ALDEN RICHARDS Brings PH to Hollywood via "BIG TIGER" with Max Collins, Byron Mann, Katherine McNamara and Luke Goss

If you haven't heard, Alden Richards is taking his shot at Hollywood this coming 2026. Yes, you heard that right, Asia's well loved multimedia star is producing and becoming a part of "BIG TIGER" an action flick he's starring with fellow GMA star Max Collins, HK American Byron Mann (omg he's Ryu in Street Fighter!), and action star Katherine McNamara, and English actor Luke Goss (who's had several movies in his belt). 

How did this all start? Alden told us that he personally went to LA to look for studios that he could work with via his production company Myriad Entertainment (who's done several ones in the PH). There were a lot of them that he approached but it was either not feasible for them (and a whole lot of other reasons). When he talked to the folks from LUX Angeles Studios, Bims and Sawyer Studios and Voltage Pictures, all it took was 2 zoom meetings and one personal appearance to make things happen. With a Filipino production team based here in the Philippines, Keoni Waxman felt how smooth it was to stage the shoot here, and got lots of praises for the texture they got from locations that would have cost millions to build in the US. Here, it's all natural, and producers called it "COST EFFECTIVE" to make it happen here.

Here's what Alden had to say about that!

 Here's the full video of the media conference a few days ago:

There are tons of plans now to do several flim projects with Myriad Entertainment, and according to the producers, about 9 to 10 films the least. This is huge especially for the ones looking for locations outside the US, and it will bring jobs for PH crews, for Philippine based actors that they plan to do. This is ultimately what Alden wants to happen, and these are all challenges that he will try to overcome. He says "The reinforcement from production partners, to highlight the Philippines, as a location hub for Asia, if this comes true, we will have the chance to increase the quality of what we can do here in the country! I hope to work with Hollywood stars and do it with Filipino actors, this is an opportunity to bring more people to work in the Philippines and have the Filipino actors work here too. They didn't know how affordable it was to make films here, now they do!"

Max says "It's so different to see Alden do this (as an Antagonist) because we've worked together before in ILLUSTRADOS. That's totally different with our characters, he's an @SSH0LE and it was amazing and sexy, his fans would love to see more of those!"

BIG TIGER is a place in the film, and you'll see why it is called that once you see it in cinemas. They have plans to show it here, distribute it in the US and streaming platforms. This is where Alden is going, are you going to support him all the way?!

I know, I would!

Santé Barley Supports Trilogy Run Asia

Running is such a very active sport in the country and with the recent Trilogy Run Asia 2025, the folks from Santé Barley made sure they get their needed support as part of the brand's call to "Live for More". 

The company wants runners to reap the benefits of the BioGro certified organic barley grass products which hails from New Zealand which is why they held promos, deals, even membership that gets them 50 percent off on products if they become Santé Affiliates. 

The event was launched in Cagayan de Oro, then in Iloilo where folks from different industries participated in the race and challenges. There will be legs to be held in Cebu and Davao next which the company is also going to be a part of with their goal to make sure Filipinos would "Live for More" wherever they are in the country. If you want to know more about the event, make sure to follow their social channels because updates will also be there.

BIANCA DEL RIO is in MANILA for DEAD INSIDE Asia Tour

The nastiest (nicest in real life) and smartest queen in the Ru Paul's Drag Race franchise is in Manila for one night to do her DEAD INSIDE Asia Tour, her 113th show since starting this in February last year. She's the 6th queen to ever hold the crown, hailing from New York, the one and only BIANCA DEL RIO. 

Talk about CLOWN realness, Bianca had us laughing from the first second she stepped on stage during this interview. She wore a really shiny black gown, no white line under her eyes (or did she), and an orange wig that she changes each show. 

Bianca Del Rio and some of the RPDR Philippines queens.

Bianca says I'm still in drag from last night (she kids), can you imagine if I flew like this? I've been here a couple of times, and I'm wearing this orange hair to know what tour I've been doing. With the DEAD INSIDE tour, expect the unexpected. It depends on how much wine I've already had. They say never trust a drag queen who doesn't drink, there's always a secret waiting to be uncovered. Well it changes depending where you are, there are certain things that you can't do in the UK and things that you can't do in the US, same goes with Brazil, Hawaii and the Philippines. You have to find the little pockets of fun. So yeah, expect the unexpected!"

Here's our press conference this morning, and yes I got to ask about the iconic Orthopedic Shoe and her relationship with Adore Delano. 

