Grand Opening of Revamped Basketball Court in Calauan, Laguna: A Leap Towards Healthier Communities by Sun Life and Beyond Sport

Sun Life Philippines and Sun Life Financial-Philippines Foundation, Inc., in line with their commitment to help Filipinos live healthier lives, recently unveiled a newly refurbished basketball court in the Legacy of Light Village, a resettlement model community that the Sun Life Foundation helped develop in Calauan, Laguna. This is part of the “Hoops + Health” program, a PHP 40 million partnership with Beyond Sport, a global sport-for-social-change organization. The program aims to leverage the power of basketball to encourage physical activity and promote healthier lifestyles by renovating basketball courts across Asia.

 

(From L-R) Kristine Millete, Sun Life Foundation Executive Director; Valerie Pama, Sun Life Philippines Chief Asset Management Officer; Carla Gonzalez-Chong, Chief Client Experience & Marketing Officer; Alex Narciso, Sun Life Foundation President; Donny Pangilinan; Wilma Vibar, Legacy of Light Homeowners Association President; Zahra Khamisa, Beyond Sport Consultant; Flora Couralet, Sun Life Asia Partnerships Manager

 The inauguration event, held on February 28, 2024, at the Legacy of Light Village basketball court in Calauan, was attended by Sun Life executives, Sun Life brand ambassador Donny Pangilinan, Beyond Sport representatives, residents of Calauan, and national media.

 

The basketball court has been transformed with fresh coats of paint, upgraded facilities, and new, state-of-the-art basketball hoops. More than just a physical renovation, this initiative represents Sun Life’s commitment to fostering healthier communities by improving access to physical activity. The revitalized court provides a safe and accessible space for individuals of all ages to engage in basketball and other physical activities, promoting overall health and well-being. 

 

In addition, the “Hoops + Health” program will deliver an educational program for local coaches to learn about nutrition, physical activity, and protecting mental well-being. These coaches will then develop a basketball program to engage the youth in the community. 

The newly refurbished basketball court at the Legacy of Light Village, Calauan, Laguna.

 

This initiative builds on Sun Life’s 3x3 Charity Challenge, held in August 2023, which raised funds for capacity-building support, program development grants, and infrastructure revitalization projects, including the basketball court renovation in Calauan. 

 

“At Sun Life, we are dedicated to empowering individuals and communities to achieve holistic health and wellness,” said Carla Gonzalez-Chong, Chief Client Experience and Marketing Officer of Sun Life Philippines. “By partnering with Beyond Sport, we are harnessing the unique power of basketball to not only encourage physical activity but also to foster community spirit and contribute to a healthier future for Filipinos.” 

 

“Sport serves as a powerful instrument for positive social change,” added Beyond Sport Executive Director, Fred Turner. “We are proud to partner with Sun Life on this impactful project, as we transformed this basketball court into a vibrant space where the youth can develop their skills and lead healthier lives.”

 

By making physical activity enjoyable and readily available, Sun Life aims to serve as a catalyst for adopting healthier lifestyle choices, to potentially impact the generations to come.

Sun Life Philippines and Sun Life Financial-Philippines Foundation, Inc., unveil a newly refurbished basketball court in the Legacy of Light Village

Sun Life Philippines and Sun Life Financial-Philippines Foundation, Inc., in line with their commitment to help Filipinos live healthier lives, recently unveiled a newly refurbished basketball court in the Legacy of Light Village, a resettlement model comm unity that the Sun Life Foundation helped develop in Calauan, Laguna. This is part of the “Hoops + Health” program, a PHP 40 million partnership with Beyond Sport, a global sport-for-social-change organization. The program aims to leverage the power of basketball to encourage physical activity and promote healthier lifestyles by renovating basketball courts across Asia.

The inauguration event, held on February 28, 2024, at the Legacy of Light Village basketball court in Calauan, was attended by Sun Life executives, Sun Life brand ambassador Donny Pangilinan, Beyond Sport representatives, residents of Calauan, and national media.

The basketball court has been transformed with fresh coats of paint, upgraded facilities, and new, state-of- the-art basketball hoops. More than just a physical renovation, this initiative represents Sun Life’s commitment to fostering healthier communities by improving access to physical activity. The revitalized court provides a safe and accessible space for individuals of all ages to engage in basketball and other physical activities, promoting overall health and well-being.

