The freedom to choose what to use for your skin is something that I treasure, and so does 103 million other Filipinos. These days, we've had the opportunity to travel and discover things that are apt for Asian skin. We've seen the resurgence of Korean derm products, one of them is The Barum, a brand that has been recently launched in the Philippines. This is exclusively going to be distributed in the country by The Glow Atelier.
Their philosophy lies in "Proactive Skincare", something that is fully scientifically approached, to not just act on issues now, but starting on making the skin resilient. They have products to make sure it's equipped before things happen. The Barum addresses a lot of it with Radiance Renewing Systems via kits specifically formulated from marine sponges, to help regenerate skin cells. It also hastens peeling, the R2 HS Implant Kit and Spicules does that. They also have the Crystal Clear PR Ampoule that has PDRN created from salmon (skin/extract), and promote collagen creation. The Radiance Renewing R1 Acid Kit on the other hand is for acne treatment and oil control. It's got Salicylic and Glycolic Acid. They also have Blue Jewel Azulene line that cools and reduces redness after sun exposure.
Here's a few things they discussed during the event:
If you would like to experience it, or become part of the business, take a trip to The Glow Atelier (who exclusively distributes this in the country). Looks promising, but still, they strongly advice to seek professional consultation (with a doctor) before using these products. That's exactly what they prefer you do and I applaud them for that. You may ask via their social channels about the availability.
In a time where digital ads are in every handset, there's nothing more personal than something that you can hold. A branded merch not only get you loyalty, but practical use that can remind you who cares during these times. It can also get you more than enough brand recall, a perfect tool for marketing especially in the Asia Pacific region.
You can evidently see it's impact particularly in countries like ours, in Indonesia, India, Vietnam, where GDP rates remain bullish despite outside factors. Products like these can also increase name recall, positively associate your brand and give you a high chance of a return customer.
This is where the 38th Corporate Giveaways Buyers Show come in. It's the biggest of its kind in the country, and on July 2-4, you can get all of these products from top suppliers so the next time you would give something to your patrons, they won't be tired from those notebooks and pens you often give away, because if there's something that this event can provide, is VARIETY. It has been an annual event, and super successful in connecting suppliers to intended managers, decision makers and marketing professionals. They'll get you to discover your well loved gifts that you would often only see in other countries.
It's important, and ensures you would connect with the right audience. You can certainly get the professionals handle it. If you want to go, simply register via corporategiveaways.com now and send your intentions. They're officially back!
Bullish is a big word but we think it's the apt one to describe the folks from DigiP|us Interactive Corporation as they are all set to establish an international hub in finance hub Singapore. They are the premiere digital entertainment corp in the Philippines and the plan is to put up DigiP|us Global Pte Ltd or DigiP|us Global which will be based in the merlion country.
It will be a center for their talent acquisitions, partnerships which is part of their overall strategy, something that they hope to do for the long term.
Their Chairman Eusebio Tanco sees this an ideal place for their goals of hiring more professionals, and enhance their international presence especially in the ASEAN region where they are based at.
Currently DigiP|us operates various brands Bing0P|us, ArenaP|us, GameZ0ne and are based in the Philippines. DigiP|us Global will be their base for corporate functions and operations which means they will not engage in any gam|ing operations to follow SG regulations.
The nastiest (nicest in real life) and smartest queen in the Ru Paul's Drag Race franchise is in Manila for one night to do her DEAD INSIDE Asia Tour, her 113th show since starting this in February last year. She's the 6th queen to ever hold the crown, hailing from New York, the one and only BIANCA DEL RIO.
Talk about CLOWN realness, Bianca had us laughing from the first second she stepped on stage during this interview. She wore a really shiny black gown, no white line under her eyes (or did she), and an orange wig that she changes each show.
Bianca Del Rio and some of the RPDR Philippines queens.
Bianca says I'm still in drag from last night (she kids), can you imagine if I flew like this? I've been here a couple of times, and I'm wearing this orange hair to know what tour I've been doing. With the DEAD INSIDE tour, expect the unexpected. It depends on how much wine I've already had. They say never trust a drag queen who doesn't drink, there's always a secret waiting to be uncovered. Well it changes depending where you are, there are certain things that you can't do in the UK and things that you can't do in the US, same goes with Brazil, Hawaii and the Philippines. You have to find the little pockets of fun. So yeah, expect the unexpected!"
