaty and the mere prospect of going on court starts me wishing I was someone else!

The 'butterflies in the stomach' that we all (even the very best players) get from time to time almost ruin our games. But THEN I ignore them and try to relax and stop feeling nervous. Beside, I always think that the game is only for fun and nobody is watching us.

Badminton is a sport that requires a great deal of stamina and physical fitness to endure and become a great player. For this reason alone badminton exercises are a great way to keep yourself in top physical condition to achieve the best play you possibly can.

I am enjoying playing badminton twice a week here in Riyadh. At first i was not comfortable playing with others coz i had questions in my mind like are they nice or just pretending. That’s what i thought when first meeting and play with them last June 2007. I admit, i was like judging them and i was wrong.

As time go by, i've known them and realized that they are really nice people. They are not the pretentious kind. I am so glad that i have friends coz of sports. Its not only that I always enjoy the game but also its nice to meet new people. At the same time i am doing a good physical exercise.

The recent Kalayaan Cup 2008 was a good yardstick to determine if I have to continue to learn more techniques in badminton. Competing in my category with 65 entries, is tough..really tough. The best of the best will surely win…

Although I only reached the quarterfinals, it had inspired me to focus more and enjoy the sport.

Smashing "Birdies"

You may ask why i sometimes missed my daily posting in my blog this month. Well, for the past days, I have been swept in this wonderful feeling of euphoria, excitement and apprehension because we’ve been into training for the Kalayaan 2008 (Ambassadors Badminton Cup) tournament. (Don’t ask me why the event is too early for the annual Philippine Independence Sports Festival ‘cause I dunno why it was not held in June!)


Actually, a friend introduced me to badminton last June 2007 when my uric acid counts reached an alarming 10. I was hesitant at first because the sport did not seem to be challenging at all because I don’t have any background in this indoor court game.

What I lacked in talent, I made up for in enthusiasm and my will to normalize my uric acid count. I could not play badminton without sacrificing my time and spend SR500 for a Wilson racquet and SR50 as monthly due. Anyway, it pays everything I lost. Beside, I’m now competing in this game.


Last Thursday (Feb. 14) was a very busy day for our Club. First off, we had to go to Sultan Bin ABdulaziz Humanitarian City (SBAHC) Activity Gym ( 60 km from Riyadh) for the opening ceremony. I had to undertime from my work because the ceremony starts at 2:00 pm. As mentioned in my earlier post, our Club was the first to be organized in Riyadh composed of students, parents and single OFWs.

I am happy to announce that we received very good feedbacks during the opening ceremony not only because of our new members but also of our new logo and uniform (which I designed!). Unfortunately, no award was given to Best in Uniform.

The next day, our Class E was first to compete against other clubs inside the badminton court that brought smiles to the faces of the spectators because some did not just exhibit their talents in the court, but they also elicited charm and sexiness (especially Chris and Martin!) and received thunderous applause from the audience. Our club won 16 out of 22 entries in Class E and D Levels.



Youth simply proved superior at this point. Most of our players in Class E are all young and energetic….Me and my partner in Men’s Double won the first round so we’re proceeding to the next round on Thursday. Pray for me guys and wish me luck!

Saudi bans red roses for Valentines

Saudi Arabia's religious police have banned red roses ahead of Valentine's Day on February 14, pushing up the black market prices for the red flowers.

Mutawwa, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, on Sunday ordered florists and gift shop owners in the capital Riyadh to remove any items coloured scarlet, widely associated with romantic love.

Black market prices for roses have been already rising because of the ban, which has been regularly enforced in recent years.
Saudi authorities consider Valentine's Day as un-Islamic, primarily for encouraging relations between men and women outside wedlock, an act punishable by law in the conservative kingdom.

The kingdom's ban on roses appears to exclusively relate to the sale of flowers by florists and shop owners, and not wholesale flower sales to be used in the production of perfume in the kingdom.

How the ban relates to married couples in Saudi Arabia, Muslims or otherwise, giving each other roses or to the placement of flowers on Muslim graves in the kingdom, has not been elaborated by authorities.

Weakest Link

Last week's undersea cable disasters and the resulting disruptions to internet and voice services spell out an outrage everywhere.
The service providers forced to re-route traffic, prompting my DSL broadband “networkers” at home to panic and somehow, accused me of unplugging their lines to the modem. Actually, I don’t charge any extra amount from them, our monthly charge depends on the STC billing, but every time we encountered problems with the connection, they burst out!

“Laglag na naman tayo.. Bakit ganoon? Nagalit tuloy yong ka-chat ko!...Bad trip”

“Ano ba yan..mag palit na nga tayo ng provider baka mas maganda pa! Baka naman yong connection natin ang may diperensya?”

Bakit ang mga internet café hindi nalalaglag?..Di ba 24/7 yong DSL natin?

Also, someone doubted and insisted to check his connections from the modem.

Then the following day, I forwarded to them the news about the cable disasters. They pacified.

