Salarium provides a highly customizable payroll solution that is ideal for small to medium enterprises

The last time I had my payslip was 5 years ago. I used to work in a BPO located in MOA. Everytime I took hold of my payslip, there was always a salary dispute.  Sometimes adjustment would be given after a month (after your report) or if you're lucky enough,  2 months,  to let it reflect in your payslip after a thorough checking and deliberation from the payroll people.

How I wish that someone would invent a secured app for payroll so that you can track your incentives, SSS deduction, holiday pays and overtime rendered in your mobile phones. How easy is that for both parties?

(L-R) Marc de Juan, Salarium Head of Fintech Operations, Judah Hirsch, Salarium Founder and CEO and Arianne Gonzaga, Salarium Support Manager


Then here comes Salarium app, the secured app made  for every employers in the country today. Salarium was launched last August 29 at Ralphs Wines, Arnaiz, Makati. It was graced by Salarium founder and Chief Executive Officer Judah Hirsch,  Salarium Head of Fintech Operations,Marc de Juan and Salarium Support Manager Arianne Gonzaga.

Salarium, one of the country's leading providers of intelligent technological business solutions, launches the latest version of its payroll processing software this September. Salarium partners with Unionbank to assists them with financial technology.

While Salarium already serves numerous small to medium enterprises (SMEs), the update is a complete overhaul that will bring a new level of enterprise-grade payroll to address the requirements of bigger businesses in the Philippines.

"We wanted to provide large Philippine enterprises with a highly customizable payroll solution that is ideal for solutions integrators," said Salarium founder and Chief Executive Officer Judah Hirsch. 

"Company's needs vary on a case-to-case basis, so we decided to shift to a modular microservices-based architecture. This makes Salarium ideal for integrating into an existing structure or system, and it allows us to create highly customizable technological solutions for our clients," Hirsch revealed.

A highly adaptable and business-centric software

The biggest change from previous iterations is that instead of distributing the software as a single bundle of services, Salarium now offers each service as an individual module so that large businesses need not be concerned about the difficulty of integrating the software because they can choose the specific solutions that meet their needs.


Big businesses need big solutions

Version 3.0’s modular setup is a response to the demand for scalable technological solutions to process-heavy administrative tasks. As a company grows, scalability becomes essential to maintaining the quality and reliability of its services.

Salarium’s new modules introduce independent scalability. Since services are assigned specific teams to develop them individually, deployment is much quicker, and improvements are made with greater attention to detail.

A seamless user experience

Additionally, the new update has transformed Salarium into a powerful and highly customizable asset that guarantees a scalable management system, versatile timekeeping, sophisticated payroll disbursement and convenient handling of government reports.

Salarium has also completely redesigned its user interface to make it easier to access and navigate for both administrators and employees.

Take more control over security and data privacy

Potential risk is always directly proportional to company size, especially when it comes to maintaining a secure hold over sensitive information. In the case of larger businesses, the need to tighten security around the personal data of employees only increases the more people they employ.

The update takes a state-of-the-art approach that not only covers monitoring user activity and setting advanced permission controls, it also provides an extra measure of security that is inherent to its new structure.

Customer support that continues 24/7

The largest businesses in the Philippines are heavily tied-in with the global market, rendering services and providing goods to consumers all over the world. Continuous and specialized customer support that never sleeps is one of Salarium’s competitive edges. Clients can reach Salarium at any time, through various channels and with any query so that any potential disruption of service is avoided.

Salarium wants to alleviate the administrative burden brought on by repetitive tasks so that people can focus their attention on developing skills that maximize their potential. The new update further decreases the administrative burden on human resources in the Philippines, allowing HR to focus on cultivating manpower and have a higher impact on company productivity.

See you at the first ever 2019 Spuds and Dairy Culinary Cup

When it comes to potatoes never discriminate! Mashed, roasted, fried, or stewed, its easy to create a delicious dish from our favorite spuds! 

Same goes with dairy. There's milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, butter. The list is endless!

I am excited to find out that Potatoes USA and Real California Milk have partnered to bring us the first ever. 2019 Spuds and Dairy Culinary Cup! The best of the best in the local culinary world will gather to make the most creative and delicious potato and dairy dishes. That is quite a treat! 

The 2019 Spuds and Dairy Culinary Cup will be held on Friday, September 6, 2019 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall from 1:00PM--4:00PM. Admission is free! 

