Mark Oblea Experiments with New Sound in Latest Single "Ain't It Lovely"

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Singer-songwriter Mark Oblea is back with a new sound with his latest single 'Ain't It Lovely.'

Ain't It Lovely delves further into Oblea's exploration of the alternative pop genre, being a love song that features more of a folk sound than his previous outings. His rendition of Paraluman's classic song 'Tabi' has garnered over 3.7 million plays on the streaming platform Spotify.

Talking more about the song, which is written and produced by fellow Universal Records artist Fern., he says "I've always wanted to do a song such as this - one that gives off an indie romantic vibe. And at the same time, I want to offer something new to my listeners, as I explore new vocal styles and with this being my first original English track."

Ain't It Lovely is certainly not a track to miss, with its romantic vibe and a sound that will resonate with today's generation.

The track is now available to stream and download on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, Deezer, and Amazon Music under Universal Records

Sarah G to independent ladies: Learn how to cook for yourself

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The Popstar Royalty shares why cooking gives her a sense of freedom

What is an independent Filipina? Is she someone who likes to do things on her own, learn new experiences as she moves through life, or someone who knows how to take care of herself? For many women, being independent means more than living on their own. It also means experiencing life in her own terms and being able to follow one’s passion without restriction.

Take it from Popstar Royalty Sarah Geronimo who is starting to claim and enjoy her own independence—free to chase her passion and discover new ones. “Para posa’kin, being an independent person means kaya monggawin ‘yung mga bagay na gusto mong gawin. As an independent woman, gustung-gusto ko pong mag-explore ng mga bagay na di ko pa nagagawa, and also learn more about myself in the process.”

One passion she decided to pursue is cooking. 

“Ang sarap po kasi ng pakiramdam na kaya mong ipaglutoyung sarili mo. Whenever I cook, I get that sense of freedom in my own kitchen. I’m free to experiment, try new dishes, or recreate my Mom’s recipes,” she adds. “Kaya to all independent women out there, I advise that you learn how to cook. It’s very empowering to rely on yourself, and a good start will be in the kitchen.”

As testament to her new-found independence in pursuing her passion, Sarah even shared some easy-to-cook recipes. Her favorites are found in the cookbook that comes with every purchase of the all-new Phoenix Super LPG at select super hubs.

Whether you’re living alone or just simply someone who loves to do things on their own, these Sarah G-approved dishes will make you rediscover the joys of cooking (and eating!).

TOYCON POPLIFE FANX 2019

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TOYCON POPLIFE FANX 2019, the biggest and longest-running pop culture event in Asia on June 28 - 30 at SMX Convention Center,  SM Mall of Asia.  

This year we're taking on a global stage with bigger attractions, more local and international guests, and the best Fan experience ever! 

With the biggest collections of comics, toys, designer toys and collectibles all under one roof. With more than 300 sellers and exhibitors in our retail floor.

The biggest names in art and toy design converge in this year's TOYCON 2019, headlined by the godfather of street art and art toy legend, Ron English!

Get Tickets: bit.ly/Toycon2019Tickets

Visit toyconph.com for more details

#TOYCONPOPLIFEFANX #WhereAsiaComesToPlay

ANGKAS now ready for pilot run in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu

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ANGKAS announced that tbey are ready for motorcycle taxi pilot run and now retraining bikers partnets.

Angkas, the country's first app-based motorcycle ride-hailing service, is ready for its government-sanctioned six-month pilot run in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu with additional safety measures in place and a retraining of all its 27,000 biker-partners. 

Angkas Head of Regulatory and Public Affairs George Royeca said that they are retraining their current biker-partners in preparation for the pilot run and in compliance with the directive and recommendations of the Technical Working Group (TWG) created by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to study the feasibility of motorcycle taxis.

“The safety of the riding public has always been Angkas’ advocacy. All our biker-partners go through rigorous riding skills assessments, written tests, and extensive safety training to ensure they meet very high safety standards. We fail over 70% of applicants to make sure that only the most capable bikers ferry passengers for Angkas,” Royeca said during the recent press conference held at Shakey's Restaurant,  Roxas Blvd.  

For his part, Angkas Operations Head David Medrana revealed, “For the pilot run, Angkas is introducing special reflectorized vests with side straps that help bikers become more visible at night and aid passengers in holding on to the biker’s waist. Each vest also has the biker’s unique ID number, ensuring that only officially-registered bikers can take bookings.”

Medrana also said that, as before, all Angkas biker-partners and their passengers are insured for every ride.

