Eight singers fight for their dreams in 5th "Tawag ng Tanghalan" finals on "It's Showtime"

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The life of one of eight singers from different parts of the country will change forever as they battle it in the fifth "Tawag ng Tanghalan" grand finals this Saturday (September 18) on "It's Showtime"

Find out who among finalists Reiven Umali, Froilan Cedilla, Psalm Manalo, Gem Christian, Adrian Manibale, Anthony Castillo, Lorraine Galvez and Aixia Mallary will follow the footsteps of Noven Belleza, Janine Berdin, and Elaine Duran, and JM Yosures.

The new champion will win P1 million, a brand new house and lot from Camella worth P2.3 million, a recording contract with ABS-CBN Music, a management contract under Star Magic's Polaris, and a trophy designed by Toym Imao.

During the first round, the finalists are set to showcase their chosen 'pangmalakasang' song. At the end, only the three finalists with the highest scores from the judges will move on to the last round.

Like the past 'Huling Tapatan,' the three remaining finalists will perform a medley of their musical influences. Compared to the first round, half of the scores of the contestants will come from the votes of the viewers. The finalist who garners the highest combined scores from the judges' scores and votes from the madlang people will take home the fifth "TNT" grand champion title.

Who among the eight finalists will prevail? Don't miss the intense battle in the 'Huling Tapatan' of "Tawag sa Tanghalan" on "It's Showtime" on A2Z channel on free TV and digital TV boxes, Kapamilya Channel on cable and satellite TV, Kapamilya Online Live on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, and on the iWantTFC app (iOs and Android) and on iwanttfc.com. Viewers outside of the Philippines can also catch it on The Filipino Channel on cable and IPTV.

GCash now has 60,000 cash-in partners, widest network nationwide

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GCash now has the widest nationwide network of 60,000 cash-in partners

Need to send money, buy prepaid load, or order food, but your GCash funds are running low? Now, it’s easier to cash in to your GCash account as the country’s undisputed no. 1 e-wallet app, expands its network of merchants to a total of 60,000 active cash in doors nationwide.

To reach more Filipinos nationwide, GCash has recently partnered with 9 more leading brands to establish additional cash-in kiosks at (number) of these companies’ branches: ExpressPay, DA5, Panalo Express, SouthStar Drug, Robinsons Supermarket, Shopwise, The Marketplace, Robinsons Easymart, and No Brand. In addition, customers may conveniently cash in their GCash wallets through top outlets, such as SM, Palawan Pawnshop, Villarica Pawnshop, Ministop, Puregold, and Cebuana Lhuillier.

“Our goal is to make Filipino lives better every day,” said Martha Sazon, GCash president and chief executive officer. “Our cash in outlets is one of the essential solutions that GCash offers consumers, especially during the pandemic. With 70 percent Filipinos still unbanked, it’s always been our goal to expand our partner merchants to house more cash in outlets all over the Philippines, making topping up GCash wallets accessible to more Filipinos.”

With more cash in partners all over the country, GCash users will have lesser trouble in finding the closest outlets to them — giving them an opportunity to enjoy the many useful services on the app. For instance, for all their lifestyle and essential needs, they can browse through GLife, the e-commerce feature within the GCash app that allows users to shop exclusive deals from 35 brands across retail, food, gaming, entertainment, and transport.

GCash also aims to add more Cash In Doors in the future. Previously, GCash reached another milestone: GCash’s active user base is now at 46 million – a more than 20 million increase from January 2020.

With more Filipinos shifting to digital wallets, GCash is continuously looking for more ways to best serve its customers while staying safe.

For more information, visit www.gcash.com.

Xiaomi to Offer 3 Android System Upgrades and 4 Years of Security Patches for Xiaomi 11T Series

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Xiaomi 11T series extending access to the latest features and security measures

Beijing, CHINA --  Xiaomi is announcing that Xiaomi 11T series – Xiaomi 11T Pro and Xiaomi 11T – will offer 3 generations of Android system upgrades, along with 4 years of security patches. With this change, Xiaomi 11T series users will enjoy a better user experience, and longer-term data security. Though other devices are not included at this time, Xiaomi believes this reflects a positive change, and is catered towards the needs of Xiaomi 11T series users.

"With the continuous improvement made to smartphone hardware, the life cycle of a smartphone is gradually lengthening, meaning users aren’t required to replace their smartphones as frequently. For this reason, more consumers place great importance on receiving the latest operating system updates, along with the latest features," said Albert Shan, Head of Product & Technology, Xiaomi International. 

"Xiaomi is committed to providing users with industry-leading hardware and lasting performance. In continuation of this commitment to users, Xiaomi is further extending the life cycle of Xiaomi's smartphones by ensuring three generations of Android operating system updates. This way, users can choose to use their current devices for a longer period, and enjoy the latest features along with it. At the same time, we will also provide users with security updates that ensure their devices operate securely for a longer period of time.”

Xiaomi will also evaluate the possibility of bringing the extended Android system and security upgrades services to more Xiaomi devices. "It is not a simple task for Xiaomi and its team to provide system updates and security patches to all of its previous smartphone models. However, the prospect of this challenge and meeting the desires of our customers is exciting. On one hand, we’re once again fulfilling Xiaomi’s brand promise to its global users - to provide amazing products. On the other hand, gradually extending the service life cycle of Xiaomi smartphones is a progressive move that furthers Xiaomi’s sustainability and environmental responsibility goals," Albert Shan added.

