Baron and Jake Star in Netflix's DELIVERY RIDER!

When you're tired and hungry from work or have an online shopping order coming from Timbuktu, you only have one man for the job, the DELIVERY RIDER. This is the same title of a new action drama movie starring Baron Geisler, Euwenn Mikaell and Jake Cuenca. They held a press conference for it a few days ago in Dean and Deluca in Quezon City so we had the pleasure of talking with the cast and its director Lester Pimentel Ong. For those who don't know, he's the same guy who did hit series Incognito. This just means we're going to have a lot of expectations which I'm quite sure he'll deliver because he's that good. 

Baron plays a man in the autism spectrum, brought up and trained with martial arts, whilst having innate fighting skills. He also wishes for independence and inclusion just like those in his condition, in hopes to stay away from usual stereotypes. He says "This is sort of a gift for those who are under the spectrum, made meticulously for their parents and those who love them. Santo is certainly mad at the world he lives in but always seem to be kind. This is his strength and you'll see that in every delivery he does in the film."

Playing the role of his son is Euwenn Mikaell, who's had a fruitful 2023 when he won Best Child Actor at MMFF. Jake Cuenca on the other hand will play a gang leader's son. He says "I immediately said yes to this project because it was an opportunity to work with a talented actor Baron and one of my favorite directors Direk Lester. When we finished filming, we had a sense of respect with each other's work especially since we had a ringside experience where we spent most of the day talking with each other." 

He's certainly excited to see this on the platform and shares you should be too because they are also doing this with Jennica Garcia, Malou De Guzman, Soliman Cruz, Joem Bascon, Richard Quan and JC Alcantara who's got real skills when it comes to these type of shows. Make sure you subscribe!

Have You Seen Changes in GRAB Lately?

Every Filipino riding Grab must be feeling a little lucky lately. With the company offering true wallet friendly features, smart ones get the GrabCar Saver, GrabFood Saver Delivery, and for the hungry ones, GrabFood Saver Meals. They also have subscription plans such as GrabUnlimited and Grab Ride Saver which I often use going to events and places here in the metro.  

GrabCar Saver

GrabCar Saver has been implemented recently. In it, you get 15 percent cheaper rates in booking a standard Grab Car. For now, it is being done Metro Manila and in Pampanga (Central Luzon). Pretty soon, it'll be done in all Grab areas, though you'll have to note, you will have to wait a little while longer. You can also use GrabShare and use it to be with another passenger. This is useful for those who are not really in a hurry and you'll get even cheaper rates with it. You can get 30 percent savings from it, which is quite nice for those who are watching their transportation spending these days.

GrabFood Saver

It's been offered for quite some time now in the Grab Superapp. If you're fond of ordering from restuarants and establishments, this gives you the option of enjoying your food and have it delivered with the Saver option. Fees will certainly be less than usual, I do this when I have lots of time in between meals and I even do it when I have guests coming a little late than usual. I just order ahead of time so it could reach my location perfectly. These are great prices especially if you love gatherings. Imagine only 15 pesos? That's a steal.

With the rates already low, get the GrabUnlimited for major discounts on GrabFood, GrabMart and GrabCar. You can opt to get the annual plan instead since it'll cost you even lower. I have the Grab Ride Saver though as it slashes 10 percent for 60 rides, I use it all and pay only 99 pesos for it. Quite nice if you ride Grab Cars regularly. Grab certainly is changing the way we ride each day, for that, I'm quite thankful for the perks I get when I avail them. They're really good at it.

Time to Try foodpanda's "pandago" Delivery Service

If you weren't looking and if you're living under a rock, there are a lot of change happening in the foodpanda app. Recently, they launched a new package delivery service called "pandago", something that certainly can benefit you for your personal errands and businesses for their delivery needs.

