BAR BOYS AFTER SCHOOL: Funny with Serious Topics, An Exciting Installment!

When I heard Bar Boys would have another run, I was extremely happy just thinking what it would be like especially since the first installment had so many stories to continue with. The iconic Odette Khan won Best Supporting actress for it in different award giving bodies, including Indie Movie of the year, Best Director and Screenplay nominations to name a few. It also had a stage musical done which was well received by fans, and also had nominations for the version with the music used for the medium.

10 years since, the boys would have totally different lives and a whole new set of students to tell a story with Will Ashley, Sassa Gurl, Klarisse De Guzman, Glaiza De Castro, Emilio Daez, Therese Malvar, Benedix Ramos and Bryce Eusebio. The orignal ones Rocco Nacino, Kean Cipriano, Carlo Aquino and Enzo Pineda took on their roles 10 years older, having different lives to say the least, with Rocco teaching law school. Most of them were at the press conference a few days ago. They also paid tribute to Madame Odette Khan as she graced the event, had a standing ovation, which I adored.

Direk lamented how beyond the film, they all have been able to forge friendships and didn't take a miracle to pull off a second movie after the success of the first one. He said "We all grew as people and I've worked with everybody on this stage (including the new ones). I can guarantee, all of them are good people. I can confirm they are true artists who want to become better at their craft. I hope people see the value in that and support our Metro Manila Film Festival entry for 2025! I hope people would watch us first because we assure you it's going to be worth it." He also said that starting this meant they need to tell more stories that would matter, something people found in their first one so that's going to be interesting.

Will Ashley is going to be part of this and he says this movie is going to connect with you in so many ways, they really worked hard to make this second movie. Benedix on the other hand has auditioned for the musical play before landing this role for the movie. Sassa was super playful, her valedictorian role is something you should look forward to. While new, Emilio took a chance and auditioned for this role because he loved how his character developed. He learned a lot and want folks to watch this. Therese is already an award winning actress, having her in this film is just icing on a cake, she deserves it. The story she says is super good and said YES when it was offered to her.

Enzo says "It means a lot to me to see fans of Bar Boys to be here. It's also my first time to do MMFF, I've waited to do this after 15 years, and I'm part of it. I hope you get to support it like the first one."

Kean says "Josh after school didn't pass law school and this will continue that story. I hope we won't die in the end. Being part of a project that has value, being part of the first one was worth it, the second one just touches us on a different level. Being with them, seeing you appreciate it is enough for me."

Rocco says "Thank you to everyone who's here. I was supposed to take a different role, but I'm glad I ended up with this one. This is the first film that I've done that had a sequel, I assure you, you won't have problems suggesting this to friends and family if you would want to watch an entry at MMFF."

Carlo jokes about being in MMFF like he only had this as an entry, but everyone knows he's a regular LOL. He says "I want to share that when I read this email of Bar Boys, I was quitting showbiz, and the film gave me spark, to do what I love, I hope the same spark makes a movement out of Filipinos."

Excellent choices so far has been seen in MMFF 2025, and Bar Boys is the only one that is independently produced and supported by the FDCP. I can't wait to see what would happen to the original cast and the freshmen who will take on the new roles. This is a piece worthy to watch for sure! 

CANON Wants You To Get That A+ in School!

Back to school season means lots of workload, but you have to boost productivity to make sure you get the job done. Doing more with quality is certainly something kids or adults would welcome, but what if you get distracted? Those cat videos surely got you occupied huh?!

Jian Liu the head of Canon's Consumer Imaging says "We welcome you here in our back to school event. Creativity is always important, we hope today we get to support you with the right tools, because with it, there is no limit."

These days printing and writing still matters. It boosts creativity and it makes you grasp more information. Printing out reviewers actually is proven to work better to retain memory, understand content too. This includes writing by hand which is important in organization and expressing thoughts. It is also better for recall, and it is good for parents to teach their kids to do so.

Check out these wonderful things we saw being done by Canon printers!

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Canon printers are definitely designed for that. The convenient printing it does goes a long way because it is low cost , easy to maintain and worry free in after sales support. Their printers have the capability to do a lot of things, and wouldn't run out on you much because of their mega tanks that bring mega value, it decreases your cost to print especially if you use it everyday. 

