After a few months of being idle in the e-commerce market, the first Filipino phone brand is gradually going back to serve the Filipino masa by re-launching its flagship store today, July 30, in one of the leading e-commerce sites in the Philippines, Lazada.
As the demand in technology arises and mall-goers opt to purchase gadgets online, MyPhone Vice President Kevin Tan says that this is the right time to offer a different shopping experience to their customers.
“A lot of people from our social media pages were asking if we have any stores online and we keep on directing them in malls,” he said.
Although MyPhone is not new to the e-commerce market, the phone brand extends its gratefulness to its loyal customers by offering promo bundles starting today until August 2.
“We are really happy and excited about what’s about to come after launching our official store with Lazada,” VP Tan said. “With these bundles, our market will be able to get affordable phones with a freebie they can simultaneously use with the gadget they bought,” he added.
MyPhone will be running its Panalo BunDEALSexclusively on Lazada with a limited quantity, wherein customers can get free DTV dongle, powerbank, or sd card for every purchase of select MyPhone product, from July 30 to August 2.
The milk tea craze in San Jose del Monte City has become stronger than ever with the newest addition of milk tea stores in SM, the most awaited Coco Fresh Tea and Juice!
(CoCo Fresh Tea and Juice is located at the lower ground floor of SM City San Jose del Monte, near the mall’s main atrium.)
Anyone who has been to any of CoCo’s branches in Metro Manila knows that their juices are real fresh and their milk teas are worth it. With over 4,000 stores worldwide, the Taiwan-based bubble tea shop is now closer to its customers in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan. San Joseños don’t have to cross the metro or spend much on delivery fees just get refreshed with their favorites from CoCo.
Coco has a lot to offer from milk tea, to fruit and fresh teas, juices, chocolate, coffee, to cream and latte, and slush. For toppings, customers can choose from coconut jelly, pearls, pudding, and salty creams.
Ordering can be overwhelming especially for a CoCo newbie, but if you’re looking for a fresh tea, Passion Fruit Tea Burst is a must try for it has an intense fruity and tart flavor. Winter melon milk tea is a popular choice in all milk tea chains, so it is no surprise that CoCo has their own version too, the Salty Cream Winter Melon Tea. Coco’s signature salty cream just gives the winter melon tea a nice frothy texture and salty notes that balance its sweetness.
To best appreciate CoCo milk tea, there’s no better drink to order than their signature CoCo Milk Tea and CoCo Chocolate. Panda Milk Tea and White Pearl Milk Tea are also recommended. For slush, the Matcha Slush with Salty Cream is a great refresher.
Coco Fresh Tea and Juice is located at the lower ground floor of SM City San Jose del Monte.
Incoming students may now avail of a convenient and affordable gadget bundle to help them participate in their online classes this school year, through a new partnership of Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) and Acer Philippines (Acer).
Under this partnership, parents can avail of the Smart School Bundle, which consists of an Acer Aspire 5 laptop, and a Smart Bro LTE Pocket WiFi.
The 14-inch Aspire 5 laptop comes with an Intel® Core™ i3 -813OU 2.2 GHz Base Speed with Turbo Boost up to 3.4 GHz, am 8GB DDR4 memory, 128 SSD + 1TB HDD. The bundle also already includes a Windows 10 Home OS, and other features that can help students cope with their school requirements.
Meanwhile, the Smart Bro LTE Pocket WiFi can help students connect to Smart’s fastest Long Term Evolution (LTE) network across the country whenever they attend video conferences, or submit their homework online.
These gadgets are compliant with the Department of Education’s minimum specifications for devices for distance learning, as the country continues to face the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We believe that e-learning is an important building block under the new normal – where education will be driven largely by digital tools and products. We hope that through this partnership, we can help students make a smooth transition to distance learning, and help make sure that no learner is left behind,” said Precy P. Katigbak, FVP and Head of National Key Accounts at Smart.
“It has always been our mission to enable Filipino students by providing them the tools that they need in their education. With this partnership, we hope to give them not only the means to do their school work, but also the connectivity through Smart’s network, so that students can continue to learn amid the pandemic,” said Manuel Wong, Managing Director at Acer Philippines.
Aside from students, this gadget bundle can also provide reliable tools and LTE connectivity to teachers, employees, and other professionals who are also working from home.
