Ginebra San Miguel presents the New Calendar Girl: Arci Munoz

Ginebra San Miguel launches the new Ginebra San Miguel 2016 Calendar Girl, Arci Munoz,  the actress-singer is a College of Theater Arts graduate from the University of the Philippines and the lead vocalist of the rock band Philia. The launch was hosted by last year's Ginebra San Miguel Calendar Girl Actress-Model Ellen Adarna at Sequioa Hotel last Sept. 29.

Arci Munoz, would like people to know her not just as a pretty face and sexy body, the singer is also athletic, she plays basketball. She loves girly things, she confessed that she almost gave up acting to become a full-time musician.


"For 2016, we chose Arci Munoz as our brand ambassador because she embodies the Ginebra San Miguel brand character—strong, versatile and resilient. She is a complete package. She’s got the beauty and the brains. She is multi—faceted. She’s a singer, an actress and a model. Truly, 'ganado sa buhay and definitely one of the country’s most talented, and hottest up and coming artists,” adds GSMI Vice President and Marketing Manager Nelson Elises

Other past Ginebra San Miguel calendar girls were former beauty queens Anjanette Abayari (1994), Alma Concepcion (1995) and Michelle Aldana (1998); former movie stars and TV personalities Janna Victoria (1999), Patricia Javier (2000), singer Geneva Cruz (2001), Rica Peralejo (2002), Aubrey Miles (2003), Belinda Bright and Maricar De Mesa (2004).

This year, Ginebra San Miguel has added a different twist to the annual calendar’s
promotions. For every purchase of two (2) bottles of Ginebra San Miguel Bilog, Angelito, Frasquito or one (1) bottle of Frasco at 7-Eleven, MiniStop and other participating outlets, consumers will get a limited edition magazine calendar. To add to this sweet deal, each magazine calendar comes with a set of "Ganado coupons," which offers discounts and freebies or premium merchandise items in selected outlets.

GSMl’s flagship brand Ginebra San Miguel has been enjoyed by many for over 180 years and remains the no. 1 selling gin in the world according to leading global drinks journal Drinks International. Last year, Ginebra San Miguel launched its "Ganado sa Buhay” campaign, which celebrated the hardworking  Filipino worker who is "ganado sa buhay", who works hard to provide his family a better future.

Other GSMI products are GSM Blue, GSM Blue Flavors, Ginebra San Miguel Premium Gin, Don Enrique Mixkila, Antonov Vodka, Vino Kulafu and Primera Light Brandy. For more information, log on to:
www.ginebrasanmiguel.com or like the official Facebook page www.facebook.com/BarangayGinebra.

Lifehouse Live in Manila on Oct 8!

Catch another remarkable and heartfelt performance and fall in love once again with Lifehouse. The series of hits of this group captured the pulse of the Filipino’s love for love songs. Though Lifehouse songs are radio friendly rock songs, their kind of music centers on love, losing someone, faith, life and survival. It is not surprising that this American rock band was able to maintain a solid fan base in this country.

With their first hit single “Hanging by A Moment”, the band was catapulted into commercial recognition. Followed by “You and Me” from their self-titled PRESS RELEASE 1 With their first  hit single “Hanging by A Moment”, the band was catapulted into commercial recognition.


LIFEHOUSE LIVE IN MANILA October 8, 2015 album “Lifehouse.” and strings of hits followed
through these years.  Songs in their earlier albums also talks about faith and believing, which also added to their allure as Christian
 music. Their lyrics it “Take Me
Away”, “Everything” and “Breathing” may be interpreted as an ode to God but their words
were not imposing, it’s sweet, sentimental and
moving. Their strength lies in their ability to effectively speak of feelings, without sounding force.
 This songwriting style gave them the edge over other alternative rock bands. Since then, Lifehouse has released 7 albums.



The latest “Out of the Wasteland” (released May 2015) was what Jason Wade referred to as

“returning to our roots.” Even music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine described it as an “immaculately constructed record, easing between insistent midtempo anthems and power ballads…” and Christian Media Cross Rhythm’s Philip Laing describing it as “overall an
impressive return to form by the mainstream stalwarts.” Stalwarts, what an apt description for a band
 that can deliver so much emotion and meaning in their music.

