“Why Financial Education Alone Does Not Work,” an FQ Trilogy’s book 2 by FQ Mom Rose Fres Fausto

 Achieve the right money behavior in FQ Trilogy’s book 2

 

Finance guru Rose Fres Fausto turns the spotlight on principles affecting money behaviors in her latest book “Why Financial Education Alone Does Not Work,” the second installment in her financial intelligence quotient (FQ) trilogy published by ABS-CBN Books.

Rose Fres Fausto 

“It took a lot of courage on my part to write this book. Why? Because many people would not like to hear what I have to say,” said the bestselling author, who seeks to elucidate why financial literacy per se is not enough to guide people in making better money choices.

 

While understanding finance fundamentals remain important, the FQ mom said that people should not count on it to solve woeful behaviors that lead to poor money conditions. “In order to solve financial problems, we have to focus on our actual financial behavior,” she added.

 

“Why Financial Education Alone Does Not Work” is divided into three parts and Rose shares her detailed assessment in the first part of the book followed by a crash course on behavioral economics.

 

In the book’s third part called “The Psychology Of Money,” the author introduced two main characters—Mak who is ‘makatwiran’ or rational and Emong who makes financial decisions based on his emotions. 

 

Readers will get to see themselves in these two characters facing various relatable situations as Rose tackles 16 vital principles affecting how people arrive at money decisions in everyday life, even when buying essentials, paying for repairs, and doing leisurely activities.   

 

Among the principles explained are the ‘price of free’ which attracts people to the price of zero than any other price, no matter how low; ‘ego depletion’ or the limited ability to make sound choices because of decision overload, hunger, self-restraint, and fatigue; and ‘pain of paying’ which seems to make purchases less painful depending on the mode of payment.

 

Rose is a newspaper columnist, a behavioral economist, and a Gallup-certified strengths coach. Her new manual is a follow-up to “FQ: The nth Intelligence” book where she talked about tips on how to improve one’s relationship with money.

 

Understand “Why Financial Education Alone Does Not Work” and learn about the “Psychology of Money” in this latest ABS-CBN Books’ offering available on Lazada, and Shopee for only P680. 

For more details, follow ABS-CBN Books on Facebook (www.facebook.com/abscbnbooks) and Instagram (@abscbnbooks).  

 

Clara Benin joins Sony Music Entertainment’s new Southeast Asian label ‘OFFMUTE’

Sony Music Entertainment announced today the launch of OFFMUTE – a new pan-regional label focused on championing new and emerging Southeast Asian talent by drawing on the combined experience of Sony Music’s entire Southeast Asian team.

 OFFMUTE offers emerging artists from across all genres a dedicated platform to pursue their own creative vision and reach audiences across Southeast Asia

New artists on board include acclaimed Philippine singer-songwriter Clara Benin, Indonesian alt-pop sensation Mezzaluna and Malaysian recording star liesl-mae

OFFMUTE gives emerging recording artists across all genres an opportunity to develop their own music and follow their creative vision. The new label will support Southeast Asian artists in amplifying their music and building a strong pan-regional audience base through enhanced promotional, marketing and artist development, drawn from Sony Music's global expertise and resources.

“OFFMUTE is a first-of-its-kind label in this part of the world, embracing the eclectic appeal and rich diversity that Southeast Asia has to offer, empowering artists with the resources and expertise to find success in a diverse region,” said Shridhar Subramaniam, President, Strategy and Market Development, Asia and Middle East, Sony Music Entertainment. “That offering is compelling for a new generation of artists in the region and we’re excited to help these artists fulfil their potential in the years to come.”

Ariel Fung, Executive Vice President, Sony Music Southeast Asia, expresses his enthusiasm on the label’s attempt to solidify its foothold in the global music industry. “I am so excited to see the launch of OFFMUTE which embraces different genres of artists with their unique culture and style, and with the potential of cross-border success.”

 

NEW OFFMUTE ARTISTS FROM PHILIPPINES, INDONESIA AND MALAYSIA

OFFMUTE also announced today three new signings for the label: acclaimed Philippine singer-songwriter Clara Benin; Indonesian alt-pop sensation Mezzaluna; and Malaysian recording star liesl-mae.

An acclaimed singer-songwriter in the Philippines, Clara Benin is renowned for her captivating songs that blend unspoken ruminations with commitment and depth. Amassing more than 25 million streams on combined music platforms Spotify and YouTube, Benin frequently headlines local and international music festivals, and won multiple awards including Wishclusive Contemporary Folk Performance of the Year for her song “I Rose up Slowly”.

Roslyn Pineda, General Manager, Sony Music Philippines, speaks of Benin’s potential to leave a mark with the international audience. “When my team and I discussed the vision for OFFMUTE, we immediately thought Clara Benin embodied what the label was all about,” Pineda reveals. “And it’s great that the other markets think so too.  With a Southeast Asian team supporting her, we’re thrilled that Clara’s moving vocals and introspective songwriting will reach new audiences across the region.”