The exciting competition pits teams made of a professional chef and a top culinary student together to come up with their best potatoes and dairy dishes. Teams will be provided all the necessary tools and equipment, but would have to shop for their own ingredients. A wide array of U.S. potato and California dairy products will be made available to all the contestants.

The chef will not be permitted to cook, but can only plan, mentor and oversee dish development with his partner student. Execution will all be in the hands of the culinary student. Teams will need to load up on their creative juices as categories and special ingredients will be revealed just before the competition.

The board of judges will be comprised of renowned chefs and culinary experts from Potatoes USA and the California Milk Advisory Board.

Prizes for the winning team are quite an inspiration. The pair who wins Best Potato Dish will each walk away with a cool Php 100,000 cash prize. Meanwhile, the winners of the Best Dairy Dish will hop on a plane for an all-expense paid trip to the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, California for a three-day immersion program.

Here are the 10 pairs participating in the cook-off:

 Visit the Potatoes USA Philippines or the Real California Milk Philippines Facebook pages  for competition details and to learn more about U.S. potatoes and California dairy.

Follow Real California Milk Philippines on Instagram @realcaliforniamilkph

#spudsanddairyculinarycup2019 #potatoesusa #realcaliforniamilk

Art for Everyone: Find the wall art you love at a price you can afford

To all art enthusiasts, it is now time to own your first original art piece only at the Art For Everyone exhibit at at SM Supermalls. With so many options to choose from based on your collecting style. You are sure to find an abstract painting you love to brighten up your walls.

Don’t miss your chance to discover or own art from the next renowned Filipino art master! SM Supermalls is giving millennials, young homeowners and art enthusiasts an exciting opportunity to find potential art treasures at affordable prices at this year’s Art For Everyone in 18 participating SM malls nationwide. \

Art For Everyone, the country’s biggest art fair, is ongoing now till the second week of September, showcasing thousands of paintings, sculptures, and photographs from a curated roundup of renowned and up-and-coming artists.

“Art For Everyone 2019 is SM’s way of reaching out to the art-loving public. We want to feature all types of artists and connect them with different audiences, and this includes both student and artists. The art works also inspire a refreshing vibe in the malls as shoppers and their loved ones bond over art,” says Jonjon San Agustin, SM Supermalls SVP for marketing. 

Take your friends and family to the Art For Everyone 2019 Art Fair in the following SM malls: SM Megamall (Aug. 20 to Sept. 1), SM Sucat (Aug. 18 to 31), SM Angono (Aug. 19 to 30), SM San Jose Del Monte (Aug. 19 to 31), SM Cebu (Aug 26 to Sept. 4), SM Lanang Premier (Aug. 26 to Sept. 7), SM Legazpi (Aug. 26 to Sept 8), SM Marikina (Aug. 26 to Sept 8), SM Novaliches (Aug. 26 to Sept 8), SM CDO Downtown Premier (Sept. 1 to 7), The Podium (Sept. 2 to 15), and in following malls from Aug. 19 to Sept. 1: SM Mall of Asia, SM Aura Premier, SM Batangas, SM Bacolod, SM Molino, SM San Pablo, SM Telabastagan.



For more information, visit https://www.smsupermalls.com/artforeveryone/.

Popeyes fried chicken lover wins trip to Louisiana

Popeyes  drawn its raffle winners  at the grand launch of Popeyes Arcovia City. Nichael Joseph Muncal won the grand raffle trip to Popeyes hometown in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Avid fried chicken lover,  Nichael Joseph A. Muncal, won a five-day, four-night stay for two (2) to Popeyes’ hometown in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, at the Pop-a-Trip contest at the Popeyes Arcovia City restaurant. The trip comes with hotel accommodations, round-trip tickets, and pocket money worth 500 USD.

Trip to Louisiana winner Nichael Joseph A. Muncal with Popeyes Philippines chief operating officer Rami Chahwan



Four lucky individuals were also given free supply of Popeyes fried chicken for the next couple of months. Chin Chin Obcena and Mary Rose Bautista were each awarded a year’s supply of free Popeyes Fried Chicken, while Jemalyn Bunao and Elena Leong each won six months’ and three months’ supply of Popeyes fried chicken, respectively.

The winners were drawn in a raffle held during the grand opening of Popeyes in Arcovia City.
The unveiling of the hip and more vibrant restaurant also launched the much-anticipated biscuits, cajun fries, and the world-famous Popeyes fried chicken. This signature fried chicken offering that’s juicy (but not greasy), made fresh daily, and is packed with distinct Cajun-inspired flavors from Louisiana, USA.