Whatever It Takes, Lifehouse is one of the most played artists in the history of Hot AC with over 1.4 billion Pandora Plays to date. Lifehouse is composed of Jason Wade in rhythmn guitar and vocals, Ben Carey in lead guitar, Rich Woolstenhulme Jr on drums and Bryce Soderberg on bass guitar.

Generating rave reviews on Ticketmaster for all their live concerts, one can’t help but be excited once again, see the band in action. Lifehouse brought the house down before and now they are coming back to a bigger stage at Mall of Asia Arena on the 8th of October, 2015 as brought to you by CCA Live Productions and Midas.

Set aside those YouTube videos and grab your coats and concert tickets! No heavy rains and extreme heat can stop this now, Lifehouse is coming!

A double celebration for Baskin Robbins

Baskin-Robbins (BR), the world’s most beloved ice cream brand, marks two significant milestones as it celebrates its first year in the Philippines and simultaneously 70 years since its birth in California in 1945. These major events inspired the launch of the BR 31 Smiles Project – a CSR campaign providing free cleft lip reconstructive surgery to 31 children in partnership with the renowned charitable foundation, Operation Smile.

“This is a very special celebration of 2 important anniversaries. We’d like to express our deepest thanks to our loyal customers for supporting the brand throughout its first year in the Philippines,” says Michael Dargani, president IceDream Inc., the company that exclusively operates Baskin Robbins in the Philippines. “In line with our commitment to serving fun and smiles for seven decades, Baskin-Robbins is truly proud to welcome the 31 beneficiaries of our BR 31 Smiles Project” added Dargani.

BR 31 Smiles Project is a campaign intended to bring back the smiles of children with cleft lip and cleft palate through free reconstructive surgery, funded by Baskin-Robbins Philippines. The number 31 is symbolic of the brand’s heritage as it is known for carrying 31 flavors of ice cream at any given time – one for every day of the month. The amount needed for the 31 surgeries was raised through various promotions at the store level as well as at special selling events.

One of the beneficiaries of the cleft lip surgery is Wivina ‘Vina’ Marie Maninang, age 5. Due to her cleft lip condition, Vina was unaccepted by other children in her community and was often bullied. Under the BR 31 Smiles Project, Vina was selected by Operation Smile to undergo free reconstructive surgery at Sta. Ana Hospital. Many have witnessed Vina’s touching story in the You tube video created by Baskin Robbins at the start of their campaign in June this year.


“Kitang-kita ko po ang malaking pagbabago sa aking anak na si Vina pagkatapos ng maoperahan sya,” shares Maritess Maninang, Vina’s mom. “Kung dati po na madalas syang umiyak sa akin kapag natutukso ng mga kalaro nya, ngayon po ay mas lumakas ang loob nya na harapin ang mga ito,” she adds.



Vina dreams of becoming a professional dancer someday. And now that she has been given a brand new smile, there is no stopping her from making this dream a reality.

“On behalf of Operation Smile, I would like to thank Baskin-Robbins for this wonderful project. Your ‘BR 31 Smiles Project’ has not only brought back the smiles of 31 children

Vina Marie Maninang

but also helped their families and restored the enthusiasm and happiness of these wonderful kids,” shares Anne Gonzales, vice chairman of Operation Smile Philippines.

Eliza Mendoza

Princess Zarina 

Prince Ravien Berden 

Jherome Sabio.

The BR 31 Smiles Project is a campaign that helped bring back the smiles of 31 children with cleft lip and cleft palate through free reconstructive surgery, funded by Baskin-Robbins Philippines.  Above are some of the beneficiaries of the project: Vina Marie Maninang, Eliza Mendoza, Princess Zarina Prince Ravien Berden and Jherome Sabio. 