In addition, the “Hoops + Health” program will deliver an educational program for local coaches to learn about nutrition, physical activity, and protecting mental well-being. These coaches will then develop a basketball program to engage the youth in the community.

This initiative builds on SunLife’s3x3CharityChallenge,heldinAugust2023,whichraisedfundsforcapacity- building support, program development grants, and infrastructure revitalization projects, including the basketball court renovation in Calauan.

“At Sun Life, we are dedicated to empowering individuals and communities to achieve holistic health and wellness,” said Carla Gonzalez-Chong, Chief Client Experience and Marketing Officer of Sun Life Philippines. “By partnering with Beyond Sport, we are harnessing the unique power of basketball to not only encourage physical activity but also to foster community spirit and contribute to a healthier future for Filipinos.”

“Sport serves as a powerful instrument for positive social change,” added Beyond Sport Executive Director, Fred Turner. “We are proud to partner with Sun Life on this impactful project, as we transformed this basketball court into a vibrant space where the youth can develop their skills and lead healthier lives.”

By making physical activity enjoyable and readily available, Sun Life aims to serve as a catalyst for adopting healthier lifestyle choices, to potentially impact the generations to come.

PayMongo partners with Founders Launchpad, initiated by AHG Lab

Leading Philippine payment gateway, PayMongo Philippines, Inc. has partnered with Founders Launchpad, initiated by AHG Lab - one of the largest independent venture builders in the Philippines, and Draper Startup House - a global community of entrepreneurs. Founders Launchpad is a 12-week comprehensive incubation program designed to equip early-stage entrepreneurs with capital, resources to build their product/Minimum Viable Product (MVP), and guidance to be ready for investors. This includes a valuable curriculum, hands-on mentoring, investment support, engaging learning experiences, and ample networking opportunities. 

 

This September, six startups coming from various industries such as HealthTech, CleanTech, EdTech, SaaS and e-commerce will pitch their ideas to regional and international investors - namely Pharmacy Aggregator—MedsGo, Plastic Waste Management Tech—Rezbin, Learning Platform for Standardized Testing—Kippap, Escrow Service for E-Commerce Transactions—Safe, Inventory & Sales Management Software with POS–Itemcount, and Alternative Asset Marketplace–Supafaya.  

 

As a strategic partner, PayMongo will provide startups of this cohort with a secured payment gateway with zero signup fees, setup costs, integration costs, and maintaining balance. The cohort will also receive prime customer and clientele servicing, first access to its upcoming features and releases, and the opportunity to become a design partner in further developing its platform. 

 

“We are definitely thrilled to be part of the growth journey of these creative startups. PayMongo has always supported startups in the Philippines. As a startup ourselves, we look forward to extending this enthusiasm to other aspiring entrepreneurs and founders in the country,” said PayMongo’s CEO, Jojo Malolos.  

 

Mr. Malolos is also set to give a workshop to the graduates of the incubator program as part of their mentorship initiative. The participants of the program will also have a chance to visit PayMongo’s office to gain a deeper understanding of their curriculum and the work PayMongo does. 

 

“We believe that having a reliable payment gateway partner like PayMongo is critical. At Founders Launchpad, we focus on supporting tech startups. Therefore, an easy-to-use and feature-rich payment partner is highly beneficial to our founders. We are very excited to have established partnerships with companies like PayMongo to offer more tangible value to the startups we work with,” said Simon Bauer, the Program Lead of the Founders Launchpad and Partner of AHG Lab.  

 

AHG Lab is the largest independent Philippine Venture Builder focused on empowering founders and leaders to build groundbreaking startups that digitally transform the Philippine economy, catalyze positive change in various industries, and enable sustainable growth. Draper Startup House Manila is an international chain of hostels providing an access point to a global community of innovators and entrepreneurs.

 

PayMongo Philippines Inc. is a Filipino-led payment gateway startup that allows businesses to easily accept online payments from their customers online via credit/debit card (straight/installment payments), buy now, pay later platforms, e-wallets, online banking, and over-the-counter payment establishments. PayMongo is a registered operator of payment systems regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) while its subsidiary, PayMongo Payments, also holds an electronic money issuer license from the BSP.

