Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX) Asia-Pacific 2016: A taste of the Philippines

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Delegates of the Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX) Asia-Pacific 2016, the largest gathering of travel bloggers, writers, content media creators, and tourism industry professionals, had a feast as they discovered Philippine cuisine. 

 

Presented by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), in coordination with NMX Events, their journey of discovery began with a 15-hour food tour where they travelled to Pampanga, “the culinary center of the Philippines”, to try iconic Filipino dishes such as lechon, sisig, chicken inasal, and sinigang. They then went to Binondo to experience the country’s Chinese culinary influence on food.

The contingent was served an array of grilled fish, prawns, squids, and clams and tasted some of the native delicacies such as barquillos, turones, kutsinta, halo-halo, rice cakes including bibingka, cassava cake, and puto. 

The country’s tropical fruits were also a hit as the visitors sampled the sweetest mangoes, rambutan, lanzones and marang. Calamansi was a surprise to them for its versatility – from a refreshing fruit drink to an additional flavor to condiments. 

To complete their Filipino food experience, they were served some of the country’s exotic foods including balut, pako or fern salad, and sea urchin.

“I find it very interesting that the Filipino cuisine is influenced by so many other cultures and it creates a fascinating mix,” said Maria Haase who travelled all the way from Germany. “This food trip was very interesting and inspiring for me.”

Further making Filipino meals fun, the delegates experienced boodle feasts, which urged them not only to share their food but to interact and converse with one another. Trying Filipino dishes in this unique way was something the first-time visitors were able to enjoy. “This is such a simple pleasure to enjoy. It’s amazing that we get the time to eat together. I love this kind of culture,” said Chicago-native Rosemary Kimani.

TBEX Asia Pacific 2016 was made possible with the support of Philippine Airlines, Globe Telecom, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and Duty Free Philippines. Other sponsors included Amorita Resort, The Lind Boracay, Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel, Limketkai Luxe Hotel, Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort & Spa, Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa, Pearl Farm Beach Resort, Primer Group of Companies, The Funny Lion Palawan, Merrell Philippines, Lakan, Banana Peel, Le Spa at Sofitel, Park Inn by Radisson, Hotel Luna, Bluewater Maribago Resort and Spa, Sonya’s Garden, Museo Orlina, and Grab Philippines. 

The event was also made possible through the participation of volunteers from the University of the Philippines, Centro Escolar University, University of Santo Tomas, and Philippine Women’s University. 

The amazing variety of food – from savory dishes to sweet delicacies, and our wide array of fresh ingredients, diverse cultural influences, proves that the Philippines can stand out as an exciting culinary destination.

  

Moms for Wellness : Procter & Gamble and Robinsons Supermarket Join Forces with Mothers to Further Strengthen Their Advocacy of Wellness

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A mother is continually nurturing, caring, guiding, and preparing. Heath and wellness are always the main concern of mothers.  Whether you are a stay-at home mom or a working mother, you never stop thinking about what needs to be done for your family. Mothers endlessly caring for family and love ones and others, and there's always have time to replenish your mind, body and spirit. Always to give back to yourself and care for your personal wellness and happiness too. 

Procter & Gamble and Robinsons Supermarket launched the Wellness Moms Movement held with mothers to further strengthen their advocacy of wellness. 

Recently held at Marco Polo Hotel, Ortigas, the Wellness Moms Movement emerges - a movement of change by mothers rallying as one for a better and healthier lifestyle.

Mothers come together to celebrate their personal advocacy of wellness. Different aspects of motherhood—Baby, Family/Household, and Personal Wellness—openly discussed. 

Denise Laurel, Nikka Martinez-Garcia, and host Issa Litton at the Wellness Moms Movement launched by Procter & Gamble and Robinsons Supermarket, November 24, 2016,  Marco Polo Hotel, Ortigas. 

Celebrity mom guests Denise Laurel, Nikka Martinez-Garcia, and host Issa Litton during the talk show that highlighted as well P&G’s own wellness products and how they fit into one's life. 

Here's for example, Mom’s son returns home after playing outside, washing his hands with Safeguard for 99.9% germ protection before eating dinner. After mealtime, Mom can now easily wash away the grease of the dirty dishes with Joy Antibac, as well as any stains on her son’s clothes with Ariel Power Gel. Night time arrives and her baby daughter needs to sleep, so Mom soothes baby with Vicks Baby Rub, putting on her Pampers for a dry, peaceful sleep, covering her in a soft, comfy blankie, thanks to Downy Baby Gentle. These wellness products and their home benefits were presented in the Mealtime Tips and Bedtime Tips Wellness videos released online. 

