Join Juan Earth photocontest and show your #LoveForMotherEarth!

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SAVE Mother Earth. Take ACTION. It all starts with JUAN step!

Bring out your cameras and smartphones, and show off your photography skills and #LoveForMotherEarth!

Join Juan Earth photocontest and take a shot towards environment preservation and animal protection in the Philippines.

Juan Earth is a grassroots effort produced by Write On Track and its dedicated team of community volunteers. We want to educate and empower people to create a healthier and more sustainable world.

Juan Earth will be on September 29, 2018 at Bonifacio High Street Activity Center, 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.

Juan Earth event will feature performances by Silent Sanctuary, FEU-IAS DANCE COMPANY, PUP Teatro, Komunikado Officiala and UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe.  Juan Earth will be hosted by  and Stephanie Ongkiko

Rica Garcia of Monster Radio RX 93.1.

Visit www.juanearth.com for contest mechanics and other details.

Per DTI-FTEB Permit No.13643 Series of 2018

#JuanEarth #JuanStepAtATime #WriteOnTrackPH #LoveMotherEarth

Trust a reliable pawnshop for your immediate needs

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Pawning has been a reliable means to meet our immediate need for cash.  

A friend asked me for advice when they need additional money for paying tuition fees and other needs for their children . . . . bank loan or "sanglaan ?"

I remember our times of working hard for our family, our children during their elementary and high school, there were many times we need to solve financial needs to pay the tuition fees.  (Thankful to our relatives who helped,  but not that we always asked them.)  Sometimes,  we thought of bank loans but we did not try. 

Our top options was to pawn our jewelry and gadgets. We brought our wedding rings,  because those were gold that can be accepted at the pawnshops. Times also we pawned our cellphones.  

We did asked to appraise our rings to two or three pawnshops first, different pawnshops have different appraisal values. We chose to pawn to the one with higher appraisal. 

As those long story end,  we were so thankful for those pawnshops that helped us to make our children graduated from elementary and high school.

Pawning is the easiest way than securing a bank loan. Pawning transaction is fast and easy. They will appraise the item and sealed it in a pouch,  and you will sign it , for security and proves that it's yours. You will also sign the contract, you'll have a copy.  Then you'll take home the money you need. The transaction will only take less than ten minutes. 

Here are more to share for more on pawning. 

What is a pawn shop? And how they appraise the jewelry?  How do they know how much they can give you to replace these things you pawn? 

A pawn shop (known in Filipino term "sanglaan", also called a pawnshop or pawnbroker) is a shop or business who loans money to people who bring in valuable items which they leave with the pawnbroker. Examples of items that a person may leave are jewellery, gold, watches, cameras, musical instruments, televisions or computers.

How the appraisal works? 

Recently,  I am one of the few lucky to be invited by Cebuana Lhuillier on a short workshop on how appraisal works. 

It was a very interesting and educational short discussion about gold and jewelry appraisal.

Cebuana Lhuillier’s expertise is  because of continuous study,  continuous honing of skills. Their staff are trained and certified. 

There are standard procedures in pawning shop. 

Pawnshops use appraising tools to check the quality and percentage of gold.

Loupe lens  - The loupe lens allows the pawnbroker to inspect the details of the item and they can see the markings ,  the tiniest letters or characters inside the item,  most jewelries have markings.

Black stones - Pawn shops uses black stone to test gold's purity (10K, 14K, 16K, 18K, 21K, or 24 Carat gold). The gold remains almost the same or turns avocado color when tested in a black stone dropped with solution. The gold remains intact even its weigh after the test.

They also use Cigarette ash for more testings. 

Weighing scale with calibrator - They check the estimated value of your item using the appraisal calculator.

There are different colors of gold.  The most common gold colors are yellow, white, and rose. 22K - 24K are deep rich yellow gold , 14K gold are light yellowish, 9K  are gold brownish. White gold are 18 or 14 carat. 

Cebuana Lhuillier takes prime consideration when it comes to putting the right value on the jewelries they receive. Cebuana Lhuillier puts premium value on what’s valuable for its clients

Indeed,  Cebuana Lhuillier has higher appraisal rates and gives bigger take home pay compared to other pawnshops. 

Cebuana Lhuillier leads the pawning industry by offering safety and the highest appraisal rate in the industry in its more than 2,200 branches nationwide. Accepting an array of items, from jewelry to gadgets, as collaterals, the company’s core business has evolved with the needs of its clients.

Good mental health truly matters : Kylie Verzosa with "Mental Health Matters Fair"

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Mental health as physical health is most important to live life to the fullest. Yes,  good  health truly matters.

In life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected.

Mental health problems are common but help is available. People with mental health problems can get better and many recover completely.

With successive incidents of suicide among notable celebrities here and abroad, there is now a strong call to promote good mental health among people suffering from various mental health disorders. Now, it is not just enough to provide emotional support, belongingness, understanding and compassion. 

