Team Agriviz from AIM bags East-West Seed’s Innovation Olympics Championship

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Asian Institute of Management ( AIM ) students presents E- magsasaka paltform, and won Championship at the grand finals at East-West Seed’s Innovation Olympics held at 8 Waves Waterpark and Hotel in Bulacan. 

An E-magsasaka platform converts farmers to agri-preneurs.

Team Agriviz

Team Agriviz, composed of Aiah Sarmiento, Gorby Dimalanta, Aaron David, and mentored by East-West Seed’s Downstream Marketing Manager Dexter Difuntorum, takes great pride in their e-magsasaka online platform which hopes to address two of the major problems of our farmers: lack of direct access and lack of market information between buyers and growers. 

The e-magsasaka online platform hopes to minimize the involvement of middlemen which would increase the farmers’ revenue by at least 20% and keep the prices of vegetables more affordable for the consumers. 

The platform would have a database where buyers could find the farmers that could provide the produce that they need. At the same time, the farmers could also use the database to find the market to sell their produce.

During the 6-month pilot stage, Team Agriviz worked with farmers’ cooperatives, local government units and vegetable buyers to ensure that the e-magsasaka platform would significantly benefit the entire ecosystem of vegetable production.

Team Agriviz bested two other student groups—Team Pocket Farm and Team i-Agri Ventures, both from University of the Philippines Los Banos. 

Team Pocket Farm composed of Vince Maningas and Arvin Garcia was mentored by East-West Seed’s Project Manager, Martin Hinlo, thought of using the cellphone as a tool to help the farmers in determining the moisture level of their farm lands and prompt them through text messages on when to water their vegetables and how much water their plants need. 

Intelligent sensors that assess the moisture content of the farms are linked to the farmers’ cellphone and triggers the prompt.

Claiming 80-90% accuracy in determining moisture content, the Pocket farm device hopes to address the oftentimes erratic system of farm irrigation, a major factor in vegetable production.

Team Pocket Farm 

Team Pocket Farm piloted their device in petchay farms in Los Banos and Calamba and are hopeful that their gadget could help increase farmers’ produce by as much as 40-50%.

Team Pocket Farm received the East-West Seed Employees’ Choice Special Award for their concept.

Team i- Agri Ventures

Team i- Agri Ventures, on the other hand, came up with a solar-powered multi-crop dryer that could significantly cuts post-harvest loss and create new markets for vegetable farmers. 

Zeroing in on the irony specific to tomato growing where there is an oversupply of fresh tomatoes during peak season and, as a result, price plummets down from P15 per kilo to P5 per kilo.

Team i-Agri Ventures, composed of Jonas Ruzgal, Jayson Fumera, and Mark Limbo from UP Los Banos, hopes to address this problem through their multi-crop dryer, effectively converting excess fresh tomatoes to sun-dried tomatoes and creating an alternative way for farmers to sell their produce.

Team i-Agri Ventures mentor Arthur Cabacungan said that most tomato growers do not have storage facility and are, thus, forced to sell their excess produce at more than 80% less its actual value. However, with their solar-operated dryer, farmers get to convert their excess produce to dried tomatoes catering a different market like hotels, restaurants and caterers who are keen to using sun-dried tomatoes as replacement for fresh tomatoes. 

Team i-Agri Ventures is optimistic that their multi-crop dryer could help hike farmers’ revenue by as much as 30%.

INNOVATION OLYMPICS

Innovation Olympics 2017 was launched as part of the East-West Seed’s 35th anniversary last year with the theme, “Growing Opportunities.” East-West Seed, founded in 1982 by Dutch seedsman Simon Groot and Filipino seed trader Benito Domingo, is the first integrated vegetable company in the Philippines and one of the 10 biggest tropical vegetable seed producers in the world. 

“One of the major pillars of East-West Seed is learning and innovation. And so far, we have trained and enabled close to 50,000 smallholder farmers on proper vegetable farming techniques,” Henk Hermans, East-West Seed Philippines General Manager, said. 

Innovation Olympics, he adds, is a manifestation of East-West Seed’s commitment to address the two biggest problems facing vegetable farmers in the Philippines.

