PLDT Home Rewards is giving away five (5) P100,000 SM Gift Cards to lucky members

 

The year may be almost over but there’s still plenty of time for those fresh starts and simple upgrades. From small pieces that spark joy to major furnishings that you’ve longed to have, it’s easy to find inspiration online to refresh your home, your wardrobe, and even your lifestyle, especially if you have a fast and reliable broadband connection from PLDT Home. It’s even easier to achieve these goals with the return of the PLDT Home Rewards Grand Giveaway promo. 

 

This October, PLDT Home Rewards is giving away five (5) P100,000 SM Gift Cards to lucky members. All you have to do is register your PLDT Home account to the PLDT Home Rewards program and make the most out of your dream shopping list with these five tips.

 

1. Have fun with your furnishings.

Do your furniture and home accessories still spark joy? 

 

Furnishings are the backdrop of our lives, not just pieces to sleep or sit on. Soft furnishings such as curtains, linens, and throws are not just there to make our lives comfortable; they also complete our home and highlight our style.

 

From color blocks or patterns to mix and match, fabric upholstery or leather, wood or plastic, single or king size, the SM Store’s Home Department has a wide variety of home furnishings that suit different budgets and styles.

 

Tip: When buying furniture pieces like a sofa, make sure you measure your space and get the scale right. To visualize it, put masking tape on the floor to outline the space where the piece will go and measure it. This way, you won’t need to ask yourself when you’re in the store, “Is this going to fit?”

 

2. Update your wardrobe.

 

As pandemic restrictions ease, most people are back at the office and are socializing too, so now just might be the best time to update your wardrobe with SM’s Women’s Fashion. Choose clothes that go from day to night as you go from boardroom meetings to bar hopping with friends.

 

Tip: For women, a solid-color tailored blazer shows you mean business at work even if you have a soft or printed fabric blouse inside. Remove the jacket and you’re ready to go partying in the Metro. For men, time to add some color into your lives whether it’s baby pink or light lavender. Pair it with jeans, leather shoes and a smart jacket, and you’re sure to turn heads.   

 

3. Be inspired in the kitchen.

 

Your personal design style extends to your kitchen, too. Should you go porcelain, stone, or clay? Crystal or glass? It depends on your budget but consider their use as well. 

 

Don’t save the expensive wares for guests. Buy to use! Choose cookware that will inspire the inner chef in you, dinnerware that will give your meals a little more oomph, and storage to start organizing things around the house.

 

Tip: Always choose quality.  These are some of the most used pieces in your home, so make sure that apart from looking good, your dinnerware and flatware can withstand frequent washing and microwaving without fading or looking dull.

 

4. Treat the kids.

 

For two years, children were confined at home and couldn’t see their friends. To help them renew their social skills, throw a weekend afternoon party. Shop for toys or games they can use at Toy Kingdom. Better yet, if it’s your child’s birthday, invite their friends and the neighborhood kids to help them get reacquainted or make new connections.    

 

Tip: Children are easy to please. Make party favors for them to take home. It doesn’t have to be expensive. You just need to be creative. 

 

5. Be active again!

 

Start your fitness journey by shopping for new exercise gear at SM’s Sports Central. From shoes to shorts, yoga pants to gym bags, you’ll find them at the SM Store. You may also check out the Electronics department for gadgets to make your active life more enjoyable—Bluetooth earphones for the gym, drones for your long runs outdoors, and watches to track your health.

 

Tip: One of the most common reasons people stop exercising is that they get bored with their routine. Mix it up! Find an exercise buddy, don’t stick to one sport, find different places to run or bike or play volleyball.

 

A FREE P100,000 shopping spree at the SM Store should help you try out new things and start that big reinvention. Find out how you can win by signing up for PLDT Home Rewards today.

 

SM launched The SM StartUp Package

It has been almost two years since the pandemic brought Filipino life and many livelihoods to a screeching halt. According to a 2020 Asian Development Bank (ADB) study of 1,804 Philippine MSMEs, 70.6% were forced to temporarily close with 66.2% reported to have temporary staff cuts during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Bucking these statistics and the odds created by the changes in the landscape, the enterprising Filipino found many opportunities in online businesses, with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) recording over 88,000 new e-commerce registrations at the end of 2020. This figure is projected to be a million e-commerce enterprises by 2022 (from 500,000 in 2020). By taking advantage of the online space, MSME owners have become unsung heroes of the economy, all the while providing for their families and making their business dreams a reality. 