 

Ajinomoto partners with the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games)

Ajinomoto Co., Inc. (Ajinomoto Co.) signed an agreement to serve as  official sponsor of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) and the 12th ASEAN Para Games, together as CAMBODIA 2023, to be held in Cambodia in May and June 2023. Ajinomoto Co. will carry out supportactivities as a Premium Partner of the CAMBODIA 2023.

 

The SEA Games and the ASEAN Para Games are held every two years to help forge strong regionalcooperation, understanding, and unity within the Southeast Asian community. They are the largest sportingevent held in Southeast Asia, attracting the attention of a total of more than 600 million people in the region.Starting from the 29th SEA Games held in Kuala Lumpur in 2017, Ajinomoto Co. has concluded asponsorship agreement for four consecutive SEA Games.

Since 2003, Ajinomoto Co. has been working on the VictoryProject®*1 to support the conditioning of top-level athletes in Japanand conducting nutritional support activities utilizing the power ofamino acids, including providing Ajinomoto Group products such as aminoVital® and promoting the Winning Meals Kachimeshi®*2.

 

Since 2018, The Victory Project® has been rolled out in 6 Ajinomoto Group Companies in ASEAN region, one of which is Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC) Group.  APC Group imparted Winning Meals Kachimeshi® support to Philippines’ top Karate athlete Ms. Junna Tsukii  - Gold Medalist in the women's kumite 50 kg in 2019 SEA Games and 2022 World Games.

 

“Ajinomoto aims to realize greater wellness for people around the world.  This includes providing nutrition and nutrition education support to our national athletes to support them in realizing their full potential,” said APC President Koichi Ozaki. 

 

 

*1 Support activities including guidance on sports nutrition and amino acid conditioning for top-level athletes at internationaltournaments.

*2 Ajinomoto Co.’s nutrition program for improving the nutritional environment of athletes.

 

***

The Ajinomoto Group is a global company with specialties in the business of food and amino acids, guided by our leading-edge bioscience and fine chemical technologies.

 

Based on the corporate message “Eat Well, Live Well.”, we have been scientifically pursuing the possibilities of amino acids in supporting the healthy lives of people all around the world. We aim for future growth and continuous contribution to greater wellness by creating value through sustainable and innovative solutions for communities and society.

 

The Ajinomoto Group has offices in 36 countries and regions, and sells products in more than 130 countries and regions. In fiscal 2021, sales were 1.1149 trillion yen (8.73 billion U.S. dollars). To learn more, visit www.ajinomoto.com.

 

Smart partners with all-in-one money app, Maya, to launch 'Power Savings'

Mobile services provider Smart Communications, Inc. has partnered with all-in-one money app, Maya, to launch 'Power Savings,' an exclusive promo that enables postpaid subscribers to grow their savings faster.  

 

Under the exclusive promo running from Jan. 16 to Feb. 28, Smart Postpaid subscribers with Plan 999 and up, and who have upgraded their Maya Savings account, can earn an interest rate of up to 7% per annum credited daily - from the base interest rate of 4.5% — one of the highest in the market.  

 

This gives qualified postpaid subscribers a unique opportunity to grow their money faster and extra cash daily to help them achieve their financial goals.  

Moreover, subscribers can enjoy FREE InstaPay transactions when they transfer funds from other banks to Maya and switch to Maya Savings.   

 

To avail of Power Savings, eligible Smart Postpaid subscribers simply have to follow these steps:   

 

First, join Maya and upgrade your account. First-time users can get up to PHP 60.00 Welcome Reward upon upgrade.  

 

Open a Maya Savings account and go to “Missions” in the app, look for “Smart Postpaid Exclusive” mission and enter the unique Smart Postpaid code (to be sent by Smart via SMS).   

 

Spend a minimum of PHP 999.00 using Maya on paying for your Smart Postpaid bill or any other bill, scanning to pay, paying with Maya card or shopping online. (Tip: Cash in at least PHP 1,500.00 via InstaPay and get a PHP 25.00 service fee cashback) 

 

Enjoy the daily 7% saving interest rate (for up to PHP 100,000.00 end-of-day deposit balance) 

 

All Maya Savings account holders may also avail of the FREE Maya Card, inside the app.   

 

Download the Maya App now   

 

Free to download and register, the Maya app packs a feature-rich e-wallet, an inclusive digital bank, and everything else you need to save, spend, grow, and manage your money—right from your smartphone. 

