TRUEMONEY BUILDS LARGE NETWORK AND OFFERS LOW-COST MONEY REMITTANCES

“FinTech” (short for Financial Technology) is an extremely hot industry sector in business today. Talk to any tech investor or Venture Capitalist out there and they will tell you how investment into Fintech companies and start-ups has soared in the past 2 years. In 2016 alone, according to data accumulated by investment bank Financial Technology Partners, FinTech companies globally raised a total of US$36 billion in funding.

FinTech is especially attractive in emerging markets like the Philippines because of the massive opportunity to serve those without access to efficient payments and banking services today. And according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), this number of “underbanked” or “unbanked” Filipinos is still around 70% of working adults today.

However, skim through these FinTech companies and you’ll find that most, if not all, existing FinTech players have a skew towards an app-based service or digital-first business model.

Enter TrueMoney, the latest mobile financial services provider in the market. The company started out with a totally different view of how to provide FinTech services— its focus on face-to-face transactions.

“Our mission is to provide affordable and innovative financial services to those who are underbanked and underserved today,” says TrueMoney Philippines CEO Xavier Marzan. “That means going beyond a purely digital UI (user interface) and being present in the physical world where these segments are transacting today.”

The strategy seems to be working. The company has only been in operations in the Philippines for less than a year and yet has achieved a level of size and scale that some of these FinTech start-ups are still aspiring for. In a matter of months, the company has grown from nothing into an organization with hundreds of employees across the country and with a distribution network comprised of 5,000 TrueMoney Centers which they manage with a high standard. These Centers are currently capable of performing remittance transactions, bills payment, gaming credits, and even payments for e-commerce purchases.

“We need to bring underserved customers who don’t even use banking services today along a customer journey. This requires us to be pervasive across the country and be able to serve customers even in farther-flung areas,” Marzan adds. 

“Getting to this point, however, has not been easy,” says Mr. Marzan. “We had to contend with all kinds of challenges that are inherent in a ‘last mile’ business.” 

True enough, access to financial services has been hard to come by in majority of places in the Philippines, with nearly 40% of municipalities in the country not having any banking presence, according to a study by the BSP.

Currently, TrueMoney Centers in the Philippines already provide convenient payments and financial services to provinces and far flung areas including Albay, Bataan, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro, Camarines Sur, Cavite, Cebu, Davao, Ilocos, Isabela, Laguna, La Union, Metro Manila, Misamis Oriental, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon, Rizal, Tarlac, and Zambales and more!

“Where we are today is just the starting point,” Marzan says. “We are constantly growing our network of partner centers to cover more greenfield areas.” 

TRUE AFFORDABILITY

Given its large network today, TrueMoney has also started to offer domestic money remittance services. And true to its mission of providing affordable services, it has come out with one of the lowest sending rates in the country for cash-to-cash remittance services.

While the average rates for domestic remittances today range from 3 percent to more than 10 percent for some providers, TrueMoney rates go as low as only 2 percent of the transaction amount—without any additional charges to the recipient. So say for remittances of P1,000, the total cost of sending is only P20. The recipient also gets the entire amount without any additional charges.
“We are also constantly innovating our services and plan to offer more services in the future,”, says Marzan.

To know more about TrueMoney and how to become a TrueMoney partner agent, visit www.truemoney.com.ph or call (02) 7189999. You may even text them at 09778063775 (Globe) or 0998565999 (Smart).


 

Diana Stalder celebrates beauty and wellness at Gateway

I have known  Dermaline Facial Center and BCP Dermatological Corporation in Dapitan St, near UST back in the late 90s to 2001. I used to buy derma products and orange soaps from them as prescribed by my dermatologist from CGH. They are well known for their quality toners, night creams and moisturizers among beauty salons and students around the area.

Until I met its President and CEO Ms. Dina Stalder last year from Diana Stalder Face, Body, Skin Care and Beauty Cafe facial spa event at SM Megamall. Ms. Diana put up a small cafe and juice bar inside the salon. To provide instant healthy refreshment to her clients. The good thing is all the food being served is organic and gluten free. If you are watching your diet, this is the place to go as they served organic gourmet sandwiches and pressed juices.