There are only a few tickets left where you can purchase through the venue's box office. This is produced by LA COMEDY LIVE. See you if you're going there because I'm quite sure I'm seeing the show!

Set to Conquer the World Stage: The Victoria Sports Pro Cycling Team

I've never seen so much passion in the sport of cycling than during the thanksgiving event of the Victoria Sports Pro Cycling team (VSPC). I've seen them don podiums in different events, and didn't know how close they were. We found out today that their office is at Quezon City. 

These guys have been working so hard doing races locally and recent ones in Europe, trying their best in international racing circuits, making us all proud, all hoping to bring pride and honor for the Philippines.

For those who don't know, one of their members Ean Cajucom took home the championship for the Ramos Cycling Race (based in PH). At the General Classification and 2nd Stage of Oman's Tour of Salalah, their team member Nicolas Sessler copped these posts. Then Jeroen Meijer took 3rd spot on Stage 4 of the multi day road cycling race in that country. The VSPC team also took home 5th Place overall at the Trans-Himalayan Cycling Race in China versus some of the world's best too. In the land of the rising sun's OITA Urban Classic, Meijers took first place at the Road Race, while Cajucom took second spot. They also did good at the Tour de Kyushu races, much of which they consistently placed as part of the team.  

Here's our interview with them a few days ago:

You could feel their eagerness to improve their skills even at this stage. When they are doing rigorous training in Europe, they said they loved it because they get to concentrate on cycling and the sport. No question about their love for the Philippines, but they said they needed to look out for themselves here because of the traffic, buses, trucks, other motorists that become their number one concern when training. The only drawback is being away from family, friends, and loved ones. The senior members really felt like family because the little things like problems at home do become a normal occurrence in managing their members.

Former QC Mayor and House Speaker Sonny Belmonte was also there to support the cause! It was a pleasure meeting you sir!

The training they receive in EU also gets them to adapt the time tested system of training they do in that side of the world which more or less, doesn't exist in the region we belong. They will also be scouting in different weekly and monthly cycling events to seek Filipino talent that they could further develop like the champions they have in the roster. These 15 members are making the country proud, and in 2025 they promise to do even more to make sure that we as a nation achieve greater heights just like recent champions, Olympians, who have inspired the youth, and even more people to take up the sport. 

They have been fixing their calendar to participate in local tourneys plus a few more in United Arab Emirates (Dubai and elsewhere). They also have some in Spain, and other countries in Europe. This is just the start of hopefully more wins in the world stage, and we hope that more brands, corporations would continue to support their cause and bring the Philippines more wins in the professional cycling sport. 

Congratulations to the whole Victoria Sports Pro Cycling (VSPC) team which includes Carlos Francisco Ochoa, Marcelo Felipe, Ean Cajucom, Alexis Pagara, Nicolas Sessier, Ismael Grospe Jr., Daniel Ven Carino, Edson Carbadora, Miguel Andrei Obmerga, Nichol Pareja, Kenneth Maramba, Jeroen Meijers, Edgar Nieto and more, please continue to do the Philippines and your pro team proud!

Congratulations VSPC! Here's to more victories for the country soon!

DigiPlus Gets 4 Accolades From Transform Awards Asia

DigiPlus Interactive seem to have caught winning ways with their recent awards from Transform Awards Asia 2024. They managed to cop Silver for the Best Brand Evolution under the corporate category, they also got Silver for Best use of Visual Property, and took Bronze for both Best Brand Development Project to Reflect Change of Mission, Values or Positioning and Best Use of Typography.

DigiPlus and Landor gave a worthy fight with their recent transformation from a mortar and pestle brand to a more advanced and technology driven entertainment entity that scores their "Multiply the Fun" tagline.

Today, they're continuing to provide exceptional entertainment via their platforms, featuring more of the traditional Filipino fair games, but this certainly gives them more reason to continue as their efforts have been clearly appreciated and recognized. For those who don't know, Transform Awards Asia 2024 is Transform Magazine's way of celebrating the fantastic work involved in rebranding and strategies. DigiPlus will continue to implement fairness, transparency, innovation, and teamwork at all times and continue to be the premier trusted brand they've become in the years to come.

Philippine ESports Teams Clinch Spot for AP Predator League Kuala Lumpur Finals

And then there were four. 

After a grueling match on LAN by these illustrious list of ESports teams, fans of DOTA 2 and Valorant were treated to a lovely finals at Robinsons Galleria in Cebu for the Predator League 2025 Philippine Finals. Despite the hectic schedule and some inexperience of some teams in a faster environment, they managed to play with high level teams and win 250,000 pesos as champions of the Asia Pacific Predator League 2025 Grand Finals. They've got a 1 Million peso pot to share after all.

