Young culinary talents shine anew in Jolly University Year 5 Grand Cook-Off finale

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Immense culinary prowess and kitchen showmanship by the most promising campus bets in the country shone the brightest at the successful finale of Jolly University (JU) Year 5 Grand Cook Off held at the St. Scholastica’s College in Manila last March 15.

The culinary competition among the top 20 elite finalists focused on elevating one’s culinary passion and recreating everyday dishes with this year’s theme “Innovate. Create. Share.” JU Year 5 is aimed at testing the kitchen skills and creativity of challengers in coming up with their best dish creations under the modern Filipino and fusion categories. The Grand Cook-Off attracted hundreds of culinary and HRM college students from campuses all over the metro and nearby locations.

The top 20 finalists are: Richmond Suntay (University of Sto.Tomas), Jericho Pareja (Lyceum of the Philippines University-Manila), Jenald Pascual (NCBA Fairview), Phoebe Punzalan (CEU-Makati), Zire Oliver Romero (Lyceum of the Philippines University-Manila), Andrea Marie Saclao (Lyceum of the Philippines-Manila), John Phillip Brocoy (Emilio Aguinaldo College), Moeko Shinshi (San Juan de Dios Educational Foundation Inc. College), Jesch Bodano (Far Eastern University-Manila), Tyrone Lemuel Ty (University of Sto. Tomas), Rafael Imalay (NCBA Fairview), Camille Dizon (Metropolitan Medical Center College of Arts, Sciences, & Technology), Ma. Trixia Joyce Sevilla (St. Scholastica’s College-Manila), Patricia Ong (Chiang Kai Shek College), Dustin Ryan Agoncillo (Metropolitan Medical Center College of Arts, Sciences, & Technology), Ria Daniel Arugay (San Sebastian College Recoletos), Daryanne Chanel Yongco (University of Sto. Tomas), Eduard Vargas (Earist), Pauline Galang (Manila Tytana Colleges) and Janzel Dayag (St. Joseph College Quezon City).

This year’s sole grand champion took home fifty thousand pesos (P50,000) worth of cash and prizes.

“A successful program takes time to build. While we envisioned JU’s success, we are still overwhelmed by how it sparked the flames of curiosity, creativity, and the cooking abilities of so many students in the past five years. JU indeed has grown to become a long-running program that is greatly supported by the academic communities as well as partners from various industries. By doing so, everyone took part in making the program thrive dynamically throughout the years,” Lucio Cochanco, Jr., President of Fly Ace Corporation, commented.

“We are really excited for Year 5 of Jolly University. It’s great to see a new batch of talented and very promising campus culinary talents going all out as they presented to us their innovative modern renditions of Filipino classics and fusion recipes,” said Abigail Ng-Reyes, AVP for Marketing of Fly Ace Corporation.

As to how the JU program is different from other culinary competitions hosted by food brands or organizations, Ramon Daez, General Manager of Fly Ace Corporation, said that “Jolly University has grown to become a prestigious campus-wide cooking competition that’s deeply committed in harnessing young students’ talents in cooking, pushing their creative boundaries as they come up with a prize-winning dish entry. It also promoted out-of-the-classroom learning experiences, the sharing of industry-ready culinary skills and techniques while also teaching the values of leadership, cooperation, professionalism, and creative showmanship.”

“Besides the prize and fame, another unique aspect of JU is that it creates and supports youth role models. Past JU grand winners become influential role models to fellow students, and as ambassadors of a homegrown food brand that is proud to help empower the youth through cooking. For participants, the program acts as a learning platform and vital stepping stone to their career paths as future food industry entrepreneurs and culinary professionals,” Geetan Raghani, Associate Product Manager for Jolly Food Line added.

For Year 5, greater social media engagement was achieved via the Golden Ticket mechanics wherein two of the chosen top 20 JU finalists can advance immediately to the final round during the cook-off. The two contestants who automatically earned the final slots are Richmond Suntay of UST for whose dish photo garnered the Most Likes and Shares on FB and Ria Arugay of San Sebastian Recoletos for the Most Jolly Canned Vegetable Product Labels Collected.