And the happiness doesn’t stop there. Baskin-Robbins has just introduced a delicious new lineup of indulgent Cookie Sundaes, premium Baskin-Robbins ice cream paired with warm, chewy cookies and topped with sundae toppings. Starting October, guests can create indulgent sundaes customized to their liking by choosing from a selection of warm and chewy White Chunk Macadamia, Dark Chocolate Chunk and Double Fudge Cookies to serve with up to two of their favorite Baskin-Robbins ice cream flavors. The Warm Cookie Ice Cream Sundae can be topped with hot fudge, praline caramel sauce, candy pieces, cookie pieces, whipped cream and cherries.


Over the past 70 years, Baskin-Robbins has brought its famous 31 ice cream flavors to the world. While the brand started as a neighborhood ice cream shop in California in 1945, it now has more than 7,500 locations in nearly 50 countries worldwide.

Baskin-Robbins was founded by two ice cream enthusiasts and brothers-in-law who shared a dream to create an innovative ice cream shop that would be a neighborhood gathering place for families. Over 300 million people visit Baskin-Robbins each year to sample from more than 1,200 flavor creations available in its ice cream library. Baskin-Robbins offers guests around the world a wide range of hard scoop ice cream flavors, along with custom ice cream cakes, delicious frozen beverages, ice cream sundaes and take-home frozen treats.

For more information about Baskin-Robbins, log on to www.baskinrobbins.ph or check out their Facebook (facebook.com/baskinrobbinsph), Twitter and Instagram (baskinrobbinsph) accounts. Or visit Baskin-Robbins shops at the Central Square, Bonifacio Global City; Greenbelt 5 and Glorietta 5 in Makati; Fairview Terraces and Trinoma Mall in Quezon City.

The #Aldub tweet that started it all

Up to this day, I never had the opportunity to watch "Kalyeserye" live, because of the busy schedule I had. I got my other news from the "Aldub" loveteam through my mother, who never failed to watch the Kalyeserye episode at Eat Bulaga, until I followed the duo from Twitter, I just hashtag #Aldub and voila I am now informed of what was happening around.

Filipinos and people worldwide flock to Twitter to get the latest news, connect with others and share their passion for the phenomenal Aldub love team every day. Last weekend, the Twitter conversation for #ALDubEBForLove reached 26 million Tweets – close to the current Super Bowl Twitter record of 28.4 million Tweets set on February 1, 2015.


First Tweeted at 10:34 p.m. on September 25, the fan-made official #ALDubEBForLove hashtag reached its peak at 1:26 pm the following day with 43,000 Tweets per minute during the much anticipated visit of Alden Richards (https://twitter.com/aldenrichards02) at the mansion to see Maine Mendoza aka Yaya Dub (https://twitter.com/mainedcm).

Check out the interactive chart of the #ALDubEBForLove Tweets at http://reverb.twitter.com/view/947770132507343271

Embed code: <iframe src='http://reverb.twitter.com/view/947770132507343271' width='768px' height='432px'></iframe>



The most shared Tweet for #ALDubEBForLove came from Maine herself, and this was viewed nearly 4.8 million times on Twitter.

Screen Shot 2015-09-30 at 12.08.12 pm.png

Embeddable Tweet: https://twitter.com/mainedcm/status/647697830954401792



Other top Tweets for #ALDubEBForLove last weekend included Alden’s message to #ALDubNation, Eat Bulaga’s (https://twitter.com/eatbulaga) first official photo of ALDub together, and what #ALDubNation means to people all over the world (See Top #ALDubEBForLove Tweets below).



TNT-powered Twitter Party


The next Twitter party is brewing this weekend with another milestone in the Aldub story as Maine is headed to the Eat Bulaga studio to visit Alden – an announcement that immediately sent netizens abuzz on October 1, Thursday.


To allow more Filipinos to join the live, public conversations on Twitter, TNT, the value brand of Philippine mobile services leader Smart Communications, has launched an Unli Twitter promo, which gives its 28 million subscribers and Aldub fans nationwide unlimited Twitter access valid for one whole day for just 2 pesos.


TNT subscribers with an active subscription to either the Alden15 or the Maine30 load can register to the Unli Twitter promo starting October 3, Saturday, by simply texting T2 to 4545.



Upon successful registration, subscribers may sign in to their Twitter account to get live updates and chime in with their own reactions instantly using the fan-made official hashtag for one whole day.

