Inspiring story of the enduring Filipino spirit wins grand prize in UFC Reel Life short film competition

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The first ever UFC Reel Life: Nagsasama-samang Sarap Short Film Competition, an event meant to celebrate UFC’s 50^th anniversary as well as highlight the talents of local filmmakers, has officially selected its top three winners.

 

UFC Reel Life Best Film “Cancelled” about how ordinary Filipinos rise up and find hope despite the odds

The competition focused on sharing stories about how ordinary Filipinos rise up and find hope despite the odds. Together, UFC celebrates these special moments of triumph, inspirations of courage, and resiliency for the coming year.

The daunting task of selecting the prize-winning films from the 57 entries that came in fell upon an esteemed panel of judges. This panel included Kip Oebanda, writer and director of Liway, Bar Boys, and Nay; Noel Teehankee, a prolific cinematographer from blockbuster films including The Hows of Us, A Second Chance, and Crazy Beautiful You; Victor Kaiba Villanueva, the director behind films Patay na Si Hesus, My Paranormal Romance, and Ang Nanay ni Justin Barber; and representatives of UFC marketing.

Crismel Gida won Best Film, Best Director, and Best Cinematography for his short film “Cancelled”

Directed by Crismel Gida, “Cancelled,” a hopeful story of two resilient Filipinos working their hardest to make ends meet after their livelihoods were affected by recent events, took home the P100,000 grand prize for Best Short Film. Gida also took home the P15,000 Best Director Prize as well as the P5,000 Best Cinematography award.

In second place, and winning P50,000, was Ken Leviste’s “How’s my Driving,” which tells the engaging narrative of a jeepney driver turned deliveryman. Meanwhile, the third place prize of P20,000 went to Marco Paulo Castro’s “Budjoy,” a light hearted story about a forgetful boy who misses his OFW mother as his family tries to make ends meet.

“How's My Driving” is UFC Reel Life's second best film

Director Ken Leviste's “How's My Driving” bagged the contest's second best film

Aside from the top winners of the competition, excellent performances both on and off screen were given special credit. Acting citations were given to outstanding performers from the competition’s entries. The Best Actor prize of P5,000 goes to none other than young talent Sean Angelo Tutanez for “Budjoy”. Meanwhile the Best Actress prize of P5,000 goes to Andrea del Mundo for “Prank” (directed by James Edward Golla), a short film that tells the story of an innocent prank between husband and wife that takes a dramatic turn.

“Kambal” by Yves Publico is among the competition's honorable mentions

The competition likewise gave recognition for technical skills to highlight the immense talent that filmmakers showed behind the scenes. The Best Screenplay prize of P5,000 went to Jojo Livelo and Miko Livelo for “Anana”, a comedic tale of cheesy dad jokes made real.

“Ma,” by Dexter de Jesus won Best Mobile Short Film, Best Editing, and honorable mention

The Best Editing prize of P5,000 went to Dexter de Jesus for “Ma,”, a beautifully animated film about a young man missing the comfort of his mother’s home cooking.

Special awards were also given in response to the overwhelming amount of talent on display during the competition. Best Mobile Short Film was given to the filmmaker who made the best use of simple equipment such as their very own cell phone cameras. The People’s Choice Award rewards the most popular film in the competitions as determined by the number of YouTube views. Seven honorable mentions were also selected from the shortlist of 30 as their skill and quality could not go unrecognized. 

The winner of Best Mobile Short Film was Dexter de Jesus for “Ma,”. The awardee will receive a mobile filmmaking kit that includes a Kase Four Lens Kit V2, a Zhiyun Crane M2, a Kase Phone case, a Phone Cage 2990, and a Synco Shotgun Mic M1. Lexter Taganas’s “Uli” snagged the People’s Choice Award and the P15,000 prize for getting over 22,000 views.

UFC also awarded a P10,000 consolation prize to each of the seven honorable mentions: “Ma,” by Dexter de Jesus; “Kambal” by Yves Publico; “Rico” by Ronald John Mendenilla-Teodosio; “Tatalon” by Don Ralph Diaz; “Bato-Bato Pik” by Alejandro “Bong” Ramos; “Uli” by Lexter Taganas; and “Anana” by Quentin Tolentino.

