Four OPM acts to thrill audiences in election sorties

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Young, talented and crowd-drawing Original Pilipino Music (OPM) acts present a quality, cost-effective investment for any candidate during the election campaign.  These four acts are a glimpse of the future of the Philippine music industry.

These four have been making waves across all media platforms. We’re talking about rock bands Letter Day Story; and Line of 7; balladeer-songwriter Myrus; and  boy band 1:43 (pronounced as “one forty-three”). 

LETTER DAY STORY, composed of rockers Aldrick “Dex” Yu, John Oliver “Oli” Agustin,  Chrisanthony “Not” Vinzons, and Emil Joseph “EJ” Arabit, won the Best Rock/Alternative Recording trophy at the 2012 Awit Awards for their song “Save Me.” They won over the other nominees, who are all more established and highly-respected bands and solo artists.

Their latest digital single, “Maiwang Mag-isa” written by Agustin is currently receiving a lot of airplay over radio stations nationwide.

Earlier, Letter Day Story also won at the 2010 Awit Awards for their song “Martilyo,” which they recorded with Gloc-9, also for Best Rock/Alternative Recording.

They’ve recorded 11 singles that all made it to the Pinoy MYX Countdown. They released three albums namely “Sulat Aral Kuwento,” “Sama-Sama,” and “Breakaway” all from Sony Music. Likewise, they endorsed brands including Revicon Forte, Mossimo, Vans and AXN.

They’ve also appeared in many TV shows including “Umagang Kay Ganda”, “Unang Hirit”, “Music Uplate @ ABS-CBN” and have performed in major shows organized by MTV, MYX, and Alliance Francais (Fete dela Musique).

MYRUS, who delighted listeners with his remake of the 1970s love song “Sayang” (originally by Claire dela Fuente) has reinvented himself from being one of our most favorite romantic balladeers into one of the country’s most sought-after singer-songwriters.

In 2012, Myrus has released a critically acclaimed album titled “Wanted: Just Alive” featuring his original compositions “Pusong Lito” and “Sige Na Nga.” An intriguing song about being torn between two beloved, “Pusong Lito” became a monster hit and was named as the No 5 most popular OPM song in 2012 by the Philippine Music Charts. It was also used as a soundtrack of Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) Teen Edition in ABS-CBN and its official music video and lyric videos has garnered over 10 million views in Youtube so far.

In a few weeks, the public will hear three of Myrus’ compositions as soundtracks of the most anticipated primetime soaps in ABS-CBN. His original composition for his co-talents 1:43, “Sa Isang Sulyap Mo” will be one of the soundtracks of Coco Martin’s new fantaserye “Juan dela Cruz” while “Pusong Lito” and his new hit single “Hiling” will be included in Angeline Quinto’s romantic comedy soap, “Kahit Konting Pagtingin.”

Myrus has proven himself not only as a singer, songwriter, vocal arranger, producer and creative artist but also as an effective and dedicated advocate for the local music industry. He earned everyone’s respect as an OPM activist during his stint as the Project Head of “Tunog Natin.” In December, Myrus was declared as a UH Morning Star by the GMA-7 morning show, “Unang Hirit.”

Myrus is acclaimed as “The Sentimental Prince of OPM” because of his romantic flair and smooth vocals. He has won prestigious awards including a Gold Record for his debut album “Love Cycle” under Sony Music, an ASAP 24K Artist Award, the Top Entertainment Award for Best RnB Artist and nominations in the 2010 Awit Awards and the First Philippine Radio Music Awards.

1:43 (ONE FORTY-THREE) is currently the hottest and most popular boy band in the Philippines, and they have steadily and impressively expanded their fan base in just two years.

The 1:43 hit, “Sa Isang Sulyap Mo” has topped numerous year-end music charts of 2012 and the song’s music video was hailed as one of the Most Viral Videos of 2012 according to YouTube Philippines. To date, its official music video, reposts and lyric videos have received over 30 million views on Youtube. It is also one of the most downloaded songs in MyMusicStore, Videokeman, iTunes Philippines, and Sun Cellular and ranked No 2 in the Philippine Music Charts tally for 2012, next to Gloc-9’s “Sirena.”

The best thing about 1:43 is that they are living proof that Filipino talents can successfully hold their own against the K-Pop fever. Their powerful mass appeal led to their guestings in “ASAP,” “KrisTV,” and in “Sarah G” to name a few. 1:43 have been declared as one of the UH Morning Stars of the GMA-7 morning show, “Unang Hirit”.

