A Fresh Look at Mermaid Mythology : Catch Siren SeasoEn 2 and Dive Deeper into The Long-Standing Battle Between Mermaids and Humans

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Humans have long been entranced by the idea of mermaids, from the sailors and fishermen of old to modern-day enthusiasts. In 2018, to the delight of fans everywhere, the producers of Siren declared March 29 as International Mermaid Day! Clearly, people remain fascinated by the very idea that they exist but, as with all fairy tales, there is a much darker story that goes farther back.

The age-old story of human-mermaid interaction is retold in Siren, which takes place in a coastal town called Bristol Cove. According to its lore, it was once home to mermaids and strange newcomer named Ryn triggers a series of events. Befriending marine biologist Ben and girlfriend Maddie, Ryn and her brethren turn the sleepy neighbourhood on its head and bring to light jaw-dropping revelations about Ben’s ancestors and the town’s shameful past.

In the second season, tensions flare as the battle between man and sea continues, confirming some of their more sinister aspects: 

1. Mermaids are superior in strength and ferocity than humans.

Any creature that lives in the depths of the ocean has to be fierce and strong, or they won’t survive. Predatory instincts and tribal loyalty run strong and wild in mermaids as demonstrated by Ryn and her brethren, so it’s no wonder that some of them look at weaker, tail-less humans with disdain.

2. Mermaids are highly intelligent!

Many people equate savagery with brainless brutality but this doesn’t apply to mermaids. On the contrary, they are highly intelligent and have the ability to observe, reason and conspire, as Ryn’s sister Donna demonstrated when she escaped from captivity in Season 1. Coupled with their strength and ferocity, this is bad news for anyone who stands in their way.

3. Mermaids are haunting, ethereal and alluring

This is one point where popular mythology and modern retellings seem to agree – mermaids are irresistible. Traditionally, the song of the siren drove sailors mad and Ryn has this ability too; it’s a powerful addition to her physical strength.

4. Mermaids are skilled at shape-shifting 

Taking human form is another common theme when it comes to tales about mermaids, and what better way to hide among humans than in plain sight? However, every transformation comes at a painful, sometimes fatal, price. In spite of this anguish, Ryn seemed determined to stay and defend her human friends. But now, with her sister gone and her presence endangering her friends, where will she go?

As more mermaids come onto land, it’s no longer just a fight between human and mermaids – It has become a survival of the fittest within their own kind. Tune in to Siren season 2 mid-season catch up that will bring you up to date on all that’s happening in Bristol Cove from episode one to five on Sunday, March 3, from 3:30PM on Blue Ant Entertainmentavailable on SKYcable channels 53(SD) and 196(HD), SKYdirect channel 35, Destiny Cable channel 53, and Cablelink channel 37.

Blue Ant Entertainment

Blue Ant Entertainment is a general entertainment channel with the best mix of reality, drama, comedy, and daily programmes. Featuring hit series such as Siren, Bull; competition series The X Factor UK; dailies airing express and day-and-date with the U.S. and U.K. markets, including: Entertainment Tonight, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Late Late Show with James Corden. The channel also airs box office classics and ‘LIVE’ broadcasts some of the biggest award shows in the world, including The Golden Globe Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, American Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards.

Know your pork and how to cook it

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When you’re preparing a pork dish, it’s important to choose the right cut of meat to go with it. Robina Farms Premium Fresh Meat offers a variety of meat cuts to suit your needs. But with so many different cuts available, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.

Robina Farms Premium Fresh Meat offers high quality pork, in a variety of meat cuts, to suit your needs.

To help you choose the right cut of meat for your recipe, here’s a handy guide with a few suggestions to get creative with your pork dish.

Kasim

One of the most common and versatile cuts of pork, kasim has layers of fat and litid, making it ideal for slow cooking and suited for most pork dishes like adobo, menudo, and sinigang. 

Recipe Recs: Get creative with your pork shoulder by roasting it whole on low heat for an extended period of time. With layers of fat keeping it moist, cooking it low and slow allows the flavors to seep in, resulting in the perfect roast for pulled pork.

Tenderloin

From the same area as the pork loin, the tenderloin is the most tender of all cuts of pork meat. It also has the mildest flavor because of how lean it is, and benefits from lots of seasoning. It’s best cooked and treated like steak—grilled or pan-fried.

Recipe Recs: Make an alternative to chicken fingers by breading and frying tenderloin strips and pairing it with honey mustard dip, or use it as a substitute for beef in a garlicy salpicao.

