Get to know: TINGHUN, The Filipino - Chinese Engagement

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Before tying the knot, Filipino couples practice “pamamanhikan”, where the groom formally asks the hand of the woman for marriage, to bring both the man and the woman’s families closer. Interestingly, a great number of Filipino - Chinese immigrants staying in the country also have a similar engagement tradition called Tinghun.

Tinghun Rituals

Tinghuns are commonly known for the unique and traditional rituals presented during the ceremony. One of the first rituals practiced is the walking of the bride backwards when entering the place where the event is held. This is to prevent the bride from seeing the groom immediately and to avoid negative energy.

The backward walk is followed by another ritual, where a married woman with a wealthy and healthy family, whom the bride should see as a role model, turns the bride three times until she is allowed to meet the groom.

After the entrance, the ceremonial serving of the drink happens. The drink, which symbolizes happiness and good luck, is served from the eldest to the youngest members of the family, while the soon-to-be married couple is served last. Sweet tea soup, which signifies harmony, is also served to the entourage.

Symbolic Exchange of Gifts

Aside from the rituals, Tinghuns are also renowned for their extravagant exchange of gifts from the groom and the bride’s respective families. It is common to exchange jewelries and expensive watches between families, but there is no exact list of items, as they depend on the financial capabilities of the wife or the groom, what is important is that the gifts come in pairs.

More than jewels that signify financial capacity, noodles (misua), eggs, rounded fruits, cakes, and sweets are also exchanged. Noodles in the Chinese culture have always signified longevity. The eggs, on the other hand, symbolize fertility in the hopes of building a family in the future. Fruits symbolize wealth, while the cake and sweets signify a sweet start for the couple.

The gifts are wrapped in containers with “喜喜” stickers on top. This is called the Sanghee, which expresses double happiness.

Planning a Tinghun

Presently, Tinghun is not as frequently observed in China anymore. However, traditional Filipino - Chinese families still practice the ceremony. Tinghuns are usually held at the house of the bride as it is the groom’s time to formally ask for the woman’s hand for marriage. Presently, the ceremony can now be held at hotels and restaurants for easier set-up and preparation.

Fortunately, Century Park Hotel, one of the leading hotels in Manila, offers engagement packages which can make planning your Tinghun easier which start at Php. 370,000. The package already includes two pairs of engagement cakes, cha mi sua, special tea, sweet boiled eggs and many more items in the Tinghun checklist.

To know more about the package and Century Park Hotel’s Chinese Lauriat menu, please call (+632) 528 - 8888 or 0917-528-5888, or email information@centurypark.com.ph.

Booking a venue is one thing, preparing the event is another. In fact, there are even professional bridal consultants who can help in arranging the ceremony.

Tinghun is just one of the many of the many rituals done to preserve and celebrate the Filipino - Chinese culture and identity, but there are also other traditions woven into the daily lives of the Filipino-Chinese which are also worth discovering.

PayMaya empowers online sellers, micro-merchants with free and convenient ways to accept payments

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Micro-enterprises and online sellers all across the country now have the capability to accept digital payments anytime, anywhere as leading digital financial services firm PayMaya empowers them with cashless acceptance tools to help them better manage their growing businesses. 

Through PayMaya’s QR payments tool and Send Money feature, it’s easier than ever for upstart businesses to accept payments from PayMaya users nationwide–and merchants and their customers don’t have to shoulder or pay transaction fees to be able to settle their purchases because all of these are free with PayMaya. 

“Whether you’re shopping clothes from your favorite Instagram seller online or buying items from the small sari-sari store on your street, it’s now easier than ever to pay for your purchases with PayMaya, because it’s a lot more convenient, more secure, and you don’t have to travel far to deposit your payment or incur huge transaction fees just to pay for your items–all you need is your mobile phone,” said Kenneth Palacios, Director and Head of Wallets Business at PayMaya. 

