The adventures of Turks’ Shawarma

Tweet

The year was 2007, when shawarma was barely known by food-loving Pinoys. With nothing but nursing degrees and 300-something thousand pesos to back them up, Gem Zenarosa and his wife Angel used all of their money to start a food business with doner (shawarma), kebab, and steak as the main menu. For the couple, it was the start of an adventure that catapulted them into one of the country’s fastest growing food business today.

Gem wasn’t actually sure that shawarma would be such an instant hit among Pinoys, but it did in a matter of weeks. Thanks to his gut instinct to be where diners frequently go to dine with friends and family – SM malls.

Gem Zenarosa 

The move is so unlike most upstarts who would try to sell online first before trying physical stores. The Zenarosas applied their concept for a food cart to as many SM malls as they possibly can, until SM Sta. Mesa gave the first nod. According to Gem, it was an easy decision since SM already has foot traffic that even a small business can take advantage of.

As it turned out, his decision to invest inside a mall right away proved to be the best for Turks. “We had a huge help from SM in terms of marketing our brand. In fact, they still consistently help us today – 10 years into being a tenant in their malls nationwide,” said Gem.

From a team of seven employees, Turks now employs at least 300 people in company-owned branches alone. The company gets its inspiration to stay as “the people’s favorite doner and kebab” from this present crop of hardworking employees.

“People who work for him motivates him, knowing we depend on him for our livelihood. We are treated like family, which resonates on our products and service. The business concept is like feeding your own family, that’s why we always strive to go all out for our customers,” affirmed Jhoanna Borricano, operations head of Turks.

The adventure continues for Turks. There are bigger plans to reach out to more food-loving Filipinos in the provinces, and to conquer the global food scene with its distinct Filipino take on this Mediterranean flavor. And so the journey continues for Turks, with sheer determination and confidence that the business concept will keep growing.

Turks branches are located in 47 SM malls nationwide, and is one of over 5,000 partners of SM Supermalls who offer family fun and extraordinary mall-going experiences for all. 

OPPO announces Sarah Geronimo Limited Edition F3 Smartphone

Tweet

Exclusive OPPO F3 in celebration of Sarah’s 3rd year anniversary with OPPO

In celebration of Sarah Geronimo’s third year as an endorser of the Top 2 smartphone brand OPPO, the brand officially announces the Sarah Geronimo Limited Edition F3 smartphone composed of a special packaging box and Sarah’s signature at the back of the phone.

Revolutionizing the #SelfieExpert since the beginning, Sarah’s strong influence as a singer and actor is a testament of OPPO’s presence in the Philippines. The OPPO F3 Sarah Geronimo Limited Edition is a gorgeous black OPPO F3 with the actress’ signature at the back. The packaging is also in a premium box with standard charger, headphones, soft cover and pre-installed screen protector.

OPPO F3 Sarah Geronimo Limited Edition Package

The OPPO F3 is a dual-selfie camera smartphone that can let customers experience wider selfies and include more people on a groufie. Additionally, it has 4GB of RAM for multi-tasking and generous 64GB of storage for apps, photos, and videos; all in a sleek metal body and 5.5” Full HD screen protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

In addition, the phone’s announcement is timely with Sarah’s upcoming movie Finally Found Someone. To celebrate, fans may get a chance to win tickets to watch the movie through OPPO’s Facebook fan page. More details will be announced soon at facebook.com/OPPOPH.

"The OPPO F3 Sarah Geronimo Limited Edition is a result of our successful collaboration with Sarah Geronimo. This paved the way to our strong No.2 position in the market today and this smartphone is our gesture to support her efforts and provide a rare opportunity for a celebrity to be an icon on a smartphone,” said Stephen Cheng, OPPO Philippines Brand Marketing Manager.

Pre-order for the F3 Sarah Geronimo Limited Edition will start on July 14 to July 24, 2017, exclusively on Lazada via bit.ly/OPPOSarahG for Php15,990. First 25 to order the smartphone will get two (2) tickets to the premier screening of Sarah’s latest movie Finally Found Someone in Metro Manila.

For more details about the OPPO F3, please visit https://www.facebook.com/OPPOPH/ or log on tohttp://www.oppo.com/ph/index.html.

Globe officially moves to change the PH entertainment landscape with an extensive lineup of productions

Tweet

Advocates legitimate content consumption with #PlayItRight

In its commitment to elevating its customers’ entertainment experience, leading mobile brand Globe Telecom officially announces its move to change the entertainment landscape through the launch of its extensive lineup of productions that customers can participate in, enjoy, immerse, and express themselves in.