I have tried their Instalift Luxury Facial, from the last event that I have attended from their SM Megamall branch.  It's non-invasive and an alternative to facial surgery in combination with Rgnerin Mask RT4 Retinol with Vitamin C, which stimulates cell regeneration. This treatment reduces fine lines and wrinkles, lift and tone facial muscles, firm facial contours and gives more youthful appearance. The Rgnerin Mask contains linseed oil, which softens and acts as an emollient while the aloe soothes and tones, and acts as an anti-irritant. This is their best seller facial and I have loved it.

This time around, Diana Stalder Gateway branch celebrates 3rd anniversary with a facial spa party.  Ms. Dina and her daughter Diana Stalder treated the guests with their sumptuous food.

We got to feast on their meals, desserts and pressed juices. They raffled off some Diana Stalder's beauty products to the guests and I was lucky to win. My IG post from my lemongreenteaph IG account got their nod.

Luxurious Treats

Other than quality products, Diana Stalder also provides excellent service from basic care to anti-acne, anti-aging, whitening and other medical procedures, to high quality and luxurious treatment.

This is the best time to try their imported luxe line of facial treatments because as a treat both to new and loyal customers, they are offering discounts on their most indulgent treatments from July-September, in line with the third year anniversary of their Gateway branch.  A number of these are from Casmara, a luxury beauty company from Spain with over 40 years of experience.

• The Nacar Treatment plus Blanc White is a combination of two powerful brands for fast and effective whitening plus anti-aging. It promotes skin lightening and illuminating which is suitable for all skin types, especially for skin with localized and diffuse blemishes.

• The Caviar Luxury Facial treatment plus dS Anti-Aging Kit is an Anti-Aging Fusion, which is an excellent way to get rid of wrinkles and sagging skin. Just the name alone of a Caviar Luxury facial already evokes indulgence. This is because the trace elements of caviar promote smoothness and elasticity.

• Nothing says luxury like gold, and the Skin Sensations treatment includes Casmara Gold Mask 2080, which contains 24k gold dust and seaweed extract, which tightens the face and neckline combined with intense nutrition and revitalization. The seaweed extracts provides deep moisturization.

If there’s something Dina is really proud of, it is the excellent service they provide no matter the tier of treatment you choose. “We are a favorite of various local coupon sites because we never skimp on our facial supreme treatment; it’s always 15 steps,” she says with pride. At Diana Stalder, they start with evaluating your skin. They have a machine called the skin analyzer imported from Germany, which identifies your skin type and your problem areas, and they will tailor a regimen that is suitable for you.

Diana Stalder is also certified by the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (BABTAC), and they adhere very strictly to their high standards of hygiene and aesthetics.

Diana herself, on top of her degree in pharmacy, also completed an intensive aesthetics course in the United Kingdom, where this practice is taken very seriously and involves a very high level of professionalism. This is the philosophy they apply across all their branches.

DS Cafe: Total Beauty and Wellness Concept

Because of their holistic approach to beauty, Diana Stalder also expanded their skincare center to include a cafe and juice bar. “I love cooking,” she shares, “and the food I serve here is also food that I enjoy.” Her philosophy for the cafe is to serve something that’s healthy but also enjoyable, rather than restrictive. The cafe offers salads, sandwiches, and various meals, all adhering to specific calorie counts and included healthy amounts of vegetables, protein and healthy carbs, so diners can make informed choices.

Such concept was borne from her dynamic vision who values healthy diet supplementation in better addressing various skin issues. Combining both skin treatments and healthy eating means more positive results. Adding to its offer a unique way to lose weight, Dina is the only Filipina coach of Canada’s Ideal Protein Weight Loss Program. This diet regimen utilizes precisely measured alternative food sources, customized to clients’ profiles and lifestyles for a more effective way to shed unwanted pounds in just few weeks.

Furthermore, dS Cafe promotes a healthy and relaxing way to celebrate any occasion with your family and friends with Sparty (term for their spa party), in which you can have facial and body treatments plus healthy meals and beverages.

Introducing New Healthy Recipes at DS Café

Spinach Salad with Shrimp and Quail Eggs

Ingredients:

• 2lbs (1kg) shrimp cooked
• 12 pcs quail eggs hard-boiled and sliced
• 6 cups spinach leaves
• 2 cups radicchio sliced
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Dressing:
1. Dissolve the mustard with vinegar, salt and pepper.
2. Add the olive slowly mixing very well.

Procedure:

1. To hard-boil eggs: Boil water. Add eggs. Lower temperature to simmer.
2. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove. Allow to cool.
3. Place spinach in salad bowl, add salad dressing, mix and plate. Add raddichio.
4. Top with shrimp surround with sliced eggs

NOTE: You can replace quail eggs with 8 whole chicken eggs.