Eric Villanueva the head of Canon's Corporate Communications adds "We always have smart solutions to increase productivity, creativity and let you experience fun like what you saw today. Share the word and let your friends know about what we can do with our printers."

To make it easier for you to test out the new printer models and have a feel of it, Canon is visiting DLSU CSB from July 23-24, FEU on August 4, UST on August 11, Assumption on August 18, Ateneo on August 25th, Miriam College and Lyceum too. You can use the printers for wireless and creative materials on the spot. You'll have lots of fun like we did!

I got to print out what I shot last night, and by the looks of it, things look really cool! If you are planning to get a workhorse printer, take a look at Canon printers especially during this back to school season. They've been in the business for years for a reason, because for them the possibilities are inkfinite!

Become a World Class Talent at STAR MAGIC's School for the Creative and Performing Arts

If it's about stars getting workshops, there's no other reliable organization to do that in the Philippines and in some parts of the world than Star Magic Workshops. This year, there's going to be a huge change because they've gone the mile, made it even BIGGER... and now call it STAR MAGIC SCHOOL FOR THE CREATIVE & PERFORMING ARTS. This means they'll be catering to folks, kids to adults and hone them in multiple disciplines, including acting, singing, dance and more. 

 What I've learned from the press conference is that they've managed to already do good in the workshops, but wanted to improve and grow. This is why they made sure to get different subject matter experts so that they wouldn't be boxed up in just the ABSCBN grounds. They wanted folks who are excellent in their fields and have them instruct in the workshops too including master classes, character building, music production, and train more directors for live events too. The launch was graced by Star Magic and Production Head Direk Lauren Dyogi, Business Unit Head Raymund Dizon, acting coaches HB Benitez III, Alecx Lorica and Marcel David, theater coach Meann Espinosa, ABSCBN Show Director Jon Moll, Kirby Balagtas, Dale Recina, Troi Bautista who are producers from You Me Us MNL, plus veteran Voice Coach Julie Anne Reyes. They also had coaches of BGYO and BINI Anna Graham, Jerwin Nicomedes, plus dance coaches Mickey Perz, Reden Blanquera, Matthew Almodovar, Aennon Tabungar and Josh Junio. They also had the very talented Talia Concio, BGYO perform on stage so we could have a taste of  what could happen if we have undergone their workshops. It was a sight for sore eyes!

If you want to be part of this, they have onsite enrollment on March 29 and 30, April 5 and 6. Just fill up the form at this website forms.abs-cbn.com/starmagicscpa and follow the directions. You may also follow their social channels at facebook.com/starmagicscpa or @starmagicscpa on IG. Come prove your talent is world class by joining one or more of their classes. Information about the courses are also there. I'm so interested in the Music Production and the Directors course.

MANG INASAL Partners with University Based Creators Through MI UNIVerse

Your love for everything MANG INASAL just became more exciting especially for students from several colleges and universities. In previous campaigns, Mang Inasal tapped young influencers and had fun with what they've accomplished in such a short amount of time.

This 2025, they're starting a more meaningful one with MI UNIVerse, which name suggests, from University and Universe because they're doing it now with creators based in UST, De La Salle University, UP, Ateneo, NU, PUP, Silliman, Cebu Institute of Technology University, Philippine Womens University and MAPUA. This is part of their efforts to really connect with the new Gen Z consumers that frequent Mang Inasal restaurants all over the country. They are treating this as an actual community where folks from these schools will get to participate in various activations and events, so they could collaborate with more people based in these campuses, and beyond.

If you want to know more about it, visit manginasal.ph or manginasaldelivery.com.ph or their social channels because they'll be sharing more of it there!

ASUS Releases New Zenbook S14, Teases VivoBook S14 and ExpertBook P5

Growing a line of products and innovating at the same time must be hard for others, but not ASUS! Today we ventured to Silver city in Pasig as they showcased the newest version of ASUS ZenBook S14 and teased a few more like the ASUS VivoBook S14 and the ExpertBook P5.

ASUS SEA Regional Director Jimmy Lin says "We will lead innovation with ASUS Lumina OLED touchscreen. We have won awards and excellence over our competitors. This year, we had the first CoPilot PC's, and today we are launching the ASUS ZenBook 14. This is the most advanced AI PC and the most stylish too. Perfect for users on the go with the Ceraluminum material and premium look. This utilizes AI, and the newest generation of Intel processors apt for the laptop."