Albert de Larrazabal

“We wanted to give our customers more ways to enjoy life, so we ventured into staging entertainment productions that goes beyond the smartphone screen with the establishment of Globe LIVE and Globe Studios” shares Globe Chief Commercial Officer Albert de Larrazabal. 

“Globe is all about creating experiences, and we are simply taking the experience further by going beyond the virtual and giving our customers the opportunity to experience entertainment wherever they are, whether in film, digital or in real life. We intend to elevate the quality of entertainment in the country. There’s a boundless supply of great talent in the Philippines, and with it potentially comes great movies, theater, and other exciting content to enjoy” adds de Larrazabal.

Given these original content, the company underscores the importance of the hard work that goes behind the scenes and how content piracy affects the livelihood of men and women in the entertainment industry. Hence the company introduced its advocacy #PlayItRight. With all this content and entertainment productions Globe has in line comes the responsibility of educating its customers of the hard work that goes behind the scenes. Their hard work deserves all the respect, and the campaign aims to shed light on real life stories of people behind the entertainment we consume, in the hopes of encouraging customers to enjoy content from legitimate sources.

This year, Globe is pulling out all the stops with four musical productions under its belt. Its musical run already began with the adaptation of Disney’s Newsies, which started last July 7, 2016 at the Globe ICONIC Store and will run on all weekends of July. 

In August and September, Globe is co-producing the international tours of of the award-winning titles West Side Story from August 10 to 27 and the West End production of The Sound of Music from September 27 to October 15 both at The Theater at Solaire. Capping off 2017 will be the restaging of Menken & Ahren’s A Christmas Carol in December.

Apart from live productions, Globe has also ventured into producing original video series and films through Globe Studios. In recognition of the local independent film scene, Globe Studios launched the first-ever online film fest the Globe Independent Film Festival to fuel creativity among aspiring local filmmakers. Globe has also collaborated with HOOQ to bring the most-awaited, star-studded series, On The Job (OTJ), a spin-off from the original On The Job blockbuster hit by Erik Matti.

#PlayItRight will soon play a major role in Philippine cinema with the company supporting the upcoming Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, a nationwide week-long celebration organized by the Office of the President’s Film Development Council, where all movie theaters will exclusively screen Filipino films in line with the Buwan ng Wika.

Audiophiles and concert goers are also in for a treat as Globe brings top global music acts The Chainsmokers in September, and the first solo act of Harry Styles in May of 2018. This comes on the heels of big names that Globe brought to the country namely Madonna in 2016, and the sold-out performance of Coldplay in 2017.

Gamers are likewise treated to hours of enjoyment with highly competitive mobile games Mobile Legends, Clash of Clans, and Clash Royale, and the addictive yet physically engaging Pokemon GO.

In line with #PlayItRight, customers can access all the entertainment they crave with the new GoWATCH, which allots a separate data allocation exclusively for videos, which can be used for popular and legitimate streaming platforms YouTube, Netflix, Tribe, HOOQ, NBA, Cartoon Network, and Disney Channel Apps.

Customers may avail of GoWATCH29 for 2GB of video streaming data for as low as P29, valid for one day as an add-on to any GoSURF promo starting with GoSURF50.

For more information about the company’s entertainment lineup, visit the website at http://www.globe.com.ph/. Tickets are available now at https://www.ticketworld.com.ph. 

For more information on GoWATCH, visit the website at http://www.globe.com.ph/help/gowatch, call the Globe hotline at 730-1010, or visit any Globe Store.

Anne Curtis: Fearless in saying ‘Yes’

Tweet

“I never fear or regret saying ‘yes,’ especially to situations and things that can lead me to great, unforgettable experiences,” quipped Anne Curtis, one of the Philippines’ most sought-after entertainment personalities.

With such an open attitude towards life, it’s easy to see why Anne has managed to go from a balikbayan on a holiday to a prominent figure in the showbiz industry for the last twenty years.

“And I have to add that my showbiz career started right in Jollibee Boni, when I was approached by a talent scout,” the actress said. “Jollibee really reminds me of that fateful ‘Yes’ that I said twenty years ago, and look where that brought me!”

Earlier this year, Anne returned to where her impressive career began, but with a sweeter twist as the endorser of Jollibee’s best-tasting and best-selling Burger Steak. The actress calls her Jollibee endorsement as a “homecoming,” and is truly in love with her favorite 100% beefy-linamnam and saucy-sarap rice meal.