Smart LTE continues to provide the best mobile data experience, particularly for video, to customers across the country. According to independent mobile analytics firm Opensignal’s latest Philippines Mobile Network Experience Report released in April, Smart surpassed competition in most metrics, including Video Experience, where Smart posted a score of 55, well ahead of competition’s 39.8.
“We have invested billions of pesos in our mobile phone network over the last few years to and this has enabled to serve our subscribers well, especially during this pandemic,” said Jane J. Basas, SVP and Head of Consumer Wireless Business at Smart. “At the end of the day, our goal is to make sure that our customers have a good experience with us, and that our network can help them achieve their goals in school or at work,” added Basas.
The Smart School Bundle is available at all Acer concept stores and distributors nationwide.
From July 29 to August 7, Shopee Live viewers can look forward to exciting games, raffles, and exclusive discounts on fashion items
MANILA, JULY 29, 2020 – Calling all shoppers and fashionistas! Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, is giving away over ₱450,000 worth of prizes at Shopee Live’s 8.8 Fashionista Comeback. From July 29 to August 7, viewers can tune in to the following fashion challenges, trivial games, and fashion quizzes to win brand giveaways, ShopeePay credits, brand vouchers, and Shopee coins.
Users can join in the fun with these following Shopee Live activities:
8.8 Sulit OOTDs: Users can score amazing deals and participate in two featured live stream segments to win cash prizes. For Style on a Budget, viewers have to create a full outfit based on the budget given while Shopee Fashion Icon Day encourages users to post a side-by-side photo of their OOTDs inspired by their favorite fashion icon.
8.8 Fashion Challenge: On August 7, users can participate in three games, namely Guess Who, Fashion Truth or Dare, Who Wore it Better, for a chance to win up to ₱30,000. To win in these games, viewers should guess the personality based on their iconic looks, answer trivia questions correctly, and vote for the live streamer with the best outfit.
Daily Suki Shopper: From August 1 to 7, there will be one winner of ₱2,000 worth of ShopeePay credits daily. On August 8, two winners can win ₱8,000 worth of ShopeePay credits each. Daily Suki Shopper segment chooses the winners via raffle draw*. To join, viewers must purchase any product during a live streamers’ episode. One check-out is equivalent to one raffle entry.
Deals and Promos: Aside from discount vouchers and featured brand deals, users can also enjoy exclusive discounts from fashion brands such as:
Jeiky Jeans apparels up to 75% off
Shoe King footwears up to 66% off
Perfect On bags and Vivibag products up to 80%
Shopee 8.8 Fashion Sale
The Shopee 8.8 Fashion Sale is happening from July 23 to August 8. Shoppers can look forward to free shipping for selected stores, deals as low as ₱8, mix-and-match bundle deals, and ShopeePay fashion vouchers. Users can also enjoy exclusive offers from leading brands such as Silver Kingdom, Hanford, Maybelline, Primer Group, Penshoppe, and iTrends.
GCash for Business, the enterprise arm of GCash, the country’s undisputed top and preferred mobile wallet, is providing businesses of varying sizes with cashless solutions that empower them to do more with less. GCash for Business offers fast and easy salary disbursement, a customizable and flexible platform manager, and financial services for the everyday needs of their employees.
As the country slowly adjusts to the new normal, business owners can stay ahead of the game by getting a suitable partner that can provide them with seamless and safe digital business solutions that enable them to adapt to the new normal.
“With more and more people migrating to digital, cash-heavy sectors should embrace this new technology to adapt and mitigate the impact of pandemic. GCash for Business will not only make this easier for enterprises by providing them with concrete business solutions, but this will also help consumers with their transactions in the new normal,” Luigi Reyes, VP for Enterprise and Head of GCash For Business, said.
Aside from promoting a healthy merchant-customer relationship, GCash for Business also helps businesses in streamlining disbursement processes. GCash enables businesses to distribute payroll and allowances to employees through their GCash e-wallets, which can be linked to a GCash MasterCard. Employers may even use the GCash platform to provide rewards and incentives to their employees and customers.
Likewise, GCash for Business allows employers to capitalize on a platform manager that allows them to use digitalized solutions for timekeeping, business expense management, and payroll processing, among others.
Through the GCash platform, employees may also unlock the potential of digital finance, as various financial tools and services are made available to them. With their GCash wallets, they may transact with over 75,000 merchants, pay bills to over 400 billers, and send money to over 40 banks. They may also use the platform for savings, credit, insurance, and even investments.
