Vince Velasco on building an easy fitness habit at home - Kickstart your fitness journey with the PLDT Home ambassador and one of the metro’s most sought-after fitness instructors!

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Rain or shine, now is the best time to start your fitness journey. Whether to feel good about yourself or prepare for your vacation at the beach, getting in shape is always done best when you’re inspired and having fun, says TV/events host, fitness instructor, and PLDT Home ambassador Vince Velasco.

“The key is to do something you find fun so you avoid burning out, and then, to consistently work on one’s weaknesses and integrate them with the exercise that they love,” he shares as his number one workout advice.

Vince spends a lot of time keeping fit at the gym, and as a diehard NBA fan, he takes inspiration from some of the strongest and most athletic basketball players in the league — all of whom, he follows closely on social media and in the games accessed through the NBA League Pass powered by PLDT Home.

Among his fitness inspirations are Michael Jordan and Dwayne Wade and aside from their athleticism, Vince loves the NBA for the intense rivalries and matchups. As the NBA Finals draws closer, he gets to view the games and the play-by-play commentaries on his gadgets anytime of the day through an NBA League Pass powered by PLDT Home.

“The NBA League Pass is a game-changer for us especially if you love stats and data," Vince says. “It offers live stats so you get to track the teams’ standing, and because I’m always on-the-go, the multiple viewing feature makes the experience optimized whether I’m watching from a phone, a tablet, or a laptop.”

Vince also enjoys the interactive features of the NBA League Pass. “The polls and other activities in the app keep the games interesting,” he says. “So aside from witnessing the games live and on-demand, there’s also the entertainment aspect that can be appreciated by die-hard basketball fans and after-hour athletes alike.”

Over time, Vince’s fitness journey led him toward hosting, modeling, and even acting. He is now one the most sought-after fitness instructors in the metro serving as an inspiration to many others! Curious on how Vince reached and maintained his peak form? Read on to know more about his fitness pointers!

1. Draw from your motivation

From his studio work as a boxing and high-intensity workout instructor, Vince eventually took his classes to the digital space because of the pandemic. He later witnessed the rising demand for his Zoom classes and fitness videos, as more people did their workouts at home. Through PLDT Home Fiber’s fastest and strongest connection powering his home, Vince was able to conduct his workout classes with no interruption.

He finds teaching others as his own way of paying it forward to those who are struggling with their own fitness goals and other body issues.

"I was overweight and had body image issues when I was younger. Seeing so many people have the same issues as I did inspired me to help them to achieve their fitness goals," he said.

2. Take it easy

To lose weight, Vince first went through rigorous exercises and put together a calorie deficit program for months. He kept his workouts intense with cardio sessions and strength training sessions. He followed a clean diet, staying away from sweets and other processed foods.

“I used to fall off the wagon from time to time. Later, I learned to take things slow and methodical,” he recalls. “Now, I just eat intuitively, work out consistently, and stay in a calorie deficit diet. There's really no need for you to be averse to desserts and carbs all the time.”

3. Stay inspired!

Vince keeps himself motivated through the support of his family and friends. “My personal fitness journey wasn’t all smooth sailing. I had to work on it, and improve my fitness and career goals from a more realistic and enjoyable perspective,” he says. “Now, I find it extremely exhilarating to pass on that feeling and mindset to others.”

For non-stop basketball action, PLDT Home subscribers can avail of of the monthly NBA League Pass package at PHP 485. The pass provides unlimited access to an entire season of NBA games in high-definition for one whole month. 

For more information on how to enjoy the NBA League Pass via a PLDT Home subscription, check out pldthome.com/nba-leaguepass.

Jean Henri Lhuillier named as one of this year’s Master Innovator by Mansmith Innovation Awards

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Jean Henri Lhuillier, the President & CEO of micro financial services giant Cebuana Lhuillier, was recently named as a “Master Innovator for 2022” by the Mansmith Innovation Awards, an award-giving body organized by Mansmith & Fielders, the country’s leading training and consultancy company.

 Cebuana Lhuillier President & CEO gets the nod for changing the face of micro insurance in the country through a brilliant fusion of brick and tech strategy

Lhuillier was cited for revolutionizing the face of micro insurance in the Philippines—thanks to his ground-breaking work in making micro insurance more relevant in the lives of Filipinos. Based on the latest statistics, only 53.7M out of 111M Filipinos are covered by insurance. To date, 31% of the insured Filipinos was contributed by Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Insurance, the biggest attributor to date as cited by the Insurance Commission.

Cebuana Lhuillier captured the interest of the market especially from low-income communities by offering affordable micro insurance products that can be easily purchased in any of Cebuana Lhuillier’s over 3,000 branches nationwide, while also putting systems in place for easier claims payout through the same branches. This was made possible by Lhuillier’s keen support and commitment in the application of tech innovations as a means to augment Cebuana Lhuillier’s wide network of branches and partners nationwide.

“The true mark of being a financially-included Filipino is having access to the most basic financial services that are essential in our everyday lives. This includes protection against illnesses, emergencies, and uncertain situations brought by disasters or natural calamities. For 40 million Filipinos, this is made possible by Cebuana Lhuillier micro insurance,” shares Jean Henri Lhuillier, President & CEO, Cebuana Lhuillier. 

