Enjoying Wonderful World

October 17, 2019

RCBC, Liga ng mga Barangay work towards financial inclusion

Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) has taken the first steps to bringing its digital financial inclusion initiative to grassroots communities as it gets the support and commitment of Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas (LNB).

The LNB led by National President Eden Pineda, presented its national executive board resolution stating that the organization is adopting DiskarTech: Kasosyo sa Asenso as a growth enabler and capacity-building measure for microenterprises in every barangay and its constituents. DiskarTech is a financial inclusion accelerator platform by RCBC that aims to stimulate economic activity to help uplift the unbanked and underserved Filipinos.

DISKARTECH AS A NATIONAL FINANCIAL INCLUSION ACCELERATOR PROGRAM. The Liga ng mga Barangay, led by its National President Eden Pineda, recently presented its National Executive Board Resolution to RCBC Chairperson Helen Yuchengco Dee. Also in photo are (from left) RCBC Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer Lito Villanueva and RCBC President and CEO Eugene S. Acevedo, Chairman James Marty Lim, and Executive Director Jel R. Jiongco. The strategic collaboration will focus on accelerating financial literacy, promoting inclusive digital economy, and empowering local communities. This supports the government digitalization efforts aligned with President Duterte’s 10-point economic agenda on investing on human capital development, and promoting technology and innovation for self-sustaining and inclusive development towards poverty alleviation. This will cover all 42,000 barangays nationwide.

The strategic collaboration will focus on accelerating financial literacy, promoting inclusive digital economy, and empowering local communities. This supports the government digitalization efforts aligned with President Duterte’s 10-point economic agenda on investing on human capital development, and promoting technology and innovation for self-sustaining and inclusive development towards poverty alleviation.

LNB is the official organization of over 42,000 barangays throughout the country. It is committed to providing avenues and assistance to promote welfare and ensure success of the national government’s National Strategy for Financial Inclusion and National Retail Payments System.

“This financial inclusion accelerator will be pervasive throughout the country as it would address the huge gaps in financial services while reducing the number of unbanked and underserved communities,” said RCBC Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer Lito Villanueva.

By adopting DiskarTech, LNB will be taking an active role in leading workshops and programs on financial education and literacy with the assistance of the DiskarTech National Coordinating Team. They will also be engaging its member municipalities to appoint their own DiskarTech Community Leader (DCL) who will facilitate participation of residents and entrepreneurs in the program.

“DiskarTech will pave the way for the real transformation of our communities nationwide as it would provide opportunities to our constituents, giving them the chance to be part of the formal financial system through technology,” said Liga ng mga Barangay National President Eden Pineda.

In an effort to encourage economic activity, partner sari-sari stores or microenterprises will also be identified as Barangay Digital Community Centers (BDCCs) to serve as the go-to hub of every resident for their financial needs - whether it’s paying bills, depositing savings to their accounts, buying micro insurance or sending money to their loved ones.

With this, RCBC hopes to turbocharge the growth of digital financial transactions in the country from the current one percent to a minimum of twenty percent by next year. Through DiskarTech, this initiaitve hopes to bring to realization the vision of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas of creating a cash-lite and digital economy for greater efficiency, security, interoperability, and affordability.

Joining LNB and 20 other existing partners, a number of private organizations have also signed up recently to join the DiskarTech financial inclusion ecosystem to benefit their respective constituents. These partners include Ka-Entrep Micro and Small Entrepreneurs Organization of the Philippines, Bangko Pangasinan, and Rizal Microbank, among others.

Rural bank Bangko Pangasinan and thrift bank Rizal Microbank also share how DiskarTech would empower the agriculture sector with access to basic financial needs and microfinance loans.

“DiskarTech is an open platform and the way it works is that banks like us can communicate with other banks. Similar to an open banking system, there will be no barriers and it will become interoperable to make it easier to reach and assist the underserved market,” said Gregory De Guzman, Bangko Pangasinan president and COO.

Joseph Lumain, Strategic Partnerships and Special Initiatives head at Rizal Microbank, agrees that DiskarTech will be an effective way to reach numerous individuals at the same time. “Basically, what DiskarTech is offering are the basic services of a bank through digital means. And in an era where almost everyone is tech-savvy, DiskarTech can be the perfect solution to present financial services in an understandable way, and eventually helping answer the issue of financial inclusion.”

October 16, 2019

Christian Bables Receives Bright Star Award at the 2019 Asian Pop-Up Cinema

Christian Bables, one of the brilliant young actors of his generation, is an award-winning actor to be reckoned with.

Gaining international attention, Christian won Bright Star Award in the prestigious 2019 Asian Pop-Up Cinema for "Signal Rock." Previously, he won the Best Actor Award from the 5th Hanoi International Film Festival for the same movie “Signal Rock.” He has won Best Supporting Actor Award at many film festivals, which included “Die Beautiful” in which he plays a transgender woman.