The coronavirus pandemic resulted in a booming community of online businesses in a span of three months, paving the way for a cashless future for the Philippine economy. But even as lockdown restrictions begin to ease, digital payments are still expected to be a part of the new normal as safety and hygiene remain to be top priorities of enterprises to avoid a major spike in COVID-19 cases in the country.
Now, merchants are required to step up their game by integrating modern technology into their enterprise. This is where GCash for Business enters the picture. No matter the size of the business, from big corporates to microentrepreneurs, the country’s leading mobile wallet provides unique solutions to ensure a safe and secure cashless experience for both business owners and their customers.
“GCash has a very diverse community of business partners. GCash for Business makes sure that businesses of all types can maximize their partnership with us by giving them the best we can officer,” Reyes said.
Aside from upgrades in the digital front, partnership with GCash for Business also comes with a financial literacy program and a self-service expense management system. Merchants no longer have to worry about losing track of their business expenses because GCash will make sure that everything is in check.
“Anyone business that wants to thrive in the post-pandemic scene knows that GCash is the way to go. Not only do we have the largest user base in the country, we also have the widest range of services offered in the market. By tapping GCash for Business, enterprises may maximize their potential even during a national health crisis,” Reyes said.
Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. (Mynt), which operates GCash, is part of the portfolio companies of 917Ventures, the largest corporate incubator in the Philippines wholly-owned by Globe Telecom Inc.
Interested businesses may schedule an appointment with a GCash Sales representative through https://www.gcash.com/business.
Sponge Cola has officially signed to Sony Music—the record label that released their debut album, Palabas.
To mark this return, the award-winning band drops a new song entitled “Lumipas Ang Tag-araw,” out today on all digital platforms worldwide.
Capturing the essence of a belated summer anthem in less than four minutes, Sponge Cola’s latest single soars into the fast lane with verses that turn romantic yearning into an inescapable sing-along, and a power pop surge that packs a ton of punch.
Connection in separation
The captivating and relatable lyrics echo the collective frustration of not being with the people we deeply care about and love. But on the other side of the narrative, the song presents an opportunity to weather the insurmountable odds through perseverance and resilience to get through life—thanks to the support and kindness of friends and family. “It’s a story of connection in separation, and how we can be a source of comfort for each other during difficult times,” guitarist Armo Armovit adds.
Vocalist and guitarist Yael Yuzon fondly recalls the inspiration behind “Lumipas Ang Tag-araw” after driving his wife to work one morning under the new normal. He remembers becoming intensely emotional out of nowhere. “It was a strange feeling: a realization about everything that has or hasn’t happened since Covid-19, which yanked us away from our usual. And at that moment, this bright and happy melody just came to me, then some words and harmonies. When I got home, I fleshed everything out and recorded a demo within a few minutes. I guess I just needed to uplift myself, so I wrote something uplifting– something that doesn’t highlight the struggle everyone has been trying to deal with during the pandemic and the lockdown.” The creative and emotional surge led to writing the initial draft of “Lumipas Ang Tag-araw”—a love song that deals with the struggles of physical connection in the time of pandemic.
“Virtual” recording
The upbeat pop-rock tune is the first song that the band arranged and recorded in the comforts of their home, without being together in the same place. Armovit shares the challenging process that transpired during the preliminary stages of the recording. “We sent demos and voice memos to each other back and forth, tweaking parts, creating variations, until we all agreed on a final arrangement. Everyone then had to record their own parts at home and send it to a communal online drive for the producer, Angee Rozul, to bring everything together for the final track.”
Under normal circumstances, Sponge Cola would usually write the song, arrange it in a rehearsal space, and record it together in a studio. But due to the nationwide lockdown imposed in the previous months, the alternative rock quartet decided to use the time and resources available at their disposal to record individually at their own place. “There was a lot of self-editing because you’re not being policed by your bandmates or a producer constantly keeping tabs on possible mistakes or improvements, at least in person,” says Yael Yuzon. “It was all about laying in your parts when the song was passed on to you, and you had the responsibility to keep things right and easy for the next guy to add on to.”
Music video
According to Armovit, the lockdown-inspired music video of “Lumipas ang Tag-Araw” takes an intimate look into the fictional and real-life character’s personal worlds—their bedrooms, living spaces, confined homes—and the routine that they’re up to, in hopes of coping with the situation under quarantine. “It was also our first time working under special conditions, where we had to film all the scenes ourselves with our own phones and cameras.I’m very thankful for the help and guidance from King Palisoc, our director, and the creative ideas from his team.”