Case in point some foodpanda merch I had a few days ago which my friend saw on my stories. He's single and very sad lol. So it wouldn't take a genius what a friend would do, send him the merch of course! So it just took a few steps to put in my pickup point, his address, enter the voucher (which is 95 percent off on first pandago transaction), and booking it. It took about 4-5 minutes to have the driver pickup the parcel (which was quick) and a couple minutes more to get the parcel to its destination.

Ms. Patricia Jacinto the Operations Director of foodpanda Philippines puts this as a convenience service that would benefit Filipinos especially if you're sending documents, gifts, and packages. They wanted to also expand their services across the platform as they see the demand for it. They rolled out pandago in several cities like Davao and Cabanatuan. There's also real time tracking on the app so you can see if it's already there plus insurance coverage if it gets lost or stolen during transit. Use NEWPGO on the app and see how it could take off an amount on your delivery services. Imagine the amount of people especially MSME's who can do deliveries fast, 24/7 anywhere in the country (that's the good end goal eh?).

I'm a panda PRO subscriber and have had lots of benefits from groceries (from pandamart) and food deliveries (from my favorite restaurants). Now there's more things that would make my life easy when I forget something from home (which happens a lot apparently) or just want to make someone's day special. 

Hope you all get to try pandago, I just did, it's not that expensive and I totally enjoyed it!

foodpanda Forges Patnership with NBA

Went to Mall of Asia Entertainment Hall pretty early for the recent announcement of foodpanda and their partnership with the biggest league in the world, the NBA. Present during the occasion was their fun lovin' mascot Paupau, their executives  Amer Bakshi, Lorelie Olalia and NBA's Hubert Ling and Mae Dichupa. 

They also brought in UAAP and PBA players to make sure games would be extra fun for participating foodpanda customers that morning. 

This means that from now on, foodpanda will be the official food delivery partner of the NBA. Each time you watch the NBA games especially this coming NBA All Star Weekend, it'll be super convenient to order up at your foodpanda app and get your food delivered fast.

150K dollars will be given for two charity organizations, and it's been a while since Lebron lost one so who knows?! 

I'm watching the games now at Tipsy Pig in QC where they are doing a Livestream together with Cignal. I hope he still wins because the draft was good.

foodpanda PH Lets Us Experience pandaPRO "GANAPS"

Are you a foodpanda fan? Have you been ordering too much on the app and wish you could save on your food and shopping orders? Well, this might be the opportune time to become a real deal pandapro. It's a monthly subscription program on the foodpanda app that gives MORE exclusive deals, benefits, free delivery so you can save a lot from purchasing food and groceries on the popular app.

Well, a few days ago, they got us to experience a new thing called pandapro "GANAPS". Aside from the perks you get for subscribing in the app, they went the mile of doing several events intended for invited pandapro subscribers so they could win prizes, watch movie premieres and be with fellow loyal pandapro community members. 

 

 

I think with the restrictions relaxing a bit, these would be really good additional perks to have. The THOR Love and Thunder movie they had us watch was the perfect way to end the day too.

The foodpanda app now also has access to shops, travel destinations, even more food spots so you can do everything even at the comforts of your home. You can also choose to pickup and have more discounts, vouchers that you can use morning, noon and night time. I'd like to take this bit to thank the good people of foodpanda Philippines for having me, the rest of the bloggers and influencers in your event. I bet, pandapro subscribers would be happy to experience this soon. For as low as Php 33.30-Php 50.00 a month, this is surely worth every penny saved. I think they've got more events planned in the pipeline, and that means it'll be good if you get subbed early on. If you want to know more about the pandapro membership, there's some FAQ's on the foodpanda PH app so go download it off Google Play or the App Store today!

KIM CHIU for SHOPEE 10.10 Super Brands Festival

Looks like you're going to regret it if you don't shop this 10.10 as Shopee starts festivities for the Shopee 10.10 Super Brands Festival. What's in store for us shoppers? Well to start off, Martin Yu the Director for Operations and Business Intelligence at Shopee Philippines presented their achievements in the past 9.9 sale, and gave us a glimpse of what's about to happen in 10.10 Super Brands Festival. He also introduced Kim Chiu as the newest Shopee Ambassador for this 10.10 sale.

