Possibilities Unfurled on Recent ISP Hosting

If you've been hearing a lot of buzz surrounding the recent hosting of the International Series Philippines where golf superstars arrived in the country, this just unfurled the possibilities of what more we can do with the sport which was hosted by B!ng0P|us Foundation, the social arm of the folks from D!giP|us Interactive Corp. This has made really good waves in the local scene as those who love the sport took a few days to immerse themselves in international level of competition including local athletes who had experience in the course. 

This is one of the things they wanted to do as part of their goals in sports development which was reiterated by D!giP|us Chair Eusebio Tanco. He said this is also part of their commitment in Philippine sports, putting their foot where their mouth is including a whopping 17.2 million pesos as donations for entities such as the Philippine Sports Commission, National Golf Association of the Philippines, the Asian Development Tour and an NGO called Sisidlan Rizal Weavers who had a chance to showcase their products front and center. They mentioned how this would help the PSC to fund training in different sports programs, something that would make dreams come true for the next gen athletes. 

This meant 100,000 USD for the Asian Development Tour and 50,000 USD for NGAP to secure a slot for a Filipino golfer in the international series so they could get to experience the same level of sport against champions. They also have 500,000 php to Sisidlan Rizal Weavers (much of whom members are women) to further help them in the business including their participation at the event's Welcome Gala and at the LIV Golf Music Fest where tons of folks enjoyed some of the country's greatest acts. This is just a part of what they do to multiply the good in the community, for education and also health. That's just one of many initiatives they plan to accomplish in this side of the world. Congratulations D!giP|us!

Shining Bright: CHARO CORDIAL and MADDOX JEWELRY

Took a trip way east to Marikina City to visit the physical showroom of Maddox Jewelry. We got to talk to Madame Charo Cordial, the viral online seller, entrepreneur and businesswoman who made her small venture into a gold and diamond empire that it is today. 

She had very humble beginnings. Brought up in a small town where farming was the premier industry, her parents had her take up Agricultural Engineering in college. During the pandemic, she just had the the opportunity to delve into jewelry (among her other passions), and that's where Maddox Jewelry started. When we met her, her demeanor was very warm and welcoming. With her fascination for all things gold, she got so busy these past few years garnering not only a huge clientele but celebrities, some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. The difference between her and the other online sellers is that she's got a physical showroom in Marikina (AZDM Building) where she conducts appointments for those who want to see the jewelry before they purchase it. 

Here's what we saw there!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by John Bueno (@kumagcow)

We asked her about making investments on jewelry and what is the best time to do it and she said "There's really no BEST time to do it but NOW. As you may know, gold value is increasing over the years and if you don't get it early, you won't see the value grow. I've seen several of my clients who purchased gold and diamond pieces in the past and in a few years, the value is now 5 times of what it was then."

She adds "Jewelry is not only for women, but men too. We have several pieces that are unisex especially the classic designed ones that can be worn by men or women. Aside from that, we have celebrities like Mark Herras who got earrings with diamonds in it. (Tried to find it on display but they said it's all sold out!) We have them in different colors. We have blue diamonds, green diamonds, something that would fit your personality. We'd gladly accommodate you here as we have people who could assist you to choose the right sparkle you need for your jewelry."

Here's a bit of our talk with her that evening:

As you may have heard, her clients are mostly other jewelry sellers that source most of their wares from her. She also wished for a few A list celebrities to collaborate with her since she also does content on TikTok and Facebook. 

Her Facebook page is her only selling platform, and streams are regularly done live and deleted right after because most of the sales are done only during livestreams. If you're interested, go follow their page and watch out for schedules, it's mostly from 6pm to 12am and they're quite keen on helping entrepreneurs to start their own businesses. If you've been wanting to start your own collection, they have people to help you at their Marikina office. 

Their showroom is pretty full most of the time, it might be wise to ask for appointments through their contact numbers there. I'm off to buy a few very soon. Remember as she says, the time to invest in jewelry is now!

Super nice and very humble, she's shining bright indeed. Thank you and congratulations Ms. Charo! Here's wishing you could help more people and continued success in the business! 

SANTÉ Celebrates 18th Anniversary: New Products, Filipino and Proud!

The folks from SANTÉ International recently celebrated their 18th anniversary, a feat that has been lauded with not just local fans, but worldwide. That's almost 2 decades of innovation, efforts to train people to be better versions of themselves, equipped with transformative leadership and proud to be Filipino, there's more reasons to celebrate!