Here's our press conference this morning, and yes I got to ask about the iconic Orthopedic Shoe and her relationship with Adore Delano.
There are only a few tickets left where you can purchase through the venue's box office. This is produced by LA COMEDY LIVE. See you if you're going there because I'm quite sure I'm seeing the show!
I could have made a book out of the conversations we had with The Comedy Crew and Alex Calleja a few nights ago. Aside from the laughs, we had a glimpse of the serious side of this emerging industry. We got schooled about how they've managed to survive the pandemic and the tough industry per se. Alex is no stranger to comedy, he's been doing this for ages that much of the comedians in his team attested they watched him when they were in primary school (emphasis on he's that old).
Aside from Alex Calleja, The Comedy Crew is composed of Israel Buenaobra, Mak Navarez, Jeps Gallon, Yuki Horikoshi, Winer Aguilar, Doc Ramon Cabochan, Anthony Andres, Dawit Tabonares, Rex Milora, Grease Junio, Schneider Maxino, Marlon Cadag, Franz Opinaldo, Victor Obera, CS Dela Pena, Professor David Blattner, Jimberly Villanueva and Trixie Corpez.
Here's some serious stuff we talked about first during the press conference
Here's where Alex Calleja shared why he should tell new comedians about changing their acts and not commit career ending mistakes early on as part of The Comedy Crew
Here's some of the jokes they cracked that evening!
Alex is behind the countless comedy shows in different networks. You could say he had his baptism of fire in the late 2000's and learned the ropes. He knew where comedians failed (shared his secrets so they don't make career ending decisions) and made sure no one is left behind. This sparked the formation of The Comedy Crew. These dudes are funny AF, and we had them do a few samples of their kind of comedy during the press conference. Yes, it's quite cerebral. I asked if they see the need to educate the Filipino crowd but he says "First of all, it's not the fault of the audience if they didn't laugh at out jokes. The fault is ours. There's no such thing as an uneducated audience, it's our responsibility to adjust. If you know your audience, you choose a joke appropriate for them. That's the wrong mentality. It's like having them watch a movie and if they didn't like your soundtrack... it's not going to be their fault. You need to impress them with whatever genre you produce. You are paid to perform and if they don't laugh at your jokes, it's the comedians fault. It's why we have house rules at the beginning of the show. We use our voice most of the time, and we only ask for the audience's attention by turning off their phones for the duration of the show. We also tell them to tell us if they get offended in one or more acts, we also ask much of the crowd to occupy the front seats because it'll be a mess when they arrive late, we don't want that to happen. We only ask for people to be on time, and that's enough. In fact, I didn't know we were going to talk like this during the press con, I almost want to cry instead of promoting our show in Dubai."
It's so nice to see our brand of comedy will be seen on an international stage and these guys are crazy good.
For those who would want to experience their antics and kind of comedy, Alex and The Comedy Crew (Israel Buenaobra, Jeps Gallon, Mark Navares and Imah Dumagay) is performing at the Comedy Masala in Singapore from March 25 to 26 (sold out shows) and at the Dubai Opera this coming April 13 (Saturday) as part of the celebrations of Dubai Comedy Festival. You can get tickets for the Dubai event from dubaicomedyfest.ae. They also have a show in The Astbury in Poblacion on April 6 at 7PM and Laughtrip Olongapo-Subic (a tour) on March 29, 30, 31 at The Palace in Olongapo, Cork Room at Subic Bay and Source Coffee in Subic too.
You may visit their NEW websites www.alexcalleja.com or www.thecomedycrew.com for more information about their shows. You can also follow Alex Calleja's or The Comedy Crew's official Facebook page for more details about it.
Seeing Niko, Joshua, RZ, Jeff, Eli, and Brian from Cornerstone Entertainment's boy group "Yes My Love" must have been a dream for a few, but it certainly happened to me a few days ago. It was an intimate performance with only a few peers from media seeing their performance for the first time as they embark in a concert to be held in Singapore (today at 2PM, you can still get tickets at sistic.com.sg) at the Esplanade Recital Studio in the Merlion state.