A program that began in 2013, JU encourages diversity as well as collaboration across and beyond academic borders while effectively transferring key skills to talented young students. Serving as a springboard to prepare aspirants in their future careers, the highly successful campus-wide competition nurtures cooperative relationships among students and institutions in promoting culinary excellence and food business innovation in the Philippines.

Here are the winners of the Jolly University Year 5 Grand Cook Off.

• Grand prize winner: Tyrone Lemuel Ty of University of Santo Tomas.
Winning entry: Hainanese Chicken Binakol Noodle Soup (mushroom & young corn stuffed chicken roulade with egg noodles, vegetables and coconut shreds in creamy coconut broth)

• 1st runner up: Richmond Joseph Suntay of University of Santo Tomas
Winning entry: Shepherd’s Rendang

• 2nd runner up: Patricia Ong of Chiang Kai Shek College
Winning entry: Thai Pork Mushroom Longganisa, Suman with Crispy Shallot-Garlic Latik and Coconut Cream Foam served with Fried Egg and Green Mango Salad

Jolly University Year 5 Grand Cook-Off is made possible with the support of event sponsors: St. Scholastica’s College, Masflex, Fujidenzo, Whirlpool, Tecnogas, UCPB, Jolly Cow, Lotus Biscoff, Doña Elena, May Sparkling Grape Juice, and Good Life.

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About Fly Ace Corporation. Fly Ace Corporation is one of the leading food and beverage consumer goods companies in the country today. Propelling limitless multiple-category growth by bringing the best of the world closer to Filipino consumers, Fly Ace Corporation’s portfolio of food and beverage products includes house brands and exclusively distributed brands. To learn more about Fly Ace, visit http://www.flyacecorp.com.

About JOLLY. JOLLY is a canned fruits and vegetable line marketed and exclusively distributed by Fly Ace Corp. For more updates, visit jolly.com.ph or like its official Facebook fanpage or follow via Twitter and Instagram (@jollyeatsph).

Launching of a new Power Tools in the Philippine Market

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With over 50 years of experience in the power tools industry that is guaranteed to be the
best of its kind, Kress finally sets foot on the Philippine market.

The launch of the German brand, Kress, is set to happen on March 6, 2019, at the
Grand Hyatt Manila. This event will incorporate power and style, making it an
establishing image of Kress power tools in the Philippine market. Equipped with 90 years
of experience in the field of electric motors R&D and production, Kress has continued to
provide the best quality power tools in the market. Their designs have continuously
become the standard for power tools. With its innovative, powerful and high quality
products, Kress has gained a notable worldwide reputation as a brand.

Kress started in 1928, the year that the brand was founded and started its production in
a Swabian town located at Tübingen-Lustnau, Germany. Their focus on the earlier years
of their brand has been set on motor R&D manufacturing. In the year 1964, they have
successfully produced their first power drill which became a hit in the German power
tools market. Due to the success of their first creation, they professionally started their
power tool career.

Their latest product is the innovative change up of a traditional mower into a robotic
lawnmower. This latest robotics design exactly knows its way and optimizes its own
route while effortlessly controlled using the special app on a smartphone. This is a huge
leap forward from the traditional lawnmower where one wastes a lot of time and effort in
mowing the lawn, especially the edges. This robotics lawnmower also promotes the
health of your lawn. The temperature, precipitation, and sunlight are important factors
that keep the growth of the lawn. With this kind of advance technology, Kress’ robotic
lawnmower keeps mowing of your lawn easy and effortless.

Kress Powertools have won awards acknowledging their innovative products. The most
recent achievement they have received in 2018 was from the Red Dot Design Award
which is an international product design and communication design award given at
Essen, Germany.