‘Best with rice’

Despite her Australian heritage, Anne remains truly Pinay at heart—especially in her favorite comfort foods. She loves a good ulam with white rice, just like millions of Filipinos who enjoy this simple yet filling combination every day.

“I know that there are some who would think that a burger patty doesn’t go well with rice, but Jollibee Burger Steak’s 100% beef patty with its flavorful mushroom sauce really is best paired with a steaming cup of rice,” said Anne.

In her latest TV commercial for Jollibee Burger Steak that began airing last July 9, Anne gives us a couple of reasons to say ‘Yes na Yes’ to this flavor-packed combination.

“The Jollibee Burger Steak is indeed the best-tasting rice meal you’ll have for this really great, affordable price,” shared the actress. “Best-tasting na ang 100% beefy-linamnam patty, saucy-sarap pa ang mushroom gravy, bagay na bagay pa with rice!”

Haven’t tried the Jollibee Burger Steak yet? Take it from true-blue Burger Steak lovers like Anne Curtis and say “Yes na Yes” to the unforgettably delicious dining experience offered by the Jollibee Burger Steak Rice Meal, available for dine-in, take-out, delivery, and drive-thru transactions, starting at P50.00*.

* Prices may vary across different locations

GetGo, KLOOK, and UnionBank make travel adventures more rewarding with exciting new promo

Tweet

Traveling around Asia becomes even more rewarding as GetGo partners with Klook to provide new members with additional GetGo points for even more opportunities to #FlyForFree! 

GetGo, the country’s fastest-growing lifestyle rewards program by Cebu Pacific, continues to provide the most rewarding experiences to its members with the launch of yet another exciting promo together with Asia’s leading in-destination travel services booking platform, KLOOK, and UnionBank of the Philippines.

To make travel even more enjoyable with new adventures, newly registered GetGo members can earn an extra 250 GetGo points on their first booking with Klook. From adventure thrills at Universal Studios Japan, one-of-a-kind experiences like shipwreck diving in Bali to the Hong Kong Airport Express, and Pocket Wifi rental across Asia, things are definitely getting more rewarding for GetGo members this year!

This offer is on top of the regular 1 GetGo point earned for every P100 spent on the Klook platform. With more GetGo points up for grabs, this means more free flights with Cebu Pacific!

“The Philippines is one of our fastest growing travel markets. We are very excited to join forces with GetGo to provide even bigger and better rewards for Filipino travelers all around. With new exciting verticals such as restaurants and wellness coming to Klook, strong partnerships like these put us at the forefront to capitalize on the growing trend of intra-region travel within Asia Pacific,” said Klook Travel Co-Founder Eric Gnock Fah.

Wait, it gets better! Cardholders of the Cebu Pacific GetGo Debit and Credit Cards by UnionBank, approved during the promo period, can enjoy an additional P250 discount on KLOOK when they use their cards to book. So that’s double the perks in just one booking!

To avail of the bonus GetGo points, simply visit www.klook.com/getgo, choose the destination and the desired activity or attraction to experience, and provide the payment details and GetGo membership number in the required fields. To get the KLOOK discount, cardholders should provide the debit or credit card details in the payment section and enter the unique promo code. Promo runs until November 20, 2017 only.

Cardholders of Cebu Pacific GetGo Debit and Credit Cards by UnionBank can enjoy P250 discount on KLOOK when they use their newly-approved cards to book.

Bonus and regular GetGo points will be awarded to the member’s account within 35 working days after the completion of the scheduled activity. Booking cancellations or a “no show” will not earn any bonus and regular GetGo points.

So, what are you waiting for? Start the most rewarding adventure yet with GetGo, KLOOK, and UnionBank to experience an exciting and worry-free travel escapade!

Not yet a Cebu Pacific GetGo Debit and Credit Card by UnionBank cardholder? 

Visit getgo.unionbankph.com to apply and start earning GetGo points from everyday purchases.

For more information on memberships and partners, visit www.getgo.com.ph, or call +632 71-GETGO (43846). 

The latest updates are also on GetGoPH's official pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About KLOOK

Klook is Asia’s largest in-destination services booking platform. They are dedicated to giving travelers a simple, fast and convenient access to popular attractions, experiences and services so they can discover the sounds, colors, and even tastes of places around the world. Travelers can easily customize their itineraries on klook.com or on Klook’s award-winning mobile app to satisfy their wanderlust and last-minute plans. Each day, the company inspires countless of travelers with over 10,000 activities in more than 90 destinations available at their fingertips.