It's called SPECTACLE! which they will do together with other PPOP and SPOP groups namely Estelle Fly, Alfred Sun, BINI, BGYO and XOXO. For those who don't know, Yes My Love was just formed a few months ago comprised of the defunct members of TOP Class and a few artists they put together from Cornerstone Entertainment's pool of talents. I didn't have to research much on their legitimacy because as soon as they opened their pipes, I just said WOW, these guys can really sing! Plus the fact that they were doing it with a routine that has so much vigor, sexy vibes, reminiscent of RnB and boyband groups in the 90's, but still have that energetic technical prowess and moves you would see in PPOP which makes them quite different from their peers in the business. Here's a two part interview we did with them after their short program, I hope you get to know them even better after this!
(My apologies in advanced as some parts may skip because resources on my phone might have caused it, I was uploading videos as I was recording and I only noticed when someone pointed it out on YT comments ha!)
Then we had a few naughty questions asked, something fans (143's which love them) would absolutely adore.
I would like to take this bit and thank everyone at Cornerstone Entertainment for arranging this very intimate press conference so we'd be able to get to know the boys of YES MY LOVE. I can't wait to see them get the attention they deserve especially now that they have an international stint in happening in Singapore. As an extra treat, here's some post event shots from the nice boys of YES MY LOVE!
Now make sure you follow Cornerstone Entertainment's and YES MY LOVE's social channels for a good dose of love from these boys. Let them sing and dance their way to your heart now, and don't tell them that I already have my bias LOL. Again, if you're in Singapore, you can still catch them today!
The holidays are certainly here and together with that, Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano is set to perform in two international events this month. One is Gawad Kalinga USA's riSing Together, a virtual celebration of hope through world class music of Filipino artists. He will be there with the maestro Ryan Cayabyab, the Ryan Cayabyab Singers, Kiana Valenciano, AJ Rafael so they could share their voices to inspire, spread happiness through music. The other one called CCIS is an annual Christmas outreach program that aims to bring the message of peace and joy this holiday season. They used to do this 8-10 days in Orchard Road but because of restrictions, they'll be doing it differently without shortchanging in having talents like carol singers, performers spreading the message of joy, peace and love for Jesus. It's much awaited in Singapore. Last year, they have done this in social channels and had featured The Crosby Family, GENTRI among a throng of other international artists.
Gary knows CCIS shares his vision of spreading the message of hope through a global audience, they had 2.5 Million views last year and there's no way to go but up! Gary also is the first Philippine brand ambassador for US based religious app Pray.com which garnered over 1.5 Million downloads in the Philippines. Gary says "I'm very honored and excited to be part of these international events that promote unity, love and compassion, especially when you know its needed. We have so many challenges to face today but with prayer, we can still thank God for it. I pray that he continues to shower us his blessings every day."
Gary also has had miracles in his health when he had undergone a double cardiac bypass, then discovered he had kidney cancer, a knee surgery, while still battling Type 1 diabetes and other challenges. But he continues to gain victory over it, God has worked wonders for him, and for that, he is thankful!
riSing Together will be on December 11 at 4PM PST, 6PM Central and 7PM EST, that's 8AM on December 12 in the Philippines. You may register via gk-usa.org/rising-together. You may also donate via the same site to support Gawad Kaling's different projects. CCIS will have their program streamed on YouTube this coming December 19 at 8PM so make sure you're there when it happens! If you want to know more, follow Gary V's different social channels and their website garyV.com. You can also follow him on the KUMU app where he shares his music and performs too. You can also download the Pray.com app (on Google Play and App Store) and stream his music on various platforms, just search for the track "Make Us Whole Again" and feel why we're so blessed to see him perform to this day.
What's your dream? For me, just like any Filipino, is to buy a dream home. It could be for your Mom, your own family, and these days there's really a lot of things to be considered in choosing that perfect place to call your own.
