Jollibee announces exemplary finalists of 8th Jollibee Family Values Awards

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Since it was launched in 2011, the Jollibee Family Values Awards (JFVA) has recognized numerous Filipino families for their exemplary advocacies that improve the lives of people in their communities. Now, Jollibee introduces a new batch of selfless and value-centered families who have chosen to be great for others.

Out of hundreds of entries from the country and abroad, the finalists include eleven families from Luzon, one family from Visayas, one from Mindanao, and two overseas Filipino worker (OFW) families from Australia and the United States.

Among the finalists are: Arquiza Family (Camarines Norte), Bacudio Family (Manila), Cua Family (Manila), Delos Reyes Family (Caloocan City), Homan Family (Sorsogon), Idzenga Family (Bacolod City), Manuncia Family (Quezon City), Marcial Family (Pasig City), Pedro Family (Rizal),  Rubico Family (Laguna), Sibug Family (North Cotaboto), Vinuya Family (Tarlac City), and Zulueta Family (Makati City).

Two OFW families, Alegado Family (United States), and Roa Family (Australia), are also included in JFVA’s top nominees.

The finalists will vie for the six JFVA Family Awards and Special Citations during the Gabi ng Parangal para sa Pamilyang Pilipino, the search’s culminating event, on September 26 at Blue Leaf Cosmopolitan.

After an extensive search and rigorous internal screening, the chosen families were further deliberated upon by an esteemed panel of judges chaired by Maribel Dionisio, veteran JFVA judge and parenting and relationship consultant.

“I’m taking it more seriously each year and so are the other judges. There’s even more vigor this year because we continue to see more amazing and selfless families with inspiring advocacies. This day was good because we ended it with beautiful stories and a renewed hope for our country,” she shared.   

Reprising their role as judges are TV host and news anchor Edric Mendoza, renowned writer and inspirational speaker Francis Kong, and lifestyle columnist and children’s advocate, Audrey Tan-Zubiri. Other returning judges include actress Dimples Romana and TV host and news anchor Christine Jacob-Sandejas.

For first-time judge and Jollibee Philippines HR Head, Jazel Mendoza, it was an enriching experience as she discovered the stories of the nominees. “The diverse entries represented different sectors so it gave the judges a lot of opportunity to really see the different needs of the country and how people address those things.”

Completing the panel of judges were Jollibee Brand CMO and Jollibee Philippines Marketing Head Francis Flores, and Jollibee Group Foundation Executive Director Gisela Tiongson.

As each year brings in more families dedicated to goodwill and service, the judges are looking into opportunities to further enrich and sustain the families’ advocacies.

“Most of the judges are very eager to help out and share their knowledge. It’s really more on how to connect these families to really strengthen and make the awards more meaningful,” shared Dionisio.

“What I enjoyed during the deliberation was our discussions on how to further elevate each families’ efforts and really make the program sustainable, not only recognizing the family but also finding ways to help them collaborate, link them to the right organization and past JFVA winners, empower them, and build their capacities so they can do more for Filipinos in the country and abroad,” added Jazel Mendoza.

The 8^th JFVA will honor five exemplary families and one OFW family with a P300,000 cash prize, Jollibee gift certificates, and a trophy designed by renowned sculptor Michael Cacnio.

Jollibee and its citation partners will also confer special awards to families supporting advocacies on Education (National Book Store), Children (Children’s Hour), Minority Groups (KATRIBU), and PWDs (National Council on Disability Affairs). Family awardees will each receive P50,000 cash prize, Jollibee gift certificates, and a plaque.

The JFVA is made possible with the support from campaign partners Coca-Cola Philippines, Jollibee Group Foundation, and Maynilad, official hotel partners Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn, and sponsor HKTV.B 

Meteor Garden actors use Vivo smartphones in 2018 reboot

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Hit TV series Meteor Garden has made a comeback this 2018 after a successful and highly popular run 17 years ago, in 2001. Set in the city of Shanghai, the series reboot centers around the story of an ordinary girl, Dong Shancai who enters a prestigious university where she later encounters the well-known F4, an exclusive circle of four boys celebrated in school for their good looks and wealthy background. A string of events brought Shancai with the boys, particularly with the handsome Daoming Siand soft-spoken Huaze Lei.

Shancai checks her Vivo smartphone during one scene shot at the university.

In the Philippines, the local fans were crossing their fingers that a Filipino version of the beloved Chinese series would materialize, calling for their favorite celebrities to earn a spot in a local series re-make. When rumors surfaced in 2017 that Meteor Garden would be resurrected, the anticipation was also met with uncertainty that the reboot with series darlings Shancai and Daoming Si would not be as good as the original, some even calling that the original casts be called back for the re-creation of the show.