SM Supermalls very well understands the potential of each Filipino to be successful business owners because of their founder, the late Mr. Henry Sy’s own inspiring story. Sy, fondly called “Tatang” in SM, started out as a small business owner with his first footwear shop ShoeMart.

It is said that because of this, it is in SM’s DNA to enable and inspire small businesses like the one it once was. This October 15, not coincidentally Tatang’s birthday, SM launched The SM StartUp Package, which aims to provide small online businesses the valuable support they need so they can set up their own shop in an SM mall. This is available to the first 100 digital-based MSME owners who currently don’t have a shop inside SM or any other physical store in general.

The package offers features such as start-up friendly rental rates and use of kiosks or carts free of charge; marketing assistance to give the brand free exposure in SM online assets and ad spaces inside malls; financial assistance with BDO; and mentorship from SM experts on operations and marketing.

The StartUp Markets, as they will be called, will be situated in prime mall locations within 13 regional and premier malls in major cities: SM North Edsa, SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia, SM Southmall, SM Pampanga, SM Clark, SM Grand Central, SM Sta. Rosa, SM City Cebu, SM Iloilo, SM Bacolod, SM CDO Downtown Premier, and SM Lanang Premier.

"We created The SM StartUp Package because we saw how Filipinos persevered in the past year. Very much true to the spirit of Henry Sy, who always said he worked harder during bad times,  many MSMEs did not let the pandemic stop them from providing good service and products -- even from their own homes. We want to give them a chance to further grow their businesses and brands, and enable them to start their own SM shops which they can one day grow into business empires, just like our founder once did.,” said SM Supermalls President Steven T. Tan.

Following Tatang’s legacy

The late founder Mr. Henry Sy is also proof of an entrepreneur’s resilience and hard work. After arriving in the Philippines at just 12 years old from China, he helped sell products in his father’s retail store. When he saved enough money, he was able to open his first business in 1958: a footwear shop called ShoeMart, which would later become the foundation for today’s 77 SM Supermalls. 

The success of the mall didn’t come without challenges. A notable one was when Mr. Sy opened SM Megamall in Edsa in 1985 during a turbulent time in the Philippines. Instead of letting the political and economic climate discourage him, it pushed him to work harder to overcome the crisis. This disposition would carry over in the next few decades and would inspire a new generation of MSME owners to look for opportunities even during adversity. 

This is evident in the stories of entrepreneurs like Chizmozza founder Hannah Ramos, who sold her own mozzarella recipe online before opening her food cart at SM, Ian Darcy, who started his namesake fragrance brand after being forced to resign from his marketing job; and Oishii Maki Chef Randy  Molina, who started a sushi and maki business at SM after working as an Overseas Filipino as a Japanese Chef in 5-star hotels. 

“I took a chance to grow Chizmozza from an online store to having one humble food cart in SM North Edsa back in 2016. Now Chizmozza has 21 SM branches. They saw the potential of our unique cheese products and through our mutual hard work and perseverance, we grew, even through the pandemic.” Hannah shared

These are just some of the stories behind successful MSME owners and how they were able to succeed, when empowered with the right resources. The SM StartUp Package will allow more people to level up their online start-up, inspiring them to follow in the footsteps of “Tatang” so they can take more confident steps even during these uncertain times.

During the virtual launch of the SM StartUp Package hosted by Sam YG last Oct 15, SM Supermalls President Mr. Steven Tan was joined by three young successful MSMEs; Nina Ellaine Dizon-Cabrera from Colourette,  Patty Ang from Patton, and Jerald Sze from 365 Designs Retailing, who talked about how their business began online and how they successfully grew it at SM Supermalls. 

 

Other notable guests during the launch included Ms. Jean Pacheco, Assistant Secretary of DTI, and the SM Super Team composed of BDO Network Bank’s SVP and MSME Business Head Karen Cua, BDO Acquiring FVP Merchant Partnerships and Retail Sales Head Bob Tolentino, SM Supermalls VP for Corporate Marketing, Grace F. Magno, and AVP for Leasing Strategy and Operations, Gina T. Katigbak, who discussed details of the SM StartUp Package.