 

The app is powered by its very own Maya Bank, a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)-licensed and Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC)-insured bank to ensure that the money remains safe and secure. With its 99.9% uptime rate, users can expect their transactions to be seamless and with less downtimes.  

 

Maya was originally known as PayMaya, a leading e-wallet app in the Philippines. It recently rebranded to Maya as it evolved beyond payments with the launch of its own banking and crypto services. This makes Maya the Philippines’ first and only all-in-one money app as it brings together banking, crypto, and wallet features into a seamless customer experience.  

 

Register your Smart SIM  

 

Smart Postpaid’s exclusive partnership with Maya for subscribers is just one of the many ways the mobile services provider empowers customers with the best postpaid experience.  

 

On top of award-winning services, Smart Postpaid subscribers can expect more exclusive rewards and benefits this 2023. 

 

To keep enjoying Smart's services and perks, postpaid subscribers are encouraged to complete their SIM Registration by confirming the personal information and IDs they submitted for their postpaid plan application. To do this confirmation, subscribers just need to text YES to 5858. They shall then receive a confirmation message from Smart upon successful SIM Registration and get FREE 3 GB data.  

 

Know the best Smart Signature Plan for your lifestyle at www.smart.com.ph/postpaid. 

 

To know more about this exclusive offer, visit https://www.maya.ph/smartpostpaidoffers.

 

 

PharmaServ Express provides medical cold-chain and logistics needs for the government’s national vaccination program

Due to the worldwide pandemic, the country has experienced an enormous logistics gap that heavily affected the supply chain across industries. Supply of food and other basic goods in various areas was affected by lack of transportation, especially during lockdowns. 

Thankfully, the country’s vaccination drive has been spared from such problems due to the expertise and vast experience of PharmaServ Express in providing medical cold-chain and logistics needs for the government’s national vaccination program. Proving that the government made the right choice in selecting its cold-chain and logistics partner, PharmaServ Express effective delivered the needed vaccines to various local government units (LGUs) in the country since the start of the vaccination program early this year. 

“This is mainly due to the company’s competence and expertise in handling these life-saving vaccines,” said Andrian Perez, president of PharmaServ Express, Inc. “Providing logistics is one thing but delivering world-class service to our fellowmen is another thing. Our company takes pride in living up to its commitment to excellent service,” he added. Living up to its status as the No. 1 Filipino-owned cold-chain and logistics firm in the country, PharmaServ Express more than effectively managed the integrity of vaccines entrusted to them, keeping them safe from arrival until its distribution to various parts of the country. 

Since the start of the vaccination rollout, the cold-chain firm has recorded no wastage, thanks to its meticulous and safe handling of vaccines, from storage, packing and distribution to local government units (LGUs). PharmaServ Express is the only company in the country that uses a biothermal case system that maintains the required temperature of the vaccines while being transported to various areas of the country.

It also has more than sufficient manpower and ground assets to transport the vaccines throughout the Philippines via land, sea and air and deliver them in a timely manner. “To deliver world-class service to our fellow countrymen was our objective for the year and we will strengthen and carry out this practice until the end of the pandemic,” said Perez. 

With the government planning to increase its COVID-19 immunity vaccination target from 70 percent to 100 percent due to emerging variants, PharmaServ Express is more than ready for the challenge. “We still have a long way to go, but PharmaServ Express is more than ready to face this challenge. We are fully equipped and fully capable,” Perez said.

 

Watch Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Shawn Mendez and more at GigaFest.Smart on Dec.11!

Mobile services provider Smart Communications, Inc. is pulling out all the stops to give Filipinos a giga-sized Christmas celebration as it brings the highly anticipated 2020 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball to subscribers through an exclusive livestream on the GigaFest.Smart portal on December 11, Friday, at 10 a.m. (Philippine Time). 

 

Taking the stage at the 2020 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball are some of today’s chart-topping and award-winning artists including Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Dua Lipa, Harry Styles, Lewis Capaldi, Sam Smith, and Shawn Mendes, who will perform their hits as well as never-before-heard covers of iconic holiday songs. 

 

This year’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball will also be more intimate and personal as artists will sing from their own homes and share some of their holiday traditions in between performances – a departure from the ball’s previous big concert venues such as the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City. 