Moms shared their personal tips and bytes of advice to one another, talking about how Wellness Mom products have helped make their life at home an easier, safer, healthier and happier one. Also, to further showcase the unity of this movement, a special Moms for Wellness mosaic wall made up of photos of different moms around the country was also revealed.

Aside from P&G, Robinsons Supermarket, who has always supported the wellness movement, has proven that two is better than one when it comes to progress and change. This mutual undertaking paved the way for a solid partnership, which was also officially revealed last Thursday through the Wellness Moms promo! 

From now on, whenever one buys three of the participating Wellness Moms products (Safeguard, Joy Antibac, Ariel Power Gel, Downy Baby Gentle, Oral-B, Pampers, or Vicks Baby Rub) at any Robinsons Supermarket, he/she will instantly receive Robinsons Supermarket GC’s worth 50 pesos!

 

The media launch of the new Wellness Moms movement was not only an informative event, but also a fun gathering of moms who only want what’s best for their families. With games, new knowledge, and special P&G and Robinsons Supermarket giveaways, moms made their way home with an extra push of encouragement and motivation to continue living the Wellness Moms life.

About Procter & Gamble

P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, AmbiPur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®,Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Joy®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, Safeguard®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. 

Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands.

‘Tis the season to be selfie-ready - Price drop for selected OPPO smartphones until January and chance to win an OPPO F1s

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Nothing beats a smartphone as a Christmas present to let loved ones feel that they are special, but the cost is not exactly affordable. Thankfully, mobile technology brand OPPO is offering a selection of smartphones at prices within budget.

“OPPO smartphones have shown that premium quality doesn’t have to come at a high price. This holiday season, we are offering shoppers a treat by making some of our best units available at discounted prices.” said OPPO Philippines Brand Marketing Manager Stephen Cheng. “Our phones will definitely make for great gifts that will capture your most precious holiday moments.”

Whether for selfies or group shots with family, the following OPPO phones are sure to capture the holiday festivities in photos worth sharing.

OPPO F1s& Selfies Speak Christmas raffle

The latest in OPPO’s F1 series has a 16MP front-facing camera with a large aperture for clear and bright selfies even in dim light. The Beautify 4.0 app also ensures flawless photos through seven beautification levels and two skin modes.

Other features such as Super GIF and double exposure add fun to images by letting users play with movement. Lighting-speed fingerprint recognition further makes phone access very easy, while options for palm- and voice-activated shutter reduce the hassle of taking selfies.

The special edition metallic grey F1s Limited is currently available in stores. Financial service provider Home Credit also offers the F1s at P1,449 per month with zero percent interest.

OPPO’s Selfies Speak Christmas raffle also offers a chance to get a free F1s with the purchase of any OPPO smartphone. To join the promo, shoppers must follow the online registration link posted on OPPO Philippines’ Facebook page to submit an entry. Entries will only be accepted until January 8, 2017 by 11:59PM.

Participants must provide their name, address, landline or cellphone number, and International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, as well as the name of the store where they bought their phone. The winners will be announced on OPPO’s Facebook page.

OPPO F1

Like the F1s, its predecessor the OPPO F1 is built to capture bright photos in less-than-ideal lighting. The first in OPPO’s camera-focused F1 series, the F1 sports an 8MP front camera that can snap selfies with 30 percent better clarity than a 5MP camera. The f/2.0 aperture lens and 0.25-inch sensor ensure images that are 44 percent brighter than those captured by an f/2.4 lens.

The phone’s Beautify 3.0 app comes with three beautification modes and several filters for flawless selfies ready for upload. 

Originally priced at P11,990, the F1 is now available for only P9,990.

OPPO A37

Apart from ensuring bright selfies in any type of lighting, the A37 stands out for its light unibody design for a comfortable grip. The price has also dropped from P8,990 to P7,990 for the holidays.

The discounted F1 and A37 will be available until January 8, 2017. 

For more information, please log on to http://www.oppo.com/ph/index.html.

Goldilocks celebrates Golden years and released 50th Anniversary Edition of Goldilocks Bakebook

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In time for the Christmas Holiday and in celebration of 50 Goldilicious years, Goldilocks has now released an updated 50th Anniversary Edition of its best-selling Goldilocks Bakebook.

