Experience the Third Branch of Book & Borders at Cafe Eastwood

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Get the“me”-time you deserve by indulging in delicious drinks and comfort food along with your choice of bookat this charming urban cafe.Having already opened branches in Tuscany, McKinley Hill, Taguig; and Tomas Morato, Quezon City, Book & Borders Cafe is proud to unveil its third cafe in Eastwood City, giving residents, office workers, students and shoppers a new venue to dine and unwind after a tiring day.

Formally opening its doors on Saturday, November 26, 2016, Book & Borders promises great food, awesome drinks, and hours of fun reading. To celebrate this milestone, Book & Borders owner Kristine Simisim, Mary Simisim, Megaworld’s Kevin Tan, General George Ancheta, Benjamin Alves, Karylle Tatlonghari-Yuzon, Architect Paolo Grijalvoand Harry Morris led the ribbon cutting ceremony.

As guests were invited to check out the bright, cozy space, they were also treated to special dishes that were thoughtfully prepared by the resident chef. Aside from the cafe’s signature drinks such as the Salted Hot Chocolate, Iced Coffee Fudge, and Hazelnut Frappe, guests enjoyed delicious comfort food like the Barbeque Liempo with Rice, Fried Tuyo with KesongPuti Pasta and Seafood Aligue Pasta.

As the guests wined and dined, singer and self-confessed bookworm, Karylle, serenaded the guests with renditions of her favorite songs. Christian Bautista, Carlo Orosa, Keiko Necesario, Gio Levy and Bullet Dumas followed it up with another round of special performances. More than offering a cozy escape to read and study, Book & Borders Eastwood becomes a welcoming space where you can enjoy a quiet meal with friends, family or your special someone. Pass the time, avoid the traffic,and savor the calm and quiet at Book & Borders Eastwood.

Serving all-day breakfast, cakes, rice meals, pasta, sandwiches, your favorite coffees and more, you can find Book &Borders Eastwood at the ground floor of Olympic Heights Condominium in Eastwood City, Libis. For more information, follow Book & Borders on Instagram @bookandborderscafe, or call (0932) 871 5560 and (02) 584 2465.

Devant Changing Lives in a Big Way

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A Holiday Treat From Devant’s 7:30PM G2G

The holiday season is just around the corner, and with it comes an air of good cheer and lots of family time!

Friends and families all find time to converge in one place to swap memories, share new stories, and of course, partake of the staple feast everyone looks forward to during holiday gatherings.

And you know what’s another favorite activity? TV time! It doesn’t seem to matter what everyone watches: The latest movie, a favorite series, a game show, a video of everyone’s unforgettable getaway, or even playing a new video game — no matter what the family is watching or doing, TV makes a great tool for bonding.

The Devant Habit

Have we really become slaves to technology? Well, it depends on how you see it. Although one can’t deny the addicting appeal of having and doing everything at a touch of a finger, there’s also the side of technology that offers us such amazing convenience.

Technology offers everything — an avenue to shop without leaving the house, ways to share memories with loved ones leaving far away, easy communication, and the availability of information wherever you are.

It is this convenience that Devant, aims to tap and promote by delving deep into what matters most — one’s family. Driven by the tagline “Changing lives in a big way,” Devant hopes to instill the importance of strengthening personal ties by simply enjoying a simple habit — watching TV.

7:30PM TV G2G

Through the project 7:30 PM TV Get Together, Devant hopes to create moments where people can take a break from their busy schedules, and spend some quiet, quality time with the people they love the most — and what better way to bond than watching your favorite shows together on Devant’s Big Screen TVs?

Through the 7:30 PM TV Get Together, every night becomes a TV bonding night when families and friends get to enjoy their favorite shows together. The experience, is of course enhanced via Devant’s Ultra HD Big Screen TVs complemented with surround sound to make bonding nights more memorable.

Devant Curved Ultra HD TV

One of the most notable products in Devant’s exceptional line-up is the AVC400 Curved Ultra HD TV. It has a 3840×2160 resolution with 60Hz Vivid Motion and powered by a Quad-core CPU and a built-in ISDB-T receiver. Already a smart TV, this model has various connectivity options and is perfect for streaming your favorite videos from YouTube and Netflix.

The Devant AVC400 Curved Ultra HD TV lets you embrace the beauty of every detail with its 65-inch and 55-inch screens and allows you to experience the perfect immersive experience with features such as the Anyview Cast – a screen mirroring function that allows you to seamlessly share your favorite music, photos or videos from your mobile phone or tablet to your TV without the need for cables.

Also to be considered are Devant’s Ultra HD TV models, as well as their Smart and LEDTech TV models that make viewing such a treat. With televisions like these, everyone is sure to look forward to bonding time with the family at 7:30PM!