 

Watch live via GigaFest.Smart  

 

Wherever you are, you can watch the 2020 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball live on your Smart-powered smartphone. For seamless streaming, make sure you are on mobile data and not connected to WiFi before going to GigaFest.Smart on your browser. 

 

If you are a Smart Prepaid customer, you can stream the concert plus all your other favorite videos by registering to GIGA Video 99, which gives you 2 GB data plus 1 GB Video Every Day, valid for 7 days. To register, just dial *123# on your mobile or choose GIGA Video on the GigaLife App. 

 

On the other hand, if you are a Smart Postpaid customer, you can simply watch the concert with your generous data allocation, which you can simply manage and monitor on the GigaLife App. 

 

The 2020 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball exclusive livestream on GigaFest.Smart is just one of the many awesome treats Smart has in store for new and loyal subscribers this Christmas season. 

 

Philippines' fastest mobile data network 

 

Smart enables subscribers to stream HD content seamlessly powered by Smart LTE, the country’s fastest mobile data network as certified by third-party mobile internet analytics firms, such as Opensignal and Ookla. 

 

In its November 2020 Mobile Network Experience Report for the Philippines1, Opensignal noted that Smart remained ahead of the competition in terms of Video Experience, Upload and Download Speed Experience, 4G Availability, and 4G Coverage Experience.

 

On the other hand, Ookla, the global leader in internet testing and analysis, recently named Smart as the country’s fastest mobile data network in the first half of 2020 after it achieved a Speed Score™ of 18.33, with average speeds of 15.94 Mbps for download, and 7.57 Mbps for upload, based on 2,810,963 user-initiated tests taken with Speedtest®. 

 

For more details on Smart’s latest products and offers, follow Smart’s official accounts on Facebook (www.fb.com/SmartCommunications), Twitter, and Instagram (@LiveSmart). 

 

METROBANK AND MANILA HEALTHTEK INK PARTNERSHIP TO DISTRIBUTE UP-DEVELOPED COVID-19 PCR KITS

Metrobank and GT Capital Holdings, through Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) and GT Foundation, Inc. (GTFI), donated PhP 5.6 million to Manila HealthTek, Inc., a private research and development company, for the distribution of UP-developed COVID-19 Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) detection kits. A total of 3,800 kits will be donated to the UP National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH), Maria Reyna-Xavier University Hospital in Cagayan de Oro City, and Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center (ITRMC) in San Fernando City, La Union. 

A virtual ceremonial signing of the Deed of Donation with Manila HealthTek, Inc. and beneficiary institutions was held on July 9 through the presence of HealthTek CEO Dr. Raul Destura, UP-NIH executive director and 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Dr. Eva Maria Cutiongco-de La Paz, Xavier University president Fr. Roberto Yap, Maria Reyna-Xavier University Hospital OIC Director Sr. Evelyn Aguilar, and ITRMC Molecular Biology Laboratory section head Dr. Jimmy Rosales. It was Dr. Destura who led the team from UP-NIH and the Philippine Genome Center in the development of these low-cost kits.

“We have been working hard in supporting various initiatives to address and combat the effects of the pandemic since the start of the lockdown. Given the need for a gold standard in testing, we are privileged to support the very first Philippine developed testing kits for COVID19,” said MBFI president Aniceto Sobrepena. “We commend and admire the works of our local experts led by Dr. Destura and his team, together with the UP-NIH in the development, testing and production of these kits,” he added. 

The donation is part of over a PhP220 million contribution by Metrobank and GT Capital Holdings Group to fund and support efforts to combat the pandemic and help those in need. The amount was allocated for the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPEs) to benefit healthcare and security frontliners; “Project Ugnayan” led by the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation; distribution of meals and food packs to underprivileged families; construction and equipping of molecular laboratories for the testing of cases in partnership with the Department of Health, Philippine Red Cross, and Ayala Group; and Go Negosyo’s Project ARK (Antibody Rapid test Kits) of the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship Foundation. Just recently, Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation donated 30 units of Toyota Vios to DOH for the mobility of healthcare frontliners and local government hospitals. 

