Win a vivo Y76 when you shop at XTREME Appliances this Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale

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Shopping malls will be jam-packed with Filipino Christmas shoppers as we feel the holiday breeze. Filipinos definitely enjoy giving gifts and may even be considered obligatory. But if we think of it, it will always be rooted in love, kindness, and appreciation.

That’s why it can be said that the spirit of gift-giving can be expressed in different ways and there are options to help you ease the burden of dealing with a huge swarm of people in congested shopping malls. It’s best to consider shopping online to avoid this and even catch the best deals with discounts and other vouchers.

XTREME Appliances, the country’s leading one-stop-shop appliances brand, has just declared that it will be taking part in Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale where you can save up to P16,000! You can seize this opportunity to buy gifts for your loved ones to make them satisfied this holiday season! Enjoy Free Cashback Coins and Free Shipping Vouchers up to P6,000 from December 12 to 15.

Shop and win Y76 vivo phone

This Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale, aside from shopping for your dream appliances, customers can also have a chance to win a brand new Y76 vivo phone.

Mechanics:

1. Buy any XTREME Appliances items on Shopee from December 12, 2021 (12:00 AM) until December 15, 2021 (11:59 PM).

2. Earn a raffle entry for the shop & win a phone promo. One (1) product purchase is equivalent to one (1) raffle entry. Successful orders only will be eligible.

3. One lucky 12.12 shopper will take home a brand new Y76 vivo phone! The announcement of the winner is on December 30, 2021.

The Y76 vivo phone is a perfect choice for both vloggers and gaming enthusiasts. It has an expandable RAM + AI Editor fit for content creation and boasts an Ultra Game Mode 2.0 plus a fast charging feature that are relevant factors for ML and other mobile gamers. For only Php 16,999, you can choose between two available colors — Midnight Space and Cosmic Aura.  #vivoY76 #ShareYourMoments

This Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas sale, Y76 vivo phone will be priced at Php15,999 plus 500 off voucher + freebies (Baseus power bank & BT premium speaker).

Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale Cheat Sheet

On the other hand, to help you with your shopping spree this Christmas, the leading appliances brand has provided you with a cheat sheet you can use for this coming Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale.

For those who would love to use this time to both gift and prepare holiday meals, XTREME Appliances has gas ranges, range hoods, microwave ovens, deep fryers, air fryers, and gas stoves. Shop other kitchen essentials like refrigerators, water dispensers, and coffee machines because hanging out in the kitchen has never been so fun. Level up your laundry using XTREME Cool washing machines and experience premium quality even when dealing with your dirty clothes.

Cool off and feel the Christmas breeze with XTREME Home electric fans and XTREME Cool air conditioners, both split and window types because holidays are best served when cold. Lastly, entertain yourselves with the brand’s high-quality televisions — their LED TVs and Android TVs. Enjoy the high-definition picture and dynamic sound quality and indulge yourselves with the ambiance of cinemas in the comfort of your own home.

To keep updated on the latest news and happenings of XTREME Appliances, like and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok accounts and join their official online community on Facebook, XTREME Fam. For the full list of products and exclusive discounts, please visit XTREME on Website, Lazada, and Shopee e-commerce.

Barbie Imperial is New Rainmaker Games Ambassador

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The world of play-to-earn (P2E) gaming has exploded in popularity as millions of people from all around the globe, particularly in the Philippines, become more interested to play and earn at the same time. P2E games give users the opportunity to earn money while playing, making them an enticing and effective way to obtain income.

While some well-known P2E games require the purchase of prohibitively expensive nonfungible tokens (NFTs) in order to play, Will Deane and Victor Tan founded Rainmaker Games, a free global platform that gives users easy access to hundreds of P2E games.

Born from a gaming guild and now partnered with big brands such as Polygon Studios, Rainmaker Games is the first platform that allows users to join the play-to-earn ecosystem for free, letting them learn and connect like never before with gamers and guilds worldwide. Gamers of all levels get to seamlessly switch between games, manage earnings, chat, and learn – all within the Rainmaker Games platform.

As the P2E community in the Philippines continues to grow, Rainmaker Games officially welcomes Filipina actress and online gaming enthusiast Barbie Imperial as the global P2E platform’s newest celebrity ambassador.

Even before she started live streaming, Barbie was known to play various video games such as Call of Duty, NBA, Rules of Survival (ROS), PUBG, and Mobile Legends. Recently, she shared her newest venture: P2E games involving cryptocurrency.

In an interview with Rainmaker Games’ Christine Aringo, Barbie expressed her gratitude and shared, “Kung kailangan nila ng magtuturo sa kanila, dito talaga sa Rainmaker Games maraming mag-cocoach sa’yo. Tinuturuan talaga yung mga gustong sumali kung paano talaga ma-iinvest yung pera ng maayos.” [If they need someone who will teach them, they can definitely find that here in Rainmaker Games. There are people who will coach you and teach you how to invest your money properly.]

Join the play-to-earn revolution with Barbie Imperial and become part of the world’s fastest growing P2E gamers’ community on the Rainmaker Games platform. 

Get a chance to win exciting prizes by following the Rainmaker Games Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/RainmakerDAO/ or through their P2E gaming community on Discord: ttps://dsc.gg/rainmaker and Telegram: https://t.me/rainmakergames. 

For more information on Rainmaker Games, visit https://rmg.io. Let Rainmaker Games welcome you to the future of P2E gaming. Let’s make it rain!