Martin Yu says "Thank you for your support for Shopee, and this Christmas season, we're celebrating 10.10 Brand Festival. We jumped 5 years forward in one year, we have up to 49% of consumers still using e-commerce after normal operations. There will be 28,000 brands available in the Shopee Mall so you can get a variety of deals, all across the region. Cocacola, Hanabishi, Starbucks, The Loop, and Beyond the Box just recently joined us. Shopee continues to help brands grow so they innovate, get lots of solutions. 780K users are now under brand membership program, we have 20K brand partners, more content publishers, cashback and coupon sites. Currently, Shopee has 4.5M unique viewers on Shopee Live, there will be super discount battles on livestream, better local content and innovations for our partners. You will see this all on the 10.10 Brands Festival. Today til October 10, you will get daily deals, up to 100,000 worth of brand vouchers. There will be 430,000 pesos worth of big brand giveaways, super brand days from your favorite brands, plus gifts for every purchase. There will also be category fairs, so mark your calendars and get these amazing deals! You can buy load, pay bills and scan to pay on Shopee Pay. You also get exclusive sales and discounts too!"

For KPOP Fans, ITZY will have a Shopee Live performance on October 10. "Shopee Guess it Right" will also roll out on this date. One of the country's top talents, Kim Chiu is their newest brand ambassador!

Kim says "Hello everybody! I hope your morning is great as you welcome me in the Shopee family! I was surprised, every month I had Shopee Shake on Showtime, but when my handler said I will be the brand ambassador, I went crazy! I am a real deal Shopee user, I just search things and it pops up, all I need to live inside my house is there. It only takes a few days to see it on your doorstep. My last purchase was a fridge organizer, it only costs 50 pesos, plus the vouchers and free shipping is just amazing! What I enjoy most about it? It's the process of checking out. Sometimes I just add to cart and when the sale happens, I hurry and check out because the deals are just so good to miss out. I often shop in the evening when I'm almost going to bed. I don't have a certain time, it's just when I need something, I go there right away and look for it. You'll be surprised that local and international brands are all there, it's that easy! I don't have to go to malls now, because even after 2 days I already get what I order without endangering myself by going out. I also do the Shopee shake regularly, I buy masks in the platform, alcohol, bags, essentials that I use everyday, plus the soap containers and air fryers. All of them are my budol finds! Thank you also Shopee for the trust, bawal lumabas, so if you need to buy something, you get it on your doorstep. I love you all! Stay safe!"

 

What are brands offering?

Deerma

Deerma VC811 Handheld Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Auto-Vertical Handheld 5500Pa for Home Car https://shp.ee/wm5viev

Deerma CM818 Handheld Dust Mite Vacuum Cleaner UV Sterilization Vacuum 13000Pa https://shp.ee/k62w3bv

65% OFF on Deerma Appliances starting October 10

P&G Beauty

Pantene Keratin Smooth Pro V3 https://shp.ee/jr9ewbd

Pantene Pro V Hair Fall Control https://shp.ee/4vtztpd

Upto 50% off on beauty must haves on 10.10

Havaianas Philippines

Havaianas Fashion Flip Flop for only Php 500 https://shp.ee/zabywwd

Get 2 Pairs Promo Havaianas for only Php 1010 https://shp.ee/epih3zd

Win Havaianas Backpacks and up to 70% OFF on items in the store


That's not all, because countless brands will be part of the huge sale. Make sure you download the app, get your Shopee Pay loaded before checking out on the 10th because definitely, these are huge deals!

