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Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Microsoft Brings Digital Transformation to the C-Suite




Microsoft is leading the discussion on digital transformation in the Philippines. The tech leader held several C-level roundtable discussions on the impact and necessity of digital transformation in today’s modern business environment. These discussions were attended by CEOs, CTOs, CFOs, CMOs, and CHROs from industries such as banking, professional services, retail, education, real estate, power & utilities, and telecommunications.





CIO & COO Roundtable event executives with Microsoft Leaders



“Microsoft is committed to helping leaders understand the economic implications of digital transformation in the society. Digital Transformation is emerging as a key driver of sweeping change across industries globally. More than a mere buzzword, it now has the capacity to significantly improve business revenue and create broader social good,” said Christian Lim, Chief Operating Officer of Microsoft Philippines.


At the CEO Round Table event, Microsoft took a closer look at the economic impact of digital transformation in the Philippines. Andrea Della Mattea, Area President (APAC) for Microsoft, reported that the impact of digital products and services to the economy of SEA nations will skyrocket from 6% to a staggering 48% by 2021. This growth will result to an economic increase of more than $60 billion. But more than the rise of revenue and decrease in costs in businesses, digital transformation also has the capability of improving consumers’ lives and bringing about social good.

The highlight of these discussions was the different perspectives and insights from organizations like Union Bank, PhilCare, and Rustan Coffee Corporation, to name a few. UnionBank executives: Edwin Bautista, Director, Chief Executive Officer, Henry Aguda, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation officer and Arvie De Vera, First Vice President, Head of Fintech Group, shared the secret to the success of their work on digitizing finance. Aiming to resolve the problem of financial inclusion, UnionBank called in futurists and tech experts to help reach out to remote communities and give them access to financial tools.


As Microsoft gears up to host another series of C-level roundtable discussion this August, it remains focused on supporting business leaders in their journey towards shaping better opportunities for business and society through innovation.



For more inquiries, please contact Microsoft at enterpriseph@microsoft.com.



Christian Bables stars in Signal Rock under Direk Chito Roño for Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino





Christian Bables is excited in his upcoming movie, Signal Rock, his first collaboration with Direk Chito Roño. It was a dream come true for him to be working with the A-list director. 



He is all praises of Direk Chito. “Ipapakita at ipaparamdam talaga niya sa iyo kung gaano ka niya pinapahalagahan bilang isang aktor at kaibigan basta ipakita mong you deserve his admiration and trust. I will forever be grateful to him. I worked so hard noong makapasa ako sa audition. I put myself into my character’s shoes so I would know kung anong emosyon ang aking paghuhugutan. I imagined my character - the way he speaks, walks, how he closes his eyes – para mabigyan ko ng magandang interpretation ang role ko. I have to be on my toes kasi andyan sina Direk Chito and the staff."



In the film, Christian plays Intoy, a poor high school dropout who resides in a remote fishing island. Intoy has good communication skills and he is always invited to be an event emcee in fiestas, parties, and election campaign rallies. He helps his sister in Finland in a child custody battle against her abusive husband by involving the townspeople, faking legal documents, and setting up false endorsements to prove his sister’s financial capacity.



“This is a coming of age story of Intoy. Isang taong puno ng pagmamahal para sa kanyang pamilya and how his love will succeed in saving his family most especially his sister. Intoy will do everything to keep his family intact,” describes Christian of his character.



Intoy is a deviation from the gay roles Christian played in the past. "It’s easier for me to play Intoy because I no longer need to alter my way of thinking, the way I feel and my physicality. The challenge for me here is to truly define Intoy’s personality and try to relate it to me as Christian Bables.”



Signal Rock is based on a true story of people living in a small town in the beautiful island of Samar. Direk Chito recounted the story of one of his friends named Nonong to screenwriter Rody Vera. Nonong’s life story left a remarkable impression on Rody because it is based on the realities of life like work migration and how this changed the lives and relationships of the people they left behind to support.



The film was shot in the picturesque island of Biri where Christian stayed for 15 days.



Christian is now busy going around the country for the movies’ promo activities which include mall shows, radio and studio interviews, campus tours, among others.

     

Signal Rock is part of the week-long celebration of Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino. It will open in theaters beginning August 15 and also stars Nanding Josef, Ces Quesada, Arnold Reyes, Daria Ramirez, and Domingo Cobarrubias.



For inquiries, please call (02) 855-4765 or (02) 405-4423, email info@asianartistsagency.com, and visit fb.com/asianartistsagency

Monday, July 30, 2018

Enjoy 72 Hours of Free Shipping and Up to 80% Discounts on Premium Items on Shopee’s Payday Sale!



This is good news to all the techies out there! Its time you visit Shopee Gadget Zone and avail of huge discounts on your favorite brands.