Lhuillier adds, “For the past two years, Cebuana Lhuillier focused on its transition as a TechBrick company in order to ensure accessibility and convenience for our clients whenever they avail or use any of our products. We do this by expanding our network reach through physical branches while also taking advantage of proprietary technology through the development of new apps and digital channels that will bring our products and services closer to many Filipinos. In the case of our micro insurance product, we started by making sure it’s affordable and can be easily purchased by any of our kababayans regardless of their stature in life. We then made sure it’s available for purchase nationwide, in any Cebuana Lhuillier branch in the Philippines.”

From these two basic foundations, Lhuillier further expanded by pushing for more tech innovation that further elevated his micro insurance offerings. This included the unveiling of ProtectNow in 2019, a web-based platform which aggregates the best possible insurance options for their home, auto, travel, and family insurance needs coming from some of the credible insurance companies in the Philippines; the introduction of Claims PayOut Anywhere, which allowed clients to process their claims in any Cebuana Lhuillier branch nationwide; and finally, working together with online market places like Lazada and Shopee which made buying micro insurance as easy as getting as buying something from an online store.

However, it should be noted that micro insurance is just one aspect of Lhuillier’s mission in building a nation of financially-included Filipinos. Under Cebuana Lhuillier, the country’s number one micro financial services provider, Lhuillier has been the forefront of implementing the “TECHBRICK” strategy, taking advantage of their network of more than 3,000 branches nationwide with 25,000 domestic partner doors, and 3 million partner locations globally and marrying it with technological innovations as a means to further bring the micro financial services industry to the next level.

Utilizing the concept of “TechBrick”, a term Lhuillier coined himself, his vision allowed Cebuana Lhuillier and its products and services such as pawning, money transfer, micro insurance, jewelry selling, along with micro savings, a product of it banking arm Cebuana Lhuillier Bank, to maintain its relevance by ensuring availability and access regardless of channels: whether in brick-and-mortar stores, through the development of super apps, and web platforms.

The synergy between the tech and brick capability allowed Cebuana Lhuillier to empower its clients to move seamlessly and to maximize use of its products and services from offline to online.

For Lhuillier, his push for unremitting innovation remains at the core of the organization as it sets its sights into becoming a more future-ready organization. He adds, “The world and along with it, the needs of our Ka-Cebuanas, are constantly changing and evolving. However, what remains consistent is to ensure that Filipinos remain on track towards financial-inclusion and financial mobility. To that, Cebuana Lhuillier will continue to hold on to its promise of being a partner for every one of our kababayans—constantly evolving, innovating, and maintaining our relevance for the years to come.”

 

Get Ready for Epic Hardcourt Action in PBA Season 47 Grand Opening on June 5

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Star-studded, week-long festivities highlight the biggest, re-energized, most intense PBA season yet

After the successful run of the Governor's Cup Season 46, with the Finals series hitting record breaking ratings and audience shares since 2016 and attracting one of the biggest live crowd attendance, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) continues to evolve and rise mightier as it kicks off Season 47 with a week-long lineup of star-studded and spectacular festivities leading to the grand season opening on June 5 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Airing live on TV5, One Sports and Cignal TV’s PBA Rush, PBA Season 47 becomes one of the most highly anticipated comebacks among basketball enthusiasts hungry for hardcourt action.

Leading up to the June 5 Opening Ceremonies is a week-long trail of activities for the PBA — starting with a press conference on May 30, Pre-Season TV Specials on June 1 and 3 (airing at 6:00 pm on TV5 & PBA Rush), an Officials Meeting & Media Day on June 2, and a fireworks display on June 4. The Leo Awards and the much-awaited PBA Season 47 Opening on June 5 will be aired live on TV5, One Sports, and Cignal TV’s PBA Rush.

To kick things off, the PBA Season 46 Leo Awards will be taking place as a pre-event to the Season 47 opening ceremony. The awarding ceremonies will be hosted by none other than sportscaster and former national athlete Denise Tan and sports journalist Jutt Sulit. This award-giving body allows PBA to continue its tradition and honor last season’s standouts, recognizing the recipients of the following categories: Most Valuable Player, Mythical Selection, Rookie of the Year, All-Defensive Team, Most Improved Player, and Samboy Lim Sportsmanship Award.

PBA fans can look forward to the opening ceremonies hosted by TV personality and former volleyball star Gretchen Ho and comedian-actor Vhong Navarro, with celebrity performances by Lovi Poe, Buganda Drumline, G-Force dancers, Born to be a Star winner Jehramae Trangia, One Voice Children’s Choir, POPinoy winners, and Sing Galing Kantastic 6.

This season’s campaign, “Game Tayo Dito!”, highlights the all-new level of intensity and the competitiveness the teams are bringing. A campaign that resonates to the basketball game, the players, the league, the broadcast team and most especially to the fans. Nothing can stop the PBA from shooting up to greater heights as the passion for the game forges on. 