Per serving: 391 Calories; 17g Fat; 51g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate

Pork Chops with Mushrooms

Ingredients:
• 1 ½ lbs (3/4kg)  pork chops 4 pieces
• 8 cups mushrooms chopped
• 1 tsp dill leaf
• 4 packets Ideal Protein Mushroom Soup prepared
• 1 tsp olive oil
• sea salt & pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Remove all fat from pork.
2. Sauté seasoned pork and set aside.
3. In same pan, sauté mushrooms. Add dill leaf.
4. Put half mushrooms in a baking dish, add pork chops and top with other half of mushrooms. Coat with mushroom soup.
5. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes or until the chops are cooked.

Per serving: 399 Calories; 19g Fat; 47g Protein; 9g Carbohydrate



Social Responsibility More Than A Business

More than just a business, Dina has also chose to be a strong advocate for causes such as the environment and community development. Dina built her manufacturing company in her hometown of San Isidro, a sleepy town in San Pablo, Laguna, providing employment and housing for people of various educational backgrounds that may not have had the opportunity otherwise. “It would have been easier to build a factory in the industrial zone,” she admits. “Everything is set up for you; all you have to do is build and plug in.” But as a daughter of a farmer, the grit and determination that served her well in business is something she applies equally to her causes, and there was never any question of not just giving back to her hometown, but empowering them.

Dina is equally proud of her company’s blue ribbon award from the Laguna Lake Development Authority that signifies environmentally responsible businesses, and it has to be said that this is a bar many other bigger companies have failed to clear. Dina animatedly talks about waste segregation and sludge/water recycling as enthusiastically as she does her company’s beauty treatments. With the help of the Mother Earth foundation, the community has also produced malunggay tea, mushrooms, and green charcoal. In what could be called a crowning achievement, in June, Dina Stalder was chosen as one of several featured honorees for Vice-President Leni Robredo’s development program “Istorya ng Pag-Asa”, that aims among other things, to inspire less privileged youth to never give up on their dreams as well as provide scholarship opportunities.

The business of the beauty is a competitive one and new trends and technologies keep popping up all the time. Both Dina and Diana constantly research and keep up by attending courses, completing certifications, and learning about all aspects relating to body care and skin care in Canada, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Dina and Diana bring the knowledge and technology back home to share with everyone. Indeed, the Stalders are continuously building their skincare empire.

To learn more of Diana Stalder’s products and services, visit the official website at www.dianastalder.com and follow us on our social media accounts; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dianastalderbydermaline, Twitter: @Diana_stalder and Instagram: @dianastalder. You may also visit the following Diana Stalder branches near you.

Gateway Mall, Basement 2, Araneta Center Cubao
02.351.0299 | 0922.822.6650

SM Megamall, 5/F Bldg A, Mandaluyong City
02.984.8188 | 0925.300.6395

SM Calamba, 3/F, Calamba Laguna
049.306.0602 | 0923.730.3738

SM Bacolod, 3/F North Wing, Bacolod City
034.468.0200 | 0932.489.7527

Robinson’s Place Iloilo, 2/F Ledesma Wing, Iloilo City
033.330.1554 | 0922.866.8236

MySlim and Miss Earth Philippines advocates of Natural Beauty

For the longest time people have associated beauty with a slim and slender figure, all you have to do  is look at all the women featured in the magazine covers each month.

In a recent article I read, however, it seems the perception of beauty actually differs in different countries. In a social experiment done to try and understand what different world cultures think is beautiful. Content marketing agency was commissioned to reach out to graphic designers around the world. The Fractl team sent a stock image of a woman posing in her underwear to designers in 18 countries — from the UK to Syria — with the message--"Photoshop her form. The idea is to Photoshop and retouch this woman to make her more attractive to the citizens of your country."

This was the original picture found on Shutterstock.

Fractl sent the image to freelance graphic designers with the message, "Photoshop her form. The idea is to Photoshop and retouch this woman to make her more attractive to the citizens of your country."

The results were both surprising and astonishing, while some of the artists made little changes, other designers made the model in the picture look like a completely different person. For example, China and Italy photoshopped image so thin the model was almost unrecognizable, while those from  Spain and Colombia made only minor changes to her figures keeping most of her curves.

Here's China and the Philippines' take-- Not to curvy and not to thin--just Slim--which I think is the more healthier look dont you agree?

