Get the most out of your summer spending as you also save up and enjoy rewards from Maya

Summer season is fast approaching, and many of us are looking forward to some vacation time. Whether it’s a trip to the beach or a relaxing staycation, you can continue boosting your savings without missing out on the fun with Maya, the country’s #1 digital banking app.

 

Here are some of the ways you can get the most out of your summer spending as you also save up and enjoy rewards from Maya: 

Boost your savings. Building your savings habit is easier with Maya as you can enjoy high-interest rates and daily crediting. What’s even better is that you can boost your savings to up to 10% p.a. just by doing your everyday transactions with Maya. You’ll also get a free Maya Card when you open the best-in-class savings account and deposit P1,000. 

 

Save on cash-in fees. You can get more out of your transactions as you save up on fees with Maya. Cashing in via InstaPay, for one, gives you a cashback on the InstaPay fee of up to P25. You can also enjoy free cash in via linked banks and for over-the-counter channels up to P8,000 per month. What’s more, when you top up via Maya Center, you’re in for 100% cashback on 1% cash in fee, capped at P150 per customer. 

 

Manage your expenses with Maya Credit. If you’re booking a trip but you don’t have the cash on hand and you want to better manage your finances, Maya Credit can help. Maya offers eligible customers with instant credit of up to P18,000. You can also boost your credit score the more you use Maya for your daily transactions. 

 

Get the most rewards with exclusive deals. 

·       Eyeing to upgrade your summer style with key beach-ready fashion pieces? You can enjoy exclusive discounts from Maya partner merchants. For instance, new Zalora users get a 20% off discount using Maya, while existing users can enjoy 18%. You can also get 15% off on all regular items from Michaela Bags with no minimum spend and no cap.

·       Use your Maya QR at Robinsons Malls. New users get up to P200 cashback while existing users receive up to P150 when they download, register, and complete their transaction via Maya QR with a minimum spend of P1,000. 

·       Shop at SM Store with Maya and you can earn one raffle entry for every cash-in or scan-to-pay via Maya QR transaction worth at least ₱1,000. Up for grabs are ₱3,000 Maya Credits​, Apple Airpods Pro 2, and Apple iPhone 14. 

·       Packing drinks for your trip? Shop at Boozy and enjoy P150 off sitewide when you pay with Maya and use the promo code “MAYA150” upon checkout.

·       Finally, level up your flight and accommodation bookings with Maya. With Airpaz, you get 3% discount on a minimum spend of P1,600 on flight and hotel bookings when you pay with Maya. You also receive up to 10% off on Qatar Airways using Visa.

 

With Maya’s rewards and perks this March, you can enjoy the best of summer as you also work on your money goals! 

 

Completely free to download and register, Maya packs a feature-rich money app, an inclusive digital bank, and everything else you need to manage your money—save, borrow, spend, invest and more, right from your smartphone.

 

Maya's digital banking services are powered by Maya Bank, Inc., a digital bank supervised by the BSP. Deposits are insured by the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) for up to PHP500,000 per depositor. To learn more, visit https://www.maya.ph/paydaysave. Follow Maya at @mayaiseverything on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok and @mayaofficialph on Twitter.

GrabMart renews partnership with Jolina

GrabMart, Grab Philippines’ online grocery delivery service, onboards showbiz icon Jolina Magdangal yet again as its brand ambassador – marking the second year of the artist’s partnership with the leading on-demand delivery platform for groceries and everyday essentials. GrabMart sees the pop culture diva as the fitting representative of every young parent and professional relying on safe and reliable digital marketplaces as they balance work and a happy home. 

 

Ms. Magdangal became the face of GrabMart in the second half of 2022 with the launch of #MeronSaGrabMart, a campaign that underscored the wide selection of essential goods and items housed on the GrabMart platform. As a busy modern momshie who balances having a prosperous showbiz career and a happy home, Jolina finds aid in technology to make her life more convenient and her schedule more efficient. “With GrabMart, wala akong worries kasi alam ko na pwede akong magpa-deliver ng home needs namin instead of me or my husband Mark running to the grocery store – especially whenever we need things in an instant. We just get our items delivered conveniently to our doorstep, completely hassle-free. To my fellow momshies and popshies, have more time for quality moments by relying on services like GrabMart!” Jolina shares.

Director for Deliveries Greg Camacho shares: 

“GrabMart is honored to partner once again with Ms. Jolina Magdangal. We salute her and every parent who pours in extraordinary effort to provide for their families without missing the opportunity to create special moments together. GrabMart is a solution we know can help every modern parent like Jolina enjoy a thriving career while balancing a blissful home. The reliability of our service allows all moms and dads to get essentials delivered to their homes – avoiding traffic on the way to the store and the hassles of queuing at the counter. To every Pinoy parent, if there is anything you need, we can assure you, #MeronSaGrabMart yan.”