 

For more information, visit www.smsupermalls.com or follow @smsupermalls on all social media accounts to find out how to sign up for The SM StartUp Package.

 

SM showed us the most uplifting way to best celebrate the season with “100 Days of Caring"

The past years have always had us counting down to the most wonderful time of the year when the ‘ber’ months roll in; Christmas carols fill the air, dazzling tree lights dot the streets, shopping for gifts becomes a sport, and everyone else goes on a diet to make way for Christmas feasts.

This year may not be as festive as previous years, but it will most certainly be more meaningful. SM showed us the most uplifting way to best celebrate the season with “100 Days of Caring”;  featuring 100 days of spreading love, thoughtfulness, and care for one another and for the communities surrounding our favorite SM malls. The virtual event showcasing the pledges happened Thursday, Sept 16, 2021 over FB Live and WatchSM on YouTube.

“100 days of Caring”. To kickstart the Christmas countdown, SM pledged to donate to over 10,000 beneficiaries, namely communities in need, hardworking SM employees, medical frontliners and dedicated delivery partners, among others. Some of the beneficiaries and their partner malls are as follows: 

• SM North EDSA is giving 100 pairs of World Balance rubber shoes to seniors from Graces Home for the Elderly in Quezon City.
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• SM Megamall, The Podium, and SM Center Pasig chose delivery partners who will be recipients of 100 raincoats and rain boots.
  
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• From SM Mall of Asia, 100 sets of care packages like face masks, face shields, Ensure milk, vitamins, supplements, and more, will be handed over to senior citizens within the community.
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• SM Southmall chose SOS Children’s Villages as to receive various story and educational books.
• Metro Manila and Rizal malls chose several orphanages, namely: Associacion De Damas Filipinas, Bahay Aruga, White Cross Orphanage, and The Little Children’s Home to receive 100 toys and essential goods each, especially prepared by SM City Manila, SM City San Lazaro, SM City Sta. Mesa, SM City Taytay and SM Center Angono.
• In North Luzon, 100 Aeta families from Zambales and Tarlac will be given grocery packs by SM City Olongapo Downtown, SM City Olongapo Central, and SM City Tarlac; fishermen in Pangasinan will be handed with fishing supplies by SM City Rosales, SM City Urdaneta Central, and SM Center Dagupan; while select tricycle and jeepney drivers in Bulacan will be given 100 pairs of shoes by SM City Marilao, SM City Baliwag, and SM Center Pulilan.
• SM City Bacoor will give 100 brail books to the Deaf & Blind Foundation Philippines.
• In the Visayas, SM City Cebu will bring smiles to kids of Kythe Foundation with 100 toys; while SM City Iloilo will give 100 25kg sacks of rice to healthcare and peace & order frontliners. SM City Puerto Princesa on the other hand, will have 100 grocery bags to displaced tourism personnel.
• SM City Davao and SM Lanang Premier will be handing out 100 farming tools to local farmers; while SM City Butuan will be giving 100 Fiesta Food Packs to Por Cristo Foundation, Inc.

‘Gift’ for your mental health. Aside from our physical health being at risk during a pandemic, our mental health is also affected due to the stress and anxiety these times bring. And since SM believes in the value of taking care of our mental health, Dr Gia Sison, MD DPCOM gave a  ‘Call to Share’ talk during the virtual launch. Dr Gia Sison is a mental health advocate and co-founder of PH Leader Livestrong Foundation. Her talk centered on how to cope during this stressful time and still find hope in a better tomorrow.

100 voices that care. If there’s one thing that binds us all Filipinos together, it’s our passion and love for music. While we may not be allowed to have big gatherings this year, SM entertained the audience with the performance of the 3 Divas – Rahda, Frenchie and Bituin Escalante; later on joined by 100 artists, singers, and SM employees and stakeholders who came together to sing during the virtual launch on Sept 16.

We may be in the middle of a pandemic, times may be tough, and many of us may be physically apart, but let’s not forget what this season truly means. To view the event, go to WatchSM on YouTube.

For more information, bookmark www.smsupermalls.com and follow @smsupermalls on all social media accounts.

