Max’s opens third store in BGC All-time favorite restaurant opens new branch in Stopover Pavilion

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Max’s Group Inc. (MGI) has opened its newest Max’s Restaurant at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig as part of its local expansion strategy for the next two months, the group recently announced.

Robert Trota, President and CEO of Max’s Group said the BGC branch, its third in Global City, gives the company a better opportunity to serve more customers in the booming mixed-use development area.

“BGC is a huge market for both commercial and residential. The opening of a third branch will give us better opportunity to serve the untapped market of the area,” Trota said.

The latest branch, which opened on April 21, is located at Units 116 and 117 of the Bonifacio Stop Over along 31st Street corner Rizal Drive 2nd Avenue.

“With the latest BGC branch, Max’s continues to expand and serve its all-time favorite recipes to more Filipino casual diners,” Trota said.

The restaurant, a dine-in and take out branch, will have a capacity of 82 seats.

Aside from the newest branch, the Max’s Group is also set to open three more restaurant outletswithin the month as part of its aggressive expansion program.

Upcoming branches in the pipeline are the Kapitolyo Branch, targeted for opening on May 20; the Hampton Branch, targeted for opening on May 30; the Cauayan, Isabela Branch, targeted for opening on May 30 as well and the Max’s Santiago Branch, targeted for opening on June 1.

In all, the Max’s Group is targeting to open 80 to 90 new stores this year across itsinternational and local brands.

Max’s Group merged with Pancake House, Inc. in 2014 to create the country's largest restaurant group.

The combined entity now has more than 10 household brands in the food business. These include Max's Restaurant, Max's Corner Bakery, Krispy Kreme, Jamba Juice, Pancake House, Yellow Cab, Le Coeur De France, Dencio's, Teriyaki Boy, Singkit, Kabisera, and Maple.

From January to April, the Company opened 10 outlets (7 local and 3 overseas) and discontinued 7 underperforming stores. As of April, the Max’s Group has a total of 543 branches.

Despite the closures, its store net total increased along revenues as the group reported pro-forma revenues of P9.55 billion in 2014 with a core net income of P154.1 million. 

Cebuana Lhuillier teams up with Youth Focus: Conducts sports clinics for Smokey Mountain kids

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Cebuana Lhuillier, in partnership with Young Focus For Education and Development Foundation, recently held a three-day sports clinic for young adults from the Smokey Mountain site at the Redemption Ranch in Lipa, Batangas.

The activity aimed to promote a healthy lifestyle through sports and healthy nutrition, and expose the participants to sports they are not familiar with.

"We are happy to work with Young Focus in conducting this activity for the children of Smokey Mountain. I am a firm believer of the benefits of sports, that is why I have been supporting different sports in the country through Cebuana Lhuillier Sports. I am interested in discovering diamonds in the rough, young athletes with a lot of potential, who can eventually bring glory to the Philippines," said Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier.

“The same principle applies here: giving these children the opportunity to experience the discipline of sports would enable them to find their potential, and, hopefully, it will bring out their potential for sports and help them develop not just their skills but themselves in general,” Lhuillier added.

Members from the Cebuana Lhuillier Gems and the Blu Girls, the national women's softball team, led 215 high school and college students to basic basketball and softball exercises and drills.

A coach from the Blu Girls, the national women's softball team, leads the warm-up sessions with participants of the three-day sports clinic organized by Cebuana Lhuillier and Youth Asia Foundation for young adults from the Smokey Mountain area, held in Lipa, Batangas.

This activity is just one of the many sports development initiatives by Cebuana Lhuillier. Through Cebuana Lhuillier Sports, the company supports grassroots development in softball, tennis, and basketball through various clinics and support to tournaments, such as inter-secondary softball tournaments and national age-group tennis circuits.

The participants also joined clinics for badminton, volleyball, and arnis, among other sports.

"I was truly grateful seeing the students from the Smokey Mountain area enjoying sports so much. I am grateful for the teams from Cebuana Lhuiller for their participation as they gave the clinics: they were enjoying it as much as our kids! It was a privilege having them with us," said Young Focus Managing Director Paul van Wijgerden.

Moala Tautuaa of the Cebuana Lhuillier Gems watches a young participant lay up the ball during three-day sports clinic organized by Cebuana Lhuillier and Youth Asia Foundation for young adults from the Smokey Mountain area, held in Lipa, Batangas.