 

GrabMart touts a wide selection of products that are ready for on-demand delivery. These include packaged food, fresh produce, healthcare essentials, personal care items, household products, and pet supplies. They are freshly packed per order, and can either be delivered instantly or scheduled for delivery. Moreover, GrabMart follows high-standard safety and security protocols to ensure the quality of the products as they are delivered to consumers.

 

GrabMart is available on the Grab App. Download it on the Apple App store or Google Play. For more information, visit www.grab.com.

 

Alanis Morissette will finally perform her special one-night concert at the Mall of Asia Arena on August 1, 2023

This is it, Philippines! 

Alanis Morissette, Canadian-American singer-songwriter, will finally perform her special one-night concert at the Mall of Asia Arena on August 1, 2023, to celebrate the 28th anniversary of her most recognized and iconic album, Jagged Little Pill. 

  

Her upcoming show in Manila is part of her tour celebrating the supposedly 25th anniversary of her album and was originally scheduled to take place at the MOA Arena on April 2020 but it was moved on December 2021, and November 2022, the shows have been postponed three times because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Jagged Little Pill captured the zeitgeist of the mid-'90s by crossing the line between Gen-X cynicism and self-realization. It was pitched somewhere between glitzy mainstream pop and angst-ridden alternative rock. The album, which produced a string of Top 10 songs like "YouOughta Know," "Hand in My Pocket," and "Ironic,". It also won five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. Making the 21-year-old Morissette the youngest performer to ever win the prestigious honor, the album was ranked number 69 on Rolling Stone’s list of "the 500 best albums of all time." 

 

Morissette won a total of seven Grammys and was nominated fourteen times. Included among her finest songs are You Learn, Head Over Feet, All I Really Want, Thank You, Mary Jane, Uninvited, Perfect, Forgiven, Right Through You, Wake Up, and many more. 

And she has been one of the most influential singer-songwriter musicians in contemporary music since 1995. Her deeply expressive music and performances have received widespread praise from critics. Jagged Little Pill, Morissette's debut album from 1995, was followed by nine more eclectic and acclaimed albums. She has composed music for theatrical releases and appeared in films both big and small. Aside from entertainment, she is a strong advocate for female empowerment, as well as spiritual, psychological, and physical well-being. Alanis Morissette launched Conversation with Alanis Morissette in 2016, a monthly podcast featuring conversations with a variety of revered authors, doctors, educators, and therapists on a wide range of psychosocial topics ranging from spirituality to developmentalism to art.

 

On December 5, 2019, “JAGGED LITTLE PILL” the musical made its Broadway debut at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City. The show was nominated for fifteen Tony Awards and won 2 Tony Awards at the 2021 ceremony. In July of 2020, Alanis released her ninth studio album, Such Pretty Forks In The Road, to rave reviews. In August of 2021, Alanis kicked off her sold out world tour celebrating 25 years of Jagged Little Pill. The tour became the #1 female-fronted tour from 2021 and one of the Top Worldwide Tours of 2021 selling over 500,000 tickets. Alanis also stars in Fox’s sitcom, “The Great North,” which has returned for season 3 in 2022. 

Alanis Morissette's upcoming concert in Manila is presented by Ovation Productions with TAPGO.TV as media partner. 

 

Tickets go on sale starting March 29, 2023, via www.smtickets.com and all SM Tickets outlets. Tickets to the previous dates will not be honored. Ovation Productions to give instructions regarding tickets refund and purchases. For updates and inquiries please visit Ovation Productions social media accounts https://ovationproductionsmanila.com/ and  https://www.facebook.com/ovationproductions/ or call (02) 8470-2222. 

The Manila Hotel partners with Manila Bulletin to bring back HATCH – a one-of-a-kind showcase of artfully crafted Easter eggs

 

For the forthcoming Easter season, The Manila Hotel, in partnership with Manila Bulletin, brings back HATCH – a one-of-a-kind showcase of artfully crafted Easter eggs. Displayed as a focal point of the Grand Lobby of the hotel, guests will be treated to a delightful display of novel collaboration of Filipino artists. 

With the aim to promote the local art scene and highlight the creative genius of local artists, HATCH: The 5th Edition features 18 uniquely customized acrylic eggs showcasing multitude of creative styles and distinct personalities of Filipino contemporary artists who come from different disciplines. Just as the artists adapted their respective unique styles of mixed media, each Easter egg has a different story to tell. 