There is also a strong need to spread enough information, how to know if one is suffering from mental issues, especially those undergoing various amounts of physical and emotional stress that can be too hard to handle, much more ignore.

To stress further the need to spread more information about mental health issues, Mental Health Matters (MHM) recently celebrated its 1st anniversary through its “Mental Health Matters Fair.” 

Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa organized a project dubbed "Mental Health Matters Fair” which was held at the Crown Spaces opened to the public last Saturday,  August 18. 2018.

Verzosa herself is an advocate of good mental health and who once underwent bouts with depression.

The fair featured several inspirational talks from guest speakers from the medical profession and the legislative sector, free psychiatric consultations, art exhibits, live performances, and interactive and imaginative booths and was open to the public. Priority access, however, was provided to the MHM Support Group and the Anxiety and Disorder Support Philippines (ADSP).

The whole-day affair started with psychiatrists from the Philippine Psychiatric Association (PPS) and Talang Dalisay, a nongovernmental organization, who jointly provided professional psychiatric advice for free to select attendees. Both are partners of MHM.

The afternoon started with a talk by Senator Risa Hontiveros, author and principal sponsor of the bill that became Republic Act 11036 or the Philippine Mental Health Law, which was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte recently. She said mental health struggles among Filipinos are very complex. “Today and every day, you are not alone,” she assures those present.

She said the law’s Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) is now being developed under the Department of Health, particularly on seeking increase in access to services up to the community level, a progressive “referral” system, on-campus anti-discrimination and anti-stigma program, and inclusion of non-medical interventions to health and healing.

Verzosa, a strong advocate of mental health since her reign, said she organized the event for the benefit of everyone who has been struggling and who has survived. She also called on people undergoing depression to not be afraid to seek help. “Get help by talking to someone. Let’s speak up about mental health before it’s too late.” Dr. Gia Sison, a breast cancer survivor and a Youth for Mental Health Coalition national adviser, meanwhile, provided invaluable advice, particularly on developing mental strength to help overcome failures.

There were also other speakers who shared their mental health advocacies. UST student Reymark Simbulan, a member of the LGBTQ community who also suffered from depression, shared many important things about finding one’s anchors, not giving up because it will get better, and knowing that God will make us stronger.  He also noted that “members of the LGBTQ community are almost three times likely to experience mental health problems like depression,” he said.

Diet coach Nadine Tengco, meanwhile, said food has a profound effect in addressing one’s mental health while Mariella Tung, a pastry chef, shared her story of resilience and recovery. “I finally came out to people about depression and became strong because of my son, my anchor. Every day, I remind myself of that one person.” Kates Ante, head of operations at ADSP, explained how “laughter yoga” works, and said the art pieces in the exhibit were masterpieces of people with mental health problems. Rachelle Jardin, a former media researcher, filmmaker and poet, meanwhile, said her team is working on an idea of a social enterprise for mental health.

Mental Health Matters is an online support group established for people experiencing various forms of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders. The group also offers seminars to spread awareness about mental health in many universities nationwide. 

For more information about the group, go to www.Facebook.com/mentalhealthmattersbykylieverzosa. 

Is VIVO preparing for a new smartphone ?

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Monday is an exciting day for tech enthusiasts and loyal followers of the fastest growing smartphone brand Vivo as it teased fans with a new visual, raising speculations that a new flagship is on its way.

Vivo said that “something out of this world is brewing.” Tech enthusiasts and fans should keep watch in the coming days for more details.

On its social media pages, Vivo posted a GIF image that depicts a fingerprint like a spiral galaxy with the phrases, “Go beyond” and “Arriving soon.”

Vivo, a global smartphone that focuses on high-technology innovations, has surprised its Filipino fans with the launch of the first X-series smartphone last June 21. The Vivo X21 is equipped with the pioneering In-Display Fingerprint Scanning Technology, the first smartphone in the Philippines with this forward-looking feature.

The technology replaced the rear fingerprint sensor to achieve a sleek and unified design and offer an immersive smartphone experience. This is how it works: When a user finger touches the screen for unlocking, the Vivo X21’s Super AMOLED display emits light to illuminate the fingerprint. The optical fingerprint sensor below the OLED display captures the light reflected by the fingerprint. Based on the reflected light from the unique ridges on the fingerprint, the sensor processes the optical signals to deliver crisp and sharp fingerprint images for matching. Its unlocking speed is only 0.6 second.

Vivo unveiled the industry’s first Vivo Under-Display Fingerprint Scanning Solution at the Mobile World Congress Shanghai 2017. But not long after, the global smartphone brand showcased a ready-to-produce smartphone with the world’s first In-Display Fingerprint Scanning Technology at the Consumer Electronics Show 2018 in Las Vegas, United States. That was how quick Vivo was able to develop the technology for mass production, proving that its developments are not just for show, but also for use.