The box of a Vivo smartphone reaches the hand of the one of the key characters of the show.

But the 2018 Meteor Garden reboot did not disappoint its fans, old and new. Drawing legions of young followers from everywhere, the old formula of the series proved that it has not lost its charm over the years. As a matter of fact, its comeback was a trending topic on Twitter with over thirty thousand tweets on Its much-anticipated re-make. Much to the delight of fans, Shancai still carries her dream-girl image, her unyielding personality more charming to the audience than ever and Daoming Si still never fails to woo fans with his abounding charisma.

The series comeback inspired a myriad of feels from the fans: from happiness to sadness, to excitement and fear.

One thing that stands out with the Meteor Garden reboot and perhaps the reason why the show managed to captivate the hearts of millennials is the relatable personalities and lifestyles of the show’s characters. The show’s leads, much like today’s youth, are connected to their smartphones—Vivo smartphones in particular—heavily interacting with each other and expressing themselves through the usual selfies and status updates, shared through several social media platforms.

Shancai keeps her handy Vivo smartphone close to her.

While many Filipinos know the love story of Shancai and Daoming Si like the back of their hand, the Meteor Garden reboot’s main actors Shen Yue and Dylan Wang as well as the rest of the F4—Darren Chen, Connor Leung, and Caesar Wu—no doubt keep fans glued to their screens with their chemistry and energy that add zing to a classic favorite.

Vivo Hints Fast Changing? Lightning Fast Within Your Reach

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Vivo, one of the leading global smartphones in the world, is set to re-unleash an innovative feature to aid everyday life. Will it be a feature that allows efficient battery charging to ensure better communication, web browsing, and long-lasting apps usage to keep up with day-to-day tasks?

Battery life and charging time are two of the important features that tech savvy and heavy smartphone users look at when they search for smartphone. What good is a smartphone if it does not have battery anyway?

Vivo’s latest flagship model in the Philippines, the X21, for instance, has non-removable Li-Ion 3400 mAh battery with fast charging. The Vivo NEX was also supported by fast charging but its Li-Ion battery capacity is up to 4,000 mAh.

With a slogan of “daring to pursue true perfection, while continuously creating the surprising”, we can’t wait for what’s next for Vivo.

Ritz Azul tries comedy in her first-ever major movie, The Hopeful Romantic

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Ritz as Veronica devirginized a virgin in The Hopeful Romantic 

After eight years in showbiz, Ritz Azul finally gets her biggest break yet. 

She top bills the upcoming romantic comedy movie The Hopeful Romantic under Regal Entertainment, Inc., opposite breakthrough actor Pepe Herrera. 

Highly identified in drama, the 24-year-old actress explains that she is excited to try her hand in comedy on the big screen. 

Her first venture in this genre is through ABS-CBN's Sunday comedy show, Banana Sunday. 

But between drama and comedy, Ritz says that comedy is harder to do. 

“Actually, mas sanay ako sa drama, pero buti na lang medyo naturuan na ako ni Direk Bobot [Mortiz] sa Banana Sunday bago gawin itong movie na 'to,” the actress explains. 

“Masayang gawin ang comedy, pero totoo ngang mas mahirap gawin ito kesa sa drama.” 

However, she asserts that she is up to the challenge and is doing her best. 

She also reveals that her role in The Hopeful Romantic is edgier compared to the roles she has portrayed before. 

In the movie, Ritz portrays the role of Veronica, a gold-digger. 

“Sobrang kakaiba ang role ko ngayon. Nakakatawa nga kasi pinanood ko sa mga kaibigan ko, sa nanay ko, lahat ng may kakilala sa akin yung trailer tapos sabi nila, 'Asan si Ritz doon? Di ko makita. Sobrang ibang-iba ka,' Gano'n ang comment nila sa akin.” 

She continues, “Actually, habang nagda-dubbing ako, kinikilabutan ako sa mga pinagsasasabi ko sa mga kinikilos ko doon. Hindi ko talaga makita ang sarili ko.”

However, she is thankful to her director, Topel Lee and the production team for helping her out pull off her character. 

She is also thankful to have Pepe as her leading man, whom Ritz has nothing but good words for. 

“Sobrang gaan katrabaho ni Pepe kasi ang saya din. Nakikipag-collab talaga siya sa writer, sa producer, sa director. Lahat ng ideas niya para mapaganda yung movie talagang sini-share niya. 