Christian breathes life into every character he portrays and enjoys being an actor because he can express himself, touch other people’s lives, and execute his passion.

Christian always takes his work seriously and values the importance of training and preparation. He remains focus on his craft as an actor that is why blessings continuously keep pouring in for him.

“Like what my mentors tell me, acting is a lifestyle of learning. Kahit na sino, kahit hindi actor, ay dapat hindi tumigil sa pag-aaral. Dapat laging bukas na matuto,” says Christian.

He has proven to all and sundry that he is an award-winning actor to be reckoned with.

“Acting is a venue to express myself. I enjoy giving empowerment to every character I portray because through that ako mismo ay nae-empower.”

Christian is in high spirits these days. Fresh from the box-office success of Panti Sisters, Christian is deeply overwhelmed with the outcome of the movie which revolves around the story of three gay siblings whose rich father wants to bequeath his inheritance to a son who can give him a grandchild.

“Nakakatuwa na tinanggap ng Filipino audience and maybe the foreign audience ang pelikula namin. Thank you very much but more than anything else, I am ecstatic because we were able to relay the message of the movie. Likewise, we become proud allies of the LGBT community. Personally, this is my way of giving back because ang laki ng utang na loob ko sa LGBT community. If not for my role as Barbs in Die Beautiful, I wouldn’t be here. Hindi mabubukas ang pintuan ng mga pangarap ko. Ang mapapangako ko ay hindi ako magsasawa at mapapagod na gumawa ng mga makabuluhang istorya para sa LGBT community.”

He just came back from Chicago to personally accept his Bright Star Awa in the prestigious 2019 Asian Pop-Up Cinema for his sterling performance in Signal Rock. In the film, Christian plays Intoy, a poor high school dropout who resides in a far-flung fishing island with his family and courageously climbs steep rock formations just to get a cellphone signal. (He won the Best Actor Award at the Hanoi International Film Festival (HANIFF) in Vietnam last year.)

Christian shares his experience attending the event.

“They were all nice. The founder is Ms. Sophia Boccio. She was very accommodating. I received a warm welcome from the people in Chicago most especially the Filipino community. Grabe iyong suporta nila sa Signal Rock, sa akin, at sa pagpunta ko. I enjoyed my stay there. It was a heartwarming experience. It is one of my most memorable film festivals.”

Also recently, he won the Best Actor Award at the Urduja Film Festival for his role in Signal Rock which also received the Movie of the Year (Drama) Award. Urduja Film Festival is a yearly competition which promotes student short, feature, and independent films in Northern Luzon.

Despite his achievements, Christian remains humble. How does he handle fame?

“For me, being known is just part of the job. Iyong real job for me, ang totoong batayan sa akin ay kung gaano ka kadiligent at kung gaano ka kagutom as an actor. You’re just as good as your last work. So ang pagiging masipag (iyong kaya mong i-assess kung tama ba o hindi ang ginagawa mo) ay ang totoong batayan for me at hindi ang fame.”

Christian is grateful for all the good projects coming his way. Aside from upcoming movies, and stageplay, he is part of a new teleserye in ABS-CBN.

“I am thankful to ABS-CBN for giving me such a good and challenging role. Please watch out for my new television series soon.”

For inquiries, please call (02) 88554765 or (02) 34054423, email info@asianartistsagency.com, and visit fb.com/asianartistsagency

Janine Gutierrez top-bills new psycho-thriller film 'Babae at Baril'

Showbiz royalty and the Kapuso leading lady Janine Gutierrez is top-billing a new psycho-thriller film, Babae at Baril, directed by Rae Red. Babae at Baril is an entry to this year's QCinema International Film Festival.

The movie tackles how it is like to be a woman in a world of violence and masculinity, Babae at Baril is director Rae Red’s sophomore feature and first solo directorial effort.

Janine to showcase a different side of her as she proves her acting versatility. Here, she's a simple girl, with a gun, and at desperate times.

In the gripping psychological thriller, Gutierrez portrays a hardworking saleslady who’s had enough of being an underdog. Just as she decides to take things into her own hands, she mysteriously finds a gun on her doorstep.

Empowered by the weapon, her bitter past comes rushing back to her and rather than wallow in it, it angers and transforms her. With a gun, she can do whatever she wants, talk back to whoever she wants and even hurt those who have wronged her.

This one story that makes me nervous, in pain, ask why and feel sorry for people on that so desperate situation in life.

A handgun for everyone, like a young lady (as Janine in the movie), to consider for self-defense... I sometimes understand that there are, unfortunately, cases where a gun may have helped a victim. In the movie Babae at Baril", there are young boys, also used guns...to fight for themselves, or to do not good things.... Is this a story in defense of carrying guns?