SM distributes PPEs and medical supplies to over 50 hospitals nationwide

 Through SM Foundation, SM is donating over PhP 170 million towards the fight against COVID-19, surpassing its initial allocation of PhP 100 million, to help ensure: 

-       Healthcare workers in hospitals nationwide are armored with personal protective equipment (PPEs) – full protective suits (including for ICU use), face shields, gloves, N95 masks, surgical masks, goggles, and including raincoats as requested by some hospitals as back-up alternatives

-       Testing is made more widely available, by supporting and donating the local Manila Healthtek test kits developed by the UP-NIH team (upon DOH approval), providing the testing needs of RITM, and donating FDA-approved PCR kits sourced from Korea.

-       Providing ICU-grade ventilators to help hospitals manage patients with severe cases. 

Among the hospitals that received PPE donations as of March 27, 2020 are the following designated COVID hospitals: 

o University of the Philippines PGH

o Lung Center of the Philippines

o Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital

Major Government Hospitals:

o Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM)

o National Kidney and Transplant Institute

o San Lazaro Hospital

o East Avenue Medical Center

o Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center

o Philippine Heart Center

o National Children’s Hospital

o Rizal Medical Center

Other hospitals include, Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, Chinese General Hospital, University of the East Ramon Magsaysay (UERM) Memorial Medical Center, Manila Doctors Hospital, University of Sto. Tomas Hospital, Makati Medical Center, The Medical City, Ospital mg Muntinlupa, and more. 

Several shipments of PPEs are also on their way to provincial hospitals nationwide, including Rizal, Pampanga, Bataan, Quezon, Pangasinan, Catanduanes,  Cebu, Iloilo, Samar, Tacloban, Surigao del Sur, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Marawi, Zamboanga, and more.

SM has committed to be of service to the Filipino public, its hospitals, and its government, in ensuring that we all contain and overcome the COVID-19 crisis together.

SM assures employee compensation, gives financial assistance for guards and janitors

With the unprecedented global health crisis, companies under SM stand in solidarity with the nation and the citizenry in the battle against COVID-19. SM assured all of its employees their regular compensation as well as the extension of an Emergency Financial Assistance to its front liners, security guards and janitorial staff during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) period from March 16 to April 14, 2020. The extent of this assistance includes the following: ·      All employees will receive their regularly scheduled salaries during the ECQ period without deductions made against their Vacation and Sick Leaves; ·      The company’s front liners, who comprise the skeleton workforce, will, in addition, be provided with premium pay; ·      All Security Guards and Janitorial staff will receive financial assistance of PHP5,000 for the period. It is focused on helping these key resources so that they in turn can be of service to others.  On a daily basis since the ECQ, SM has also been undertaking measures to protect the safety and welfare of its front line personnel with protective gear, meals, and transportation whenever possible. “In these trying times, we are in unchartered territories. Let’s be one with each other, united in the spirit of service. Let’s be mindful of our front liners and help with their need to be alert so they can continue to do their best in working for the safety and health of our communities,” said Hans T. Sy on behalf of the Sy family.  SM continues to assess the health crisis with vigilance; enjoining its employees and the public to follow guidelines and precautions to help combat the virus.  This financial assistance is another commitment to fighting the negative effects of COVID-19. Earlier, SM made separate announcements to waive tenant rentals nationwide as well as to support health workers as they actively fight the spread of COVID-19 with PHP100 million worth of protective equipment, testing kits and supplies.

SM Group allocates Php100M towards COVID-19 outbreak support to PGH, RITM, and other government hospitals

SM is bringing in personal protective equipment (PPE) – face masks, gowns, visors, hoods, gloves and shoe covers as well as urgent medical supplies to help government hospitals. Assistance has also been extended to Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and Research Institute for Tropical Management (RITM) for their urgent needs and for improving their laboratory testing capacity.

“To ensure the safety of medical frontliners, SM is bringing in personal protective equipment (PPE) - face masks, gowns, visors, hoods, gloves, and shoe covers, as well as urgent medical supplies to help government hospitals who badly need them,” said SM Prime’s Hans Sy. Assistance has also been extended to Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and Research Institute for Tropical Management (RITM) for their urgent needs and for improving their laboratory testing capacity. SM has also allocated PPEs and medical supplies to the UP Medical Foundation Inc. to reach a wider network of hospitals.

