YOUR DREAM HOME, JUST A CLICK AWAY: Log in to the new NorthPine website

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Being a prime mover in the real estate game in the Philippines, NorthPine Land, Inc. (NLI) continues to step up its digital marketing efforts to reach more people looking for their dream home. The company’s newest milestone was officially launched alongside the awarding of NLI’s best performing sellers of 2018. 

Giving them better selling chances, Ferdinand Macabanti (NLI’s General Manager) excitedly shares the new website to the sellers.

With a more intuitive and engaging user interface, the new version of www.northpineland.com is something that NLI is proud to share to the public. Its modern and feel-good web design is an ideal platform that will give an enjoyable experience and a complete access to the premium communities offered by NLI to the middle-income market. Its new features include an updated price list of all the house models, high quality photos of the house facades and interiors, 360˚ virtual reality tour of the communities and some model units, a live chat support that will promptly answer queries from interested buyers and more.

The new NLI blog is also one of the most exciting sections in the company’s improved digital tool. Enjoy a unique gastronomic experience, learn facts about historical places and events, learn from some home and living feature stories and exchange views with other readers, or just delight in the stunning sceneries in Pampanga, Cavite and places nearby, through its fresh contents. 

The website’s launch was the highlight of NorthPine Land’s 2018 Fourth Quarter and Annual Sales Awards held at The Blue Leaf Filipinas in Parañaque City. The major winners of Quarter 4 were: Lomavin Acolola Jr. (Top Property Associate), Maria Luz Obod (Top Property Division Manager) and Kyre Ching(Top Broker Head). Only one was hailed as the Phoenix Awardee, the topmost accolade given to the realty group with the most outstanding current accounts, highest booked accounts, and biggest cash collections for the quarter. K&L Covenant Partner Marketing Co. proudly bagged the said award and drove home whopping premiums. 

In this photo are the Top 3 Qualifiers for Property Associate, Property Division Manager, and Broker Head categories who all brought home exciting prizes.

Meanwhile, Melody Teaño (Top Property Associate of 2018), Rey Nidua (Top Property Division Manager of 2018), Ma.Angelic Sabillo (Top 2 Broker Head of 2018), and Kyre Ching(Top 1 Broker Head of 2018) were the grand annual achieverswho all drove home brand new cars.

In an interview, the company’s General Manager Ferdinand Macabanti shared that, “The new website will be of great help so people can more easily learn about our premium communities where they can experience the life they’ve been dreaming of. We’re doing this to bring individuals and families closer to their dream house.” 

The company is thrilled to share its prestigious portfolio of projects and the newest additions this 2019 including, Nancy in Montana Strands and Rushmore in Montana Views which will both be launched on June 08. These new house models will be featured in the upgraded NLI website. 

To check this out, just go to www.northpineland.com

SM Cinema’s guide on how to be a part of the Men in Black

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Since its initial release in 1997, everyone has at one point dreamed of what it would be like to be a part of top-secret organization, the Men in Black – fighting beings from beyond and protecting theworld from extraterrestrial threats. And with the spin-off movie, Men in Black: International arriving in cinemas, it’s time to suit up once again as we are introduced to a new team of galaxy defenders.

So how does one be like a top agent of the Men in Black? SM Cinema shares three basic tips on how to transform yourself into a member of the world’s most elite group of intergalactic police!

Know the threats and do your research

A good member of the MIB has to know anything and everything there is to know about extraterrestrial crime-fighting – and what better way to learn than from the experience of legends themselves? To prepare for your future in the MIB, rewatch all three Men in Black films, which were released in 1997, 2002 and 2012.

Undergo physical training and sharpen your targeting skills

The MIB go on many crime-fighting and outer space missions, so you must be able to endure extreme physical activities and be able to go up against different alien species! If you want to train like the MIB, SM Cinema is giving you this chance through a partnershipwith Lazer Arena! From June 12-16, every purchase of one (1) Men in Black: International movie ticket and one (1) movie combo 1 or 2 at Snack Time will grant the person one (1) free Lazer Arena voucher. Similarly, purchasing two (2) Men in Black: International movie tickets and one (1) movie combos 3 or 4 at Snack Time will entitle a person to two (2) free Lazer Arena vouchers. All vouchers are redeemable until December 31, 2019 so you have plenty of time to plan out your next action-packed bonding!

Upgrade your style and dress the part 

The Men in Black are always ready to fight in style. When you watch Men in Black: International, suit up so you can face off with any intergalactic threats looking dapper. If there’s anything the MIB are known for, it’s rocking an effortlessly cool minimalist look even in the most dangerous situations.