DOTA 2 was quite exciting for teams Execration and Ivory, but in the end, the experience that Execration had made it an overwhelming affair on the map. Kill rates were at 7.5, and assists were at 10.5, so imagine how much time they spent in it. For Valorant, DLSU's Valorant Esports tried to take a jab at ZOL ESports, but they got swept 2 games. This means Execration, Ivory and ZOL Esports will fly for the championships in KL next year. Team Secret will also be there to play for the country, something like an honorary invite for a top tier team that plays on the world stage.

If you want more updates about these ESports teams, make sure you follow their social channels because they'll be posting more of these in the coming months. January will be very busy.

Sendwave Taps OGIE ALCASID: An Affordable Way to Send Money Home

The Philippines is home to 2.16 Million OFW's (Overseas Filipino Workers according to latest statistics), and in so many instances, they need to send money home to help with family, friends, and other reasons. Going through banks and other entities cost so high, and of course, every cent counts with your hard earned money. International Money Transfer service provider Sendwave presents a very affordable option. If you are in one of the countries they serve, sending money to your loved ones will become simple, secured, and fast. This is something that is needed, an essential for family or OFW's so when they wanted someone to represent them in the country and the community, they tapped the good looking singer, songwriter, OPM icon, OGIE ALCASID. They introduced him to the press, and told us the reasons why he was the perfect person to send what they want to communicate:

Ogie says "It's important for Filipinos to send money home that's simple, affordable and without transfer fees. You know, the values of this company and mine as a father, husband is the same. We wake every day for our families, and they take care of hard earned money from abroad to the Philippines with ease, with trust that it will reach the person intended to, it is our connection to our family. We do concerts in other parts of the world and OFW's are an integral part of it. I hope in some way, we could get the message across that there is a way to save while sending money home."

Ms. Janice, the Global Brand Lead for Sendwave says "We are an online money remittance app, designed for OFW's and we champion them. We focus on simple, easy and convenient ways to send money from abroad to the Philippines (or any participating country) and made it affordable. Sendwave has no transfer fees, we stretch the value of the money that they send to their families here at home. We are present in the US, Canada, UK and parts of Europe. If you have OFW friends or family, please tell them to download the app and use the service. Try Sendwave!".

 

Ogie was so happy and honored to be able to represent them. Being part of the Sendwave family he deems is important because OFW's spend years in other countries, but want to make sure they stay connected and felt when help is needed in the Philippines. He also knows how hard it was to work abroad because he's been able to talk to them in performances abroad. They need to make sure that the money they send would be secured, easy to do and affordable.  .

Ogie adds "Why do we work? What are the reasons to wake up in the morning? The reasons to send money home is a lot, this app assures your savings would get to the recipient. As a singer, I've entertained them through concerts in different countries. When I talk to people, they are mostly OFW's, it's not easy to market something like this, but it is important. I just signed with them, and perhaps soon, there will be Sendwave in Australia and I'd get to send money to Regine if needed."

They now have bonus additional money to give out too when you first try the service (10 dollars) aside from the amount you send. There are no transfer fees, so that is free. They just want you to experience it. It's not intended for receivers, but designed from senders from abroad. You don't need to be a member here in the Philippines to receive the money, they just tie up their cards and send it to whatever bank or GCash account the recipient has and get it, it's that easy!

There are limits, dependent on banks abroad and the receiving bank/app in the country because some of them have limits too. It already is being used by 2 Million users, and the plan is to include more people to benefit from it. They have plans to take Ogie to other countries where Filipinos are. Although Ogie already is doing that, he says "The fact that I'd be reaching a lot of audiences this year and next year, we have a lot of people to help. It's most welcome, to be able to sing and help our kababayans. We are partners with TFC, and events may be through that. It's part of their future plans. I'm excited, when I learned about this, at the shoot, it was happy there. It's not easy to do but I'm excited and happy with what we made in just a few days. When you do it with fun, with excited people, it's a breeze. You will receive the amount automatically converted to peso and what you see with the conversion is what they person will get in full."

The company earns through foreign exchange and if you see that their rates are better, you should use Sendwave. Congratulations to Sir Ogie Alcasid, it's so refreshing to see you excited to help more people with this recent partnership. If you can send money home for free, you should take advantage!