Their natural health products especially barley has been very successful, and they continue to also become advocates for health and wellness across the world.

Chief Executive Officer Joey Marcelo says "This organization has been in the business of finding the right business partners and owners. They are the ones actively building the business not just here but globally. From day 1 we tried to find the right people, not just the ones who are best when it comes to products, but it's the leaders that make the products move. 18 years after, we are known around the world. When you say Barley, it immediately means Sante. This inspires us, and makes us happy."

They add "This is our debut, we have more experience now. We found the right business partners and have seen their wonderful dreams happen. Changes? A lot, it's taken as a challenge and we are very flexible. We're very fast in pivoting, and it has propelled us in success."

18 years is unbelievable. A Filipino company now has its own manufacturing facility in New Zealand, and it caters to not just Filipino but a global market. Now there are Italians, Americans, those in the Middle East who use their products. Here's a little talk we had with some of their business leaders who exemplify how it is to succeed with SANTÉ

Barley Grass has been in their business for a long time. Previously, it was marketed incorrectly and they did their research to make sure it gets to the intended market. When they got their research team on it, they only said why did they only see this now. It's has everything one needs nutritionally, vitamins, minerals too. It was just recommended to him and they realized how powerful it is. There's no major player, and they are the barley champion. It's now a household brand, and they believe it's the number 1 food supplement brand in the country. They will continue to innovate, starting with NEXTAI for the world market. Evolving in infrastructure, compensation plans, build the business globally. They know this new infrastructure will benefit their organization, and they are focusing on this right now as part of their future plans.

To this day, SANTÉ International has been changing and transforming lives. Through their channels and small networks, they've got ordinary employees, ordinary folks who initially didn't believe it, now have their lives and future secured. This is what they want to happen to their future business owners, their partners who also want to take part in introducing not just the Sante Barley but the new products they plan to release this year. If you would like to be part of that, visit their website or their social channels because they've been looking for you!

Congratulations SANTÉ International! Here's to more years of what is, and what could be!

METROBANK Urges You To Get HOLIDEALS Early! Gets JOSE MARI CHAN Singing in AUGUST!

 

It's August but Metrobank is about to change the holiday schedules as they start the season with planning early with products fit for the Filipino resolution makers, and not have it too late. Folks should not start change after new year revelries, the time to start doing it is right now! 

Last year, they initiated GIFT. Mr. Digs Dimagiba the Digital Marketing Lead for Metrobank talked lengthily about it and said "Goals, Invest, Follow a Budget Plan and Take Advantage of Deals (aka GIFT) was done last year. This year, we need to plan ahead. We need to spend with purpose, and August as Financial Resolutions Month and it needs to be done a bit early because those who start late usually don't get to achieve their goals. We want more people to accomplish their goals, and stop making it in January just like any successful business. It's going to be clearer, have gift guides, plan before your bonus comes into play in your financial journey. The #EarlyGIFT challenge means you need to know your realistic goal in 12 months, take time to write it down, make it public and tag your friends, before the holiday rush begins. You may refer to earlygift.ph, and don't be afraid to have big goals. We'll help you make your plans become a reality." 

Ms. Peaches Cuenco the Head of Consumer Lending Group for Metrobank says "Look at where are right now. Home ownership is a priority for every family, there are 2/5 folks who don't own their homes. The younger Filipinos increased ownership for car and homes, there is an increase YOY. It's an opportunity for Metrobank to make that a reality. Our best offer ever is the Car and Home Loans now have a 3 year fixed term, waived fees (10K), and these include insurance from AXA. Convenience that is FREE. If you are interested, you can apply online on our website or physically go to a branch near you. We can be your financial partner all the way!" 

Now is the time to be financially ready. And what better way to start that but by singing Christmas Songs with the one and only Jose Mari Chan!

@kumagcow JOSE MARI CHAN Starts Singing CHRISTMAS SONGS IN AUGUST, just like your plans to save! Do it early with METROBANK #TikTokTainmentPH #TikToktainment #tiktokshowbizreporter #JoseMariChan ♬ original sound - John Bueno

Metrobank wants you to know that YOU CAN do your yearly plans early instead of just doing it in January and feeling like a failure because it's too late. You've got funds available even before the holidays, and being adept to changes before it happens can spell success. They've got the best offers in loans when you want a new home or transportation. Go get it and make that year a successful one today! 