Prize winner or not, however, each and every entry in this contest placed the prodigious talents of local filmmakers on full display. The organizers of UFC Reel Life: Nagsasama-samang Sarap Short Film Competition takes great pride in having been able to shine a spotlight on these excellent works. Congratulations go out to all the winners and to the rest of the filmmakers who showcased their abilities for the competition.

All thirty short films that were shortlisted as finalists can be watched right now on YouTube.

 

Connectivity is the best gift this Christmas with Globe At Home WiFi

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As Filipinos face a largely different Christmas season this year, it doesn’t mean that we celebrate the Yuletide season with less enthusiasm, hope and optimism.  Despite the challenges of the pandemic and its impact on our daily lives, Filipinos will always find a way to be with the family, loved ones, friends and colleagues whether just across the streets, in the provinces  or on the other side of the world especially in this season of hope, love and  celebration.

 

And when it is Christmas, gift-giving is one of the most treasured traditions that most Filipino families hold dear and observe.  

 

If you're looking for a gift with purpose and meaning without having to break your bank account, why not gift the Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi! It's the perfect gift for  Tatay and Nanay in their native hometown, for Kuya who's doing his best to meet all requirements for online classes,  or for your BFF in the office struggling to connect every time you have a zoom meeting. 

 

The Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi is your special gift that fulfills all your wonderful intentions wrapped in one package. For just P999, the Globe at Home Prepaid WiFi is  the perfect and safest way to be with your loved ones this Christmas. No need to get travel passes or go through quarantine protocols just to pay a visit, all you need is to connect to the internet anytime, anywhere.  

 

Enjoy connecting through a video call, or send aguinaldo to your inaanak through GCash's digital ampao using your GAH prepaid WiFi. You can order food for noche buena, do Christmas shopping online and have your treats delivered with ease and convenience.

 

“Filipinos will always celebrate Christmas the way we know how - with family, loved ones and friends. The past nine months have shown us that we need to stay connected despite the physical distance,  and stay in touch with our loved ones every so often, to keep our sanity and hopes high. So what's a better gift this Christmas other than love, friendship and prayers? Connectivity! And everyone can have it with Globe at Home Prepaid WiFi, which also comes with very affordable promos for the entire family,” said Darius Delgado, Globe VP for Broadband Business.

 

Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi is available in several promo offers packed with freebies depending on your budget. HomeSURF199 offers up to 30GB with 23GB open access plus 1GB free for YouTube, FBM, WhatsApp, Viber, Lazada, Shopee and GCAsh everyday for seven days;  HomeWATCH199 offers up to 34GB with 6GB open access and freebie of 4GB per day for  videos; HomeSURF599 gives customers 55GB that includes 40GB open access plus free 1GB for YouTube. FBM, WhatsApp, Viber, Lazada, Shoppe and GCash daily for 15 days; HomeWATCH599  offers up to 75GB to customers including 15GB open access and freebie of 4GB per day for videos.

 

Bigger promos also include HomeSURF999, HomeSURF1499, HomeWATCH999 and HomeWATCH1499 which offer much bigger data allocations and freebies.

 

Customers can avail or order Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi kits via www.shop.globe.com.ph, your nearest Globe store and various channels and access promos using the Globe At Home, Gcash and Globe One apps.

 

Globe laid out a 3-pronged strategy to improve customer data and internet experience, which includes aggressive cell site builds; upgrading its cell sites to 4G/LTE; and fast tracking the fiberization of Filipino homes nationwide.

 

Globe supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically UN SDG No. 9 which emphasizes the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development. Globe is committed to upholding the 10 United Nations Global Compact principles and 10 UN SDGs.

 

Your grocery run for Noche Buena just got more rewarding! Enjoy the most sulit deals on your groceries with PayMaya

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Whether you are planning to shop for your groceries at your go-to supermarket or from the safety of your home, PayMaya is making your Noche Buena shopping experience even more rewarding with the best sulit deals at the biggest supermarkets in the Philippines whenever you pay with the #BetterQR this holiday season.