With the launch of Kress power tools in the country, the Philippine market will welcome a
brand that upholds to their slogan: Powered by Tradition. The worldwide reputation of
the brand’s products is an unquestionable proof of its durability, power, and quality. This
further provides their clients and even future clients the validation that Kress power tools
will be a brand of the future, not only in Power tools but a “ONE STOP SHOP” for
professional range of Handtools, Welding Machines, Garden Tools and Accessories

Cebuana Lhuillier launches easier, more convenient way to save through micro savings product.

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The launching coincides with the introduction of “#KayaNa: Unbamked Filipinos No more Movement”

In fact, only 33% or 551 cities in the Philippines have access to banking institutions. The numerous documentary requirements is a major turn off for many, along with the high cost of initial deposit, high maintaining balance, as well as, high dormancy charges.

The product is in line with the Cebuana Lhuillier’s mission of financial inclusion, which has been the thrust of the company for the past 30 years.

“With BSP’s basic deposit framework, Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings completes the full roster of our services, all designed and developed with financial inclusion in mind. We’ve come full circle—from offering collateralized loans or pawning, remittance service, micro insurance and now, micro savings—all of these products were designed with Filipinos from all walks of life in mind especially the unbanked and underserved, who would not have access to these financial services given their circumstances in life,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, president & CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier.

This will provide Filipinos with a more convenient and affordable means to save their hard-earned money.

Their wide network of branches comprised of 2,500 retail infrastructures, account holders can deposit and withdraw anywhere at their most convenient hours.

Acting as a cash agent of the Cebuana Lhuillier Rural Bank (CLRB), micro savings is Cebuana Lhuillier’s platform for Filipinos to overcome the barriers to saving. While Filipinos like to save, they opt to keep it at home according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)

The lukewarm attitude of the masses towards opening a savings account is attributed to the barriers to saving in banks. The lack of access to banks among the country’s many cities and municipalities remains as the top deterrent, according to a BSP study.

The app is just the first step in a long line of innovations connected to the micro savings product – on top of which is its migration to an EMV-enabled card which can be accessed through ATMs (automated teller machines).

It will also carry a debit and credit facility for online and cashless shopping, provide access to auxiliary services and help corporate and MSME (micro, small, and medium enterprises) clients manage their business through payroll cash management solutions.

Furthermore, it will progress to provide more value with features like remit-to-and-from savings account; pay and deposit from savings account; and an international remit-to-account feature which will provide convenience to Filipinos abroad in sending money to their families in the Philippines.

This innovation will also allow clients to have safe and convenient access to their accounts in all Cebuana Lhuillier branches, Cebuana CARES, agent partners, and all online and mobile channels, as well as, access to all CLRB branches set to establish presence nationwide. For easier access, self-service kiosks in Cebuana Lhuillier branches will also be put in place.

All these efforts to make savings accessible to every Filipino are part of Cebuana Lhuillier President & CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier’s vision on financial wellness.

“Cebuana Lhuillier is also adapting a new philosophy, which is financial wellness. Our goal is not just to provide quick cash to the underbanked and unbanked for their short-term financial needs but to become an enabler for a better future for them. Allowing more and more Filipinos to steer their own direction and be captains of their own ship. We want to help them graduate from being dependent through bridge financing options for them to experience financial freedom,” Lhuillier said.

Focusing on the progress of Aklan

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There is nothing Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco Jr. wants more than to see his fellow Aklanons achieve a certain level of success in life. And why not, Nonong Haresco as he is lovingly called in the lone district of Aklan, is living proof of what hard work can do to change a person’s life.

Finishing with honors in Economics and in Accounting, his determination developed his little startup turned into a 50-hectare prawn-farming venture in his hometown of Ibajay, Aklan and he would find himself catering to big name restaurants in the metro.

After completing his M.A. in International Economics at the McGill University in Canada, Haresco participated in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development-International Trade Center in Switzerland where his business acumen led to the formation Haresco Trade Specialists Co. and Silver Thread Inc., which exported local capiz shells to the European country.

Clearly, his life is set with all he has accomplished outside of the Philippines. And yet, Haresco decided to return to Aklan with the hope that he can help uplift the lives there.