So do you think you have what it takes? Wait no longer and find out starting June 12 when Men in Black: International arrives at SM Cinema! Men in Black: International stars Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Rebecca Ferguson, Kumail Nanjiani, Rafe Spall, Liam Neeson and the LesTwins, with Emma Thompson and Tim Blaney reprising their rolesfrom Men in Black 3.

Get ready for an out of this world experience with new characters and more dangerous missions! Catch Men in Black: International atany of SM Cinema’s 64 branches nationwide, or at IMAX and Director’s Club Cinemas. Book your tickets through www.smcinema.com or via the SM Cinema mobile app. You can also follow /SMCinema on Facebook and @SM_Cinema on Instagram for updates. Satisfy your cravings at Snack Time, the official food concessionaire of SM Cinema, which offers a wide array of snacks like popcorn, hotdogs and burgers to complement your movie watching experience. Follow /SnackTimeOfficial on Facebook for more information.

DoH leads talks on lessons learned from EU health programmes, inputs for Universal Healthcare Law implementation in PH

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The Department of Health (DoH), together with the European Union (EU) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), recently held discussions on EU support to the Philippine health sector reform agenda, particularly key learnings from two budget support programmes implemented by the EU in the Philippines. The event took place last June 3 at the Manila Hotel in Manila City. 

(L-R) Dr. Albert Domingo, WHO Philippines Representative; Dr. Mar Wyn Bello, DOH Health Promotion and Communication Service Director; Dr. Gundo Weiler, WHO Representative to the Philippines; Dr. Mario Villaverde, DOH Undersecretary; Dr. Diana Van Daele, EU Delegation in the Philippines’ Programme Manager Health, and Dr. Giovanni Cascone, Team Leader of Experts evaluating the 2 Budget Support Programmes.

Aside from the budget support programmes, the event also focused on recommendations and action plans for the recently enacted Universal Healthcare (UHC) law, an act that aims to promote equal access to essential health services while protecting beneficiaries against financial risk that these services ma

Dr. Giovanni Cascone

EU consultant Dr. Giovanni Cascone led the presentation on the second phase of the Health Sector Policy Support Programme and the Philippine Health Sector Reform Contract (PHRSC) evaluation. Both budget support programmes by the EU that have enabled the local health department to deliver better healthcare services to people in many parts of the country.

Among the numerous key learnings from the implementation of these programs is the utilisation of a demand-driven approach, which enabled PHRSC proponents to provide healthcare tailored to the needs of the population. Both programmes also resulted in an increase in the number of Philippine National Health Insurance Programmebeneficiaries from 62% in 2010 to 92% in 2018, the establishment of drug recovery clinics offering evidenced-based drug abuse treatments, and improved sexual and reproductive health care services for numerous beneficiaries in the last ten years.

“The last ten years have been fruitful for health reforms based on the evaluation. The programmes enabled countless Filipinos to improve their overall health, especially women and children in far-flung areas of the country who need access to quality healthcare the most,” said Cascone. “It’s all thanks to the hard work of the DoH, and selfless individuals whocontributed to health reforms over the years.”

Dr. Gundo Weiler​​ ​

DoH Dr. Mario Villaverde and Dr. Mar Wyn Bello

DoH Undersecretary Dr. Mario Villaverde and WHO representative Dr. Gundo Weiler followed with discussions onrecommendations related to the implementation of the UHC law in the Philippines. These recommendations include increasing support for DoH and PhilHealth in terms of health financing, implementation of new policies, health management and governance, and prioritising the development of human resources for health, to name a few.

“The UHC act provides an actionable legal mandate for the integration of primary health care within the government health system and encourages sectoral reform cooperation and action on a wide range of health needs,” Weiler said.

Villaverde said that the three priorities of the UHC law should be the unification of the fragmented local healthcare system, financing and efficient use of resources, and crafting a regulatory framework that covers pricing, quality, and distribution of services. “By prioritising these, it will enable us and our partner organisations to lay the groundwork for a more comprehensive UHC later on.”

WHO representative Dr. Albert Domingo said that aside from these, another priority should be the definition of roles of each organisation involved in the UHC’s implementation. “The meat of the UHC Law, among many other things, should be getting the roles clearly delineated and ensuring that there is accountability.”

“If we are able to define the rules and responsibilities by concretely assigning them to particular actors such as the province- and city-level systems, then we might be able to move things forward much more efficiently,” Domingo added.

Both the EU and WHO then pledged that they will remain committed to helping DoH fulfil its mandate of creating amore democratised healthcare system in the Philippines. "We will always be ready to support and assist the Philippines in unity with other members of the UHC Partnership, because health for all must be health by all," said Weiler.