“Farmers represent the 2nd poorest sector in the Philippines. This sad reality results in our our young people ‘s disenchantment of pursuing a career in agriculture. The average age of Filipino farmers is 57-59 years old that is why we have to inspire our youth to discover the beauty of farming. We at East-West Seed know that there is money in vegetable farming and it could be a solid route in improving the lives of our people. Another problem is that farming practices in the Philippines are outdated and majority of our farmers are reluctant to use technology in farming making their work labor intensive and unsustainable,” Hermans said.

Through the Innovation Olympics, East-West Seed hopes to harness the minds of the youth to come up with their own innovative technological intervention. Students from different multiple backgrounds come up with sustainable solutions to improve productivity in vegetable farming, effectively addressing two major farming concerns: integration of technological innovations to improve vegetable production and to inspire the youth to consider farming as a professional goal and be ambassadors of modern day agriculture. 

“East-West Seed will continue to pursue ways on how to better equip Filipino vegetable farmers, inspire the youth to use their passion for technology in coming up with more innovative ideas for the farming sector and hopefully influence them to become the new breed of Filipino farmers,” Hermans adds.

       

Don’t Let Your Electricity Bill Soar This Summer, Check out these energy savings tips from Electrolux

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The heat is on as we get ready for another scorching hot summer with beach outings, ice cream desserts and movie dates. But for days spent at home, summer means our air conditioners will be working longer and harder to keep us cool and comfortable. 

To manage your electricity bill, try these smart energy saving tips from Electrolux.

1. Maximize natural light

The sun might be extra hot during summer, but without rain clouds covering the sky, it also provides light that you can use to your advantage. Arrange your space to let the light in – keep your windows unblocked, use mirrors to reflect light to strategic places and use light-colored fabrics on your pillows and upholstery. You don’t need light fixtures in every corner of your house to keep it bright and colorful this summer.

2. Unplug and get rid of phantom load

Unplugging electrical devices is an easy yet effective way to reduce energy consumption. Leaving appliances plugged in after turning them off causes them to switch to standby mode, which still uses electricity. This is called “phantom load” and can cost you up to PHP 270 per kilowatt hour a month according to the Department of Energy. By simply remembering to turn off and unplug your appliances, you can save a significant amount of money and electricity.

3. Set a timer

Keeping your home cool and comfy can be difficult during the summer, so air conditioners are a must. But this doesn’t mean that your electricity bill has to suffer. Air conditioner timers are a convenient way to save energy. Set your air conditioner timer to turn on and off at times of your choosing to maximize its cooling effect and minimize energy consumption.

4. Condition your air conditioner

Air conditioners rarely run at peak efficiency due to improper maintenance. Make cleaning your air conditioner a routine to keep it in pristine condition. Easy maintenance such as cleaning the air filters once every two months keeps your air conditioning unit from clogging up and blocking all that cool air. Have your air conditioner checked by a technician at least once a year to ensure it continues to operate at optimal levels. Electrolux’s Customer Care Hotline is open weekdays from 9 AM to 5 PM to help you keep your appliances running smoothly. Call 1-800-10-845-CARE (2273) or email wecare@electrolux.com for any questions or inquiries.

5. Switch to inverter technology

Inverter technology allows appliances to be more powerful while being more energy efficient at the same time. Inverter air conditioners use environment-friendly refrigerants and regulate temperature while minimizing energy consumption and noise. Electrolux’s Vita Inverter Split Type Air Conditioner is easy to use and keeps your home cool and clean by being eco-friendly and energy efficient. It chills the room quickly with its Turbo Function which enables it to reach the preset temperature in the shortest amount of time. It also clears dust particles and bacteria-causing elements in the air with its Active Plasma and HD Filter. The Vita Air Conditioner also comes with a user-friendly remote control and has a self-diagnose function that makes it convenient to identify and fix issues so maintenance won’t be an issue.

For more home care and energy saving tips, please visit www.electrolux.com.ph and follow @ElectroluxPhilippines on Facebook and Instagram or @ElectroluxPH on Twitter.

