Animax Asia to air Charlotte on the same day as Japan

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An original anime production by prolific writer Jun Maeda is premiering first and exclusively on Animax – Asia’s first 24-hour Japanese anime channel.

Reunion of the visual novel maestros

Renowned Japanese visual studio Key has come together with Progressive Animation (P.A.) Works for Charlotte, which will air on the same day as its Japan telecast on Animax Asia, in July. Boasting local subtitles including English, Bahasa Indonesia, Mandarin and Thai, the anime was written by Key’s co-founder Jun Maeda, who is also contributing to the musical score. The anime will also feature character designs by fellow Key colleague Na-Ge. The two had worked with the same producers on popular 2010 anime Angel Beats! and together, the dream team promises to conjure up the same magic in Charlotte. 

Charlotte, rumoured to have been based on Maeda’s own early life, is set in an alternate world where a few children come into unusual superpowers upon puberty. One of the colouful characters is Jōjirō Takajyō, who can move so fast he appears to be teleporting. There’s also student singer Yusa Nishimori, who can communicate with the dead. The children are enrolled into Houshinomi Academy, which has its own student council for guiding those who encounter problems with their newfound abilities. 

The protagonist? Yū Otosaka, an ill-mannered first-year transfer who uses his ability to possess another person’s body for five seconds in order to cheat in his exams. When Yū meets school council president Nao Tomori, the fate of these extraordinary children begins to unravel. Will the youthful duo be strong enough to fight their destiny? 

Charlotte premieres on 4 July 2015, airing every Saturday night at 12.30am with an encore the next day at 8pm, first and exclusively on Animax Asia.

Animax is seen on SKYCable Channel 46, Cignal Digital TV Channel 34 and Dream Channel 07.

About Animax Asia

Launched on 1 January 2004, Animax is Asia’s first channel brand specializing in Japanese animation – anime. Animax offers a wide variety of anime programs from across the most popular genres including action, romance, horror, supernatural, sci-fi, comedy and slice-of-life.

Animax is home to some of the biggest anime titles in the world that enjoy great following across the region. In addition, the channel created TV history in April 2009 by becoming the world’s first regional broadcaster to air an anime series at the same time as Japan and followed that with six other simulcast anime series. Currently reaching 40 million viewers in 46 million homes across 17 markets in Asia, Animax aims to offer anime programming for everyone.

Beyond television screens, Animax also actively engages its audiences at local events, including its signature Animax Carnival that has rolled out in Malaysia, the Philippines, and Taiwan. See www.animax-asia.com for more.

Marian Rivera - Dantes, Beautiful at her Most Natural

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Primetime Queen Marian Rivera comes back, more beautiful than ever, in Shokubutsu Hana Shampoo’s new TVC.

Now Mrs. Marian Rivera Dantes, the pregnant 30-year-old was beaming with natural glow in the recent Hana Press Conference held at Makati Diamond Residences, Legaspi, Makati CIty, where she renewed her ties with the hair care brand that advocates natural beauty, an easy feat for the actress whose beauty supersedes any artificial modification or filters.

Marian Rivera renewing /signing contract with Shokubutso Hana during the press conference , July 25, 2015 , Makati Diamond Residences. (Photo: http://instagram.com/msmyrnz)

When it comes to Marian, the entire entertainment industry knows that what you see is what you get. There is no filter to how she communicates with every person she meets.

Her actions unguarded, you can expect her to always act her natural self. And with her hair cared for by Hana Shampoo, she remains effortlessly beautiful as she goes about her daily life.

A decade since she first appeared on TV, the Spanish-Filipina beauty remains to be among the most in demand actresses in the country – talk about standing the test of time. With millions of very passionate fans all over the country, her influence has helped propel the brand in the past year.

Without a doubt, Marian is the epitome of natural beauty. Her mix of fierceness and sincerity shine through her passion for every project she makes, making her and Hana the perfect fit.

Hana Shampoo, which entered the country in 2013, believes that hair is most beautiful in its natural form. Free from unnecessary layers and artificial filters, Hana brings hair to life by adding vitality and nutrition to your hair, using 100% natural cleansing ingredients.

Hana Shampoo for hair that is full of life and naturally beautiful.

MasterCard Powers Android Pay, bringing mobile payments to android device owners

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Cardholders can securely pay in-store and within Android apps

Google recently unveiled Android Pay, which will enable MasterCard credit, debit, prepaid and small business cardholders to use their Android phones for everyday purchases in-store and within Android apps. This news provides MasterCard cardholders with even more options for paying on the go using their choice of mobile device.

The ubiquity of mobile phones is changing the way consumers pay. According to a recent Federal Reserve report, 39 percent of all mobile payment users with smartphones have made a point-of-sale payment demonstrating the increased demand for simple and secure ways to make device-based payments. MasterCard built the foundation for secure mobile transactions, having introduced contactless payments more than a decade ago and delivering a complementary digital enablement platform in 2013 that is driving today’s mobile payment solutions. 