For 72 hours from July 30 to August 1, Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, is back to help loyal users stretch their salaries with its monthly Payday Sale. This month, we are going bigger and better with 72 hours of free shipping, all-day vouchers, and up to 80% discounts across a wide range of categories ranging from electronics to fashion.


To sweeten the Payday Sale, users can also look forward to lowest prices guaranteed on dozens of premium electronics at Shopee Gadget Zone,  a dedicated in-app portal for all things tech, which was newly launched this month.

With up to 80% off some of 2018’s hottest electronic products such as the Nintendo Switch, Canon Inkjet Printer, and Harman JBL Soundbar. Furthermore, users can also expect up to P4,000 off products from top brands including Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi.




Jane Lim, Director of Shopee Philippines said, “This month’s Payday Sale will be bigger and better with our new Shopee Gadget Zone featuring premium electronics at unbeatable prices for our users. Shopee Gadget Zone has been well-received by users in the short time since its launch and together with the Payday Sale, we want to build on this early momentum and continue our goal to deliver top electronic products at attractive prices for all our users in the Philippines. Moving forward, we will continue to diversify our product assortments and engage users with even more exciting deals tailored for their needs and preferences. 


For more information on:

Shopee’s Payday Sale, visit https://shopee.ph/paydaysalejuly.

Shopee’s Gadget Zone, visit https://shopee.ph/m/gadgetzone.


For more information on Shopee, visit https://shopee.ph

Download the Shopee app for free on Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Tower of Power is Live in Manila on Sept 7 at The Smart Araneta Coliseum




The much-awaited Manila performance of Tower Of Power is finally happening September 7, 2018 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum to be mounted by Ovation Productions. The triple bill event also features Dennis Lambert and Kalapana.

Tower's musical odyssey actually began in 1968 when Emilio Castillo met Stephen "Doc" Kupka in July of that year. When Doc auditioned during a band rehearsal at Emilio's house, Emilio's father called him into the kitchen and offered the following advice: "Hire that guy, he's got something." This was how Doc and his signature baritone sax came to be a major part of the band’s sound, and on August 13, 1968, Tower of Power, as we know them today, began playing gigs, and soon became very well known in the area.


Many other bands came out of the San Francisco Bay area in the late 60's. Bands like The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, Journey, and others all helped to define the "San Francisco Sound." Tower of Power has always claimed Oakland, California as their hometown, playing area venues and making a name for themselves.

Tower of Power was signed to Bill Graham’s San Francisco records and their first album was East Bay Grease. All of the compositions were original tunes written by Castillo and Kupka. Their next album, Bump City, led to a string of hits and memorable albums that include many of the songs that TOP fans come out in force to hear, even to this day. Over the years, the Tower of Power Horns have recorded with hundreds of artists as diverse as Aerosmith, Elton John, Little Feat, Phish, Santana, Heart, and many others, forever infusing the radio airwaves with Tower’s musical DNA.

Since the beginning, Tower of Power has never stopped touring and recording. Always in demand, the band never fails to entertain and amaze their fans. Tower is truly blessed to have a dedicated following that often travels to see the band, and in many cases fans will plan their vacation or work schedule around an appearance of TOP. New generations of fans come to see them perform as their timeless music continues to excite fans of all ages.


DENNIS LAMBERT



Another featured performer in this September 7, 2018 Smart Araneta Coliseum event is songwriter-producer and singer Dennis Lambert. Dennis’ album Bags and Things was very popular in the Philippines in the early 1970s and contained hit songs Of All the Things, Ashes to Ashes, Somebody Found Her Before I Lost Her, and So Little Time. He also either co-wrote and/or produced huge 1970s hits for other singers like Ain't No Woman Like the One I've Got for the Four Tops, Rhinestone Cowboy for Glen Campbell, Hard Core Poetry and She’s Gone for Tavares, Baby Come Back for Player, Love Music for Sergio Mendes & Brazil ’77, Dream On and Rock and Roll Heaven for The Righteous Brothers which revived the duo's recording career in 1974. In the 1980s, Lambert continued to write and produce alone under his Tuneworks banner. Credits include hits Nightshift for The Commodores, We Built This City and Sara for Starship, I Live For Your Love and Pink Cadillac for Natalie Cole, and Moment Of Truth for Survivor. Lambert was the subject of an award-winning feature-length documentary film, Of All the Things, directed by his screenwriter son Jody Lambert, which followed him on a cross-country tour of the Philippines promoted by Ovation Productions.


KALAPANA



As for Kalapana, they emerged as one of the most popular bands on the Hawaiian music scene in the 70s, and is much loved by Filipinos for their songs, Nightbird, The Hurt, You Make it Hard, and When the Morning Comes. They still enjoy frequent airplay in Manila’s top radio stations until today. Kalapana received the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. Ovation Productions took them on a Philippine Tour back to back with the band America in 2012.

