Meditate Your Way to Health, Success and Happiness

What do Oprah Winfrey, Paul McCartney, Michael Jordan and Lebron James have in common? They’re all incredibly successful, hard-working and geniuses in their field, but many people don’t know that they all practice meditation. Oprah said that meditation has made her “1,000 times better”. Michael Jordan and Lebron James, both famous athletes, practiced meditation to sharpen focus and improve concentration. Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, was a well-known meditation practitioner.

As stated by his biographer Walter Isaacson, “Your intuition starts to blossom and you start to see things more clearly and be in the present more. Your mind just slows down, and you see a tremendous expanse in the moment. You see so much more than you could see before. It's a discipline; you have to practice it.”

Meditation is the process of reflecting on your mind. When you start looking inside yourself, you will be able to change and improve yourself and thus, tap into so much unrealized potential.  At Ortigas/Makati Meditation, you can look back on your mind and improve your life and career. Through the "subtraction" method you can discover the original nature of the mind.

The human mind is like a stack of pictures that you have stored in your mind and body. These “pictures" are the accumulation of your past experiences which have formed your pattern of thinking and habits. The pictures stored in your mind contain emotions, thoughts, and attachments to people, places, and material things. They have created their own world in your mind. Because the world in the human mind is not “real”, you can throw them away. This method is systematic and scientific. It is not about suppressing your mind and experiencing temporary comfort. It helps you to eliminate the roots of your human mind, completely. When you empty your mind through the subtraction method, your mind and body will become lighter and more free. You will find the true happiness within you.

At the Ortigas/Makati Meditation Center, professional instructors guide practitioners with the subtraction method and always check their meditation progress in order to help them throw away their thoughts. Most of the practitioners feel the changes in their minds in  2~3 weeks after they practice the subtraction meditation.

Once the noisy and complicated state of mind is subtracted, then you can feel calm, light and comfortable. You will be able to control the negative emotions that engulf you. You can discover yourself sincerely smiling at the colleagues you used to feel uncomfortable around.

You will even feel happy in the morning when you wake up. Your work performance improves along with your concentration as the useless thoughts disappear from your head. You will find yourself free from stress. You can recover your confidence and get to know yourself much better.  You will be able to understand people much better, therefore, the relationships with people naturally improve and conflicts will be solved. With the awareness of how to empty your mind, your inner power grows, which allows you to control your mind in any situation you can possibly face. You will always be positive and the quality of your life will dramatically improve.

Google launches #LovePhilippines campaign in time for National Heroes Day

Google Philippines launches today its year-long social media campaign called #LovePhilippines in time for National Heroes Day to inspire Filipinos to discover more about the country and our culture and fuel their love for the Philippines.

Google Philippines will post #LovePhilippines content on their social media channels to put a spotlight on the heritage of the Filipinos. The posts will include, but are not limited to, moments of triumph in history, interesting stories behind acclaimed Filipinos and their achievements, trivia on uniquely Filipino norms, and a quick tour of hidden gems in the country using different Google products like Search, Street View, YouTube, and materials from Google Cultural Institute.

The campaign kicks off with a post featuring a unique pinoy dessert that was Jose Rizal's favorite, minatamis na santol. Apart from learning something new about our national hero, Filipinos will also get to prepare the treat by watching a YouTube video tutorial.


The campaign aims to encourage Filipinos to share with pride the positive things about our country on social media and introduce the wonderful aspects of the Philippines and its people to non-Filipinos so they can appreciate the culture more.

As part of Google’s commitment to equip Filipinos with information that are relevant to their lives, Google put together the campaign to show netizens that there are easily accessible materials online that they can use to boost the morale of fellow Filipinos and inspire others to take pride on the many remarkable characteristics of the Philippines.

“We hear things said about the Philippines or the Filipinos, but there are plenty of beautiful facts about us that are easily searchable online. We want to bring out these information so that people will be inspired to show the world that the Philippines is a fast developing country with a rich history and colorful culture. Filipinos are innately inspiring, and we look forward to spreading more love for the Philippines in the days to come,” said Gail Tan, Google Philippines Head of Communications and Public Affairs. 

You can follow Google Philippines on Google+, Facebook and Twitter to +1 or Like, reshare or retweet #LovePhilippines posts.

HCCA changes name to Shearwater Health, relocates to new offices

HCCA International and HCCA Health Connections (collectively known as HCCA) have consolidated all of their business operations under the Shearwater Health name.

“We have truly evolved as a company, and we felt it was time to express that with a new brand,” said David Bartholomew, President and Chief Executive Officer of Shearwater Health. “We offer a much more comprehensive suite of services than we did just a few years ago.”

Additionally, the company moved to its new 6,450-square-meter headquarters at the Net Park building in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

“Philippines continues to be the location of choice for Shearwater Health, and with the expansion to Net Park in Metro Manila, the company will have the capability of approximately 1,400 concurrent seats,”said Anshum Sinha, Country Manager and Senior Vice President for Philippines Operations of Shearwater Health. 

“Shearwater Health is looking at adding another 600 jobs to its existing employee base of over 1,500 in the next 12 months. This will provide an excellent opportunity for nurses and medical coders in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu.”

HCCA International has been recruiting and deploying highly experienced nurses and other medical professionals from the Philippines to hospitals and healthcare organizations in the U.S. since 2002. During this time, HCCA International has placed more than 1,000 nurses in over 100 U.S. hospitals.

HCCA Health Connections also offers a full spectrum of URAC-accredited Clinical Process Outsourcing (CPOSM) services to clients in the United States, improving results and efficiency through medical management services, medical coding, and other healthcare-related support services.  These services are provided by clinical and administrative support professionals working in the Philippines and the United States.


“We help clients improve outcomes and reduce unnecessary spending while freeing up clinical professionals and administrative staff to focus on objectives that maximize their talents,” said Bartholomew. “Plus, our approach is fully scalable—we can grow our relationship with customers as their business grows.”

The new office readily accommodates Shearwater Health’s rapid growth. “Our new operating center is more than 40 percent larger than our previous Manila offices,” said Mr. Sinha. “We are now well-positioned to match the growth of the company while providing a comfortable, state-of-the-art work environment for all of our employees.”

A 48-story corporate tower, Net Park was awarded 5-Star Best Commercial High-Rise Development at the International Property Awards. It was designed by Chad Oppenheim, a Miami-based architect who specializes in green buildings. Net Park is slated to receive a BERDE (Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence Program) certification from the Philippine Green Building Council.

OPPO F1S launch at Pico de Loro Batangas

OPPO's F1s knocks the selfie game out of the park without leaving the mid-end price point.

This one took so long but I really have to write it because OPPO F1S is one nice phone to begin with. If I have to replace my phone right now, I will pick up an OPPO unit anytime over any other mobile phones available in the market today.

I had a privilege of attending the OPPO F1S launch last August 11-13 at Pico de Loro Batangas. It was my first time to Pico de Loro Batangas  and the place was simply breath taking with all the greens, trees and terrains that surrounded the resort. It was communing with nature at its best. Perfect for a photo walk plus the beach scene was great too. But unfortunately, we didnt get to enjoy the sea because of the weather. It was raining  the whole duration of the event. I was just glad that the view from my room was great and calming. I had some snaps outdoor around Pico de Loro though using the OPPO F1s.

The view from my room

Sharing this room with Ria of Sugarsmile

My roommate Ria 

My awesome view

Our meet up was at Edsa Shangri la Mall, we took the bus together with media friends and went straight to Pico de Loro. After 2 hours of long drive we arrived at Pico de Loro and had our sumptuous lunch. First day was our free time so we explored the whole of Pico. I had snaps of our room and the view from my terrace which was awesome.

Oppo was launched on its first day after dinner. Ms Sam Oh hosted the event together with OPPO executives , celebrity endorsers and media.

Our second day was fun because we had to play games with OPPO F1S celebrity endorsers Mikael Daez and Kylie Padilla.  OPPO distributed OPPO F1s to media to take some pictures along the duration of the contest, we had our selfies taken, for individual and group. We submitted we thought our best selfies, although we didnt win the contest, we still had fun with the group.

I have yet to take bowling lessons 

Competition in the smartphone industry has never been this intense, with high-spec offerings entering the market left and right, often with costs to match. The first iteration of the OPPO F1 came straight out of the company's mid-end bracket with an impressive feature set that drew attention to its great camera software and its equally powerful front-facing camera.

Following the release of the F1 and F1 Plus, rising mobile tech giant OPPO is back with the F1s—a new model that packs stronger firepower than its predecessors without the premium pricing.


Visually, the F1s continues along the line of previous OPPO units, with the use of thin, nicely rounded bezels and the prominent white colorway of its predecessors. That's where the similarities end, though.

Art, smarts, and looks to die for

For a phone with a 5.5-inch form factor, the F1s doesn't skimp out on its feature set. The first notable feature is its 16-megapixel front-facing camera, which is predictably amazing for selfies, group photos, and video calls. The rear camera is no slouch either, boasting a powerful 13-megapixel sensor.

The phone runs on an MT6750 octa-core processor with up to three gigabytes of RAM. It also carries a fair amount of juice with a 3075 mAh internal battery. This should be more than enough for casual gaming and browsing social media accounts throughout the day.

"It’s amazing how the F1s lets you capture selfies the way you want them to look," said OPPO Brand Marketing Manager for the Philippines Stephen Cheng during the F1s launch at Pico de Loro, Batangas last August 11. "We wanted to offer a phone that gives selfie lovers a satisfying photo experience, and I think the new model does just that."

Adding to its sheer power, the F1s runs on the latest version of OPPO's ColorOS, a proprietary Android skin. While the camera itself is an impressive piece of hardware, OPPO's built-in Beautify 4.0 software allows users to readily tweak their photos on the fly.

It's hard to stand out in the saturated selfie smartphone market, but OPPO is really coming into their own as a company that allows its hardware to step back and let the users be the stars. "With how personal phones are, it's important for us to produce models that bring out the best in people," Cheng said.

International finance company Home Credit offers the F1s at an affordable six-month installment plan for as low as P2,165 at zero percent interest. “Home Credit aims to bring smiles to many Filipino customers as we offer the newest OPPO F1S at very affordable installments,” said Home Credit Philippines’ Head of Sales, Adam Bernasek. "We are thrilled to be partnering with OPPO once again, and we look forward to helping even more Filipinos avail of the best selfie phone in the market."

OPPO partnered with Home Credit earlier this year to offer the F1 at zero percent installments.

More photos from OPPO F1 launch

KIX launches second year of R U Tough Enough with Celebrity ambassador Neil Perez

KIX, the ultimate destination of action entertainment in Asia, announced the launch of the second year of R U Tough Enough?(RUTE)  the nationwide search for the Toughest Pinoy.  on August 23 at Buffalo Wings Restaurant, Glorietta, Makati with KIX Celebrity endorser Mr. International 2014 and real-life police officer, Mariano Flormata, Jr. aka Neil Perez.

Ten people, comprising of men and women, will be recruited to compete in a series of challenges that will test the limits of their physical strength, mental endurance and emotional resilience.  Only one will win the title of the “Toughest Pinoy” and a grand prize of PHP250,000.

KIX Ambassador Neil Perez

“We launched R U Tough Enough? last year as a competition and the response was overwhelming.  From the lot we found ten tough Pinoys, who were not only able to conquer challenges testing their physical and mental strengths, but also overcome their life’s challenges and tough past with grit and willpower,” said Shirley Cheong, Director of Marketing at Celestial Tiger Entertainment, Hong Kong. “This year, we hope to see more Pinoys share their inspiring stories of toughness and the Pinoy spirit.” 

 Shirley Cheong, Director of Marketing at Celestial Tiger Entertainment, Hong Kong

Representing R U Tough Enough?this year will be Mr. International 2014 and real-life police officer, Mariano Flormata, Jr. aka Neil Perez.  Far from being just a handsome face, Neil is a member of an elite police unit, and an explosives expert.  His hazardous occupation puts him in harm’s way frequently, which is why he is physically, mentally and emotionally fit, and the perfect ambassador for R U Tough Enough?.

“In my line of work, I see how tough and disciplined Pinoys are on a daily basis.  I am happy to be part of R U Tough Enough?because it gives us Pinoys a chance to show how resilient, resourceful and tough we truly are,” said Neil.

R U Tough Enough?is open to all Philippines residents aged 18 years old and above, until September 15, 2016.  To enter the contest, entrants must first apply online at www.KIX-TV.com/tough. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a closed door audition on September 24, where ten tough individuals will be selected to fight for the title of the “Toughest Pinoy”.

The ten finalists will compete against one another in a final showdown at The Block Atrium of SM North EDSA on October 14.  The winner of this final showdown, which consists of an obstacle course with numerous tough challenges, will win the grand prize of PHP 250,000.

KIX will also bring back the Tough Troopers, a team of tough men and women who will go around Metro Manila testing people’s toughness through a series of physically demanding and mentally-challenging tasks in order to find qualified candidates for the competition.

R U Tough Enough? Philippines is sponsored by Fisherman’s Friend, G-Shock and Fern-C, supported by venue partner SM City North EDSA, gym partner Gold’s Gym, supporting partners Columbia Sportswear and Mountain Hardwear, as well as cable partners Cablelink, Cignal TV,Destiny Cable,Gsat and SKYcable; and media partners INQUIRER.net, Philstar.com, Action Asia and Global News Network.

More details including terms and conditions of the competition can also be found on the contest website www.KIX-TV.com/tough. Stay updated on the competition through KIX’s social media platforms, including Facebook: facebook.com/KIXAsia, Twitter: @KIXAsia, and Instagram: @KIXAsia.

KIX is available on Cablelink Ch.54, Cignal TV Ch. 133, Destiny Cable Ch.63, Gsat Ch. 18 and SKYCable Ch.63.

US-Based Ventura Foods Expands to Philippines, Asia Pacific Region

If you go to a restaurant in the United States there is a good chance that you would be eating a Ventura foods product.

Ventura Foods is a leading manufacturer of custom and branded oil, shortening, margarine, mayonnaise, sauce and dressing in the United States. The company currently supplies many Quick Service and Fast Casual Restaurants in the United States and many other countries around the world. Ventura has since expanded to the Philippines to cater to the ever growing needs of the industry here and the rest of the Asia-Pacific Region. This is welcome news to the food service and restaurant industry, which is experiencing robust growth, and demands high quality products to offer a public with increasingly discriminating tastes. Ventura held a successful exhibit at the recently concluded WOFEX (World Food Expo) in August 2016 at the World Trade Center Manila where clients were able to sample the kind of products the company can offer.

Ribbon Cutting ceremony during the opening of WOFEX 2016 last August 3, 2016. (L-R) Anton de los Santos - Sales and Marketing Director – Export Division; Vincent Lao – Managing Director, Oleo Fats ; Yann Kervoern - President, International Ventura Foods; Glenn Lobo - Director of International Operations – Asia Pacific, Ventura Foods; Baven Chin – Sales Director – APAC; and Francis Tan – Director for Sales and Marketing, Local Division.

What makes Ventura Foods different from other companies in the CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) category is that customization is their specialization. “Two-thirds of our business is food service. We are first and foremost a food service organization. We do have a retail business and an industrial business as well, but food service is our primary focus,” says Yann Kervoern, President of Ventura International. “We don't make one product that we sell to everybody. We try to understand everybody's different needs and tailor to their requirements.”

Asia-Pacific was a natural choice in deciding where to expand the company. "One reason why we're here is that our key clients have approached Ventura USA because we are the primary supplier of sauces and dressings for these major companies,” says Glenn Lobo, Director of International Operations for the Asia-Pacific region.“They reached out to us and said, ‘Hey, can you help us make sure our sauces are standardized across the globe?’” It has been the practice of QSR chains that expand globally to use local suppliers in many markets. They had to make do with what’s available because importing those same sauces from the US would be too costly, which would result in a less price competitive end product.

To be competitive in terms of pricing and quality, the company established a strong local partnership with Oleo-Fats Inc., which consists of the production and marketing of products not just for the Philippine market but also for export throughout the Asia Pacific region, and even the Middle East. “In the region we know we will be tariff and duty friendly and cost competitive, but the same time to be able to make our customer and their customers happy that what they're eating is something similar to what they'll be eating at when they're in the US or anywhere else,” explains Lobo.

The high quality of their products is something the company banks on making them stand out. “The formulation of sauces, dressing and mayonnaise are based on the ones made in the United States,” informs Kervoern. For instance, Ventura makes their real mayonnaise with real eggs vs powdered eggs. This is an important detail because it is a signifier of the conditions of the manufacturing site. “If you only use powder, it could mean you are not able to handle fresh products and not handle them safely in your facility because it’s harder,” says Lobo.“Being able to process fresh ingredients means you have a quality environment. It’s more difficult operationally requiring more stringent conditions.”  

Already, this strict adherence to standards is getting an enthusiastic response from clients and potential customers. “Compared to other imported products from other countries, our quality is a lot better,” says Anton de los Santos, Sales and Marketing Director of Oleo-Fats.  “We've already received feedback from major QSR chains sourcing their products from Asia-Pacific producers and they're saying Ventura’s quality is very good. They are the gold standard.”

Apart from bringing their obvious expertise to the Asia-Pacific market, Ventura recognizes that the region and the countries in it have their own unique flavor profile that may not always match those in the United States. “We have the ability to adjust tastes to consumer preferences for every country in the region,” says Kervoern.  The Ventura produced real mayonnaise for the Philippine market, for instance, is sweeter than mayonnaise they produce elsewhere because this is in line with consumer preference.  They plan to take the same approach to the rest of their market. “Taste is important, but in our market of sauces, dressings, mayonnaise and margarine, texture and mouthfeel are other components that are equally just as important,”Kervoern explains.The experience in the US means the company’s area of expertise in products that specialize in both taste and mouthfeel is vast.

This combination makes them a formidable presence in the industry. “We have the know-how, technical capability, quality systems, the production capabilities to delight our customers, and we try to remain fleet-footed and agile in terms of being able to respond to market trends and customer demands,” says de los Santos. Ventura’s presence in the region is growing, and with local production capabilities, they can only expect continued momentum that’s set to match the booming growth in various related and complementary industries such as tourism and casual dining.

Ventura Foods and Oleo-Fats, Inc. office address is at #5 Mercury Avenue, Bagumbayan, Quezon City 1110 Philippines or visit the official website at www.venturafoods.com. You may contact them directly at (02) 709 6536 or (02) 635 0680.

Philam Paaralan provides new facilities at Severo High School

Severo High School Grade 10 students experience the comfort of the new facilities provided by the Philam Paaralan classrooms.

Barangay Burabod is a secluded area located at the foot of Mt. Isarog in Calabanga, Camarines Sur. Because of its remoteness and distance from the urban areas of the municipality, students in Barangay Burabod had to hike 5 kilometers to be able to reach the nearest school.

Upon visiting the area a few years ago, former Camarines Sur Representative and now Vice President Leni Robredo had a chance to speak with Burabod’s Barangay Captain Roberto C. Cabaltera. They looked for possible ways to bring education closer to students and put up a secondary school in the location. After enlisting the support of various LGUs and government agencies, Severo High School in Burabod – named after Eduardo A. Severo, who generously donated a one-hectare lot – finally opened its doors to 123 enrollees last June 2014.


As fate would have it, Typhoon Glenda hit the Philippines that same year, and devastated areas of Camarines Sur. Severo High School was severely damaged, leaving its teachers, students and entire community in dire need to repair its classrooms with the hope to make it far sturdier than the original construction.

Not known to the people of Brgy. Burabod, events were already unfolding to address their need. Philam Foundation was coordinating with the Department of Education in identifying areas that were most in need of new classrooms under its “Philam Paaralan” program. Its goal was to build classrooms in calamity-stricken and under-served communities. When Robredo explained the situation of Severo High School to Philam Foundation President Max Ventura, construction plans began to unfold.

Apart from rehabilitation work that needed to be done, Philam Foundation successfully built two new Philam Paaralan classrooms for Severo Highschool, in partnership with the Happy Hearts Fund.