OhmyHome has been in the real estate industry for years now and their expertise in countries like Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines has always been a welcome thing especially for those who are getting their first one. They shared some of the things property owners should know before they purchase one, some really sensible items before taking that big plunge!
1. Get to know Property Investments
An informed decision is always the best decision. People who need to buy huge ticket items such as a house need to make sure they get the information they need to a certain property before they take the leap. The fund for this isn't a joke and good thing OhmyHome's platform can choose what price range you can work with, location, and amount of appraisal it gets especially for those that need work aka renovation and fees.
2. Source of Funds
When you purchase a property, you need to be sure you can actually pay for it because it would be troublesome if you won't be able to sustain paying for mortgage for a longer period of time. You have to choose payment methods, schemes where you can not just pay lightly, but save a lot in the long run. You can also ask for flexibility, so if you run into issues with paying on time, you can ask for a little lee way and fix commitments and obligations as it will be a lengthy one. If you can, purchase with up front cash and ask for huge discounts, as they'll be getting the property worth faster and more convenient.
3. Be Prepared To Take Care of It
Your space, your rules, but you have to make sure you have the time and effort to take good care of it. Maintenance also costs a lot, but it is essential. If you can't, it will be a small problem that will accumulate over the years, so it is important. If you're ready to commit, then by all means, go!
4. Family First
Before you make every place in your house ridden with 65 inch TV screens, connected to smart appliances and become a theater, think about the most imporant people in your life (aside from yourself of course). Your loved ones need a good kitchen, rooms, parking space, a garden to roam around and it would be bad if they'd haunt you for years because they couldn't live in it. A peaceful house, is a dream house. Be generous because they loved you back.
5. Keep it Simple
Choosing a house can be complicated for some, but you can make it simple. Use the available tools that you can fit in your smartphone, to make it a pleasant experience especially if you're deciding where to live for years. The OhmyHome wesbite and app for instance has options to make it a good one. Giving you the right information, without any disparities when you see it in person, makes it the home you deserve. Their tools are intuitive, so you get what you need and more. They also have agent services which can cover all other bases if you still need to confirm things and ask questions. That's pretty remarkable.
If you want to know more, visit their official website https://ohmyhome.com/en-ph or download the app Google Play or the App Store as it's all there!
We were there last year covering at the sidelines of the red carpet. I thought this year was just going to pass but it looks like the 25th installment of the Asian Television Awards is pushing through and will be hosted by Wallace Ang together with actor Benjamin Josiah Tan from Singapore, anchor Ji Xiao Jun from China, beauty queen Rennie Lau from Malaysia and ATA 2020’s winning “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” Anyarin Terathananpat of Thailand. This will be headed by the international creative firm Wonder Paradise Group. Entries from the whole Asia Pacific region have been coming in, so expect the best
For those who don't know, the ATA's has been recognizing actors, directors, producers, artists and presenters since 1996. They also have awarded several Asian programs and TV networks in the region. This year, it's going to be a lot different as the format will all be done digital. The ATA Technical and Creative Awards will be held on January 15th and will be streamed on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Weibo at 8:00 PM wherein 30 awards will be presented plus a new category for Best Direction of Non-Fiction entries. There will be performances by actor, singer and dancer Alfred Sng, singer Sherraine Law, pop artist HAVEN and singer Emiliano Cyrus who hails from Singapore. Ernie Zakri and Lee Pei Ling from Malaysia will also be singing, plus a number by Dat Ozy from Vietnam and our very own Sam Concepcion from the Philippines.
Again, the 25th Asian Television Awards will be shown in 500 million homes across a network of regional broadcast partner networks on January 16, 2021 at 8:00 PM. This includes Formosa TV of Taiwan, Viu TV of Hong Kong, Jiangsu Broadcast from China, Cignal Colours and TV5 from the Philippines, Bangkok TV of Thailand, Today TV from Vietnam, Channel O, Citra Entertainment and the Indonesia Channel for Indonesia and last but not the least Bayon TV of Cambodia. You can also follow their social channels to get updates from the awards ceremonies.
Make sure you're tuned in on these channels on this date! It'll be fun to see your Asian idols/celebrities there!
