Grab your favorite pair at Bambu's New Year Sale!

Get up to 20% discount at Bambu



New Year Sale Alert: Step into the New Year with brand new footwear from Bambu and get up to 20% discount on regular items with Bambu’s New Year Sale.

Shop for the latest footwear finds at participating Bambu brands including Ipanema, Grendha, Rider, and Zaxy and enjoy 20% discount on your favorite Bambu footwear products such as flip flops, sandals, ballet flats and more. 

Bambu products are exclusively distributed by ELRO Retail Corporation. The company owns some of the famous Brazilian brands known for its style and high-quality including Ipanema, Grendha, Rider and Zaxy.

Enjoy Bambu’s New Year Sale from now until January 31, 2016! Don’t miss out on this amazing offer and visit the nearest Bambu Store near you!

For more information on Bambu’s New Year Sale, check out their Facebook account https://www.facebook.com/BambuPhils/.

The Happy Hearts Fund partners with Philam Foundation to rebuild a school

Two years after Typhoon Yolanda ravaged Leyte, local and international humanitarian organizations are still participating in ongoing rehabilitation efforts. Some organizations, though, focused on arguably the most important aspect of the development of the children who survived the wrath of the typhoon—their education.

The Happy Hearts Fund, a non-profit organization founded by philanthropist and international supermodel Petra Nemcova, partnered with the Philam Foundation and The Travel Corporation to rebuild a school within the Alangalang district in typhoon-hit Tacloban. The Happy Hearts Fund, dedicated to rebuilding schools after natural disasters, moved quickly in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan to commence rebuilding efforts in affected areas.

From left to right: Max G. Ventura, President of the Philam Foundation; Petra Nemcova, founder of the Happy Hearts Fund; Robin Yap, President of The Travel Corporation (Asia); Gerry B. Raynes, Principal/Director of Alangalang Elementary School; and Loreto T. Yu, Municipal Mayor of Alangalang, Leyte.




In partnership with Happy Hearts Fund and Philam Foundation, The Travel Corporation (TTC) generously contributed US$40,000 towards the rebuilding of the Alangalang School. The Philam Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the Philam Group of Companies (PGC), launched Philam Paaralan with the Department of Education. The program aims to rebuild schools affected by natural disasters, and to make them more resilient against future disasters.

‘We are very pleased to have been able to help Petra and the Happy Hearts Fund in completing the important restoration of the Alangalang School. Robin Yap, the President of The Travel Corporation (Asia) in attending this opening, proudly represented TTC's brands Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Contiki and Uniworld in commemorating this important event and in doing so reiterating our company's commitment to giving back to local communities around the world, especially in a much loved country such as the Philippines. We are honoured to assist Petra, her team and their remarkable mission to rebuild schools wherever possible. God bless them all and may the children enjoy learning and sharing at this important educational institution in the many years to come.” said Brett Tollman, Chief Executive of TTC.

“We work tirelessly to bring brighter futures to children affected by natural disasters, and this school opening positively demonstrates that, with strong collaborations, we can provide safe, resilient schools, restore a sense of normalcy to those affected by natural disasters, and create sustained response after first responders leave,” Nemcova said. “Attending a school opening is such a meaningful and unforgettable experience for everyone, from the students to parents to teachers, the whole community and of course, all of the partners involved. The ripple effect that this school provides is what keeps us pushing forward in our mission to rebuild, safe resilient schools for children who are forgotten for years after natural disasters because of a lack of sustained response. We are so excited for the Alangalang school opening as it marks a new beginning and better future for children, their families and the whole community,” she added.

Max Ventura, President of the Philam Foundation, expressed his deepest gratitude to the groups and individuals who helped make the rebuilding of the school possible. “We are very grateful to Petra and her team from Happy Hearts as well as to their corporate partners like The Travel Corporation for their generosity and trust in our Philam Paaralan Program,” he said. “We honour them by building these disaster-resilient and conducive learning spaces that will benefit hundreds of school children for years to come. Together with our partners, we are able to build back better and offer hope to communities gravely affected by calamities. The schools that we build do serve as beacons of hope for many,” he concluded.