To improve availability of tests, SM has reached out to Manila Healthtek Inc. to distribute 20,000 tests for free to government hospitals, once approved for use.

Watsons Switch and Save values.

Watsons Switch and Save campaign feature new celebrities and real customers

I have always been conscious about two things—health and budget.
Because of this, I have always been on the lookout for “reasonably-priced” vitamins, and since I’ve worked in a hospital in the past, I’m a bit more mindful about potency and quality so I stay away from buying at just any pharmacy.
Two of my more common purchases are vitamin C and Grapeseed vitamins, which I buy from Watsons since I made the “switch” last year.
I’ve also been a very happy shopper as the more I visit Watsons, the more I discover new items that fit my weekly budget. My number 1 favorite is their Cosmo Skin that is now on sale at php500 off.
Last week, I was fortunate enough to be invited to a Watsons event to introduce their new ambassadors for their “Switch and Save” campaign and learn more about their exciting products.
With Watsons Label products, smart shoppers can get much-needed personal care items at a lower cost, allowing for hefty savings without comprising quality.
Watsons offers a bevy of products under its own label, from toothbrushes to tissue paper and everything in between. A partnership with United Laboratories Inc. also allows Asia’s number one drug store to offer top-quality vitamins and medicines at wallet-friendly prices through Watsons Health Packs. Similarly, Watsons Compliance Packs bundle medicines for diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol and antibiotics up to 80% savings versus leading brands.
Viki Encarnacion, Marketing Director of Watsons Philippines, told us “Watsons recognizes that to be truly beautiful, one must also be healthy. Consistent with Watsons Label products our Health and Compliance Packs offer great quality at affordable prices, giving you fantastic value for money.”
The enormous value gained from Watsons Label products has convinced more than a few people to make the switch and save, including personalities like Tessa Prieto-Valdes and Patty Laurel. While Prieto-Valdes has discovered the efficacy and convenience afforded by Watsons medicines, Laurel finds that the number of trips she’s been going on has steadily increased ever since she made the switch to Watsons Label. This is thanks in large part to the savings she’s made on their wide range of essential vitamins and minerals.


Celebrities make the Switch!
Joining a star-studded line-up composed of Divine Lee, Victor Basa, Tessa Prieto-Valdes, and Patty Laurel, the latest Watsons endorsers look forward to pushing the brand’s present movement to even greater achievement.
Given its February 2012 beginnings, Watsons Switch & Save has exhibited increasing popularity over the past few months. Its escalating success comes from the thrust of helping the average Filipino shopper spend less on daily essentials, to splurge on things they love.

“I switched to Watsons because it is actually a place I often visit for my needs,” says Iya. They provide great quality daily essentials that allow me to save a few pesos here and there, which at the end of the year do all add up.”

Iya sums up her experience perfectly, “It’s always great to have a new family and
stand behind something that you believe in and that’s especially relevant, given today’s economic climate.”

 “I think it’s great to be the face of such a campaign,” says Mikael. “Personally, I've always been value conscious and have always tried to be very efficient. That's similar to what Switch & Save is all about,” he adds.

“In all my shows, I have a clean shaven look, so I shave almost every day. It’s a super essential in my case,” he says.

Real People
Watsons has also changed the perception of many people as more and more shoppers are beginning to appreciate the benefits of the Switch and Save campaign.
Alfonzo Crespo, a Medical Clerk shared, “I’ve never been the type who buys lots of personal care products because most of them are overpriced. Then, I came upon Watsons Label products! The quality is great and they are affordable.”
For student Nicolette Tan; “Watsons Label products are possibly the best bargains I get anywhere. And because of the savings I get to buy other things I like.”
Self-confessed Beauty Junkie Janine Paguasan, adds;  “I never go out without blow-drying my hair. So when my old hair dryer broke, I was devastated. I felt like every day was a bad hair day. That’s why I was overjoyed when I happened upon Watsons’ very affordable and effective hair dryer. Now, my bad hair days are over thanks to Watsons Label products!”


The savings made by switching to Watsons Label products can go up to 70 percent, letting customers save a significant amount of money on their day-to-day goods. Getting that shiny new laptop or gorgeous pair of shoes becomes a lot easier with the bargains made through the Watsons Label.