To say that he has a heart for the less privileged would be a huge understatement. But instead of simply giving them food, he would rather encourage them to set up their own small business ventures—as he once did when he was younger—to make them self-sustaining. Such is the love of Haresco for Aklan and its residents and perhaps it is the proud Ilonggo in him that makes him a firm believer that the microenterprise industry has the ability to uplift individuals as long as they put in the commitment and dedication.

To eventually be able to provide jobs for others in their communities and help in the development of its socio-economic sector is a vision Haresco continues to aspire for Aklan.

Happily married and a loving father of four, his contributions to the development of Aklan and the Philippines are well documented. As of date, Congressman Nonong Haresco has authored and co-authored more than 60 house measures including HB00111, an act establishing a mechanism for the sustainable development and use of the island of Boracay; HB00115, an act increasing the bed capacity of Ibajay District Hospital from 25 to 100; HB02239, an act granting P1,000 monthly stipend by way of financial assistance to centenarians; HB02240, an act exempting users of electronic vehicles from the payment of road user’s tax; HB02241, an act to prescribe nutrition labeling for food products; HB02323, an act granting P500 monthly allowance to barangay tanods; HB02414, an act amending section 5 of Republic Act No. 10121, otherwise known as an act strengthening the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System; HB02415, an act to combat abuse and increase penalties for crimes against senior citizens; HB03192, an act providing for the establishment of barangay drugstores, otherwise known as “Botika sa Barangay”; HB03366, an act penalizing anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominant position, and anti-competitive mergers, establishing the Philippine Fair Competition Commission; HB03776, an act empowering the micro, small, and medium enterprises; and HB04335, an act requiring mandatory installation of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras on major roads included in routes of public utility vehicles among others.

Aside from these, some of his milestone accomplishments include being the only Visayan and Aklanon to receive the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Businessman of the Year Award (2007) and the Deutsche Bank Banker of the Year Award (2005). He was People Asia’s Person of the Year and graced the cover in 2008 and is one of the Modern Day Filipino Heroes (2008), as well as one of 23 Filipinos cited in the book celebrating 347 years of Philippine-British Relations. His company WINSOURCE Solutions Inc. has been a five-time recipient of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise.

Haresco likewise conceptualized the President’s Bridge Programme (PBP) as a parallel intervention to regular government infrastructure programmes. This very successful reengineering model in the Philippines is being duplicated in Sri Lanka, Papa New Guinea, Cambodia, Siberia, and in other parts of Asia.

Haresco is also the principal developer of a nationwide scholarship fund for the children of slain journalists and has put 34 young scholars through school since 2007

Asian Cultural Council partners with Leon Gallery for benefit auction

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Rare masterpiece works, furniture, and important historical documents shine under the spotlight in the Asian Cultural Council Art Auction 2019.

A partnership with Leon Gallery five years running, the auction will benefit the ACC Philippines Fellowship Program, which has helped hone home-grown artists and produced eight Philippine National Artists including Lamberto Avellana, Francisco Feliciano, Jose Joya, Lucrecia Kasilag, Jose Maceda, Alice Reyes, Ramon Santos, and Kidlat Tahimik.

Established in 2000, the ACC Philippines Foundation has been giving four to six grants every year, according to Director Teresa Rances.

“Our partnership with Leon Gallery has been very fruitful and it’s especially thanks to Jaime Ponce de Leon,” Rances says. “He has a very big heart for Filipino artists.”

This year, over 100 lots will be up for bidding including a rare Lorenzo Guerrero, “Manila” (1868) oil on wood; a pair of signed Damian Domingo watercolor on paper “Una India de Manila” and “Un Indio Noble de Manila”; Anita Magsaysay-Ho’s “Sineguelas Gatherers” and “Two Women”; Vicente Manansala’s “Ang Pulubi” (1979) and a 34×50 Amorsolo “Cooking Under the Mango Tree”.

Also up for auction will be H. R. Ocampo’s “Nude” (1970), Ronald Ventura’s “Untitled” (2014), Lao Lianben’s “Asian-3” (1989), and BenCab’s “Draped Figure III” (2010).

