OF BANK GLITCHES AND FRAUD, IS THERE CAUSE FOR ALARM?

A few days ago, a UnionBank employee was arrested for allegedly stealing P17 million from a UnionBank branch in Pasig City. The arrest was made an unauthorized cash transfer from the bank's Ortigas Cash Center to its Caloocan Cash Center to allegedly cover-up the theft.

The incident came just a few weeks after another bank suffered a glitch that caused erroneous debits and credits to depositors accounts.

As a result a lot of people expressed concern with some users wondering how the incident was even possible under the watch of the bank with one of their employees involved nonetheless. Other are even having second thoughts about keeping their money in the bank following the tech issues from other major banks, and now with this news, people feel their money will be safer in their own hands.

Some suspect an inside job and other conspiracy theories.

But is there really cause for panic?

To take this incident as a sign that keeping money in banks is not safe is making a giant illogical leap.  Banks have large amounts of money, of course they are targets.  The fact that these incidents are as isolated as they are, is a testament to how effective the redundant security measures they have in place really are.

It is also worth noting that in all of the banking mishaps that have happened lately, at the end of the day, the worst thing that happened was a bit of inconvenience.

Nobody in any of these cases has come forward to say they have lost any money, let alone a significant amount of money.  Banks are huge, complex and dynamic systems that manage huge volumes of cash in real time. The fact that incidents such as this are not everyday occurrences, is actually a testament to how robust and fault tolerant their electronic safeguards are.

As for the fact that this employee was caught stealing money, and the manner in which she was caught, should actually reaffirm our trust in the banking system and the safeguards they have in place.

When you think about it, 17 million pesos is a small amount for a bank especially if it is “electronic money”, as opposed to physical cash.  The fact that such a small amount was flagged and narrowed down to a single perpetrator quickly is even worth commending and that the money's electronic trail was far more fast, effective and accurate than any physical trail could ever be.

Banks will always be targets of thieves, but I would rather have these thieves targeting my bank instead of my house.

At least a bank has guards, layers of redundant security, and expertise and then finally insurance.

17 million pesos sitting in a home safe or anywhere other than in a bank would be enough to make anyone lose sleep, worse than that, if it were to somehow be robbed, there would be no getting it back, and people are more likely to get hurt or killed when that happens.

HOOQ announces Director Erik Matti as their latest addition to the judging panel of HOOQ Filmmakers Guild.

HOOQ – the largest Video on Demand service in South-East Asia, announces Director Erik Matti as their latest addition to the judging panel of HOOQ Filmmakers Guild.

“I believe the Philippines still has a lot of undiscovered filmmakers out there just waiting for their big break. The HOOQ Filmmakers Guild, will give these aspiring filmmakers a chance to see their ideas become reality, and hopefully inspire others pursue their dream,” Matti told guests at the media launch of the region-wide search for the most creative filmmakers.

Matti is the third judge announced in the region that will helm the selection process of the five pilots to be produced and the full series thereafter.  The other two judges that have been announced are from Indonesia – Mouly Surya, a critically acclaimed director who recent screened at Director’s Fortnight in Cannes and Nicholas Saputra, an award-winning actor and documentary producer.

“There is incredible talent for TV series making in Asia, and we want to give opportunities to film professionals to turn these amazing ideas into reality.  HOOQ is built in Asia for Asia and we want to give Asian filmmakers the power to create quality entertainment that gives our customers that escape into worlds of romance, action, adventure and even heroism, all in the setting of their backyard.  HOOQ Filmmakers Guild does just that, making Asia the nation from which great TV arises!” Said Chief Executive Officer of HOOQ, Mr Peter Bithos.

Allison Chew HOOQ Regional Brand and Communications Head

HOOQ Phils Country Manager Jane Cruz-Walker

HOOQ calls for film professionals, be it directors, producers or scriptwriters to send in scripts and treatments for a TV series idea they have.  From these, the five best scripts, regionally, will be given a funding of USD$30,000 to be converted into a pilot episode that will debut on HOOQ.  Submissions can be from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia.  The best out of these five pilot episodes, decided by HOOQ subscribers and a star-studded judging panel consisting of the top film talents around Asia as well as Hollywood (to be announced), will be converted into a full series produced and aired on HOOQ.

