TPB and DOT wrap up ASEAN Tourism Forum 2023 with over 100M sales leads

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The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines and the Department of Tourism (DOT) expect to welcome more foreign visitors to the Philippines after successfully generating over 100M Philippine pesos in sales leads and showcasing the country’s best offerings at the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) held from 02 to 05 February 2023 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

The ATF is the biggest annual tourism event in the ASEAN region, attracting key tourism stakeholders including policy makers, industry leaders, and tourism-related service providers. This year, the Philippine delegation was represented by 16 local exhibitors from the airline industry, tour operators, and accommodations to network and engage with 115 international buyers at the ATF Travel Exchange (TRAVEX).

“Over and above our impressive turnout in the number of sales leads, I am in much awe of how the participation and performance of the Philippines depicted the excellence and heart of the Filipino brand which truly brought the best of the country to the ASEAN region,” said TPB Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles.

The Philippine pavilion showcased the country’s rich cultural heritage and award-winning destinations such as Boracay, Cebu, and Palawan, as well as Kaulayaw Coffee sampling and a dynamic cultural martial arts performance from the Lapu-Lapu Arnis de Abanico who displayed the vigor and energy so symbolic of the resurgence of the Philippine Tourism Industry.

Philippine sellers and foreign delegates also had a taste of Philippine cuisine and culture through a hosted luncheon prepared by the Grand Rohan Jogja hotel which also featured a Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) cultural performance along with a musical medley by Filipino world-class talents.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco welcomed the guests to the event with an invitation to explore the country’s various tourism products, “We aim to give you the best of the Filipino to remind you that while the Philippines continues to be a top-of-mind destination all over the world, there is also so much more to our beaches, our dive sites, our mountain ranges, and our underground rivers. There's our food, our living cultural traditions, and many many components that give you a window into the soul of the Filipino,” said Tourism Secretary Frasco.

Meanwhile, the Philippines garnered prestige during the ASEAN Tourism Standards Awards, which recognized outstanding tourism businesses and destinations in the region that have complied with the international association’s tourism standards.

The recipients were Inandako's Bed and Breakfast, Gina’s Homes, Sid Homestay, Hide Away House, and Maryhilz Homestay for ASEAN Homestay Awardees; Cordillera Convention Hall, William Tan Enterprises Inc. (Caltex Irawan), DEU 818 Corporation (High Ridge Restaurant), and Shell OGI at Northwalk 2, City Environment and Management Office (Botanical Garden and Wright Public Toilets) bagged the ASEAN Public Toilet Award; Palaui Environmental Protectors Association (PEPA) received the ASEAN community-based tourism citation; while the Clinic at the Hilton Clark and Quan Spa at the Clark Marriott Hilton were recognized as winners of the ASEAN Spa Services.

TPB is keen to participate in the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2024 to be hosted by Laos.

The Galaxy S23 Series: Designed With the Planet in Mind

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With its new, cutting-edge design, Samsung’s new Galaxy S23 series (Galaxy 23 Ultra, Galaxy S23+, Galaxy S23) demonstrated that innovation brings both high-performance and sustainability for the ultimate premium experience.

The Galaxy S23 series raised the bar for both quality and aesthetics with less environmental impact than previous generations. To achieve this, Samsung incorporated recycled materials in more device components than in any other previous Galaxy smartphone and designed the packaging box using 100% recycled paper.

The presence of recycled materials in the Galaxy S23 series has also been increased, rising from six internal components made from eco-conscious materials in the Galaxy S22 Ultra to 12 internal and external components incorporating recycled materials in the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Samsung also used a wider variety of recycled materials, including pre-consumer recycled aluminum and glass, for use in Galaxy devices. By continuing to increase recycled materials in Galaxy devices, this helped the company reduce their impact on the environment. Specifically, the use of recycled ocean-bound plastics in the Galaxy S23 series could prevent more than 15 tons of discarded fishing nets from entering the world’s oceans by the end of 2023, helping to reduce ocean pollution.

The Galaxy S23 series is also built to last with durability and repairability, making it dependable for years to come. It’s the first device to feature Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2, which offers durability for long-term use and contains an average of 22 percent pre-consumer recycled content. The Galaxy S23 series also provides four generations of OS upgrades and five years of security updates, so users are protected for longer.