Young participants line up to start some warm up drills to start the badminton clinic during three-day sports clinic organized by Cebuana Lhuillier and Youth Asia Foundation for young adults from the Smokey Mountain area, held in Lipa, Batangas.

Visa-Free Countries to Visit for Filipinos

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Philippine passport holders don’t need a visa to enter these countries around the world, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs. 

It's more fun in the Philippines, that's true. But Filipinos always love to visit foreign countries - to visit their family, relatives, and friends, business matters, and travel to see famous or unique places, to explore the world.

Even with your own passport, it can be a hindrance to your travel processes - application for a visa via their respective embassies, very expensive and long and tiring process and there is no assurance of getting granted a visa.

Filipino travelers do not need a visa to visit at least 25 countries.

Here is the list of countries that don’t require visas:

Visa-free (no limits)

• Colombia - Visa-free

• Morocco - Visa-free

• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - Visa-free

• Suriname - Visa-free

Visa-free (limited number of days)

• Bolivia – Visa-free for 60 days

• Brunei - Visa-free for 14 days

• Cambodia - Visa-free for 21 days

• Costa Rica - Visa-free for 30 days

• Ecuador - Visa-free for 90 days

• Hong Kong - Visa-free for 14 days

• Indonesia - Visa-free for 30 days

• Laos - Visa-free for 30 days

• Malaysia - Visa-free for 30 days

• Peru - Visa-free for 60 days

• Singapore - Visa-free for 30 days

• Thailand - Visa-free for 30 days

• Vietnam - Visa-free for 21 days

Visa-free (limited number of days plus special conditions)

• Brazil - Visa-free for 90 days (for holders of diplomatic, official, and service passports, visa-free for a. duration of tour of duty or b. 180 days for official business or tourism)

• India - Visa upon arrival valid for 30 days (limited only to New Delhi and Mumbai airports)

• Israel - Visa-free for tourists (number of days of stay will depend on Immigration); visa-free for holders of diplomatic and official passports; visa is required for business)

• Mozambique - Visa upon arrival valid for 30 days

• Palau - Visa-free for 30 days, visa upon arrival (provided that the Filipino national has a return/onward plane ticket)

• Sri Lanka - Visa-free for 30 days, visa upon arrival (provided that the Filipino national has a return/onward plane ticket)

• Tuvalu - Visa-free for 30 days, visa upon arrival (provided that the Filipino national has a return /onward plane ticket)

• Vanuatu - Visa-free for 30 days, visa upon arrival (provided that the Filipino national has a return / onward plane ticket)

• Zambia - Visa upon arrival; 3 months for tourism, 1 month for business

@Department of Foreign Affairs/GMA7News

A visual feast of color : TCL Sets New Standards For TV Display Capabilities

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New visual technologies and exquisite TVs build on TCL’s global momentum

TCL Multimedia, one of the leading players in the global TV industry, is engaged in the research and development, manufacturing and distribution of consumer electronic products.

TCL Multimedia has maintained its promise of providing superior and more interactive home entertainment experiences for consumers, with the introduction of new TV display technologies and overarching brand theme of ‘a visual feast of color’.

Successfully debuted at CES 2015, TCL’s Wide Color Gamut and industry-leading Quantum Dot technologies will feature on a host of exciting new product launches this year, including the Quantum Dot TV H9700, Curved 4K UHD TV H8800, and 4K UHD E6800, which will present an impressive new standard in visual display for the TV manufacturer.

The new Quantum Dot display technology, provided by TCL, is able to depict more of the RGB spectrum, from vivid colors to subtle tones. This provides a greatly enhanced picture experience for viewers, which is similar to OLED yet at a price that maintains a level of affordability. TCL’s developments in this area have been so impressive that under the National Television Standards Committee (NTSC), it has achieved 110% color gamut, which is currently the best in the world. 

Bringing its world-leading ingenuity onto the shelves, TCL has launched its first-ever Quantum Dot television - the 55” 4K UHD Quantum Dot TV (H9700). A leading innovation in the TV industry, Quantum Dot technology incorporates a film of tiny light-emitting crystals into regular liquid crystal displays (LCD), offering improved picture quality at a fraction of the price of organic light-emitting diodes (OLED). Featuring an exquisite industrial design, the TV also features cutting-edge 30W Harman/Kardon speakers, which provide a full-bodied and immersive sound experience for viewers.