SHOPBACK Celebrates their 10th Birthday This JUNE!

Shopback is having a big cashback giveaway startling 6.6 and a chance to win real 24k gold and best deals from various brands all this month.

All you need to do is download the shop back app, choose a partner brand or app, click on it on the app and shop as usual. The Cashback you get from this is actual cash, some of their top users get thousands of pesos in return and since it's their 10th year, they plan to make sure different ways to celebrate will be on the app.

Raenald de Jesus the ShopBack Philippines Head of Marketing says "Some are 10 percent on Nike, Zalora, Lazada, and more. This is a milestone for us celebrating our 10th year and without you out customers and partners, these things wouldn't be possible."

Here's what's going to happen during this month:

Timothy Tuason, the Commercial Director for Shopback PH adds "Today we are celebrating our 10th birthday as a region, we planned to do our 8th for the Philippines but we decided to just do it on our 10th Anniversary across Southeast Asia, ANZ, East Asia and EMEA. With 6.5 Million users, we are now the best friend for cashbacks on travel, food, and more, giving 15 Million dollars in total to Filipinos. This is our biggest cashback yet, a truly rewarding experience to shop and get a significant amount (some even paying for 2 Vespa Scooters from the rewards they get)."

Here's the event on our Reels on IG:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by John Bueno (@kumagcow)

If you open the shopback app, the multi milestone challenge will get you the chance to win 24k gold, exclusive voucher drops on 6.6, mystery prizes, 10-20 percent cashbacks from brands like Zalora, Nike, Puma, and other fashion brands. Exclusive partner brands like KFC will give vouchers and one winner of unlimited chicken for a year. Ayala Malls Manila Bay will have money rain inside the mall for the next 2 weeks, and with the new Shopback Platinum which a few users will get even more vouchers exclusively for them.

If you don't have the Shopback app yet, go download it today!

PHILIPPINES Win Big at Acer's Asia Pacific Predator League 2024

From a gamer spectator such as me, I always knew the Philippines would fare well in the recent regional competition, Acer's Predator League 2024. At the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City Philippines, fans flocked to this venue to watch DOTA 2 and Valorant country representatives (in Asia Pacific) as they battle it out to see who's best in this region.

There were over 26 world class teams who were raring to do their best in the 2 day event. The prelims was fun albeit being a bit uneasy for some teams because they had only one match to qualify for the next round. It certainly wasn't easy to adjust that fast but those who did took advantage of the format and won their respective rounds. It was also fun to also talk to the eSports athletes before they went into the actual match, here's some of them on video!

The international eSports teams also talked about their experience doing the tournament here in Manila. They did expect matches would be hard since some of them are Tier 1 franchise teams, and a lot of them wanted to experience what it feels like being in a match with them. Although some of them lost their matches, they learned a lot in the process and promise to be back with an even greater team soon.

Aside from that, executives from different regions went on to tell us how it's been actually very beneficial to run these events in their respective countries. To say the least, business has been good and they are planning to do the regional Predator League in Malaysia next year. They also want to do it bigger and better in the coming years as they find big value in knowing how name recall plays in the gaming industry and that's exactly why they're number 1 in the market!

PABLO was super good!

The Asia Pacific Predator League was also the best in entertainment. World class Filipino performers showed up and got us partying at the start, between games and in the finale. On day 1 alone, I got my dose of Valorant fare as Ylona Garcia who sang "Entertain Me" when NEON was launched as a character, oh how I love her! Aside from that, Urbanddub, Al James and Donny Pangilinan joined in the fun plus a full Valorant game with SB19 and other Acer influencers made the evening extra epic! Asia's Popstar Royalty Sarah Geronimo also ended the day with her performance, people were at awe! 

Day 2 had Josh Cullen, bands Sandwich and Spongecola, Pablo (who did a new single on stage) and KZ Tandingan give us the absolute best in Philippine talents, it was like a full blown concert with the games on the finale day.

And in the end, it was a sweet day for the Philippines as Team Secret won the Valorant championship and Blacklist International Rivalry won the DOTA2 championship. Both teams from the Philippines won 65,000 dollars and their own Predator Shield. Initially, BOOM Esports was actually favored to challenge Team Secret, but Japan's FAV Gaming surprised them all. They got 20,000 dollars together with Execration (for DOTA2), and BOOM Esports + Team Flash got 3rd Place with a 7,500 pot each. Team Aster and IHC Esports got the same for DOTA2. Intel MVP awards went to Jeremy “Jremy” Cabrera (for Valorant) and Marc Polo “Raven”Fausto (for DOTA2), getting a prize of 10,000 dollars too.