There will also be a lot of Juan Luna watercolor sketches, as well as the artist’s actual leather pencil case.

A narra and rattan four-poster bed from the last quarter of the 19th century by foremost furniture maker Ah Tay will also be up for biding. Isabelo Tampinco is represented by a rare divan (aka Cleopatra) that displays all his iconic motifs. A first for this auction is a lyrical hat rack in kamagong designed by Maximo Viola, Jose Rizal’s best friend in Europe.

ACC fellows will also have works up for bidding including Anton del Castillo’s “Kapit Lang”, oil on gold leaf; Riel Hilario’s “The Guardian of One’s Flowering and Fruition”, carved wood; Dex Fernandez’s “Barred in the Wilderness”, acrylic, ink, thread on paper; Ambie Abano’s “Malaya”, woodcut on textile on board with canvas painted with acrylic; Leeroy New’s “Moonscape”, fiberglass, automotive paint, epoxy, wooden frame; and Sam Penaso’s “Humanscape”, acrylic on stainless.

“2019 is a milestone year as we celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Asian Cultural Council Philippines Foundation’s amazing partnership with Leon Gallery,” ACCPF Chairman Ernest Escaler says. “With profound gratefulness, we recall the past four years as grace-filled opportunities for charity through our fundraising campaigns bannered as the ACCPF Art Auction. Our events would not have been as successful if not through the leadership and acumen of Jaime Ponce de Leon and his tireless team.”

Get first dibs on the Honor 10 Lite exclusively on Shopee

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Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, once again partners Honor to launch its latest premium smartphone, the Honor 10 Lite. Starting January 25, over 21 million Shopee users in the Philippines can enjoy an exclusive 15% off the new Honor 10 Lite, a refreshed variant of the hit Honor 10, available at just ₱8,491 instead of the usual ₱9,999. In addition, a limited special bundle featuring an Honor Band 4 Running, Honor Gift Box, and an Honor foldable luggage worth ₱3,000 in total will be up for grabs for the earliest buyers of the Honor 10 Lite on Shopee.

Martin Yu, Associate Director, Shopee Philippines, said, “Honor was consistently among the best-selling brands on Shopee throughout 2018, highlighted by the immense success of the Honor 10 flash sale on Shopee in June. Our ongoing Super Gadget Zone Sale, which ends on January 25, has also done very well and we are excited to build on this momentum with the exclusive launch of the Honor 10 Lite. As the demand for premium tech products continues to grow in the Philippines, Shopee will bring even more unbeatable deals on leading brands to our Filipino users in 2019.”

Wang Yang, Country Director of Honor Philippines, said, “We are very proud of the new Honor 10 Lite, and we are very excited to partner Shopee for its debut. Honor has grown our online presence rapidly since joining Shopee in 2018, with our orders increasing by over 350%, and we believe this partnership can reach even greater heights in 2019. Honor is always focused on providing consumers with top quality and innovative mobile devices, and we are confident the Honor 10 Lite will be a big hit on Shopee Philippines.”

The Honor 10 Lite comes in three colors: Sapphire Blue, Midnight Black, Sky Blue. Boasting a stylish gradient finish on the rear and a minimalist dewdrop display notch, the phone continues Honor’s streak of inspired designs that has been a huge hit in the country. From January 25, Filipinos can be the first to get their hands on the Honor 10 Lite exclusively on Shopee.

For more information, visit http://bit.do/shopeeph.
Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

Discover and nurture your child’s talent at Promil Four iShine Talent Camp 7

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Each child is born with a talent that can appear in any form. Various activities can unlock their potential which is just waiting to be discovered. From singing to acting, and anything in between, your child’s gift can be nurtured through Promil Four’s i-Shine Talent Camp 7, a summer talent development program in partnership with experts to help kids 6-11 years old become their very best.

