Better than Best: Friends turned business partners Chari & Rose's pandemic boom and beyond

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COVID-19 paved way for a new normal. Streets quiet, malls closed, with people afraid of leaving their homes prompting the boom in online shopping. The indoors provided solace and its interface is digital. 

This was the formula that kickstarted Rose and Chari’s ventures. “The pandemic was the great equalizer. It gave new opportunities to those whose eyes are constantly seeking,” said the company’s leading Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rose Tolentino. While many slowed down, the duo went the opposite direction and launched not just one but multiple brands from personal and men’s care to food.

“2020 was the year. We felt the consumerist landscape was changing so to adapt was imperative for survival,” said Rose. “We were fueled to see the opportunity lying ahead so we really did our best, and have been continuing to do so. We felt it would be an injustice to God not to do well. That was really our motivation and push,” said Chari.

OMO! White

OMO! White, the company’s first successful brand scaled when it closed a partnership with the country’s biggest household cosmetic company, Ever Bilena Cosmetics Inc (EBCI). What once was a Korean-inspired product line is now manufactured in Korea. “The best of korean technology with the Filipino skin in mind,” Creative Chief Officer (CCO) Chari Trinidad-Mendoza, says. OMO! White is now in nearly 2,000 doors nationwide in all leading beauty & department stores.

Building a team that runs 100% online, the duo found the system worked to the advantage of their millennial team. No longer bound by the regular ‘8-5’ office demands meant clockwork capacity for their members’ optimum hours. “You know creativity can spring at 3 A.M. I guess you can call it ‘structured flow,’ says Rose.

Oh Crop! Is an adlai brand to serve the ballooning health-conscious consumer market. It is as an alternative to the Filipinos staple white rice, packed with nutrients, low in glycemic-index (GI) and high in fiber. Partnering with celebrity restaurateur Marvin Agustin, the company has hectares of personally-owned and contracted land whilst pioneering the first adlai-financing system with UBX and multiple LGUs to further encourage sustainable livelihood for their partner farmers. The brand is currently available at The Marketplace under the Robinsons Retail Group.

Rosie Posie

Halal-certified with a core philosophy of ‘beauty is kindness,’ Rosie Posie is a 4-step skincare kit made specifically for the Filipino women in Visayas and Mindanao. it is a brand promoting gentle and natural ingredients that aims to take care of you, while you take care of the Earth. The brand is available in Rose Pharmacy in Cebu, Iloilo and Bacolod.

Alike

Aside from their products in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) category, the ladies own the media company Alike Media. Similar to OMO! White, Alike was founded before the pandemic but its pivotal year was in 2020. An originally digital media company, expanded into an omni-channel that now has both digital and print. They were ranked as part of the top 10 digital media companies in the country.

Best friends since they were 10 the two are now in their 30s. Two decades of friendship have evolved and formed them, but never separated. The pandemic taught them simplicity, grit, but above all - what truly is ‘essential.’

Respect. Trust. Dreams. Love.

Asia’s Soul Supreme KZ Tandingan hits up with global electronic producers GATTÜSO and Frogmonster on “Somebody Like You”

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Filipino pop/R&B artist KZ Tandingan teams up with international producers GATTÜSO and Frogmonster on the clubby electronic anthem “Somebody Like You,” out now via Liquid State and Sony Music.

With a collective 1.75 billion streams between them over the last 2 years, the unexpected trio pushes the boundaries of dance music with a truly global collaboration that features two versions: one in English and another one in Mandarin.

The trio has created a progressive banger full of high emotions and feels across each version, with the lyrics highlighting that special moment when you realize that it’s possible to end up with your partner forever.

“Somebody Like You” has something for everybody, and arrives with a lyric video in tow that showcases a fake dating app where anybody can find the love they are looking for.

With collaborations under his belt with the likes of R3HAB, Steve Aoki and Nicky Romero, GATTÜSO has made a name for himself as one of the foremost electronic producers based out of the United States in the last few years, as he continues to bring his A-game to every single he is on.