The BISTRO GROUP Got Fully Vaccinated

 

The Bistro Group is one of the biggest restaurant chains in the country. They've got over 18 restaurant concepts which includes TGIFRIDAYS who's got pretty good burgers and ribs, ITALIANNI’S who served lovely pizza and pasta, TEXAS ROADHOUSE for the best steaks, DENNY’S who serves all day breakfas, WATAMI for Japanese cuisine, HARD ROCK CAFÉ who serves American comfort food (yes I mean those cheesy macaroni!) and live entertainment, plus the Spanish cuisin that Las Flores, BCN, Tomatitos and Rambla's offer and more. As of now, they've got over 80 branches nationwide and employ a lot in the food and beverage industry.

Recently, they announced that ALL their restaurant staff have been FULLY VACCINATED. That's a huge feat especially when Chef's, cooks, servers are protected, it'll be safer to dine in or receive delivery from these establishments. Of course, we still have to observe protocols and do our best to get vaccinated too but knowing this alone, brings a sense of security that they're taking the threat of the virus seriously. Their staff will be wearing their vaccination pin proudly so if you're looking forward to dine in (on a limited basis based on government restrictions) a Bistro group restaurant is a must! The Bistro Group President and COO Jean Paul Manuud says "We support all efforts in vaccination drives. We also want to bring the economy back to life and make dining options safe for all stakeholders."

In a nutshell, it's reassuring and as they say, a JAB well done! You may order from them via the Food Panda app, the Grab app and the Bistro Delivers app which is available in the Google Play store and the App Store on iOS.

The Sweetest Thing with Diabetes

Life has changed dramatically when I learned I had diabetes. My family has a long history of having it so I kinda knew it was just going to be a few more years before I would have it. I've seen my family members have tough battles with it. I do know most of them carry around shots of insulin so they could live like a normal joe. If you're in our shoes, it's hard to go out and have fun with family and friends because lack of it would pretty much make you experience fatigue, you would rather just lay around all day in bed than interact with your cute nieces and nephews. Aside from that, you can't travel much because you would often feel the need to urinate even if you don't need to and sometimes, get even more sick internally because you didn't manage your diabetes properly.

Yes, I'm so glad I'm managing mine quite well with the guidance of my endocrinologist who's also busy spreading her expertise here and around the globe. I make sure to watch what I eat (although that burger last night was not counted). I also think of it in a certain way – that if you take in a lot of sugar and it gets into your blood, it will eventually cause problems in different parts of your body. Obviously, it will pass through your heart, kidneys, eyes and your brain. When it damages parts of it, it could cause organ failure which would not be a good thing. I also take time to explain to my younger cousins, my nephews and nieces that this too could happen to them. These days, if I need to eat out or order food, I take time to look at the ingredients closely. I’m also so conscious about the nutrition labels on food when I go and get groceries to replenish our pantry. I also drank a lot of sodas in the past, but now if it’s not 4g or below per serving, I would think twice or just revert to my iced water if I get cravings. I also often drink carbonated water so I get the fizz of regular drinks I get but without the sugar and added ingredients that are bad for me.

The key is in moderation, to regularly see the doctor so they can tell you if your laboratory results are improving. Also, there have been tons of strides made in the development of insulin (second generation) which can have longer durations of action, and insulins that can address a variety of conditions and different types of patients. These products are also available for delivery, which is very convenient during the pandemic. Watsons (also Watsons Delivery that does insulin delivery). In the past, it would have been difficult to acquire it but we’ve seen the importance of insulin to be administered in a timely manner or else, it wouldn’t stabilize glucose levels in the bloodstream and cause hypoglycemia.

I realized how important it is for people to have access to medicine so we could live our lives as normal as possible. Even if we’re in this condition, we have the capability and become the best versions of ourselves out there. As you can see, it takes a whole town to manage what I have and I’m glad people are helping. From family members, to friends who refer you to the best doctors, to the company that produces the insulin and took the extra mile to get it to this patient who only wants to be as normal as possible. They’re in the best position to help, and they’re doing it. I’m just thankful to see they care about me, and my health. It is the sweetest, and for that, I’m grateful!  