This is a new standard for AI innovation and design. Rachelle Lozares of ASUS Consumer PC adds "The ASUS ZenBook S14 is our most elegant AI powered machine, available in Zumaia Gray that mimics thin rock layers and crafted with Ceraluminum. It's very hard, tough, but very lightweight and designed timelessly. This would be a good choice for a long time investment. ZenBook's are not created the same, it's one of our thinnest at 1.1 cm., and weighs 1.2 kg with the best I/o inputs in the market. This is ultra portable but last up to 27 hours. It can also be charged 60 percent in a few minutes, using your power bank. This also utilizes Intel Core Ultra 7, very efficient and can perform with 32GB RAM because who doesn't want to multi task. It's stylish and professional, a dedicated AI chip and ASUS apps so you can have more time to do other things "

The ZenBook has a dedicated CoPilot key so you can easily access its features, faster and better than ever before. You can simply ask for things, like recall, Co Creator, Live Captions and Studio Effects. It also has Automatic Super Resolution for better graphics when you need to render or do games in your off times.

The ASUS Vivobook S14 on the other hand is more portable, made even slimmer, has advanced cooling, more I/o ports and made for productivity. It uses proprietary Ice Cool Technology, RGB keyboards and looks so stylish.

The ASUS ExpertBook P5 is designed for professionals who needs more of everything. It can make you work smarter, faster, in an aluminum body. With an Intel Core Ultra Processor, it can be powerful for all those apps and functions you need to do simultaneously. This uses Copilot PC, the most intelligent Windows PC ever. This has an immersive AI Expert Meet which can do meetings across all ExpertBook P5 devices in your network, this is the future of meeting technology in this category.

The new ASUS ZenBook S14 is priced at Php 109,995 , while the ASUS Vivobook S14 and the ASUS ExpertBook P5 price is going to be announced separately late this year. This comes with warranty, Microsoft 365 subscription and Windows office.

Though it looks pricey, you must count the inclusions and the trust you get from owning a unit from ASUS. It's an investment and certainly, a good one you could utilize for school, work or creativity. The thin profile, bigger workload it could do is well worth it! 

Stay Bug Free and Happy at Tacoma City

It's quite nippy at this time of the year in Tacoma, WA. The place is quite conducive to young adults as it's very near prestigious colleges and universities. Aside from that, it's got tons of gorgeous mountain views and fairly competitive on rent and real estate. The communities are quite nice especially near the University of Washington Tacoma, the community college, Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran University area. Living conditions are apt for studying, work or starting off a family.

Though be warned that not all homes start out pristine and Tacoma does have it fair share of pests. Since it is in a relatively mountainous region, some ants, spiders, rodents, stinging insects, termites and mosquitoes are a common occurrence. Aside from that, house pets and animals carry mites, whilst food scraps attract roaches and mice. This is where you need to get pest control in Tacoma WA. Whether you are in a secluded area or the busy part of town, getting professionals to do the job is certainly going to get you peace of mind because they have experience. Much like the guys over at Bulwark who have been in the business since the late 90's. They are very familiar with the city and the different infestations that have bothered its inhabitants. They made sure to prioritize safety in your homes, schools, dorms and businesses.

Living in Tacoma also has its perks. Every day, there’s an opportunity to see artisans work on their lovely glass art that's quite known around the world. It's a hodgepodge of the classics and new. It's a place to also shop and dine. It's got lots of historic spots, outdoor activities, blog worthy food spots and nightlife that could rival any big town or city. You don't even have to choose between rural and urban communities because it's all here.

It certainly does not feel safe to have pests at home. It can cause health issues and trigger allergic reactions, breathing problems and even mental trauma. Eliminating pests is one thing, but preventing them from entering your home is another. Mice and other rodents actually are also scary. Imagine the amount of diseases and parasites they carry like ticks, fleas that live off its hosts. Because of the cold weather in Tacoma, it becomes conducive for them to live supplied with food, moisture and dwelling. It can also contaminate food at home and cause insurmountable damage to property especially when parts of your home is made of wood. Good news is, there are affordable pest control services around the country. Pests can also affect the biodiversity of the forests since it can prey on small animals like birds and reptiles, become invasive and cause irreparable damage to a region. This needs to be addressed as soon as possible so as to not affect your home, your community, public health overall and food supply. 