The Galaxy S23 Series also marked a new era of Samsung, marking a new era of Samsung Galaxy’s ultimate premium phone experience. Samsung Galaxy's epic camera gives users more freedom to explore their creativity, like capturing truly cinematic Nightography videos with transformative AI.

Meanwhile, the Snapdragon® 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy” unleashes premium experiences, including groundbreaking AI, future-ready mobile gaming feature and powerfully sustained game play with the world’s fastest mobile graphics.[1] On the Galaxy S23 Ultra, an embedded S Pen[2] that many long-time Samsung Galaxy users know and love offers more possibilities for productivity, notetaking, hobbies and more.

All the Galaxy S23 series’ new standard-setting innovations are housed within a striking design that advances the company’s sustainability commitment with more components made using recycled materials than any other Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

Pre-orders are now ongoing for the Galaxy S23 Series. From today until February 23, 2023, customers who pre-order the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+ , or the Galaxy S23 Ultra through samsung.com will enjoy discounts of up to PHP 76,000, including a FREE Memory Upgrade worth up to PHP 8,000. Those who avail this special promo can instantly get the higher memory variant for the price of the lower variant within the same model lineup.

Meanwhile, those who will trade-in their old devices can also enjoy additional savings of up to PHP 13,000 on top of their old device’s residual value.

The online pre-order promo also comes with an e-voucher worth up to PHP 5,000, a 50% discount on the Galaxy Buds2 Pro, and 30% off on the Galaxy Watch5 Series. This deal also includes a free 1-year Samsung Care+ coverage worth PHP 5,999, and a chance to earn double Samsung Rewards points.

For more information, visit https://www.samsung.com/ph/offer/online/2023/galaxy-s23-pre-order/

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[1] Snapdragon® 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy is optimized for Samsung and exclusive at the time of Galaxy S23 series’ launch.

[2] S pen support is only available on Galaxy S23 Ultra among Galaxy 23 series.

New UT Collaboration Collection Celebrates Films of Sofia Coppola

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Global apparel retailer UNIQLO today announces that it will launch the CELEBRATING SOFIA COPPOLA UT collection on Monday, March 6. This collaboration spotlights some of Ms. Coppola’s greatest achievements since her debut as a film director 25 years ago, flourishing into one of Hollywood’s leading contemporary directors by exploring the subtleties of human life. The UT line presents memorable scenes and quotes from her films.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Takahiro Kinoshita, Fast Retailing Group Senior Executive Officer and Creative Director, said, "Sofia Coppola has many fans around the world, including me. I feel her charm is in her ability to create carefully layered visual expressions, as well as her overall style and way of living a dignified life. I am really happy to be collaborating with Ms. Coppola on our special film-themed UT collection."

Ms. Coppola said, “I am so happy to have this project celebrating my work and hope people will enjoy the T-shirts as a token of the films that are so much a part of my life. They are a great reminder of the collaborators I worked with and the creative experience we shared. I like to wear T-shirts of artists and musicians who I love, and in the same way wish for them to mean something to someone who likes my work. I always like how a T-shirt can connect you to other people who like the same thing you do.”

The collection presents motifs from five of her most noteworthy films. They are The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette, Somewhere, and The Bling Ring. The designs and silhouettes of these T-shirts appeal to all.

Collection Overview

Launch date:   Monday, March 6

Items:              T-shirts in five designs priced at Php 790 and a totebag priced at Php 790

Availability:    UNIQLO store nationwide and on UNIQLO.COM/PH

Special site:     https://www.uniqlo.com/ph/en/spl/ut-collection/sofia-coppola

Profile of Sofia Coppola

Born in 1971, Sofia Coppola grew up in northern California. She has directed seven feature-length films, beginning with The Virgin Suicides in 1999. She has attracted numerous fans with her highly artistic and original scripts. She won Best Director at the 70th Cannes Film Festival in 2017.

Start the year strong by setting purposeful intentions

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A new year brings with it a lot of hope and new beginnings, which is why many set resolutions for the year ahead in terms of their physical, financial, professional, and other life goals. However, many struggle with seeing them through. According to a Forbes article, more than half of these resolutions will be abandoned just after one month.