To know more about Happy Hearts Fund and The Philam Foundation, please visit http://happyheartsfund.org/ and http://www.philamlife.com/en/about-us/about-philamlife/our-affiliates/philam-foundation/philam_foundation.html

Leonardi DiCaprio stars in the highly-thrilling cinematic "The Revenant"

Hugh Glass, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, Glass became a revenant, someone believed to be dead who has returned to life after going through a harrowing series of events fighting for his life when left to survive in the wild set during the 19th century American Frontier.

Surviving the wild by pure instinct prior the advent of emergency call buttons such as 911 and high-tech gadgets is what makes the latest Academy Award nominee Leonardo DiCaprio film, “The Revenant” this year’s highly-thrilling cinematic experience – directed, produced and co-written by Academy Award winning filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu.

Inspired by true events from the sparse accounts of the legendary fur trapper and trader.

Immersing audiences in the unparalleled beauty, mystery and dangers of life in 1823 America, the film explores one man’s transformation in a quest for survival. “The Revenant” explores primal drives not only for life itself but for dignity, justice, faith, family and home.  The film’s wilderness-based production mirrored the harsh conditions Glass and company actually lived through in the 1800s. Iñárritu and his whole cast and crew were up for all that was thrown at them, welcoming the challenges of shooting in Canada and Argentina, regions known for unpredictable weather and untouched wilds, in order to fully understand the experience of fur trappers in the early 19th century.

Glass’s mythology began in 1823, when he was among thousands joining the fur trade, a driving new force in the US economy. It was a time when many saw the wild as a spiritual void that demanded to be tamed and conquered by the steeliest of men. And so they poured into the unknown, plying unmapped rivers, disappearing into impossibly lush forests, seeking not only excitement and adventure but also profits -- often in fierce competition with the Native tribes for whom these lands had long been home.

Many such men died anonymously, but Glass entered the annals of American folklore by flat-out refusing to die. His legend sparked after he faced one of the West’s most feared dangers:  a startled grizzly bear.  For even the most tested frontiersmen that should have been the end.  But not for Glass, in Iñárritu’s telling of the tale, a mauled Glass clings to life – then suffers a human betrayal that fuels him to continue at any cost. In spite of tremendous loss, Glass pulls himself from an early grave – clawing his way through a gauntlet of unknown perils and unfamiliar cultures on a journey that becomes not just a search for reckoning but for redemption. As Glass moves through the frontier in turmoil, he comes to reject the urge for destruction that once drove him.   He has become a “revenant” -- one returned from the dead.

One of the movie’s most thrilling scene, the bear attack that threatens to end Glass’s life, immediately took DiCaprio into a mano-a-mano struggle with one of nature’s most skilled predators. “The bear attack was incredibly difficult and arduous,” DiCaprio recalls, “but it’s profoundly moving. In the film, Alejandro puts you there almost like a fly buzzing around this attack, so that you feel the breath of Glass and the breath of the bear. What he achieved is beyond anything I’ve seen.  Glass has to find a way to deal with this full-grown animal on top of him.  He’s at the brink of death – and you are fully immersed in this moment with him.”  

“The Revenant is a story of harsh survival but also one of inspirational hope,” Iñárritu says.  “For me, the important part was to convey this adventure with a sense of wonder and discovery, as an exploration of both nature and human nature.”  

“The Revenant” opens in cinemas February 3 from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Ride the Cash Cab and win cash prizes

Watch as lucky passengers in the city unwittingly ride the coolest cab in town and become instant game contestants. Cash Cab Philippines premiered last December 22 and continues to bring unexpected excitement to commuters.

Somewhere in the hustle and bustle of grueling city traffic, an unassuming white taxi roams the streets to pick a random passenger. But instead of heading straight to the intended destination, the trip suddenly turns into a one of a kind ride as he is asked a series of general trivia. Correct answers mean instant cash, while getting them wrong gets you thrown out back in the street!

Originally launched in the United States, this show has also invaded the roads of Vietnam, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Thailand, Taiwan, Sweden, Spain, Slovakia, Serbia, Poland, Netherlands, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Jamaica, Italy, Malaysia, Lithuania, Indonesia, India, Hungary, Greece, Egypt, Germany, Denmark, France, Czech Republic, Colombia, Chile, China, Austria, Canada, Brazil, Belgium, Australia and the Arab World.

Hosted by local celebrity Ryan Agoncillo, Cash Cab Philippines airs new episodes starting January 7, 2016.

Cash Cab Philippines’ new episodes air starting January 7, Thursday at 9.15pm on AXN.
AXN is seen on SkyCableCh 49, Cable Link C 38, Cignal TV Ch 61, Destiny Cable Ch 61, Dream Ch 20, and GSAT Ch 51

*image above courtesy of AXN Networks Phils., Inc.

Umbra Shift Collection contemporary aesthetic house pieces

Umbra, a Toronto-based company with a wide collection of casual and contemporary home accessories, redefines plain and simple homeware with Umbra Shift—a collection of functional and creatively-designed home pieces with minimal aesthetic and embodies function and an element of curiosity.

Umbra Shift, an extension of Umbra, is a collection of modern, easy-to-use home accessories exhibiting function, practicality and design.The collection showcases the works of Umbra in–house designers who were asked to re-think things and design personal objects they themselves would want to give or use at home.

One of the highlights of Umbra Shift is the Coiled Stool. Inspired by the highly admired traditional basket-making techniques of the Philippines, the Coiled Stool is made with hand-woven threads covering a rattan core. Aside from a comfortable tractor seat, the Coiled Stool also has a bar stool version which fits easily into casual and formal environments.

In addition to the Coiled Stool are Umbra Shift’s other contemporary house pieces such as the Brick Lamp, an adjustable LED task lamp for the desk or shelf; Hanger Chair and Nest Caddy.

“We are truly excited to bring this collection of thoughtfully designed and well crafted products to an international design stage. Note that a few pieces from the collection were handmade right here in the Philippines,” says Umbra Design Director Matt Carr.

Umbra, which means "shade" in Latin, was born when graphic designer Paul Rowan custom-made a window shade for his apartment, and teamed up with his childhood friend Les Mandelbaum.

Today, the award-winning company employs an international team of in-house designers and global network which make its original designs available in over 120 countries. The full collection can be seen at the Umbra Store in Toronto.


The Umbra Shift homeware are available in Dimensione, One Parkade, Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City.

To learn more about Umbra and its wide range of home accessories designed for modern living, visit www.umbra.com and umbrashift.com.

Get the latest hair trends at Orange Blush Salon

The best way to start the year is with a new look, buy yourself a red matte lippie, draw the cat eye and sport a new  hair style or be adventurous enough to color your tresses. Whether your black, brown or red you can always richen the color by experimenting on the hues. Since, violet, blue, pink or even gray and bright rainbow ends is the color trend last year, why not try red or ronze this time.


I have been itching to get a new hair color since middle of last year. I am choosing between an ombre with a hint of red and pink, oh yes I have never been this adventurous with hair color. I have decided on red. So I have it prepped for a brown primer last August and most probably you have seen me sporting the dark brown-orange tress last year.

Before coloring, Im sporting a dark brown orange mane

I have been looking to richen the color by adding an allover red to it. Then a little highlights to soften up the ends.

That was when I got it colored last December 23 at Orange Blush Salon SM Megacenter Cabanatuan. My stylist (Ashley) put a hairspa treatment prior to coloring to prevent dryness to make it look and feel soft and shiny. The whole coloring plus treatment lasted 1 1/2 hour with hairspa and powerdose. The whole coloring process stung a bit, I got it washed out after 45 minutes, and was treated to Loreal Powerdose Lipidum to condition my chemically treated hair. Orange Blush Salon uses Loreal for their hair products.