Featured artists include: Addie Cukingnan, Agi Pagkatipuna, Al Perez, Aner Sebastian, Carlito Ortega, Carlo Magno, Cindel Tiausas, Carlos Cee Cadid, Demet dela Cruz, Migi Sebastian, Egai Fernandez, Emmanuel Nim, Jinggoy Salcedo, Margie Organo, Maria Magdamit, Migs Villanueva, Monnar Baldemor, Reen Barrera, Remy Boquiren, Roger “Rishab” Tibon. 

 

In 2020, Manila Bulletin won the gold award for HATCH during the 55th Anvil Awards. The exhibit moved from city to city where visitors were introduced to an exceptional showcase of Filipino artistry. 

HATCH will be on display at the Grand Lobby of The Manila Hotel until April 23, 2023. 

SM scholar-alumna takes the road less travelled

Teaching surpasses the realms of jobs or professions–it encompasses service, vocation, and life mission. 

Proving this day and night are millions of Filipino teachers who stand as second mothers to students. One of them is Rosalie Macaspac, an SM scholar alumna who chose to pursue a career in Special Education (SPED).

Life’s work

Choosing to teach, especially pursue SPED, is a path less travelled. Out of over 800,000 public school teachers, only about 4,000 are in SPED, and Rosalie is one of the few who took the path. For 21 years now, the SM scholar alumna has dedicated her life to teaching SPED students. She wanted to empower and give special children a voice by advocating the welfare of deaf learners.

Rosalie Macaspac (left) interprets the contents of the program for her students.

With much dedication and determination to have the right skills for her students, she pursued graduate studies in special education and Filipino sign language at the Philippine National University and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, respectively. 

She currently teaches at the Philippine School for the Deaf in Pasay, the only government-owned institution for the deaf in the country. Here, she spearheaded the numeracy skills training program for deaf learners.

Embedding grit, greatness

Her journey to becoming an educator was not easy. Her parents separated when she was three years old, and her mother became the breadwinner. 

“In the early years of my life as a three year old, awareness of how hard life is became a part of my growing up. I grew up with a mindset that whatever happens, I will not abandon my studies. Sensing my determination, my mother earned a living by washing and ironing clothes of our neighbors. I came to realize my mom had to wash and press thousands and thousands of clothes so I could finish my studies. But I did not pity myself. Instead, I kept a strong determination to battle on and promised my mother that she will not grow old and die as a laundry woman,” she said.

The weight on their shoulder became heavier when her mother became bedridden for half a year. Instead of slowing her down, it did the opposite. She continued her studies with much determination. With the help of her uncle, the Missionaries of Charity, and the puto bigas she sold, they could get by. 

She finished primary school with good grades, and was a consistent honor student in high school, despite having one centavo allowance and rice and coffee as meals. With good standing, she had her mind set on her next goal: going to college.

“Giving up or surrendering wasn’t in my vocabulary. The strong heart of my mother was passed on to me as she was my inspiration to strive to get us out of the predicament we were in,” she stressed.

“When I was in fourth year high school, I was deep in thought of what to do to support my college education.  Then, God in all His goodness, stepped in again. The Guidance Office in our school announced that the SM Foundation was offering scholarships for qualified students. I knew at that very moment that He was with me. All I had to do is to apply for the scholarship,” she recalled.

Rosalie (fifth from left) and her fellow scholar alumni take a photo with SMIC Executive Director Harley Sy (third from left)

She vividly remembers sending her SM College Scholarship program application at the Customer Service of the SM in Quiapo and how she learned on May 9, 1995 that she would be interviewed for the scholarship in room 214 of the MSE Bldg. The three-digit number has since become unforgettable for her. By June 1995, Macaspac was among the SM scholars who had started their college education under the scholarship program.

According to her, the scholarship helped her become a well-rounded individual. It was the key to the realization of her dreams and paved the way to success. The activities provided by SM Foundation, such as the scholars’ assembly, the orientation, leadership training, sports fest and annual retreat, were very memorable for her.

“Looking back, the retreats, monthly meetings and being able to work in SM as an employee, followed up by our project director boosted my self-esteem and opened my world to service,” she said.

Rosalie at the Philippine School for the Deaf

Before teaching, she first worked as a Merchandise and Planning Control-Clerk at the SM Head Office, which was then located in Calle Echague, Manila. She was hired immediately after college.

Working in DepEd has always been her dream, and she is proud of where she is today: “Since day one of my college days, I aimed to be a public-school teacher. I am happy with my work now as a High School Teacher for Deaf learners. I am so privileged that I am in this community and my heart is entwined with my students.”  

“I am not ashamed to tell my colleagues that I had a humble beginning and I thank SM Foundation for putting me where I am now. I owe these blessings to SM, Henry “Tatang” Sy, SM Foundation, Ma’am Nilda Bernaldez, and my fellow SM-Scholars, most especially, my mother. They are all the instruments to why I chose to give back to a special community and dedicate my life to being an effective SPED teacher.”