BDO reaps numerous honors at the 2019 Asian Banking and Finance Awards

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BDO Unibank, Inc., its subsidiaries BDO Capital & Investment Corp. and BDO Nomura Securities, and corporate social responsibility arm (CSR) BDO Foundation were among over a hundred awardees from 37 countries honored at the Asian Banking and Finance’s 2019 Wholesale Banking Awards, Retail Banking Awards and Corporate and Investment Banking Awards held in Singapore.

BDO bagged the Philippine Domestic Cash Management Bank of the Year at the Wholesale Banking Awards, which recognizes the most outstanding practices and innovative strategies in Asia's wholesale banking sector. This is the 5th time that BDO won in the Cash Management Category and its second consecutive win. Other categories in the Wholesale Banking Awards include Trade Finance, Project\, Finance, Technology & Operations, and Foreign Exchange.

Banking and Finance Excellence. Representing BDO during the award ceremonies on July 18 were BernhardG. Tsai (left), first vice president and chief operating officer of BDO Securities Corporation and Edwin G. Reyes, executive vice president and head of transaction banking group of BDO Unibank, Inc.

In winning the Cash Management Category, BDO was lauded for its wide branch and ATM network, which to date total over 1,100 and 4,000, respectively. Through this vast network, the Bank is able to provide innovative end-to-end financial solutions to corporate clients.

In the Retail Banking Awards, BDO Nomura won for the first time the Online Securities Platform of the Year (Philippines). BDO Nomura, a subsidiary of the Bank, provides investors in-depth market research, quick execution time and competitive rates. Its platform offers ease of use through simple and paperless online application and fund transfers through its customer’s BDO Deposit Accounts. As a bonus, BDO Rewards Points will be earned for all transactions made. These Rewards Points can be redeemed for products available in SM affiliated stores.

Now on its 14th year, the Retail Banking Awards honors outstanding banks that have introduced groundbreaking products and services that successfully adapted with the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

Still in Retail Banking, BDO’s CSR arm BDO Foundation won the CSR of the Year - Gold Award for the third consecutive year. BDO Foundation bagged the award for partnering with the Department of Education and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in bringing financial education to public schools, particularly in the K-12 curriculum, teaching and non-teaching personnel. Last year, it was recognized for its efforts to empower people with disabilities (PWDs) through the development of a community for disabled individuals. 

Meanwhile, in the Corporate and Investment Banking Awards, BDO Capital won Corporate and Investment Bank of the Year (Philippines), its second consecutive win, for being a “one-stop investment house covering extensive aspects of deals from origination, structuring, and execution funding through its affiliates, secondary market trading, and insurance services.” 

Jollibee will be in full service this All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day

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This All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day, millions of Filipinos will once again flock to cemeteries and memorial parks to offer candles, flowers, and prayers for their dearly departed families and friends. For some, it is also the time to reminisce on the fondest memories of loved ones who have passed on and share their stories over food.

Jollibee – the country’s number one fast-food chain – is again making this season of remembering even more special for Filipinos by conveniently bringing their favorite langhap-sarap meals closer to them, as they spend their precious time with their loved ones.

From October 30 to November 2, Jollibee will have food booths in around 275 cemeteries across the country, while 376 drive-thru stores nationwide will be open to cater to those traveling to the provinces.

Those who would like to stay at home can also count on Jollibee to deliver their fastfood favorites by simply dialing #8-7000.

So, whether one is headed to the cemetery, traveling to the province, or simply staying at home, Jollibee will be there to provide light and joy this season with its on-site booths, drive-thru channels, and food delivery service.

The New Generation Phoneography Powerhouse OPPO Reno2 Series Arrives in the Philippines on October 25

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Reno2 Series ushers in the age of videos with cutting-edge smartphone videography features poised to change the smartphone industry game

OPPO is considered as one of the fastest growing companies in the Philippines. The smartphone giant aims to maintain its strong foothold in the industry by continuously introducing tech-advanced smartphones and expanding its footprint in the premium league through the Reno series. Following the successful launch of the Reno series, is the Reno2 series which is poised as the new phoneography powerhouse. Reno2 retails at PHP28,990 and the Reno2 F retails at PHP19,990. Both are now officially available in all OPPO stores nationwide and through all e-commerce partners starting October 25. 