Berserk. Yes, this is what the recent net blackout due to undersea intercontinental cable cuts on Jan 30.

Last week's events seemed to be an unfortunate combination of events, the resulting chaos shows just how vulnerable the connections for this part of the world are. Put simply, there is just not enough cable running into the Middle East.

Dependence on Net is indeed annoying sometimes..

FLASH NEWS…EMBASSY SUSPENDS THE ISSUANCE OF PASSPORT!

In its recent advisory to the OFWs in Saudi Arabia, the Consular Section of the Philippine Embassy is experiencing a continuing shortage of supply for the new passport booklets hence the issuance of new passport is temporarily suspended starting today, 5th Feb. 2007, until such time that they will receive the documents from Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila.

Ambassador Antonio P. Villamor advises those who cannot wait to travel can opt for a travel document in lieu of a passport at the Consular Section.

For updates, applicants can contact the Phil. Embassy in Riyadh at tel nos. 482-0507; 482-3559 and 4823816 or at its email address: filembry@sbm.net.sa

Internet crisis deepens

INTERNET DISRUPTION: The Falcon network runs from Egypt to India, linking 11 countries in the region.

A third undersea cable has been cut after breaks near Egypt earlier this week disrupted web access in parts of the Middle East and Asia, Indian-owned cable network operator Flag Telecom said on Friday.

Undersea cable connections were disrupted off Egypt's northern coast on Wednesday, affecting internet access in the Gulf region and south Asia, and forcing service providers to reroute traffic.

The Internet Service Providers' Association of India said earlier on Friday cable repair ships had been sent to fix the breaches, which are in segments of two intercontinental cables known as SEA-ME-WE-4 and Flag Europe-Asia.

Flag said a repair ship was expected to arrive at that site by February 5 and repair work would be completed a week from then.

Earlier on Friday, Chharia had said India's internet services were operating at about 80% of capacity, but he later told newswire Reuters there were no issues with connectivity at the moment.

Flag's rival, Indian internet service provider Videsh Sanchar Nigam (VSNL), said the majority of its internet services to the Middle East and North Africa had been restored within 24 hours, as had services to India.

VSNL said in a statement it had used the SEA-ME-WE-3, SEA-WE-ME-4 eastbound and TIC cable to reroute customer traffic.

India's booming outsourcing industry, which provides a range of back-office services like insurance claims processing and customer support to overseas clients over the internet, have played down the disruption, saying it had back-up plans in place.

The International Cable Protection Committee, an association of 86 submarine cable operators dedicated to safeguarding submarine cables, says more than 95% of transoceanic telecoms and data traffic are carried by submarine cables, and the rest by satellite.

One of the biggest disruptions of modern telecoms systems was in December 2006, when a magnitude 7.1 earthquake broke nine submarine cables between Taiwan and the Philippines, cutting connections between southeast Asia and the rest of the world.

Internet links were thrown out in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines, disrupting the activities of banks, airlines and all kinds of email users.

Traffic was rerouted through other cables, but it took 49 days to restore full capacity.

Signs of the times: Extreme facelift

Men are increasingly opting for plastic surgery to look and feel better.
In UAE alone, about 5,000 men have gone under the plastic surgeon’s scalpel since 2005.

Nose reshaping, hair implantation and liposuction are the most popular surgeries among men.

Male Vanity, as they called it, men are conscious about being presentable and opting for aesthetic procedures is no longer looked down on.

Social attitudes towards plastic surgery have changed and improved techniques have lessened the risks and side effects.

The most common plastic surgeries in the Middle East are:

Gastric band - A form of restrictive weight loss surgery designed for obese patients. Cost ranges from SR12,000-20,000 (P130,000-220,000)

Hair transplant Involves transplanting bald-resistant hair follicles from the back and sides of the head to a person’s bald or thinning area. Cost ranges from SR10,000-16,000 (P110,000-176,000)

Nose reshaping (Rhinoplasty) Certain bone and cartilage are moved, added or rearranged to provide a newly-shaped structure. Cost ranges from SR12,000-16,000 (P130,000-176,000)

Bat ears (Otoplasty) Ear surgery is usually done to set prominent ears back closer to the head or to reduce the size of large ears. Cost ranges from SR10,000-14,000 (P110,000-154,000)

Eyelids (Blepharoplasty) Reshaping the upper eyelid or lower eyelid by the removal or repositioning of excess tissue as well as by reinforcement of surrounding muscles and tendons. Cost ranges from SR10,000-16,000 (110,00-176,000)

Barber shops are offering Facial services for only SR50.00 (P550.00) but for some fancy salon, the cost ranges from SR100-500.00 (P1,100-5,500).

Dr. John Cenica, president of Plastic Surgeons in the Philippines, is iin Saudi Arabia for a ten-day visit. Hopefully, I maybe able to meet him during his presscon and who knows, he might be interested to break into the cosmetic demands of most Arab people. For appointment, you may call Evelyn Lugo at 0560683457.