With Vivo preparing for its big announcement soon, one can’t help but wonder—how can their next flagship be different from its predecessors? 

For inquiries about Vivo, 

visit the Vivo website at vivoglobal.ph or 

check out their Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/vivophil),

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vivo_philippines/), and 

Twitter (https://twitter.com/vivo_phil) accounts. 

Cross-border trade to accelerate expansion opportunities for Filipino SMEs

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MANILA, Philippines – A growing cross-border e-marketplace in Asia Pacific is a signal for Filipino SMEs to consider taking their products and services abroad, according to PayPal.

The global leader in digital payments and Ipsos recently released the 2018 PayPal Cross-Border Consumer Research, which investigates the online shopping habits of approximately 34,000 consumers in 31 countries [1]— including the Philippines. It reveals a growing cross-border e-commerce scene, with the US and China being the biggest markets in terms of online spend.

According to the study, there is a healthy appetite for e-commerce in APAC, with 48 percent of consumers shopping cross-border in the last 12 months. “This is a huge opportunity for local entrepreneurs to expand their businesses beyond the Philippines. China, in particular, shows significant promise as the Philippines improves its bilateral relations with the world’s second largest economy,” said Abhinav Kumar, Head of Strategic Partnerships for PayPal in Southeast Asia.  

China, the largest market for online purchases in the world, spent an estimated total of RMB 3.9 trillion for online transactions in 2017. This is projected to increase to RMB 5.4 trillion in 2018. Cross-border trade (buying from a website not in their own country) is increasing with 43 percent of Chinese consumers shopping cross-border in the last 12 months compared to 26 percent the previous year.

APAC countries like Australia, India and Japan are likewise growing fast. For 2018, the PayPal study projects Japan to increase its total online spend by 26 percent, India by 53 percent, and Australia by 19 percent. 

Cross-border opportunities for Filipino merchants

The digital upheaval brought about by social media and increased smartphone penetration translate to increased opportunities for cross-border trade, as seen by the projected growth in online spending. The world has become much smaller as platforms like PayPal enable merchants to take advantage of opportunities by connecting them with global consumers, allowing SMEs and micro enterprises more opportunities to thrive.

According to the study, the top few reasons for the growth in cross-border shopping can be attributed to the novelty of accessing items that are not available in their own country (49 percent) or to discover new and interesting products (34 percent). Over 30 percent of consumers from China and Australia who shop online cite finding items that are hard to find locally as a reason for making them more likely to shop cross-border.

“The demand for unique products is there, and this is an opportunity for Filipino businesses to showcase products not available elsewhere. The Philippines produces many unique products thanks to its rich culture, and with e-commerce, local merchants can now bring uniquely Filipino products to the world,” said Kumar.

Cosmetics on the rise for APAC consumers

As more and more Asian nations become more open to cross-border trade, Filipino businesses should be mindful of what consumers are buying to be able to take full advantage.

Globally, fashion, such as clothing, footwear and accessories, remain the top category for online shopping, with 68 percent of cross-border online shoppers having spent on these items in the past 12 months.

While APAC shoppers are forecasted to be spending more online in 2018, buying behaviors are also changing. Survey results showed that Chinese consumersare turning their attention to spending on things for health and beauty as well as their children, with online spending on cosmetics and baby supplies predicted to increase by 21 and 31 percent, respectively, in 2018. In India, online spending on the same categories are forecasted to increase by 40 and 37 percent, respectively. Consumer electronics is also another growth category in APAC, with online spending in the category expected to grow by 40 percent in India, 20 percent in China, and 13 percent in Australia.

Security a key driver of cross-border trade

Despite the increasing popularity of international online shopping among consumers across the globe, challenges to cross-border shopping remain. Barriers vary from region to region. Over a third (38 percent) of all online shoppers say that having a more secure way to pay would make them more likely to shop internationally.

In order for Filipino merchants to take full advantage of the expected increase in online spend, they need to address these barriers to encourage overseas purchases. With PayPal, they can connect to international consumers via a secure, seamless, and hassle-freenetwork.

“At PayPal, we understand that while more and more people shop online, the hassle of online payments can be a barrier. PayPal addresses those concerns through a more convenientand more secure online payment facilityfor consumers to buy the things they need and love. As Filipino businesses take their cross-border sales online, we are proud to empower people and businesses to join and thrive in the global economy,” added Kumar.

PayPal endeavours to bring a sense of security to online shoppers with Refunded Returns (terms and limitations apply). In addition to Refunded Returns, PayPal offers Buyer Protection for eligible transactions to help provide a greater peace of mind for online shoppers. This protection goes both ways as merchants can be protected against eligible fraudulent transactions with Seller Protection.