STARPRENEUR Bazaar at the Fifth at Rockwell

I saw a lot of smiles coming out of vendors from this event. I couldn't blame them because aside from the fact that this is a full bazaar, it's certainly a way to prove that there's a lot of potential for MSME's in the country. This is the STARPRENEUR Bazaar held at the FIFTH at Rockwell in Makati. This is organized by Bela Padilla and Filipino entrepreneurs Ms. Lanie Tañedo and Mr. Dennis Valbuena. If you are familiar with the brand Bela by Bela Padilla, they are the same folks who started her cosmetic, product and perfume line with her a couple months ago. This time, they're working with young Hollywood star and PH showbiz royalty Iñigo Pascual.

Iñigo says "It's something that I wanted to do for a long time. I've dreamt about it since college but I never got to finish my course in entrepreneurship. I've been involved in acting and music, and I wanted something different from that. Before I met them (Ms. Lanie Tañedo and Mr. Dennis Valbuena) I really wanted to start something but I didn't really know what to do and where to start. They showed me the ropes on how to start a business. They also showed me technology because it's different now. You really have to learn what's on trend, and for me, they really are the ones who guided me."

He adds "A lot of the products we have in herzy. is mentholated, and if you just got out of the shower, some complain from the heat, and they're already perspiring. I wanted folks to still feel fresh and clean after trying our products. The difference between men and women is, we want everything to be simple, less fuss, when you try it, it's really nice and smells good. It's easy to use and carry around. The ingredients are also natural, I even styled my own hair with it, and admit that sometimes men are even more vain about hair. We hope you love these products! I hope you love the Brow Serum which they initially designed to grow and nourish hair, last minute, we thought of using it for the brows because people often ask me about it. This was named after my Grandfather, we just turned the Herzig into Herzy to make it easy to pronounce."

Mr. Dennis Valbuena replied "We really appreciate that. Now that you've learned from us, it's your turn to guide others about the business. He was very hands on. We saw his potential right from the start."

At the event, they also took time to talk to entrepreneurs about their businesses and how they started. It was a very nice way for other entrepreneurs to learn from each other and perhaps network so they could also improve their businesses. The Runway Atelier also got their cute models on stage sing and walk for the event. Seeing kids there was super cute!

Here's a short chat we had with him at the venue:

 

 

Meanwhile, I have also managed to use the herzy. products this week and so far, I'm loving the herzy. Hairstyling Stick the most. Like him, I've got pretty wavy hair which gets uncontrollable after a few hours. It made my dilemma of looking well put together easy because you can get rid of those frizzy fly away hair in just a few seconds with it. The herzy. Body Wash not only smells good, but a bit minty. It feels fresh even in the hot afternoons in Manila. They've really made a very promising line of products designed for men (that can also be used by women). Best of all, men don't have to smell like flowers LOL.

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by John Bueno (@kumagcow)

There was a bit when Inigo Pascual sat down and talked to other MSME's. The chat included Mr. Dennis Valbuena of DL Wear Private, Mr. Nio Siggaoat and Ms. Valerie Lim of beauty brand Ready.Set.Glow (RSG), Twin CEO's Mark and Spencer Elimanco of LINKIT (who introduced high tech calling cards), Ms. Audrey Ong of Sweet Kamote, Ms. Jana Berenguer of J&A The Label (of TikTok fame, you should check out their story), Ms. Rich Garceron and Mr. Jed Homar Sison of Anytime Fitness Hemady Branch (whom you might want to check out to have no excuse to go to the gym) and Ms. Elvira and Eleanor of Thermomix.

The event also featured Dani by Bela (fragrance of Dani Baretto under Bela Padilla's brand), Bela by Bela, The Runway Atelier, AY Clothing Shop, Get Spotted, Sweet Kamote, Kittly Manila, Show Idea Mayumico, iWhite Korea, Hiraya Pilipina, Pan de Carpio, Prints FX and Signs, Miruku, Duchess The Label, alas hot sauce, FizzStop, Nutral, Developers HideOut, Luka's meat products, and a lot more.

The STARPRENEUR BAZAAR was so much fun, and I hope folks not just the consumers learned a lot from the business owners who shared their stories on stage. Congratulations to Bela, Ms. Lanie Tañedo and Mr. Dennis Valbuena. Can't wait to see what you have up your sleeves this year and beyond!

Personal Collection Continues Championing Women

A huge chunk of businesses in the Philippines is still comprised of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. It's a driving force, a significant amount of which are owned by women. This goes the same with Personal Collection, where dealers are mostly women that are empowered by the brand's accessible, low cost but quality merchandise. They contribute a lot to society.