Another addition to the OFFMUTE family is Mezzaluna, a talented and gifted singer-songwriter based in Indonesia who comes from a strong musical lineage and quickly emerged as a standout artist with incredible achievements in her own right. With deep, soulful vocals and an intensely personal storytelling style, the 20-year-old alt-pop sensation marks her journey as a solo star capable of delivering inspiring and powerful songs with a universal reach. She will be releasing her debut single this year, which OFFMUTE will be amplifying across the region.

Malaysia’s liesl-mae completes the record label’s wide-ranging selection of music acts. Making waves in the Malaysian music scene with her soothing, almost-lullaby-like tunes, the recording star will now see her talent showcased across Southeast Asia through OFFMUTE. She plans to release her own music and collaborate with other artists under the new label, as well as harness her newfound platform to advocate for mental health education and awareness.

Shopee Offers Bigger, Better Deals at 4.4 Mega Shopping Day, the Region’s First Mega Sale of the Year

Riding on the growing trend of late-night shopping, Shopee will hold a two-hour Midnight Mega Sale on April 4

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, steps up its efforts to deliver value and variety to users all year round with its inaugural 4.4 Mega Shopping Day. Coming on the heels of Shopee’s successful year-end campaigns and the 3.3-4.4 Mega Shopping Sale, its first mega sale of the year in the Philippines, this big regional sale offers even better deals, discounts, and rewards. 

To cater to the growing interest in late-night shopping, especially during shopping festivals, the finale of 4.4 Mega Shopping Day on April 4 will feature a two-hour Midnight Mega Sale with unbeatable deals on thousands of products. Users can also tune in to the Shopee app every day till April 4 for special in-app entertainment, as well as bigger and better deals from the largest array of sellers and brands.

Shopee also unveiled globally acclaimed K-Pop girl group Mamamoo as its regional 4.4 Mega Celebrity. The award-winning group, best known for their legendary vocals, will be presenting their top hits exclusively on Shopee Live this April 4. Shopee users also stand a chance to win exclusive Mamamoo albums by commenting photos of their Shopee x Mamamoo-inspired outfits on Shopee’s official Facebook page. 

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines said, “The Shopee 4.4 Mega Shopping Day brings the excitement of the year-end shopping festivals earlier into the year. As part of our goal to provide Filipinos with more meaningful and entertaining shopping experiences, we’ve introduced some of today's biggest local and international celebrities as ambassadors and performers. We unveiled Willie Revillame as our newest brand ambassador during our successful 3.3 Mega Shopping Sale, and now we're thrilled to close the extended sale with a bang as Mamamoo joins our 4.4 celebrations across the region."

Bigger deals and better rewards at 4.4 Mega Shopping Day

4.4 Mega Shopping Day will feature massive deals across a wide assortment of products, with the biggest selection of brands and sellers across the region. Shopee will also introduce new ways for shoppers to enjoy more savings:

• Midnight Mega Sale: On April 4, from 12:00 AM to 2:00 AM, users can shop during the Midnight Mega Sale, which features unbeatable limited-time deals up to 90% off on thousands of Shopee-exclusive products.

• Enhanced Loyalty Programs: Shopee also gives users more ways to earn rewards and save at 4.4 Mega Shopping Day and beyond. Users can now earn special vouchers and rewards every month via the new in-app loyalty program Shopee Loyalty.

Highlights of 4.4 Mega Shopping Day in the Philippines

4.4 Mega Shopping Day will also be packed with bigger and better shopping experiences for all users, powered by enhanced in-app features including Shopee Live and Shopee Prizes:

• Co-streaming on Shopee Live: Shopee creates new ways for users to interact first-hand with their favorite brands, sellers, and hosts with its new co-streaming feature on Shopee Live. Now, brands and sellers can invite viewers, fans, and even celebrities to stream at the same time on Shopee Live, offering a new layer of real-time engagement. 

• Upsized rewards on Shopee Prizes: Shopee’s in-app games, including hot favorites like Shopee Farm and Shopee Bubble, will offer users more rewards and Shopee coins across 4.4 Mega Shopping Day. 

• 4.4 TV Segment: This April 4, users can tune in to All Out Sundays on GMA 7 and Shopee Live from 1:00 to 1:20 PM for special performances and a chance to win up to ₱200,000 during Shopee Shake.

• Big discounts from Shopee Mall: Shoppers can enjoy big discounts on top brands from Shopee Mall such as Havaianas, Huggies, Realme, P&G Beauty, Pampers, Olay, Garnier, and Xiaomi. 