If you're up to it, some of the performances are already up on my TikTok account so just search @kumagcow there, and some of the country interviews were done live on my FB page (just search kumagcow) as it's all there!

 

Winning Prize and Shield: The Predator League 2024 Philippine Qualifiers

We've been covering the Predator League for years now and for a while, they've been gone because of the pandemic. This year, they're really raring to go and even extending the whole thing into lands unchartered and putting out a whopping Php 1 Million prize plus the coveted Predator Shield in games of Dota 2 and Valorant. Who will win this remains to be seen.

Young and undiscovered talents have been benefiting from this, imagine 15,000 teams battling it out to represent the country in the Asia Pacific Predator League. From the Qualifiers, to the Group stage and the Finals, this is going to be one tough year. In the country alone, they will have one in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, plus another one in the NCR. That spot certainly will be something that they'd wish to have especially with the prizes at state for them. These important matches will be livestreamed too so you all will be able to cheer for your favorite teams. Once the champion of DOTA 2 and Valorant gets crowned, they get the prize and the shield, including the runner ups, and will be able to represent the Philippines in the big league. That's an honor any team would love right?

The Grand Finals will be early 2024 so stay tuned for more announcements soon. Follow PredatorGamingPhilippines on Facebook or their website predator-league.com because it will all be there!

OPPO Find N2 Wins Best Smartphone at AMA's

Looks like folks at OPPO are in a celebrative mood after winning the coveted Best Smartphone Award at the recent Asia Mobila Awards 2023 in the foldable smartphone category. This happened at the mobile world congress in Shanghai China which is a big deal especially because there are other big brands shortlisted in that category.

The award was accepted by Will Zhou the Seinor Product Maanger from OPPO. If you don't know, the OPPO Find N2 is their current flagship foldable phone. It has an ultra light Flexion hinge and a carbon fiber screen support frame making it one of the toughest but lightest phones in the market today. This was launched during the last quarter of 2022 and has taken the number one spot in phone shipments, a whopping 35 percent market share in China alone.

If you want to know more about it, head on to OPPO Philippines social channels because it also is being retailed here. I'd love to see how it performs in real life, I haven't owned a foldable for a long time and it'll be interesting to have one made with tech today.

Queen of Feng Shui Marites Allen Enters Metaverse, Launches New Book on Year of Water Rabbit

It's been a while since we've seen Ms. Marites Allen in person. She's been to the UK and different parts of the globe to share her knowledge in Feng Shui and this time, she's doing quite differently. Donned in a Rabbit Cape ensemble  made by Dexter Alazas (inspired by Marites Allen's Golden Zodiac), she shared how we all could take advantage of the Year of the Water Rabbit this 2023.

 

What's up with the coming Year of the Water Rabbit this 2023? 

Ms. Marites Allen chimes in on what you could look forward to if you're an avid fan of Feng Shui. 2020 was a year of new beginnings. 2021 was the year of vaccinations, 2022 was a year of breakups while this year is about "Letting Go!" The center is love star, so if you want to let go, this is the opportune time for that.

She says "In the last 2 and a half years, I was approached by the largest publisher in the UK and they are publishing my Chinese Astrology book this January, you can pre order now on AMAZON UK. This will also be released in the US and the Philippines later in the year. This is the first time I had to be away from my children because they are growing, I have my planner. If you are born in the year of the horse, you will be rich this year. The best seller Almanac with lucky days and months is now also bundled with books with special mantras, this was very helpful for me. This include a lot of secrets you can take advantage of for the year of the Water Rabbit."

She adds "The rabbit needs to be careful because of the illness star. In 2023, if you are boar, dog, a father, you will be a little challenged this year until 2024. The next 20 years will be more for women. We cannot just rely on Feng Shui, we need to work hard to make sure things are good for us. We will be an online event on December 17 and 18. Our book is going to be available on Amazon UK. We will also enter the Metaverse, a first of its kind." 

Feng Shui Enters Metaverse

If you avidly follow what she's doing every year, you know there's bound to be something new up her sleeves. She has officially been the first to officially do this in the country. She's on her infancy in entering the Metaverse. During this year's annual Feng Shui forecast (which will happen on December 17 and 18), she will be launching her Golden Zodiac books (all 12 of them) which will contain a new AR function wherein you can proudly see your own symbol just by scanning the QR code on the book itself. 