Personal Collection recognizes this and has continued to help women in their direct selling business by having them own their individual enterprise as dealers, all providing a community that supports in their goals to succeed in life. They remain affordable to make sure they would be able to start their journey and grow their businesses.

Their growth is seen as a catalyst to improve the lives of their families, then continue to inspire others as they do other things so they could put food on the table and have their children go to school and make their dreams come true. Personal Collection is also very flexible, knowing mothers have other responsibilities too, they can earn on their own time and continue to contribute to the country's economy as part of MSME's. Go to personalcollection.com.ph if you want to be part of the movement.

Vista Land Wants You to MOVE Into These Mega Manila and Central Luzon Properties

Filipinos always wish for their own homes and the country's leading developer heard your call. Vista Land just announced their MOVE program, which means Making Ownership at Vista land Easy. As the name says, they've made it extra easy for you to own homes in their various projects located in 47 provinces and almost 150 cities/municipalities.

By streamlining payment plans and design them for both international and local buyers, folks can get to move in by giving 3 percent for their down payments. This would also get them over 30 percent savings if they go through the MOVE program and purchase it cash on the spot.

If you're a professional trying to start a life in one of their locations, or a husband and wife trying to grow your family, this would be a convenient way to invest. Although, this very attractive MOVE program will only be available til the end of the month (March 31st), so the best the time to avail it is NOW!

Vista Land has always been about growing communities. By putting in various house types in these locales, they get to accommodate home dwellers in different price points. Currently, they have Vista Estates, Crown Asia (who's doing different themes by the way!), Camella, Vista Manors and Lumina which they aggressively offer. They make sure these projects always have accompanying businesses, shopping centers, churches and transportation hubs nearby which makes them habitable from the day they enter their homes.  

Central Luzon alone is experiencing rapid growth and several estates in the province of Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan and nearby cities are experiencing progress. Jobs are generated in these communities and folks need not to go far to make a living or enjoy life's pleasures!

OFW's could even have their homes rented out as investments, it's been done quite often and because these homes are secured, have really nice green turfs, and urban planned well, it remains an attractive dwelling for those who prefer renting. This goes the same for those who prefer condominium units in Mega Manila because everything is accessible including local rails and transportation modes in these developments. It'll be so convenient to do business and entertain themselves whenever available.

If you want to know more about their properties, simply visit their official website www.vistaland.com.ph or follow their social channels @VistaLandOfficial and see the reasons why they continue to lead in the market.

The Philippine Coffee Expo 2025 "Charting New Frontiers" Slated May 9-11 at SPACE One Ayala

Filipinos love for coffee is not surprising. If I'd ask you how many cups you've had for a day, you would probably lie to lessen the guilt or just throw in a number and call it a day. We are after all the second largest coffee consumer in Asia right after our neighbor Japan, because those cups of coffee in the morning gets counted too. Our coffee culture is undeniable, and the industry is still growing. The strong market actually has issues, supply isn't enough locally. Surprise, surprise!

Recently, they launched the 2025 edition of The Philippine Coffee Expo which they labeled as "Charting New Frontiers". This will happen on May 9 to 11 at One Ayala's events facility called SPACE which is directly accessible from the Ayala MRT Station in Makati. The media conference was arranged by Perdem Hay Marketing Solutions Inc. and their sponsors Gourmet Farms Inc., the Provincial Government of Sultan Kudarat, the Department of Agriculture's Philippine Rural Development Project and National Project Coordinating Office, the kind people from Easy Brand PH (who's got awesome products btw!), Eighty Plus, Top Creamery, and the folks from Curve Coffee Collaborators too.

The event will also house the annual Philippine Coffee Quality Competition where they choose the best coffee beans and recognize the farmers that produce it. They also recognize the folks in between, who make sure those who get those beans from the land they came from to your coffee cup. They follow strict guidelines to make sure they acknowledge those who have merits. Exhibitors include Lasa, Cavite State Polytechnic University, Food inc., the good people of Cordillera Coffee, Agnep Heritage Coffee, Cafe Vera, Ciento Cookies, Milestone Coffee + Kitchen, D'Baristroe, Drip Kofi, Messy Summers, Subtle Coffee, Agkafetta Coffee, Cafe Sartog, and more. If you are planning to put up a cafe, or simple trying to source products for it, this would be the best event you could go to. They also had different artists do Coffee Art, which was so nice to see done live!