Now back to its original three full conferences format, stay tuned to TV5, One Sports, and Cignal TV’s PBA Rush for the most thrilling PBA action this Season 47.

Make your love language food this Father’s Day

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Evolution of Fathers

The roles of fathers have gone beyond being the sole provider for the family. They are equally important in nurturing the family’s wellbeing by building strong relationships and being actively involved in child care interests and responsibilities.

Such wonderful fathers, who literally become our rock, protecting us as much as they can. Some fathers may not be huggers or emotionally attuned to us but you know they truly care deep down through their unique love language.

We are truly blessed to have fathers and father figures in our lives, who helped mold us to into what we are today. We thus salute these ‘’men’” on their special day.

Nothing beats whipping up something sweet from the heart. Make your love language food. 

Make this utterly #Madalicious treat, Cerveza Negra Chocolate Balls, made with Magnolia Devil’s Food Cake Mix combined with Cerveza Negra. It will pleasantly surprise your taste buds too.

Preparation Time: 40 min

Baking/Cooking Time: 25 min

Main Ingredient:

Eggs

Flour

CERVEZA NEGRA CHOCOLATE BALLS

Ingredients & Preparation HH Measurement Measure

1 (550 g) pack MAGNOLIA DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE MIX

3 (50 g each) pc MAGNOLIA BROWN EGGS

1 (330 mL) bottle CERVEZA NEGRA

1 (120 mL) cup coconut oil

COATING & DÉCOR

1/2 kg dark chocolate, chopped

100 grams pistachio nuts, chopped

1 (120 g) cup cocoa powder

1 (80 g) cup desiccated coconut

100 grams white chocolate, melted (optional)

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 176.7°C (350 F). Meanwhile, line and grease one (1) 12x16 inch square pan with baking/wax paper. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, cerveza negra and oil. Mix until smooth in consistency.

Pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool and then crumble cake and form into 1-inch balls.

4. Prepare dark chocolate by melting it for 10-15 seconds in a microwave oven over high setting.

5. Dip each ball in melted dark chocolate and then roll each ball in pistachio nuts, cocoa powder or desiccated coconut. Drizzle with some melted white chocolate placed in a piping bag, if desired.

Makes 40 pieces.

(Yield: 40 pc (30 grams per ball) /4 pc per serving )

Build a smart home with the Xiaomi 12 Series, Xiaomi AIoT products

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Smart devices exist to make home life more comfortable. Multi-device integration, touchless technology, and devices for fitness and privacy needs are just some of the smart home trends expected to be big this year.

Enter the Xiaomi 12 Series, known as a premium smartphone with its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and pro-grade cameras that can improve the quality of one's smart home.

Here's how it can be paired with Xiaomi AIoT smart products:

Keeping track of your workout

Wearable tech like the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active are helpful in keeping track of one’s workout progress. It supports 19 professional fitness modes such as HIIT, basketball, and cycling. Its 1.43” AMOLED high-resolution display can show the average pace, calories burnt, and heart rate to guide people with their workouts. The device can be connected to the Xiaomi 12 via bluetooth, so users can answer calls, read messages, and see notifications with one tap of the watch face.

Cleaning made easier

Keep floors spic and span with the Mi Robot Vacuum Mop 2 Lite, a portable vacuum that uses powerful suction to clean surfaces. It is designed to clean entire floors and can remove stubborn stains. Users can also customize its settings to cater each room of the house. For easier access, the device can be controlled via the Xiaomi Home/Mi Home App on the Xiaomi 12 Series so one can schedule cleaning when they’re away from home.

To further ensure that one has a clean and healthy environment, the Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Lite can filter out 99.97% dust particles and pollen in any room. Users can also set a schedule for the air purifier’s runtime and get filter replacement reminders through the Xiaomi Home/Mi Home App.

At-home movie hangout

Make movie nights with loved ones more special by using the Mi Smart Compact Projector. It can project images at 1080p on any flat surface, ensuring the best quality possible for one’s home theater. This is best paired with the Xiaomi 12 thanks to the UFS 3.1, which delivers next-level loading speeds and data transfers; and the LPDDR5 RAM, which has memory speeds reaching up to 6,400Mbps. These features allow the smartphone to connect and showcase one’s desired movies for the perfect indoor hangout.

Leveling up your cooking skills

Prepare hearty meals like a pro with the Mi Smart Air Fryer 3.5L, which reduces fatty oil in any recipe. Beginner and experienced home cooks can also show off their dishes using the Xiaomi 12’s ultra-wide angle camera and 5MP telemacro camera that can auto-focus on any subject to get the perfect shot.

Late-night gaming

The Xiaomi 12 Series lets users play for hours with its massive cooling system, featuring an extra-large 2,600mm² VC and more than 10,000mm² of heat-dissipating graphite to ensure extra smooth and stable performance. Combined with the Mi Router, one will get faster and smoother internet connection while playing their favorite mobile games, and scrolling social media.

Anyone can have a smart home with the Xiaomi 12 Series and Xiaomi AioT products. This combo can cater to everyone’s needs, making daily life much easier to handle.

For more information on Xiaomi’s smartphones and smart products, visit their website.