Empowering micro-merchants across the country 

Palacios said micro-enterprises play a huge role in helping meet the goals of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to transform at least 20% of total transactions to digital by the year 2020, considering how many micro-enterprises there are currently operating in the Philippines. 

To date, PayMaya has now established several “cashless communities” all around the country–particularly in Baguio, La Union, Boracay, Cebu, and General Santos, among others–to equip merchants with QR payment technology and allow the digital wallet users in these areas to pay using only their mobile phones. 

Just recently, PayMaya partnered with Bloggers United to bring the first-ever cashless bloggers bazaar this June. Participating bloggers were equipped with their own PayMaya QR code and provided cashless convenience to the event attendees who shopped in their stall. 

Bloggers United, in partnership with PayMaya, brings the first-ever cashless bloggers bazaar

“We’re grateful to have PayMaya as one of the co-presenters of our event! More than the perks of cashless shopping, our bloggers can utilize PayMaya QR in future bazaars or online selling,” said Aisa Ipac, Marketing Head at Bloggers United. 

Bloggers United is a semi-annual bazaar that brings together top bloggers who sell their new and pre-loved items and hold a meet-and-greet as well. This event also allows bloggers to promote their own brand, shop and products. 

With the help of PayMaya, a more convenient payment option is now made available to the supporters of these micro-sellers when they sell their products anytime, anywhere. 

To create a PayMaya account and transact with your favorite sellers and merchants, just download the app on the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store and sign up using any Philippine mobile number. To be able to do a send money transaction, make sure you upgrade your account from within the app.

To know more about PayMaya’s products, services and promotions, visit PayMaya.com/deals or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Get support and upgrade your PayMaya account at @PayMayaCares on Facebook. 

Real Talk - Maxi-Peel Encourages Women with Troubled Skin : “Wag Mong Isuko Ang Laban!”

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For real, acne breakouts can be frustrating, and they can also leave scars on the face and other areas of the body. Some people find that acne scars are an unwanted reminder of a painful and bothersome condition.

Have you ever been judged because of your looks? Or rejected because your skin wasn’t perfect? 

Recently, we met the four brave women who experienced negativity that have impacted their lives in a lot of ways simply because of a skin condition — acne.

We see it every day, a lot of us have had acne at some point in our lives, but for these women, it’s the source of an undying insecurity, causing them pain that goes beyond skin deep, scarring not only their faces, but also their self-esteem.

And in a society where looks and aesthetic is very influential, thefight for respect and equality is a lifelong struggle for people with pimples. 

But that fight is a fight that Maxi-Peel is unwilling to give up. The brand’s mission is to amplify the voices of those who have been misjudged, ridiculed, and discriminated because of their acne through their newest campaign — 

“'Wag Mong Isuko ang Laban”. (Don’t Give Up the Fight)

Maxi-Peel puts their brand on the line with a documentary campaignthat follows 4 women from different walks of life in a 60-day journey with Maxi-Peel Exfoliant Solutions, capturing real progress, with real results in real time. 

The campaign begins with a heart-wrenching 60-second testimonial video of these 4 women telling everyone what society tells them every day. 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8Y2RbkvDD4)

“Alam mo Kata, mas maganda ka sana kung kasing kinis ng legs mo yung mukha mo.” 

Kata San Mateo, a digital marketing head and an aspiring artist, recalls a painful moment during her acne breakout. Teary-eyed, she continues, “Siyempre tatawa-tawa lang ako pero sa loob loob ko, sobra na.”

“Bakit siya ‘yung napiling host, eh ang dami niyang pimples?” 

Andrea Roces, a retail manager and an active humanitarian says pimples have affected her work and her credibility, damaging her self-esteem and self-belief, “The confidence I’ve built for many years, it all goes away.”

“Honestly, lately hindi ako lumalabas ng bahay. There’s this misconception na ‘pag ma-pimple ka, madumi ka kaya sometimes I feel hopeless.” 