OPPO stands strong with bullish growth in PH

Now reaching its sixth year in the country, OPPO has taken the Philippines by storm in a short period of time. Starting from a humble team of five employees, the smartphone giant is now fueled by the hard work of more than 7,000 employees with more than 6,000 stores nationwide - millions of users across the country. 

Additionally, OPPO remarkably achieved strong market presence in the second quarter of 2019 earning 28% market share in the second quarter of 2019, according to leading global technology market analyst firm Canalys.

The brand maintains its momentum towards elevating its products and services, some of which include the following:

The innovations in the customer care services that provided VIP-level experience to all its users, resulting to a 99.6% customer satisfaction score on Q3 of 2019. The recently lauded 1-Hour Flash Fix program that gives customers quick and hassle-free smartphone repair and consultation all in less than one hour; and the recently launched OPPO Service app that helps users get a more convenient service experience within just your fingertips were also launched to create better customer relations experience.

Market Favors the Newest Reno2 Series

OPPO has recently streamlined its latest product roster to best cater to the needs of different consumers: the best-selling, upgraded A Series poised as the mid-range entertainment smartphone for the younger generation; the power tool for creativity the Reno Series, positioned as the premium mid-range smartphone; and the powerhouse of the latest smartphone technologies, the Find Series that is for the high-end market.

The latest to join the roster of OPPO’s Reno series product line, Reno2 series, was built to be the next generation creative tool for aspiring content creators in a highly digital and mobile society. The Reno2 series is built with 48MP Quad Camera setup that is capable of up to 20x Digital Zoom. The Reno2 features Ultra Steady Video, Ultra Dark Mode, Ultra Wide Angle on video and Bokeh Effect on video which is the first of its kind in the industry, and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage that promises smoother user experience.

While the Reno2 F is powered by MediaTek Helio P70 with 8GB of RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage, with a 16MP rising camera module, and the video recording is equipped with Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) for a steadier shot.

Breakthroughs for 2019 and Moving Forward

The brand’s recent achievements are attributed to the many technological and marketing breakthroughs spearheaded by OPPO.

With the goal of expanding its extensive sports and entertainment portfolio, OPPO recently signed a multi-year partnership with Riot Games. This makes OPPO as the exclusive official global smartphone partner for League of Legends Ⓡ Esports international events which will run until the year 2024. 

On the technological front, OPPO has recently unveiled its latest “Waterfall Screen”engineering, with the vision to explore ultimate design aesthetics and a seamless visual experience. Similarly, OPPO has also pioneered the Under-screen Camera technology which was unveiled at the last MWC and is set to offer a “true full screen experience”.

OPPO also exhibited its latest achievements in 5G and IoT. The smartphone brand has been working actively with various global network operators to make 5G the new reality. In the latter part of 2019, OPPO is set to unveil a dual-mode 5G smartphone powered by Qualcomm and supports both standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) networks. OPPO has also created IoT products in the hopes of creating an interconnected future. Currently, OPPO has already developed an IoT open platform that connects products from across 20 categories including more than 260 devices from a variety of brands. 

This 2019 has proven to be a strong year for OPPO as it has successfully penetrated the premium market segment with the release of the Reno series and unveiled breakthrough technologies. With the release of Reno2 series that’s packed with high quality smartphone videography features, OPPO will surely achieve bigger milestones. 

To learn more, visit the website www.oppo.com/ph or check out the official Facebook page at www.fb.com/OPPOPH

The Volley Hall of Fame

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The Philippine National Volleyball training pools are currently working hard to bring their A-game in this year’s Southeast Asian Games to be held in the Philippines this coming November. Whatever the final line-ups will be, the men’s and women’s teams will continue a storied tradition of volleyball excellence when they step on the court to represent our country.