Ribs

The row of bones surrounding the loin, the ribs are located closer to the belly while those closer to the backbone are the more tender baby back ribs. Ribs are very flavorful on their own, and are best enhanced by charred flavors when they are barbecued.

Recipe Recs: Put a unique spin on barbecued ribs by adding coffee grounds into the dry rub

Liempo

A definite crowd-pleaser, the liempo or pork belly is the fattiest and most flavorful cut with alternating layers of meat and fat. It can be used interchangeably with kasim for a more flavorful and fatty pork dish.

Recipe Recs: Level up the classic liempo by rolling a whole pork belly into a log and filling with aromatics to make the Italian roast pork dish porchetta. This distributes the flavors more evenly throughout the meat, and creates a juicy roast with uniform layers of fat and a crispy skin.

Pigue

The pigue is the second most versatile pork cut. It can be used in any of the same dishes as its leaner brother, kasim, and is also best for slow cooking. The pigue is where we get the ham.

Recipe Recs: Put a spin on your basic adoboby adding gata and allowing it to cook down to a thick sauce.

Pata

The underrated pata can be used for a wide variety of dishes that otherwise require general-purpose cuts. While it is not fatty, it gets tons of flavor from the layers of skin and litid surrounding it. It is commonly used for crispy pata, and the braised pata tim.

Recipe Recs: Pata slices can easily substitute cubed meat in pork nilaga or sinigang. When it is deboned and chopped, it can also replace the hard-to-find maskara for sisig.

Now that you know the ideal meat cuts to use for your all-time-favorite pork dishes and how to creatively cook them, it’s time to head to the supermarket. Remember, any dish is best when you use the right cuts of the highest quality meat. Be sure to look for Robina Farms Premium Fresh Meat when you visit any Robinsons Supermarket branch nationwide.

Discover the #3SecretsToLevelUpSarap : Lee Kum Kee Announces Filipina Celebrity Karla Estrada as its New Ambassador

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With a glorious history of over 130 years, Lee Kum Kee has become an international household name and a symbol of quality and trust, spicing up Filipinos’ kitchens with its celebrated sauces and condiments. 

Lee Kum Kee announced celebrity mom Ms. Karla Estrada as its ambassador, and reveals its three secret products - Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand Oyster Sauce, Lee Kum Kee Premium Soy Sauce and Lee Kum Kee Sesame Oil - to level up the sarap of Filipino cooking.

(L-R): Lee Kum Kee Panda Mascot, Lee Kum Kee Philippines Business Manager Mr. Ryan Cruz, Sysu International Inc. Managing Director Ms. Jennifer Sy, Lee Kum Kee’s newest brand ambassador Ms. Karla Estrada, and Lee Kum Kee South Asia Managing Director Mr. Leslie Lau

“Filipinos have an innate love for cooking, whether it is trying out a new fusion restaurant or cooking up traditional, well-loved dishes at home,” said Mr. Ryan, Esguerra Cruz, Business Manager of Lee Kum Kee Philippines. “We believe that Ms. Karla Estrada perfectly embodies this love for cooking, especially as a mom who whips up dishes for her family every day and bond over sumptuous food.”

At the campaign launch event at Seafood City, Venice Grand Canal Mall in Taguig, Ms. Estrada shared the cooking secrets for her loved ones.Together with the acclaimed Chef John Flores, they transformed a traditional Pancit Canton into something more flavorful using the three secret sauces of Lee Kum Kee.

(L-R): Lee Kum Kee International Young Chef Chinese Culinary Challenge 2018 Bronze awardee Chef John Flores, Lee Kum Kee’s newest brand ambassador Ms. Karla Estrada, and Lee Kum Kee’s 3 Secrets To Level Up Sarap event host Mr. Eric Tai.

“I love cooking. It is a way for me to express my love for my family,” said Ms. Estrada. “Whether it is a dish for a special occasion or even for an everyday meal, I make sure to always use the best ingredients for my cooking.”

“Lee Kum Kee is really my secret ingredient to level up the sarap in my cooking. It allows me to bring out those balanced taste and authentic flavors that I want for my dishes. My family loves it so much! And when they are happy with my cooking, I am happy too,” she adds.

Lee Kum Kee’s newest brand ambassador Ms. Karla Estrada

As the world’s number one oyster sauce brand for 11 consecutive years, Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand Oyster Sauce is an all-purpose seasoning sauce, perfect for dipping, marinating, stir-frying or as a sauce base. Using selected fresh oyster extracts, the Oyster Sauce adds a flavorful taste to every day Filipino dishes.