Shopee Brand Ambassadors Dingdong and Zia Dantes Share What’s On Their Wishlist This Christmas

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Here’s what the celebrity father-and-daughter tandem will be getting for themselves at Shopee’s 12.12 Big Christmas Sale

Like most Pinoys, the Dantes family considers Christmas to be the most exciting time of the year. The fun gifts, heaping noche buena table, festive carols, mood-boosting decor, and, of course, the company of people they hold dear—it’s definitely the season everyone looks forward to.

To prepare for an intimate Christmas celebration at home with their loved ones, here’s what Shopee’s newest brand ambassadors, Dingdong and Zia Dantes, plan to get this year at the 12.12 Big Christmas Sale:

Don’t limit your holiday decor to the Christmas tree—dress up the rest of your house as well! Dingdong recommends giving your work or study table a festive look with this Christmas Snowglobe. Kids will love looking at the cute bears and shaking up the snowflake confetti too.

Get your kids excited for Santa’s arrival by hanging up these adorable Christmas Stockings, perfect for small toys and candies. “Remind them to stay nice during the holidays so they can look forward to awesome gifts from Santa!” adds Zia.

“We all love eating noche buena, pero let’s face it, preparing several meals for the whole family can get stressful,” says Dingdong. Enjoy a hassle-free noche buena by getting a hamper. This Christmas Hamper includes sun dried tomatoes, pesto, pasta, fruit in syrup, cheese, and wafer cubes.

Zia loves all things pink—which is why this Pink Doll is on top of her Christmas wish list! This cute doll features moveable joints and comes with a pink dress and pink bow to match her gorgeous hair.

Dingdong looks forward to enjoying good coffee over the holidays. These Premium Cordillera Coffee bags are guaranteed fresh from the mountains of Cordillera, and come in variants such as Sagada Dark Roast, Benguet Blend, and more.

Discover holiday gifts, decor, and more at Shopee’s 12.12 Big Christmas Sale: https://shopee.ph/m/christmas-sale. Enjoy big discounts on your purchase with promos such as free shipping with no minimum spend, ₱1 Deals, and 10% off daily.

Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

Moms overcome "nutri-problems" for their kids by giving them “Lakas at Talas”

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Nutrition has always been a pressing issue, especially now when families are becoming more vulnerable to health and economic problems. During these trying times, the resiliency shown by moms has inspired Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink team in conducting a survey to better understand their nutrition needs and issues encountered by their families during the pandemic.

The survey was conducted among members of the MOMs of Alaska (MOMAs) Facebook community, a group for moms who are dedicated in providing their children proper nutrition. And while providing nutrition remains one of their priorities, the survey has found that it has taken a back seat to more urgent concerns like supporting the family’s finances, budgeting limited earnings for food, health and safety necessities, juggling family responsibilities, and the like.

The survey received responses from nearly 300 moms from different walks of life such as housewives, call center agents, online sellers, teachers, vendors and many more. Majority of the respondents shared that budgeting concerns regarding groceries, health essentials and bills have made it harder to provide nutrition for their families. Half of the respondents have struggled with losing their jobs and a fifth of them struggle with balancing their family responsibilities.

In these trying times, Jenevev, a street food vendor and mother of two described her priorities. “Kahit na sa panahon ng pandemya, dapat hindi kaligtaan ang kalusugan ng pamilya. Kaya sinisigurado ko po na palaging wasto ang sustansyang nakukuha ng mga anak ko” (“Even during the pandemic, we shouldn’t neglect our family’s health. That’s why I make sure that my children receive the nutrition they need”), Jenevev shared.

She isn't the only one from the MOMAs community that feels this way. In these exceptional circumstances, Jonalene, a housewife and mother of two struggles to provide sufficient nutrition for her children due to lack of financial capability.

“Kahit mahirap i-budget ang PHP 100 a day, sinusubukan ko pa din bigyan ang mga anak ko ng masusustansyang pagkain tulad ng gulay. Simpleng ginisang gulay ay ayos na” (“Even though it’s difficult to budget PHP 100 a day, I still try to find ways to give my children healthy food like vegetables. A simple stir-fried vegetable dish is enough”), says Jonalene.

Most of the respondents agree with this sentiment. Out of the 94% of respondents who consider providing proper nutrition for their families a top priority, 66.3% don’t have the means to afford the nutritional meals they aspire for. On top of these problems, the pandemic continues to change the lifestyles and consumer habits of families everywhere. 81.3% of respondents prioritize pandemic essentials like face masks and alcohol in their spending over other products, making it even harder for moms to allocate time and budget for nutrition.

Regardless of these challenges, moms want their children to be healthy and grow properly, understanding how vital it is to take care of their health in today's world. As moms, they always want what’s best for their kids, giving their all to nurture and nourish them, and providing them with the proper guidance to live a healthy life. As a result, moms are finding ways to put their children's health and development first.

Moms from the MOMAs community try their best to create a healthy environment at home. More than half of the respondents (68.2%) have made it a habit to prepare nutritious meals within their budget, while others (66.3%) have started doing family exercises together. And luckily, more moms (79.8%) have found a way to solve their nutri-problems by buying affordable nutritional drinks like milk to help give their children the added nutrition they need on top of healthy meals.