Current volleyball fans may be familiar with today’s collegiate and professional stars, but did you know that the Philippines has produced top players for decades? Philippine volleyball has had quite the glorious history, thanks to the contributions of these five legendary volleybelles:

Nene Ybanez-Chavez

(Photo courtesy of Arvin Lim)

The Philippines has been a superpower in volleyball, especially on the women’s side, ever since it was introduced to the SEA Games in 1977, with the Women’s National Volleyball team ranking second behind Thailand in gold medals won.

Those powerhouse teams were fronted by the likes of Nene Ybanez-Chavez, the 6’1” legend from Southwestern University in Cebu who helped the Philippines dominate the SEA Games in the early ‘90s. She’s best known for leading the women’s team to its last SEA gold in the 1993 games in Singapore, earning the MVP and Best Spiker honors along the way. Possessing extraordinary endurance in the sport, Ybanez-Chavez played competitively until 2013, and now continues to make her mark in Philippine volleyball by coaching a team in the Philippine Super Liga professional league.

Mozzy Crisologo-Ravena

(Photo courtesy of Mozzy Ravena)

The mother of the famous Ravena phenoms in Philippine basketball is a former volleyball champion in her own right. Mozzy Crisologo-Ravena, the volleyball analyst/sportscaster and University of Santo Tomas alumna, was a two-time UAAP volleyball champion from 1988 to 1992. She also represented the country as a part of the Philippine Youth team in 1988 and the seniors’ team from 1988 to 1989. Today, her legacy lives on through her daughter Dani Ravena, who plays volleyball for the Ateneo Lady Eagles.

Mary Jean Balse-Pabayo

(Photo courtesy of Mary Jean Balse-Pabayo)

Before Philippine volleyball went mainstream via the collegiate scene, there was Mary Jean Balse-Pabayo, holding up the sport in the country. Balse-Pabayo, from Tagum City, Davao del Norte, is another champion UST alumna and one of the players who carried the Philippines to a bronze medal in the 2005 SEA Games. Balse-Pabayo is still going strong today, currently playing for the Philippine Army Lady Troopers in the Philippine Super Liga and also the Premier Volleyball League, where she is a two-time champion.

Tina Salak

(Photo courtesy of Tina Salak)

One of the sport’s most successful players, Tina Salak has a storied career representing the country as part of the national team for many years, with huge wins such as the silver finish in Jakarta, Indonesia in 1995 and bronze in Manila in 2005. She also competed in the 2015 SEA Games held in Singapore.

Salak also has a rich professional career, with 10 seasons logged in the Shakey’s V-League and the Philippine Super Liga, where she won five championships and six medals with the Philippine Army Lady Troopers. She’s since retired, going on to work as a coach in the PSL.

Angeli Tabaquero

(Photo courtesy of Mix Gatpandan)

One of Philippine volleyball’s contemporary stars, Angeli Tabaquero is a renowned collegiate champion, having won titles as part of the UST Golden Tigresses. Tabaquero also represented the country as a member of the Philippine National Team in the 2013 Asian Women’s Volleyball Championship, and as part of the PLDT Home Tvolution national team in another stint in the 2014 Asian Club Championship. An unfortunate injury forced her to retire in 2016 and become a coach for the Adamson Lady Falcons.

The road to the 2019 SEA Games continues

The Philippine Men’s and Women’s National Volleyball Team will compete against the rest of the region from November 28 to December 10 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila. The athletic firepower of current volleyball stars like Alyssa Valdez and Aby Marano brings bright prospects in making the Philippines a regional powerhouse in the international volleyball scene once again.

With the steadfast support of organizations and companies like Rebisco, the national teams will be looking to bring pride and glory to the Philippines when they give their all on the court. Together, Filipinos will again cheer for the national team fighting as Sambansa – or one nation – under the colors of our flag.