The music video will be released on August 1, Saturday via the band’s official YouTube page.
Our way of life have been change by the pandemic. Many pre-pandemic activities seem to be a thing of the past. Work-from-home and home study culture have been the new norm as people are taking more precautions when it comes to health. While the ongoing pandemic change the way we work, travel and learn; it also teaches us to find ways to navigate the new normal with technology.
This August, SM Malls in Marilao, Baliwag, Pulilan and San Jose Del Monte will feature the latest tech innovations to help shoppers adapt to change and to simplify tools for host of activities such work, shopping, banking, socializing, learning and entertainment.
Because classes are about to start soon and work-from-home would likely persists, SM Bulacan Malls make gadget search convenient and easy with SM’s Cyber Craze. Shoppers can take hold of best gadget deals as promos and freebies are up for grabs until August 31. SM’s Cyber craze will feature curated guide and extensive selection of top-of-the-line devices to help shoppers discover gadgets, equipment and tools that suit their needs and lifestyle.
Bringing the SM experience online, SM also brings the fun in online shopping by hosting live unboxing for the whole month of August. SM will take shoppers through an interactive virtual world, unveiling new products and demonstrating how the 2020 lineup provides entertainment, creativity and efficiency for today’s digitally connected lifestyles.
While most shoppers are physically isolated, SM is rediscovering social connection through online tournament. Shoppers can join the e-sports tournament from August 7- 9 and August 28-30. Tournaments will be announced on Official Facebook page of your favorite SM mall.
As the pandemic spark new habits, SM Malls in Marilao, Baliwag, Pulilan and San Jose Del Monte are continuing to find ways to serve you better. For more exciting happenings, visit SM’s facebook page and follow us on instagram account.
SM Cinema re-opens with the newest out-of-home entertainment experience for movie lovers – The SM Cinema Drive-In, which premieres at the Amphitheater of SM City Pampanga on July 31, 2020. This brings back the attraction of watching movies under the stars, this time as #SafeAndFunMovieWatching from the comfort of their own cars in the new normal.
This classic movie experience began on June 6, 1933 when Richard Hollingshead – who had earlier patented the concept – opened the first drive-in theater in Camden, New Jersey. According to Robin T. Reid in a smithsonianmag.com article, people paid 25 cents per car as well as per person to see the British comedy Wives Beware under the stars.
The success of Hollingshead’s drive-in caused more and more theaters to appear in the US, and spread internationally as well. Drive-ins peaked in the 1950s and 1960s, and by 1958, there were 4,063 theaters. They were popular both as a space for families to spend time with each other, as well as an affordable date-night option.
While the popularity of drive-ins declined over the years with less available land, smaller cars, and the advent of home entertainment systems, some 300 theaters remain in the US. And today, the drive-in concept is being transformed into a safe and fun way of movie watching.
The SM Cinema Drive-in will be open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays starting July 31, 2020 at the SM City Pampanga Amphitheater with the most anticipated horror movie from South Korea, Train 2 Busan: Peninsula. Other films to be screened are Sea Monsters on July 31 (820PM) and My Spy on August 1(530PM).
Entry to the SM Cinema Drive-in will start at 4:30 PM. There will be two (2) movie screenings per day. The first screening will start at 5:30 PM and the second screening will be at 8:20 PM. All tickets must be purchased online in advance. Each ticket costs P400 per person, and this already includes a Snack Time bundle consisting of bottled water, regular-sized popcorn, and beef franks.
Food concessions will be available on-site. A separate menu will be provided upon entering the SM Cinema Drive-in. For additional orders, simply raise your flags and a server will approach your vehicle to take your orders.
For the best movie-viewing experience, 2 persons are allowed per vehicle with a maximum of 4 persons. To optimize the viewing experience for all our guests, each vehicle will be assigned their parking spots upon arrival depending on the size of their cars. Traffic marshals will assist guests and direct them to their designated spot.
Once parked, guests will be instructed to turn on their car’s FM radio to a specific frequency to broadcast the sound straight into their vehicles. Guests are also welcome to bring their own radio and other devices with FM capabilities. The venue can accommodate between 80 and 90 vehicles per screening, and individuals aged between 21 and 59 will be admitted in accordance with IATF Guidelines and Safety Protocols.