The search for the HOOQ Filmmaker Guild began June 5, 2017 and will be open for entries until August 15, 2017.

Applicants must be either in film school or working as professionals in the film industry with prior film production experience.  They are to submit the script and treatment for a mini-series or a full series with a maximum of 13 episodes for a single season in order to qualify.  There will be no restriction to genre, however submissions and productions must be in the language of the applicant’s country.

The winning series will be part of HOOQ’s new original productions including Critical Eleven and Sweet 20 which hit cinemas last month while Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts and OTJ 2 are scheduled to come out later this year.

Inaugural Boy Abunda Awards Honor LGBT Champions

The first ever Boy Abunda LGBT Awards (BALA) honored lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender leaders in Philippine society. The awardees included individuals and groups that have made significant contributions to create further visibility of the LGBT advocacy and raise awareness about LGBT struggles.

The trophy designed by Badon

The list was an exciting combination of respected personalities in the LGBT community, young and up-and-coming voices, as well as institutions that have committed to uplifting the LGBT plight. The trophies were distributed to the winners last May 17. BALA may be considered by some as bold and brash, mirroring the personality of its founder– Boy Abunda, Ph.D.

Dr. Abunda and his team of close-in panel of advisers and advocate/activist friends selected the winners through a tedious deliberation process. Dr. Abunda, who is a known television host and gay rights advocate, was the final determinant of the list of winners.

BALA is Dr. Abunda’s own personal recognition of the awardees’ work as LGBT advocates. It is an award that recognizes the leadership and contributions of LGBT leaders and personalities in different fields of society. The award is his modest contribution to the LGBT community, with the goal of motivating the younger generation of LGBT-rights advocates and activists.

True enough, the awardees were not the ‘usual suspects’ and amid the expected raised eyebrows, the merit of the awardees and their bodies of work for the advocacy speak for themselves. Even the awards ceremony was unconventional. Instead of the usual fête for awardees in glittery and glamorous ceremonies, the awards were formally and personally given to the awardees without much fanfare.

Dr Abunda was inspired by his GLAAD Media Awards and Eric Butler Philanthropy Award in establishing BALA. The awards are as brave and as no-nonsense as the giver. The awardees are as follows:


VENIR CUYCO - the founder of UP BABAYLAN, the first LGBT STUDENT ORGANIZATION, and LAGABLAB, the earliest LGBT organization in the country


J. NEIL GARCIA - champion of LGBTs in Philippine Literature and the Academe


CHRISTIAN BRYLE LEANO - student leader and activist


KRISTINE MADRIGAL – one of the founders of TAO, Transpinay of Antipolo Organization

DANTON REMOTO – founding chair of ANG LADLAD Party-List — the first and only LGBT party-list in the world

AIDA SANTOS - lesbian and women’s rights development worker and poet

JOHN L. SILVA - Filipino writer, arts and culture savant, blogger and modernist vanguard

Vice Ganda holds his BALA trophy

JOSE MARIE VICERAL - LGBT Superstar in multimedia platform

MONIQUE WILSON - world-renown artist actively advancing issues that matter to LGBTs

PROGRESSIVE ORGANIZATION OF GAYS IN THE PHILIPPINES
(ProGay Philippines) - for more than two decades of service as an LGBT organization in the Philippines

TEAM MAG - the only existing LGBT lifestyle magazine in the country today, courageously facing the odds to publish content that reflects the lives and concerns of the Filipino LGBT community

OUTRAGE MAGAZINE - the brave and trustworthy online source of LGBT stories, editorials, and opinions in the Philippines

NIKE – LGBT ally and corporate brand that promotes pride, terminating Manny Pacquiao as endorser after he made homophobic remarks

PHILIPPINE EDUCATIONAL THEATER ASSOCIATION (PETA) – a theater company that features LGBT themed plays and performances

Dr. Boy Abunda is also the founding chairman of the Make Your Nanay Proud (MYNP) Foundation.