Arlene, an online working mom of two from the MOMAs community, shared, “Bilang ina, lagi kong inuuna ang wastong nutrisyon para sa aking mga anak, kaya parte ng araw-araw naming pamumuhay ang pagbibigay ng masustansyang pagkain at pagpapainom ng mga bitamina na may iba’t-ibang benipisyo para sa nutrisyon. Kaya naman malaking tulong ang affordable na gatas tulad ng Alaska na may maraming nutrients at benefits para sa kalusugan ng mga anak ko” (“As a mom, I always prioritize providing proper nutrition to my children, so part of what I do for them is giving healthy food and vitamins with many nutritional benefits. This is why affordable milk like Alaska is a big help to me, as it is filled with nutrients and health benefits for my kids”).

Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink has been continuously nourishing Filipino families, and with the findings from this survey and the determination shown by moms all over the country to provide what’s best for their children, the brand aims to bring nutrition even closer to every Filipino.

The survey has made it clear that children’s health and nutrition is a concern that has become more pronounced with the pandemic. In line with its mission to make quality nutrition more affordable, Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink wants to continue providing “Alagang Alaska” and nourishing every Filipino family to help them through these trying times.

To assist moms in providing nutrition to their families, Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink is launching its most affordable pack to date, with “Lakas at Talas” benefits to help with body and brain development. The Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink “Super Sulit Pack” is available at 300g for PHP 70 and contains protein, calcium, and vitamin D for “lakas” which helps with healthy body development, and choline and iodine for “talas” which helps with brain development and growth. Paired with a healthy and well-balanced morning meal, Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink provides nourishment in a delicious drink that kids can enjoy during breakfast.

With the launch of the ‘Super Sulit Pack’, Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink shows its commitment to providing affordable yet quality nutrition to Filipino families. For just the price of PHP 70, Alaska continues to nourish our children through a tasty and nutritious drink in the morning.

Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink is available in Shopee, Lazada, leading supermarkets and grocery stores nationwide, and is even more affordable with the 300g “Super Sulit Pack” for only Php 70 SRP. For more information on Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink, visit www.alaskamilk.com and www.facebook.com/alaskamilkph.

Globe Innoverse: Non-stop innovation for customers to strengthen care and compassion

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Bringing together all its powerful innovations, the Wonderful World of Globe presents the Globe INNOVERSE (Innovation Universe). Showcasing Globe’s transformation into The Globe Group - a digital solutions platform with a footprint in fintech, healthcare, entertainment, adtech, e-commerce, manpower, IT services, and venture capital.

INNOVERSE highlights the Globe Group’s vast ecosystem of technologies made to uplift the lives of its customers. It shows how the Globe Group has reshaped the Filipino digital life, empowering people with a richer connected experience. This enables everyone to become the best versions of themselves as they navigate the new digital world.

“When we started 2021, we thought we could already put the pandemic behind us. Unfortunately that wasn't the case. I think we can start having a new perspective that we will just live with this virus. And this is what the Globe Innoverse is all about - a universe of non-stop innovation to serve our customers better, make them feel valued, and with digital technologies, enable them to live a better life,” said Ernest Cu, Globe President and CEO.

The Globe INNOVERSE tour looks at the new Filipino digital life and how digital solutions have solved pain points in different sectors like education, health, finance, leisure-tainment, productivity, business, and digital readiness, among others.

Life-enabling solutions

917Ventures, for instance, brings convenience and life-enabling solutions for both customers and businesses. Its e-wallet service provider GCash leads the fintech space serving 51 million users and growing. KonsultaMD has grown to be the country’s largest telehealth company, while HealthNow has developed to be the leading healthcare integrator in the Philippines.

For the larger start-up community, Kickstart Ventures invests in Pre-Series A to C digital businesses to help them achieve scale and profitability. Kickstart manages over USD 240 million dollars worth of aggregated assets.

Connectivity at home or on-the-go

Globe Mobile and Globe At Home customers also experience innovative and value-for-money plans and promos for reliable and stronger connectivity. TM, for one, celebrates its loyal customer base as it hits its 20th anniversary and Globe Prepaid rolls out its latest affordable data promos. Both Globe Prepaid and TM’s newest products can be exclusively accessed via the GlobeOne app for hassle-free top-ups and subscriptions. GlobeOne now conveniently accepts GCash, as well as credit and debit cards.

Exclusive to the GlobeOne App, TM customers can check out EZ90 for ALLNET CALLS as well as ALLNET Doble FunAliw20 and 70 that comes with free content offers from apps like Facebook, Mobile Legends, YouTube, and Tiktok. Globe Prepaid on the other hand can register to their favorite Go50, Go90, and Go+99 or try UNLIGO. UNLIGO gives users unlimited access to their favorite apps whether for videos, games, or social media.

Globe Postpaid also launched GPLAN Plus with bigger data allocations. Leftover GBs may also be converted to Globe Rewards points to claim perks in entertainment, wellness, and can even be donated to charitable organizations. All GPlan Plus plans also come with free unlimited 5G for 6 months along with unlimited all-net texts and calls to mobile and landline numbers.

At home, families can stay connected for just P999 with the Globe At Home Prepaid WIFI. Powered by ultra-fast LTE, the home prepaid WIFI lets the whole family stay connected with promos like HOMESHARE 199 with 25GB of data that can be used for online schooling, working from home, or watching and playing their favorite movies and games. Globe At Home postpaid customers also get a holiday treat with the Globe at Home FIBER Plans made more affordable with P300 off for 12 months.