It will truly be a thrill for Filipino music lovers to see all three of their favorite artists perform together in one evening of retro music at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. It certainly cannot get any better than this!


Tower of Power 50th Anniversary Tour featuring Dennis Lambert and Kalapana is produced by Ovation Productions. Media partners are FOX, FOXLife, FOX Filipino, Philippine Star, Manila Bulletin, Business Mirror, Wish 107.5, 97.9 Home Radio, DWIZ 882, DWWW 774, DZXL 558, 96.3 Easyrock, iFM 93.9, Philstar.com, Inquirer.net, Mb.com.ph, Manilascope, LionhearTV, Manila Concert Scene, Philippine Concerts, and Soundcheck Manila. Ticket Prices are P5250/ P4750/ P3750/ P2750/ P1750/ P750. Tickets available via www.ticketnet.com.ph and regular TicketNet outlets or call TicketNet +632 911-5555 or Ovation Productions +632 532-8883.

Sunday, July 29, 2018

Global smartphone brand Vivo has successfully mounted the first-ever Vivo HoopBattle Championship Philippines


Global smartphone brand Vivo has successfully mounted the first-ever Vivo HoopBattle Championship Philippines as the top eight teams battled it out to claim 3x3 court supremacy.


The top eight teams who faced off at the Market! Market! on Sunday were Ballers, Metrostar Realty, Team F4, BS Susim Shipping, Team Core, Just Coco, Arellano University, and Team Enderun.




The final two teams will be sent to Guangzhou, China in August 2018 and play against other groups in Asia to claim the HoopBattle Champion title. Aside from the chance to play at an international basketball game, the two winning teams will get Php200,000 or Php100,000. 



If the Philippine team enters the top three in the final games, they will also bring home RMB400,000 (around P3 million), RMB120,000 (around Php900,000), and RMB80,000 (around Php600,000).

The HoopBattle Championship is an annual 3x3 basketball tournament held in some districts in China and other Asian countries. In the Philippines, the tourney was organized in cooperation with the Ayala Malls.




Vivo, a brand that encourages its users to pursue an energetic lifestyle, has been at the forefront of throwing support for sports. It has tapped basketball superstar Stephen Curry as its global ambassador.

Vivo also forged a partnership with FIFA World Cup as its Exclusive Smartphone Sponsor for the 2018 and 2022 football tournaments.

In the Philippines, Vivo has also sponsored the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. #



Food Crawl 2018: The Best Restaurants to Eat in Westgate Alabang


It's been quite a while since I last joined a food crawl and this time, I even had to travel all the way South to West Gate Alabang to sample some Western, Filipino and Eastern cuisine --just because they mentioned RAMEN in the event invite.


Despite the rains, I excitedly joined a group of bloggers last July 19 because like I said there was a Ramen restaurant, and you can't say no to ramen with the kind of chilly weather we have been having the past few weeks. 



But that would come a bit later.

Our first stop was Earth Origins.  If you are on a special diet but still want food that's delicious, nutritious,  satisfying and organic, you have to try Earth Origins. They serve fresh organic produce from their own organic farm.


1. Earth Origins Marketplace + Cafe - 11:00-11:40 AM

It is the only organic cafe located at Westgate Alabang center.  I love their take on organic paella with 4 delicious flavors, you can choose from all meat, chorizo, seafood and mushroom. My favorite is the all-meat paella.

                                                 Seafood Paella P348



                                              All Meat Paella P285

They also serve organic juices and brewed organic teas sweetened with stevia






                                            Blue Cheese Burger P258       
                         

                                         
                              Ricotta with Blueberry Jam Toast P118


                    Nature Farm Salad and the Protein Boost Salad P265

The Nature Farm Salad and the Protein Boost Salad is a must-try . This alone fills you up with adlai, kale, beetroot, basil, roasted mushroom, pumpkin, baked onion, cashew and miso dressing.

Earth Origins is Alabang’s one-stop shop and go-to cafe for everything organic. With vegetables and meat sourced from local farmers and delivered fresh to the store every day, a visit to Earth Origins guarantees only high-quality products for its customers. The cafe serves homemade healthy dishes without sacrificing taste and flavor – giving the best of both worlds with every bite.

What I love about Earth Origins is that they sell all kinds of organic food, meat, snacks, cooking oil, tea, pasta, brown rice and even hair care products. If you are into healthy lifestyle then this store is just for you.








================


If you are looking for Filipino food with a bit of a different twist, then make your way into Neil's Kitchen.  I love the interiors of this resto with millennial vibe to it. Its instagram worthy same with the food that they have served.
                             