Get ready to discover and develop your child’s talent and passion as Promil Four launches the newest season of its talent development program, thei-Shine Talent Camp 7. As the brand stays true to its mission of nurturing the gift, the next generation of awe-inspiring kids will be guided to reach their full potential in the fields of performing and visual arts through mental, physical and social stimulation workshops.

Kids ages 6 to 11 can enjoy a whole new level of fun and experience interactive learning with Promil Four’s i-Shine 7 featuring Art, Music, Dance camps, and its two new camps, Theatre and Ballet. These camps are managed by the finest experts/mentors of the country. Teachers Robert Alejandro and Kara Escay from Papemelroti will coach the Art Camp, Maestro Ryan Cayabyab returns as the camp master for the Music Camp, while Teacher Georcelle Dapat-Sy of the G-Force Dance School leads the Dance Camp. Furthermore, Audie Gemora heads the Theatre Camp, whereas Lisa Macuja-Elizalde guides the Ballet Camp.

All six mentors were presented during the launch of i-Shine 7, which also featured a talk by Dra. Leticia Penano-Ho, the President of the Philippine Center for Gifted Education. Dra. Ho talked about the importance of documenting the child’s journey to further help them develop their skills.

Also lending her skills and talent during the launch was a self-taught freelance photographer and “Promil kid” Shaira Luna who shared some photography tips during her Creative Documenting & Scrapbook Making Workshop. Meanwhile, the launch was hosted by seasoned actress Dimples Romana, who has been hosting the i-Shine Talent Camp ever since its beginning.

Promil’s philosophy is to instill the importance of not only proper nutrition, but also proper parenting and guidance to fully support a child’s proper growth and mental development. This is in line with the brand’s advocacy of actively involving parents in helping nurture the gift of their child.

Promil Four i-Shine 7 Camps will run from April to May 2019, and will be administered not only in different cities around Metro Manila, but also in more locations around the country like Batangas, Cebu, and Davao to allow kids outside Metro Manila to experience what i-Shine has to offer. As it is important to hone and encourage kids’ talents at a young age, there will be a grand recital after the camp duration to showcase what kids experienced and learned during the camps.

Past i-Shiners include Lucas Magallano of season 2 and Yesha Camile of season 3 who, after the camp, went on to let their talents shine through special performances in various events.

Know more about i-Shine and reserve a camp slot for your child now! Visit www.promilnurturethegift.com.ph/ for more details.

Eight Magical WaysThat Could Transpire your 2019

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No matter how good or bad 2018 had been, there’s no denying that we all want something magical to happen this 2019. We’ve got high hopes for the new year to be full of unbelievably amazing surprises in all aspects of our lives — love, family, career, and more. Here are 8 things that are on our bucket list!

Swertehin sa seat sale

Be part of the seat sale abangers club and grab every opportunity to explore new places at really cheap prices! Who knows, with all the travel you’ll be doing this 2019, you might even get bumped up to Business Class on one of your many flights!

Getting noticed by your all-time favorite artist

Seeing your favorite artist perform live is an out-of-this-world experience. But if there’s anything that will make the experience more magical, it’s that you could be one of the few fans they reply to on social media after all your crazy Instagram stories during the concert!

Getting that big promotion

Let 2019 be the year you go the extra mile in the career you are pursuing. Your out-of-the-box thinking, determination and hard work will definitely not go unnoticed. You might even be in the running for a work promotion or receive the Employee of the Year award!

Surprising your parents by learning how to drive

Tired of waiting forever to book a ride? Maybe it’s high time you learn how to drive. It’s a skill worth learning and can even help you rack up pogi points! Plus, imagine surprising your parents one day by picking them up from work in your brand new car. Their reaction will be one you’ll treasure forever!

Conquering your fear during an out-of-town trip

No one ever really knows what can happen during an out-of-town trip, especially one without a fixed itinerary. Your friends might just sign you up for parasailing or cliff-diving without knowing your fear of heights. But if it’s an opportunity to conquer your fears, then you should take them! Surprise yourself by taking that leap of faith!