You can purchase the books bundled together with the Planner and Almanac which is already available at https://frigga.com.ph/collections/books. They will also be rolling out Golden Zodiac through KALOSCOPE to begin issuing NFT's (which also has value) in order to get perks, access to exclusive events, discounts on the Frigga shop and discounts on private consultations with the Queen of Feng Shui Marites Allen.

The 2023 Feng Shui Planner, Personal Horoscope Books

If you want to have a detailed guide for the on where to place things in your house, the Feng Shui Planner is essential. The Personal Horoscope Books will also be good for reading without the need to pass through other signs as this is now in separate books. You can give this to friends, family who might need the same love and help that Ms. Marites Allen provides.

You can now purchase these items at the Frigga.co.uk or Frigga.com.ph sites or through Lazada. Tickets to her event on December can also be bought through the same websites mentioned. You can also call them via 09209509390 if you have inquiries about the event. You can also follow her social media channels as updates about this and the guides are posted there on a regular basis. This is just the glimpse of what's to come with Ms. Marites Allen, proving she's not just the Queen of Feng Shui, but of innovations as well.

Pinoys Take Part on HUAWEI AP Seeds for the Future

This year's edition of Huawei Asia Pacific Seeds for the Future has just started a 9 day training and digital boot camp in the land of the free, Thailand which ran from August 19-27. This is a full blown effort from the mobile phone and aiot product manufacturer which benefited 10 students from our country, the Philippines.

The event was witnessed by government officials of Thailand and several representatives of international organizations, including H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi the current Secretary General of the ASEAN. He says that improving digital talent in the region would help drive the different country's vision, taking advantage of what they could learn from private sector work especially when there's a huge demand for it. He lauded Huawei for their relentless work in ICT development and thanked them for the opportunities they've given to various individuals in the Asia Pacific region.

Participants of this year's Seeds for the Future event will be involved in technology training and cross cultural discussions aimed to suggest and resolve social and tech problems in their respective countries and the region. They have also had a lot of female participants this year and certainly shows an increase of very talented and skilled workforce in the region.

Huawei Asia Pacific President Mr. Simon Lin commits to more years of this program which has already been brought to over 140 countries and benefited over 500 universities. When they win the competition in Thailand, they will get the chance to do the accelerator camp in Singapore in order to present their work to industry leaders that would be able to bring their ideas to the real world. Training focused on 5G, Artificial Intelligence and Cloud computing which is current and very beneficial for ICT related work today.

Congratulations to the Filipino participants and to Huawei for instilling skills trainings like this for the increase in ICT professionals in the region. It'll be advantageous for us to invest in this now, and hope this sparks more private companies to help just like Huawei did.

Proving Acting Chops: Sylvia Sanchez Wins Best Actress in a Supporting Role

It wasn't luck, but sheer determination, hard work, and powerful acting that made Ms. Sylvia Sanchez a worthy national winner as Best Actress in a Supporting Role Category at the Asian Academy Creative Awards 2021.

She's played countless roles, pivotal for most projects and til now, she's one of the most critically acclaimed actresses in the country. The one that she won on the national level of the 2021 Asian Academy Creative Awards was her role as Barang in hit series "Huwag Ka Nang Mangamba". This was adjudged by industry leaders in entertainment and will qualify her to represent the country in the 2021 Asian Academy Creatives Awards versus other artists from Australia, New Zealand and other countries in Asia. This will happen on December 2 which is just a couple months away.

If you remember, Arjo Atayde won Best Actor for Bagman in 2020 in the same award giving body. In his speech, he attributed his success to his folks and actors from the country. He was hoping it wouldn't be the last time someone from the Philippines would win it. With that in mind, wouldn't it be amazing to see Ms. Sylvia getting that for the country? If that happens, a mother and son would win in the prestigious award giving body. That surely will be etched in history!

Arjo by the way is also set to star in the international project "The Rebirth of the Cattleya Killer" under ABS-CBN International Production and Co-Production Division. He's also going to have two more that'll be announced soon. His success has also lead to establish his very own production company called Feelmaking Productions Inc. and you'll see their first project Hey Joe early next year.

Photo Credits on this article belong to BEAUTeDERM (which she also endorses)

 

Ms. Sylvia says "I am truly proud of what my son has accomplished especially in the Asian Academy Creative Awards. Like him, I wish it wouldn't be the last for Filipino artists. His dedication for the craft is insurmountable. I am also grateful and humbled that the jury in the Philippines loved my work in "Huwag Ka Nang Mangamba", I fervently hope the same would happen in the international Asian Academy Creative Awards, I give it all up to God!"