Putting a premium on care and compassion

The Globe Group’s digital transformation continues and 2022 is another year for even more innovations. Alongside these are the many ways by which the group takes care of its customers and addresses their needs and concerns through various platforms.

GlobeOne app now has upgraded features giving customers the flexibility to manage and monitor their accounts all in one app. Digital assistants are also in place that allows customers to send their customers and receive a call back when necessary. Globe is also expanding its community-based servicing through Viber groups per area or city, to give customers more ways to get in touch with Globe receive assistance.Aside from its digital customer service platforms, Globe also launched the EasyHub - an innovative kiosk that is simple and conveniently divided into SHOP, PAY, and CARE. It provides hassle-free ways to transact with Globe without the need to wait in line.

Securing a sustainable future

As the Globe Group secures the future of a digitally-transformed Philippines, it has also started on the journey to decrease carbon emissions and promote #OneSustainablePH. Globe is the first and so far the only Filipino company that has committed to set science-based targets in limiting global warming within the 1.5-degree scenario by 2030 and achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Creating a Digital Nation

The backbone of Innoverse is Globe’s network, without which people cannot connect and communicate. Globe already exceeded its 2021 target of laying down 1 million fiber lines to Filipino homes, aiming to end the year with 1.4 million lines. As of October, it has constructed 1,080 new cell sites and upgraded 12,900 4G and 5G sites nationwide. The first in Southeast Asia, Globe’s 5G technology continues to expand in areas where 5G is needed.

Globe’s expanded network served up 2730 Petabytes of data traffic to its customers as of the third quarter this year, the highest so far. This is concrete proof of what the Globe network is capable of. KonekTado WiFi was also rolled out in disadvantaged communities at affordable prices ensuring inclusive access to connectivity.

Likewise, Globe takes care of businesses in their digital transformation to achieve growth despite economic uncertainties. Globe Business goes beyond products by continuously empowering large corporations and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.

With all these innovations coming together, The Globe Group offers a spark of hope to its customers that 2022 will be the year to rebound, recover, and regain control of their lives. The Globe Group will continue to deliver what its customers need and more.

Give love this Christmas: Gift your loved ones with Beko appliances

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Christmas is a time for sharing our blessings with others, from family members and close friends to colleagues and even strangers.

Beko understands the spirit of Christmas more than anyone because as Europe’s leading appliance brand, it creates and designs appliances that help make people’s lives easier.

In this time where more people are staying at home for work and school, appliance gifts are very much welcome because they make life more comfortable.

Here are some Beko appliances you can gift to the people who are close to your hearts:

For the condo dweller

The WDB7425R2W is a 7 kg washer and 4 kg dryer, 1200 rpm has the Hygiene+ Wash & Dry Programme that provides ultra-hygienic results at any temperature and a ProSmart Inverter Motor that offers energy efficiency, lower sound levels and higher durability. Meanwhile, the Wash & Wear Programme washes and dries 1 kg of laundry in an hour!

For the single guy who lives alone

The VRT82821BV Cordless Vacuum Cleaner (170 W) has a rechargeable battery and a sleek compact design that makes it easy to store even if your living space is not big.

For the home cook of the family

The BDC6C55Xis a 60 cm, 69 L, 4 vitroceramic hobs multi-functional oven. Halogen Illumination helps you see how your creations are going along without opening the door while the Durable Door supports loads as heavy as 22.5 kg.

For the fastidious homemaker

The GN163122S 640L (22.6 cu.ft.) gross volume has NeoFrost Dual Cooling’s separate cooling systems for each compartment to maintain ideal air flow and optimal temperatures in both the freezer and the fridge. It also has Active Odour Filter that removes odors and bacteria from the cool air circulated in your fridge and Active Fresh Blue Light that help fruit and veg to continue photosynthesizing, preserving vitamin C levels, natural flavours and nutrients in fruits and vegetables and keeping them fresh for up to 30% longer.

For a big family

The WCV10746M is a Steamcure Hygiene+ Washing Machine that has a 10-kg load capacity, 1400 rpm, and 145 wash programs. With Steamcure, it has a steam-infused stain treatment that applies steam to the stain before the wash, softening up dirt and making it easier to remove.

Appliances are also the best prize ideas for Christmas raffles. Beko appliances make good raffle prizes because they are well-designed, durable and practical.

If you're looking for prizes to give away for raffles or gifts for your loved ones, check out https://www.beko.com/ph-en.

Beko launches biggest promo with over Php1M in prizes for the holidays

Beko is no exception as it launches Beko Sends Love This Christmas, where you can win a grand appliance showcase and other exciting prizes all worth more than Php1 million.

The grand prize winner in the raffle wins the Beko Home Appliance Showcase, which includes some of Beko’s best appliances with state-of-the-art technologies to make life easier. The showcase includes a Beko 22.7 cu ft inverter side by side refrigerator (Php61,990), Beko 60 cm wall-mounted hood (Php19,990), Beko 60 cm freestanding cooker with 4 vitroceramic hobs multi-functional oven (Php51,990), Beko10.5 kg frontload washing machine (Php42,990), Beko 8kg air-vented frontload dryer and 1.5HP inverter split-type air conditioner (Php36,990).

Two major prizes of a Beko 22.7 cu. ft. Inverter Side by Side Refrigerator (Php61,990) are also up for grabs. Minor prizes will also be given away to five lucky winners who will be bringing home a Beko 2HP Split-type Airconditioner (Php46,990).