This updated volume contains news insights about Goldilocks Bakeshop, its history, and what it means to the Filipino. The bakeshop that has become an integral part of the Filipino way of life.

National Book Store's Managing Director Xandra Ramos, and Goldilocks' Managing Director Pinky Yee and Marketing Director Cherry Caluya, at the launch of  50th Anniversary Edition of Goldilocks Bakebook, National Bookstore, Glorieta, Makati City, November 29, 2016. 

A collection of recipes of the most well-loved Goldilocks products, honed and perfected through the years. More than 50 recipes are included to create sweet and delightful moments in your own kitchen.

The first volume of the Goldilocks Bakebook was launched last 2011, consumer trends and consumer engagement have changed dramatically. Goldilocks has strengthened its position as the Philippines’ best-loved bakeshop, by seamlessly integrating timeless products and services with emerging tastes and preferences.

The Goldilocks Bakebook is not only a collection of timeless recipes but is also a story of how Goldilocks achieved its success. It is also a compilation of special stories from customers about their own sweet moments shared with Goldilocks.

The Goldilocks Bakebook  is also a unique way of giving back to the community since all proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the Goldilocks Foundation.

Lovingly crafted gift by Goldilocks for customers, this special and one-of-kind the Goldilocks 50th Anniversary Edition Bakebook is now available in National Bookstores nationwide. Grab a personal copy, or as a gift for family and friends for only P895. 

For more information about Goldilocks and the Goldilocks Bakebook, visit their website at www.goldilocks.com.ph.

Five reasons men prefer real leather as Christmas gifts

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Searching for a perfect gift for your dad, brother, boyfriend, or husband , best friend , close friends and officemates, can be a tough task. It's one of the simplest yet crucial dilemmas during the Christmas season.

To ease the stress of figuring out the perfect gift for the men in your life, let McJim Classic Leather do the thinking for you. Because when it comes to gifts for men, real leather has always been a tried-and-tested contender. 

Leather wallets exude a classy and sophisticated vibe for most men, making McJim Classic Leather wallets great gift ideas for Christmas. 

Here’s why: 

1. Giving McJim Classic Leather bags, belts, wallets and accessories show sincerity and thoughtfulness. 

Men are known to neglect buying these items even when their bags, wallets and belts have become old and faded. So, there is no doubt that they will appreciate receiving these McJim Classic Leather products—known for premium quality and style. 

2.  Leather products are considered “lucky.” 

Did you know that giving a McJim wallet as a gifts is known to bring luck to the receiver? Meanwhile, gifting a person with a McJim belt has been known to signify a stronger relationship between the giver and the receiver, as the belt wraps around the body.

3. Leather bags belts and wallets are useful and functional. 

Authentic leather products, like those of McJim Classic Leather, do not merely add style to a man’s ensemble, they also add function: one factor that other accessories do not have. Men need bags, belts and wallets in their day-to-day affairs, so they are ideal Christmas gifts.

4. McJim Classic Leather accessories exude style and class. 

Accessories made from real leather, make the best gift because they make men look stylish and classy anytime, anywhere.

5. A wide selection of high-quality real leather accessories is offered by McJim Classic Leather, a trusted authentic leather accessories brand. 

When it comes to belts of high quality, you could never go wrong with McJim Classic Leather. A belt as such would be a gift any man would surely appreciate. 

Useful, functional and stylish, a McJim Classic Leather bag is an ideal gift to give to your dad, boyfriend, husband, boss, or close friend.

Here, McJim Classic Leather lists down leather accessories that all men would surely love.

• Belts. McJim Classic Leather offers high-quality real leather belts with unique-looking metal buckles. These come in a variety of colors and designs (basic dark brown, basic modernist black, and reversible minimalist), making it easy for you to choose the belt any man will surely love. 

• Leather bags. A staple accessory in a young man’s wardrobe, a leather bag is not only stylish, it is also functional. McJim Classic Leather suggests choosing one from its collection of sturdy and classy leather bags—shoulder bag, body bag or gadget bag—as a smart gift idea for guys out there. 

• Leather wallets. A must-have accessory for all men is a well-designed wallet made from authentic leather, crafted to last for years, and come in different designs that suit various functions. 

• Belt and wallet gift sets. To make gift buying easier, McJim Classic Leather offers all-leather belt and wallet gifts set that are wrapped and ready to give to the men in your life. 