 

Whenever you shop for your groceries and pay using PayMaya QR at Mercury Drugstore, WalterMart, Robinsons Supermarket, The Marketplace, AllDay Supermarkets, Super8 Grocery Warehouse, Shopwise, Amesco Drug, LCC Supermarket, Metro Retail Supermarket, Gaisano Brothers Supermarket, Gaisano Grand, Gaisano Capital, and other partner supermarkets, you can easily get up to P250 cashback for your purchases the entire month of December. 

 

All you have to do is #ScanToPay a minimum purchase of P1,000 via PayMaya QR to get an instant P50 cashback. You can enjoy this offer up to five times this month to get a total of P250 as savings!

 

But that’s not all—by paying via PayMaya QR you can also enjoy 1%, 10%, or 100% cashback of up to P500 plus a chance to win up to P1,000,000 at the PayMayaguinaldo promo. With these stacked promos, PayMaya QR is truly the #BetterQR for shopping for your holiday feast. 

 

If you are planning to do your grocery shopping from the safety of your home, you can also enjoy exclusive deals when you pay with PayMaya. PayMaya has partnered with WalterMart to offer you free delivery on your groceries-- just spend a minimum of P3,000 on WalterMart’s delivery app and website (http://waltermartdelivery.com.ph), pay with your physical or virtual PayMaya card, and use the code WMPAYMAYA on checkout until December 31!

 

“With Christmas just around the corner, we are offering our customers the best value for their money when they shop for their Noche Buena staples this December. We hope these sulit deals help make their shopping experience more enjoyable, and their family celebrations more meaningful,” said Mark Dee, Head of Growth and Marketing for PayMaya Philippines.

 

Getting PayMaya and paying for your purchases using the app is very easy. Just download the PayMaya app at https://official.paymaya.com/CAK1/425eb133  and register an account, to find out what it’s like to go cashless with the fastest, safest, and most rewarding way to pay for anything online and in stores!

 

PayMaya is the only end-to-end digital payments ecosystem enabler in the Philippines with platforms and services that cut across consumers, merchants, communities, and government. Through its enterprise business, it is the largest digital payments processor for key industries in the country including "everyday" merchants such as the largest retail, food, gas, and eCommerce merchants as well as government agencies and units.

 

Through its app and wallet, PayMaya provides over 27 million Filipinos with access to financial services. Customers can conveniently pay, add money, cash out or remit through its over 150,000 digital touchpoints nationwide.

 

Its Smart Padala by PayMaya network of over 33,000 partner agent touchpoints nationwide serves as last mile digital financial hubs in communities, providing the unbanked and underserved with access to digital services. To know more about PayMaya's products and services, visit www.PayMaya.com or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. [END]

 

 

Celebrate the Holidays with these real’ good recipes

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Kids and adults look forward to celebrating the holidays with gifts and good food. While Christmas might be different this year, you can still make it special by dining with your loved ones on some home-cooked family favorites. 

If you’re looking for ideas for your Noche Buena feast, here are some easy-to-cook and delicious recipes that you can try. Level it up even further by using El Real.

1. Classic Chicken Alfredo

For a classic pasta dish that your family will surely love, try this Chicken Alfredo recipe:

What you’ll need:

• 900g El Real Spaghetti

• 1kg Chicken breast fillet strips

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp butter

• 2 cups cream

• 1 cup milk

• ¾ cup water

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 6 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 can button mushrooms

• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning

• ¾ cup grated cheddar cheese

• ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese

Procedure:

1. Cook El Real Spaghetti in lightly salted boiling water. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a pan. While heating oil, season chicken strips with salt and pepper.