A former special education teacher, now a full-time mom, Angeline Carandang powers through the negativity, despite an overwhelming feeling of insecurity, “Behind this face, I can be a great mom… matatapos din ‘to, ngayon lang ‘to.”

“Nakulam ka ba… Naagnas ka na” Joepy Libo-on, a cum laude graduate who is now working as a marketing manager, still remembers some of the most painful things people have told her. “Before n’ung sobrang lala talaga ng pimples ko, there was a time na sobrang bumabang self-esteem ko.”

Through real stories from real people, Maxi-Peel aims to open our eyes and minds to the truth behind acne. That removing pimples is notjust about being beautiful, or achieving smoother skin, or to gain more followers, those are just the aesthetic effects. 

The real purpose of the brand is to help Filipinos treat and cure an actual skin condition, boosttheir self-confidence, revive their self-belief, and empower them to have a fighting chance against prejudice and discrimination.

This fight isn’t just about the face, this fight is about facing challenges head on, and acknowledging that it’s only just a phase. Never quitting, never stopping. To all Filipino women out there who have lost their confidence, hope is not lost. 

You can get past this, in your fight against acne and all its inherent negativity, “Wag Mong Isuko Ang Laban”.

#GreenwichBarkada : The Anatomy of a Perfect Pizza: All-in Toppings, All-out Experience

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Most of pizza lovers said "Pizza is Life!" They consider a pizza is a complete meal. And pizza is for any occasions, whether, it would be birthday parties, office parties, wine or beer parties or just hanging on witg friends,  family, or while on a travel,  or simply enjoying that delicious slice alone or with someone and while watching your favorite TV series. 

What is it about pizza that makes us crave for it? Is it the sight of oozing cheese, the juiciness of the overloaded toppings or the aroma of a freshly baked crust? If you still can’t figure out what makes pizza so irresistible, it’s probably because there is an art (and a science) to making the best-tasting pizza. Baking this all-time favorite takes more than just topping the pizza with all the flavorsome stuff and popping it in the oven.

The good thing is, every barkada’s favorite pizza chain, Greenwich, has given several insider tips on how to spot a really good pizza.

1. All-in toppings. 

Let’s be honest, the sight, smell, and of course, taste of a pizza that’s overloaded with toppings has always been tempting. While it’s true that you can top it off with whatever basic ingredient you want, a pizza becomes even more delicious if it’s generously sprinkled with the tastiest and meatiest toppings. Imagine enjoying a pizza that has all of your favorite meaty toppings like ham, pepperoni, burger crumbles, bacon, Italian sausage, and Spanish sausage, plus additional ingredients to complement the taste such as veggies, pineapples, mushrooms and cheese – that’s all-in flavor in one crust like the new Greenwich All-In Overload Pizza. A favorite of actor Enrique Gil, the All-in Overload is packed with the meatiest ingredients that’s an explosion of flavor with every bite.

2. The dough has it. 

Contrary to what most people think, the pizza crust is more than just a base for the toppings. It actually sets the initial flavor base and texture of the entire pizza. This is why Greenwich really pays attention to the dough they use for the crust, which is important to a pizza fan like Robi Domingo. Unlike the ready-made crusts you see in the supermarket, Greenwich goes all out by preparing their dough from scratch daily, using only the best ingredients. Since the crust is made fresh every day, you can be assured that each crust has the right texture and is flavorful down to the last millimeter. If you like to munch down on pizza to the very tip like Robi, then the taste, texture and heft of each crust matters! No leftover crusts here!

3. Best shared with the barkada. 

Some things are just better when shared – and pizza certainly tops that list. It’s not because the dish is too filling, or the quantity can become too overwhelming for one person, but some dishes like pizza are just more fun to eat when the entire barkada is in tow! Sharing a pizza that’s overloaded with toppings, flavor and that unmistakable pizza goodness with friends is enjoyable because it heightens the experience you have with each bite. Especially when you want to unwind with the darling of your barkada like Yassi Pressman, sharing an overloaded pizza while you’re chillin’ makes barkada time even more fun. #BarkadaGoals unlocked!