For more information on second-generation insulin and diabetes management, you can watch the webisode series for lifestyle diseases, Health Speak, in this link https://www.instagram.com/p/CPaQ6nAhVpT/

Kenny Rogers Roasters Launch Delivery Site

People, I know you're still stuck at home and can't go out because of the pandemic. Now don't fret because we can still have the treats we love when we used to have on regular days because I've got news for you. Our friends from Kenny Rogers Roasters know you love their fluffy corny muffins, butter filled corn and carrots, and those lovely roasted chicken they're known for. So in this time and age that you can't go out and order on their restaurants, they've been working hard to make it easier for you to order food from the lovely restaurant.

They just launched KennyRogersDelivery.com.ph, their official website created so that you won't have to go anywhere just to have good food. They recently had a very successful run of their BUY 1 TAKE 1 HALF DOZEN PROMO for orders made on May 17-23, but don't fret because they'll have more of these promotions soon so make sure to also official Facebook page and Instagram account because they do announce it there.

The website is also responsive so if you are visiting it with any other device like phones and tablets, you can navigate it easy and for gawd's sake, go get your favorites because it's easier now! Don't take my word for it, try it.

Pizza Hut Unveils ULTIMATE Cheesy Bites Pizza

Pizza and I have a very harmonious relationship, it loves me, and I love it. It always brings me comfort on a bad day, it also makes me happy to spend time with family and friends because some of them are really good.

Well, Pizza Hut is not going to just stand there and watch us be sad because of the pandemic, as they just announced this week the emergence of the ULTIMATE CHEESY BITES PIZZA. It's a cheese lovers dream pizza made into reality. Imagine the crust with 24 individual bite sized poppers on the end and 4 cheese layers of Mozzarella, Cheddar, Cream Cheese and Parmesan. It also comes with a Marinara dip for those who want a little tangy flavor, and some really awesome packages if you're up for it. The Ultimate Cheesy Bites Pizza cost Php 429, they also have the Cheesy Bites Feast Set at Php 599. It's available on Grab Food and Food Panda, they also have an app and website if you wish to order that way too.

Here's my experience on video yesterday, check this out!

See what I mean? :) Go get one today!

 

Some Good Filipino Comfort Food from TAKAM

I was hungry as a bear so I made the decision and ordered a couple of things from TAKAM, a 24/7 Pinoy Comfort Food center in Granada, Quezon City. It's very near my place and they've packed my lunch pretty well. They have my favorite rice bowls and local congee (lugaw/goto) so it's quite perfect for rainy days. Something that you'll just sit by a window sill and curl up while holding their nice containers.

 

I kinda had it waiting on the dinner table because I had to rush and finish a few meetings, but because it's packed like these, I just popped it in the microwave and had it blitz for a few minutes. It was piping hot when I took it out (although it was still fairly warm when I did hold it up earlier since they are quite nearby). I had this CHICKSILOG which felt more like crispy Chicken karaage even if reheated. It's not too salty, just right, and they kept the egg a little runny for those who love sunny side up eggs.

They also have BANGSILOG which is fried to crisp milkfish marinated in different spices. This one was quite nice as it had a tangy, savory and very crispy. I guess the marinade really made the difference. Of course, I had to have vinegar and the atchara which I had on the fridge to make several perfect bites. I would love to also have this for breakfast. Then of course, my favorite comfort food is always congee, and TAKAM has some pretty good GOTO SPECIAL.

What's even better is that when they sent this over is that they've got the toppings packaged separately with the actual congee. What that means is that your crispy pork bits remain absolutely crispy, and not soggy because it has been in the soup too long. That's really smart of them to do and honestly, I could have this alone as a meal (sans second servings). I like my GOTO SPECIAL hot so I did blitz this a few minutes in the microwave oven, but you can opt to heat this up in a small pot because again, they've had it in separate containers. You won't burn the toppings if you had it mixed up like usual food places do. As far as the taste is concerned, it's actually very nice, you get that gingery broth with the rice so it feels quite comforting on a cold rainy night.