                     
2. Neil’s Kitchen - 11:45 AM - 12:25 PM


                               Ayala Alabang AA Batchoy with Puto P295

I admit I fell in love with this merienda AA Batchoy, the moment the waiter carefully placed it on the table. I knew I have to eat it or else. The hot soup and pork compliments it all. It is tasty but not salty, I love how soft the pork and all the meat inside the steaming bowl. The white, soft and sweet puto brought all the flavor. I could eat this everyday, without the "umay". I know I'll be back for more. This is my favorite pair from Neil's Kitchen.


                                  Sinigang Paella with Grilled Pork Belly








                                               Sweet Corn Maja BB Special P195



At Neil’s Kitchen, Chef Neil Ramos breathes new life into Filipino food. A quick browse through their menu shows that they serve many Pinoy classics, but reinvented for an exciting new gastronomic experience.




3. Butamaru - 12:30 PM - 01:10 PM

To those who know me, aside from tea,  Ramen is my comfort food. And Butamaru was the resto I was most looking forward to.

After Neil's Kitchen, we went straight to Butamaru, our 3rd stop on a rainy day.



What I love about ramen is when it served piping hot with creamy base broth and tamago. I always request for less salt and soft noodles. At Butamaru, you can customize your order too. For noodles you may choose between firm or soft.
If you want your broth creamier or richer, its available upon request.

Butamaru serves shio, shoyu and miso flavored tonkotsu. We were offered Curry Tantanmen -spicy sesame, peanut and curry   P380
Spicy Miso Butter - spicy butter and miso flavored ramen  P370
Red Ramen - spicy flavored tonkotsu  P370
Gyoza- Japanese Style Pork Dumplings  P140


                                           Tantanmen

This is my personal favorite the Tantanmen, it tastes good with its nutty creamy broth. The spiciness is tolerable plus I love the texture of noodles, it is chewy and compliments the flavor of the pork.

The Butamaru tonkotsu 16-hr broth was inspired by the many variations o f Hakata-Style ramen.





                                                 Miso Ramen



                                              Gyoza




Butamaru (translates to “pork circle”) transports visitors to Japan with their Japanese-style dining setup and their best-tasting ramen. Their ramen menu is based on five basic kinds of ramen – shio, shoyu, miso, tantanmen, and curry tantanmen, and uses traditional Kyushu tonkotsu broth made for 16 hours. Head chef Jerome Lim has now also crafted Izakaya (Japanese gastropub) dishes for an even fuller Japanese experience.

CE405 Westgate Center
Commerce Avenue cor. Filinvest Avenue
Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Contact No.: (632) 887-4255

Operating Hours: 11:30 am to 10 pm daily



4. Brother’s Burger - 01:15 PM - 01:55 PM

For our last stop of the day we were divided into two groups and luckily we got Brothers Burger. We were already quite full from the three previous restos, but when I heard that Brother's Burger was offering something new, my eyes lit up because I knew it was going to be something special.

Let me start with their new breakfast meals. Since its the most important meal of the day, it helps to have a heavy breakfast.  I love love their tapa meal, tapa is juicy, tasty with fried rice and sunny side up egg. Yum! The best part? You can order their breakfast menu any time of the day.

And because Brother’s Burger isn’t just about good burgers; they continue to change the snacking game also with chicken wings, milkshakes,  and more!


  Longganisa, P165
  Tapa,  P185
  All American Bacon Slab  P195
  All American Sausage Patty  P195

They also added several Pizza flavors to their menu!




                                            Quesadilla cheese P120

                                            Chili Dog P180

                                             Snap Dog P130




                           Flavored Fries P99, Chili Fries P175

                                             Milkshakes P120



Food trends may come and go, but Brother’s Burger’s gourmet burgers never go out of style. Established in 1999, Brother’s Burger is well-known for burgers that are juicy, flavorful, and grilled to perfection.

So there you have it. A stroll around Westgate Center in Alabang, Muntinlupa City is like being presented a buffet of the best that the local restaurant scene has to offer. It is where one can spend time with loved ones over a good meal, a good conversation over artisan coffee or dessert, or simple moments to unwind with family and friends.

With its parklike layout and impressive selection of shopping, dining, and wellness centers, there is truly no question why Westgate is a beloved place in the South.


Westgate Center is a premier development project of Filinvest Alabang Inc. in Filinvest City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City. The 9.2-hectare open-air shopping and dining complex boasts of a relaxing atmosphere perfect for rest and recreation. 

Visit the Westgate Center’s official page at facebook.com/WestgateAlabang.

"Under a Piaya Moon" and "Last Shift" Triumph at First-Ever Puregold CinePanalo Awards Night

“ Under a Piaya Moon” and “Last Shift” bagged the coveted Pinakapanalong Pelikula awards in the full-length and short film categories respe...