The Devant Manifesto

7:30 PM TV G2G is part of Devant’s manifesto of promoting the responsible role of a TV brand in bringing together families through a shared enjoyable activity such as TV time. The brand sees television as a unique catalyst that creates a welcoming environment where families and friends can simply take a step back from the solitary effects of technology and enjoy being with each other.

7:30PM TV Get Together aims to promote that every night at 7:30PM, everyone is urged to spend time with the people they care about by watching their favorite shows on TV. And at the center of it all, are the convenience and quality of experience every Devant Big Screen TV brings.

For more about Devant and its superb products, visit http://devanttv.com.

Vermosa Active Revolution

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Ayala Land furthers its thrust of promoting a healthy and active lifestyle by rallying a new breed of athletes as it unveiled another exciting spectacle—the Vermosa Active Revolution—to be held on December 3 and 4 inside the 700-hectare master-planned, mixed-use estate development in Cavite.

At the Vermosa Active Revolution press launch, guests were treated to a head start of what to expect during the two-day event, as well as a sneak peek of the special line-up of performers headlined by Drop and Roll, led by world-renowned street trials rider Danny MacAskill and his crew, to highlight their first visit to the Philippines and the Asian region as part of their world tour.

Gear up for an active lifestyle revolution

As the most accessible premier sports destination in the country, Ayala Land’s Vermosa Estate, located along Daang-Hari Road, will play host to a high-octane extravaganza that’s set to thrill everyone’s senses through the Vermosa Active Revolution’s Kinetic, Inspire, and Refresh activity zones.

At the Kinetic Zone, Danny MacAskill’s jaw-dropping Drop and Roll exhibition performance is expected to rouse local riders and enthusiasts alike. With Drop and Roll show schedules on December 3 at 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and on December 4 at 4:00 p.m., participants will also get the chance to grab exciting freebies and personally meet and greet the stunt bike superstar and his team composed of Duncan Shaw, Fabio Wibmer, and Ali C.

Various cycling clinics and bike rentals for the two-day event will also be available at the Vermosa Bike Skills Park, while the motocross track will host an activity for riders. The Ninja Academy will also mount a parkour obstacle course for festival goers to try out together with other surprises, while a poi LED exhibition performance by Planet Zips will cap-off a night of fun-filled activities.

The Inspire Zone will host one of the South’s biggest sports and lifestyle expos, where attendees can jumpstart their active living through great deals and finds from the

country’s hottest retail brands such as JB Sports, KTM Bikes, Fox Gear, Columbia, Top Bike shops and many more.

The Refresh Zone will provide good eats and sound beats to revitalize one’s mind, body, and soul. And with acoustic artists and DJs to keep the celebration alive, as well as food truck concessionaires rolling in at Cavite’s first Gastro Food Truck Park to energize the festival goers, the Vermosa Active Revolution will truly be a one-of-a-kind, pre-Christmas present for everyone.

Indeed, Ayala Land’s Vermosa Estate is the only master-planned, mixed-use town core that promotes healthy and active living in a venue that provides holistic training for the new breed of sports enthusiasts. And as the premier destination for new-age sports, the Vermosa Active Revolution promises an event like no other, bringing in international acts in a local setting that’s accessible to every Filipino.

#Jointheactiverevolution and fuel your passion for a healthy and active lifestyle! For more updates and information on Vermosa’s exciting events, activities, and offerings, visit the official Facebook page, @Vermosaph or www.vermosa.ph.

About Vermosa Estate:

Ayala Land’s signature development and fourth largest estate, Vermosa is a 700-hectare future city that is master planned to offer mixed-use components such as horizontal residential options, sports-themed retail establishments, healthy dining selections, a central business district, hotel, educational institutions, and entertainment complexes that are seamlessly integrated with generous green open spaces. Vermosa Estate is a 55-minute drive from Makati, primarily accessible thru Daang Hari Road via MCX (Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway) and the soon-to-open CALAX (Cavite-Laguna Expressway).

For more information on Vermosa’s upcoming activities and offerings, visit its official Facebook page, @Vermosaph or log on to www.vermosa.ph

Pioneer Insurance accepting entries for #MoveOnLang Songwriting Competition

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Pioneer, one of the top life and non-life insurance companies in the country, is inviting aspiring songwriters and musicians to join the #MoveOnLang Songwriting Competition.

Participants can submit their entries at www.moveonlang.ph until November 15, 2016 for a chance to win a cash prize of up to PHP 100,000 plus PHP 100,000 worth of insurance coverage from Pioneer, as well as the opportunity to have their songs recorded and performed by musicians of their choice.