Bemz Benedito Managing Director of Make Your Nanay Proud with J. Neil Garcia, BALA awardee

Boy Abunda Speech Wows World-Class Speakers

He is not called The King of Talk for nothing.

But with a foreign audience composed of the best and the brightest in public speaking in attendance, the applause - and the standing ovation - was a moment to remember even for talk show host par excellence Boy Abunda.

Simply put, Boy took the spotlight during his scheduled speech at the Asia Professional Speakers Convention held in Singapore last month. He owned the moment, seizing it like a hungry man at an all-you-can-eat convention.

The theme of his talk, Don’t Just Be A Speaker, Be A Star, provided him the perfect platform to share his thoughts on his decades of experience and wisdom as a talent agent, star maker, and television personality. It was a moment of perfect timing - the time, the place, the topic, and the speaker came together to create a fitting debut for Boy‘s public speaking career.

Dubbed “The Fab Sermon: Don't Just Be A Speaker, Be A Star", the hour-long speech turned out to be an engaging showcase of insight and inspiration delivered with truthfulness and impact.

Right off the bat Boy grabbed the audience attention with his short introduction of himself:  “I am not a professional speaker. I am a talk show host, an interviewer, and like you I use the same fundamental tools,  "my words, my heart, and my truth.”

 And he stole the show right from there!

 Ethel Odilao, a certified John Maxwell speaker, observed of Boy, “He was outstanding. He exudes confidence facing an audience of global topnotch speakers.”

 Fredrik Haren, a world-class speaker himself who spoke in 23 countries last year, invited Boy to the engagement believing that delegates would want to hear him talk about the said topic.

 Boy spoke before a crowd of 200 guests, several of whom were globally acknowledged speakers that regularly got paid upwards of 20 thousand dollars per engagement . By the end of his talk, Boy was rewarded with a ten-minute standing ovation.

 “It is difficult to dance ballet with the best ballerinas around,” Boy shared, “So to prepare, I went to the ballroom the night before, walked around the stage, introduced myself to the stage, measured how far I should be from the tables. That was the first time in my career that I ever did that kind of preparation. I  was that unsure.”

Boy had only bullet points. No written speech. He had some power point presentation. And then he prayed.


Never shy of expressing truth within him, Boy recalled, “In Singapore I went on stage proud of my story. I said I’m Boy Abunda. I believe in God. I love my mother. I’m proudly gay. I have a partner for life. I’m a talk show host. I’m an interviewer. I’m a teacher, a student. I am proudly Filipino. Everything else is a footnote.”

 The speech was a memorable experience for Boy who wasn’t expecting to get the audience’s nod. He said he’s extremely happy to have done well, and probably for the first time in his career of great talk, he and his team humbly thought he was actually good.

A voracious reader who keeps himself informed and inspired by famous speakers, from Martin Luther King to Bill Clinton, Boy admits that he also wants to become a professional speaker like the people in  the audience who gave him that ovation. He also revealed that he is in the process of  organizing and aligning Filipino speakers to the international speakers association.

 His team is likewise solidifying a TED talk-like concept to bear his name, as well as meeting up with foreign speakers interested to connect with his advocacies.

 For Boy who has taken masters in communications and a doctoral degree in social development,  Singapore talk is just tip of the iceberg.

 In sharing her amazement at Boy, Odilao added, “His expertise as a star builder is exemplified in his speech as he enumerates his own version of Speakers Beatitudes and his guide list of What Makes A Star A Star.”

 For that said list, Boy counted 13 Things that include charisma, presence, network, and the “immutable law” that nothing lasts forever.

There is no slowing down for Boy Abunda.  Like what he has done all throughout his storied career, he will come up with innovations, much like his never-ending ideas for slogans like Usap Tayo, Susunod, Abangan, etc.

“The familiar is not as exciting as the unknown. I’m running after anything that is not within my realm of control.”