Now, we are all aware of just how this generation has become so concerned about their looks partly because of social media which sometimes dictates what is acceptable and what is not.

In the world of instant gratification, fad diets, liposuction and the Kardashians, everyone still wants to be slim, but not many are willing to make the adjustments necessary in terms of diet and exercise to do it right.  Given the opportunity and resources, most people desperate to get slim won’t even think twice about having liposuction.  Those who don’t have resources scan the net for the next crash diet or miracle diuretic. 

But on the other hand, social media can also be inspiring, as you can be motivated to live a healthier life and eventually lead to a better looking you.

This generation is  starting to eat  healthier and living a more active lifestyle than ever before. Even if fastfoods are everywhere, and only a handful of organic restaurants could be found in a mall or in a food park.  Choosing low carbs, checking out labels in supermarkets,  and embracing a well-balanced protein meal is the norm. 

More people are enrolling themselves to the gym, allotting 2 hours of exercising everyday and sticking to one supplement that would help them achieve the ideal body and weight. 

Well at a recent mySlim event featuring  Miss Philippines Earth beauty beauty contestants, I guess the photo above proves our perception of beauty--Slim is Sexy and Slim is definitely in.

mySlim recently hosted an event for the media featuring some of the early favorites to win this year’s Miss Philippines Earth beauty pageant to promote its own advocacy of health and wellness.

The candidates all agree that MySlim together with the right diet and exercise has helped them achieve a more healthier figure in time for the Grand Coronation night happening on July 15 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Of the 10 candidates we met the ones that impressed me the most were--- Miss Manila because of her wit and beauty and Miss Magsaysay, Misamis Oriental because of her simplicity and charm.  Miss Earth has long symbolized beauty with purpose.  It is a pageant that uses beauty to raise awareness on serious environmental issues.  

"To most people, slimming is about looking more beautiful, but the makers of mySlim believe that beauty achieved by less than healthy means is not worth achieving.  mySlim is a slimming solution with purpose, it helps you get healthy so you can be beautiful.Beauty and slimming are two concepts that people very typically associate with each other, what’s sad is that fewer and fewer people consider good health as connected to either of those two words," says MySlim Eric Amigos.

  

mySlim is a slimming product that works in tandem with healthy lifestyle choices to create a slimmer and healthier you.  mySlim’s scientifically proven formula is a potent mix of Yerba Mate and L-Carnatine.

Yerba mate is a natural slimming agent that promotes faster fat burning, and L -Carnatine is a metabolic booster that help physical performance allowing you to maximize the benefits of exercise.  

    

mySlim helps those who help themselves, if you are willing to eat right, and to exercise regularly. mySlim will help you reach your fitness and beauty goals faster.  Just as Miss Earth is about managing the environment in a sustainable manner, mySlim is not just about weight loss, but responsible and sustainable weight management.

Epson’s flagship digital textile printer is number one large format printer for dye-sublimation inks in Vietnam

Epson, a leader in professional printing, has achieved the number one position in the graphics market for large format signage printers amongst ASEAN countries in the 3rd quarter period of 2016 to 1st quarter period of 2017 . The most recent findings from IDC reveal that Epson has taken the top spot in this segment with a market share of 19.9%. The achievement demonstrates the company’s market leadership in the region and its pioneering innovation in large format graphics printing.

Epson professional printers combine high volume and high speed production printing with quality print output along with affordability, which has helped its growth in the region. The company has continued to lead in the commercial and industrial printer markets for photo graphics, signage, textile and label printing amongst printing providers, retail stores and the like, expanding in the Southeast Asia region.

At the core of Epson’s professional printers is its PrecisionCore printhead technology consisting of the Thin-Film Piezo print chip built using precision MEMS manufacturing technology for high performance printing. Using no heat, the PrecisionCore print chips enable the development of superior Epson ink formulations that can print across a variety of media ranging from posters and signage banners and other creative installations. Multi-size dot control delivers precision printing for high-volume and high-speed printing applications.

Alongside this achievement, Epson has continued to expand its digital textile printing business in the region, with its flagship digital textile printer model, the SureColor SC-F9270 emerging as the number one large format printer in the graphics market in Vietnam for dye-sublimation inks in 2016 .

There continues to be growing demand for large format printing globally. According to IDC, large format printer (LFP) shipments and revenue grew by more than 4% year over year in 2016 . And in the digital textile printing industry, Smithers Pira forecasts 17.5% annual growth for digital textile print, with a revenue growth forecast at an annual average of 12.3% for 2016 to 2021.