Made from premium non-GMO whole soybeans and wheat flour naturally brewed using traditional methods, Lee Kum Kee Premium Soy Sauce has a rich flavor, color and aroma that will delicately enhance any dish by giving it a natural umami taste.

Prepared using the finest roasted sesame seeds, Lee Kum Kee Sesame Oil is carefully processed to retain the strong sesame flavor and aroma. As the country's #1 sesame oil for 2018 in terms of volume according to a study by Nielsen*, Lee Kum Kee Sesame Oil easily accentuates any food’s overall taste even by just adding a few dashes.

Lee Kum Kee products are widely available in leading supermarkets, grocery stores and sari-sari stores nationwide.

The 3 Secrets to Level Up Sarap: Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce, Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand Oyster Sauce, and Lee Kum Kee Sesame Oil

*Source: Nielsen FY 2018K

Some #3SecretsToLevelUpSarap great food served to us during the event.

#3SecretsToLevelUpSarap Chicken and Pork Adobo cooked with Lee Kum Kee Premium Soy Sauce

#3SecretsToLevelUpSarap Chopsuey cooked with Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand Oyster Sauce

#3SecretsToLevelUpSarap Special Pancit Canton cooked with Lee Kum Kee Sesame Oil

Lee Kum Kee was established in 1888 when its founder Mr. Lee Kum Sheung invented oyster sauce. With a glorious history of over 130 years, Lee Kum Kee has become a household name of Chinese sauces and condiments, as well as an international brand and a symbol of quality and trust. Lee Kum Kee has straddled three centuries and become a globally renowned Chinese enterprise offering over 200 choices of sauces and condiments to over 100 countries and regions. For more details, please visit www.LKK.com.

Follow Lee Kum Kee on Facebook and Instagram (@LeeKumKeeGlobal) and use the hashtag #LeeKumKee.

Shopee and L'Oréal Celebrate International Women’s Day with Debut Regional Super Brand Day

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L'Oréal x Shopee Super Brand Day ! 

From March 6 to 8, Shopee users can access exclusive deals from leading L'Oréal’s brands, including a limited edition beauty box exclusively available on Shopee.

This International Women’s Day, Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, partners L'Oréal, the world leader in beauty, for Shopee’s first regional Super Brand Day. In celebration of women and sharing beauty for all, Shopee users across seven countries will be treated to an exclusive range of deals from the top three Women’s Internationally Favorite L'Oréal brands from across the world – L'Oréal Paris, Maybelline New York, and Garnier – that serve the need of female shoppers at every age range and beauty profile. Themed Women's Day, Live Your Beauty, the L'Oréal x Shopee Super Brand Day will run from March 6 to 8, and will feature unbeatable L'Oréal offers, giveaways and a limited edition beauty box exclusively available via the L'Oréal Official Store on Shopee Mall.

Chris Feng, Chief Executive Officer of Shopee, said, “Last year, we launched Super Brand Day as an avenue to recognize our key brand partners, and also to offer our users access to exclusive deals and products from their favorite brands. This collaboration with L'Oréal marks the first regional installment of our Super Brand Day series, and the tie-in to International Women’s Day makes it even more meaningful. We are proud to support L'Oréal’s belief in celebrating women and beauty for everyone, and we are confident that this Super Brand Day will be a great success.”

As an International Women’s Day special, Maybelline New York will also be launching a limited edition Empowered Box exclusively on Shopee, containing the latest shades of Maybelline New York’s best-selling lipstick, the Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink. Each limited edition Empowered Box contains two Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink lipsticks and a Maybelline SuperStay Eraser.

The L'Oréal x Shopee Super Brand Day will feature three days of themed beauty deals, with each dedicated to one of three leading L'Oréal brands; L'Oréal Paris, Maybelline New York, and Garnier. Key highlights include:

L'Oréal Paris: 50% off all Color Riche Matte lipsticks, including highly popular shades Rich Merlot and Hinted Blush; and 50% off Magic Retouch hair root concealer spray in Mahogany Brown.

Maybelline New York: 50% off all Powder Matte and Creamy Matte lipsticks on March 8 during 2 rounds of flash sales at 12MN to 2AM and 12NN to 2PM.

Garnier: Buy 5 Take 2 promotion on all variants of Garnier Serum Masks, and up to 22% off on Garnier Micellar Water.