Disclaimer:

The availability of Android operating system upgrades and features may vary from device to device and from market to market. The availability of the update will depend on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the complexity of the update, local regulations, market, and other factors.

PANAta Awards 2021 submission of entries EXTENDED until September 17

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Submission of entries for PANAta Awards 2021, the country’s prestigious recognition program for effective and creative marketing communication campaigns organized by brand builders themselves, has been extended until September 17. This was announced recently by its organizers, The Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA).

“This is an exciting time for the industry as we continue our legacy of celebrating brands which have made a difference in these challenging times. For this reason, we encourage brands, advertising and creative agencies and media companies to join us by submitting their campaigns. Now more than ever is the time for consumers to feel connected with their brands. So much talent is in the brand-building community and what best way to honor them than through the PANAta Awards 2021,” said Ken Lerona, PANAta Awards 2021 chairman.

The PANAta Award is symbolic of a brand’s inspiring leadership and vision. Navigating through this uncertainty and coming out to be triumphant is a totally remarkable feat. The highest honor it confers is the Grand PANAta Award. It is only given to the campaign that the jury believes has executed the most game-changing, innovative and effective strategies in promoting the brands to achieve outstanding results within the year of competition. Only those campaigns that have won GOLD in the Brand Builder Awards Categories are eligible to win the Grand PANAta. It is not every year that this is given. Who knows, your campaign might just be ‘it’.

To learn more about PANAta Awards 2021, visit https://pana.com.ph/panata-v2/index.php. Qualified entries are those that have been aired or used in any form of media from January 2020 to December 2020. Register now by creating a PANAta Awards 2021 account. Final deadline is September 17, 2021. For inquiries, please email alucero@pana.com.ph.

 

Insight Music launches singer-composer Jelry, releases ‘mood playlists’

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Innovative Filipino record label Insight Music rocks the music circuit with new standout releases that sonically paint life and love with every color of the emotional spectrum—from the kilig, to the erotic, to the inspired.

Highlighting the collection is singer-songwriter Jelry’s debut single titled “Rosas,” a catchy pop acoustic ballad with bouncy, sweet sounds.

Young listeners enthralled by their first loves will surely relate to “Rosas,” which draws upon Jelry’s personal encounter with the subject. The joy and innocence of young romance is encapsulated in the song’s lyrics and melody, sending the power of “kilig” surging through every note.

“ ‘Rosas’ conjures up a scene from my JS prom back in high school,” says Jerly of the song. “I remember feeling nervous when I asked my prom date to dance. She wore this bright pink gown and while we were dancing, the lights also started to turn red and pink. I simply savored that moment.”

Jelry’s music debut has been a long time coming. The young man (whose real name is John Lloyd Reyes) first learned to play the guitar with just two chords that his father taught him. This sparked an interest that inspired Jelry to hone his craft through online platforms, soaking up everything he could about music theory, production, and songwriting. Finally, Jelry took a brave step and began writing his own music, which led to his first-ever record deal with Insight Music.

“I can’t wait to share ‘Rosas’ with everyone,” Jelry now enthuses. “They will certainly enjoy listening and dancing to it. And if you are looking for a song that will make you feel good, this is it!”

With his debut single “Rosas,” Jelry finally realizes a dream that brings him a step closer to the realm of the musical legends that have influenced him through the years. Talents like IVOS, Rex Orange County, Ed Sheeran, and Rivermaya have all helped shape Jelry’s love for music. He hopes that as his career evolves, he can muster the same passion and emotion his icons evoke in every song.

“Trying to emulate these gifted artists felt like learning a new language,” Jelry muses. For him, however, the reward is worth all his efforts. “I now get to express my feelings and emotions through music, which is a tough feat in real life.”

But Insight Music’s string of new releases ventures beyond the subject of love. To probe the nuances and shades of what makes life colorful and complex, Insight is spinning off its ‘mood playlist’—a genre of music that sets one’s emotions or mindset in a particular state or condition

To this end, Insight Music is primed to release three new mood playlist albums: “Sexy Time: Make Out Music,” “My Study Companion,” and “Burn: The Workout Playlist”.

These themed playlists were crafted to get individuals ‘in the zone’. “Sexy Time: Make Out Music” is for intimate nights and steamy sessions under the covers; “My Study Companion” comes handy when cramming for the finals, doing school research, and writing the thesis; and “Burn: The Workout Album” serves to drive health buffs towards the level of fitness they desire.

For Insight Music president and chief creative head, Chris Cahilig, these albums represent a shift in the trend for what record labels can be.

“What sets music apart from any art form is the way a simple series of notes can cue us to feel,” says Cahilig. “The art form is so visceral in the way it captures our collective and individual imaginations. So we figured that if people seek these things—motivation, passion, intimacy—through music, let’s just cut to the chase and give people what they want.”

The albums, all composed by renowned producer Ian Joseph Tan, are the first of their kind in the Philippines. Along with Jelry’s “Rosas,” the albums reflect the pioneering vision Insight Music has for Original Pilipino Music.

“We want to push music forward by bringing it back to its roots, which means getting talented artists and dropping music that connects instantly” says Cahilig. “And with talent as youthful and brilliant as Jelry, and these mood albums made for every Filipino, we know OPM can be elevated to a whole new level.”

“Rosas” by Jelry, Sexy Time: Make Out Music, My Study Companion, and Burn: The Workout Album are all available for streaming on various global streaming platforms, including YouTube Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, Tiktok, and iTunes.