During his well-lauded speech he  rousingly ended it by advising “don’t forget to get paid; if not at least get laid," to the delight of his audience.

OPPO F3 emerges as the No.1 smartphone for the price band of Php15,000 to Php20,000 smartphones, with a dominating 48.5% market share.

OPPO Philippines recently launched the mid-range smartphone OPPO F3 with its unique dual-selfie camera feature, sleek body and attractive package. In the latest GFK Philippines May 2017 report, it shows that OPPO F3 emerges as the No.1 smartphone for the price band of Php15,000 to Php20,000 smartphones, with a dominating 48.5% market share.

OPPO F3 started well in the market with 22,000 unit sales in the first three days of availability last May 2017. This reflected its strong acceptance from consumers because of the unique dual-selfie camera setup. The groufie camera enables an extraordinary experience in capturing amazing selfies with more range at any situation. Plus, the metal body and sleek body gives customers the luxurious feel appropriate for its price, along with ample 4GB RAM for multitasking and 64GB storage for all files needed.

Additionally, OPPO also retains its No.2 smartphone brand position in the Philippines. A sign that the Philippine market well accepts the wide range of lifestyle-centric lineup of the brand.

"The OPPO F3 is a well-received smartphone since the beginning, our competitive package, sleek design and trending dual selfie camera setup are the reasons why it is successful.” said Stephen Cheng, OPPO Philippines Brand Marketing Manager. 

Last June 16, OPPO released the F3 Black edition for more color options to choose from. Customers may now select from three colors available which are Gold, Rose Gold and Black for a more lifestyle-centric smartphone experience.

The OPPO F3 is available nationwide in any OPPO concept and dealers stores for a special discounted price of Php15,990, under the Back-to-School Promo until July 31, 2017. All unit comes with a pre-installed screen protector and soft-transparent case for added value and protection. 

For more details about the OPPO F3, please visit https://www.facebook.com/OPPOPH/ or log on to http://www.oppo.com/ph/index.html.

Dahil #MeronNaNgayon McSaver Meals!

Life is so much better with things made available and convenient for anyone, just like the McDonald’s McSaver Meals, affordable meals complete with rice and drink starting at just P55!

Take it from the hilarious new TVC starring Alden Richards, who plays a prince and outwits a hungry, short-tempered giant with an offer of McSaver Meals. Watch him in action in his latest TVC HERE.  So if you’re looking for easy, lunch options on a budget, McDonald’s has got the answer just as Alden charmingly says, dahil “meron na ngayon!”

Choose from the golden Crispy Chicken Fillet Meal (P59), seasoned just right and served with gravy, the Chicken Fillet Ala King Meal (P59) served with a delicious, creamy sauce or the 1-pc. Mushroom Pepper Steak Meal (P55) made with a meaty patty, in creamy mushroom sauce and button mushroom slices. You can enjoy all these meals with rice and a regular drink.

Now life is so much easier with McSaver Meals whenever you dine in at any McDonald’s restaurant nationwide. You can also have it via Drive-Thru, Take Out, or McDelivery by dialing 86-2-36, visiting mcdelivery.com.ph, or the McDo PH app.

Try them and share your favorites by posting your photos online at facebook.com/McDo.ph and tagging @McDo_PH on Twitter or Instagram. Join the fun on Twitter as #MeronNaNgayon is already one of the top 10 trending topics in the Philippines. 

Plains & Prints x Vania Romoff

Following her successful capsule collection for The Heart of Fashion (benefitting ICanServe Foundation) last year, renowned couturier Vania Romoff returns to bring her touch of wistfulness and whimsy to the new exclusive capsule collection of Plains & Prints, the style purveyor of chic, timeless designs for women.

The highly-anticipated 15-piece collection will bear the romantic signatures and stylish flair of the young designer. From casual dresses, romantic blouses and bottoms, Vania takes inspirations from spring with floral trims and intriguing ikat prints that are worked into versatile pieces.