There will also be 12 winners of a Beko 11.1 cu. ft. Inverter Chest Freezer for the mini prize, and consolation prizes for 50 winners of a Beko 2200W Steam Iron, and 30 winners of a Beko 1000W 10-cup Thermo Carafe Coffee Maker.

So how can you join what is Beko’s biggest promo of the year?

Simply purchase any Beko product in a single receipt from All Home, Anson’s, Asian Home, Fair N Square, Goldtech, Greatworld, HAT, Lazada, Robinsons, Savers, Shopee, SM Appliance and Western Appliance from November 15 – December 15, 2021, for a chance to join the raffle promo.

Single receipt purchases of Beko products amounting to Php10,000 and up are entitled to join the raffle. For purchases worth Php10,000 – Php26,000, customers will receive one (1) raffle entry. For purchases worth Php26,001-P40,000, customers will receive two (2) raffle entries. For purchases worth P40,001 and above, customers will receive three (3) raffle entries.

The winners will be announced after the raffle draw on December 17, 2021 at 11am via Zoom with DTI representative. A customer can only win once. Beko Pilipinas Corp. will shoulder the 20% tax for prizes over Php10,000.

Because it's Christmas and it’s the season for loving and sharing, Beko is also giving away 50% discount vouchers on top of the available discount products with freebies on select Beko home appliances for every purchase, so it's a win-win promo for everyone!

Every single receipt purchase entitles the customer to one (1) 50% discount voucher, which they can use on their next purchase. The discount voucher will vary depending on the first purchased product.

Check out http://bekopromos.ph for details about this. Upon purchase, the customer should go to the website to claim the voucher.

For more information, go to http://bekopromos.ph Philippines or visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/bekoph for more details.

ABOUT BEKO

Beko is the global home appliances brand of the Arçelik Group and belongs to the Koç Holding, one of the largest conglomerates in Europe. The brand has been in the Philippine Market for -six years and is currently available in select SM Appliance Centers, Robinsons, All Home, Anson’s, Savers, Great World, Western Appliances, and Manila Imperial Appliances Stores, and Asian Home Appliance Center in Cebu, and in e-commerce partners: Lazada, Household Appliances Trading (hat.com.ph). This year, Beko will be made available soon in other appliance stores nationwide as it continues to expand its distribution to other retail channels. For information, follow @bekoph on Facebook and Instagram or go to http://www.beko.ph.

 

tick, tick...BOOM! Official Soundtrack dazzles with powerhouse performances from star-studded cast

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The songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Netflix film features 17 tracks of musical extravaganza

Sony Music Masterworks has released the official soundtrack to the acclaimed Netflix film, tick, tick… BOOM!—an album containing music from the film adaptation of Jonathan Larson’s autobiographical musical directed by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda.

The soundtrack features songs by Jonathan Larson, who revolutionized theater as the creator of Rent, as performed by the film’s star-studded cast, which includes Academy Award® nominee & Tony Award® winner Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Tony Award® nominee Robin de Jesús, Tony Award® nominee Joshua Henry, Emmy Award® nominee Mj Rodriguez, Emmy Award® winner Bradley Whitford, Grammy® Award winner Tariq Trotter a.k.a. Black Thought of The Roots, with Emmy® and Tony Award® winner Judith Light and Vanessa Hudgens.

Rounding out the 17-track collection are 4 bonus numbers, including a special end credits reprise of “Come To Your Senses” featuring multi-Grammy®-nominated powerhouse singer/songwriter Jazmine Sullivan and a cover version of the previously unreleased Jonathan Larson song, “Only Takes a Few” performed by acclaimed folk band The Mountain Goats.

The soundtrack was produced by Grammy®, Tony® and Emmy® winners Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman along with Kurt Crowley, mixed by Grammy® winner Greg Wells and music supervised by Grammy® winner and Emmy® nominee Steven Gizicki. In addition to the digital release, the album is set to be released in physical formats, with its CD out now and vinyl arriving in 2022, which you can preorder here.

tick, tick...BOOM! which marks the feature directorial debut of Lin-Manuel Miranda, premiered in select theaters on Friday, November 12 and was released globally on Netflix last Friday, November 19.

The film follows Jon (Andrew Garfield), a young theater composer who’s waiting tables at a New York City diner in 1990 while writing what he hopes will be the next great American musical. Days before he’s due to showcase his work in a make-or-break performance, Jon is feeling the pressure from everywhere: from his girlfriend Susan, who dreams of an artistic life beyond New York City; from his friend Michael, who has moved on from his dream to a life of financial security; amidst an artistic community being ravaged by the AIDS epidemic. With the clock ticking, Jon is at a crossroads and faces the question everyone must reckon with: What are we meant to do with the time we have?

tick, tick...BOOM! (SOUNDTRACK FROM THE NETFLIX FILM) TRACKLISTING:

1. 30/90 – Andrew Garfield, Joshua Henry, Vanessa Hudgens, Robin de Jesús, Alexandra Shipp, Mj Rodriguez

2. Boho Days – Andrew Garfield, Robin de Jesús, Alexandra Shipp, Joshua Henry, Vanessa Hudgens

3. Green Green Dress – Joshua Henry

4. No More – Andrew Garfield, Robin de Jesús

5. Johnny Can't Decide – Andrew Garfield, Vanessa Hudgens, Joshua Henry

6. Sunday – Andrew Garfield, The Moondance Diner Ensemble

7. Play Game – Tariq Trotter

8. Therapy – Andrew Garfield, Vanessa Hudgens

9. Swimming – Andrew Garfield, Vanessa Hudgens, Joshua Henry

10. Come to Your Senses – Alexandra Shipp, Vanessa Hudgens

11. Real Life – Robin de Jesús

12. Why – Andrew Garfield

13. Louder Than Words – Andrew Garfield, Vanessa Hudgens, Joshua Henry

14. Come to Your Senses (End Credit Version) – Jazmine Sullivan

15. Green Green Dress (Bonus Track) – Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp

16. Out Of My Dreams (Bonus Track) – Veronica Vasquez

17. Only Takes a Few (Bonus Track) – The Mountain Goats

tick, tick… BOOM! (Netflix film) Official Soundtrack is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Masterworks.