Rebisco has been a proponent of Philippine volleyball and various organizations and leagues that comprise it. Aside from supporting the Philippine national team in this year’s SEA Games, Rebisco has also backed the Philippine Women’s Volleyball Team in the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia. The company is also committed to developing the future of the sport with the newly-launched 18-and-under Rebisco Volleyball League.

For more info and updates on the Philippine National Volleyball Team, follow Rebisco Pilipinas on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @RebiscoSambansa.

Vivo V17 Pro’s dual selfie camera lets users “shoot beyond limits” Shoot beyond limits with Vivo V17 Pro dual front camera, exclusive selfie apps

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There was a time when taking selfies was as basic as capturing one’s close-up image, often to highlight an appearance or a spectacular scenery in the background. While selfie shooters yearned to capture more elements in their frames, they were limited mostly by the technology of the front-facing cameras at that time.

In recent years, advancements in optics technology and software development have given birth to front-facing cameras that offer better resolution and image quality, as well as AI-enhanced photography apps. These, in turn, have transformed selfie shooting, from a mere trend, to a skill, even an artform.

A selfie (right) using the Vivo V17 Pro’s Super Wide-Angle camera captures a fuller background, compared to a typical selfie.

Today, companies like Vivo, are taking the lead in pioneering technology that enhances the smartphone experience. This includes taking selfie shooting to new and higher levels.

Just a few months after unveiling its V15 Pro with the world’s first 32MP elevating selfie camera and an AI triple rear camera, the leading global technology company has already launched V17 Pro, the second flagship smartphone in its V series of midrange smartphones.

Now, improving from its predecessor, the V17 Pro boasts of another world’s first, an exclusive pair of front cameras—a 32MP main camera with f/2.0 aperture and 8MP 105-degree super-wide-angle camera—which ensures clearer and fuller selfies, in whatever environment.

Much like the V15’s selfie optics, the V17 Pro’s dual front cameras are tucked behind the smartphone’s notch-less Super AMOLED Ultra FullView™ Display, nestled in a wide pop-up mechanism that elevates as quickly as it retracts.

With the premium smartphone’s dual elevating selfie camera, users will never need selfie sticks to capture “groufies” or the splendid panoramic view behind them. All they have to do is access the super-wide-angle camera and “shoot beyond limits”.

For nighttime selfies, the front camera gets ample support from Selfie Softlight that lights up dark images and an exclusive Super Night Selfie mode which captures and combines multiple frames into one image to make one’s face stand out, especially in low-light conditions.

There is also a “Pose Master” feature which suggest several poses to match various photo scenes and backgrounds, to make one’s selfies even more creative.

Aside from its elevating dual selfie camera and AI powered and enhanced selfie apps, the V17 Pro also boasts of AI quad rear cameras—48MP main camera, 8MP super wide-angle, 2MP bokeh, and 2MP super macro camera—which can capture super macro images from a distance of just 4 cm., and super wide clear images, even in dark surroundings.

TPB mounts biggest international travel trade event in the Philippines for 2019

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The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, the marketing and promotions arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), is set to boost tourism in the Philippines as it simultaneously mounts the Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) and MICE Buyers Invitational (MICECONnect) 2019 on October 20 to 27 to promote the Philippines as a prime tourist destination for both leisure and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibits/Events).

Now on its 18th year, PHITEX is considered to be the biggest travel trade event in the country, with close to 200 sellers and 200 buyers participating. The main highlight of the event is the one and a half day business-to-business (B2B) session between foreign buyers and local sellers to encourage tourism-related discourse among the participants,and open doors for business opportunities.

“PHITEX is mounted annually as a support for stakeholders in the travel trade industry,” says TPB COO Marie Venus Tan. “Instead of working as individual operators and sellers, we provide a platform for them to connect to hundreds of buyers from all over the world in one venue, which saves them precious time and money. The event also gives buyers a more comprehensive view of the different destinations and packages that they can sell to consumers, either as individual or bundled tours.”