“Plains & Prints, like me, caters to the same kind of modern woman – proud, powerful and confident in her femininity. When designing this collection, I had imagined a vibrant, light-hearted and beautiful woman who enjoys life. And she expresses this love and optimism for life through the way she dresses,” Vania explains of her creative vision. Each of the exclusive pieces reflect Vania’s penchant for subdued drama with dainty ribbons, delicate embellishments, and flounce. 

“For this collaboration, I wanted to infuse a sense of playful optimism and celebrate the Filipino woman through wonderful prints inspired by local flora and beautiful ikat prints. I took these elements and worked them into classic silhouettes like shift dresses, wrap dresses and trousers, all staples for the working woman’s wardrobe,” she adds.

With Plains & Prints, all women – from mothers, daughters, power executives, stay-at-home moms, and beyond – will find easy, elegant styles that will complement their dynamic lives.

Adding to that, Roxanne Ang-Farillas, owner and founder of Plains & Prints, says, “Our vision at Plains & Prints is to continuously provide women of today with contemporary yet timeless fashion, always offering something new and fresh. And thus far we have always delivered.

“We’re very excited to invite Vania Romoff back to design an exclusive collection for us. She is considered as one of today’s most sought-after local designers, and given our complementing design aesthetics, this collaboration is a perfect match!”

Through the amazing collection of Vania Romoff, Plains & Prints further captures the quintessence of the Plains & Prints woman – a woman who is strong in spirit, and confident in her femininity.

The capsule collection will be available in all stores starting July 2017 with the following dates:
July 6 – 9 : Plains & Prints Glorietta 1 and Chimes Davao
July 7 – 9 : Plains & Prints Ayala Cebu and Plains & Prints online
July 11 – 14 : Zalora PH and Amazon US
July 15 : in all stores nationwide

For more information about Plains & Prints, visit www.plainsandprints.com.

It’s Raining Deals in F1 Hotel Manila

Seems like rain can’t stop from falling, so why not embrace it and visit F1 Hotel Manila this July until August for their rainy day promotions? Make yourself feel at home with F1 Hotel’s suite rooms and appetizing selection of food to offer.

Cuddle up and keep yourself comfy and warm by availing an overnight stay in a City Suite with “Make It Rain” Room Package. This comes with buffet breakfast and complimentary in-room massage for two (2) persons, for the special rate of Php 6,388 nett per night. This staycation is perfect for couples, or for the whole family to enjoy!

Grab your festive hats when visiting F1 Hotel’s F All-Day Dining for the American Feast which is available every Friday & Saturday. Bountiful buffet spread awaits you for lunch or dinner at only Php 1,699 nett per person. Alongside the American Feast, F1 Hotel also offers Sausage Festival at the Canary Lounge, wherein a variety of great a la carte sausage dishes is served.  What is good food without drinks? Celebrate with friends with 2+1 Beer Plunge, by getting your third bottle of beer for free, for every three beer bottles purchased.

Turn this rainy season into a bright staycation by visiting F1 Hotel Manila Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. To place reservation or inquiries, call 908-7888, send an e-mail to inquiry@f1hotelsandresorts.com or visit their website at www.f1hotelmanila.com. 

Robinsons 10th Fit & Fun Wellness Buddy Run: Why its beneficial to run with a buddy

I started going to the gym 2 months ago. Until I felt a throbbing right leg pain that lasted for 2 weeks. I got myself checked up.  My PT doctor recommended and signed me up to a Rehab Medicine. My therapist recommended an exercise focused mainly on leg strengthening. I underwent ultrasound for the right leg and completed my 4 sessions and took glucosamine for my bones. The pain was gone after the treatment and asked my therapist if its okay to go back to the gym and or run.  She said that I should as soon as possible.

It was just in time that an invite for Robinsons 10th Fit & Fun Wellness Buddy Run came up. I have been running for Robinsons since 2015. The first time I ran for 5K I remember I was alone but instantly got a blogger buddy at the venue. It was fun, because  I endured the whole 5K , walking, running and jogging with a whole lot of chika along its pace and turns with my blogger friend Ruth. There was never a dull moment, before we knew it, we were at the finish line.