Enjoy the drive-in cinema experience. Buy your tickets now at
https://bit.ly/SMCinemaDriveinTickets. All ticket purchases must be through the website.
Calling all shoe-fanatics! Trying to find the perfect pair of shoes? Look no further as Skechers is having their end of season sale on Shopee. On July 29, shoppers can enjoy up to 70% off on selected pairs of shoes at Shopee’s 8.8 Fashion Sale. Here are eight pairs of kicks shoppers can indulge in:
Rock the suede look with Skechers Women Moda Perswayed. It’s designed with a stitching accent and memory foam cushion, perfectly mixing style and comfort.
Shape up with Skechers Men Go Walk Revolution. It’s made with comfortable and breathable materials making afternoon strolls and jogs more enjoyable.
Shopee 8.8 Fashion Sale
The Shopee 8.8 Fashion Sale is happening from July 23 to August 8. Shoppers can look forward to free shipping for selected stores, deals as low as ₱8, mix-and-match bundle deals, and ShopeePay fashion vouchers. Users can also enjoy exclusive offers from leading brands such as Silver Kingdom, Hanford, Maybelline, Primer Group, Penshoppe, and iTrends.
Visit the Skechers’ official Shopee page via this link https://shopee.ph/skechersph. For more information about the Shopee 8.8 Fashion Sale, visit https://shopee.ph/m/double-double.
Download the Shopee app for free on Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Dr. Chin Kun-Wang, Member, Nutrition Advisory Board, Herbalife Nutrition
Only 19% of Filipino consumers got 50% of the answers correct in a general nutrition knowledge quiz conducted by premiere global nutrition company Herbalife Nutrition. The Philippines’ score was lower than the Asia Pacific (APAC) average of 23%.
The quiz was administered as part of Herbalife Nutrition’s Asia Pacific Nutrition Myths Survey 2020, which was conducted in March with 5,500 respondents from Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. To test the nutrition knowledge of the survey participants, the quiz included a total of 48 “True or False” questions spanning nine nutrition areas – general nutrition, protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, caffeine, weight management and breakfast.
“The results of the quiz and the survey show that there is a significant nutrition knowledge gap among Filipinos. We hope to help close the gap to empower them with the nutrition knowledge they need to make better nutrition choices,” said Sridhar Rajagopalan, Senior Director, Sub-Region Head, and General Manager of Herbalife Nutrition Philippines.
Only 7% among those surveyed said that they were extremely confident about their nutrition knowledge. Fifty-four percent claimed that they were only somewhat well-informed.
Filipino consumers, however, expressed that they believe in the importance of balanced nutrition. It is among the top three nutrition advice that they were most interested in along with how to improve ailment/condition through nutrition and managing weight through nutrition.
“This is a good sign, so the next step is helping them achieve this,” Rajagopalan said.
What Filipinos Got Right and Wrong About Nutrition Knowledge
Majority of the Filipino respondents (85%) falsely believe that one needs sufficient calcium intake at any age to optimize peak bone mass for bone health.
“Our peak bone mass (max bone size and strength) is dependent on calcium intake and reaches its peak by age 30. However, sufficient calcium intake throughout life can reduce the risk of osteoporosis,” Rajagopalan said.
When it comes to fats, 68% got it right that fats provide the body with energy but only 42% correctly believed that it helps the body absorb vitamins.
80% correctly said that exercise helps the body rebuild muscles and increase lean muscles. However, 51% falsely believe that protein powder is not a healthy source of protein as compared to protein found in natural foods.
“Protein powder can be as good as protein from natural foods if derived from high-quality sources. For instance, soy protein from soybeans is a complete protein, providing a full range of nine essential amino acids for the body’s nutrition requirements,” Rajagopalan added.
94% of the Filipino consumers were right in their belief that fruits and Vitamin C supplements can help boost immunity and resistance to infection. Among the APAC respondents, they were the highest in this belief.
Online Myths and Misinformation: Top Barrier to Gaining Accurate Nutrition Knowledge
While 47% of Filipino consumers believed that it is extremely important to be educated with proper and accurate nutrition knowledge, they also said that too much misinformation and myths online prevent them from gaining accurate nutrition knowledge (39%).
The other top barriers were lack of information from government websites and health authorities (22%) and the lack of information from healthcare professionals (17%).