Finding that winning business idea from your passions

Remember that thing you’ve always wanted to do but never had time for? Be sure to make it happen this 2019! Find time to work and develop your ideas for your passion projects and bravely introduce it to the world. Customers will definitely come, and there might just be an unexpected investor who will want to partner with you and help your business grow.

Mapansin ni crush

Hey, it’s possible! If you haven’t been in luck for the past year (or years), it’s time to turn that all around with your newfound confidence and charm. Who knows, with the number of people trying to get your attention, you might even meet “The One” who will sweep you off your feet with romantic dinners for two, or even a fun and relaxing daytrip to the beach!

Bringing a little magic to those in need

We all need a little magic in our lives. Doing something as simple as donating pre-loved clothing or giving food to the poor you always see outside of your office can make a huge difference. There’s nothing more magical than being able to help out, and if you believe in good karma, your goodness will always come back to you tenfold.

These unbelievably magical moments don’t always come by, but it doesn’t take much for them to happen either. Whether it’s something as big as meeting your favorite band or as simple as sharing Magic Crackers with family and friends, amazing surprises await you.

Spread some Magical Moments by sharing Magic Crackers with those you love especially as we enter the new year. All it takes is your favorite Magic Crackers and, who knows, lightning may strike to signal that magical moment!

New Year, New Movies at SM Cinema!

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SM Cinema welcomes 2019 with a bang as it brings you adventure, action and excitement in upcoming blockbuster flicks Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns and Paramount Pictures’ Bumblebee!

A sequel to Walt Disney’s 1964 classic, Mary Poppins, the world’s favorite magical nanny is back and will surely drive us again to an adventure of a lifetime.

Set in the 1930’s London, Mary Poppins Returns follows the now-adults Jane (Jane Mortimer) and Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) together with Michael’s children as they face a personal loss and a family problem. In the time the family needs her the most, Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) is back to the rescue to help the family and cope with the most difficult time of their lives.

Another new film to open our 2019 is the latest movie offering from the Transformers’ franchise focusing on the adventures of one of the most favorite Autobots, Bumblebee!

Catch Mary Poppins Returns and Bumblebee on January 8 at IMAX theatres, Director’s Club and SM Cinema branches nationwide. Book your tickets through the website, www.smcinema.com or download the SM Cinema mobile app. You may also follow /SMCinema on Facebook and @SM_Cinema on Instagram for updates!

Shopee and Jose Mari Chan Donate ₱1 Million to San Juan Nepomuceno School for Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale

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Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, celebrates the success of Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale by giving back this festive season. Shopee, together with its Christmas Ambassador, Jose Mari Chan, ran a donation drive where all proceeds from the sale of Jose Mari Chan’s Going Home to Christmas album via the JMC Music Official Store on Shopee would go towards the funding of the San Juan Nepomuceno School’s educational and renovation programs. With the help of users, Shopee raised a total of ₱500,000 from the sale of the album. This amount was matched dollar for dollar by Jose Mari Chan, amounting to a total of ₱1 Million donated to the school.

Terence Pang, Chief Operating Officer, Shopee, said, “Shopee would like to thank our users for joining us in this meaningful cause. We are heartened by the response received and by Jose Mari Chan’s heart-warming generosity. This quarter has been extremely fulfilling for Shopee as we not only clocked in major milestones with the success of our of Shopee 11.11 – 12.12 Big Christmas Sale, but also continued to do our part for the local community.”

“I am so pleased to be helping a school that we’ve been supporting for a long time. I am grateful to be part of the Shopee family. This has been a very fulfilling experience and I would like to thank everyone for their warm support,” said Jose Mari Chan.

The final wave of the Shopee 11.11 – 12.12 Big Christmas Sale concluded on a high note with the Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale. On 12 December, Shopee saw over 12 million orders across the region, surpassing all past records including the recent Shopee 11.11 Big Sale. In the Philippines, Mobile and Accessories, Health and Personal Care, and Women’s Apparel were the top three most popular categories. Leading brands, including Maybelline, the SM Store, Xiaomi, and Pampers emerged as favourites amongst users.

For more information, https://shopee.ph/.
Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.