“Aldub is a global phenomenon on Twitter and shows how our platform as the social soundtrack to TV has really connected Filipinos who love a good love story,” said Rishi Jaitly, vice president of Media, Asia Pacific and Middle East, Twitter. “We can’t wait to see if the live, public Aldub conversation can set global records by uniting their passionate fans, the nation and the world on Twitter.”

“It is amazing how the Aldub story on TV has become a shared experience that spills over to Twitter on a daily basis, where passionate fans converge and express their sentiments in real time,” said Evelyn Jimenez, Prepaid Marketing Head of Smart Communications.

“With this special promo, TNT and Twitter will enable more fans to join the social TV conversation and show their support for TNT endorsers Alden and Maine – in another big Twitter celebration this weekend.



Top Tweets For #ALDubEBforLOVE on 26 September 2015

Embeddable Tweet: https://twitter.com/aldenrichards02/status/647547130177961985

Embeddable Tweet: https://twitter.com/EatBulaga/status/647747751627780097

Embeddable Tweet: https://twitter.com/bryan_white/status/647458206512496640

Embeddable Tweet: https://twitter.com/AngPoetNyo/status/647465195573383168

Embeddable Tweet: https://twitter.com/ErikaPageWhite/status/647496449509470208

Embeddable Tweet: https://twitter.com/henryter/status/647595431380148224

Western Union PH holds the Guinness World Records largest coin mosaic

The World's  largest coin mosaic holder now belongs to the Western Union PH by Guinness World Records. Western Union celebrate its 25th year of service in the Philippines last Sept 30 by forming the coin mosaic the image of the company’s 25th anniversary logo with the image of a rising sun to represent hope and a brighter future while the abstract of a dove symbolizes the company’s ambition for the young children who will benefit from this project. The tagline “25 Years of Moving the Filipino for Better” Both logo and tagline celebrates and reaffirms the company’s commitment towards bringing a better life for the Filipino through financial progress.

The total value of the coins used in mounting the coin mosaic, an estimated P3.5 million, will be part of Western Union’s Technology Aiding the Nation’s Youth to Accelerate Growth program or TANYAG. The company tapped the Knowledge Channel Foundation in providing both the hardware and content of the multimedia libraries with each of the 25 public schools receiving a multimedia package, consisting of a 32” LED television with a set of speakers, and a laptop preloaded with Knowledge Channel’s educational videos. The recipients of the multimedia libraries will be 25 public schools, with five in Metro Manila, ten in Luzon, six in the Visayas, and four in Mindanao.

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS Judge Jack Brockbank confimed the Western Union’s record-breaking coin mosaic the world’s largest ever made in terms of surface area.

The image was formed by Php 5- and 10-centavo copper coins, the bronze colored 25-centavo coin, the silver finish of P1, the gold finish of P5, and the dual tone silver and gold face of the P10 coin.

“Forming the coin mosaic is our way of giving back to the Filipino people – the people who have helped us become what we are today. The value of the coins used in the mosaic will be used to help fund the development of elementary public school students through multimedia tools and resources,” said Patricia Riingen, Western Union, Vice President for Southeast Asia and Oceania Region.

Other highlights of the 25th anniversary celebration includes the printing of special anniversary stamps by The Philippine Postal Service (Philpost), specially designed and freshly minted commemorative medals by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Heroes for better campaign, a program launched to recognize and celebrate Filipino heroes from around the world who have dedicated their lives to serving their Fellow Filipinos without anything in return.

Western Union started operations in the Philippines in 1990 and has expanded to more than 8000 locations nationwide. Across the globe, Western Union has over 500,000 agent locations in over 200 countries and territories.

Uniqlo collab with former Hermes designer Lemaire for the Fall Winter 2015 collection

I have always been anticipating for Uniqlo's collaboration with some of the famous designers from Paris.  I have collected and bought some of their collection at a discounted price.  My favorite so far is the Jill Sander and Ines dela Fressange creation, I bought one classic cotton khaki dress from her collection because of its clean, parisienne cut. The dress is originally priced at p4k, and bought it at p1900 on sale.  I love that Ines dela Fressange always has the eye for the classic and easy-to-match apparel without compromising comfort and style.