To learn more, visit the website at www.popeyes.ph or follow them on Facebook www.facebook.com/popeyesph, and Instagram www.instagram.com/popeyesph.

Transcom officially opened a 2-floor site at The 30th Corporate Center in Pasig

The Philippines has been at the top of the BPO industry alongside  India and China.  It has single-handedly boosted the Philippine economy for the past few years . Being the leading and most in-demand industries around the world today. There's even a BPO company situated inside the mall or near your area.  

With the continuous technological advances that are happening all over the world, digital services are becoming more relevant. That's why BPO Companies  business are booming and we should expect several interesting trends to surface this year

I used to work in a BPO company in QC , its an in-house dental insurance based in Canada. The company offers the best benefits with health insurance coverage for the whole family and some of the major perks include an incentive every week once you reached your quota. The salary that I got from BPO  paid my kids tuition fees and utility bills.  I was just thankful that I was employed with the best BPOs in the country.  

With that in mind, how would you like to work in a BPO company that houses a child care area,  gym, sleeping quarters and shower rooms, a pharmacy operated by Generika Drugstore,   and a café operated by Figaro Coffee. 

Transcom recenty launched their newest office located at Ayala 30th shopping and business center in Meralco Avenue. The event was graced by Transcom's executives led by Mark Lyndsell, Transcom’s CEO for the Global English Region and Lennart Jansson, Swedish Deputy Head of Mission.    Located on the 18th and 19th floor of the Ayala 30th shopping and business center along Meralco Avenue, the site is home to at least 1,000 employees serving customers in North America and Asia  Pacific.   

 “We believe that opening this site will reposition us in a highly -competitive BPO landscape in the the  Philippines and increase our attractiveness to our clients. On top of that, the motivation for the space  is to create an amazing environment for our awesome people that truly reflects our core values as an  organization which, of course, complements the world class brands we support,” according to Mark  Lyndsell.    

With a mix of smart, flexible, warm, and welcoming design elements, Transcom’s newsite  showcases   a design upgrade that supports the organizational transformation it began two years ago as well as  the brand refresh it launched in early 2019.     

“We wanted a design that would level up our own standard for designing and building our facilities.  With this new site, we have actually raised the bar higher in defining our organizational brand as we  invest in new spaces moving forward,” Lyndsell said.    

Paolo Xavier Ilano, an employee who has been with Transcom for seven years and who is a Transcom  TAYO Ambassador considers the site as a breath of fresh air. “The view from my office window is as  stunning as the interior design inside and outside the Production Floor,” he shared.    

Lyndsell  highlighted that compared to other Transcom sites in Manila and in the Visayas, there  are more breakout areas and open spaces at The 30th Corporate Center site. 

“We have lounges,  thinking pods and collaboration areas where our employees can simply relax, engage with  colleagues, and generate or exchange ideas. We want the amenities to help us convey the message  that we truly care for our people,” he added.  

By the 4th quarter of 2019, Transcom will start growing the site’s employee headcount through the  expansion of its business in Awesome OS,  the Davao-based customer care company it acquired in  August 2018.  The expansion will mark Awesome OS’s maiden operation in Metro Manila.    

Apart from the 30th Corporate Center site, Transcom maintains its regional headquarters site in the  Boni area in Mandaluyong and an operations site in Pasig-Tiendesitas.  In the Visayas, it operates in the cities of Bacolod and Iloilo.  Transcom in the Philippines has about 11,500 employees. 

There’s a Beautiful Bria Home for Every Filipino

Nowadays, looking for a quality and affordable home is a must if youre starting a family. Im glad that everyone has options to choose and eventually have a home that can call their own.

With children’s education and basic necessities on top of the average Filipinos’ priorities, acquiring their own home has always seemed like a remote possibility. For years,most Filipino families resigned themselves to spending a chunk of their income on rent money, staying in tiny dwellings located in congested neighborhoods. That is, until BRIA Homes came into the scene.

Now considered the fastest-growing mass housing developer in the country, BRIA Homes brandishes its winning formula—Affordability (Mura) + Quality (Dekalidad) = a Beautiful Bria Home for Every Filipino—as it makes families’ and individuals’ dream of owning a home come true.

This is why aspiring homeowners who seek affordable, sturdy, and good-quality homes turn to BRIA Homes. With over 50 mass housing projects in the country to date, BRIA has steadfastly remained true to its goal of placing such homes within the reach of average Filipino workers, who may now own well-designed condominium units and homes in modern and safe communities for as low as Php 1,897 per month.