A property tech startup from Singapore, Ohmyhome is now expanding services in the Philippines. Sisters and Founders Race and Rhonda Wong initially started operations in 2016 with 10 people, 2 of which were Filipinos who wanted to be with their families. They promised them they'll be closer to home and eventually put up a branch in Manila after a few years. They figured the country is in dire need of industry solutions and deemed there are gaps in local property markets which they can address.
This was a dream come true for them and it all started with love for their family, that accounts for a lot.
Race and Rhonda themselves felt the need for property related decisions when they moved homes. Aside from getting bad deals from agents and real estate companies, it was super complicated. Choosing a home is a huge decision and this is where they want Ohmyhome could help.
"Our platform will enable Filipinos to buy, sell and rent properties themselves for FREE. This would save them time and money. If they prefer, we also have our professional agents who can personally assist them in transactions from start to finish. This happens while they seamlessly use our technology behind-the-scenes, enabling our own agents to fully focus on our customers needs."
The Ohmyhome app and website efficiently matches buyers and sellers using a unique algorithm. It also follows their search criteria granularly so the results would be homes that they want. The Ohmyhome team started in the Philippines in 2017, initially serving Singapore and Malaysia. The team has carefully studied the Philippine real estate industry to modify the platform based on tech, data and team research.
They currently have 5,000 property transactions in Singapore and Malaysia but boasts a customer satisfaction rate of 99%. Ohmyhome wants the same to happen in the Philippines as they advance its technological capabilities. Surely, this would become the norm in the future.
You may download the app on the App Store or Google Play, you can also visit their website at OMH.sg.
Filipinos love sweets, no contest on that. If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve probably seen, heard, and even tasted the newest cold treat player in town AICE Ice Cream.
After being an official sponsor at the 2018 Asian Games, they’ve really expanded in the whole Southeast Asian region. I think my first encounter with this was in Jakarta, Indonesia. The company originated in Singapore and has been a great hit in Manila. In here, it really spread by word of mouth and I’ve seen family and friends enjoy it albeit it being a new brand. My personal favorite is the Sweet Corn Ice Cream, Watermelon and Crispy Choco. Their main thrust is VARIETY, they gave us choices in a pretty laid back market imho and their formula of being not too sweet and very affordable is working so much, I’ve seen people hoarding this in my neck of the woods.
Just recently, they launched a new flavor called Milk and Eggs. It’s a concoction very rich in Milk, Eggs and Honey. Now I thought I’ve seen it all, but during the event, we had a simultaneous tasting of the product happen. This stuff is made of dreams!
The Ice Cream is enveloped inside, once you bite into the thing, you’ll hear the thin chocolate coating crack, while the cream envelopes your palate with creamy milk and honey as base. Plus, there was a huge surprise inside, a Strawberry center which nobody really expected. All my favorite ice cream flavors in that form, how can I not love the new Milk and Honey flavor! The Milk and Honey Ice Cream only costs 20 pesos. It’s even better than some old ice cream brands I’ve had in the PH, there, I said it!
While we were enjoying our Milk and Honey, the told us a little about their current operations in the country. They have been quietly doing things on the sidelines, helping lots of entrepreneurs, their distributors earn a living. They are also employing Filipinos and plan to ultimately have local production happen sometime in the near future. Aside from that, they’ve gone to different communities to help as part of their CSR efforts. They are also being met with a lot of people who share their experience with AICE Ice Cream brand on social media and thank them personally as much as they can.
Also, they got nutritionist Ms Joan Sumpio to help us understand the health benefits of protein rich foods. Ms. Sumpio says “I’m surprised they have products that are also healthy. There is no good and bad food, but there are bad eating habits. There are 22 micronutrients to meet in our diet daily; aside from the macro we need in food. The Filipino household diet only meet 31% energy requirements. The deficiency is huge hence the increase in ailments later on in life (osteoporosis). Milk intake should always be a priority til the age of 20, adequately, otherwise we would need to introduce other sources like shakes, smoothies, flavored milk, and plan meals that will be beneficial for our health. If we can’t have that, we can have eggs in moderation. It is a source of Vitamin B12 which reduces fatigue, have immunity and be a source of Vitamin D and A. Milk and Egg are good sources of protein, only 40% of Filipino households do not meet daily requirements. Milk and eggs are essential, it is good to have one whole egg a day, plus as much egg whites as you can because amino acids repair. This would be a good source of allowable intake of calories too.”