The good thing about running for 5K is that it takes a less of a toll on your body. With short races, the less mileage you run, the lower your risk to have injuries. That's why I always signed up for 5K.  Its a safe and fun way to build stamina.

I promised myself since then that I will join Robinsons fun run every year with or without a partner.  Last year though, I was surprised that my partner joined the run. He woke up early, dressed up and eagerly joined me.  We were a running pair since then. Errr, a running/jogging/walking pair, to you.

Last Sunday, July 2 Robinsons Supermarket held its 10th Fit & Fun Wellness Buddy Run at Camp Aguinaldo. I ran again with my buddy Ed of whereiseduy.com. We left the house at 5am and arrived in Camp Aguinaldo at 6:15 am. The traffic was building up around Cubao but we were lucky to have parked inside the Camp and was able to ran even if we were 10 minutes late.

We finished the race for 35 minutes and he told me that he would be joining annually. That was good news for me.

In line with Robinsons Supermarket’s wellness campaign to continuously encourage more people to choose and live healthier lifestyles, the Fit & Fun Wellness Buddy Run gave everyone an opportunity to partner with friends and family, and run together towards the finish line.

“Through the years, the Fit & Fun Buddy Run has been a much-anticipated event for a lot of people. It’s our kick-off as we celebrate with the nation, Wellness and Nutrition month. It provides a fun gateway activity for fitness newbies who are just about to start their wellness journey and loyal runners,” said general manager of Robinsons Supermarket, Mr. Jody Gadia.

Hosted by volleyball superstar and TV personality, Gretchen Ho, the event also featured exciting booths with lots of freebies from Nestle Philippines, Johnson & Johnson, Fonterra, Unilab and Wyeth Nutrition, Unilever, International Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (IPI), Procter & Gamble, Abbott Nutrition, Getz Bros, Ecossential, Del Monte, Foodsphere Inc., and Philusa.

Coaches Jim and Toni Saret prepped-up the runners with a short work-out and invited them to register on-site for the Fit Filipino 1 Million Pounds National Weight Loss Challenge, the biggest on-ground and online wellness program in the country which aims to encourage everyone to pledge and lose weight.

The Fun Run is just one of the programs this July. Robinsons Supermarket is also giving away Healthy You snack platters for a minimum purchase of Php3,000 inclusive of Php 500 worth of participating items of the Wellness Festival.

Robinsons Supermarket‘s commitment to wellness campaign extends to providing Filipinos with delicious and healthy food options and alternatives.

Check out their Facebook page www.facebook.com/RobinsonsSupermarketOfficial or website www.robinsonssupermarket.com.ph to see what's good for you.

A festive celebration marks the opening of Jollibee’s 1000th store!

 Jollibee Philippines President JJ Alano (10th from left) led the milestone store’s unveiling. Also in the photo are (from left) Jollibee National Business Channels Head Manuel Yap, North Luzon Regional Business Unit (RBU) Head Lines Briones, Visayas RBU Head Winston Sia, South Luzon RBU Head Bambi Bejo, Metro North RBU Head Mike Castro, Mindanao RBU Head Ana Aluyen, Metro South RBU Head Rose Caalam, Restaurant Systems Head Jon Villanueva, Research and Development Head Edna Barin, HR Head George Wang III, Franchising Head Kay So, Marketing Head Francis Flores, and Finance Head Cynthia Castro.

MILLIONS SERVED, COUNTLESS JOYS. Jollibee Philippines President JJ Alano thanks Filipinos for being part of Jollibee’s journey to its first thousand stores in his opening remarks.

A TOAST TO JOY AND GREAT PARTNERSHIPS. Jollibee Foods Corporation Chairman Tony Tan Caktiong and Jollibee Group Foundation President Grace Tan Caktiong celebrate the 1000th store milestone with the ceremonial Chickenjoy Toast.