 I still got my desired red with a touch of  brown which is a ronze.   Ronze is a mixture of copper red and bronze brown. It works well with my complexion though and freshens my overall look.

With my new Ronze color

If you have the same color as I do, maintain your color by staying out of the sun, wear a hat to protect your mane and buy a color conserving treatment to keep it away from turning to brassy orange and visit your salon every 6 to 8 weeks for maintenance.

If youre ready for a color change and is a Cabanatuan resident near SM Megacenter Cabanatuan. Book an appointment and get your hair colored by a professional. The world of hair color is a tricky business so better not try it at home by yourself.  Look for my stylist (Ashley) at Orange Blush Salon for that celeb-inspired style!


Clients can also avail of the salon’s other popular services such as the hair re-bonding, hair coloring and foot spa services.


At Orange Blush salon, they focus mostly on hair services, which they consider to be their main area of expertise. They are sought out for their haircutting, hair treatments, hair rebonding, hair straightening, hair coloring, and also their manicure and pedicure, foot spa and makeup. “We have decided to concentrate in the hair services, less the facials and massage treatments that other salons usually offer along with the hair treatments,” says Orange Blush salon owner Joby Linsangan-Moreno.

To know more about Orange Blush and its services, visit them at the Sotto Building, Del Pilar Street, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija or call (044) 464.4114. You can also check out their website at http://orangeblushsalon.com/index.html or look them up on Facebook.

Warner TV and truTV bring full season marathon of Angie Tribeca

This January, start your year with awesome riotous comedy as Warner TV and truTV launch Angie Tribeca, the channels’ first-ever comedy-crime series. And as a special gift, you get an opportunity to binge on all 10 episodes of the first season on Sunday, January 17 at 9pm, the same air date as the United States.

A wildly satirical take on police procedurals, Angie Tribeca follows an eccentric but brilliant group of Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) detectives who investigate crime, reveal way too much awkward personal information, and refuse to rest until justice has been served…sort of. Co-created and executive produced by Saturday Night Live alumni Steve and Nancy Carell, Angie Tribeca is real, brooding and shockingly alive.

The series protagonist is Angie Tribeca, played by Rashida Jones (The Office, Parks and Recreation), a lone-wolfdetective who is none too happy when partnered with handsome J Geils, played by Hayes MacArthur (Life As We Know It, Go On).

Helping solve weird and complex cases are detective Danny Tanner, played by Deon Cole (CONAN, Black-ish); Dr. Monica Scholls, the quirky, bespectacled medical examiner played by AndréeVermeulen(Upright Citizen’s Brigade, How To Train Your Dragon television series); and Hoffman, Tanner's K9 German Shepard partner played by Jagger (Max) while being guided by the squad’s apoplectic captain, Police Lieutenant Chet Atkins, played by Jere Burns (Justified, Breaking Bad).

Before the Angie Tribeca full season marathon, watch Jim Carrey in Warner TV’s special screening of Dumb and Dumber at 7:20pm.

The Angie Tribeca season one marathon also premieres on truTV at the same time and date as the Warner TV premiere, with a repeat in the next 20 hours.

Warner TV is available on SKYcable Channel 77, SKYcable HD Channel 197,Cignal HD Channel 119, Destiny Cable (Digital) Channel 77, Destiny Cable (Analog) Channel 80, and Cable Link Channel 30. For more updates on the best in action, comedy and drama, follow on facebook.com/WarnerTVAsia.

truTV is available onCignal Channel 62and Cable Link Channel 42.

Expect more from Edward Benosa in 2016

Based on how his 2015 turned out, singer Edward Benosa is looking forward to a really good year in 2016.

In 2015, Edward—most known for his hit song “Di Man Lang Nagpaalam” which made it to the country’s top music charts and won for him a loyal following—won two awards, one a Best New Artist trophy from the Star Awards for Music and another, from the MOR Awards of radio station 101.9FM. He sees these awards as an affirmation that he is in the right place, and that he should continue pushing forward with his career in 2016. “Sa isang nagsisimula na tulad ko, o kahit sinong nagsisimula, mabigyan ka ng Best New Artist of the year, parang enough reason na ‘yon na ipagpatuloy mo itong ginagawa mo. Susundan na kailangan, ipagpatuloy ang sinimulan,” he says.

Edward’s goal is to sustain the momentum of his achievements in 2016. He wants to get into new things, maybe do a concert, record another album and even try more theater.

He is making the phrase “moving forward” his goal for next year. He is happy that groups like the Philippine Movie Press Club (which is behind the annual Star Awards for Music) and MOR 101.9 have seen his potential and by giving him awards and recognition, are encouraging him to do more with what he has.

“Siguro nakikita ‘yung potential ko to be this person na malaki pa yung pwede ko ma-achieve as a singer, sa craft ko, na-a-appreciate nila na ako ‘yung bago ngayon, as a pop rock balladeer.”

His manager, stage and screen actor Arnold Cruz Reyes, believes that Edward will go pretty far in 2016. When Edward won the awards in 2015, he was surprised but says things aren’t going to stop there. There is much more for Edward to achieve in 2016.

Arnold says it is obvious that Edward, while a newbie singer and occasional actor, is meant to go places and encourages him only to work harder and pay attention to the advice of people who want to see him succeed even more next year. “Consistent naman kasi, na-nominate siya na Best New Artist of the Year. Nu’ng nangyari nga, sabi ko, ‘Uy nakakatuwa, napapansin tayo,” says Arnold, who’s hoping Edward will be able to build on his past achievements to have an even greater year in 2016.

Edward says that one way of ensuring a better year in 2016 is also to stay positive and not to mind the bashers and critics. Like when he won those two awards, there were people who didn’t think he deserved to win and asked: “Sino siya? Hindi namin siya kilala.”

He just wants to be positive going into 2016. Regardless of what people say, he will keep pressing forward. Even if there are critics, he says, he intends to see things constructively and make positivity his motto for next year.

Edward has high hopes for 2016. He is excited about all the new things coming his way, and is eager to get things started.

“Ang daming bonus ni God para sa akin,” he says with a big smile. Edward is grateful for all the things that happened in 2015, and is looking to make an even bigger splash in 2016.

Share the Holiday Cheer this Christmas at SM Malls

Actor Josh Green plays as the mischievous brother-to-be in "Alvin and the Chipmunks 4: The Road Chip"

                The Chipmunks we know and love, Alvin, Theodore and Simon embark on a journey across the U.S. and for the first time, they’re on a mission to keep their family together in the fourth instalment of the hugely successful family adventure franchise in “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip.”

                In their latest adventure, through a series of misunderstandings, Alvin, Simon and Theodore come to believe that Dave is going to propose to his new girlfriend in Miami…and dump them.  They have three days to get to him and stop the proposal, saving themselves not only from losing Dave but possibly from gaining a terrible stepbrother, Miles, played by Josh Green.

                The idea of Dave tying the knot doesn’t thrill the boys; in fact, they fear it’ll uproot their lives – and maybe uproot them from Dave’s home!  Further complicating matters is Sam’s (Dave’s special friend played by Kimberly Willams-Paisley) teenage son, Miles (Green), who has an instant dislike of the Chipmunks.

                “Miles is definitely introduced as the classic teenage ‘bad boy,’” says Josh Green.  “I also like comparing him to Alvin.  Both cause trouble and are loud and harsh.  “Everyone has a little Alvin in them,” he continues.  “You know, that voice inside that says, let’s go out there and cause a ruckus.”
             