Whatever you decide on, one thing is absolute: real leather is your best bet. And through the years, McJim Classic Leather has proven to be a reliable and trustworthy brand by the young and old alike, recognized for making leather goods of superior quality and classy design. 

Real leather adds style and elegance to a man’s ensemble. This Christmas, show thoughtfulness to the men in your life by giving them McJim Classic Leather products. 

Not sure what to give to the men in your life this Christmas? McJim Classic Leather rids you of all the stress with their authentic leather products.

Make the special men in your life happy this Christmas, your dad, brother, significant other or best buddy—gift them with a McJim Classic Leather accessory. 

Keeping Food Fresh Longer and Nutritious with Electrolux NutriFresh Inverter Refrigerators

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We always make sure that family eats the right food. Keeping in mind the specific ways you clean and prepare fresh food as soon as you get it into the kitchen, making it much less likely you’ll let it spoil. I do keeping the refrigerator at the right temperature to keep foods as fresh as possible without freezing them. We also plan meals in order of what needs to be used up first.

Making your food last longer will help you to avoid waste, shop less and cut your grocery-shopping bill. A lot of that waste can be avoided by learning how to properly store your food to keep it fresh longer!

Here's more to learn how to keep food fresh longer and nutritious.

The Electrolux NutriFresh Inverter Refrigerators keep food market-fresh for up to 7 days!

Filipino families can now enjoy market fresh fruits and vegetables 24/7 as Electrolux Philippines launched its most innovative refrigerator line yet – the NutriFresh™ Inverter Refrigerators. 

At the Happiness Homemade launch, Electrolux Philippines shared how its NutriFresh™ Inverter Refrigerators can keep food market-fresh for up to 7 days so that food is healthier and more flavourful. 

Keeping it Fresh and Nutritious

French Door NutriFresh EHE5200AA

The Electrolux NutriFresh™ Inverter Refrigerators have a host of features designed to keep food, especially fruits and vegetables, fresh. 

The NutriFresh™ Inverter Refrigerators is equipped with a FreshShield Crisper which comes with a unique tight seal to keep temperatures stable, minimize water loss and provide higher humidity so that fruits and vegetables stay fresh for up to 7 days.

Store up good health with better refrigeration. The NutriFresh Inverter technology keeps temperature consistent for freshness and up to 37% energy savings. The unique FreshTaste Deodorizer feature works in tandem to attract and absorb stray odors and eliminates 99.8% of bacteria.

“More and more families are looking for ways to eat healthier and having fresh ingredients at home. Unfortunately, our lifestyle is so fast paced and busy now that its not always possible to go to the market for fresh produce every few days. Electrolux understands this concern and the NutriFresh™ Inverter Refrigerators were designed to answer this need,” explained Andrea Pionilla, Country Marketing Manager of Electrolux Philippines. 

Three Door NutriFresh EME2600MG

 Top Freezer NutriFresh ETB4602AA

The Electrolux NutriFresh™ Inverter Refrigerators comes in a variety of models and sizes. The 2-Door model is ideal for small families and single residents. For larger families and appetites, there’s the 3-Door refrigerator while the French Door refrigerator is the biggest in the range.

For more ideas on home care and healthy living, please visit electrolux.com.ph, and follow instagram.com/electroluxph, and facebook.com/ElectroluxPhilippines.

Discover Shanghai, the “Paris of the East” via AirAsia Philippines

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AirAsia Philippines, the world’s best low-cost airline, continues to connect the world as it added another wonderful destination on their route map – Shanghai, “The Paris of the East”. 

Shanghai is known as China’s commercial and financial center but is also bursting with cultural experiences. On one side of the Huangpu River lies ultra-modern Pudong, home to the newly opened Shanghai Disneyland and the colorful Oriental Pear Tower, and on the other side, Puxi with its host of historical spots like the French Concession, glitzy waterside promenade The Bund with its stretch of historical colonial buildings or Yuyuan Garden, which gives you a glimpse of Ming and Qing dynasty architecture.

A look at Yuyuan Garden in the northeast of the Old City of Shanghai.

After an exciting day in Shanghai, take a break by going to notable places outside the city center. Relax at the Dongping National Forest Park, a man-made forest at Chongming Island. Ride a boat at the “Shanghai’s Venice”, the Zhujiaojiao Water Village at the Chinpu District and have spiritual trip to the Lingyin Temple at the Zhejiang, Hangzhou to complete your dream vacation.