“Pati sa co-actors niya open siya, sobrang professional.” 

Ritz is also grateful to establish rapport with Pepe for this project. 

“Parang nagsu-shoot kami merong connection. Habang nandon kami sa characters namin, minsan kahit mata lang nag-uusap na kami." 

Ritz adds about her leading man, “Sobrang ang pinakanatutunan ko sa kanya hindi siya titigil sa take o kahit paulit-ulit pa yan, para mapaganda yung scene.” 

The actress also takes pride in saying that The Hopeful Romantic is a project, which teaches a valuable lesson. 

She explains what valuable life lesson teaches, “Unang-una just be yourself, huwag kang magpanggap. Dapat huwag ka magkunwari. Ipakita mo lang kung sino ka talaga, kasi yun ang mamahalin sa'yo ng tao. 

“Kung nagpanggap kang ibang tao at minahal ka, hindi ikaw ang totoong minahal. 

As Veronica, Ritz portrays a kept woman in the high society world and a woman who tries to survive despite being difficult life she has gone through. 

Then one day, he meets Jess (Pepe Herrera), a valet parking assistant at a posh hotel, who is also honest and most of all, a virgin. He promised himself that he will only give himself when he already found his true love.

Jess meets Veronica gets mesmerized by her presence. One thing lead to another, and Veronica gave Jess the “first time”. Jess, believing in the magic of what happened between them, decides that Veronica is his one true love. 

However, there is one problem; Veronica has no idea that he is not rich. Afraid that revealing himself will make him lose Veronica, Jess starts to pretend the part. He kept on doing this until his resources spill away. The inevitable happens, and Veronica learns the truth about Jess. 

Tagged as the sexy comedian, The Hopeful Romantic is the first film of Pepe in a lead role. 

The Hopeful Romantic opens September 12, 2010. The funniest romantic film of the season is directed by Topel Lee. 

For more updates, follow Regal Entertainment Inc on Facebook, @RegalFilms on Twitter, @RegalFilms50 on IG and Regal Cinema channel on YouTube. 

Why debit cards are a millennial’s best partner in adulting

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Millennials like to do things in their own way. Unlike the generations before them, these passionate young adults do not follow a specific formula for their lifestyles. They are spontaneous, excited, and always going against the flow in search for experiences that will make their lives worth living.

But if there’s one thing that millennials have in common with other generations, it is that they are also financially conscious. And in this modern age, millennials can enjoy the convenience of saving money and shopping for their needs and wants using a trusty debit card. Here are a few reasons why debit cards are preferred by many young Filipinos:

Easier way to save cash

With a debit card, you can simply go to the bank and deposit cash to your account. This way, you are assured that your money is safe and secure; it even earns interest so you can grow your savings. Debit cards also teaches you to spend wisely because, unlike credit cards, you can only use what you have in your account. So the more you deposit and save money in your card, the more you can go on shopping sprees and planning for your next out-of-town-trips.

Convenient and safer transactions 

Debit cards also provide an alternative way to carry money anywhere you go. Instead of bringing large amounts of cash in your wallet, you can just bring your debit card and swipe it for instant purchases. You can even use it for online shopping with your favorite brands and stores. Just make sure to secure your debit account with a PIN code so your savings stay safe.

Rewards for your spending

And what better way to enjoy your debit cards than by getting perks for every purchase. Some card providers offer exciting rewards and promos on shopping, dining, traveling, and grocery transactions with your debit card.

The CEB GetGo Debit Card, the first and only debit card that earns GetGo points for free flights, earns 1GetGo point for every PHP 88 spent.  With CEB GetGo Debit Card, you also receive alerts and have the first dibs on Cebu Pacific’s exclusive seat sale offers and upcoming promos. Cardholders can also get discounts when purchasing flights via GetGo and experience cashless Visa transactions on trips locally and abroad.

Starting this month, new cardholders are up for even more exciting rewards with its Take 5 promo! Every Visa transaction made on the first month of the newly-approved CEB GetGo Debit Card will earn 5% rebate for the cardholder. It’s like you spend some, you get some -- and even more!

Interested individuals can apply online via http://bit.ly/CEBGetGoDebit and pick up their cards at any UnionBank branch. Upon receiving the card, they can enjoy purchases that can reward them with a maximum rebate of P500 for more savings. Rebates will be instantly credited to members’ GetGo savings account within the first week of the next calendar month.

For more information on memberships and partners, visit www.getgo.com.ph. Stay updated on the latest promos by liking GetGoPH’s official pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.