Composed of Anjo Resurreccion; Goldmon Aquino; Kent Malunda; and Yuki Sakamoto have recorded two albums-- “Time for Love” and “Sa Isang Sulyap Mo” under MCA Music and were included in OPM compilation albums “Tunog Natin: Songs from Home” and “40 Most Requested Love Songs.” They have been nominated twice in the Awit Awards for Best Christmas Song and Best New Group.

The boys of 1:43 are expected to duplicate their success in 2012 with the chart-topping single “Halika Na” and numerous product endorsements line-up.

LINE OF 7 is composed of four good looking and exceptionally talented young musicians-- Argee Golding (lead vocals), a Taekwondo athlete from the University of Santo Tomas; Alex Dieudonne (vocals/ lead guitars), a Filipino-French pastry chef who finished a culinary program in Le Cordon Bleu Dusit, Thailand; Seth Torralba (bass), a multimedia arts student from the DLSU-College of St. Benilde; and Matt Ong (drums); a campus heartthrob.

A winning mix of the boy band and pop band formula, the boys of Line of 7 are the perfect fit for the young, free-spirited, fun-loving, and carefree Filipino audiences today. Their first single, “Langit,” is set to be released in March 2013.

The band’s name, Line of 7,  is a funny pun on the academic standing of students:  the expression “Line of seven” refers to the (barely) passing grade given to students by their teachers. When it comes to pop-rock music, however, Line of 7 have a cum laude-level of standing as they give life and expression to the youth’s dreams and aspirations, resonating a youthful vibe and appeal.

With the popularity of foreign musical acts in the Philippines, it’s inspiring to know that there are still original Filipino acts like these four, that are going strong and holding up high the banner for OPM. Their Filipino cultural appeal makes them ideal talents for any election sortie.

For bookings, please contact their manager, Chris Cahilig at 09063079035/ or email him at chriscahilig2011@gmail.com.

“The Walking Dead” resumes explosive third season on Fox this Feb 16

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Catch the much anticipated premiere of the The Walking Dead 3 part 2 on FOX Philippines, February 16 at 8:55 PM!

Leaving loads of nail-biting cliffhangers for loyal viewers as it went on its mid-season hiatus, “The Walking Dead” Season 3 returns to Fox Philippines on Feb 16 at 8:55 PM. 

Fans of the hit TV series about a hardy group of survivors of the zombie apocalypse are expecting an all-out war to explode on their screens at the premiere and will tune in to see what happens when different aspects of human nature clash in a world with little hope left in it.

“The Walking Dead” chronicles the lives of a motley band of stragglers who somehow survived the onslaught of a zombie apocalypse and were brought together by desperation and the will to live in a new, terrible world.

The group is led by Officer Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln, who fully embraces his role as chief after the events of the previous seasons, having been forced time and again to question the motives of his people and discern what decisions to make in order for them to survive. 

At the onset of Season 3, the group, composed of his wife Lori, his son Carl, Herschel and his daughters Maggie and Beth, and original members Daryl, Glenn, Carol and T-Dog, desperately looks to Rick to determine their next move, and he lays down the law by declaring that their priority is to find a semi-permanent shelter where they can recover safely. Meanwhile, Andrea is found and cared for by the rogue self-styled warrior Michonne when she is separated from the group as they flee the walker-infested farm.

The first half of Season 3 was relentless in revealing one shocking development after another. In their quest to find a safe haven, Rick and his group encounter numerous dangers as they fight to claim an abandoned prison full of walkers. The story also followed Michonne and Andrea’s adventure in parallel, who stumble upon a thriving community of survivors led by someone who calls himself “The Governor”, played by David Morrissey. Andrea and Michonne find themselves seduced by the order that The Governor has imposed on the community, which offers a life similar to the days before the zombie apocalypse. But soon after their arrival, they encounter the sinister truth behind the community’s success.

Recently, The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences presented An Evening with The Walking Dead, where a panel of cast members, including Andrew Lincoln (Rick), Norman Reedus (Daryl), Laurie Holden (Andrea), Steven Yeun (Glenn), Lauren Cohan (Maggie), Danai Gurira (Michonne) and David Morrissey (The Governor), along with Creator and Executive Producer Robert Kirkman, Executive Producer Gale Anne Hurd, and Co-Executive Producer and Special EFX Makeup Supervisor, Greg Nicotero, discussed the first half of Season 3 of The Walking Dead at length in front of an audience. They explored the character’s motivations that led them to certain decisions and actions that helped set up the inevitable battle that will occur in the latter half of Season 3.