A JOLLY THANK YOU. Jollibee Foods Corporation Chairman Tony Tan Caktiong and Jollibee Group Foundation President Grace Tan Caktiong hand over the ceremonial check to farmers Rowell Lopez of Ilocos Sur and Lawrence Catabay of Pangasinan.  The two are members of Jollibee’s Farmer Entrepreneurship Program, which stands to benefit from the P10-million worth of technical and financial assistance Jollibee has earmarked for its farmer partners.

The 1000th store landmark.  Jollibee BGC Triangle Drive’s wooden landmark bears the names of all Jollibee branches nationwide, from the first to the 999th. Standing in front of the milestone landmark are Jollibee National Business Channels Head Manuel Yap, Visayas RBU Head, Research and Development Head Edna Barin, Franchising Head Kay So, North Luzon RHU Head Lines Briones, brand ambassador Anne Curtis, Jollibee, Finance Head Cynthia Castro, Mindanao RBU Head Ana Aluyen, South Luzon RBU Head Bambi Bejo, and Marketing Head Francis Flores.

My Daily Collagen: Your Daily Health and Beauty Drink

Since I learned about collagen supplements a few years ago, I  have tried almost every kind of collagen product in the market. Thanks to my friends who kept raving about how it could make you 10 years younger and give you glowing and supple skin.

I ordered online and bought supplement tablets and collagen in powdered form. It was not cheap, but I had to take it because of my bone problems too and getting the glowy and younger skin was just an added bonus.

At that time, buying online wasn't as convenient as it is today. But as soon as I tried the products I got it was definitely worth the price and all the trouble i had to go through.

However, when I tried to order again the supplier said it was already out of stock.  So, I had no choice but to try locally products available in the market, and sadly, the ones we have here weren't as good.

The side effect was that I gained a lot of weight in 2 months of taking the collagen supplement, so I stopped and did research on other alternatives.

I found out that one of the best collagen products were those that came from Japan. So when I got invited to the launch of My Daily Collagen drink a few weeks ago you could just imagine my excitement. My Daily Collagen was launched last June 20 at Solaire Resort and Casino. The event was hosted by Miss World 2013 Megan Young and Mister World Philippines titleholder Andrew Wolf. 

 It comes in delicious mango flavor.

My Daily Collagen, which is formulated to promote radiant, firmer and youthful skin, is the cheapest in the market at P149 for a 100mL bottle.

It not only works as an anti-aging agent, it also contains properties that boosts the body's immune system and helps heal wounds faster. It is likewise rich in nutrients, vitamin B complex, amino acids and enzymes, as well as contains royal jelly which is known to promote longevity.

Also present were some of the most beautiful people in Manila--2017 Miss Universe Philippines Rachel Peters, 2017 Bb. Pilipinas Grand International Elizabeth Clenci, 2015 Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International Leren Mae Bautista, 2015 Bb. Pilipinas International Janicel Lubina, 2015 Mutya ng Pilipinas Janela Joy Cuaton. 2016 Mister World Philippines Sam Adjani is brand endorser.

Actresses Ara Mina, Arny Ross, Say Alonzo, Dianne Medina; and actors Arron Villaflor and Rodjun Cruz also supported the event.

"Some Hollywood celebrities even talk of how cameras can be unforgiving to public personalities who age," said Ana Perez, president of Global Wellness Enterprise, the exclusive dealer of the Japanese brand My Daily Collagen drink in the Philippines.

Perez was referring to actor George Clooney, who last year said he had considered retiring from acting at age 55 when he realized that he was getting old and couldn't "stay in front of the camera my whole life."

"While topical collagen, or those that are injected, affect only a specific area of the body, ingestible collagen helps in the overall health of the skin," said Perez. Collagen is a type of protein  in the body that helps keep skin firm and elastic. As a person reaches the age of 30, collagen production reduces significantly. Dry, blemished or wrinkled skin are among the results of collagen loss.

The launch of My Collagen Drink on June 20 at the Solaire Resort and Casino was hosted by Miss World 2013 Megan Young and Mister World Philippines titleholder Andrew Wolff.