“The signage, textiles and label industries are high growth markets, and we aim to continue to drive growth in the region. Especially in the textiles industry, we aim to accelerate the industry shift to digital to support the demand for short-run print jobs. We will continue to leverage our strengths in our core technologies to introduce new innovations that will help our customers to strengthen their business and lower their overall total cost of production,” said Shuji Hamaguchi, Regional General Manager (SE Asia), Professional Printing Division, Epson Singapore.

Get a chance to win two (2) movie tickets to Spider-man: Homecoming with OPPO F3

To all the Marvel fans  who have anticipated for the Spider-man: Homecoming movie this week. I had a privilege to watch the block screening in 4DX Bonifacio Cinema Square sponsored by OPPO.  It was a great Peter Parker/Spider-man movie so far, with the participation of Marisa Tomei as Aunt May and my favorite Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark and Ironman.

You too can get a chance to watch the movie for free by simply joining OPPO’s giveaway contest.

Catch the web-shooting action of Spider-man: Homecoming with OPPO F3 Black Edition. O-Fans can get a chance to win two (2) movie tickets to watch the much-awaited movie by simply joining OPPO’s giveaway contest. Participants will simply visit the OPPO Philippines Facebook fan page to join and follow the simple instructions to earn raffle entries.

Fans of OPPO Philippines Facebook page simply needs to visit http://bit.ly/OPPOSpidey to enter the contest to earn raffle entries. Participants can join until 11:59PM of July 11, 2017 and winners will be announced by the following day, July 12, 2017. A total of 150 winners will win two (2) movie tickets to watch Spider-man: Homecoming with a friend.

Experience as well the OPPO F3 Black Edition’s sleek metal and gorgeous matte black body, along with its dual selfie camera that lets you capture wide selfies to a larger area.  The 16MP front camera with beautification 4.0 allows the best natural looking selfies even at night thanks to its screen flash feature. All these on a 5.5” Full HD JDI screen, 4GB of RAM for multitasking and ample 64GB storage for heavy data users.



About Spiderman: Homecoming
A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his sensational debut in Captain America: Civil War, begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging superhero in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine – distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened.

The OPPO F3 Black Edition 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.

Experience a gastronomic showdown on 2nd Avenue's Knife Fight 3 and Hell’s Kitchen 13!

The best of the best chefs face-off on 2nd Avenue as it delivers an exclusive access to the delightful world of cooking on Knife Fight 3 and Hell’s Kitchen 13!

Sunday primetime is lit by Knife Fight 3 with its underground tournament style battle taking place during the overnight hours when restaurants close their doors to the public. 16 top chefs from the New York area face mystery ingredients that must be used in the dishes they prepare. Only one chef remains and is named New York's "Beast of the East." Former "Top Chef" winner Ilan Hall, who owns The Gorbals Brooklyn, continues in his dual role as host and judge. Joining him as judges are chefs Naomi Pomeroy and Kris Morningstar.

This August, 18 contestants vying for the top spot and to be the Head Chef at Gordon Ramsay's Pub & Grill at Caesars Atlantic City will premiere in Hell’s Kitchen Season 13 on 2nd Avenue. The show is hosted by world renowned chef Gordon Ramsay as he puts aspiring young chefs through rigorous cooking challenges and dinner services at his restaurant Hell’s Kitchen located in Hollywood. He is known for his fiery temper, strict demeanor, and use of expletives. He often makes blunt and controversial comments, including insults and jokes about contestants and their cooking abilities.

KNIFE FIGHT 3 airs every Sunday on primetime at 9 PM. Stay tuned for the premiere schedule of HELL'S KITCHEN SEASON 13 on 2nd Avenue. Don’t miss out and join the conversations at #DelightfullyReal.

Check out 2nd Avenue on htto: 2ndavenue.www.facebook.com 2ndAvenue, follow us on Twitter via @2nd_Avenue and on Instagram via @anavenuetv.

2nd Avenue is the only general entertainment channel on Free TV and Pay TV that offers diverse content, featuring delightfully driven characters for the discerning market. Seen on UHF Free TV Ch. 29, SkyCable Ch. 19, Global Destiny Cable Ch. 29, Cablelink Ch. 35, Cignal Ch. 28, and Dream Channel Satellite Ch. 32.