World Vision and Shell Foundation distribute tons of fresh vegetables in Metro Manila and CDO

World Vision Development Foundation (WVDF) today provides 16,800 kilos of vegetables to the residents of Quezon City, Malabon City, Manila City and Cagayan de Oro City, four of the hard-hit cities under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

In collaboration with Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI), the child-focused organization packed and distributed fresh vegetable packs containing okra, sayote, cabbage scorpio, wombok, potatoes, squash, eggplant, onion, garlic, tomatoes, bitter gourd, string beans, carrots and chili pepper to 5,750 households and 60 frontliners in Quezon City, Malabon City, Manila City and Cagayan de Oro City. 

PSFI’s Ani Para sa Bayani (translated Harvest for Heroes) project aims to help struggling small farmers sell their produce and to also ensure that frontliners and the vulnerable communities have access to nutritious foods. 

"Nutrients in vegetables could help strengthen our body's immune system to fight diseases including COVID-19. Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables," shared Carleneth San Valentin, World Vision's technical manager for health. 

San Valentin explains that while we continue to implement interventions on COVID-19, programmes that address undernutrition and malnutrition especially among children under-5 years old in the country, whether nutrition specific or nutrition sensitive, need to continue. 

Nanay Nerissa, a mother of two from Malabon City shares that since the implementation of the extended community quarantine, his husband is not able to drive his pedicab and even get extra work and earn a living because they cannot go out. She adds “Umaasa kami ngayon sa paminsang minsang kita dito sa ulingan. Mahirap din para sa dalawang anak ko na bata pa, 10 at five years old dahil kung walang kita, sa relief lang kami umaasa.” (We are currently relying on the irregular income from selling charcoal. It is especially difficult for my two young children, 10 and five years old, while we do not have a stable source of income, we rely on relief goods.)

Her 10-year old son Ric, who is a World Vision sponsored child says he misses going to school but since classes are suspended, he sometimes helps his mother repack charcoal aside from cooking rice and cleaning the house.

PSFI Executive Director Sebastian Quiniones Jr. says, "This pandemic is allowing all to show the best of humanity, especially during this season of Lent where we are commanded to love one another. We at PSFI have always believed in the power of unity and collaboration, and this successful partnership with World Vision and Filipino farmers has manifested that." While the collaboration begins by supporting farmers in Luzon and assisting vulnerable communities in Metro Manila and Cagayan de Oro City, the organizations hope to extend their collaboration to other areas in need of assistance.

"Thanks to Pilipinas Shell Foundation for partnering with us in sending much needed help to families especially their children affected by COVID-19. We pray that God will continue to bless you even more as you generously give back to our communities," World Vision national director Rommel V. Fuerte said.

As of today, World Vision has provided 458 personal protective equipment (PPE) kits catering to 2,140 frontliners. It also helped install nine (13) tents to be used as isolation and triage areas for COVID-19 referral hospitals in Metro Manila, Misaims Oriental, Pangsinan and Bicol Region and two (2) huge mobile storage units each with an area of 320 sq meters for the Quezon City Risk Reduction and Management Council and Office of the Civil Defence. At least 2,000 families have also received sanitation kits that include bath soaps, alcohol, toothbrushes for children and adults, toothpaste, face mask and mouthwash. World Vision has also reached over 1.4 million people nationwide on awareness raising on COVID-19 including infection prevention and control (IPC) measures.

In a recent advisory, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) gave the go signal to local governments to use a portion of their development fund to address the threat of the pandemic, which includes the provision of food assistance and relief goods for affected households.

Meanwhile to slow down the spread of COVID-19, the Philippine government has extended the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine to May 15, 2020.

Tourism Promotions Board COO Cesar Montano puts the spotlight on the country’s culinary scene with Buhay Carinderia..Redefined!

Back when I was a college student and my allowance was only enough for my gas and snacks.  I remember frequenting a carinderia along Gastambide St in Recto. They served really good palabok, dinuguan, lugaw and puto. It was the ultimate in cheap during those time (in the late 80s). You have to wait for like 30 minutes to get a seat, because almost all of the students in the University Belt frequented the carinderia. It was famous for affordable but delicious filipino food.  If you are not after the ambiance but for tasty quality pinoy food.

Carinderia, Eatery, kitchenette, or in our younger days Turo-Turo (or Point-Point as the non- funny translation goes) because you literally had to point to your order. In her book, food critic Doreen Fernandez Gamboa  said “carinderia” was derived from the word kari or cari, which is the Indian word for “sauce.”