To make it even easier for prospective buyers, flexible payment schemes like bank financing and PAG-IBIG are made available to them. 

Affordability and quality, however, are not the only key features of a BRIA home. All BRIA communities are family friendly and safe, secured by guarded entrances and perimeter fences. Recreational facilities like basketball courts are also fixtures in BRIA developments. BRIA homeowners are likewise assured of competent maintenance and administrative services from its highly trained and courteous employees. 

Finally, BRIA communities are in close proximity with hospitals, schools, churches, retail hubs, various modes of public transportation, and major roads and highways. 

To date, BRIA has built homes in Bataan, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Camarines Sur, Samar, Leyte, Negros Oriental, Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, South Cotabato and North Cotabato.

In all these progressive towns and cities, BRIA Homes is the average Filipinos’ consistent choicebecause of its affordability and high quality. 

BRIA Homes is a subsidiary of GOLDEN BRIA Holdings, Inc., considered the third largest real estate company in terms of market capitalization valued at more than P200B. The fastest-growing mass housing developer in the Philippines, BRIA Homes is primed to bring affordable house-and-lot packages and condominium units closer to ordinary Filipino families. This is the goal that drives every single employee in the company, for which the ultimate fulfillment is seeing a client happily moving into Bria’s homes. 

To know more about BRIA Homes, call (0966) 277 5944, like “Bria Official” on Facebook, and follow “@TheBriaOfficial” on Twitter and Instagram. 

Marvel and SM celebrates 80 years at SM The Block

For the past 80 years, Marvel has told stories beyond imagination, pulling in comic book readers, moviegoers, gamers, television viewers, toy collectors, and many different forms of fandom into the fantastic realm of Super Heroes. From Marvel Comics #1’s first publication in 1939 to the release of Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame in 2019, this year marks a significant milestone for Marvel as it celebrates eight decades of epic storytelling. 

With some of Marvel’s biggest fans in Southeast Asia, Marvel and SM will celebrate this legacy nationwide through Marvel 80 Years at SM, bringing thrilling new activations for Filipino fans to share their passion for Marvel’s characters and stories. This collaboration will look back at 80 years of Marvel across comics, gaming, toys, apparel, footwear, accessories, and many other consumer products at different SM Supermalls starting at The Block Atrium in SM North EDSA on August 27. 

“The Marvel Universe is about epic storytelling with a human spirit, and that's exactly what we are celebrating here with our Filipino Marvel fans at the Marvel 80 Years at SM. We believe in celebrating with the fan community and look forward to connecting with thousands of Marvel fans in the Philippines through this series of activations and retail promotions," shared Yaracel Macalindong, Director for Disney Consumer Products Philippines. 

“Over the years, the SM Group and The Walt Disney Company have worked together in bringing larger than life experiences for Filipinos nationwide. Our partnership gets bigger this 2019 as we join the worldwide celebration for Marvel’s 80th year, and bring this immersive new experience to all Marvel fans in the Philippines. Integrating efforts among key business units within the SM group, and augmenting synergies between experiences and retail, with activations and a range of Marvel products in support of this signature campaign; Marvel 80 years at SM will be another well-celebrated milestone that Marvel fans and families will love. We are thrilled to be the exclusive partner for the Marvel 80th year campaign,” said Myra Moñozca, Vice President for Licensing & Partnerships - SM Lifestyle Inc.

To celebrate Marvel’s trailblazing beginnings in the comic book industry, there will be an exhibit featuring several Marvel Comics covers such as the first issues of Spider-Man, Captain America, The Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, and many more. Filipino talents who have contributed to the world of Marvel Comics will also be recognized as part of the set up. Whilce Portacio, Adrian Alphona, Mico Suayan, Kim Jacinto, Jay Anacleto, Tony De Zuniga, Elmo Bondoc, Kevin Librandia, Rico Rival, and Leinil Yu are just some of the many Filipino artists who have made Marvel Comics into the well-loved franchise it is today.

Bringing the Marvel experience in the digital world, Marvel Games has set up immersive booths that allow gamers to step into new updates on MARVEL Future Fight, MARVEL Contest of Champions, MARVEL Strike Force, and MARVEL Puzzle Quest. 

Toy collectors are in for a treat as the Marvel 80th collection from Hasbro will be made available for sale. Toys from Funko and Lego will also be available for sale, plus life-size action figures and collectibles will be put on display.