Later in the session, they introduced to us some of their celebrity influencers. They are actress Sharlene San Pedro, Volleyball Powerhouse Mika Reyes and actress soap princess Andrea Brillantes. Sharlene and Mika was ecstatic to be part of the growing brand and they’ve been having the time of their lives tasting the different flavors AICE Ice Cream brought to Manila.
I got to ask also about their plans to maybe have a sugar free/low sugar variety. They were happy to inform me that there will be a sugar free and low fat version of ice creams soon in the Philippines; they already have some of them available in Indonesia, so stay tuned!
Now head on and get your AICE Ice Cream fix in different outlets and stores nationwide! If you plan to be a distributor, their social channels are open and they can cater to you. I can’t do that, I might just end up eating them all in one sitting LOL! Milk & Eggs only cost 20 pesos and if you buy the pack of 5, they'll throw in a free mask to keep you safe.
Thank you AICE Philippines! Had so much fun that day!
I had a hard time finding this place, that I actually got lost and walked frantic looking for it. Like a gem that you have to work for hours, this Singapore based restaurant has opened their first branch in the Philippines. This is Rong Hua Bak Kut Teh which has been franchised in the Philippines by Silver Lush Food Corporation, a company involved in bringing in international food brands in the country.
Bak Kut Teh literally means Meat Bone Tea which would reprise much of the ingredients of this pork ribs soup. This is founded by Chua Ah Hua and Rong hence the name. I have officially designated a new pin here on Google Maps but if you can't find that, try the Teleperformance McKinley West because it just sits on the middle part of the two buildings. (Don't go to the Asiatown marker in Upper McKinley because that's where I got lost).
You can also choose Madrone in McKinley West because it just sits in front of the Rong Hua Bak Kut Teh Restaurant. It's also pretty outside so take lots of photos!
We went inside and sat down, it could accommodate around 40-50 people if I'm not mistaken. It's still new so it doesn't smell like a chinese tea house of sorts, just usual new furnished shop.
We were served the Cua Pao first, which had smooth nice fatty slices of pork, tidied up in a steamed white bun and lettuce. They have a dipping sauce with this which was more like honey. I liked it a lot.
The secret of Bah Kut Teh is the broth, this was made for hours together with cinnamon barks, star anise, cloves, fennel seeds, coriander, pork bones and Sarawak White Pepper which made it a little spicy. I guess it's why Singaporean favors this as their comfort food because it's homey, a thing that you could curl up with on a rainy day.
The Bah Kut Teh was soft and had nothing fancy, it was a good thing we had a bowl of rice nearby. Honestly I thought it was going to be overwhelming but no, it's not too oily and not too murky, it was light and had a small spicy kick from the peppers I mentioned earlier.
This is the tofu skin which had ground pork inside. I love this with anything, just order this before the Bah Kut Teh so you don't have to eat too much later on in the show lol
I don't eat chicken feet so I passed on this one but look at it, it's a good version of those things you get in chinatown
Tried this Sliced Smoked Duck if you want something nice on top of white rice, I had a few of these. The roasted thing outside makes it sweet and very savory. Check blood pressure at home lol
I love tofu so much that I had a few servings of this together with the savory ground pork on top and the soy based gravy.
To end the meal, they got us this really mean Panacotta which had Avocado I think, or maybe pandan hints too. It was good until someone ate it in less than 2 minutes.
If you're raring to have a taste of authentic Bah Kut Teh in Manila, this is the place you can get it. There are other items in the menu which you can also try like the throng of seafood (I'm allergic) that they have like Abalone, pig innards soup, even fried chicken, just make sure you get a drink which you could perfectly pair with it. A glass of ice cold Coke would do.
You can check out Rong Hua Bah Kut Teh on IG @RongHuaPH for all the food you might want to see. It's waiting for you, try this legit restaurant now!