The film stars Janine Gutierrez, Felix Roco, Elijah Canlas, JC Santos, and Sky Teotico with special participation of Ruby Ruiz, Allan Paule, and Archie Adamos and produced by CIGNAL ENTERTAINMENT in partnership with EPIC MEDIA,

"Babae at Baril" showing in selected cinemas (Gateway Mall, Ayala Trinoma, Robinsons Galleria, UPFI Cine Adarna, Cinema 76 Anonas and Cinema Centenario in QC on Oct 15-22, 2019.

For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/BabaeAtBaril

DOT unveils a more fun website

The Department of Tourism (DOT) unveils its new website on Tuesday at one of the many century-old buildings in Escolta, Manila - the HUB: Make Lab. This is part of DOT’s efforts to showcase and conserve the country’s natural heritage.

DOT Assistant Secretary Howard Lance A. Uyking and GTTP General Manager Rabbi Vincent Ang launches DOT’s new tourism website at Hub: Make Lab in Escolta, Manila.

The new DOT website philippines.travel, makes the 7,641 islands of the Philippines more accessible to both foreign and local travelers.

“Our new tourism website, philippines.travel, is a one-stop-shop for all your travel needs which includes information on our beautiful destinations to help you plan and book your next trip.” said DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.

“We have made the website very inclusive as we recognize the value of our private sector’s involvement and support in this. This is one of many efforts we are doing to encourage tourist establishments to go through our accreditation process in order to provide better service to our tourists.” emphasized Sec. Puyat.

The inclusion of an actual travel booking system on the site is in partnership with Guide to the Philippines (www.guidetothephilippines.ph). Aside from more than 500 best value travel products and counting, Guide to the Philippines also has an online library of in-depth destination travel guides to help travelers discover new places and experiences for their trips in the Philippines.

This partnership intends to link tourists to DOT-accredited tour operators and tourism establishments. As a long-term goal, the DOT aims to embed the booking system’s functions to its new website.

“What's really exciting is that our country now has an online platform to showcase to the world, not only the popular Philippine destinations but even the lesser-known ones. It's a true collaboration of local tourism stakeholders, one that's sure to make traveling to our country a lot easier," said Rabbi Vincent Ang, Guide to the Philippines' General Manager.

According to President of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines, Jose Clemente III, “The new website does not only provide accessibility for tourists with its travel guide, but it symbolizes how the government and the business sector can help one another to provide better services for our people.”

For its new look, the re-designed website has three main tabs: See & Do; Where to Go; and Events & Festival, which are based on unique travel behaviors.

The “See & Do” tab features six tourism products of the country, such as Dive, Nature, Sun and Beach, Adventure, Food and Hospitality, and Events and Culture. These products are also highlighted in ten large image-centric carousel banners.

Clicking on each product will lead the user to tourist destinations and activities that are readily available.

Under the “Where to Go” tab, tourists can explore the country through a virtual map, and get basic information on the 16 regions and provinces, including routes going there, nearby places to explore, and even where to stay.

For the “Events & Festival,” tourists are guided with dates, location and routes, and fundamental information about the occasion. It also informs tourists to wear cultural appropriate clothing.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) and Guide to the Philippines (GTTP) formalize their partnership through the newly launched philippines.travel website, which allows users to book tours from DOT-accredited tour operators and tourism establishments. In photo during the official contract signing are (L-R): DOT Assistant Secretary Howard Lance A. Uyking, GTTP General Manager Rabbi Vincent Ang, DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, and Tourism Council of the Philippines President Jojo Clemente.

The DOT also stressed that the philippines.travel, website is a timeless domain name that is not dependent on any government’s tourism campaign or slogan.

Miss Earth 2019 National Costume Competition held at Century Park Hotel

Century Park Hotel (CPH), one of the finest hotels in Metro Manila, recently hosted the very festive Miss Earth 2019 National Costume Competition round at its Grand Ballroom.

Former Miss Earth winners (L-R) Miss Angelia Ong (2015), Miss Nguyễn Phương Khánh (2018) and Miss Karen Ibasco (2017) graced the affair and awarded the medals to the winners.

More than 300 guests witnessed a visual spectacle of colors as over 90 delegates from various countries proudly displayed their national costumes for everyone to enjoy. The competition is one of the most anticipated and most celebratory pre-pageant contests. Relevant environmental issues like forest fires, recycling and climate change were integrated in the costumes.

The event was made possible in cooperation with Carousel Productions, Inc., the official organizer of Miss Earth. Guests from the government sectors as well as ambassadors from different countries were also in full attendance.

The winners in Best National Costumes per region were as follows: