Smart pilots Launchpad Showdown web series with the biggest YouTube celebrities

The grand prize winners of Smart Launchpad, the nationwide search for the most promising Pinoy content creators, return to the online video arena with Smart Launchpad Showdown.

Smart Launchpad Showdown is a five-part web show starring winners MJ Labenia and Tops Unay as they face each other in a series of fun challenges given by four veteran YouTube celebrities: Bogart the Explorer, Joyce Pring, Michelle Dy and Lloyd Cadena.  It aims to inspire viewers to follow their passion in video creation through tips and techniques presented during the show.


Each episode focuses on a certain challenge that will allow the Launchpad winners to explore different genres of content creation. The YouTube celebrities will not only serve as judges, but also as mentors and collaborators – giving specific pointers to help them create engaging, shareable videos. Viewers will learn more about key aspects of content creation such as the importance of personality, creativity and composition.

The video categories are Food Challenge with Bogart, Music video challenge with Joyce, Beauty challenge with Michelle and Viral video challenge with Lloyd.

Launchpad finalists Quinito Villarosa, Xian Tobias and Eboy Fernandez also joined MJ and Tops in trying out some viral internet challenges.

“It’s hard to pick a favorite mentor from the pool of Bogart, Michelle, Joyce and Lloyd because they had us do different challenges and they helped us broaden our experiences in different forms of content creation,” said music and pop lifestyle content creator MJ.

The first-ever Launchpad contest mined the Philippines for all kinds of online video creators. Nearly 2000 contestants qualified, 100 of these talents made it to the three-day workshop cum showdown in October 2016.

Launchpad was part of Smart’s “Own It” campaign, which encourages the youth to discover their passion, channel their creativity, and broadcast it to the world.




  All episodes of Smart Launchpad Showdown are now available on Smart Communication’s YouTube channel. While the final challenge videos can be seen on MJ’s and Tops’ YouTube channels at MJ Labenia and Topsy Holic respectively.

Reward your graduates with a special gift from Citi Credit Card

Reward your graduates for their diligence and hard work with a special gift to mark this truly momentous occasion. Shop with your Citi Credit Card and enjoy exclusive deals with PayLite through our partner merchants – Western Appliances, TechnoMarine, and MyDiamond.

Get up to 20% off on selected items at Western Appliances, and 0% Citi PayLite for up to 12 months from March 15 to May 15, 2017. Meanwhile, enjoy a 20% discount on selected timepiece models from TechnoMarine, and 0% Citi PayLite for up to 12 months from April 24 to July 24, 2017.

Lastly, take your pick among select fine jewelry pieces and get 30% off and 0% Citi PayLite for up to 12 months also from April 24 to July 24, 2017 at My Diamond.

This generous offer is valid at participating branches. For more information, log on to www.citibank.com.ph or call the 24-hour CitiPhone Hotline at 995 9999.\

8 Tips for Taking a Picture Perfect Summer Selfie with Vivo V5 Plus

To take Instagram-worthy selfies this summer, use the Vivo V5 Plus, with advanced selfie features that can make you look your best in every photo. 

With summer well underway, fun seekers are heading to the beach for some sun, sea, and surf, while others opt for cooler climes to find relief from the sweltering heat. Wherever your itinerary takes you, you will totally want to document every single “instagrammable” moment with perfectly captured selfies.

So ask yourself now: how do you take summer selfies worthy of your friends’ likes and insta-hearts?

The Vivo V5 Plus, equipped with the world’s first 20-megapixel dual front camera, can take perfect summer selfies this sunny season

Here, top five premium global brand1 Vivo shares all the tips you need for binge-taking perfect summer selfies:

1.  Take your summer selfie game to the next level with the V5 Plus. It’s your go-to smartphone camera for shooting all the stunning vistas, enabling you to capture every single detail clearly—thanks to the V5 Plus’ 20-megapixel dual front camera and advanced selfie technology. 

2.  Be creative and spontaneous. Whether you’re into aqua sports or chilling out with friends at a poolside, be playful, silly, goofy, sexy or alluring when taking those share-worthy selfies. 

3.  Find your “perfect” angle. Hone your selfie skills by practicing at home. Take lots of selfies until you learn what angle suits you best. 

4.  Choose the best backgrounds. Distant hills and mountains, the sparkling sea, lush foliage, and the striking colors of a sunset are some of the most amazing backgrounds for those perfect summer selfies. But even without these elements, the V5 Plus’ ‘bokeh’ effect will beautifully blur a less-than-pretty background while keeping the subjects in focus. 

5.  Use a selfie stick. Take fun groufies of the family or barkada with a selfie stick, a pole-like device with a grip at the end, designed to hold a smartphone when taking selfies. A selfie stick is indispensable at events like summer beach weddings, launch parties, sports activities, etc. 

6.  Look your best. You must play up your best features for the perfect summer selfie. Fortunately, you’ll get a lot of help from Vivo V5 Plus’ face beauty mode 6.0, which enhances your skin tone and makes you look fresh and pretty even without a filter or edit. 

7.  Check your lighting. Taking group selfies while enjoying summer’s night scenes can be a pain—but not with the V5 Plus’ softlight selfie, which allows you to take clear selfies in any lighting condition. 

8.  Have fun! Summer is all about making new friends, fortifying bonds, and creating happy memories. Your summer selfies should chronicle all those wonderful moments for times when things don’t go the way they should and you need something to lift your spirits and put a smile on your face. 

Be creative and spontaneous when taking summer selfies with top five global brand Vivo’s flagship phone, the V5 Plus. 

With V5 Plus’ ‘bokeh’ effect, you can make your summer selfie more unique and artistic by playing with different backgrounds. 

Vivo V5 Plus’ face beauty mode 6.0 can enhance your skin tone, creating a natural, radiant-looking selfie perfect for the summer. 

So do it the right and easy way—with the Vivo V5 Plus perfect selfie phone.

For inquiries about Vivo V5 Plus visit the Vivo website at www.vivo.com/ph, or check out their Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/VivoPhil), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vivophil/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/vivo_phil) accounts. #

1according to International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker (http://www.idc.com/promo/smartphone-market-share/vendor;jsessionid=7595C1498F4F0FBF496CC767E273121B)

Epson Wins Prestigious Red Dot Award for Moverio BT-300 Smart Glasses

Seiko Epson Corporation (TSE: 6724, "Epson") has won the Red Dot Award in the Product Design category (Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017)* on April 3 at Essen, Germany for its Moverio BT-300 smart glasses with silicon organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays.

Created in 1955 in Germany, the Red Dot Design Award is recognized around the world as one of the most prestigious awards in the design field. A jury of experts evaluates products announced during the past two years and selects the best designs based on nine criteria, including degree of innovation, functionality, ergonomics, ecological compatibility, and durability.

The Moverio BT-300 features Epson’s own silicon OLED displays. It is compact and lightweight yet delivers amazing brightness, contrast, resolution, and image quality. Images are rendered in realistic color and without a distracting frame around the edges of the display. These features mean that Moverio images and information are displayed seamlessly in the user’s field of view for a realistic augmented reality (AR) experience.

“We always want our product designs to exceed customer expectations, but the Moverio BT-300 is more streamlined than our previous model. I think the judges recognized that the design achieves comfort and looks natural. We want to continue to make strides toward even better designs in the future,” says Hiroaki Sakai, general manager of the design department in Epson’s Visual Products Operations Division.

For additional product details, please see the link (URL) below.
http://global.epson.com/newsroom/2016/news_20160223.html

Note that Epson products and services vary by region. Please refer to your local Epson sales company for details of products and services available in your region:
http://www.epson.com/


For more information about the Red Dot Design Awards, please see the link (URL) below.
http://en.red-dot.org/red-dot-design-award-home.html

* Red Dot Design Awards are organized by Design ZentrumNordrheinWestfalen, a design center.

Top five global brand Vivo partners with Smart Communications

Smart Communications, Inc. representatives Gerard Milan and Miriam Choa, and Vivo Philippines representatives Hazel Bascon and Annie Lim smile after sealing the deal between the two companies.  



With a vision of providing the optimum smartphone experience for Filipino consumers, Vivo Mobile Tech Inc., top five premium global smartphone brand1 inked a partnership with Smart Communications, Inc., the country’s leading wireless services provider, last March 22 at the PLDT Ramon Cojuangco Building in Makati City. 

“As part of our aggressive roll-out of our LTE network across the country, we are excited to work with top smartphone manufacturers like Vivo to bring more LTE-capable devices into the local market,” said Patrick Tang, vice president and head for Smart Postpaid Brand and Device Management.

“LTE gives the best mobile data experience to our customers, and more LTE devices in the market means that more people will be able to take advantage of and enjoy the powerful LTE network that Smart is putting in place,” he added.

The branding teams of Smart Communications, Inc. and Vivo Philippines after the signing of their tie-up, which will feature Smart mobile promos. 



Meanwhile, Hazel Bascon, Vivo Philippines vice president and head of sales, said this partnership means better connections for consumers. “With this tie-up, our customers will be able to make improved connections, whether on the web or with each other, because Smart has always been known for its premium service.” 

Smart Communications, Inc. and Vivo Philippines executive hold up Vivo phones at the signing of their exclusive partnership. 

 “The high-quality features of Vivo mobile phones, combined with Smart’s exclusive promos, and speedy and reliable services, ensure a greatly enhanced smartphone experience for Filipino customers,” she added.

Also present during the signing event were Annie Lim, Vivo brand director; Miriam Choa, Prepaid marketing head; and Gerard Milan, Smart Prepaid brand marketing head.

In this tie-up, Smart will provide Vivo with LTE prepaid SIMs that will feature the following exclusive add-ons for 12 months: Free 100MB data per month upon activation of SIM, and a reward of an additional 300MB data for every accumulated P150 worth of load within a month.

The Smart LTE prepaid SIMs will be given to customers for free, for every purchase of Vivo handsets, with specific units to be announced soon.

For inquiries about this promo from Smart and Vivo, visit the Vivo website at vivoglobal.ph, or check out their Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/VivoPhil), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vivophil/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/vivo_phil) accounts. #
1according to International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker (http://www.idc.com/promo/smartphone-market-share/vendor;jsessionid=7595C1498F4F0FBF496CC767E273121B)

Capture every detail of life’s precious moments with Vivo Y53

Capture precious moments in photos for less with top five global brand Vivo’s Y53, with an 8-megapixel camera and an ultra-HD mode available at Php 6,990.



Filipinos are known to treasure life’s milestones and moments, no matter how big or small, through photographs. When purchasing smartphones, they look for one with impressive camera features but are usually faced with a common problem: phones with high-quality cameras come at a hefty price.

Now comes Vivo, the top five premium global brand, and its Y53, which enables Filipino photo enthusiasts to capture every detail of precious moments for less.

With a price tag of only Php 6,990, Vivo Y53 is equipped with an 8-megapixel rear camera, capable of capturing clear details. The rear camera features an ultra-HD (high definition mode), a feature that enables users to seize several consecutive images, combine these, and render up to 32-megapixel photos.

The Vivo Y53 features a premium unibody design with curved edges and sleek lines, convenient to hold for the every user. 



As for selfies, the Vivo Y53 has a 5-megapixel front camera, with an f2.2 aperture. 

Selfie lovers can now take selfies even at night, or in poor lighting conditions, because of the Y53’s smart screen flash, which automatically switches on in low-light conditions, making your face look brighter and more radiant in selfies.

Vivo Y53 is also impressive in terms of speed and performance, when it comes to smartphones in its price range. This Vivo phone has a 2GB RAM and a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, good for running games and other applications.

Providing more than enough space for photos, videos, applications and games, Vivo Y53 has a 16GB ROM, expandable up to 256GB.

This Vivo phone also features a premium unibody designed with curved edges and sleek lines—making it stylish and refined but convenient to hold, unlike other smartphones.

For maximum connectivity, the Y53 has three card slots—dual 4G SIM which supports 4G networks, and for the microSD card of up to 256 GB.

As a bonus, this Vivo phone is built with an eye protection mode, which filters out the blue light on the screen to prevent eye strain.

For inquiries about Vivo Y53, visit the Vivo website at vivoglobal.ph, or check out their Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/VivoPhil), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vivophil/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/vivo_phil) accounts. #

Metro Manila is the top destination for Holy Week

It seems that more Metro Manila residents chose to just stay near their homes for this year’s Holy Week.

Metro Manila is the top destination for Holy Week, making a huge leap from its 5th ranking in 2016, according to leading online travel agency TravelBook.ph. 

“Data shows that three months prior, Filipinos booked a stay in the metro for Holy Week (April 10 to 16) this year, which is 10.4% of Travelbook.ph’s total bookings for the Lenten Season,” the report said.

The report also indicated that Makati, Manila, and Quezon City thrive the most among other cities in Metro Manila.

In comparison to the 2016 data, Metro Manila only acquired 6.6% of the previous year’s total bookings, which placed them on the 5th rank while Baguio City is at first with 10.8%.

According to a Jane Cariaga, a Travelbook.ph customer, spending the Holy Week within Metro Manila is a practical choice.

“Considering the additional expenses for the fare and other travel necessities, plus the heavy traffic you’d have to endure while traveling, it is best to spend a quiet staycation in Metro Manila to observe the Holy Week,” the customer said.
Travelbook.ph caters mostly to Filipino travelers aged 18 to 34.  A lot of them are also from Metro Manila.

The Top 15 
Here is the complete list from TravelBook.ph of the top 15 Holy Week destinations this 2017 in the Philippines:

In 2016, the top 15 destinations were Baguio, Cavite, Boracay, Zambales, Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Palawan, Cebu, Bohol, Ilocos Sur, Batangas, Albay, Davao, Pangasinan, and La Union respectively.

It is also interesting to note that Mindoro, Camarines Sur, and Laguna made it to this year’s list, replacing Ilocos Norte, Bohol, and La Union.

Interested travelers can book accommodations for their staycations or out of town trips by visiting www.travelbook.ph or downloading the TravelBook.ph mobile app for free on Google Play and App Store.

Protect your Family's Health with Cordlife's One Blood

I learned about stem cell therapy and its benefit to anti-aging and wellness five years ago. Little did I know that stem cell transplantation could cure numerous diseases including Leukemia,  Anaemia and thalassemia.

There are developed methods to harvest and employ stem cells from the umbilical cord tissue to cure diseases. The process goes like cells are collected after a baby is born and the umbilical cord has been cut, with the consent of the donors and family.

Cordlife Group Limited launches One Blood at Crowne Plaza on April 6. The event was attended by Cordlife Group executives headed by Medical Director Arvin Faundo, COO, Ms. Tan Poh Lan and OB Gynes from Chinese General Hospital. It was hosted by Ms Jolina Magdangal, Dimples Romana and Juris Fernandez.

 This is to create awareness on cord blood banking’s importance as an available standard option for families who may need stem cell transplant,


Cordlife Group Limited is an international provider of umbilical cord blood and cord lining services.  It is also among the first to offer this service and technology in Asia.

Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord after birth.  It contains the healthiest stem cells that can replenish blood, regenerate damaged bone marrow, treat blood cancers and correct genetic defects.  It is also a potential source for cellular therapy and regenerative medicine.

One of the leading causes of death in the Philippines is leukemia.  Around 3,977 were diagnosed with the disease in 2012 alone.  The mortality rate is at an alarming 5.3%. It is a silent killer among us that needs to be addressed.

Stem cell transplant using cord blood is one of the treatments for leukemia.


Through cord blood banking, families now have a chance to survive fatal genetic diseases like leukemia and other blood-related diseases.


In February 2010, Cordlife Philippines was officially launched.  It is the country’s first and only private cord blood processing and cryopreservation facility aimed to give the Filipino the chance to benefit from the advantages of having a readily available supply of cord blood.


This national advocacy is in partnership with the Philippine Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine (PSMFM).

Under One Blood, free cord blood banking will be given to chosen pregnant mothers with family history of diseases or with family members with disease/s that can be treated by cord blood and who might be a candidate for stem cell transplantation.

Other services that will be extended to the beneficiaries include: Transplant Care, Cord Blood Network, and Cordlife Quality Guarantee.

To know more about One Blood, call Cordlife at (02) 3321888 or log on to www.cordlife.ph

Starbucks offers Pop'zel Coffee Frappuccino and Roasted Marshmallow S'mores Frappuccino this Summer

Summer is always fun with Starbucks summer frappe beverages. Im looking forward to these frappes offering every year. What excites me is that they are introducing a new frap flavor with my favorite pretzel and caramel popcorn in it! The Pop'zel Coffee Frappuccino Blended Beverage and a returning favorite, to those who love vanilla as base is the Roasted Marshmallow S'mores Frappuccino Blended Beverage.

Starbucks launches 2 new exciting frappe beverages this summer on April 8, at SM Moa Atrium. There are a lot of activities open to the public today for the grand launch until tomorrow April 9! Bring along your family, friends and loved ones for this are the better time to bond together.  Be the first one to try the 2 summer concoctions. Show your flavor and have your picture taken and upload it to your instagram account. Finish all the activities and you'll get to take home some exciting freebies.

To make summer more exciting and refreshing, Starbucks is introducing a new Frappuccino flavor and will bring back a well-loved flavor from last year. This summer, get ready for an unexpected throwback as Starbucks brings together two of our childhood favorites—popcorn and pretzels—in one delectable drink.

Pop'zel Coffee Frappuccino Blended Beverage is blended with delicious popcorn and pretzel syrup and topped with real caramel popcorn and salted pretzel over whipped cream.

A returning favorite, the Roasted Marshmallow S'mores Frappuccino Blended Beverage is flavored with vanilla, layered with smooth marshmallow whipped cream, indulgent chocolate sauce, and graham crumble. This delicious concoction is then finished with whipped cream and more graham crumble on top. Both flavors will be available for a limited time only starting April 18.

Jeman Villanueva of orangemagazine,ph

For a different kind of refreshment that is perfect to be enjoyed during hot summer days at home, Starbucks VIA Iced Coffee has you covered with its flavor profile defined by hints of citrus and a caramelly-smooth finish. For those who prefer brewed coffee as a delightful start of your day or as a way to unwind during sweltering summer afternoons, the Starbucks Kati Kati Blend is perfect with its balance of citrus and spice notes from Kenya and floral aromas and crisp acidity from Ethiopia. Speaking of exotic coffee destinations, Starbucks Reserve® Nicaragua La Roca and Starbucks Reserve Costa Rica West Valley Yellow Honey will bring you to a journey of flavors.

“This summer, the iconic Frappuccino blended beverages are inspired by our customers’ personalities: fun, creative and bold,” said Keith Cole, marketing head for Starbucks Philippines. “We have created beverages that match customers’ summer moods, handcrafted with flavors that blend sweet with savory or delight with the most exciting toppings”.

To mark Earth Day, you can purchase a Starbucks Night Sky Reusable Cup on April 21 and 22 for just ₱100 with every purchase of a Grande handcrafted beverage. You may also opt for a 10 % discount on any merchandise.

With summer already here, there are more and more reasons to keep refreshed and ready for whatever fun and adventure the season holds. And as temperatures continue to rise, Starbucks will be with you throughout summer to help you cool down and unwind.