Participants also took part in the PHITEX educational seminar where industry leadersdiscussed new trends in tourism marketing as well as marketing strategies in mature and emerging markets while keeping the theme of “Philippine Tourism: Trailblazing Responsible Travel and Inclusive Growth,” in mind.

Giving their insights were Thomas Graham, Co-Founder of Make A Difference (MAD) Travel, Carlos Mori Rodriguez, the Chief Innovation Officer of EON The Stakeholder Relations Group, and Nelly Nuezca Dillera, CESO III, the Deputy Executive Director of the Philippine Trade Training Center - Global MSME Academy, who ended the seminar on how DTI is building capabilities for halal development and certification."

Meanwhile, MICECONnect 2019, aims to accelerate the Philippine MICE industry by gathering MICE suppliers to showcase the country as a premium destination for international events and conferences. 

Happening simultaneously with PHITEX, MICECONnect 2019 is the continuation of a two-year program as a comprehensive educational seminar for local MICE stakeholders to learn new and effective global trends, approaches, and methods. This year’s focus is conducting business networking opportunities to further develop the country’s MICE industry.

MICECONnect 2019 likewise features B2B sessions for Philippine and foreign MICE buyers, and include a hotel and MICE venue inspection. Moreover, MICECONnect delegates will be treated to post-event tours to highlight some of the country's premierMICE destinations including Iloilo City, Bacolod, Davao, Boracay, Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, Tagaytay, Manila and Batangas.

More importantly, both PHITEX and MICECONnect 2019 enable TPB to support and raise awareness on sustainable community-based tourism. Apart from promoting what the Philippines can offer, TPB also advocates for the protection of natural assets and expanding the benefits of tourism to communities that are directly and indirectly affected by the industry, consequently helping DOT towards achieving its goals for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

To know more about PHITEX and MICECONnect 2019, visit the following websites: https://www.phitex.ph/, https://www.micecon.ph, https://www.tpb.gov.ph/, or https://www.facebook.com/tpbphl/.

From Billboard to Boat to Bronze: Havas Media Ortega gets an accolade at the 2019 Spikes Asia Festival of Creativity

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Banners and waiting shed billboards have been turned into rafts and stretchers.

Havas Media Ortega bags a Bronze Award at the 2019 Spikes Asia Festival of Creativity in the Media Category (Ambient Media: Large Scale), for its innovative crisis response to typhoons and floods entitled “Project S.A.V.E”.

The agency pioneered this initiative with Valenzuela City, one of the most flood-prone cities in Manila the capital of the Philippines, with the vision of turning underutilized resources into life-saving devices. This project developed and designed the materials with advice from volunteer first responders, local government officials, and national disaster coordinators. 

Project S.A.V.E, which stands for Signage & Adspace Versatile for Emergencies, aims to equip cities with emergency equipment come floods, earthquakes, and other calamities through innovative use of outdoor marketing materials. Billboards, banners, and waiting sheds are turned into detachable disaster-ready boats, life rafts, spineboards, and other disaster response tools using outdoor ad materials from past campaigns, which would otherwise have been thrown away. The idea takes advantage of the easy visibility of outdoor ads. Quick to spot and accessible to the public, residents can quickly remember that these tools are at their disposal should they be needed. 

“This year, our battle cry with the Havas Group is to create a meaningful difference to brands, businesses and the lives of the people we work with. We’re honored to have been recognized by Spikes Asia as we continue to help the community in an inventive way that they’re open to,” says Hermie de Leon, Managing Partner of Havas Ortega and CEO of Havas Media Group. 

Rommell Garcia, Business Director of Havas Creative who led this project, also shares, "We hope that Project S.A.V.E will inspire the industry and get the momentum going in coming up with ideas that can make a meaningful difference in Filipino lives."