"One of the enduring strengths of the show is that it keeps reinventing itself," said Andrew Lincoln. Lauren Cohan added, "The ways we’re pushing boundaries is so interesting and surprising to see on TV." The actors’ portrayals of their characters have also been integral to the show’s appeal to audiences. Gale Ann Hurd said, “The reason people watch the show is the cast...the audience is invested in the characters.”

Our love affair with Retro Looking back and getting inspired by ‘70s trends

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Our love and fascination for everything vintage can be thrown back at the 1970s when pop culture was at its peak. If there are three things words that embody the era, it they would be fun, creative, and free. Disco fever doesn’t really die; it just keeps heating up with every revival.

Feminine silhouettes were highlighted in the ‘70s, a time when femininity dramatically evolved. It was a liberating period for women. They were finally able to go out and have full-time jobs and it was the time when they purchased clothes for various occasions, which led to the expansion of the female’s closet for the home and the office, both formal and casual wear. Individuality came into play and women started to feel empowered and free.

Men’s fashion, on the other hand, was bold and daring. They wore wide, colorful ties, flared pants and bright, fitted shirts. Some even grew their facial hair. Thankfully, the trousers started to straighten again, although the flares are revived every few seasons as we look back on the decade with nostalgia.

Some of the trends that we have now are actually a reflection of what was in vogue during the ‘70s, only with modifications and fusions with other eras. Glam rock emerged with the introduction of high-waisted denims and trousers, the arrival of platforms and satin-quilted jackets. The birth of wrap dresses, the maxi dress, mini- skirts and crop tops are all part of the ‘70s look and style and are prevalent in today’s fashion trends. Suddenly, everything old is new again.

In the athletic scene, the sports industry had been a huge business and the demand for innovative and performance-driven footwear became a necessity. Jogging was one of the most popular activities, as well as court sports like basketball, tennis and volleyball. One of the favored styles that made a trend was the herringbone tread in track shoes.

This distinctive herringbone tread became famous for its excellent grip and function for maximum mobility. It was highly prized by rafters, bushwalkers and even contractors. Today, it is considered one of the staple styles in performance footwear, and as well as with a popular lifestyle shoe brand.

This year, Crocs, the global lifestyle footwear brand known for its profound comfort and fun has adapted the herringbone style for its Crocs™ Retro Collection. The shoe brand incorporates the ‘70s track shoe design with its signature comfort; recreating the classic looks of its clogs, slip-ons, and Mary janes to give a sporty, performance-driven feel which will let you walk in comfort and wear in style.

“Vintage designs have a fascinating pull on people that goes beyond the trend and this is why we took inspiration from the ‘70s track shoe and incorporated it into our collection. It was a decade of fun and carefree spirits, similar to the feeling of wearing a pair of Crocs. It gives an exciting twist to our line and it further boosts our shoes’ functional benefits,” says Franco Limjuco, Vice President, Six Degrees Inc., Crocs’ local distributor.

Crocs looks back but moves you forward with its funky new styles to bring a smile to your face, and ease to your feet. The new collection is set to be in the stores by mid-February in varied designs and Crocs colors.

Whether it be in apparel or footwear lines, we now see why brands take inspiration from the ‘70s. It was a time of vibrancy and freedom, much like how we live our lives today, always in good spirits and with a happy vibe.

About Crocs, Inc.

A world leader in innovative casual footwear for men, women and children, Crocs, Inc. (NASDAQ: CROX), offers several distinct shoe collections with more than 300 styles to suit every lifestyle. As lighthearted as they are lightweight, Crocs™ footwear provides profound comfort and support for any occasion and every season.  All Crocs™ branded shoes feature Croslite™ material, a proprietary, revolutionary technology that produces soft, non-marking, and odor-resistant shoes that conform to your feet.

Crocs™ products are sold in over 90 countries. Every day, millions of Crocs™ shoe lovers around the world enjoy the exceptional form, function, versatility and feel-good qualities of these shoes while at work, school and play.

Visit www.crocs.com.ph for additional information, or visit Crocs Philippines on Facebook and @crocsph on Twitter.

Five ways to make business less complicated—with help from Globe Business

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Entrepreneur and Globe Business Ambassador Rose Ann Bautista, being in business for 20 years , has taught about the need to simplify her business, while at the same time sustaining its growth. Rose Ann, FINO Leatherware’s Vice-President for Marketing and Retail Operations, shares some of the things she learned about how to make business simpler, more efficient, and cost-effective.

“FINO Leatherware is into manufacturing and retail. We do the whole nine yards, from finding materials to ordering them, to the actual manufacture at our factory, and then making deliveries to clients and to our retail outlets. We deal with so many suppliers and partners throughout the whole process.”