3. Cook chicken strips in pan for 7-10 minutes per side.

4. Once cooked, removed chicken from pan. Do not turn off the heat.

5. Melt butter in the same pan used to cook chicken. 

6. Sautee minced garlic and onions until soft and fragrant. Add in mushrooms and continue to sauté until fragrant.

7. Slowly pour in milk and cream, and mix. Add in water and boil until sauce thickens.

8. Slice cooked chicken strips into cubes and toss them in to boiling sauce. 

9. Season sauce with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

10. Serve sauce with cooked El Real pasta and top with parmesan and cheddar cheese.

11. Enjoy!

2. Creamy Tuna pasta

Into red sauce more? Try this mouthwatering Creamy Tuna Pasta recipe:

What you’ll need:

• El Real Sarap Sweet Style bundle pack 1.7kg (800g Spaghetti and 900g sweet style spaghetti sauce)

• 2 cans tuna flakes

• 1 large can mushrooms

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 5 cloves garlic, chopped

• 3 tbsps butter

• ½ cup all-purpose cream

• ½ cup water

• 1 cup grated cheese

• Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Cook El Real Party Pasta in lightly salted boiling water for 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Melt butter in hot saucepot

3. Sautee onions and garlic in melted butter

4. Right before garlic turns golden brown, toss in tuna flakes followed by mushrooms and continue to Sautee until mushrooms are tender.

5. Once mushrooms are tender (about 2 minutes), add in El Real Sweet Style Spaghetti Sauce and let boil for a few minutes.

6. Add in water and cream then season with salt and pepper. Continue boiling for 3-5 minutes.

7. Serve sauce with cooked El Real spaghetti and top with cheese.

8. Enjoy!

Made with durum wheat, this pasta can absorb and blend well with your sauces. It’s also a good source of iron, fiber and protein so you can be sure that you’re serving something nutritious for the family.  

This season, have a Merry Christmas with your family by preparing a delicious Noche Buena feast using El Real. Grab this Sarap, Sustansya and Sulit El Real Pasta in groceries and supermarkets nationwide.

For more recipes, follow El Real on Facebook. El Real is a pasta brand from Universal Robina Corporation, makers of well-loved goodies such as C2, Chippy, Cloud 9, Magic Crackers and Maxx.

CIGNAL TV, TV5, AND MVP GROUP OF COMPANIES ENJOIN FILIPINOS TO SPARK HOPE THIS CHRISTMAS

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As families and communities continue to rebuild after the ravages of the pandemic and recent natural calamities, Cignal TV, TV5 and the entire MVP Group of Companies have come together for the TULOY PA RIN ANG PASKO MOVEMENT with its mission of spreading positivity and holiday cheer to fellow Filipinos, from all walks of life, this Christmas. 

The Yuletide Season is the epitome of family, tradition, and celebration; whether it’s through bountiful Noche Buena feasts, family gatherings, or acts of generosity. Though the holidays may feel different this year, now is the time to imbibe the spirit of togetherness and make it most felt. Through this CSR effort, noche buena treats will be distributed to identified beneficiaries, as noche buena isn't just about delicious food, but a special meal that represents the warmth and hope all families wish to share in the face of these uncertain times. Avenues to pledge donations have been created for those who want to be part of the movement.

The TULOY PA RIN ANG PASKO MOVEMENT invites everyone to show compassion. It is an open call for Kapatids to be a ray of hope and brighten up someone else’s Christmas especially those in need. This season, we are urged to foster camaraderie and be positive enablers to make somebody’s Christmas happen.

To further the spread of the movements’ message, the TULOY PA RIN ANG PASKO theme song was created. Written by Louie Ocampo with lyrics by Noel Ferrer, the song speaks volumes on what this initiative represents— that each one of us, through big or small acts of kindness, can make Christmas whole and meaningful. A heartwarming music video was also released featuring various stars and personalities; all of whom believe, support, and adhere to what the movement imbibes.

This season, let us all carry out the true meaning of Christmas and be a blessing to our fellow Filipinos. For those interested to be part of the TULOY PA RIN ANG PASKO MOVEMENT, you may donate through the Alagang Kapatid Foundation, Inc. through online bank transfer.

For more information on how you can extend help, visit TV5’s Facebook Page. Don’t forget to watch the movement’s music video “Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Pasko”, which is available online iand will continue airing on TV5, One Sports and Cignal TV organic channels (One PH, One News, Colours, Sari Sari, One Screen, One Sports Plus and PBA Rush) throughout the holidays.