Tagged as ‘Asia’s Soul Supreme,’ KZ Tandingan delivers indelibly catchy music that has spanned pop, jazz, folk, and R&B, and with this latest release, now adds the dance genre and another new language to her vast music catalogue.

Last but by no means least, Chinese duo Frogmonster, are two friends who connected at university. Having made their name in China with hit record “Remember our Summer,” which is now at over 1.4 billion streams in China, they continue to build their name as one of the most exciting progressive house duos across Asia.

With separate acoustic versions set for release later this month, “Somebody Like You,” is set to continue pull at your heartstrings over the summer months ahead.

KZ Tandingan, GATTÜSO and Frogmonster’s “Somebody Like You” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Liquid State and Sony Music.

DOT Presents “Escape: Stories from the Road” Podcast

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The Department of Tourism (DOT) presents its first podcast, “Escape: Stories from the Road,” showcasing the best destinations in the Philippines through stories from different personalities

Escape: Stories from the Road

This five-episode podumentary, a combination of podcast and documentary, infuses an element of storytelling, veering away from the usual question-and-answer formats of podcasts. Through these stories, the DOT hopes to reach out to the various audiences and inspire them to participate in meaningful tourism through unique experiences and local interactions.

One of the special guests, National Artist Kidlat Tahimik, shared stories about Baguio—his home and a UNESCO Creative City. Photo courtesy of Kidlat De Guia.

Each episode follows a theme, such as adventure, identity, fiestas, music and food. Among the notable individuals interviewed for this podcast are National Artist Kidlat Tahimik; Dr. Felicidad Prudente, who is one of the leading Filipino ethnomusicologists in the country today; and former Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.

Paragliding adventure in Nueva Vizcaya. Photo courtesy of the Department of Tourism.

The first episode on adventure features some of the best outdoor experiences in Nueva Vizcaya, Kalinga, and Camotes Island; while the identity episode brings the audience from Baguio to Davao to share stories of people who, in finding the path to gain their identity, found the path to greatness.

The episode on music explores the sounds of the islands, from the city to the remote forests of the Philippines, emphasizing that music not only serves to entertain but to preserve history in our soundscape. The fiesta episode discusses how Filipino festivals have evolved from honoring patron saints to highlighting the best of the towns and provinces.

For the food episode that was recorded in May, then Tourism Secretary Puyat shared her advocacy in supporting local farmers and how this led to further developing food and farm tourism in the country.

DOT’s “Escape: Stories from the Road” podcast is hosted by travel filmmaker and photographer Aaron Palabyab along with guest co-hosts, national athlete Maureen Schrijvers; designer, musician, and filmmaker Kate Torralba; and sports broadcaster and podcaster Cesca Litton. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Castro, Overcast, and Anchor.

PLDT Home inks exclusive partnership with Lionsgate Play for the next big thing in streaming

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Lionsgate Play — the fast-growing Southeast Asian streaming platform of the global content studio behind major franchise properties such as John Wick, The Hunger Games, Power, and many more — launches in the Philippines this June

Enjoy a bigger, bolder, and more powerful entertainment viewing experience at home today as PLDT Home, the Philippines’ fastest broadband service provider, partners with premium streaming platform Lionsgate Play.

Lionsgate is a leading Hollywood studio that has created and distributed some of the world’s biggest properties, including the blockbuster film franchises The Hunger Games, Twilight Saga, John Wick, and Saw; and the television series Mad Men, one of the most acclaimed shows in television history. By simply subscribing to a PLDT Home Fiber Plan 1699 or up, Filipinos can enjoy and experience the best of global content across action, comedy, drama, horror, and thriller genres — and more of Lionsgate Play’s signature offerings from the comfort of one’s home.

"PLDT Home and Lionsgate are bringing entertainment straight from the box office into people’s homes. From the best love stories to the best of horror down to the most action-packed films and shows, the world’s best content is simply a push of a button away with Lionsgate Play for all new and existing PLDT-powered homes,” PLDT Home Senior Vice President and Head of Consumer Business-Home Group Jeremiah de la Cruz said. “This partnership is part of our continuing mission to provide our customers the fastest broadband connection in the country so that they can better stream their entertainment choices including the most exciting and irreverent stories from Lionsgate Play. Beyond PLDT-powered homes, Lionsgate Play shall also be available to Smart customers soon."