 

This is why everyone needs to have their home checked. When you see one or its effects on your home’s structure, outdoor space or your actual walls, the time to act is now. Aside from that, you need to also see if they use products that are safe. Once they rid you of the pests, the next course of action is to make sure the stuff they use won’t affect your health. There are new technologies on pest control that can make this happen.

If you're already settled, make sure to take the trip to Chihuly Bridge of Glass, or the Union Station, enjoy the flora at Seymour Botanical Conservatory, or enjoy a ball game at the Cheney Stadium or Tacoma Dome. If you feel a little romantic, set your sights at the Browns Point Lighthouse or marvel at the architectural wonders of the Tacoma Armory. There are also quilt shops, historical museums, religious sites you can immerse yourself in.  You’ll have tons of things to do in the city, you just have to make sure your home is safe and pest free!

Spruce Up Your Work and School Spaces with Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi

You've been working so hard at home, some of us are still studying online. Have you thought of tidying up your space? Or maybe look for things that could speed things up? How do you maintain work life balance during these days when everything seems so stressful? Here are a few things you can do to make it better!

Fix Up Your Space

You spend quite a number of hours in your work/study area so make sure it's comfortable. It should be conducive for what you are doing, so you have to make it clutter free. If it's something that you're not using for days, put it in proper storage rather than on top of your table. If you're using gadgets, a desktop computer, tidy up the cables and make sure it's not spread around. Hook it up or put cable organizers. Put pens and pencils in one place, cutters and scissors in another. Making it clutter free will also make you think clearly, put you into zen mode especially on those days when you're stressed and pressured. 

 

Speed and Reliability of your Internet Connection

Work, study and play won't happen if you don't have internet connection these days. I've always used data but always end up with a heated phone because it can't handle all my workload. Aside from that, everybody else at home needs internet. Globe’s At Home Prepaid Wifi was a lifesaver for us during a line outage in my locale. It's super fast and reliable because it connects to LTE. You can also share internet for other devices and people at home. It's quite affordable too because they've made it easy to load and subscriber to sulit promos. You can opt for the HS199 code which has 30GB  of data which you can use for 7 days. Pretty cheap, but amazingly fast.

Observe Work-Life Balance

The stress will also be there, but of course, if you're already working at home, where do you draw the line? If you work in the office from 8-5pm in the past, you should do the same even when you're at home. Truth is, some of us are even more efficient because we're more relaxed in our caves. But once work is done, it should be done. I used to never take vacations in the past, and it ended up making me burn out quite a bit and uninspired. Make time for family, for friends, because the amount of time you spend with them are precious. It doesn't have to cost much, make memories with them and don't even hesitate to tell them how much you love em. A simple game would do. Trust me on that.

By the way, if you're looking for things that can spruce up your space at work or at home, you can purchase the Globe at Home Prepaid Wifi through Globe's official store in Lazada. You can also get the chance to win Coocaa 55 inck 4K capable Android 10 and Smart flat screen Ultra HD LED Frameless TV worth Php 24,490. You can connect your devices to it too and the internet, so you don't have to make a fuzz when you need to look up things on the web. It's only available from September 1 to 30, so hurry!

Huawei ICT Academy Inks Partnership with 15 Schools in the PH

Huawei just partnered up with 15 Universities and Colleges via Huawei ICT Academy in the Philippines. This comes as they wish to develop, build and strengthen the country's local ICT talent ecosystem. This includes prestigous schools like University of the East, STI College in Alabang, Southville International School and Colleges, Colegio de Muntinlupa, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa, Southern Luzon Technological College Foundation, Angeles University Foundation, Marinduque State College, and the University of the Assumption among others.

In Visayas and Mindanao they've also partnered up with schools like University of the Visayas and Cebu Institute of Technology, Xavier-Ateneo de Cagayan University, Holy Cross of Davao College and Jose Maria College in Davao.