In case it has been a struggle a month or so into the year, we can try taking a different and more flexible approach by setting intentions instead of resolutions. These are like guides that could help condition our mindset and make our goals more flexible, helping take some of the pressure off. According to the 2022  Mind Health Study of leading insurance provider AXA Philippines, which examines the building blocks of mental wellbeing in Europe and Asia, one of the skills needed to achieve the top mental health state –  the state of flourishing - is to reflect on one’s meaning and purpose. Looking inwards and asking ourselves what really matters to us is a good starting point to having more meaning and purpose in our lives.

AXA Philippines advocates protecting what matters and encourages everyone to take care of their physical, mental, and financial health. Here are some intentions to consider for the new year for better holistic health:

Be open to new experiences. What the recent years have taught us is the possibility of life being put to a halt at any moment. This year, why not try being on the lookout for new opportunities and experiences, especially as the world opens up more. Instead of saying, “I can’t,” try saying “why not,” so you can make the most of what life has to offer. Your next big adventure might just be waiting for you to make a move.

Explore different fitness routines. In the same study, AXA shared that physical health behaviors can have a significant effect on a person’s mental health. Becoming fit is one of the most common new year’s resolutions, and possibly one of the hardest to sustain. Instead of aiming to lose a specific amount of weight, focus first on finding the right routine that you truly enjoy and can motivate you long enough to form a habit. In the end, having fun aids in consistency, so you can see the results of your hard work.

Protect your financial and physical health. Having financial freedom is one way to ease your worries. This year, make an effort to be more mindful of your expenses and find ways to grow and protect your wealth. Instead of instant gratification, create a plan for big ticket items and start thinking of ways to save up for it. Aside from just saving and investing money, protect your health as well by getting an insurance plan that fits you and your family’s needs.

Make mental health a priority. Just like physical health, mental health should also be treated with the same importance. In a 2021 survey conducted by health and fitness app REBEL, only 16% of the 500 Filipino respondents targeted to reduce stress and take care of their mental health. This 2023, aim to be more kind to yourself, promise to find more time to do something you love, seek help when needed, and overall aim to be more mindful of your mental health. Avoid burnout and learn to listen to your mind and body to know when you need a break and make time for some me-time.

As we get ready to take on the year, remember to take care of yourself to better care for those who matter to you most. To care for your holistic wellbeing, AXA Philippines has multiple insurance plans available for added health protection and coverage. Health Care Access is a comprehensive health plan that takes care of your overall wellbeing - from prevention, diagnosis, hospitalization, and treatments, and even includes coverage for mental health services.

AXA Philippines also has Health Start, which covers critical illnesses including cancers common to women such as breast and ovarian cancer, while also providing you with coverage for your child. Their Health Start Lite plan also covers the top three critical illnesses and starts at as low as Php 535 per month.

Lastly, AXA’s Global Health Access has an extensive worldwide medical coverage for the prevention and diagnosis of critical illnesses. Since caring for yourself also means taking vitamins and supplements, you can have these reimbursed as part of your plan’s coverage, which is also applicable for pregnant women and their specific needs.

For more information or to consult with an advisor, visit the AXA Philippines website www.axa.com.ph.

A gift of authentic Japanese Ramen from Ramen Nagi

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With the successful launch of the Unbelievable Niboshi Ramen last January, Ramen Nagi is giving us another unbelievable authentic Japanese experience in a bowl.

A heartfelt gift from Ramen Nagi’s Ramen Master Chef Satoshi Ikuta-san, the Nori Niboshi King is the sum of in-depth collaboration with Ramen Nagi’s chefs. 

The Niboshi King is filled with fresh, handcrafted noodles and small dried fish infused with Tonkotsu broth and topped with chashu, peanuts, seaweeds, and the signature Nagi spice blend.

For only Php 590, you can now experience a true Japanese culinary masterpiece.

However, like all good things, the Nori Niboshi King is only available for a limited time only!

For the whole month of February, get a taste of authentic Japanese Niboshi in a delightful bowl in all Ramen Nagi stores nationwide or have it delivered to your doorstep through Grab or Foodpanda.

For more details, check out Ramen Nagi PH (Facebook) or @ramennagimanila (IG).

#RamenNagiMadeinJapan 

#AuthenticRamen