“We have about a hundred or more employees—80 at our factory and and 20 to 30 at our stores. As you can imagine, we have to deal with so many challenges in our operations. Complications are part of the game. That’s why we had to find a way to operate that helps us prevent, reduce, or cope with these complications,” said Rose Ann.

Being informed, hands-on

According to Rose Ann, she’s “hands-on” not in the sense that she’s physically present at her factory.  Rather, she always keeps herself informed about business operations even on-the-go, thanks to telecoms technology from Globe Business.

“What I do is I always make sure that I know everything about what’s happening in the business, while also having time for myself. This is only possible through the use of my cellphone, the Internet, and my laptop.  It’s only when I’m informed that I can make the right decisions and quickly respond to any problems,” she said.

Communication is vital

Rose Ann says that she would not be able to run the business without a reliable, quick, and convenient means to communicate with clients, suppliers, partners, and employees.

“I’ve been using Globe solutions for a long time. When I started using Globe, they were still offering plans at 100, 200 pesos. So that’s how long I’ve stayed with their services. I wouldn’t be able to run the business effectively without them.

“Since we practically do the entire process, from finding materials to making the products, to distribution and retail, it’s very important to communicate with everyone involved. Otherwise, we’d encounter delays, make errors, be much slower to react,” she said.

Rose Ann says that she depends on her cellphone and mobile Internet connection to ensure smooth operations. “We also use Globe Business TxtConnect to keep in touch with our customers. It’s a very effective means to touch base and connect with them,” she said.

Globe Business TxtConnect is the most effective solution for sending high-volume text messages and SMS blasts to groups of people.  It’s be used to make SMS broadcasts to customers, employees, and a group of business associates.  One can send announcements, advertising, greetings, reminders, and urgent alerts easily, fast, and conveniently because it is Internet based. All it takes is a few keystrokes on the computer to reach a pre-determined group of people. Globe Business TxtConnect also charges much lower rates for text messages, compared to using a cellular phone.

“With so many telecoms products available today, and with the advantages they bring to our business, we really can’t run business without them. I send emails through my cellphone. I receive reports. I can call the factory to give instructions. I can even write letters using the cellphone and mobile Internet,” she said.

Establish culture

According to Rose Ann, many complications can be prevented by establishing a reliable system that everyone can follow.

“In our business operations, we’ve developed and established a system that already runs itself most of the time. Actually, we started out with a system of operations but we’ve already gone beyond that—we’ve leveled up to the point where we can say that we already have a company culture,” she said.

Rose Ann explained that establishing a company culture creates more confidence on the part of the entrepreneur and the employees that everyone is doing things properly. The culture integrates and cements  proven and effective operational procedures, so that they become second nature to everyone.

“When this culture is established, there’s a reduced need for the entrepreneur to be physically present at the office or factory premises. We already know that our people are doing things properly—we need to still monitor them, of course, but no longer in such a tedious, micro fashion,” she said.

Trust and respect, she said, are vital to company culture. “We need to develop mutual trust and respect between employees and owners. As owners, we also need to show them that we are professional, that we are team players, and be good examples to our employees,” she added.

Research

In order to sustain and grow their business, Rosa Ann never stops doing research and getting creative inspiration. She said that her Globe-powered cellular phone is very effective at this.

“I remember years ago when, when I saw a design in a magazine, a design that inspired new ideas, I had to tear off the magazine page. Nowadays, all I need to do is take a photo of the design on my phone. Then I can send the photo to my partners or to the factory.

“This technology helps me do research even when I’m on vacation. I see things that inspire me and I can take photos or type notes in my cellphone. It’s a fun way to do research and doesn’t feel like work at all,” she explained.

Intuition and planning

Rose Ann also notes that there’s really a cycle in business. There are good times and bad and the best way to cope with this cycle is to plan ahead and create back-up, contingency measures.

“I notice that the business changes every ten years. The market also changes. For example, in year 2000, our market shifted. Then in 2011, it shifted again. Today, the fashion and the taste that prevail in the market is younger and funkier. That’s why we have to identify trends and anticipate what the market wants and what it will need.

“To do this, we have to do analysis then forward planning. We also have to have back-up plans that we can quickly implement if things do go exactly as we anticipated at first. When we plan ahead and have back-up measures, we can respond to challenges and changes quickly,” she said.

She also added that long experience in the business sharpens her intuition. “I’ve developed a feel for how things are going. Even when I still don’t have all the facts, I can sense that something’s wrong. This is what I mean when I say that we need to have a feel for the business,” she said.