If you want to know more about Ms. Sylvia Sanchez projects and updates about the awards, you may follow Sylvia Sanchez on social channels like FB, Twitter, IG and YouTube. Congratulations Ms. Sylvia! 

 

I am so happy about your recent accomplishments, I dare say, it's about time!

.

BEKO Initiatives for Climate Change

In a product showcase done this evening, European brand BEKO told us how it is possible to use recycled materials, bio composites and detergent saving technologies on appliances. It is their company's contribution in order to rid of climate crisis, something we all can start at home.

Present during the occasion was Arcelik's CEO Hakan Bulgurlu and their CMO Zeynep Yalim Uzun. They also had their CCo Ragip Balcioglu discuss how it became their mission to do sustainability efforts in manufacturing their line of products in order to have a positive impact on the world we live in.

Arcelik's CEO Hakan Bulgurlu says "COVID has changed our lives in the past two years, but with science, we have been able to see the end of the tunnel. We have been doing a lot of work with our product range. By coming together, we are defeating COVID by science. The climate crisis also is a concern, so with this, we are also addressing it with science as well. The climate crisis is man made, we can overcome this too. We have reduced emissions, but we have to do more. Unless we do the necessary, we are not going to be in the right track. Respecting the world, respecting worldwide is our slogan. We want to reduce emissions by 30%. Products that consumers buy as it goes into homes also are included. Today, Arcelik will work tirelessly and stretch our goals over the coming months. Hopefully we can do this in all our value chain. We commit to have fuel, plastic, waste, water, become reduced as part of our goals. The green wave is coming, it's here and here to stay. It makes good business sense that you can do the right thing without costing much. We are doing this because we believe it brings us an opportunity for our business to create a new brand, especially when you want to be different compared to your competitors. I believe when we do this, we'll get ahead. It makes business sustainable. Appliances should use less energy, and be built with quality recycled materials. We have products that reflect this principle. We will apply this across the board including packaging, in almost all areas of our business, it's a long journey but we have to lead by example. We need to continue, so others will follow, so we can fight this challenge in climate crisis. The urgency is real, we need to act together. Every decision we make, this will be in our attention."

Brendan Edgerton the Director of World Business Council for Sustainable Development adds "Everything is connected, COVID is seen as a restart for all of us."

Ragip Balcioglu the CCO of Arcelik says "Regardless of how business starts, there is one thing consumers want. They want CHANGE. Everyone changed shopping habits during the pandemic. Arcelik has always been doing sustainability efforts for a number of years now. We are a leader in our industry, working with a vision to an entire ecosystem."

Zeynep Yalim Uzun the CMO of Arcelik says "We are aligned with our consumers sustainability goals. We have been developing products that make healthy living possible. We are commited in recycling, have energy efficient products that support sustainable living. This is what the consumer wants. It's great to see we are in the same page as this. Working towards a healthier planet, we need technologies that  lower carbon footprint. It's a great push for us, but we encourage other manufacturers to follow suit as well. We utilize AI, did videos that reached millions of people so more people can join our journey."

From washing machines, dryers, these things can use recyclable materials in order to create these appliances. They also do fishnets on plastic parts, including industrial threads waste and integrate it to plastic parts in the last two years. The company also use environmentally friendly materials in their Bio Cycle Refrigerators. They use bio plastics, with egg trays made from soybean oil, egg shells and other materials.

They have several campaigns that address obesity in the past like "Eat Like a Pro", and now evolved it to something that is more shifted to the attention to the community, and the world. They do "Healthy Living on a Healthy Planet". And I think that's a good thing to address.

Beko Now Available Countrywide

You've heard of them, now you'll be seeing them present in almost all leading appliance stores nationwide. Europe's number one appliance brand is now in the Philippines and prepared a lot to get their best ones out in the market. During the pandemic, contrary to what is supposed to be the norm, people have been doing lots of house repairs and re-decorating and that's exactly where Beko can come in.

Beko has really good refrigerators, washers, cookers and range hoods. They also have ovens and vacuum cleaners. They have heavily invested in technologies that would make sure your consumables stay fresh, your house clean and kept well. Beko had their appliances equipped with HarvestFresh, EverFresh, NeoFrost Dual Cooling, SteamCure, AquaIntense, Steam Cooking Solutions and PowerClean. They've been in the country since last year but this year, they've made sure they have done the legwork to have their products available in major appliance retail stores in all regions of the country, and online as well.