Leading up to April 4, users can look forward to three weeks of non-stop promotions at 4.4 Mega Shopping Day. Highlights include free shipping with no minimum spend, 20% cashback, and ₱1 ShopeePay deals.

Yu closed, “4.4 Mega Shopping Day is packed with an exciting range of promotions and entertainment specially designed for Shopee users. I look forward to an amazing first 4.4 Mega Shopping Day as we celebrate another milestone with everyone in the region.”

For more information about Shopee 4.4 Mega Shopping Day, visit https://shopee.ph/m/4-4. 

Download Shopee for free on App Store or Google Play Store.

NutriAsia Rolls Out Free Vaccination Program for Employees and Dependents

NutriAsia, the Philippines’ leading company for condiments and sauces, attributes its success to its people who are committed to providing excellent and quality products for every Filipino household.  As such, the company considers People its most important asset and is providing free COVID-19 vaccines to its employees and their qualified dependents to protect them and safeguard their good health.  The implementation of the planned vaccination program will follow government regulations and guidelines.

“A staple on every Filipino table, NutriAsia and its brands are wholeheartedly committed to aid our national government in its pursuit to fight COVID-19 and its effects. We are choosing to proactively be part of the solution to end the worst public health crisis in a century with the decision to give our employees and three of their qualified dependents the option to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus,” says Joselito Campos, Jr., Chairman of NutriAsia.  “Knowing that family is at the heart of any person, we feel that extending the vaccination option to our employees’ dependents will give our people peace of mind with the assurance of their loved ones’ health and safety.  This is important as our employees continue to help rebuild the economy through invaluable frontline work at NutriAsia by providing basic food products for their countrymen.”

Guided by Filipino values that have shaped how the company has moved forward, NutriAsia will continue to agilely respond to the changing nature of the pandemic, as it remains a steadfast partner of Filipino homes all over the world in looking forward to better, brighter days ahead.

OPPO Introduces new smartphone perfect for mobile gaming and videos

Looking for a phone that can handle all your mobile gaming and videography needs at a pocket-friendly price? Get ready to experience the latest OPPO A94, OPPO’s best value-for-money gaming and video phone yet.

Available nationwide on March 26, the OPPO A94 is perfect for Gen Z and Millennials who use their smartphone to play games like Mobile Legends, and League of Legends Wild Rift or shoot videos for nonstop fun and action.

“A Series has always been a popular series of OPPO in the Philippines, especially for the value-seeking digital-savvy Filipino consumers. With the A94, OPPO remains committed to providing more users what they seek in a smartphone: value-for-money, immersive mobile gaming experience, and excellent videography experience,” said OPPO Philippines Marketing Director Raymond Xia.

Live Life at Full Speed With A94

The A94 improves every user’s gaming experience with no interruptions. Running on ColorOS 11.1, the smartphone has practical gaming features such as Game Focus Mode blocks or disables all distractions including notification bars, incoming calls, navigation gestures, alarms, and even on-screen volume prompts, Gaming Shortcut Mode which drastically reduces the load time by reserving virtual memory for frequently played games, Game Floating Window lets you squeeze in a game or two as it helps keep the game running in a floating window, even when opening apps like email or a browser, and Bullet Screen Message which lets your important messages scroll across the screen so they don’t go unnoticed while minimizing any interruptions during your game.

The A94 boasts a 48MP AI QuadCam setup which gives you enhanced photos and videos with a high resolution for your social media content needs. Additionally, you can make your images look a little bit extra with its improved AI camera features which allow you to freely capture moments without much editing. The creative camera features like Dual-View Video lets you take subjects through the front and rear cameras all at the same time while the AI Color Portrait video lets you single out one subject in full color leaving the background in grayscale.

Stay tuned as OPPO reveals more about the newest, trendiest A94 via its official website at www.oppo.com/ph or via its official Facebook page at OPPO Philippines.

Have an Awesome Content Streaming Experience All-day with the New Samsung Galaxy A32

 Tailored for content consumption and expressions of creativity, the Galaxy A32 boasts a best-in-class 64MP quad- camera and 6.4″ FHD+ Super AMOLED screen with 90Hz refresh rates

Samsung Electronics Philippines – Samsung today launched the new Galaxy A32, a powerful mid-range smartphone for all-day work and play. Featuring a 64MP quad-camera, stunning 6.4” FHD+ Super AMOLED screen with 90Hz refresh rates and a large 5,000mAh battery, the Galaxy A32 is designed for active individuals to capture moments on-the-go and enjoy entertainment anytime, anywhere.

“The all-rounded Samsung Galaxy A32 extends our popular mid-range smartphone portfolio. It is created especially for mobile-native individuals in the Philippines, who see the smartphone as integral to their identity, something much bigger than a tool for communication. On top of being the primary tool for them to connect and socialize with their friends and loved ones, for these people the smartphone has also become an avenue to express their creativity, and the main outlet they turn to for entertainment,” said Jerry Manus, IT & Mobile Head. 