I learned later this year that the former Hermes designer, Christophe Lemaire has collab with Uniqlo for the Fall Winter 2015 LifeWear collection.

The former Hermes designer has joined the ranks of Uniqlo's top collab designer in the LifeWear Fall Winter 2015 collection. The Lemaire/Ines dela Fressange/Disney Magic For All collaboration was launched last October 1 at the Uniqlo Large Store SM Mega Fashion Hall. The mini show was hosted by Ms. Bianca Valerio who wears the  Lemaire  stylish short coat that features oversized pockets.  The feminine, elegant design is not too manly. The short, compact silhouette lets you wear it in any season and is just right in our Manila weather.

The much-anticipated collaboration showcases UNIQLO’s high quality materials at a perfect price. Sophisticated yet accessible, it offers a timeless color palette of greens, navies, whites, and reds.

Ms. Bianca Valerio wearing the Lemaire Short Coat

UNIQLO offers its special collection only in its large stores in Metro Manila – SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, SM Aura and SM Mall of Asia. These branches have the widest and most complete selection of apparels for women, men, kids and babies. The stores carry limited-edition pieces from international brands and designer collaborations such as DISNEY Magic for All, Ines De La Fressange, and UNIQLO’smost recent partnership with French fashion designer Christophe Lemaire.

The UNIQLO and LEMAIRE collection represents products that embody the LifeWear concept – simple made better –  that is shared by both brands. Every item combines elegance with moderate relaxation and comfort, for modern and advanced wardrobe mainstays.

The much-anticipated collaboration showcases UNIQLO’s high quality materials at a perfect price. Sophisticated yet accessible, it offers a timeless color palette of greens, navies, whites, and reds. The men’s and women’s collections will be available in SM Megamall and SM Aura, two out of UNIQLO’s four large stores starting October 2 until the end of Fall Winter 2015.

UNIQLO and Ines De La Fressange Paris
In 2013,former fashion model and muse of designer Karl Lagerfeld, Ines De La Fressange re-launched her own brand, INES DE LA FRESSANGE PARIS, a luxury lifestyle brand that includes a wide range of products to create a truly Parisian style, from ready-to-wear apparel to interior decorations.

Forward to 2015, Ines combined her interest in UNIQLO’s LifeWear with her unique sense of style, based on refined feminine beauty and authentic quality. The UNIQLO and INES DE LA FRESSANGE 2015 Collection Fall and Winter Collaboration employs wool and other natural fabrics in a variety of styles and colors. Ines’ jackets for this season retain traditional tailoring, while offering the modern comforts that women want.

Disney MAGIC FOR ALL Collection
The MAGIC FOR ALL 2015 Fall Winter collection offers a wide range of products from Ultra-Light Down, fleece, flannel shirts, and UTs, to plush toys, umbrellas, room slippers and more. The collection features Walt Disney’s beloved characters such as Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, as well as popular characters from Star Wars, Disney Pixar, Toy Story, Marvel’s Avengers and Frozen.

Hugh Jackman meets HK fans for the "Pan" Dragon Parade

Global superstar Hugh Jackman, who plays the fearsome pirate Blackbeard in Warner Bros. Pictures' upcoming action-adventure “Pan,” was in Hong Kong Sept. 28 to meet fans and spearhead the Asian launch of the highly-anticipated film.

After a meet and greet with fans in Times Square, Jackman became the first international star ever to participate in the Chinese Mid Autumn Festival celebration in Hong Kong, the Fire Dragon Festival. As a special honor, Jackman was asked to hold the Fire Dragon’s pearl in the parade.

“Pan” is a live-action feature presenting a wholly original adventure about the beginnings of the beloved characters created by J.M. Barrie. The film stars Oscar nominee Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard; Garrett Hedlund as James Hook; Oscar nominee Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily; newcomer Levi Miller as Peter; and Amanda Seyfried as Mary. Joe Wright directed “Pan” from a screenplay written by Jason Fuchs.