MasterCard contactless is accepted at more than three million merchants in 68 countries around the world, and our MasterCard Digital Enablement Service enables Android Pay to deliver a simple and secure payment experience so that consumers can use their cards when, where and how they want.

Starting this summer, owners of eligible Android devices will be able to use their MasterCard credit, debit, prepaid and small business cards directly through Android Pay. For consumers and merchants alike, every purchase made with a tokenized MasterCard credit, debit, prepaid or small business card will offer the same security, benefits and guarantees as any MasterCard transaction.And because Android Pay never shares the actual card number with merchants, consumers are provided with an extra layer of security.

“Mobile payments are here, and are now an essential part of the core value proposition for new devices,” said Ed McLaughlin, Chief Emerging Payments Officer, MasterCard. “With the MasterCard Digital Enablement Service (MDES) and Android Pay, we can now use secure tokens to easily enable payments from a consumer’s connected device. This news extends consumer choice and drives further ubiquity of payments on devices.” 

“Mobile payments is big a priority for Google, so we've been working with major networks like MasterCard to help provide a seamless experience across a wide range of phones and stores. Android Pay will offer people further simplicity, security and choice when paying for things with their Android phones,” said Pali Bhat, Director, Product Management, Google.

Android Pay will be made available for U.S. Android users (running KitKat or higher) in the upcoming months. Contactless payments are currently accepted at major U.S. stores, restaurants, transit providers, fuel and convenience stores who will now also accept MasterCard transactions made using Android Pay. To find a listing of contactless-enabled merchant locations, download the MasterCard Nearby app or go to www.mastercard.com/contactless.

To tweet this news, copy and paste: NEWS: #MasterCard Powers Android Pay http://news.mstr.cd/1Hy9Vj1

Solane invites moms to take Cuisinera Challenge

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Solane, a leading brand of cooking gas, invites moms to take the exciting Cuisinera Challenge: 2015 Mommy Edition! Be part of the challenge that proves great Filipino family food is not solely found in restaurants offered by chefs but is authentically found at home.

Happening this July, Cuisinera Challenge is a cook-off where contestants are tasked to prepare an original recipe that can be prepared in 30 minutes. Serving as the program adviser is Nancy Reyes-Lumen, Filipino food promoter, culinary researcher and food journalist. 

The winner will take home P30,000, a one-year supply of Solane LPG and eight 11-kg Solane refill gift certificates. The second and third place winner will be awarded P10,000 and P5,000 respectively. The remaining final participants will receive a Solane gift pack: Solane USBs, branded aprons and collectible mugs.

Solane’s Cuisinera Challenge is open to a Filipina mommy (22-50 years old) who lives in Metro Manila and Greater Manila Area: Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Bulacan, and Pampanga. She shouldn’t have credentials in professional cooking and is not practicing chef duties in any establishment. 

To join, interested parties must send an original 30-minute recipe with the name of the dish, ingredients (in metric measure), procedure, photos of the dish with at least three angles of perspective, a short description, why they chose to do the dish, and from whom did they learn to cook the dish on short bond paper. On a separate page, contestants should include a short biography along with their name, a recent photo and contact details. 

The criteria for judging are recipe logic and correctness (40%), quality of answers in the essay questions and mandatory information (30%), quality of photos (20%), and completeness of documents or requirements (10%).

Mail your entries in a short brown envelope labeled “Cuisinera Challenge 2015” to Isla LPG Corporation, 14/F Citibank Center, 8741 Paseo de Roxas, Makati City from June 10, 2015 to July 13, 2015.

Twenty entries will be picked for the cook-off round on July 31, 2015 at an event venue to be announced soon.

For more information, visit www.solane.com.ph or text +63918 887 5555.

Bosch achieves double-digit growth in the Philippines

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(L-R) Bosch Philippines Automotive  Aftermarket Country Sales Manager Paolo Duarte, Bosch Philippines Managing  Director Andrew Powell, Bosch Philippines Power Tools Country Sales Director  William Go

The Philippines is Bosch’s fastest growing market in Southeast Asia

Bosch, a leading global supplier of technology and services, closed its 2014 fiscal year with USD 42.5 million (32 million euros)* in consolidated sales in the Philippines. Compared to the year before, the company achieved a double-digit growth of more than 45 percent, making the Philippines the fastest growing market for Bosch in Southeast Asia. 

The strong growth is based on the successful performance of the company’s power tools and automotive businesses, along with significant contributions from its security systems business which formally established local operations in 2014. As of April 2015, Bosch had increased its workforce in the Philippines to nearly 400 associates.

“As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of our office in Manila, Bosch remains strongly committed to the Philippine market through continued product and service diversification, employment growth, compelling social and sustainability programs, trainings, and partnerships,” said Andrew Powell, managing director of Bosch in the Philippines. 