TCL is also introducing brand new Curved 4K UHD TVs (H8800) with size range 65” and 55’’. The series boast the largest curvature ever of 4000R, innovative wide color gamut technology for curved surfaces (WCG technology can enhance the color gamut up to 96% by utilizing the pure white backlight, which is better than normal LED panel), the leading 4K curved surface technology and S-level Harman/Kardon speakers to provide an unparalleled immersive experience in curvature, color, definition and sound. 

In addition to the H8800 series and sharing the same features and sizes apart from a curved screen, the versatile E6800 series will feature a 360-degree revolving stand, allowing viewers to move the picture to perfectly meet their eye line, without having to move the whole TV.

Additionally, TCL’s vertically integrated structure – its CSOT Panel Factory in Shenzhen is the biggest LCD panel factory in China - provides benefits for consumers. As the only manufacturer in China that can make its own panels, this ensures consumers get a high quality product for the best available price. 

“There’s a reason TCL has become known for producing market-leading televisions. As the only Chinese TV manufacturer with full supply chain penetration we are able to invest more in their development and save in their production,” said Kevin Wang, General Manager of TCL Multimedia Overseas Business Center. “What this means is the very latest technology, the finest picture quality, most impressive design, and greatest functionality are all presented to the consumer at a price that few can match.”

DepEd, educ partners kick off Brigada Eskwela nationwide

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In its mission to provide safe and clean learning spaces for Filipino learners, the Department of Education (DepEd) jumpstarted this year’s Brigada Eskwela at Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte, simultaneous with all the public schools in the country. With the themeTayo Para sa Kalinisan, Kaligtasan at Kahandaan ng ating mga Paaralan, the week-long school maintenance practice aims to prepare schools for the coming school year and to promote volunteerism among the members of the community.

Secretary Br. Armin Luistro with Undersecretary Mario A. Deriquito joins the schools and communities of Siargao Island at the 2015 Brigada Eskwela Kick-off.

"The Philippines is the biggest country, if not, the only country in the world that gathers and prepares the schools for the coming school year." said Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC to the volunteers of Numancia Central Elementary School (CES) in Siargao Island. He also said that the invitation to help out in schools is "extended to all volunteers who are willing to contribute their time, effort, and resources for the preparation of public schools."

Parents, teachers, students and all other education stakeholders are encouraged to volunteer from May 18 to 23 for the Brigada Eskwela. Now on its 12th year, the program ensures that all public school facilities are ready come School Year (SY) 2015-2016. During this week, all volunteers will aid in repainting classrooms, fixing damaged school furniture, repair broken windows, among others.

Undersecretary for Partnerships and External Linkages Mario Deriquito expressed his gratitude for those who were present during the kick-off at Numancia CES.

"Brigada Eskwela is for everyone." he said. Reminders for the week-long school maintenance were reiterated by Usec Deriquito to all the volunteers present in the National Kick-off.

After the initial start of the Brigada Eskwela at Numancia CES, various activities like tree planting, cement mixing, repainting of walls and fences, repairing of school chairs, and tilling of school grounds were held at Del Carmen National HS, Cancohoy ES, Katipunan ES, Mahayahay ES, ang Oguing Navarro Memorial NHS of which were participated in by Sec. Luistro and Usec. Deriquito along with the local government officials.

Some of the volunteers expressed their support in program and said, "Malaking tulong po ito para sa mga anak namin, kaya kami sumasama sa pag-aayos ng mga klasrum. (This is a big help for our children that is why we are volunteering in this program." Some of them even said, "Pumupunta po kami ditong mga magulang para makiisa sa pag-aayos ng mga paaralan. Kapag may libre kaming oras, pumupunta kami at kahit anong oras, kahit anong petsa man, kapag kailangan naming tumulong sa paaralan, tutulong kami. (We parents come here to be one with those who are volunteering to fix the schools. When we have free time, we go here and if we see that there are things that need our assistance, whichever date, whenever time that might be, we will be here to help.)"

Luistro also commended Siargao Island for having 22 schools which will offer Grade 11 come June 2016. He said, "Our target is to have one Senior High School per municipality but if we already have 22, that would already be a minimum of two SHS schools per municipality in Siargao.”

Luistro then encouraged everyone to register under the Abot-Alam Program, of which booths are in every school, for those out-of-school youth or for those who would want to finish high school.

Ultimately, the opening at Siargao Island gathered different volunteers – parents, students, teachers, local government employees and officials, individuals, and the private sector and are still expected to grow in number by the end of the week. The opening of classes will be on June 1 which will also see the introduction of the new curriculum for Grades 4 and 10.