This is part of Huawei's corporate social responsibility programs under the Huawei ICT Academy. They provide certification courses in the fields of AI, big data, cloud computing, storage management, 5G communication, security which would benefit faculty and students alike. They initially laucnhed this in 2018 and was successful in University of Southeastern Philippines. It has spurred growth in the region and has produced competent teachers, students that have had Huawei Certified Network Associate certifications and some of them getting certified as Huawei Academy Instructors.

That's good news!

Globe and ASUS Partner Up on Shopee Exclusive Sale!

This week is going to be epic especially if you're in a lookout for laptop computers. ASUS is going to have their Cool for School launch in a couple of days but news from Globe would get you even more savings.

You see, from today til August 18, 2021, every purchase of any Globe at Home Prepaid Wifi device gets you an ASUS voucher worth P1,500 plus free shipping.

You may use this particular voucher so you can buy any product in the official ASUS Expert Series store in the Shopee app. If that's not enough, you can also opt for the Globe at Home P500 discount vouchers which you can pay for any laptop in the ASUS Expert Series store in the same app. I suggest you use it to pay for homeschooling essentials from Globe at Home. If you're in the look out for reliable internet connection, go purchase the Globe at Home Prepaid WiFi, Globe Streamwatch Xtreme Prepaid WiFi and Globe at Home LTE-Advanced Prepaid WiFi. I use it for backup now because my internet connection from the other company is down. 

 Tada!

 

Go get one today!

Jose Maria College Signs Deal with Huawei

Jose Maria College (JMC), a private non sectarian school founded by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy in Davao City just signed a deal with tech giant and innovations player Huawei in hopes to be ready for the 5th industrial revolution in running school technology. It was formally done last July 6th 2021 and with it comes a throng of platforms and tools that would help students reach educational materails easily via propreitary Learning Management Systems, Virtual Laboratories, VR systems, Smart Campus and so much more.

Ken Sentorias the ICT Directorof JMC says "Our companies are in the same page when it comes to commitment which is to deliver the best educational tech. This just means the opportunities for growth in our sector will be limitless now that we have them as our partners."

JMC believes this will bring the institution closer to its goal of delivering quality education throughn IT just like in Japan, China and the US. They are planning to announce something even bigger next year so stay tuned for that!

Huawei Does Good Beyond School Borders

Looks like STI College just got another feather to its hat as Huawei Philippines conferred to them the ICT Partner of the Year Award for 2020. For being an institution that makes sure their students are job, future and life ready, they have garnered the highest percentage of passing scores via Huawei Certifications of the Huawei ICT Academy. 

STI College also makes use of their existing Enrollment to Employment program in order to make sure their students get equipped with useful certifications they need to land the job in the outside world. Their curriculum is also adept, making sure they have the right equipment, highly skilled faculty to teach to keep their course is above standard. They have partner corporations who readily get students for training, preparing them for their dream jobs and getting them ready for 22 technical fields they can apply for. Oh and yes, the academy has over 100 certification exams you can take so there's so much of these that can coincide with your specialty/interest. Whether you're in cloud computing, big data, AI, networking or storage, they've got that assured and trusted with their different partners. Industry certifications are a big deal especially if your qualifications need something tangible, to start work from day 1.

It's very competitive out there and without these guarantees that they're getting the right people for the job, it would be costly for them to run businesses without the personnel who had the training. With Huawei and their partner schools further their cause, that New Value Together, Win Together call would be a reality. That's a good thing.

KATHNIEL Presents ACER's Campaign: 8K Discounts and Free Tablet

We all love #KathNiel and sure enough, we're going to support them and the brands they represent. This June 16 up to July 18, the teen king and queen is presenting Acer's Learn From Home program wherein selected models of Acer's laptops, desktops, monitors and projectors will get up to Php 8,000 OFF. Aside from that, they'll be throwing in a FREE Acer Tablet so you can be more productive during these times.

Students are still doing a lot of their assignments, projects and studies at home so a good laptop computer or peripherals would go a long way. It can also help parents make their sons and daughters school life efficient, economical since these devices are quality, it could last a long time. 

Their other brand Predator will also be taking out Php 40,000 OFF on gaming laptops and monitors. They're also giving away a FREE gaming chair and loot bags for selected models. You can visit their showrooms inside leading malls or get it online via https://store.acer.com/en-ph/ too. You can learn more about the specific models on the site as their products are also listed there. 

These things don't come everyday! Fancy one?