“We are grateful that our long experience with floods has taught us that more access to stretchers, emergency tents, and life rafts preserves lives. We’re grateful that this need was able to be executed creatively and was able to gain recognition in the ASEAN region. We do hope that this can set a new benchmark for the community to respond to crisis swiftly – anytime and anywhere” asserts City Mayor Rex Gatchalianof Valenzuela City.

The long play to Project S.A.V.E is being able to deploy these structures in other towns and municipalities that share the same predicament as Valenzuela.

ABOUT SPIKES ASIA AWARDS

The Spikes Asia Awards is the benchmark by which the region’s creativity is measured. For the past 32 years, since its inception as the Asian Advertising Awards in 1986, it has set the standard for creativity and effectiveness for Asia Pacific’s creative communications industry. The Awards are continually honed and redefined to ensure they reflect current trends in creative communications.

Choose to Feel Good With Pancake House's P45 add-on Promo

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Pancake House continues its celebration of helping diners Choose to Feel Good for 45 years with a delightful promo that will make your all-time favorites even more special. As you enjoy a delicious mix of Pancake House specialties with a House Special Set A or B, make it better when you add P45 and get a tasty bonus to your hearty meal. 

With the P45 Add-On Promo, choose between these four irresistible additions: savor in the homey goodness of fluffy golden Mini Classic Pancakes or a classic and crisp Golden Brown Waffle. You may also fill your tummy with a comforting bowl of Today’s Heartwarming Soup or reminisce your carefree, younger days with a sweet and creamy Milkshake Upgrade. 

This extra satisfying offer is valid for dine-in transactions only until October 31, in participating Pancake House stores nationwide. 

“As we continue to deliver staple comfort food to Filipinos everywhere, we want to elevate our diners’ experience in our stores by offering one of our bestselling specialties that people keep coming back for—plus more,” shared Cherry Hernandez, Senior Marketing Manager of Pancake House. “We hope that making our House Special Set even better with delicious add-ons gives our customers another reason to Choose To Feel Good at Pancake House.” 

Pancakes, waffle, soup, or milkshake? The choice is yours. Don’t miss out on this special offer and Choose to Feel Good at your nearest Pancake House store today! For more information, please visit facebook.com/PancakeHousePhilippines. 

Coke Studio Season 3 : Sarah Geronimo with This Band

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WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER

For many Filipinos, home is not a place. Home is family. For the season 3 Coke Studio episode that focuses on family feels, the artists featured feel a strong and particular resonance for the idea of family.

Sarah Geronimo

Sarah Geronimo has often been praised for her love and devotion to her family. “I really love my family and all the sacrifices they have made for me. Whatever happens in life, wherever my career takes me, God gave me a gift that grounds me and keeps me humble, so that I know who I am,” she declares. She also adds that being invited to be part of Coke Studio Season 3 is like being invited to a family reunion of sorts. “When I used to see the Coke Studio billboard, when I would get stuck in traffic, I found it so cool, and I really thought to myself, ‘Wow, I wish that I could be a part of that.’"

This Band are Andrea Manzano (vocals), Euwie Von Loria(guitar), Miccael Galvan (bass), John Kenneth Macaranas(drums), Melvin Carson (keyboard) and Reymart Gubat(lead guitar). They consider themselves as a family, since they all grew up near each other. They started their career jamming in the food parks around their neighborhood. They also consider Sarah part of their extended showbiz family because of their management group. Euwie says, “But at first, we couldn’t believe that this early in our career, we could be working with her. It’s as if our career will be fast-tracked, things are going beyond what we imagined.”  

This Band

Andrea adds, “And we’re so happy that we get to remake her song, because her music is really part of the soundtrack of our lives."

And just like in a real family, Sarah feels like an older sister, and she can pass on some wisdom to her young colleagues. Sarah reminisces, “When I was starting out, what was important, yung maging plakado. But now, the young ones, they’re so free. And that’s great because what really matters with any performance, is that you put your heart into it. So I would just remind them to always put your all into a performance.” 