According to Felice Prudente-Sta. Maria, “Indians of Bengal and Tamil origin of the British Army settled in Taytay and Cainta, intermarried and taught dishes using curry.”

Originally called Carinderia Fiesta when it first launched in 2010 through the efforts of Marylindbert International, Inc  is described as “the First Ever organized Carinderia Showcase in the Philippines. Buhay Carinderia is a gathering of Carinderia owners, food/ product suppliers, small to medium entrepreneurs, professionals and students, serving as its forum where they can meet face-to-face on common ground to learn from each other and conduct business.”

Actor turned Tourism Promotions Board COO Cesar Montano has been very busy these past couple of months. Montano is putting the spotlight on the country’s culinary scene with  Buhay Carinderia-Redefined!


With the new name and “Redefined” tagline, Buhay Carinderia aims to reach out to  carinderias all over the Philippines, exactly how and what will happen besides created content from Erwan Heussaff  remains to be seen.

Carinderia’s and the affordable home-cooked Filipino specialties they serve have become an integral part of this country’s culinary and social identity. While eating in this humble food stand by the roadside may be considered a plebeian pleasure for some, those who knew better appreciate the fact that there’s more to this enterprise that has uplifted the lives of some 3 million individuals and their families.

Carinderia offers a glimpse into Filipino’s culture and customs—they are the closest to what one gets at Filipino homes, where great recipes are handed down through generations.

“Generous portions, Affordable prices, short waits, and sumptuous dishes. Is it any wonder that carinderias are continuously growing everywhere in the country?” says Linda Legaspi of Marylindbert International, Inc. who shares that on the 6th staging of the event, “Buhay Carinderia… Redefined” will be more expansive in scope.

Supported for the first time by the Tourism Promotions Board of the Department of Tourism, as its Sole Presentor, this year’s event is scheduled to scour the whole country in search for the best of the best in our culinary scene.

First to be visited will be the areas of Northern Luzon—15 provinces that comprise Regions 1 and 2 as well as the Cordillera Administrative Region. “From these cities and towns we will identify the best dishes, the individuals that prepared them, and the carinderias where they work for,” relates Legaspi.

Eventually these local culinary experts will gather at Vigan Convention Center from June 28 to 29 where they will not only share their talent to everyone but also interact with chosen students of the area—through mentoring partnership—so they could also pass on their skills and experiences. The respective region’s best practices will be shared as well as discussions on availability of local ingredients. It is likewise an opportunity for cross selling of produce and talents.

“During this two-day exposition to showcase all the surrounding provinces’ culinary gems, we will also be searching for young individuals who will become our Philippine Tourism Millennial Ambassadors. They should be able to enlighten everyone of their town’s (or city’s) deep and multicultural food history,” says Legaspi.

This same framework will be followed as “Buhay Carinderia… Redefined” explores Central Luzon (particularly Pampanga, regarded as one of the culinary capitals of the Philippines) area, the Bicol region, the Visayas region (Regions 6, 7 and 8) and finally, the Mindanao region (Regions 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13). Like what will happen in Vigan, there will also be a culminating 2-day event in San Fernando, Pampanga; in Naga; in Cebu; and finally in Davao City.

“To cap off this nine-month-long culinary journey all over the Philippines, ‘Buhay Carinderia… Redefined’ will stage its biggest culinary exposition in November where all the regional bests under one roof will be showcased. 
There will be exchange of knowledge and with the experts and most successful personalities we will invite, we will be honing if not refine previously undiscovered talents from the audience,” believes Legaspi.

She explains that as its proponent, “Buhay Carinderia… Redefined” is convinced that food plays a key part of all cultures, a major element of global intangible heritage and an increasingly important attraction for tourists.

“The linkages between food and tourism also provide a platform for national but also regional economic development. These days anyone could notice the focus of many tourists has changed from the classic ‘must see’ physical sights such as natural wonders or monuments towards a ‘must-experience’ imperative to consume intangible expressions of culture.”

Legaspi explains that there’s a real pride in each of the town or city visited. “Not only of the community’s rich agricultural heritage, but of the many recipes linked to it. And based on what we have seen so far, with the help of the Tourism Promotions Board and the city’s or town’s ongoing appetite for celebrating its culinary roots, the future is bound to be just as delicious.”

Tara na.. Kain ‘ta… Talagang may niluluto sa Buhay Carinderia…Redefined!