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PLDT Enterprise ramps up campaign to drive MSME recovery

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Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have suffered the worst in the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) showed that the MSME sector in the country had experienced disrupted cash flow, income losses, and temporary business closures, among others.

Despite these, MSMEs have been resilient and adaptive to challenges by continuously reinventing their processes with the help of technology. They have invested in digital solutions to innovate and enable businesses continuity amid mobility restrictions and health protocols.

To pay tribute to the unbreakable spirit of Filipino MSMEs, PLDT Enterprise has been relentless in its initiatives to provide suitable solutions to the sector to boost business recovery. The group now endeavors to extend financial and technological assistance to small-scale entrepreneurs and MSMEs to spur and accelerate their recovery.

Vic Tria, PLDT FVP & Enterprise Revenue Group Head, said that PLDT Enterprise fortifies its resolve to remain as the trusted technology partner of Filipino entrepreneurs and SME owners as they strive to recover from the economic challenges of the pandemic.

"Our urgent priority at PLDT Enterprise is to help MSMEs to get back up and running as community quarantine measures slowly loosen up. Apart from connectivity, we recognize that they also need access to financial assistance technology services that will help them operate and thrive. This is why we're consistently coming up with innovative digital solutions that are within reach and are tailor-fit to their specific needs, so we can help accelerate their recovery and at the same time enhance their resiliency,” Tria said.

Together with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Small Business Corp. (SBCorp.), PLDT Enterprise is supporting MSMEs by facilitating the delivery of assistances in the form of financing, connectivity, digital solutions, and access to upskilling and training.

The group currently offers a “DARE” promo for its BEYOND FIBER solution where MSMEs can avail of the service for only P90 pesos for the first 90 days, with no pre-termination fees within three months upon subscription. BEYOND FIBER is an enterprise-grade fiber powered by the 90-90 Advantage, which provides businesses a boosted minimum speed of 45Mbps or 90% of their subscribed speed at 90% reliability, that ensures the reliability of internet connection at any time of the day.

PLDT Enterprise also extended discounted GigaWork plans via BizLoad and a slew of curated digital solutions such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Shopify, and PayMaya payment solutions to allow MSMEs to transact online.

Additionally, PLDT Enterprise has also been empowering business owners with the latest industry insights through its TechTalk Learning Series, #Unbreakable Tuesdays with DTI, and ongoing virtual workshops with GoNegosyo called #UnbreakableMSMEs series.

“We at PLDT Enterprise assure our MSME partners of our unbreakable commitment to provide relevant solutions suitable for their online requirements. We commit to assist and guide our MSMEs in their digital transformation to help them recover as we look forward to a better business climate in the near future,” added Chito Franco, PLDT Enterprise Vice President for Small and MicroBiz.

For more information, visit pldtenterprise.com. #

UnionBank wins big at the 2021 Asian Technology Excellence Awards

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The bank secured the Philippines Technology Excellence Awards for E-Commerce - Financial Technology and AI - Financial Technology categories.

UnionBank once again proved to be the Philippines’ leading digital trailblazer after winning awards for E-Commerce - Financial Technology and AI – Financial Technology categories at the Asian Technology Excellence Awards 2021. The bank was recognized for its responsive efforts to assist e-commerce of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) during the pandemic.

The bank won their E-Commerce - Financial Technology award for the successful launch of the Sentro Online Store Builder, a project aimed to help Philippine MSMEs launch their own online stores in the fastest and easiest way possible. The said project was conceptualized by the Bank’s fintech spinoff UBX, before the pandemic hit in 2019, but became more timely as more businesses moved their transactions online.

“When the pandemic hit, going online was no longer an option but a necessity. We decided to push our launch up as we knew that the Philippines needed us more than ever,” said John Januszczak, UBX President and CEO.

The key features of Sentro Online Store Builder were the integration of payment and logistic services to its banking features. These features enabled its users to have a smoother deal within the platform and have their transactions monitored in just one system.

“We made sure to pre-integrate payments and logistics services into Sentro so MSMEs would not have to think about who and how to integrate these necessary services. Because of our intimate understanding of the pain points of MSMEs, we were able to quickly sign up over 30,000 users,” Januszczak explained.

UBX aims to follow through with the initial success of the project and plans to add more logistics partners. It also aims to launch a Marketplace that comprises all stores built on the Sentro platform.

UBX also recognized that the success of the project for small-scale enterprises could be replicated and multiplied on a larger scale. This moved the company into helping the Philippines’ first Wedding Expo Organizer, Themes, and Motifs, take their physical expos online. The positive outcome of the expo then led to the launch of TheBridalMarketplace.com – The First and Only Wedding Marketplace in the Philippines.