Watch how Sarah Geronimo and This Band collaborate for Coke Studio Season 3. Catch them this coming October 26, at 10:00 a.m. on ABS-CBN or online at www.youtube.com/CokeStudioPH .

Former WESTLIFE member, BRIAN MCFADDEN in an intimate concert in Cebu and Manila this November

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Irish singer and song writer who rose to fame as one of the original members of the Irish boy band WESTLIFE, Brian McFadden, will be coming to Cebu at the Mediterranean Ballroom, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino on November 16, 2019 and Manila at the New Frontier Theatre, Araneta Center, Quezon City on November 17, 2019 for an intimate concert. 

This is to complete our original Westlife live experience journey as #Batang90s. Joining Brian as a very special guest both for Cebu and Manila, is our very own first ever Idol Philippines champion, Ms. Zephanie Dimaranan, 

In June 1998, McFadden joined the Irish boy band WESTLIFE alongside Kian Egan, Markcus Feehily, Nicky Byrne and Shane Filan. Together, they made chart topping songs, “Swear It Again”, “If I Let You Go”, “Flying Without Wings”, “Seasons in the Sun”, “Fool Again”, “My Love”, “Uptown Girl”, “Queen of My Heart”, “World of Our Own”, “Unbreakable”, “Mandy”, and many more.

He also released his debut solo single “Real to Me”, which reached No. 1 in Ireland and the United Kingdom. He was based in Australia for a while, where he found success not only as a singer-songwriter, but also as a radio presenter. He was also a judge in the reality talent search, “Australia’s Got Talent.”

He toured with Keith Duffy, member of Boyzone, as Boyzlife in 2016, 2017 and 2018. This 2019, as one of the original and prime members of WESTLIFE, he is set to come back to the Philippines to fulfill our original Westlife experience as Bryan. 

Come and have a Romantic Intimate Concert with Brian as he plays our favorite songs from Westlife! It will surely be a great night singing his old and some new songs from Brian himself. *** Swear it again, Flying without wings, When you’re looking like that, World of our own, Queen of my heart, Like only a woman can, Mandy, Real to me, My love, Uptown girl, Champagne and wine, If I let you go, These arms of mine, Almost here, And more...***

Romantic Intimate Concert with Brian McFadden PH Tour: Playing our favorite songs from Westlife is presented by EKG Productions.

Producer’s Seats front rows best house seats with Meet & Greet and Individual Photo-op with Brian are available for purchase for only Php 6,000 both for Manila and Cebu. Tickets available for Manila at www.ticketnet.com.ph and TicketNet outlets. For inquiries, call (02)911-5555 or (02)532-8883.

Tickets available for Cebu at www.smtickets.com/events/view/8253 and SM Tickets Cinema outlets and Waterfront Cebu City Hotel Ticket Booth.

EKG Productions hotlines: 0998 964 4585 (MANILA) and 0998 964 4589 (CEBU).

#BrianMcfadden2019MNL #BrianMcfadden2019CEBU #EKGProductions

FACEBOOK: @EKGProductions

TWITTER: @EKGProductions8

INSTAGRAM: @EKGProductions

BRIAN MCFADDEN HIT YOUTUBE LINKS:

Queen Of My Heart https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c64kUiqknY

I Lay My Love On You https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnOAK04tJhc

Mandy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ShlE-xobyw

World Of Our Own https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jal-vzO8bVE

When You’re Looking Like That https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rmKy8H62BU

Swear It Again https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UaMsIJ4bR0

If I Let You Go https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NrQei36fJk

Seasons In The Sun https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xdv83MFJd7U

Almost There https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oah-OYibXfw

Like Only A Woman Can https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oah-OYibXfw

GCash moves to turn tide of savings for Pinoys

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A doctor has saved many lives but has no savings in the bank. An art director churns out a successful savings campaign but is failing her bank account. A lawyer who has tried many criminal cases pleads guilty to being broke. An overseas Filipino worker toils for years to give his family a bright future but still has zero savings.