I also like the toppings because aside from the crackling pork, you've got crunchy garlic bits, chives, tripe, and those heavenly strips of tendon. Those fatty elements just feel like a human hug. So if you're up to no good, or simply just hungry in the wee hours of the morning and think you can't order comfort food like these, think again. They also have other silogs on the menu, Sisig, Pares, Bulalugaw, Arroz Caldo and serve em in different kinds of rice.

TAKAM Pinoy Comfort Food is also available 24/7 and you can call them via 0922 879 9264 or order via GRAB Food and Food Panda too. They have branches in Timog Avenue and Sucat so for those who are in other locations, you're covered!

Writing about this just made me hungry. :( LOL

BISTRO GROUP Starts Dine-in Operations

I belong to a multitude of Filipinos who miss the ambiance and feel of being in a restaurant but these past few months, it made us realize health is first. I have dined in a few restaurants these past few days and just like these guys from the Bistro Group, they will take no chances in making it safe for diners to choose and dine-in the restaurant.

Following government regulations and ensuring the health of their customers and staff, they have now began re-opening branches starting June 15, 2020.    ​For burgers, chips and ribs, TGIFRIDAYS Bonifacio High Street, Alabang Town Center,​SM MOA, Glorietta, ​Evia are open from 10 am to 6 pm.  For pizza, pasta and hearty Itaian dishes, ITALIANNI’S is open at ​BGC, Ayala North Exchange, Greenbelt, Glorietta​, Eastwood, ​Evia, Midtown, Alabang Town Center, Vista Mall Sta. Rosa is open from 10 am to 6 pm except Vista Mall and Midtown which starts at 11am. For all day breakfast lovers, DENNY’S is open at Uptown Parade, ​Midtown, Eastwood, ​Vista Mall from 8 am to 6 pm sans Uptown which closes at 7 pm. Steaks and grubs at TEXAS ROADHOUSE can now be tasted at  ​Greenbelt and inside Italianni’s Evia Lifestyle Center from 10 am to 6 pm. For Chinese/Shanghai based cusine, MODERN SHANGHAI is open at the ​Evia Lifestyle Center ​NOMO (Vista North of Molino) which opens at 10 am and closes at 6 pm. Sushi lovers would love to dine at WATAMI Ayala North Exchange or their stores inside TGIFridays Glorietta, TGIFridays Bonifacio High Street, TGIFridays SM MOA, TGIFridays Alabang Town Center, and soon TGIFridays Evia NOMO opens from 10am to 6pm. Fave wing place BUFFALO WILD WINGS only offers take-out and delivery services, specifically the one inside Denny’s Vista Mall and Denny’s Uptown.  

Now there’s no more reason to skip your favorites from these Bistro Group Restaurants because they’re all open, just for you! So, shall we order take out?!

Healthy Roast Chicken from Liam's Farm To Table

Tired washing the dishes, pots and pans so what better way to get some needed rest by ordering roast chicken. What makes this Liam's Farm to Table viand special is that it's organic, it's fresh, no anti biotics was used so you get that natural chicken flavor you deserve.

It comes in three flavors, Liam's Orginal BBQ Chicken, Portugese Grilled Chicken and Chicken Inasal Liam's Style. They herbs they use permeate to the chicken because they're never frozen and I liken it to those you get in hotels and restaurants. They have different sauces available too like the roasted chicken gravy, peri peri, inasal and little atchara. I like the Peri-Peri and Inasal the most. To order, just call 09563946899.

If you're the type that want something for later, you can heat it up in the oven or play around with it. You don't need to put much effort because it already has flavor, and I like it. I like it a lot! If you're around QC or nearby areas, give them a call to get your own roast chicken fix! I already had mine. Their branch is located in Sct. Lozcano near the Tomas Morato area.

Let's eat!