“The act of physically building an educational structure is such a metaphor for deeper, more profound things,” explained Ventura. “Ultimately, we are building the knowledge of our youth and securing their future. Philam Foundation is thankful to all our partners and everyone who made it possible,” he added.

The new Philam Paaralan classrooms can accommodate approximately 100 students. “We were intentional in the way we designed these classrooms, taking into consideration the risk of calamities,” Ventura pointed out. “These classrooms are typhoon-proof and built using the latest steel frame technology. Students of Severo High school can now concentrate on their lessons and academic work with no need to worry when the rains come.”

“Aside from having typhoon-resilient structures, our classrooms are fully-furnished with water sanitation and hygiene facilities that will promote cleanliness and healthy living among students,” Ventura concluded.

Established in 1997 to commemorate Philam Life's 50th Golden Anniversary, Philam Foundation, Inc. is the social development arm of the Philam Group of Companies. It is a non-stock, non-profit organization committed to serve the less privileged in society. To learn more about the Philam Foundation, visit www.philamlife.com.

Philam Foundation partners with VP Leni Robredo for Philam Paaralan

Proximity to a school is a factor that hinders Filipino children in far-flung areas from acquiring and pursuing the education that they dream of.

Such is the case for the youth in the remote community of Barangay Burabod, Camarines Sur, where students had to walk for approximately 5 kilometers in order to reach the nearest high school establishment.  Some students even had to pass by an unstable rope bridge just to get to school.

To address this problem, Philam Foundation responded to the request made by then Camarines Sur Congresswoman and now Vice President Leni Robredo to build two new classrooms in the said Barangay.

The classrooms were showcased during the recently concluded classroom turnover at the Severo High School.



Thanks to the help of Philam Foundation, Vice President Leni Robredo, and the local government, the students, as well as their parents, now have a renewed sense of hope of reaching their dreams as they continue their educational journey aided by their new classrooms.

The Philam Paaralan classrooms that can accommodate 100 students, are fully-furnished, well-lit, ventilated, and complete with restrooms and water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities.  They are calamity-resilient and can withstand up to 300kph of typhoon strength.

Philam Paaralan is Philam Foundation’s flagship program, which aims to build classrooms in calamity-stricken and underserved communities around the country in partnership with the Department of Education. From its original target of building 65 classrooms in five years, Philam Paaralan is set to complete 121 classrooms, almost double its target in just four years

In photo:  Philam Life Chief Executive Officer Ariel Cantos shaking hands with the Republic of the Philippines Vice President and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDDC) Chairman Leni Robredo, with the Philam Foundation President Max Ventura

Check out Ventura Foods for delicious condiments

Dips and sauces are a staple condiments to every Filipino table. I cant imagine eating a fried tilapia or any fried fish without the reliable partner mayonnaise! Truly, dips and sauces are a part of every dish you have in mind, to enhance and bring out the flavor of each everyday meals. Mayonnaise in particular is a must in every fries, it is tasty on takoyaki too! This creamy sauce is a must condiment and has the power to wake up every finger lickin food!

If you go to a restaurant in the United States there is a good chance that you would be eating a Ventura foods product.

Ventura Foods is a leading manufacturer of custom and branded oil, shortening, margarine, mayonnaise, sauce and dressing in the United States. The company currently supplies many Quick Service and Fast Casual Restaurants in the United States and many other countries around the world.
Their presence in the Philippines is expected to gain them a foothold not just in the expanding dining scene in the country but in the whole of the Asia-Pacific Region. One of their main strengths is that they specialize is custom made products.  Big retailers that supply the service industry will often deliver the same product they already manufacture. “We really believe in customization to help our customers give the right solutions for consumers,” says Jann Kervoern, President of Ventura Foods International. “We don't make one product that we sell to everybody.” 

Because Ventura Foods is already well known to the franchisers of US based restaurants and chains, their presence is creating excitement among new and well established franchises. Too often, local versions of US branded chains have had to make do with whatever was available in the local market. Ventura’s presence means they can now avail of the gold standard in sauces and dressings.
So what makes the gold standard? Ventura products assure a certain level of quality. The sauces are made to the exact specifications and adhere to the strict quality control standards of those in the US. The company even brought in equipment and industrial design from the US to be able to make the sauces and dressings in the Philippines that lives up to the Ventura brand.

Ventura’s brand positioning as the company than can do big custom orders sets them apart from companies that just do big non-custom orders or the ones that can only small custom orders. This agility offers customers a lot of options. They can tweak their flavors to capture specific local tastes, for instance. This is why celebrity chefs that look to expand their portfolio with gourmet lines for retail, such as bottled sauces, go to Ventura because of the company’s expertise and flexibility to translate their vision.

All this know-how has also translated to Ventura’s retail lines. Marie’s is a line of sauces and dressings, the most well-known of which is their line of Blue Cheese dressings; Hidden Valley, features dipping sauces, and Smokehouse 220 is a barbecue sauce. These brands are expected to offer the public more quality choices at grocery stores and other retail outlets.

Ribbon Cutting ceremony during the opening of WOFEX 2016 last August 3, 2016. (L-R) Anton de los Santos - Sales and Marketing Director – Export Division; Vincent Lao – Managing Director, Oleo Fats ; Yann Kervoern - President, International Ventura Foods; Glenn Lobo - Director of International Operations – Asia Pacific, Ventura Foods; Baven Chin – Sales Director – APAC; and Francis Tan – Director for Sales and Marketing, Local Division.


“Taste is important,” begins Kervoern. “But in our market of sauces, dressings, mayonnaise and margarine, texture and mouthfeel are other components that are equally just as important.” If there’s anything Ventura excels at in their 20 years in the business, it’s how delicious tastes and feels.

Ventura Foods and Oleo-Fats, Inc. office address is at #5 Mercury Avenue, Bagumbayan, Quezon City 1110 Philippines or visit the official website at www.venturafoods.com. You may contact them directly at (02) 709 6536 or (02) 635 0680.

Selfie expert OPPO F1s debuts in PH, sells out in three days

The selfie craze is at an all-time high as OPPO’s latest camera phone sells out in concept and dealer stores nationwide.

Nicknamed the ‘selfie expert’, the F1s made its debut in Philippine stores on August 19.  As of August 21, over 19,000 units were sold across the country.

A road show was held simultaneously in Metro Manila, Davao, and Cebu to mark the smartphone’s first day in stores.

“We never expected that consumers would be this enthusiastic about the F1s. It's overwhelming to know that our first units sold out in three days,” said OPPO Marketing Brand Manager Stephen Cheng. “We are excited to deliver more F1s units to stores, especially because we want more people to have the ultimate selfie experience.”

Amazing selfies anytime, anywhere
The latest addition to OPPO’s F1 series captures vibrant selfies at any time of the day, thanks to its 16-megapixel front-facing camera that has a 1/3.1-inch sensor and a large f/2.0 aperture. The latest iteration of its beautification app, Beautify 4.0, also comes with an Auto Mode Screen Flash and eight filters for amazing selfies just the way users want them to be.

The phone’s panorama feature also makes it more convenient to take ‘groufies’ while the palm-activated shutter allows for easier and faster selfies.

The F1s is further equipped with an equally powerful 13-megapixel rear camera that has its own plug-ins such as the upgraded Expert Mode, Ultra-HD, GIF, and double exposure.

Powerful, speedy, beautiful
Just like its predecessor, the F1 plus, the F1s uses fingerprint recognition that can unlock the phone in 0.22 seconds. The phone’s fingerprint-activated app launch assigns fingerprints to up to five apps or contacts for quick access through the home button.

An octa-core processor backed by a 3GB RAM, 32 GB ROM, and the ColorOS 3.0, adds power to the phone’s hardware. Thanks to the power optimizations of the ColorOS combined with a 3075mAh battery, users can hope to use the phone all day.

The sleek metal body of the F1s has a 5.5-inch 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 4 screen to create an exceptional gaming and movie experience for users.

Available at zero percent interest
Financial service provider Home Credit, OPPO’s longtime partner, is also offering the F1s at zero percent interest for six months. The promo kicked off on the first day of the F1s in stores.
The smartphone’s suggested retail price is PhP12, 990.