Of course, it would be better if you could test your pizzanatomy know-how on an actual pizza, like Greenwich’s new All-in Overload. The All-in Overload is loaded with six kinds of meat: ham, pepperoni, bacon, Italian sausage, burger crumbles, and Spanish sausage plus veggies, cheese, pineapples and mushrooms. This deliciously satisfying pizza has everything you would want in a pizza and is just right for the entire barkada.

You can get the All-in Overload pizza as part of the Overloaded Trio exclusive delivery offer. 

For only P499, you and your barkada can enjoy 3 of your favorite flavor-loaded double-sized Greenwich pizzas. Call #5-55-55, or order online at greenwichdelivery.com for some all-in goodness.

The Best UTV-Specific Tires

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Your UTV’s tires play a very important role in its performance and handling. Choose the wrong size or terrain type and you could seriously impact its traction, suspension, braking, and even fuel economy. You’re a savvy rider that already knows this, but smart shoppers can still use some help selecting the best motorcycle tires for their bikes. With this quick guide to the best UTV tires, you won’t be in the dark while shopping for your next set of wheels.

The Maxxis Ceros: An All-Around Performer

As an international tire specialist, Maxxis is probably best known for its Bighorn and Carnivore tires. Yet the Ceros is a first-class model in its own right. Key features on this 6-ply radial include its aggressive tread and smooth-rolling tread pattern, both of which deliver dependable traction and performance on all types of terrain.

The CST Lobo CH01: A Tough Tire for Big Machines

CST’s Lobo CH01 model is specifically built for larger-sized UTVs running on intermediate terrain. It’s an 8-ply DOT radial designed to withstand high-speed riding over potentially punishing Baja-style terrain. As a lightweight performance-class hardpack tire, it provides exceptional comfort and durability while effortlessly handling the heavy loads of a large UTV.

The Sedona Rock-A-Billy: Engineered for Hard Terrain

No list of the best motorcycle parts and accessories would be complete without the Sedona Rock-A-Billy. Engineered especially for high-horsepower and high-speed riding, the Rock-A-Billy is a puncture-resistant 8-ply radial that sports a built-in rim guard and a special compound designed for maximum grip on hard surfaces. An aggressive tread design integrates side lugsand rock ejectors to keep rocks and debris from sticking to the tire. 

The ITP Ultracross R: A Versatile Off-Road Tire

ITP consistently produces top-rated models such as its Baja Cross and Blackwater Evolution. The ITP Ultracross R-Spec delivers within this fine tradition. This puncture-resistant 8-ply radial features openly spaced treads for excellent bite in any conditions. Its multi-surface nondirectional tread design delivers consistent traction over any terrain, including slippery hard surfaces. ITP has expanded the Ultracross’s size range, making this Baja-winning tire accessible to most UTV owners. 

The DWT Mojave Utility Tire: Superior Strength and Durability

Dependability is a critical factor in any tire’s performance, and the DWT Mojave definitely delivers. Available in both the 8-ply and run-flat versions, the Mojave’s best qualities include its hard compound rubber and thick sidewalls. Yet it’s its aggressive tight wraparound multidirectional tread pattern and wide contact patch that offers superior traction on the toughest terrains and reliable performance in both forward and reverse. The Mojave was built to go the distance, virtually eliminating the need to carry a spare in your UTV. 

A Huge Range of Options

Gone are the days when you had to retrofit ATV components to fit a UTV. Manufacturers have stepped up to the plate with UTV-ready tires built to handle the width, weight and power output of side-by-side machines. Of course, the best UTV tires aren’t the only critical pieces of your machine’s performance. Count on your preferred powersports supplier to give you the gear you want to equip your UTV.