Peter is a mischievous 12-year-old boy with an irrepressible rebellious streak, but in the bleak London orphanage where he has lived his whole life those qualities do not exactly fly. Then one incredible night, Peter is whisked away from the orphanage and spirited off to a fantastical world of pirates, warriors and fairies called Neverland. There, he finds amazing adventures and fights life-or-death battles while trying to uncover the secret of his mother, who left him at the orphanage so long ago, and his rightful place in this magical land. Teamed with the warrior Tiger Lily and a new friend named James Hook, Peter must defeat the ruthless pirate Blackbeard to save Neverland and discover his true destiny—to become the hero who will forever be known as Peter Pan.

Jackman's Blackbeard is the pirate all pirates fear, the most formidable presence in all of Neverland, and master of a vast mining camp in the sky. At times grand, at others diabolically cruel, Blackbeard kidnaps children from other worlds to mine for the priceless pixie dust with properties Blackbeard has reason to covet. Blackbeard himself fears only two things: the increasing scarcity of the pixie dust and a prophecy that tells of a boy who will vanquish him – a boy who can fly.


“Peter Pan is one of those seminal stories that is known by all ages in all countries,” says Jackman. “It’s universal, and in creating an origin for Peter, I think Jason and Joe really hooked into the inner child within all of us.”

“For Blackbeard, Jason expanded on just a grain of information from the book, and then created this incredible bad guy, who is played by the nicest man in show business,” Wright smiles.
“I’ve played bad guys before, but I don’t think I’ve ever played one quite this bad,” Jackman notes. “Not only is he dastardly, but he loves to hear himself talk, to make speeches and use big words. He thinks he’s very important, and he is scary, but he’s having a good time and that made him a fun character to play.”

Another reason the actor, who is also a celebrated stage performer, enjoyed the part was that in making his entrance in the film, Blackbeard makes an entrance, one most Broadway performers would envy. “I told Joe, I’ll never get to do this again, play a pirate that sees himself almost as a rock star, and actually get to sing a rock song as a pirate. We—me, the other pirates, the kids—we sang Nirvana, we sang some Ramones, all together, in unison. It was quite spectacular.”

“Blackbeard is a troubled guy, in search of eternal youth and capricious in the extreme,” Wright adds. “One minute, he’ll be charming and funny, the next he’s throwing someone off a plank. He was once in love and lost her, and ever since has been living in a kind of self-imposed turmoil, taking it out on everybody around him, a terrifying and unpredictable force. So we had to let him have a little fun.”

Opening across the Philippines on Thursday, October 8, “Pan” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Carmudi reports on growth of PH Car Financing sector

Carmudi, the leading car classifieds in the country today unveiled its report about the growth of Car Financing in the Philippines. The report provides an outlook in the current and future state of car financing in the country and how it affects consumer attitudes towards credit.

The research also revealed that 76-percent of Filipinos are planning to purchase a car in the next two years compared to 65-percent in other emerging markets.

In terms of consumer behavior, the Philippines has the highest level of vehicle upgrade, with 96-percent planning to upgrade their cars when they reach a more financial and stable condition.
Meanwhile, attractive consumer loan programs have boosted the strong demand for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. The growth in consumer loans was driven by a 26-percent increase in auto loans, which translated to P244.61 billion.

As consumer loans continues to grow, local banks are racing to come up with different strategies such as lower interest rates, attractive product offerings, and freebies to boost their share of the industry and give them a competitive edge.

With the Philippine government initiating ongoing economic reforms and a high inflow of remittances, forecasts predict that consumer lending will flourish at a double-digit rate, driving consumers to further invest in cars and motorcycles.

As more banks invest in consumer loans, consumer credit is also expected to increase and become more widely accessible to all Filipinos, the report said.

“Car financing has always been an option that consumers in the Philippines look at when buying a car, and data shows that the demand for auto loans in the country continues to increase,” said Subir Lohani, managing director of Carmudi Philippines.

“With the growing economy and increase in demand for passenger cars, we believe that more of our Filipino customers will seek assistance about financing options. As more banks and financial institutions offer attractive loan programs and require low down payments, we expect auto purchases through financing will continue to flourish in the country,” adds Lohani.