 

Follow @acerph on different social channels to know more about the promo and the devices. It's a good place to start when you want to make it easier for your kids or gamer boys and girls to learn and support their passion.

UNIONBANK Set to Construct Unionbank Innovation Campus in San Pedro, Laguna

Got off the Unionbank a little hopeful for our country. You see, the bank innovators just broke ground on this new initiative called the Unionbank Innovation Campus. Aside from their digital transformation a couple of years ago and the effective hackathons they hosted through the years,  their digital solutions continue to satisfy their customers needs. Putting this knowledge to a whole new generation of Filipinos is a must and they're putting their brains where their mouth is.

The Unionbank Innovation Campus will be constructed on a sprawling one hectare property in San Pedro, Laguna. They are banking on (sorry I had to say that line lol) their capabilities in research and development, plus their expertise in fields of data science, artificial intelligence, blockchain, digital banking (EON) and their Asian Institute of Digital Transformation which they have partnered with Singapore based Global Learning Solutions.

UnionBank President and CEO Edwin Baustista says "This is our dream, our testament to invest in the future not just in the Philippines but the rest of Asia. This is our thrust in the Aboitiz group and is a major step to become a hub for technology in the region. We want to create the future of banking and it starts with this facility."

The campus will be completed around 2nd or 3rd quarter of 2022, so if you're looking forward to have the know how on everything that concerns these technologies, it'll be best to head down south. News like these just excites me, I hope they have online options (which I'm sure they will) because it's pretty far from my home in QC. I'd like to look at graduate studies if it's going to be part of their curriculum.

Shopee Picks: Good HP Printers for Home and School

I have owned one for years now!

We’re all at home now wether we like it or not. Offices have arranged Work From Home schemes and schools have opted to do mixed or plain home classes. People are scouring for things they need to print, scan or copy and there are a few good ones out there especially in Shopee. The leading app has gotten it’s own set of official stores which you jiust need to pay and order, then deliver it to you while you relax at the comforts of your home. Documents need to be sent, print outs would be needed so we got a few of them listed here.

All in one printers make life so convenient at home and if you need hard copies or learning materials for both office and school, you’ve got to cop one of them so it’ll be cheaper, less stress going to computer shops and safer for you who might not want to touch or see people while in the pandemic. You’ve got to think of clever ways to do things economically, we need all the savings we can get. Add that to the free shipping coupons the platform has and it’s a sweet deal!

Official HP Store https://shopee.ph/hpofficialstore_ph?smtt=0.0.9

HP Officejet Pro 9020 AiO Printer - Print, Fax, Scan, Copy, and Wireless (LIGHT BASALT) https://shopee.ph/product/67422291/2419778456?smtt=0.0.9

HP Laserjet 107a Single Function Mono Printer - Print https://shopee.ph/product/67422291/6200732954?smtt=0.0.9

HP Laserjet 135a AIO Mono Printer https://shopee.ph/product/67422291/7000747217?smtt=0.0.9

If you haven’t got a Shopee App yet, please download it off App Store or Google Play.

Life is gonna be better!

Unlocking the Gates for Greats at iACADEMY

iACADEMY Nexus Campus, Makati

Top of the morning we braced through the usual Makati traffic and got ourselves acquainted with iAcademy at their Nexus Campus in the same city. I’ve passed by this place a couple times this month because of events in Manila and Pasay which this school has its proximity. Sure enough, students come from these communities and nearby cities so expect this to be a tad upscale than the usual institution, I’m glad I see they spent a lot building this place. 7434 Yakal Street Makati is a prime location and is pretty much in the country’s business district, traveling to and from here was a breeze because there are tons of alternate routes, plus I can say much about the education offered here.

Visiting them on the day of their open house was the perfect time as they introduce new strands they offer for students who chose to enroll in their academy like mobile app development, robotics, graphic design and audio visual production. Class sizes are small so they get to students thoroughly. Most of their professors are industry professionals because they believe students should enroll in programs that are highly specialized. They want game changers, they are not afraid to try something new, definitely non traditional.