Don’t miss the classic steamed Xiao Long Bao.

And one definitely won’t go hungry in here – finding its culinary secrets is an adventure in and of itself. Don’t leave Shanghai without trying their Xiao Long Bao, Jianbing or Egg Pancakes, Scallion Oil Noodles and Bamboo Tofu with Pepper partnered with the Xinjiang Black Beer or Tsingtao Beer.

Shanghai’s skyline by day

AirAsia Philippines, continues to surprise and delight travellers with their wide range of flights. From top tourist spots of Asia such as Hong Kong, Seoul and Singapore to the hidden gems like Kota Kinabalu, Siam Reap and Bali, AirAsia continues to make travel accessible by offering the lowest fares online to over 100 destinations across Asia.

To get a glimpse of what you can experience in Shanghai, visit AirAsia’s Official Facebook page (facebook.com/AirAsiaPhilippines) and watch the webisodes featuring Shanghai’s beautiful spots, friendly faces and delicious food.

Big Breakthrough in Hair Technology : Discover Argila and Hair Toxx

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Thinking about making a change on your  hair? Hair makeovers? Trying fresh new styles?  But before anything, we really have to make sure our hair is soft, beautiful and healthy.  

YAMÊ SPELZON, Marketing Manager

Proud Filipino-owned hair salon, Aesthetics & Cosmetics by Escalava, announces the arrival of two of the newest Brazilian Hair Care technologies in the Philippines during the product launch held at Crowne Plaza Galleria attended by salon owners and operators, and hair care experts and professionals. 

The Argila Amazonia and Hair Toxx are guaranteed organic and all-natural and zero formaldehyde.

The Argila Amazonia

The Argila Amazonia is a revolutionary hair-straightening system that provides long-lasting results, making hair smooth and silky soft. Using only all natural, ingredients straight from the Amazon, such as White Clay and Murumuru Oil, Argila Amazonia promises zero damage to your hair.

White Clay, the active ingredient in this groundbreaking system comes from one of the best-preserved ecological sanctuaries in Brazil, the Marajo Island. This island has an extreme climate of high temperatures- high humidity and heavy rainfall – that lead to the formation of White Clay exclusively found on the island. The clay forms through the decomposition of certain types of rocks over a period of thousands of years, they fuse with organic components of the land and turn into White Clay that is rich in minerals and metals such as titanium, magnesium, copper, zinc, aluminum, calcium, lithium, iron and trace elements which are extremely beneficial to human health.

The murumuru grows in the Brazilian state of Para, in the Amazonianregion. 

Oils extracts from Mururmuru seeds offer numerous advantages to our skin and hair. It is a highly effective emollient and moisturizer as it helps hair to recover long-last moisture and regain its natural elasticity. 

The exotic Murumuru Oil is a powerful, nourishing anti-frizz oil that is unique to the Argila line of products. It is proven that it replenishes the natural nutrients as it reinforces the structure of the damaged hair by restoring the natural hydrolipidic layer, thus providing brightness, softness, hydration and protection for long duration.

The Hair.Toxx

Hair.Toxx is a product of perfect combination of natural ingredients and state-of-the-art molecular research to renegerate and protect strong and healthy hair.

The outer layer of the hair is called the cuticle that provides protection through a small layer of natural oil, the sebum. These two act like a shield, protecting the hair’s inner layers, the keratin based cortex and the medula which are responsible for hair’s color, form and texture.

Everyday, our hair is exposed to potential damage. External factors like the sun, salt and other harmful elements in the environment accelarte the natural aging process, leaving hair limp and brittle, dry and dull. The damage becomes serious and worse when these weak hair strands undergo chemical processes such as coloring, bleaching and straightening as these break disulfide sulfur bonds and reduce the levels of keratin and other nutrients in the hair.

Hair.Toxx makes it possible to protect hair while still bleaching, coloring and straightening it all you want. 

Hair.Toxx formula- combination of Acaí, Hyaluronic Acid and a proprietary Lipophilic Complex – creates an effective shield around hair follicles, especially when used as part of a daily care routine, as this shield helps protect daily damage while restoring natural beauty and bounce by creating disulfide sulfur bonds in the hair and buffering existing ones through the action of the Bleaching and Coloring Revitalizing Serum.