Electrolux shapes living for the better by reinventing taste, care and wellbeing experiences, making life more enjoyable and sustainable for millions of people. As a leading global appliance company, we place the consumer at the heart of everything we do. Through our brands, including Electrolux, AEG, Anova, Frigidaire, Westinghouse and Zanussi, we sell more than 60 million household and professional products in more than 150 markets every year. In 2017 Electrolux had sales of SEK 122 billion and employed 56,000 people around the world.  For more information go to www.electroluxgroup.com.ph

PH Ice Hockey Team concludes their first match of the year at SM Skating Mall of Asia

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The Philippine Ice Hockey team finished their first game of the year by taking home the bronze medal at the Challenge Cup of Asia (CCOA). The International Ice Hockey Foundation (IIHF)-sanctioned competition was held at the SM Mall of Asia Ice Skating Rink and marks the country’s first time to host the regional event. 

The Philippine Ice Hockey Team, together with their family and friends, celebrate at the close of the Challenge Cup at the SM Mall of Asia Skating Rink.

Team captain, Steven Fuglister, was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament with his split 14.5-second goal hit in the Philippines’ last game against Singapore.

“We want to thank everyone for their great show of support at this year’s Challenge Cup. Our families, friends, and fans gave us an incredible source of strength and motivation during this run, testament to our podium finish,” said Jonathan de Castro, the Philippine Ice Hockey Team’s new coach.

The national team will next play at the Philippine Ice Hockey Tournament in June. Although this will not have any direct impact to their IIHF standing, it will further promote the sport as some of the competing teams will come from neighboring countries.

The 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games will play a big role towards the team’s overall direction as they look to defend their gold title and advance to the IIHF World Championships. With the Philippines as SEA Games host, the team also looks forward to having the home crowd cheer them on.

“We are currently starting preparations for the men’s and potentially the women’s teams for next year. Riding on our motivation from CCOA, the coaching staff is currently breaking down film from our last game to move forward and create the roster for the upcoming 2019 SEA Games,” de Castro added. 

Future ice hockey games of the national team will be held at SM Skating Mall of Asia, which boasts an Olympic-sized ice skating rink that was unveiled last October 2017. SM Lifestyle Entertainment’s support for figure skating and speed skating alongside ice hockey goes hand-in-hand with SM Group’s vision to help and build homegrown talents.

For more updates and announcements on tournaments and events of the Philippine Ice Hockey team, visit SM Skating’s website at www.smskating.com or follow the official social media accounts at @smskating.

The beauty of purifying water right at your home and office

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Owning a purifier, directly attached to the tap, saves a family or office so many pesos a month, ensures their security from strangers, assures water quality that is of the highest purity standard and spares the home or office precious space, otherwise used for storing 5-gallon containers and operating water dispensers. Also, your drinking water would no longer have to be handled and delivered by a third party whose compliance to health and sanitation is hugely unknown.

One great advantage is that for the environment. Consumers don’t need to buy and throw away water PET bottles, thereby reducing household wastes that otherwise go to the landfills or oceans.

Water purifiers are gaining traction in the local market because of these advantages, plus the fact that there is a wide array of brands and origins to choose from.

A wholly-Japanese technology faucet-mounted water purifier—introduced two years ago in the Philippine market under the original brand name of Torayvino (produced by Toray Industries of Japan, the leader of faucet-mounted water purifiers in the highly-discriminating Japanese market)—is being re-launched in the country this April. 

The re-launch is more of a marketing strategy for the Philippine market to make the name more relatable and have an easier recall. Hence, it is being re-branded as IVO (short for Innovation and Evolution).

Important to stress here is that in just two years, Moduvi Inc., the exclusive distributor of Torayvino in the country, has earned the full trust and confidence of Toray Japan when it was allowed to change the name of Torayvino to IVO for the Philippines.

Torayvino is the dominant water purifier in the Japanese market with easily 66 percent of that market pie. Worldwide, Torayvino has already sold over 1 billion units of these water purifiers.

Toray Industries of Japan was founded in 1926 and has consolidated sales of more than 2 trillion yen and employees of over 45,000 worldwide. Its businesses are in fiber and textiles (those used by Uniqlo’s Airism and Heattech lines), plastics and chemicals, IT-related products, carbon fiber composite materials (like those used in aircrafts), environment and engineering, and life science (such as hollow fiber membrane filters used in Toray’s dialysis machines, artificial kidneys, and Torayvino water purifiers).