Shopee users can also stand to win additional discounts and special prizes by taking part in the L'Oréal-themed Beauty Ninja game, and a series of social media giveaways. Users who shop from L'Oréal Paris, Maybelline New York, and Garnier official stores on Shopee on March 8 also stand a chance to be one of three lucky raffle draw winners of a year’s supply of products from the brands. Finally, Shopee will host a special Facebook Live session on March 8 with Filipino online stars Doll Up Mari; and Kristine Roces, also known as RealAsianBeauty, to give away a wide array of best-selling products from L'Oréal.

All L'Oréal products can be found via the L'Oréal Official Store on Shopee Mall. Products under Shopee Mall come with 7 days return, 100% authentic guarantee, and free shipping.

Shop the L'Oréal x Shopee Super Brand Day: https://shopee.ph/m/super-brand-day.

Download the Shopee app for free on the App Store or Google Play Store.

Cebuana Lhuillier launches easier, more convenient way to save through micro savings product

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Cebuana Lhuillier, one of the country’s leading microfinancial services company, recently unveiled the Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings, which will provide Filipinos with a more convenient and affordable means to save their hard-earned money. 

Launch coincides with the introduction of “#KayaNa: Unbanked Filipinos No More Movement” 

Acting as a cash agent of the Cebuana Lhuillier Rural Bank (CLRB), micro savings is Cebuana Lhuillier’s platform for Filipinos to overcome the barriers to saving. While Filipinos like to save, they opt to keep it at home according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) 

The lukewarm attitude of the masses towards opening a savings account is attributed to the barriers to saving in banks. The lack of access to banks among the country’s many cities and municipalities remains as the top deterrent, according to a BSP study. In fact, only 33% or 551 cities in the Philippines have access to banking institutions. The numerous documentary requirements is a major turn off for many, along with the high cost of initial deposit, high maintaining balance, as well as, high dormancy charges.

Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings enables every Filipino to break through these barriers. Opening a Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings account requires only one valid ID and a minimal Php 50 initial deposit. And because of Cebuana Lhuillier’s wide network of branches comprised of 2,500 retail infrastructures, account holders can deposit and withdraw anywhere at their most convenient hours. 

The product is in line with the Cebuana Lhuillier’s mission of financial inclusion, which has been the thrust of the company for the past 30 years. 

“BSP’s basic deposit framework, Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings completes the full roster of our services, all designed and developed with financial inclusion in mind. We’ve come full circle—from offering collateralized loans or pawning, remittance service, micro insurance and now, micro savings—all of these products were designed with Filipinos from all walks of life in mind especially the unbanked and underserved, who would not have access to these financial services given their circumstances in life,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, president & CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier.

To ensure that micro savings account holders can fully maximize the use of their savings account and ensure greater connectivity, Cebuana Lhuillier will also be launching its very own eCebuana app which allows micro savings users to check their balance and send money through remittance, as well as load prepaid credits to their phones, and pay their bills by integrating it to their Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings account.

The app is just the first step in a long line of innovations connected to the micro savings product – on top of which is its migration to an EMV-enabled card which can be accessed through ATMs (automated teller machines). It will also carry a debit and credit facility for online and cashless shopping, provide access to auxiliary services and help corporate and MSME (micro, small, and medium enterprises) clients manage their business through payroll cash management solutions. 

Furthermore, it will progress to provide more value with features like remit-to-and-from savings account; pay and deposit from savings account; and an international remit-to-account feature which will provide convenience to Filipinos abroad in sending money to their families in the Philippines. This innovation will also allow clients to have safe and convenient access to their accounts in all Cebuana Lhuillier branches, Cebuana CARES, agent partners, and all online and mobile channels, as well as, access to all CLRB branches set to establish presence nationwide. For easier access, self-service kiosks in Cebuana Lhuillier branches will also be put in place. 

All these efforts to make savings accessible to every Filipino are part of Cebuana Lhuillier President & CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier’s vision on financial wellness. “Cebuana Lhuillier is also adapting a new philosophy, which is financial wellness. Our goal is not just to provide quick cash to the underbanked and unbanked for their short-term financial needs but to become an enabler for a better future for them. Allowing more and more Filipinos to steer their own direction and be captains of their own ship. We want to help them graduate from being dependent through bridge financing options for them to experience financial freedom,” Lhuillier said. 

The launch of Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings coincides with the launch of the #KayaNa: Unbanked Filipinos No More Movement, which aims to transform the landscape of saving in the Philippines.

In light and in support of the BSP’s call for greater financial inclusion among Filipinos, Cebuana Lhuillier aims to reach more underserved Filipinos and empower them to save for the future through its micro savings product.