PNP-Highway Patrol Group (HPG) supports ANGKAS pilot run starting this June

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The Highway Patrol Group (HPG) has announced its support for the government-sanctioned pilot run of app-based motorcycle taxi service Angkas, saying it is strongly aligned with their mandate of helping Filipinos safely traverse the streets. 

HPG chief superintendent Roberto Fajardo said In a press briefing held Monday morning,  that the HPG’s mandate is to ensure the safety of the metro’s highways for the benefit of commuters and motorists alike and part of that mandate is to help ensure the smooth and safe flow of traffic in our streets. 

“We support Angkas, as well as all the transport operators legally franchised by the LTFRB, because it is a service that helps the commuters in safely going to and from their destinations,” Fajardo declared.

 “The HPG and Angkas have the same objective and therefore we need to support each other,” he added.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) recently gave the green light to implement the pilot run of Angkas in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu for six months starting this June. Prior to this, the DOTr organized a Technical Working Group (TWG) to discuss and conduct studies of Angkas’ operations, particularly, its safety training program for their motorcycle rider-pa

Fajardo also said that Angkas bikers have also been participating in the HPG’s own Motorcycle Riders Safety training program. “In their own little way, and in line with Angkas’ social responsibility, they send their own riders to join our safety training,” Fajardo noted.

He also commended Angkas’ own safety training program. 

“Maganda nga ang may training dahil magiging katuwang natin sila, magiging example of a disciplined motorcycle rider,” Fajardo stressed.

“HPG is out every day protecting our streets and since safety is also paramount to Angkas, we join them in their effort to make the street safer for the general public,” said Angkas founder and CEO Angeline Tham as about their partnership with HPG.

The press briefing coincided with the turnover of Angkas’ donation 50 brand-new, high-quality helmets to the HPG, which was held at the HPG office in Camp Crame, Quezon City. According to Angkas Regulatory and Public Affairs head George Royeca, the donation is part of their safety advocac

“We have always been vocal about our advocacy for the safety of both the bikers and the passengers. Our donation to the HPG is in line with that advocacy, and which we hope will, in some way, contribute to the safety of our friends from the HPG as they patrol our highways and make them safe,” Royeca said.

“This is just the start of a partnership with HPG which we hope will expand to cover other areas that promote and improve road safety,” he added.

Gen. Fajardo also described the HPG’s partnership with Angkas as a joint effort to work for the benefit of the commuters and the motorists. “We work hand in hand for the safety, security and discipline of the motorists,” Fajardo stressed.

Fajardo also said that the donated helmets will be part of the HPG riders’ new uniform and will be the perfect tandem for the new BMW motorcycles that the HPG riders will soon be driving.

Shell engages kids on energy future

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As it celebrates 105 years of operation in the Philippines, Pilipinas Shell (Shell) renews its commitment to deliver more and cleaner energy to help meet growing needs and find ways to use energy more efficiently.

At the heart af this commitment is the goal to #MakeTheFuture of energy one that is environmentally and socially responsible and thus, sustainable with the help of all

stakeholders, including kids.

Shell launched its #MakeTheFuture campaign with an event designed for kids at the Mind Museum in Bonifacio Global City Taguig.

"Everything that we are doing today impacts on future generations, ond it is interesting to see what tomorrow's decision-makers and leaders know about energy, how they're affected and what they think must happen to ensure that Shell con help make the future sustainable for them," says Cesar Romero, country chairman of Shell companies in the Philippines.

By holding the Kids #MakeTheFuture event, Shell intends to create an opportunity to promote energy consciousness and education among youngsters, as well as to invite them to join the discussion on improving and making the future of energy.

The young atendees were among the first to see the #MakeTheFuture campaign video which highlights inspiring stories of kids who benefit from ongoing programs like Access to Energy, Shell's program to power off-grid communities using renewable energy.

Romero was joined by Managing Director of Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (SPEX) Don Paulino and Country Health Manager Dr. Rose Rivera in providing insights on the many ways that everyone, including kids, use and expend energy, and what She ll does to provide them the energy that they need.

Among those who attended the Kids #MaketheFuture event were children of celebrities like Nathan Linsangan, son of Camille Pratts; Micaela, daughter of Danica Sotto-Pingris; and Eio, daughter of Sherilyn Reyes-Tan. Together with other kids from the Trumpets Playshop, The School of Academics and Arts, Eton International School, and children of invited media, they responded to and asked questions during kid-friendly discussions held to jumpstart their energy education. 

"We really want to empower kids. They have so much potential to create things, and all we need to do is give them the right resources and opportunities," says Romero, 

"By showing them that we can put renewable energy to good use, like powering up communities, we hope to help them realize that they can make the future of energy clean, sustainable and possible for everyone," he adds.