The Galaxy A32 is available in two eye-catching colours                                   – (from left to right) Awesome Black and Awesome White   The Galaxy A32 is available in two eye-catching colours                                   – (from left to right) Awesome Black and Awesome White

Express creativity through the best-in-segment quad-camera

The quad-camera setup of the Galaxy A32 opens up a diverse array of opportunities for users to express their creativity through photos.

For starters, the 64MP main camera enables users to capture crisp and clear photos throughout the day. The 8MP Ultra-Wide lens has a 123-degree field of view which adds more perspective to images – perfect for capturing lofty landscapes. Meanwhile, the 5MP Macro lens takes crystal clear close-up shots.

Additionally, the 5MP Depth camera gives amazing portrait shots in Portrait mode, while the 20MP front camera enables eye-catching selfies in high clarity – perfect for capturing high-quality social media content.

For those looking to take their photography experience to the next level, the Galaxy A32 supports Hyperlapse, Night mode, Slow-mo, Panorama and Pro mode as well.

A stunning screen for all needs  

For many of us, the phone screen has become a main source of our daily entertainment – from binge-watching video clips, to indulging in a few rounds of mobile games or video calls with loved ones.

To deliver a high-quality viewing experience, the Galaxy A32 comes equipped with a 6.4-inch FHD + Super AMOLED Infinity-U Display screen, with 90Hz refresh rates and a brightness level of up to 800nits^[1] that stays clear even under bright sunlight. Meanwhile, Eye Comfort Shield^[2] adjusts the display’s color temperature automatically, based on smartphone usage patterns, allowing users to consume hours of content with more protection. In addition, the high refresh rate also indulges users with smoother scrolling that makes switching between applications more seamless.

Long-lasting battery life to support active lifestyles  

The Galaxy A32 is ready to support activity-filled days with little respite. The 5,000mAh battery provides the user more time to do what they love.

Meanwhile, its AI power saving detects and adjusts to mobile usage habits for long-lasting power. And with up to 15W of Adaptive Fast Charging, Galaxy A32 gets back to full power, quickly.

Performance that matters

Underpinning the awesome screen and camera technologies is the performance speed of the Galaxy A32’s advanced processor. The 8GB RAM is coupled with 128GB of internal memory capacity, which can also be increased up to 1TB^[3].

Additionally, the in-built Game Booster software monitors gaming performance and automatically adjusts settings including battery life, temperature and memory usage, for the best gaming experience.

Galaxy A32 supports Android 11 and One UI 3, letting users focus on what matters the most with content and features at their fingertips. It comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor and is secured by a defense-grade Samsung Knox security platform that secures user data.

The Galaxy A32 will be available in two eye-catching colours – Awesome Black and Awesome White. The Galaxy A32 will be available across retail stores, Samsung.com and leading online portals starting April 9.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com. 

Galaxy A32 Specifications^[4]

Galaxy A32

Design		Awesome White Awesome Black
Display	Size	6.4” FHD+ sAMOLED Infinity-U
	Resolution	2400 x 1080px
	Refresh Rate	90Hz
Dimension	Size	158.9 x 73.6 x 8.4mm
	Weight	184g
Processor		Octa-Core 2GHz, 1.8GHz  (MediaTek Helio G80)
RAM		8GB
ROM		128GB
mSD		Expandable up to 1TB
Camera		Rear 64MP AF + 8MP + 5MP (Depth) + 5MP (Macro) Front 20MP
OS		Android 11 (One UI 3)
Battery		5,000mAh (15W Fast Charging)
Connectivity		4G LTE
Others		On-Screen Fingerprint Scanner, Face Recognition Unlock, Dolby Atmos™, Gorilla Glass 5,My Filters, AR Emoji, Scene Optimizer, Always-On Display, Bixby
Sim Type		Hybrid Dual SIM
In-Box Items		Travel Adapter (15W), Data Cable (USB Type-C), Clear Cover, Ejection Pin, Quick Start Guide

 

---

^[1] In case the adaptive brightness is set ‘On’ in the setting. When the display is exposed to over 20,000 lux as recognized by the brightness sensor of the phone, such as under environments with lots of ambient light or direct sunlight, it may increase up to 800nits brightness. The brightness values measured by the sensor may differ depending on the angle of light

^[2] Galaxy A32 (SM-A325)'s display received Eye Care Certification by SGS based on its ability to reduce the harmful effects of blue light. This certification can be found on https://www.sgs.com.

^[3] RAM and internal memory capacity may vary by country. Actual storage available may vary depending on pre-installed software. MicroSD card sold separately.

^[4] All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice.