#CrispyFryPlayDay: Ajinomoto celebrates first Lucky FryDay PlayDay

Luis “Kuya Lucky” Manzano surprises media guests during the Crispy Fry® Lucky FryDay PlayDay as the newest endorser of the Crispy Fry® brand. ‘Media frymates’ were treated to a game-show themed virtual event where Kuya Lucky gave them a special task to complete

#CrispyFryPlayDay: Ajinomoto celebrates first Lucky FryDay PlayDay

The virtual event introduces new Crispy Fry® endorser Luis Manzano

Crispy Fry® hosted its third #CrispyFryPlayDay to officially introduce its newest brand endorser TV host Luis “Kuya Lucky” Manzano. The event brought together media and their families for the first #CrispyFryPlayDay done online.

Hironori Aoki, Ajinomoto’s Board of Director for Sales, Marketing and Public Relations, opened the  Crispy Fry® Lucky FryDay virtual event with his inspiring speech to the participating ‘media frymates’. 

In the game show-themed event held via Zoom, Kuya Lucky invited select media Frymates for a special task: celebrate #CrispyFryPlayDay by partnering with their kids and family members to virtually cook meals perfect for families and friends. The virtual game had three exciting rounds, where participants had to guess the ingredients, and the price of special ulams made better with Crispy Fry products. Special awards and prizes were also given to select Frymates and winning participants. 

Crispy Fry® Brand Manager Rhenz Villanueva gave a detailed overview on what Crispy Fry® has to offer for Filipino consumers. 

“The pandemic may have changed a lot of things, but one that we hope stays the same is the strong bond of families. Our new stay-at-home lifestyle creates opportunities for new bonding moments between loved ones. We encourage everyone to make cooking a shared activity because it’s fun, easy, and rewarding,” says Roann Co, Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation’s General Manager of Marketing and Public Relations.

Cooking with Crispy Fry®

Cooking is made better and more special with Crispy Fry®, the #1 breading mix brand in the market. Perfect for Filipino families, Crispy Fry® is made from choice flours and starches perfectly blended with seasonings, concocted to make fried chicken and fish crispy-delicious.

The brand has an extensive list of variants available on the market. This includes Crispy Fry® Chicken Breading Mix, which comes in Original, Garlic, and Spicy so families can enjoy fried chicken in different ways. Crispy Fry® also has a variant with Gravy Mix and another with Japanese bread crumbs, seasonings, and spices. Meanwhile, the new Crispy Fry® Fish Breading Mix reduces oil spills while cooking so families can enjoy fried fish without the hassle.

“Crispy Fry® is now a staple in my kitchen because it makes cooking so much easier. When I don’t have a lot of time, I fry chicken or fish using the easy-to-prepare breading mix. Each meal is made more special because Crispy Fry® guarantees crispanalo and isda-licious fried dishes, every time,” reveals Manzano. 

Crispy Fry® and #CrispyFryPlayDay are part of Ajinomoto’s Eat Well, Live Well promise for Filipino families – to create high-quality products for delicious, healthy, and enjoyable mealtimes.

To know more about Crispy Fry®, visit the Ajinomoto website at ajinomoto.com.ph and the Cookmunity by Ajinomoto Philippines at facebook.com/CookmunitybyAjinomotoPH.

Everyday experiences you can enjoy now that can get you free trips in the future

 

 Everyday experiences you can enjoy now that can get you free trips in the future

To those who share a love for travel, the past year may not have turned out to be the finest. Instead of ticking destinations off from one’s list, it was — unfortunately — setting aside trips and staying inside the safety of one’s home. But as time passed, people have also learned to adopt new habits and come up with fun ways to ease those travel cravings.

Here are a few good ways to stay inspired as people look forward to their dream getaway:

Cook your own ethnic dish

Trying out local flavors is one of the most exciting parts of traveling. So, now is the perfect time to get to know the kitchen better and experiment with both familiar and unfamiliar flavors. For those who would want to dine out, going on a gastronomical journey can be a fun adventure with the wealth of cafes and restaurants abounding the country. As travelers dine and pay with a CEB GetGo Visa Card, they can also gather points which they can use for future travels. 

Do a staycation

Because sometimes, staying in a good accommodation is half the adventure. Avail of a 25% discount at RedDoorz when booking using the GetGo mobile app until January 31, 2021.

Book flights, hotels in advance

With the travel industry picking up slowly but surely, airlines and hotels are offering big discounts and enticing perks. Travelers can start saving for trips-to-come as they earn points from buying travel essentials online through RebateMango and making reservations in Klook and Agoda using their CEB GetGo Visa Card.

Another exciting offer which cardholders can take advantage of is the ‘Double-Dip’ feature from GetGo and UnionBank. GetGo members can earn twice as much points on a single transaction when they use their CEB GetGo VISA Card on GetGo’s lifestyle partners.

 

Enjoy a coffee or tea with GetGo

Get a Php100 worth of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf voucher code when you spend at least Php2000 on a single-receipt transaction with any merchant using your new card, when you apply for a CEB GetGo Debit Card until February 28, 2021.

Until borders open and a more ideal time comes around, enjoying everyday experiences that are just as rewarding can get us closer to our dream destination. Start earning points now with the CEB GetGo Visa Card and #FlyForFreeFaster with Cebu Pacific.

Smart Araneta Coliseum opens 2021 with virtual Wish Music Awards

 Smart Araneta Coliseum opens 2021 with virtual Wish Music Awards

 

After months of quarantine lockdown, the Big Dome comes alive this year with an OPM celebration brought by the much-anticipated Wish 107.5 Music Awards.

 

The 6th annual Wish Music Awards will be broadcasted live from the Smart Araneta Coliseum on January 17, 2021, Sunday, with Gretchen Ho and Christian Bautista as hosts.

 

Since mass gathering remains prohibited under the latest quarantine restrictions, the audience will have the chance to view the Livestream on the official Youtube page of Wish FM. (https://www.youtube.com/user/WishFM1075official).

 

The lineup of performers includes Asia’s Soul Supreme Kristine KZ Tandingan, hip-hop phenomenon Gloc-9, folk-pop ensemble Ben&Ben, P-Pop breakthrough SB19, pop troupe Music Hero, iconic OPM band Parokya ni Edgar, rising rapper Michael Pacquiao, singer-songwriters Clara Benin, Leanne and Naara, Reese Lansangan, Keiko Necesario, vocal group The Wishfuls, and Australian singer-songwriter Guy Sebastian.

 

Winners from 20 categories will be named. Among the categories is the newly-created and timely Best Quarantine-Produced Song, which recognizes OPM artists "who have challenged the limitations brought forth by the pandemic to come up with a fresh release that best resonates with people during these challenging times." The winners will be determined based on public voting and on a panel of judges.

 

In 2020, the Big Dome was able to stage events such as the sold-out Valentine concert of Regine Velasquez and Sarah Geronimo in February, and the opening of the 45th season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) in March before the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily closed down the coliseum. 

Ever Bilena Spotlight - Red lips, a timeless make-up trend

Spotlight Liquid Lips in Stunning Icon

 

Ever Bilena Spotlight - Red lips, a timeless make-up trend

Red lips, a timeless make-up trend

The New Year may usher in new trends and fashion ideas, but some classic favorites are here to stay. These include the ever-versatile white polo, denim jeans, little black dress, white sneakers and of course, the timeless, goes-with-everything red lipstick, which can take your look from day to night.

Luckily, Spotlight Cosmetics, the new local makeup brand that aims to empower Filipinas to transform their looks, offers a wide range of red lip shades in various formulas to suit your preference. 

Spotlight Liquid Lips in Fiery Star

Spotlight Bullet matte Lipstick in Sultry Siren

Spotlight Bullet matte Lipstick in Scream Queen

If you’re into the liquid matte finish, you can opt for the red-brownish hue of Liquid Lips in Fiery Star or the bright red tint of Liquid Lips in Stunning Icon. Spotlight also offers bullet matte lipsticks which come in an intense berry shade called Sultry Siren, and the pinkish-red Scream Queen. 

If you want a softer and more dewy finish, there’s the Spotlight Creamy Lipstick in World-Class Diva. But if you want a more precise application, you can try the Lip Crayons which also offer various shades of red like the Blazing Star and Edgy Princess. 

Spotlight Lip Crayon in Blazing Star

Spotlight Lip Crayon in Edgy Princess

Spotlight Creamy Lipstick in World-Class Diva

All originally priced at P295, all lip products are currently P99 OFF on Watsons Online (bit.ly/SpotlightWatsons) and in all Watsons and SM Department Stores until January 31, 2021. So hurry and greet a new year with a bold red lipstick from Spotlight Cosmetics.

To know more, follow Spotlight Cosmetics’ official social media accounts: Facebook (@SpotlightCosmeticsPH) and Instagram (@spotlightcosmetics.ph).

The Storytelling Project of Rey Bufi aims to inspirit children’s love for learning, one story at a time.

The power of storytelling in raising smart, compassionate kids

 

To many parents, there is nothing more fulfilling other than instilling the right set of values in their children. That is why right from their pregnancy, all the way to the formative years of their kids and beyond, they do their best to shape their minds so they grow to be healthy and smart with a heart for a kinder world.

Of course, this also comes with exposing their children to many activities that would plant the right seeds for them. One of them is through reading books — an activity in which a child’s colorful imaginations run free. Rey Bufi, the founder of nonprofit organization, The Storytelling Project, and also a father himself, shares this belief as he harps the love and joy of reading with kids in far-flung communities in the Philippines.

Even during lockdown, Rey Bufi continues to engage with children in virtual read-aloud sessions to make reading an enjoyable experience.

 

Growing up, Rey admits that he was not much of a reader. But somehow in 2012, he found himself establishing a volunteer organization that aims to raise a nation of readers. “As a child, I always loved history and though I was not entirely a reader, I was fond of listening to stories of hope and inspiration about great, compassionate leaders,” Rey shared. “Service has always been my love language. It was in college when I was having a hard time and reading helped me cope. I realized, had I been a reader earlier, I wouldn’t have had a hard time. And that is how my passion for stories and service came together,” he added.

Rey Bufi, founder of The Storytelling Project (TSP), empowers Filipino children through stories as he hosts Enfagrow A+ Four’s Tales of Kindness from the #HealthySmartKidWithAHeart.

Today, Rey continues with his passion for sharing stories.  He recently participated as a host and storyteller in Enfagrow A+ Four’s Tales of Kindness from the #HealthySmartKidWithAHeart campaign, which featured stories of kindness to inspire parents to teach their children about compassion.

Reading stories to Filipino children has opened the eyes of Rey to many realities. Just as he read them stories, he likewise learned meaningful life lessons from the stories of people he encountered in his journey. To him and his wife Grace Bufi, these children are characters in their own stories. “The tales they tell make a huge impact on their overall development. It helps them communicate and make sense of the world they are in and what is happening inside themselves,” said Rey. Grace, on the other hand, said that storytelling does not only develop listening skills. “It also teaches kids the values of empathy and patience as they sit for longer periods of time. It helps kids string new words together and ignite a passion for discovering new things.”

To both Rey and Grace, their key role in establishing The Storytelling Project is to mold children to have a kind and altruistic foundation. Aside from helping them perform better academically, driving kids to uphold their values and espouse the goodness in their hearts remain their goal as parents, guardians, and caregivers.

Rey and Grace Bufi are parents to two wonderful children. When asked how they apply their learnings as storytellers and volunteers in their home, the Bufis said that, “Our work as volunteers is to let our children experience our adventures when we are close to normalcy. When we’re in the field, you get the privilege of being a part of somebody’s slice of life. And this allows you to interact in a more compassionate and caring manner even if you only spent a little time with them.”

To Rey, raising healthy and smart kids with a good heart starts with equipping them with the proper nutrition, and then harnessing it with experiences that will remind them to do good. “Doing good should come from the heart, because only then will the people around you feel it and inspire them to do good as well,” Rey said.

 

 

Globe Platinum customers honors medical front liners with Noche Buena feasts on Christmas Eve

Globe Platinum customers showed once more their support  to medical frontliners who were on duty during the holiday season with messages of gratitude and appreciation by using Thea, their digital assistant on Facebook Messenger App, as  a channel in the safety of their homes, minimizing their exposure to the pandemic and other health concerns.

Last Christmas Eve, Globe Platinum made special deliveries to key hospitals that were in the middle of  the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic all over the country.  Medical front liners who chose to serve and care for their patients rather than being with their families received a Noche Buena feast of lechon, paella, ham, queso de bola, bibingka and tsokolate individually packed for them to enjoy and uplift their spirits .

“We also encouraged our customers to send their messages of care and support to our brave front liners who have been working hard since March. Their short messages of cheer, hope and gratitude definitely made the difference in letting our health frontliners know that they are the modern day heroes during this difficult time of the pandemic. Through the Thank A Hero Program, our Globe Platinum customers were able to express their support through an easy to use platform,” said Mike Magpily,  Head of Globe Platinum.

Frontliners of Antipolo City Hospital System – Annex 3 in Rizal; Bulacan Medical Center in Bulacan; Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod; Quezon City General Hospital in NCR; San Pablo City District Hospital in Laguna; Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao; Southern Tagalog Regional Hospital in Cavite; and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu were the latest beneficiaries of the program.

The Thank A Hero program aims to engage Globe Platinum customers to provide messages of care and support to medical front liners through Thea, their Digital Assistant on the Facebook Messenger app. Globe Platinum customers honor  their hard work by providing them simple tokens of appreciation as a reminder that their sacrifices in the ongoing battle against Covid-19 are not forgotten and taken for granted.  Since its Launch in June 2020, more than 2,000 Platinum customers participated. The program has delighted frontliners from four PNP stations and 12 Puregold branches across Luzon and 18 hospitals nationwide.

Globe has laid out a 3-pronged strategy for its network upgrades and expansion, which includes aggressive cell site builds; upgrading its cell sites to 4G/LTE using many different frequencies; and fast tracking the fiberization of Filipino homes nationwide.

 

Globe supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically  UNSDG No. 9 which emphasizes the roles  of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development. Globe is committed to upholding the 10 United Nations Global Compact principles and 10 UN SDGs.

Zach Lucero 

VS1 and Mototek tapped motoring personalities Zach Lucero and Gaki Azurin, better known as Gaki Girl, to close the 2020 Purposeful Ride campaign with twin year-end celebration rides. The pair rode out for holiday shopping and distributed their loot to families living along the streets of Manila. They then proceeded to Gilmore to buy Christmas parols, which they gifted to their moms. 

VS1 & Mototek ends 2020 with purposeful ride campaign

Gaki Azurin

Both Lucero and Azurin then demonstrated how to condition the motorcycle for its optimum performance before riding, highlighting the two-pronged protection that the motor care line brings. The motorcycle aficionados also shared tips on how they kept their vehicles in tip-top shape despite being dormant in their garage for the months-long quarantine.

“2020 was a bit more restrictive than normal but we wanted to still spread joy with our partners Zach and Gaki, who are solid VS1 and Mototek fans, and their viewers. With one ride, we hoped to bring meaningful connections back with motoring as a way to reach out to those who were hit the worst by the pandemic,” said Assistant Product Manager Alek Barcia

Rica “Jet Lee” Cabarrubias 

Philip “JT” Elliot

 

Earlier in August, Rica “Jet Lee” Cabarrubias and Philip “JT” Elliot took to their wheels to show their support to frontliners. Elliot donated face masks and face shields to Los Baños Doctors Hospital and Medical Center and exchanged quarantine stories with the hospital’s cardio technician, Jena Crisologo, and security guard, Jamal Navarete. 

“It’s a very meaningful day, a very meaningful vlog. Ang sarap sa pakiramdam to reach out and makipagkwentuhan sa mga frontliners natin,” shared Elliot. 

Cabarrubias, for her part, stopped by all the checkpoints in Cebu City to distribute food packs to the enforcers on duty.

The purposeful Christmas ride is an initiative of the Consumer Care Products Incorporated’s motor line to keep the momentum for supporting modern-day heroes, uplift communities, spreading love in the time of the Pandemic. Follow @VS1ProtectorPH on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated on the latest.

Lucero summarizes the mission of the Purposeful Ride campaign well. “If we have a little more than others, it is our duty to do something for them kahit sa maliit na bagay lang.” 

You can watch the videos here:

Zach Lucero

Gaki Girl

Rica “Jet Lee” Cabarrubias 

Philip “JT” Elliot

Globe Banners Pinoy Heroes Representing PH in Global Stage

For a while during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world of sports has gone to a halt as social distancing was strictly implemented to slow down the spread of the virus. Fortunately, several sporting organizations have adapted safety protocols such as bubble set-ups and closed-door events to be able to resume into action despite the lack of fans in venues.

With the return of sports, Filipino athletes were also able to compete internationally to bring pride and honor to the country, and even hope to Filipinos amidst these uncertain times. Globe celebrates the triumph of athletes like tennis child prodigy and number 2 ranked junior female tennis player in the world by the International Tennis Federation, Alex Eala. She is the current Australian Open girls' doubles title holder and also recently had a semis run at the French Open.

A new breed of homegrown talents is also rising in the international stage of basketball and combat sports. Globe rallies behind the Manila Chooks 3x3 TM Team—the Philippine representative to the FIBA 3X3 Olympics Qualifying Tournament in Doha, Qatar—and top MMA stable Team Lakay, whose members continue to compete in Singapore for ONE Championship events. Notably, Team Lakay member and ONE Strawweight Champion Joshua Pacio was recently included in ESPN’s Top 25 MMA Athletes under the age of 25.

Of course, when it comes to international Filipino athletes, one name that will always be in the conversation is 12 time, 8-division world champion Manny Pacquiao who Globe recently onboarded as an ambassador. His upcoming boxing matches will now be available on online PPV exclusively with UPSTREAM and GMovies.

Indeed, 2021 will be a good year for sports fans here in the Philippines as Globe has a lot of exciting and exclusive content in store for everyone! Aside from PPV access to Manny Pacquiao’s next fights, fanscan also watch the first season of ONE Hero Series Philippines to discover the next Pinoy global combat sports hero. On top of that, there’s also the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 League Powered by TM, which aims to put up a world-class 3x3 basketball team that may be able to compete in the Tokyo Olympics in July 2021 and the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“Globe customers and sports fans can expect to be treated with live and on-demand access to key sports events participated by their favorite Filipino sports heroes in the coming year,” said JilBausa-Go, Vice President, Get Entertained Tribe. “As our nation reels from the impact of the pandemic, we aim to provide inspiration and strength through the success stories of these local athletes.”

Let’s all be inspired and driven to support our local athletes as they continue to bring honor to the country on the global stage, and display the innate heart and strength of Filipinos to the rest of the world.

Be updated on the latest sports happenings with Globe/ For The Win: Your Go-to for Everything Sports! Follow them on Instagram[https://www.instagram.com/globeforthewin/] and Twitter[https://twitter.com/globeforthewin]

AXA Philippines recently participated in Belle De Jour Planner’s #PowerThrough webinar that shared tips on how to stay strong amid the pandemic.

Essential mental health tips to power through the pandemic

With the combination of new changes and health risks brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, many may have been feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and scared. To help minimize the pandemic’s damaging effects on people’s mental health, AXA Philippines, one of the country’s leading insurance providers, has started the #HowAreYou Mental Awareness campaign to encourage open and honest conversations on mental health among the company, its clients, and the community at large. 

To further highlight this, AXA recently participated in Belle De Jour Planner’s #PowerThrough webinar. Streamed on Belle De Jour’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/bdjbuzz), the webinar featured mental health advocate Dr. Gia Sison, founder of SOS Philippines (Survivors of Suicide and Depression) and Kate Alvarez who shared tips on how to stay strong amid these trying times. Here are some of the tips.

Ask “how are you?” Every once in a while, don’t forget to check in with loved ones and friends. Listen to the answer. Don’t make it just a ‘by the way, how are you?’ but really listen. 

Ask for the support of loved ones. According to Dr. Sison, what has helped her power through was the support of her family and friends. “It is even more important now, especially for me when I had days when I was down and out. Reaching out to them and knowing that meron talaga makikinig helped me power through.”

Give people time to open up. People are a little bit more sensitive during the pandemic. As such, Alvarez advised, “Everyone is going through something. We have to understand that we’re a little more sensitive about how we react to each other so if today, your friend didn’t reach out, give him/her some time to open up to you.”

Solve one problem at a time. Doing everything all at once can lead to anxiety and stress so pick one task that you need to do, address that, and you’ll get through it.

Find what works for you to fight off anxiety. When it comes to fighting anxiety, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The important thing is to keep trying. If meditation doesn’t work for you, find something else that makes you happy. It can be reading a book, playing online games, or watching Korean dramas.  

Include me-time and family time in your schedule. Have a fixed schedule for family time and time alone with yourself because otherwise, you’ll be swamped with work. Limit your work hours just like when you were in the office as this can really help you balance work life and home life. 

Times are tough, but anyone can overcome it with these tips for staying strong amid the pandemic. To know more about AXA Philippines, visit www.axa.com.ph and follow AXA Philippines’ Facebook www.facebook.com/AXA.Philippines.

Enjoy longer and safer al fresco dining at Araneta City's #PopUpNight

Araneta City's well-loved weekend al fresco offering at the Manhattan Row continues this 2021!

Experience the City of Firsts' #PopUpNight Dine Out Weekend along Malvar Street in a much longer time -- now from 3pm to 11pm every Friday and Saturday -- for a taste of fun and safe street feast in a 'new normal' environment.

Diners will still enjoy an open-air food adventure through the al fresco offerings of stores like Ally's All Day Breakfast, Giovanni's, Marina Grill, Mang Inasal, Gilligan's, The Eatery, Mister Kabab, Bonchon, and Moonleaf Milk Tea.

Sidestreet booths of Pizza Hut, Dairy Queen, and Taco Bell will also be available to provide a more convenient outdoor dining feel. Just order your favorites at their booth, and wait for your food to be delivered to your seats!

Other food stalls will also open along the road to offer more choices to the dining patrons.

Araneta City's #PopUpNight gives the public a safer option for eating out during the pandemic. Most experts suggest that the risk of viral transmission is lower in open-air outdoor dining compared to typical indoor dining due to better air ventilation.

To ensure public health and dining satisfaction, physical distancing and other safety measures will be strictly implemented as part of the 'new normal' experience.

Enjoy a safe and fun al fresco weekend dining with family and friends this year at the #PopUpNight Dine Out Weekend at the City of Firsts!

#CityOfFirsts