Applicants must be aged 15 to 24 years old and currently enrolled as students in the Philippines to join. Each applicant can submit up to five song entries, with a maximum song length of 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Applicants can also register as a group with up to five members, with one member designated as the official representative.

In line with the theme of moving on, song entries must be inspirational and about bouncing back from life’s challenges.

“We wanted a theme that would exemplify what being a Filipino is all about. We are known all over the world for our resilience, with new stories appearing everyday about Filipinos getting back on their feet after life has dealt them a hard blow. We want this competition to produce songs that can inspire the nation to keep on moving forward despite setbacks and difficulties,” shared Pioneer’s Marketing Head Len Pozon.

A panel of professionals and practitioners from the music industry will screen the entries and select ten finalists, all of whom will receive PHP 100,000 worth of insurance coverage from Pioneer. The finalists will be announced on December 5, 2016, and their songs posted at the event’s official site www.moveonlang.ph as well as on Pioneer’s social media pages (Facebook page www.facebook.com/PioneerIsYourInsurance).

Online voting period will begin on December 5 upon announcement of the finalists and will end on December 16. The finalist with the most votes will be crowned Online Favorite and awarded a cash prize of PHP 10,000.

A PHP 100,000 cash prize awaits the grand winner, while the second and third placer will get PHP 50,000 and PHP 30,000 respectively. A consolation prize of PHP 10,000 will be given to each of the remaining seven finalists.

Over the past few years, Pioneer has made it their priority to support the arts by encouraging the youth towards artistic pursuits through competitions in various creative fields like video production, playwriting and this year, songwriting.

“Filipinos have always loved music, and songs are a powerfully simple way to express oneself and inspire others,” shares Ms. Pozon. “We want to share Pioneer’s message of hope through this competition and through the next generation of homegrown musicians. This competition is also a wonderful chance for us to support and promote our local music industry among the youth, through our partnership with FILSCAP” says Ms. Pozon.

Since September, the FILSCAP Campus Caravan toured several universities around Metro Manila. Students from the University of The Philippines Diliman, University of Santo Tomas, San Beda College Alabang, University of Makati and De La Salle University Manila had the chance to learn about songwriting from prominent songwriters and icons from the music industry like Rico Blanco, Yael Yuzon, Gloc 9, Champ Lui Pio, and Raimund Marasigan. The Campus Caravan is set to visit University of the Philippines Los Baños and University of Mindanao this November.

For more information on the #MoveOnLang Songwriting Competition, visit their official website at www.moveonlang.ph

Home grown and Home-brewed

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Good coffee doesn’t always have to come from your favorite café. As they say, “there’s no place like home,” and this compliments the growing appreciation for home brews. This does not only mean coffee prepared at home but there’s also an increasing love for coffee sourced locally.

To support this movement, Robinsons Supermarket recently partnered with Silca Coffee to hold a simple coffee appreciation class at Robinsons Supermarket Ermita. Silca Coffee is a roasting company based in Silang, Cavite. It is a family-owned company, founded by Enrile M. Asuncion in 1996. Since then, they’ve been harvesting, roasting and exporting coffee worldwide.

At the appreciation class, guests learned how coffee was made from harvesting, drying to roasting. Most importantly, they also learned some of the best ways to prepare coffee at home. Whether it’s through a brewer, French press or pour over, the smell and taste of a freshly brewed coffee is enough to welcome the start of good day.

No matter how you like your coffee done, one just cannot deny, the joy a good cup of coffee brings.
Silca coffee is available at Robinsons Supermarket.

Intelenet® Global Services expands operations in the Philippines

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Intelenet® Global Services, a leading business process service provider backed by Blackstone, launched its newest facility in Manila, Philippines to consolidate its presence and support its growth in the region. The new facility is expected to double its employee count as compared to the existing numbers.

The facility located in the south-east of Metro Manila in Taguig, will provide a world class platform to the growing Intelenet® Global Services team, replete with state-of-the-art technology, next generation business process solutions and global best practices to draw from. The expansion will enable Intelenet® Global Services to increase its seating capacity by 100% from the existing capacity.The new facility will further serve to amplify Intelenet’s service delivery across geographies and will continue to offer critical services & processes in the BPM cycle to all its clients across the BFSI, Travel & Hospitality, Healthcare, Retail & Manufacturing verticals.

“Philippines is a key delivery location for Intelenet Global Services. Our new facility here will serve the growing demand from our clients to get serviced out of this region” said Susir Kumar, Executive Chairman, Intelenet® Global Services. With an established presence across several geographies, we look forward to expanding our global delivery footprint utilizing the talented workforce that Philippines has to offer. This would act as a major catalyst for growth and employment in the competitive and ever expanding global business process services market.”