To commemorate this celebration, special edition Marvel 80th Philippine merchandise will be exclusively available at SM, such as Marvel hoodies and shirts from Children’s Wear, Boys’ Teens Wear and Girls’ Teens Wear, and Marvel oversized plushies from Toy Kingdom. 

A gift with purchase promotion also awaits shoppers. For every P1,000 single receipt purchase on all Marvel merchandise in any SM Store and Toy Kingdom branch nationwide, shoppers are entitled to get a limited edition Marvel 80 Years collectible poster. On top of that, they can also score a premium Marvel 80 Years bag tag when they purchase any Marvel product at select Marvel 80 Years retail pop-up store in SM Malls.

“For years, SM has served as every family’s go-to place for fun, food, and leisure. Our team up with Marvel creates an extraordinary malling experience for all as we turn the iconic stories of their best-loved characters into real life entertainment,” said Jonjon San Agustin, SM Supermalls Senior Vice President for Marketing.

Don’t miss out on the chance to celebrate Marvel’s 80th anniversary! Join fellow Filipino Marvel fans at SM City North EDSA starting this August 27. Meanwhile, fans can also look forward to celebrations at SM Seaside City Cebu starting September 1 with Wave, Marvel’s new Filipino Super Hero, joining the Philippine celebrations at her very own hometown, Cebu, and be among the first to see her in MARVEL Future Fight. Marvel 80 Years at SM will be making rounds soon nationwide in more than 70 SM Supermalls nationwide. Join the conversations online at #Marvel80atSM.

Solane Kitchen Hero makes its final stop at Tiendesitas in Pasig City

There was no stopping Solane Kitchen Hero finalists to prepare for their winning dishes last August 24 at Tiendesitas  despite the rainy weather. The cook- off was attended by Solane executives led by lsla LPG Corp. CEO Ruben Domingo, chef and Solane Kitchen Hero ambassador Chef Sau del Rosario, Solane Kitchen Hero competition director Nancy Reyes-Lumen. 

Solane, the leading LPG solutions brand, is down to its last leg as Solane Kitchen Hero Chefs' Edition makes its final stop at Tiendesitas in Pasig City, Metro Manila. 

Solane Kitchen Hero is the first-ever cooking competition that aims to discover the next big name in the culinary world. 

‘Through this competition, we aim to recognize these chefs who are vital in bringing Filipino cuisine to the world stage. At the same time, we are on a journey to explore and highlight Filipino specialties that are unique to our provinces,” said lsla LPG Corp. CEO Ruben Domingo. “We’re on to our last stretch of the culinary competition and we’re back in Metro Manila to name the last Solane Kitchen Hero contender.” 

Solane Kitchen Hero has conducted a total of 15 competition legs in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, resulting in 15 Solane Kitchen Hero finalists. The regional winners will compete in the semi-finals where the top 5 qualifiers will move on to the grand finals for the hnal cook-off to find out who among them will be hailed the champion of Solane Kitchen Hero Chefs’ Edition. 

For this one-of-a-kind oook-off, participants must be Filipino professional chefs with at least three (3) years of kitchen experience gained locally or abroad. They must be currently employed as a professional chef in a hotel, restaurant, or any food service establishment. 

The culinary creations will be judged by renowned chef and Solane Kitchen Hero ambassador Chef Sau del Rosario and bestselling author and Solane Kitchen Hero competition director Nancy Reyes-Lumen together with Chef Karla Reyes, Chef Myke Tatung, and food writer Nina Daza Puyat. 

It will be based on the following criteria: 50% featured ingredients and 50% originality and creativity. The competition will conclude on September 6, 2019 at Elements at Centris in Quezon City.

The winner of Solane Kitchen Hero Chefs’ Edition will take home P100,000 and will embark on a culinary trip to Japan with customized stops at different food and drink destinations. This exciting cooking contest is made possible with the support of dynamic organizations and brands championing the same passion for cookery in the country. STl serves as their official school partner while Midea is a co-presenter. 

Major sponsors are Masflex, Jolly, Jolly Heartmate Canola Oil, Dona Elena, and Dona Elena Al Dente. Minor sponsors are King Sue, Ajinomoto, Philtranco, Fastcat, Chef's Garb, and National Bookstore. 

To know more about Solane Kitchen Hero Chefs Edition, visit Solane’s website www.solane.com.p_h and Facebook page httns://www.facebook.com/solane. hl.