“Our endeavor has been to ensure viewers are provided with a curated lineup of great content, spread across genres for the best viewing experience,” Lionsgate Executive Vice President Amit Dhanuka said of the partnership. “Taking this forward, we are excited to partner with PLDT Home to launch Lionsgate Play in the Philippines. We are reaching out to a large and diverse sector of consumers with a digitally-driven offering enabling them to ‘play more, browse less.’ We look forward to more Filipinos enjoying the best of what Hollywood has to offer!”

Among the content available at the Philippine launch of Lionsgate Play is American crime drama Power. With rapper and actor Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as executive producer, Power follows the triumph and trials of drug dealer James St. Patrick (Omari Hardwick) as he tries to leave his life of crime behind to manage his own nightclub. Power is one of American premium cable TV’s most watched and highly-rated shows.

Also among Lionsgate Play’s banner content is futuristic action film Apex. This Bruce Willis starrer follows Thomas Malone (Willis) as a wrongfully-convicted prisoner given a chance at freedom.

Now available locally through Lionsgate Play is the critically-acclaimed drama Gaslit, starring Julia Roberts and Sean Penn. The new series spotlights Martha Mitchell (Roberts), wife of former US President Nixon’s Attorney General John N. Mitchell, discovering the full extent of the Watergate scandal in the 70s.

Lionsgate Play also features the studio’s most commercially successful films and film franchises: The Hunger Games follows hunter Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and her heroic adventures in a post-apocalyptic world; John Wick tells the story of the titular character (Keanu Reeves) forced to return to his life as a hitman to avenge the death of his beloved puppy; the Twilight Saga follows the epic love story of teenager Bella Swan (Kirsten Stewart) and vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson); SAW trails the sadistic machinations of John Kramer or Jigsaw; Knives Out follows a detective (Daniel Craig) in his investigation on the mysterious death of a wealthy novelist (Christopher Plummer); and many more.

The streaming service also carries some of Lionsgate’s most iconic and groundbreaking series such as Mad Men, a multiple Emmy and Golden Globe-winning period drama starring Jon Hamm that’s widely considered to be one of the greatest TV shows of all time; and The Royals, a drama chronicling the tradition, opulence, and scandal that surround a fictional modern-day royal family. Lionsgate Play also gives PLDT Home subscribers first dibs on the hottest new shows including Becoming Elizabeth, which chronicles Elizabeth I’s rise to power and all the intrigue and betrayal that came with becoming the Virgin Queen. Catch these shows and more very soon on Lionsgate Play!

In time for the Philippine launch of the streaming service, both existing and new subscribers of PLDT Home Fiber Plans 1699 and up will be given exclusive access to Lionsgate Play without the additional charges until June 1, 2023.

Enjoy a bigger, bolder, faster, and more powerful entertainment home viewing experience at home with Lionsgate Play, exclusive in the Philippines through PLDT Home. 

To learn more about Lionsgate Play, visit https://pldthome.com/lionsgateplay.

Make celebrations extra with the Cherry Digital Air Fryer AF200

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Cooking up a get-together at home? Be your guests’ all-time favorite host with the Cherry Digital Air Fryer AF200.

Why order out when you can prepare something yourself? With this air fryer’s unique Rotisserie Spit and Fetch Tool plus accompanying Skewer Sets, you can draw away from usual dishes and offer extra palatable meals such as kebab and barbecue. Using the same appliance, you can also show off your other special air-fried specialties that are fit even for your health-conscious visitors. This kitchen must-have boasts of a Healthy Fry feature which significantly cuts 80% of fat and oil from your recipe.

Equipped with eight cooking presets and over-heating protection, you can hang around with everyone else without worrying about your safety or ending up with burnt food. Finally, with its 12L capacity, this is really ideal for house parties starring your home-cooked meals.

There’s no stopping you from pulling off that fun house gathering with the help of your trusty Cherry Digital Air Fryer AF200. Get it now for P7,000 at:

Cherry Shop PH: www.cherryshop.com.ph