These were just some of the narratives in GCash’s #PlsSaveMe campaign that resonated well with Filipinos as they bared on social media the ugly truth about their spending habits and financial woes.

Now, the leading mobile wallet is offering a silver lining to every Filipino’s cloud of debt and financial troubles with a follow-up campaign called #LetsSaveTogether, which seeks to translate conversations about being penniless into actions of saving and practicing good money habits.

GCash launched #LetsSaveTogether in the run-up to World Savings Day on Oct. 31, encouraging Filipinos to start saving money and to take advantage of GSave, a digital savings account available on the GCash app in their journey to building a stable financial house.

Recent studies show that majority of Filipinos have a savings crisis.

According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’s 2017 Financial Inclusion Survey, 52.8 million Filipino adults do not own bank accounts, which means they have nothing set aside for a rainy day. Of this number, 60 percent said they don’t have enough money to open one. It also showed that only 1.3 percent of Filipino adults have electronic money (e-money accounts).

The World Bank’s 2017 Global Findex Database also showed that 66 percent of Filipinos do not have any formal savings account.

“Many Filipinos have taken a step towards financial wellness by acknowledging that they are struggling financially and that they need help. Now, help has come their way; all they need to do is to take a step forward to be able to achieve their financial goals,” said Anthony Thomas, president and chief executive officer of Mynt, the company behind GCash.

Mobile bank account GSave, a collaboration with Malaysian Bank CIMB, is a simpler and more accessible alternative to grow one’s savings. It offers a higher interest rate at 3% annually or 12 times higher than interest earnings in traditional banks.

The latest feature allows users to open and maintain a bank account straight from the GCash app without the cumbersome requirements of a traditional bank: no minimum deposit or a required maintaining balance. All users need to open a GSave account is one valid identification card. 

“The solution is already at their fingertips. It’s now time to turn the conversation of not saving enough into action of actually saving for the future,” said Thomas. “We encourage Filipinos, who are among the top mobile users in the world, to kickstart their habit of saving with GSave. Let’s save together.” 

Amazing travel deals await with Traveloka’s Su-Paw Sale

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There’s no reason to miss out on the opportunity to get on a plane and travel the world with Traveloka’s biggest promo yet, the Su-Paw Sale! On October 25, Traveloka users can enjoy up to 50% discounts on flights, accommodations, and activities and attractions too.

Southeast Asia’s leading online travel platform introduces the Su-Paw Sale in line with its ongoing Petfluencer campaign, which highlights that ease of making all types of travel arrangements via Traveloka; so easy that even your favorite furry friend can do it.

On Friday, October 25, from 10:00 am onwards, Traveloka app users can browse through all destinations and travel periods and enjoy discounted flight bookings with as much as 50% off, up to a maximum of P10,000.

Meanwhile, discounts for hotels and accommodation will also be up for grabs! Users can get up to 40% off, or up to P1,500, for a minimum spend of P3,000 from 6 - 8 pm only. And then specifically for in-app use for hotels, people can enjoy up to P1,250 off their hotels bookings of three nights. Those who are looking to book for 2 nights can also avail of up to 25% off.

Complete the package by taking advantage of cut-rate offerings of Traveloka’s Xperience. First time users can avail 25% off activities and attractions with a minimum spend of P2,000, while existing users can get 20% for a minimum spend of P1,500.

These awesome discounts are available for a limited time only, so get on Traveloka and be among the lucky users to avail of these one-time promos. With Traveloka, you can fly, stay and play the easy way—with just one app to tap.

It’s not just any sale, it’s Traveloka’s Su-Paw Sale! To learn more about these amazing travel deals, download the Traveloka app from the Google Play store on Android or from the App Store on iOS today.

Traveloka, which is available online or as a downloadable app on the Google Playstore and the Apple App Store, provides a wide range of travel needs in one platform—from flights, hotels, and trains; to flight+hotel packages; attractions & activities; and more—enabling customers to create moments together with their friends or loved ones.