For Rose Ann, all of these steps are founded on information and communication. “We can only implement these steps if we are informed enough and if we are able to communicate quickly and effectively with our people,” she said.

She also said that new technologies are a big help to sustaining and growing a business. “Right now, for example, we keep track of deliveries using our cellphones. We call each other to know where the deliveries are and what time we can expect them to arrive. But I’ve heard that there’s now a Globe Business service that keeps track of company vehicles and employees using GPS. If our operations grow to the point where this service is needed, then it’s good that we have this option,” she said.

Rose Ann was referring to the Globe Business Fleet Management System. This service uses the GPS technology and the Globe network to keep track of the location of company vehicles. With this service, business owners can regularly keep track of where their vehicles are headed, determine the best routes as well as alternative routes, and also know what time the vehicles arrived at the delivery point.

For more information on how to cope with complications in your business, and make it simpler, more efficient, and more cost effective, consult your Globe Business Account Manager;  visit any Globe Store;  call the Globe Business Hotline at +632 730-1010 or log on to http://www.globe.com.ph/business.

Globe Business is the corporate arm of Globe Telecom, the leading mobile telecommunications company in the Philippines. Globe Business provides wireless and wireline solutions for a diverse set of industries, businesses, and commercial enterprises. It assures SMEs of affordable, reliable, and dependable services for all communication needs, both wireless and wireline solutions, to generate the highest possible profit at the lowest possible cost.

Spa Beauty Handled by Experts within your reach

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Latest technologies in the Aesthetic and wellness industry is the leading services for skin , slimming, laser, Spa and beauty passion.  As clients become more informed of these industry, a good number of them are also turning more cautious and selective in getting their dose of cosmetic treatments. True that you can get the usual facial or slimming treatment just about anywhere, you may also experience side effects and longer downtime from such procedures most especially if you availed it from untrained individuals.

One of the main strengths of SKIN REJUVE is providing its savvy pool of clients non-invasive aesthetic treatments that make use of high end, cutting edge equipment and skin care products handled by trained personnel and is most definitely medically supervised.

To support its growing number of clients, SKIN REJUVE will be adding 2 new clinics in Makati and Tomas Morato to its already established branches in One San Miguel Building Ortigas, Gateway Plaza in Malate and Kamias, QC. Keeping them naturally beautiful, healthy and satisfied it is joined by board certified doctors for consultations and appointments. It has also updated its roster of services and highlights the following:

Cryolipolysis is a non-invasive treatment that uses cold temperatures to reduce fat tissue on areas of the body with the densest amount of fat tissue, such as the abdomen, back, waist and thighs. Cryolipolysis goes against the conventional treatment of fat tissue from the last 20 years in that instead of using heat to “melt” fat, cold temperatures are used to “freeze” fat. In the past, the epidermis was cooled to prevent blistering while the dermal layers were heated. With Cryolipolysis, the cold can breakdown areas of fat tissue by targeting adipocytes (fat cells) – once the adipocytes have shrunk or withered from the cold temps, they will eventually be metabolized by the lymphatic system.

This method affects, or “freezes”, the subcutaneous layers of fat tissue without disturbing the normal temperature of the epidermis.

SKIN REJUVE’s impressive line of services wont  be complete without its NON-Surgical Rejuvinating and Anti-aging procedures, like Botulinum Toxin Treatment, V-Lift Treading, Restylane Dermal Fillers, Stem Cell Therapy and other Fractional Lasers treatments, which is spearheaded by Dr. Sidney Cu.

Dr. Cu is a board certified Dermatologist, and has advance dermatologic and cosmetic surgery training in Japan. He is a renowed lecturer and product specialist of Sweden’s No.1 Dermal Filler, Restylane and Korea’s No.1 Botulinum Toxin Cunox. He has extensive experience in Tread lifting, Fractional Resurfacing Lasers and other various dermatologic and cosmetic procedures.

Having him in the team, clients of Skin Rejuve's can experience world class service and optimum satisfaction in both results and affordability.

For Valentine’s they have treats for Skin ( Botulinum Toxin Treatment of 100 units for P17,000) and Slimming ( 25 session of cavitation + 25 session of radio frequency + 2 sessions of power slim + 10 EMS all for the price of P12,500 ). The POWER Slim was recently featured in Rated K for their What’s in for 2013 episode.

For Information, log on to:

www.skinrejuvephilippines.com

Tel.  No.  (02)4942315, (02)2680350 / (02)480-6028

Clinic hours: Monday to Sunday- 10AM to 10PM