“We soon realized that it was not just MSMEs that needed help going online. Larger enterprises, such as mall operators, event organizers, professional associations and many more, needed their businesses to get online... We currently have a long pipeline of businesses looking to launch their own marketplaces and we plan to go live with several more before year-end,” UBX said.

Meanwhile, the second award of UnionBank for the AI - Financial Technology category was earned for their innovative approach in revamping loan processing in the country through the SeekCap Alternative Credit Scoring Model.

SeekCap uses a technologically advanced credit scoring system that integrates the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to create a risk-based lending approach. For UnionBank, this new system is the future of banking and shall overcome traditional limitations of the past. Through the implementation of this innovative system, UnionBank was able to manage risks better and offer loans in a more efficient manner to a wider range of individuals and small businesses—that profoundly needed lifelines during the uncertain pandemic economy.

“Most of the time, traditional credit and risk assessment methods simply assess loan applicants using hard-coded, preset rules, sometimes unfairly ruling out potential loan prospects. This is why we developed the new AI-powered credit scoring models. These credit scoring models intelligently and autonomously go through the application, alternative, and external data to create a more holistic, comprehensive profile of loan applicants with insights into customer behavior and needs,” said David Hardoon, UnionBank’s Senior Advisor for Data and Artificial Intelligence.

Hardoon explained that SeekCap helped both parties in multiple ways. It not only empowered previously underserved groups to have access to products and services that were not available through older conventional means, but it also increased the rate of efficiency of the banking process.

“Our new model is now giving us a monthly average approval rate of 54% - nearly double the performance of our old process. Overall, our loans services have generated over US$5 million (over P280 million) in new loans with low delinquency rates. In terms of customer experience, the loan approval process can take as short as one day if no issue is found in the application,” Hardoon explained.

UnionBank will receive the awards at the 2021 Technology Excellence Awards, the most prestigious awards programme in the region dedicated to technological projects and innovations. The award-giving body aims to recognize exceptional companies that are riding the digital disruption wave and leading the technological revolution and digital transformation journeys in their respective industries.

#MaxiCares: Maxicare Healthcare Corporation Donates Flu Vaccines to Orphanages across PH

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True to its mission of serving Filipinos through quality healthcare, leading HMO provider Maxicare Healthcare Corporation reached out to orphanages and non-profit organizations across the Philippines to give free flu vaccines.

Vaccines against the common flu were donated to CRIBS Foundation, Virlanie Foundation Inc., Tahanan ng Pagmamahal, and several others, by Maxicare through its #MaxiCares program.

“Our current public health crisis underscored our commitment to provide the best possible healthcare services to Filipinos. This commitment isn’t limited to our members and stakeholders alone but likewise extends to the underprivileged and marginalized,” said Archie Rillo, Chief Marketing Officer of Maxicare Healthcare Corporation.

Aligning its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), specifically UNSDG 3: Health and Well-being, the company started #MaxiCares to ensure that more Filipinos live healthy lives and encourage well-being for all ages by supporting relevant organizations and communities across the Philippines.

Gift of gratitude

At the height of the pandemic when mobility was limited and everyone was encouraged to stay at home, orphanages in the Philippines had a challenging time. They had to close their doors and set up bubbles to protect the children under their care. This proved to be a daunting task as most of the organizations relied on aid to sustain their services.

“The pandemic and lockdowns limited our movements in doing our face-to-face work especially in the street and community programs. We opted to stop the ongoing livelihood training, visitation, and other activities for the safety of everyone,” said Arlyne Fernandez, Virlanie Foundation Executive Director.

Virlanie Foundation, Inc. is a private, non-profit and non-sectarian organization reaching out to marginalized children and communities in the Philippines. They provide the most disadvantaged children with a caring family environment, opportunities for their healing and development through a multi-disciplinary approach, and in collaboration with all stakeholders, so they can reach their full potential and mainstream to society.

Since its creation in 1992 by the French social worker Dominique Lemay, Virlanie has helped more than 17,000 children in need of special protection through its various programs and services.

During the lockdowns, one of the main concerns of the Virlanie Foundation administrators was to ensure the health and safety of those under their care.

“The biggest challenge for us is the impact of the pandemic on the children – physical, mental, and social. We had to make adjustments on the online and modular schooling, doctors’ check-up and therapy, socialization, and extracurricular activities. We had to adapt as an organization to transition everything online and implement health and safety protocols across our programs. It was a big adjustment, but thankfully our staff and partners were very supportive,” added Arlyn.

Through Maxicare’s flu vaccine donation, Virlanie Foundation was able to continue providing healthcare to children in need.

“Maxicare’s flu vaccine donation helped Virlanie in providing prevention and care to improve the general well-being of the children especially in the time of pandemic. We hope this partnership will continue so we can help more children in need.”

#MaxiCares

Maxicare Healthcare Corporation, one of the pioneers in the health Maintenance Organization (HMO) industry, was established in 1987 by an esteemed group of doctors and businessmen with the vision to deliver a better healthcare system for the Philippines.

More than three decades later, Maxicare has progressed into becoming the leading HMO provider in the Philippines, servicing over 1.6 million members across the country.

Driven by its vision to serve and provide value to its customers and the Filipino community, Maxicare remains passionate and dedicated to its mission of helping people achieve peace of mind and giving the finest healthcare service - - extending this commitment to vulnerable and in-need Filipinos in different communities across the country, through its CSR programs.