There will be local and international resource speakers, Coffee and Story Sessions, exhibits, business connections, cupping events, several pop up cafes on site, international specialty coffee exhibitors, Barista and Roasting competitions too.

 

Ms. Brenda Claver the PCG Director for Audit  says "I've been doing talks in different regions, from barista, supplier, and just about everyone in organizing this event. Coffee is a source for comfort, and the Philippine Coffee Expo has been an occasion to come together to share our expertise. Bringing the world together, from our exhibits, demos, it will be a feast for the senses. We have roasters,  equipment manufacturers to showcase the latest products in the coffee world. It's not just about coffee, but community, to promote and work together in an environmental way, spreading the love for coffee."

 

 Philippine Coffee Guild Chairman Mel Garcia says "Coffee is part of my research, this is more than just celebrating produce, but beyond that, it's an industry that involves producers and consumers deeper than the usual. We have members across the chain, even educators and enthusiasts who are members. Composer of those that represent stakeholders, public or private, and we are an organization that represents the industry and its members. The first one was in Davao in 2022 and we promoted farm entrepreneurship. We are going around the country and did it in World Trade Center, and now we are the highly accessible One Ayala and their SPACE. Foot traffic was great, and we had to beg off some attendees because there were so many folks coming in. We need to look beyond the industry, the sheer number of is visibly growing, but perhaps, not really maturing. With your help, we want to use our platform that would be able to help us. Some of our sponsors are here. Help us to tell people that our market needs to mature. We need to address volume, an entire ecosystem, this great venue will house a multitude of regions and represent their provinces. This would be a great place for you to get first dibs and network with like minded individuals, and surely baristas will fight for their place. They will be judged with world class criterion, in this annual coffee competition. You could see how  lives have changed with it."

 

Here's the press conference on video, please enjoy!

 

 

 

  

He adds "We are recognized by DTI and have SME's, Pop Up Shops participating. They are leading brands that you would be good to talk to about the industry and various sectors."

 

As you can see, this is just the tip of the iceberg. We have yet to discuss a lot about the Philippine coffee industry and its promising future. If you would want to acquire tickets to the event, please visit their official site philippinecoffeeexpo.com and register there.

 

Over 2000 Ka-Pandas Onboard with foodpanda

Those who rumor mongered a few years back might be biting their lips a lot by now as foodpanda concluded their onboarding caravan for hundreds of delivery partners, providers, and logistics personnel in Pasig City. This was after a very successful one that was held in Pasay City.

They also stand to benefit from different bonuses and perks that will be given to them as qualified partners, and Ka-Panda fleet. Mr. Ron Sanders the foodpanda Logistics Rider Experience Lead says "foodpanda continues to provide livelihood opportunities for folks who want flexible work while we  get to increase and enhance our delivery capabilities and better our customer experience for all."

He adds "These are 2000 Ka-Pandas and partner fleet members we've opened up as riders, bikers and even walkers. Different individuals who also have other careers and backgrounds. Some do this part time or also have other platforms. Others make this their primary source of income, but still give them lots of flexibility in work or work hours. We are so glad to have them onboard!"

In the event, they also have Rider Support Express to help with existing partners who may have a question, concern of two. They will be doing this in different cities via pandaPatrol: Hub on Wheels where they get to directly give help in different regions. They also get to give training sessions for those who recently joined and provide needed safety and delivery training. Some receive Bamboo Rewards and have them exchange it for foodpanda merch, a welcome perk aside from their insurance and health support for Ka-Panda partners.

Surely, there will be more of these soon in other areas. If you wish to know when and where, make sure to follow their social channels and download the app as everything will be announced there. 

Congratulations foodpanda! Cheers to more opportunities for your Ka-Pandas from here on!

MANG INASAL Gets Recognized as STRONGEST BRAND

Looks like another award has been bestowed by well loved grilled chicken brand MANG INASAL as they get recognized as STRONGEST BRAND by a London based brand valuation consultancy firm called BRAND FINANCE.

Mang Inasal has surely expanded with new stores across the country, and has a very resounding brand, making it a familiar place not just for Filipinos but Asians. Inquirer.net points out a 201 percent brand value increase which amounts to 374 Million dollars. This financial value is huge, and being recognized by the world's brand valuation firm is but an honor for them.

Go celebrate by getting some delivered via manginasaldelivery.com.ph or other food platforms. Follow their social channels to know more deals about them lovely, juicy grilled chicken, because yes, they win!