“For 2015, we expect further sales growth in the country based on an increased demand for our innovative products ‘invented for life’,” Powell added. Recognized as the Philippines’ most competitive city and dubbed by the United Nations as one of nine ‘Emerging Cities of Tomorrow’, Cagayan de Oro is earmarked as the third Bosch business hub location outside of Metro Manila, set to open before the end of the year.

(R-L) Bosch Philippines Automotive Aftermarket Country Sales Manager Paolo Duarte, Bosch Philippines Managing Director Andrew Powell, Bosch Philippines Power Tools Country Sales Director William Go

The up-and-coming city provides easy access to a large concentration of markets in Northern Mindanao, including mining and energy. In 2013, Bosch expanded its operations into Visayas and Mindanao with the opening of its Cebu and Davao business hubs respectively.

Positive development across all business sectors

Buoyed by robust investments in the property development market, Bosch´s Consumer Goods business sector achieved its eighth consecutive year of double-digit growth in the Philippines. To tap on the country’s growing DIY market, a new line of rotary tools was introduced in 2014 under the Dremel brand.

The Mobility Solutions business sector, formerly known as Automotive Technology, experienced a double-digit sales increase in the Philippines compared to the year before. The sector expanded its distribution network and broadened its product portfolio in the country to include gasoline systems components and batteries. In addition, the number of Bosch Car Service and Diesel Centers has been increased to a total of 40 workshops over the course of the year.

(R-L) Bosch Philippines Automotive Aftermarket Country Sales Manager Paolo Duarte, Bosch Philippines Managing Director Andrew Powell, Bosch Philippines Power Tools Country Sales Director William Go

The Energy and Building Technology business sector encountered an encouraging 2014, with its Security Systems division securing notable projects within its first year of local operations. Dubbed as the world’s largest indoor arena, the Philippine Arena in Bulacan boasts of 28 hangs of line array speakers and 56 passive loudspeaker systems – which makes it one of the division’s largest projects to date. The Security Systems division also installed 2,000 public address and background music speakers in the City of Dreams, a prime hotel and entertainment development project in the heart of the nation’s capital. Both projects utilized solutions under the Electro-Voice pro-audio equipment brand.

In 2015, the Industrial Technology business sector will commence local operations of its Drive and Control division. Specializing in linear motion for industrial applications, the division will begin making its line of machinery available to the Philippine market under the Bosch Rexroth brand.

Rebuilding the community

Bosch embarked on Tindog Pilipinas, a rebuilding program for Typhoon Yolanda- stricken communities. The program included the construction of an elementary school and a library in Daanbantayan, Cebu, which were completed in late 2014. At the beginning of June 2015, Bosch Philippines inaugurated a computer laboratory for Alang-Alang Agro-Industrial School, and a math and science center for Alang-Alang National High School, under its Tindog Pilipinas initiative. An industrial center for Tanauan II Central School in Leyte will be completed and turned over in early July. Furthermore, Bosch will be working closely with the schools to develop learning modules suitable for K-12 applications in the coming months.

2014 also saw the completion of Bosch’s Paint The Town Red project, through which Bosch constructed basketball courts for underserved barangays nationwide, turning over the 56th court in Yolanda-stricken Tacloban City.

Bosch Group business outlook for 2015

The Bosch Group expects global sales to grow within an exchange rate-adjusted range of 3 to 5 percent in 2015. Speaking at the company’s recent annual press conference in Germany, the Bosch CEO Volkmar Denner said: “Our economic and technological strength in established business fields is enabling us to tap into new market segments.” Web-enabled products and internet-based services are one of the focal points of the company’s future business. “We are driving connectivity forward in all our business sectors and playing an active role in shaping it,” Denner added. In 2014, Bosch launched many new products and connected solutions, including software solutions for smart heating systems and buildings as well as for connected industry and connected mobility. With the complete acquisitions of BSH Hausgeräte GmbH and Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH, Bosch has strengthened its position in the fields of smart homes and automated driving.

In Asia Pacific, Bosch grew its sales 17 percent (19 percent after adjusting for exchange-rate effects) in 2014, to USD 14.3 billion (13 billion euros). At just under 27 percent of total sales revenue, the region’s share of sales reached a new high. Sales growth was especially strong in China, rising a nominal 27 percent to USD 7 billion (6.4 billion euros). The company achieved a year on year sales growth of around seven percent in Southeast Asia by generating USD 893 million (672 million).

Robert Bosch Inc. 

28th Floor Fort Legend Towers, 3rd Avenue

corner 31st Street, Fort Bonifacio Global City, 1634 Taguig City, Philippines

E-mail Kristina.Reyes@ph.bosch.com

Phone +63 2 8703837

Fax +63 2 8703805

Corporate Communications, www.bosch.com.ph www.bosch-press.com