For now, they have these products in All Home, Ansons, Asian Home, Great World Appliances, Robinsons Appliances, Savers Appliances, and SM Appliance Stores, and online via Household Appliance Trading's website (hat.com.ph) and Beko’s Lazada official store. They still continue to bring the best of what Europe can offer in Filipino homes and I think that's a good thing. If you fancy getting them, you've got these options and that's a safe way to actually do it especially if you're buying them online. 

Beko made that happen.

AXN and GoDaddy's PROJECT GO Announces Winner

The word is out and yes, one team has finally won PROJECT GO. It's STAFFZ which is a hub for virtual assistants. The passion, the cause, it was a nice thing that they've gotten one impressive person who pitched this idea and now has the opportunity to make it a reality.

George Chien of KC Global Media says "This project was fun for us and partnering with GoDaddy was good even during the pandemic. This production was a challenge but with the resources that GoDaddy has, we pulled off a pretty exciting project. For all the contestants, I certainly learned a lot. We enjoyed the non traditional ideas as we deliver something really unique that would benefit a lot of people during the pandemic. If we have helped one person, that's already good."

James Carroll of GoDaddy International says "This series was a celebration of the Filipino entrepreneurial spirity. We are beyond grateful to provide them tools especially during these exciting times. I want to congratulate the winner, and all who have presented their ideas. I considered a number of things in the final pitch, how innovative was it? Is there a market? How clear and what approach they used? How did they execute it? That made the difference."

Jodi Valenta VP for Global Marketing of GoDaddy says "Their passion of helping others, that really touched me the most. It was a great experience to be thousands of miles away and see the show. It helps anybody understand the entrepreneurial spirit."

Mentor and host Maggie Wilson says "Before I take on a project I asked if this was going to make me grow. It makes peoples ideas real. I learned so much from my co mentors and the contestants themselves, I will take those with me. I saw a confident woman Pearl when you presented and thank you all so much for being part of this. This is something truly special."

Bea Cupin says "Thank you to everyone who watched the show. I learned so much from the mentors and the Top 4. I am so excited to see what else is in store with Filipino entrepreneurs. I also want to thank AXN Asia and GoDaddy Asia for making me a part of this. I hope you guys support Pearl and everyone in the top 4."

Mikko Tung says "I am so glad to have signed up for this because I will never forget this. I am so happy to be able to impart things through Project Go. Being a mentor, I never knew I would learn so much from the contestants. Sooner, it will be them teaching me a thing or two. I am 100% more humbled and inspiring. I want to congratulate everyone getting this far and you are all absolutely stellar. Pearl, I am so proud of you since day 1, this is only the beginning and congratulations on being the first winner of Project Go.

Mark Tung says "The experience was very challenging for me, I have always thought I dind't want to let down the other mentors and GoDaddy, thank you for the people involved in this. I saw how driven they are, I wasn't like this when I was their age. I give a lot of credit to these contestants. I got to meet them and share our experience, but I learned a lot from them. Congratulations Pearl for winning, I know you guys will make it work. You are in the right direction, we are just a message away, you guys are all winners.

Macky Tung says "When you are stuck at home you are a little uninspired, these guys have a platform and made their ideas come true. The behavior of people has changed before and after the pandemic. We saw that in Project Go, seeing these young entrepreneurs do it, I was going out and partying when I was in their age. They had plans, they knew how to market, on top of that they are thriving even during the pandemic. It's just really inspiring. It's not just after sales, you need to find your purpose and hit individuals that matter most. Never forget that, you e


Tina Shieh of GoDaddy says "It was an experience for us, we took social distancing to a whole new level. They are constantly sharing their expertise during a competition and we are so glad to be part of that. Listening to the whole thing, I really appreciate this whole journey of Project Go. Thank you to everyone who participated in this project."

Winner Pearl De Guzman of Team STAFFZ says "I am happy and grateful to be declared as the winner of Project Go. This is a big win. Actually, we are just overwhelmed with the messages we got especially after the announcement. Thank you to everyone who made the show, it's was an amazing experience for me and my team, we now have the tools to take our ideas off the ground to bring it to life. We now have a website built through GoDaddy and there's really no excuse to not have one. There was a lot of pressure all throughout that show and we just needed to tell them how we got our numbers. You just have to put your idea out there, take the first step. It has made our business model really fine tuned and we now know how to deliver our story. Right now we are looking forward to apply these ideas and we needed a big online presence and certainly, it was easier to have been able to use their tools during this pandemic."