The speakers during the open house include John Gregory Jose of Novare Technologies who does Mobile App Development. He is also involved in doing the Globe GCash App and PSBank’s Mobile Credit System among others. They also had Des Feliciano of Leo Burnett/Blackpencil Manila who is into arts and Graphic illustration, Paulo Agduelo who does Sound Engineering, Music Production and Musical Scoring for Thirty Six-O Media. Lastly, Angelyn Mercado who does research Underwater Robotics who is educated in UP Diliman and Kyushu Institute of Technology.

Jacob Aragon VP for Academics of iACADEMY

Jacob Aragon the VP for Academics says “The programs we have in Senior High School also is aligned with what they have in College so you don’t have to take the subjects that you have already learned in senior high. Students are excited to go to school and they can’t wait to advance in their fields and passion.”

John Jose of Novare Technologies

John Jose says “When you have a vision, you must ask yourself how to create that product. You have to know how to go from point A to B so your sons and daughters know where their destiny will be. The industry is going to data driven technologies so they give more value to their services, you have to visualize what you want to do and intend to do it. You have to know what you want to become and iACADEMY can help you realize that dream. I have failed a lot of times but I fail forward, you have to go through it before you learn from it. Don’t be afraid to try again and do something different.”

Des Feliciano from Leo Burnett/Blackpencil Manila

Des Feliciano of Blackpencil Manila says “Do not say negative things about your work, be yourself and let no one say you’re doing it wrong, compete and bring awards, don’t compete with others other than yourself so you become better, nothing is FREE (and no artist should starve), be nice (it can take you places with your clients), never stop learning (you have to be updated), do not give up, network your work, learn the fundamentals (so if you get to work, you’ll learn to also break rules with it), always be creative (success is not overnight, make tons of it and choose the best), pay it forward, get advice from people who already are in the industry.”

Paulo Agduelo, also an alumnus of iACADEMY

Paulo says “There is money in doing sound especially in advertising, if you shoot shows or movies, I help them make it nicer in the Gaming industry, app development, studio design, sales of audio products, same in animation too. You see the visuals but sound can tell you location in mobile games, like footsteps. You can also design sound in Church, iACADEMY prepares you for the small things, things that happen in real life. It becomes your portfolio, you need a skillset like good hearing, a sense of pitch timing and rythm, have knowledge of electronics and acoustics, have patience (longer than directors and producers), the ability to cope with long hours and tight deadlines (I learned that in iACADEMY which I thought was crazy when Professors did that here) it gave me that experience here before I graduated, the willingness to accept failure and learn from it (list it down and don’t do it the next time, you only learn when you fail), you are the future of the Philippines and you will be molded in iACADEMY so you will get to feel less of the pressure and be more creative when you get to work. I already had work even before I graduated from this school and everything became basic. I graduated two years ago, but it all beared fruit because they credit you with what you do. You get help with professors here and talk to them like your friends. You pass because they address your needs, you learn from professionals and their experience too. You go out here equipped from real life problems. I am thankful to them about that. They pushed me to my limits.”

Underwater Robotics expert Angelyn Mercado

Angelyn Mercado who does underwater robotics shared her experience about being in the robotics team of the Philippines “I am happy that we have highschool and k-12 programs that have robotics. This is the first time iACADEMY is offering this as well, it is hard to learn three fields like Mechanical Engineering, Electronics Engineering and Computer Science. It can be applied to agriculture here in the Philippines, even in industrial plants, fetching things, domestic applications too. Almost all first world countries have this and have the resources for it. It is a trend even in the factories here in the Philippines and is steadily increasing. The world is changing and opportunities are a lot, iACADEMY is one of the few that offer it.”

NEW PROGRAMS

Psychology

Anna Marie Abrera the Chair of Psychology in iACADEMY says “iACADEMY Nexus is now offering a Psychology Program. We want to address the emotional well being need of employees and prevent unhealthy workplaces. We work on human behavior, we marry studies and what happens inside companies. We also just recently passed the mental health law so there is a lot of work in this field of science. Students here will be equipped in research, HR Functions, assess behaviors and be psychometricians.”

School of Business

School of Business Dean Shieradel Jimenez says “We have been founded by movers and shakers of the industry. We are right smack in the business center of the country and we partner with the industry leaders for the curriculum and design the program with them. Aside from three BA’s we offer courses that hone an entrepreneurial mindset, social intelligence, community leadership and integrity. All of our faculty are licensed professionals and MBA holders and we have a lot of industry partners. We are working on BSBA Accounting programs, an MBA offered by DePaul Academy. We hope you choose iACADEMY if you want to be part of this.”