“#MaxiCARES is a testament to our commitment to be every Filipino’s partner in healthcare. Our commitment to help people live their best lives is not just limited to our members, but extends to the rest of the Filipino community as well.” said Archie Rillo, Chief Marketing Officer of Maxicare Healthcare Corporation.

#MaxiCares is a CSR program of Maxicare Healthcare Corporation Inc.

To know more about Maxicare Healthcare Corporation, visit www.facebook.com/maxicarehealthcarecorp

AirAsia Philippines soars with Unbreakable Commitment to remain resilient amid crisis

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Airlines world over continue to look at ways to overcome the significant challenges brought by the on-going effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The restrictions on international and domestic travel caused ripples of setbacks which necessitates collaboration among industry players to enable themselves to bounce back stronger. 

For AirAsia Philippines, their struggles from the pandemic prompted them to renew their unbreakable commitment to serve their guests despite turbulent times. No matter how dark the clouds seem during the flight, there is always a silver lining amid the storm.

“I shall never forget March 19, 2020. There was a total lockdown; all flights were canceled, and the airports were closed. It was tough…We know that it will take us two to three months to get back our commercial flights, thus we have to be agile,” said AirAsia Philippines Chief Executive Officer Ricky Isla. 

The company immediately implemented multi-layered approaches to safety, such as enforcing rigorous sanitation processes on the ground, inside the aircraft,  equipping their ground staff, pilots, and cabin crew with protective equipment, thermal screening, and implementing strict social distancing, among others.

“The most important question that our passengers would always challenge us is, is it safe to ride in an aircraft considering that you’re close to your seatmate? But to us, we made sure that there’s proper education regarding our Highly Efficient Particulate Air Filtration process. Because of that, we were able to rebuild immediately the confidence of our passengers to fly…” Isla noted. 

While commercial flights are still recovering, AirAsia shifted to chartered flights for both passengers and cargo. In partnership with various government agencies, AirAsia safely mounted chartered repatriation flights among Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to help them return to their provinces to reunite with their families. They also accommodated chartered trips to transport personal protective equipment (PPEs) and medical supplies to the country, which are essential for medical front liners in the fight against COVID-19.

The volatile climate did not prevent the business from seeing the silver lining on the horizon. In fact, it opened doors of opportunities for growth and expansion as it launched airasiaSuper App, the fastest growing digital, travel, and lifestyle platform that features not only flights but flights plus hotel bundles under snap, unlimited deals, cargo and logistics venture Teleport and soon more offerings that will cater to the growing eCommerce business in the Philippines.

AirAsia augmented their customer services to better assist the concerns of their guests through an efficient customer interface to address queries on changing traveling requirements effectively.. They also adopted contactless solutions to seamlessly verify passenger information through FACES, a facial recognition technology pioneered, developed and operated by AirAsia which will replace boarding passes and make traveling in the new normal better, convenient and unique. 

This was made possible by having a reliable partner who provided them with the necessary support in embracing technology to adapt to the new normal. PLDT Enterprise, through its ICT arm ePLDT, supported AirAsia in providing exceptional customer experience to their patrons. Through its slew of digital solutions, AirAsia was able to uphold its unbreakable commitment to keeping its customers satisfied despite all the regulations they need to follow.

“During this pandemic, we made sure that PLDT Enterprise was with us the whole time. They provided AirAsia with a very well-managed Emergency Disaster Hotline Service, through ePLDT, which is powered by Curo Teknika,” Isla said.

 Moreover, with the launch of the AirAsia Super App in the Philippines, they expanded their presence in providing a comprehensive travel experience to passengers, as they now also assist other travel necessities, including bookings for hotel and medical requirements, shopping, and activities, among others.

“AirAsia is known to be a disruptor in the industry. With the help of our Malaysian group and all other subsidiaries in Indonesia, Thailand, and Japan, we transformed into a digital airline company.; we are now more than just an airline,” Isla added.

“Marami pong salamat sa ePLDT. The service aims to support a full online customer service delivery for AirAsia and it's complete with all the digital platforms which are conducive to our customers to address all their needs even beyond post pandemic. And we will continue to build this up aside from our AVA (Allstar Virtual Assistant); we will make sure that our ePLDT powered by Curo Teknika is with us the whole time,” Isla highlighted.

“We are very happy that we shall be keeping this partnership with PLDT Enterprise as we progress and move forward to a better pandemic-free future.” 

PLDT Enterprise’s Unbreakable Commitment campaign highlights its collaboration with businesses and organizations in the country to demonstrate how creating partnerships has helped companies succeed amid various challenges and in turn, contribute to the lives of Filipinos.

The campaign also reinforces PLDT Enterprise’s unbreakable commitment to empowering organizations through technology.

“PLDT Enterprise is a reliable partner that companies can depend on for technologies that will empower their business to overcome the limitations of face-to-face transactions. During these times, companies are left with no choice but to go digital and it is our unbreakable commitment in PLDT Enterprise to value their trust by delivering solutions that will take their business to greater heights,” said Jojo Gendrano, FVP and Head for PLDT and Smart Enterprise.

PLDT Enterprise and ePLDT have been instrumental to companies including AirAsia Philippines. as it takes off on its journey to business recovery. The times have been turbulent, and the skies have been dark, but with the help of the right partner who catapulted the business to reach its goals, the business found boundless opportunities onboard. 

Watch AirAsia’s interview here: https://youtu.be/cFtMyPLSkuk

For more information, visit pldtenterprise.com.