                In the midst of their hostilities, if not all-out war, The Chipmunks and Miles learn they do have one common goal: stop Dave’s wedding to Sam.  The ‘Munks are afraid their family will change forever if Dave gets married and, worse, Miles becomes their stepbrother.  Miles, says Green “is also not okay with Dave and Sam’s plan of, ‘Let’s get this family together, and we’ll all be happy now.’”

                It’s a journey filled with adventure, laughs, music and lots of local color.   But director Walt Becker also notes that it’s also about Alvin, Simon, Theodore and Miles finding their way into a kind of blended family.  He further points to the film’s new blended family elements as an entryway to this new chapter in the Chipmunks’ lives.  It’s no longer just the three boys and Dave Seville.  Two new characters – a love interest for Dave, and her teenage son – enter the scene, and turn the ‘Munks’ life and family topsy-turvy.

                “I think the idea of a blended family is one that many people can relate to,” says Becker. “The Chipmunks are always trying to do the right thing, but end up doing it in the wrong way.  You can mine a lot of comedy from those family experiences.”

                Josh Green is a Bowie Maryland native and began his acting career performing in regional productions of plays, including “The Goat, Or Who is Sylvia?” “Rabbit Hole” and “Columbinus.”  After high school, Green moved to New York to study the craft at New York University and pursue acting full time.  He quickly branched out into television and film.  Green was the guest lead in the pilot episode of ABC’s “Black Box,” and appeared on the critically acclaimed CBS series “The Good Wife” and CBS’ “Unforgettable.”  He shared the screen with Emily Van Camp in the feature film “The Girl in the Book,” and will be seen in the independent film “Fair Haven,” where Green stars opposite Tom Wopat.  Green recently made his New York stage debut in MCC’s “Lost Girls,” directed by Jo Bonney.

                “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip” opens January 20 in cinemas nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Huawei PH celebrates milestone with 1M Facebook Fans

Huawei Device Philippines Country Head, Mr. Charles Wu.

KC Montero 

Freestyle

2015 has been a milestone year for Huawei Technologies Philippines, Inc. as it further strengthened its presence not only in the Consumer Market but also on Social Media.

Before the year ended, the Huawei Community held a Christmas Party at the 12monkeys bar in Makati, to celebrate 1Million Fans on its Facebook fan page. The show was hosted by KC Montero and Freestyle entertained the audience.

The celebration was spearheaded by Huawei Device Philippines Country Head, Mr. Charles Wu.

He is very grateful to the Huawei Fan base. “We appreciate the support and following in our Social Media Pages without the fans, the media and the bloggers, HuaweiPH will not reach where it is now.” The fan base was an integral part of the transition in raising the brand awareness of Huawei in the Philippines.

Huawei Consumer Device Digital Manager, Ava Castillo

Mr. Charles Wu mentioned that Huawei will continue to be innovative and an industry mover by providing more exciting devices as seen with its collaboration with Google and the launch of Huawei Nexus 6P, exciting wearables like the much-praised Huawei watch and new smartphones like the Huawei Mate S.


Huawei Consumer Device Digital Manager, Ava Castillo closed the event after the quiz game & raffle participated by the audience. Ms. Castillo said, “Please continue to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We will have more interactive and exciting events for our loyal fans in 2016.

To further celebrate this milestone, A “Thank You” video has been produced and uploaded onto Huawei PH’s social media pages:


With 16 R&D centers in countries that include Germany, Sweden, the US, France, Italy, Russia, India, and China, Huawei’s products and services extend to over 170 countries, serving one third of the world’s population. In 2014,  Huawei’s smartphone global shipment ranked third in the world. As one of Huawei’s three business groups,  Huawei Consumer BG offers mobile phones, mobile broadband (MBB) devices and home devices. With more than 20 years of rich expertise in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector, an extensive global network, vast global business operations and network of partners, Huawei Consumer BG is dedicated to bringing the latest technology to consumers, offering a world of possibilities, creating extraordinary experiences and realizing dreams for people everywhere.