The 0.1 micron filtration of Torayvino, or IVO in the Philippines, ensures 99.99 percent bacteria-free water without unduly sacrificing water flow or pressure. The filter is able to remove disease causing microorganisms in water—such as Amoeba, Salmonella Typhi (Typhoid Fever), Vibrio Cholerae (Cholera), E. Coli—up to the 0.1 micron unit.

It also removes residual chlorine, harmful chemicals, bad odor, rust, sand, sediments, and other impurities.

IVO has three selections: filtered spray (for drinking); unfiltered spray (recommended for washing vegetables and dishes) and unfiltered straight (for other regular kitchen activities). The unfiltered spray also gives you 30% water savings because it has more area coverage than unfiltered straight which is perfect for washing your dishes.

IVO filters are easy to install (no plumbing required) and eco-friendly (no electricity needed).

Moduvi’s General Manager Donna Yan said the company is bringing IVO to North America and other Asian countries.

Yan said Moduvi will continue in aggressively promoting IVO filtration systems in condominiums, where space is limited and water delivery can be time-consuming and troublesome. This is apart from its marketing tie-up with O Shopping (TV) and outlets of True Value and All Home.

A filtration unit costs P1,980 with a cartridge that has a capacity of 1,500 liters or about 79 pieces of 5- gallon containers. A typical family of 3 to 5, with an average consumption of 15L per day, can use the filter for three months.

Celebrating the beauty of every Filipina , Giordano Ladies launches SS2018 Collection

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The modern-day Filipina is out to dominate the world. Whether it's in politics, science and technology, or business and commerce, more and more Filipinas are making their mark and leading a revolution. Balancing their careers with their family life, Filipinas are proving themselves as powerful forces both at work and at home.

Giordano Ladies believes in the passion, wit, and innate beauty of every Filipina. These traits partnered with great style can bring any woman to anywhere she desires. And Giordano Ladies knows that great style means bringing out and enhancing the inner beauty of every woman through simplistic, modern, classic, and timeless clothes.

"Filipinas today are on their a-game. They are making a difference in their professions and in many instances, they are in leadership positions. Not only this, they also live lives outside of work, pursuing their passions and changing the world around them. That's why we wanted to give them clothing options that resonate with their lifestyle; clothes that are comfortable, modern, and timeless,” Beatrice See Lim, VP for Marketing of Giordano Ladies said.

In designing its latest collection, Giordano Ladies kept the modern-day woman in mind. Focusing on clean and refreshing pale color tones, the collection espouses comfortable and classy style. It is composed of items that are modern, stylish, and especially designed to bring out the best in every woman.

This collection contains various harmonious color palettes, comfortable fabrics, and stylish details. Primarily inspired by colors that evoke nature and the spirit of the season, Giordano Ladies’ Spring Summer 2018 Collection invites every woman to slow down and enjoy the beauty of living.

Borrowing from the beautiful colors seen during sunrise, the airy pleated trench coat and color block skirt show a contrast between darkness and light. Another evocative pairing is the cotton lawn boxy sweater and skirt, paired with square toe leather mules that echo the colors of dawn.

Another palette in the collection are inspired by foliage and earth tones. Like the moss green layered top and skirt. The drawstring in this ensemble adds a layer of texture to the color giving it body and movement.

To celebrate summer, a palette of yellow-to-orange is apt to brighten any day. Reminiscent of a sunny day, the two-way tank top, color blocking culottes, and the tassel detailed knitted top, are some of the pieces in the collection that best capture the dynamism and excitement of the season.

Aside from these, Giordano Ladies’ Spring Summer 2018 Collection also includes sensible footwear, scarves, and even accessories like necklaces and sunglasses.

"This collection aims to translate everyday sights into functional fashion pieces that can accentuate the undeniable beauty of the Filipina," Lim said."We believe that through these clothes they can show the world not only their impeccable taste and great style, but also their identity. And to us that's the most important."

Visit Giordano Ladies at SM Aura Premier, SM Megamall Bldg. D, The Shoppes, Solaire Resort and Casino, and in The Podium Mall. For more information about the latest collection from Giordano Ladies, visit www.giordanoladies.com, or like and follow its Facebook page atwww.facebook.com/pg/GiordanoLadiesPH, or on Instagram at @giordanoladiesph.