School of Design

Erica Nugui, School of Design Faculty

Erica Ngui says “Under the school of design we stand by “design thinking”, to create solution for real world problems. We already have Multimedia Arts and Design, Fashion Design and Technology, but we want to offer AB in Music Production and Sound Design, AB in Film and Visual Effects and AB in Production and Sound Design. If you want to make movies, these are the courses you can go to. You can learn the narratives, CGI, industry leading software skills. BFA Graphic Design and Illustration has photography and graphics classes so all bases are covered. It will also cover sound design, musical scoring and composition so they would be equipped and have technical know how to do all these. They can also write and make their own music. Equipments and a sound studio is available to borrow for all students as long as it is available. We have a unique collaborative environment to make sure your kids to be creative, imaginative and digitally excellent.”

School of Computing

Mitch Andaya, iACADEMY Dean Emeritus

Mitch Andaya says “The changes in the computing industry is becoming more niched. Programmers were considered rare, produced by many schools so we knew we had to diversify. This is why we have CS/IT courses and have specialization. You do not see our courses in other big Universities, it’s why we had Software Engineering in the past, they apply scientific parts and incorporate it in the design. We gambled and introduced programs in a time where it was not a norm. We have a bachelor program for Animation, we also have web development, so students now learn functionality, aesthetics and user experience. Now we also have game development, a BS program that makes programming, design and writing. In the next school year we are launching Data Science as a course, Mechatronics too. We will have Senior High programs to be trained in software development as a strand, so they know basic programming, also Mobile App Development and Robotics (separate) so they can start understanding early, perhaps better equip them to take their college course. They will have general subjects so they will be good in other core subjects. We give them the foundation to succeed in any course they decide.”

For those interested, School Year 2019-2020 is near and they are accepting entrance examinees already so do that if you please. You may call 889 55 55 or send an email to inquiry@iacademy.edu.ph.

Whew! That was what iACADEMY is all about!

KUMAGCOW

Fresh Blogs Fast!

Hunky Luis Manzano at Gala Stars Celebrity Series

You've seen him host several game shows. His programs all have remarkable success no matter what time slot he appears in on television. This time, he's trading that game show host jacket for a Chef's hat as he appears in Chef Ernest Gala's GALASTARS Culinary Celebrity Series. This is a webisode shown on the Galastars Culinary Facebook Page and their assets featuring the most popular celebrities as they feature their best dish as they share their favorite recipes online. 

Mind you I've been here a couple of times already because of cooking classes which we did with brands in the past. The place has complete world class equipment, ingredients available are some of the freshest produce so the only thing we did there was cook and hone our skills in the kitchen. It's also accesible as it's just in the main thoroughfare of Shaw Boulevard, so close to QC, Pasig and Mandaluyong communities.

Luis by the way is no stranger in the kitchen. Although you don't see him cook or do any of that on TV, he's actually a Hotel and Restaurant Management graduate from De La Salle College of St. Benilde. He admits it's been a while since he's held pots, pans, knives or stoves but like riding a bike he was able to whip out mains, even dessert during this stint, like a natural in the kitchen. In the webisodes, you'll see him prepare the meaty, lovely CROWN ROAST and also bake some good ol CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES. These are some of his favorites, but he wishes he also gets some help in mastering some of his family's treasured ones like the Salpicao Pasta that his Tito Ralph and brother loves. Also the one done by his Mother and Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos which is a One Dish Meal. He brags "I haven't found anyone who didn't like my Mom's Meal In One. It's an original recipe that she developed over the years, hopefully with Chef Erns help we could finally do it properly as I've had hits and misses when I attempted do her recipe."

This is just one of the things that Lucky Manzano hopes develop into a long partnership with Chef Erns. He hopes to learn more from him as he's planning to dip his hand into the food and restaurant business soon. For those who would want classes from Galastars Culinary, they are located at 179 Shaw Boulevard Pasig City. They have short courses and full ones so don't hesitate to ask. 

These guys know what they are doing. You may watch one of the episodes now on their Facebook Page here https://www.facebook.com/GalaStarsCulinary/videos/1780806161991746/.

Enjoy!