Intelenet® entered Philippines in 2008 and is one of the leading firms, committed to delivering the best in class service to all its clients through its innovative capabilities and NextGen Tools. It has grown at a CAGR of 47% over the past 7 years. This expansion marks Philippines as a favorable market for business process management services. Intelenet® is playing a pioneering role towards driving this growth by investing in the talented youth of the country.

Backed by Blackstone (A leading global private equity player), Intelenet® Global Services is currently on a high growth trajectory and is looking at expanding globally with the aim being to become a world class BPM provider worldwide.

Solar Entertainment Corporation stays on top of its game

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Solar Entertainment Corporation remains to be the largest content provider and channel operator in Southeast Asia. The network is comprised of seven (7) channels—ETC, 2nd Avenue, Jack TV, CT, Solar Sports, Basketball TV, and NBA Premium. The viewers are in for a treat when they tune in to Solar Entertainment’s roster of channels on Sunday, October 16, as the first integrated rebranding execution of the channels will be revealed.

In hindsight, it was an effort done separately by the stations. Solar Entertainment Corporation President and CEO Wilson Tieng says, “[This year], we are doing the change of the broadcast design simultaneously for higher impact and to bring more excitement for the channels and its viewers. Through this venture, we aim to boost viewership and market share by giving a fresh take on our channels and topnotch content tied with the new look.”

While the technology of content delivery to the market is evolving, the TV network continues to grow and keep up with the changing landscape. “Solar has kept its fingers on the pulse of media-savvy Filipino audiences,” says Tieng. “We pay attention to emerging viewing habits while at the same time, setting the trend and changing mindsets.”

With the emergence of digital media, Solar stays on top of its game as the pioneer in providing Filipino audiences the access to international shows, sporting events, films, and eventually online content. Tieng confirms, “We have to open all the avenues for marketing and revenue. It creates the challenge of gaining traction with your audience, especially the millennials, and support from advertisers. There are more exciting announcements for this last stretch of the year and onto 2017, specifically for the channel content and digital assets of Solar. We are definitely going for more.”

Don’t miss the channel flip of ETC, 2nd Avenue, Solar Sports, and Basketball TV happening on October 16 at 8 PM.

ETC is on UHF channel 21, Sky Cable channel 16, Destiny Digital channel 16, Global Destiny channel 28, Cignal channel 9, or Cablelink channel 34.

2nd Avenue is seen on UHF Free TV Ch. 29, SkyCable Ch. 19, Global Destiny Cable Ch. 29, Cablelink Ch. 35, and Cignal Ch. 28.

Solar Sports is on SkyCable Ch.70, Destiny Ch.35, and Cablelink Ch.58 and Basketball TV is available on SkyCable Ch. 33, Cignal Ch. 35, and Global Destiny Ch. 34.

BPI-Philam Life Assurance Corp. launches Bancassurance Month Ayala Life FGU becomes BPI-Philam Life Makati

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BPI-Philam Life Assurance Corp., the largest bancassurance company in the Philippines, kicked off Bancassurance Month this October during the unveiling of the new BPI-Philam Life Makati Building (formerly Ayala-Life FGU).

The month-long celebration led by BPI-Philam Life Assurance Corp. (BPLAC) CEO Surenda Menon aims to educate Filipinos on the existence of bancassurance and importance of life insurance to help people with their long-term protection needs and to assist and support them throughout different stages of life’s journey.

Philam2

Mr Menon said: “Insurance penetration is still very low at around 2% based from the latest report of the Insurance Commission.1 We want to ensure that all Filipinos have access to the right protection solutions to provide adequate insurance coverage for their lifestyle requirements. We want to be able to provide insurance that is accessible and affordable to every market segment.”

“BPI-Philam continues to see strong potential for bancassurance given the continued rise of the middle-class, the continued economic growth brought by the high productivity in the country, and the increasing savings rate. These factors also present an opportunity to educate Filipinos on the importance of financial planning as a way to help them win during life’s key moments from marriage to parenthood, or from business management to retirement.

BPI-Philam’s trained Bancassurance Sales Executives (“BSEs”) are located at every one of BPI’s 800 branches to ensure that customers receive appropriate advice for every life stage.
BPI-Philam will also hold the Bancassurance Walk on October 5 where 200 employees will create awareness about bancassurance while walking along Ayala Avenue, Makati.

BPI-Philam is also launching iCare, the first policy owner after-sales servicing application in the Philippines. Policy owners can request changes to their policies be made electronically on a tablet device for unrivalled convenience. This follows the introduction of AIA’s highly successful interactive point of sale (iPoS) proprietary technology that improved the customer experience and promoted increased efficiency during the sales process.

Customers can find out more about Bancassurance Month through www.bpi-philam.com.