“We also have a feedback mechanism in our app to closely monitor the performance of all our biker-partners and address any concerns immediately,” Medrana noted. "Hopefully, after the six-month pilot-run, the law to regulate motorcycle taxis can already be passed," he added.

Angkas has been an advocate for biker education and training since the service’s inception. Testament to their strict safety guidelines, Angkas officials have trained more than 100,000 motorcycle bikers to date but have accredited only 27,000 biker-partners because of their stringent standards. This has resulted in a current safety record of 99.997%.

In a previous statement, Royeca declared, “I am grateful that the DOTr saw the merits of Angkas’ safety record and we are happy to be working with them to ensure motorcycle taxis are safe.”

Jobert Bolaños of the Motorcycle Rights Organization declared, “The pilot run is the fruit of the long hours spent by the members of the TWG: Angkas, the DOTr, the LTFRB, the Highway Patrol Group, the MMDA, and all the hardworking commuter groups, transport advocates, and members of the academe. We’ve spent a long time working to figure out how to come up with a motorcycle taxi service that's not only fast and accessible, but also satisfies the safety requirements of the regulatory agencies as well.”

On Father's Day, show dad how much you appreciate his unique kind of love

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Whether he’s dad, tatay, papa, or itay to you, many fathers share one thing in common—a love expressed in actions more than in words. Since most dads are not very vocal with their feelings, it's also a challenge to find ways to show them in turn how much you appreciate their love and care.  

  

This Father’s Day, here are simple ways to express gratitude and show how much you appreciate dad’s unique kind of love with the help of PayMaya.  

1.  Give him a week’s worth of hassle-free rides  

The daily commute to work can be very tiring, especially for dads who have been doing it for more years than you can count. Spare him this weekday struggle by giving him hassle-free rides to and from work for a week.  

You can do this by directly purchasing Grab vouchers through the PayMaya Shop. All you have to do is log into  your PayMaya app, go to the Shop tab, choose between the GrabCar P100 or P200 e-voucher, and send it to your dad using your preferred messaging app.     

2. Send him some "allowance" for a special gift 

Remember all those times your dad secretly gave you some extra baon when your mom wouldn’t budge? Now is your time to give back! Send dad some "allowance" and let him splurge on himself for a change!   

Make him feel loved 3,000 times over by sending him at least P3,000 using your PayMaya. All that’s left to do is to include a note saying "I love you 3,000"—your dad’s inner Avengers fanboy will surely melt at that!  

Do this from June 14 until June 30, 2019 and you’ll get a one-time reward of P150. See? Showing dad some love has its extra perks, too!  

3.  Get him a much-needed shopping spree  

A lot of dads get the "kuripot" tag, probably because they refuse to get rid of a worn-out belt or a shirt they've had since a decade ago. Father’s Day is a great excuse to treat your dad to a shopping spree and give him a much-needed wardrobe makeover!  

Use your PayMaya physical card or #ScanToPay using PayMaya QR when you purchase items in department stores like Robinsons Department Store or The SM Store. You can also shop online and buy wardrobe must-haves on Zalora or Lazada. 

Get more bang for your buck when you use your PayMaya! Spend an accumulated P3,000 using your PayMaya physical card or virtual card from June 12 until June 18, 2019, and you’ll get a P300 cashback. (Then get yourself a little something, too!) 

  

4.  Treat him (and the whole fam) to a delicious Father’s Day meal  

Sharing a meal with the whole family is already a gift in itself. So make sure that you and your siblings take time off work for a delicious dinner with your dad this Father’s Day.  

Enjoy a hearty buffet meal in PayMaya partner merchants like Niu by Vikings, and #ScanToPay for your meal to get up to 100% cashback!  

You can also send dad something extra to enjoy at home by purchasing a food voucher from PayMaya Treats found inside the PayMaya Shop which your dad and the rest of your family can redeem at any participating branch nationwide. 

Know where you can make the most out of your money and find the full list of PayMaya’s partner merchants by visiting http://pymy.co/QRMerchants.  

5. Take care of this month’s bills 

Fathers take pride in being the provider for the family but helping him out once in a while will definitely put a smile on his face. Surprise your dad by paying for all your bills this month. 

Take care of your bills in the most convenient way possible when you use your PayMaya app. You can do it in the comforts of your own home or your office, and even get up to P500 cashback when you pay for two or more bills, worth at least P1,000 each.  

With most dads, it’s true that there’s no need for extravagance. They’ll surely appreciate the gesture no matter how simple it is. So while you honor your dad this Father’s Day with a meaningful celebration, let PayMaya give you rewards and discounts as well (just because you're awesome!). 

To know more about PayMaya’s latest deals and discounts, visit PayMaya.com/deals.