JODI STA. MARIA Launches The JSM Channel

Jodi Sta. Maria has always been very good at her craft. As an actress, she has gone miles and bounds from being that Star Magic teen that did iconic shows Gimik, Flames, Jologs and Tabing Ilog. 

Her recent stint in doing a Philippine adaptation of Broken Marriage Vow has earned her the highly coveted Best Actress Award for a Leading Role at the Asian Academy Creative Awards, and still is eager to re-invent herself. A few days ago, she announced her newest venture... and created a new YouTube channel called The JSM Channel. Her goal is to put out light and inspirational content and she gave us a glimpse of it too.

Jodi says "How much am I willing to share? It's not going to be an open book, it's just going to be parts of my life that I want to share and only those that would give valuable lessons. If they learn something from it, then it's good! I don't want to say it's a platform for me to practice my degree, just a place to share what is valuable to me, and if someone relates to it, then it's good. If there's something to talk about, we'd do it there. For now, my focus would be the JSM channel, and I still have a few projects this year, please watch out for that. 13 years ago, the idea for this started but it was just the pandemic that happened. I couldn't say it's the right time, but life just gave me so many reasons, it's not something that was given to me in an instant. This is a dream project, and am looking forward to produce more shows in the coming months."

When they asked about Thirdy, she says "I asked my son about him guesting in one or more episodes but he's busy with school. Having a platform means you should use it responsibly, use it wisely, instead of just tearing people down, you ask yourself if it's something you can be proud of."

Jodi has 3 shows on the channel now like Live Light, Let's Drink to That, JSM Travel and Tours. She will be with AC Soriano and Cheena Crab on Let's Drink to That to give the low down on what happened in the news that week (while keeping it light). Needless to say, AC and Cheena were really fun to watch and banter with so if you are fond of that, go watch it on the JSM channel. 

Stories of the Road: The Origins of Banaue Rice Terraces

 

Learning from books is one thing, but learning from people who lived and breathe it would be something so much better.

Dubbed as the 8th wonder of the world, the Banaue Rice Terraces remains as one of the things we all marvel at because yes, as it says, it's impressive to know that it was not made with much tools but with just bare hands. The folks from Stories of the Road (a YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Storiesoftheroad ) wanted to find out from locals the actual origins of it. Armed with a drone, a few film cameras, they arrived in Ifugao and got the surprise of their life. The community wasn't just plainly taking it easy that day, they were celebrating and yes, it was an opportune time to get to know more about the culture and its people.

This is the handy work of Eric Gamorot (the Director), Rhett Paul Bolivar (the Producer), John Paul Bolivar (Production Assistant), and Marky Ramone Go (Writer). They were in the quest to find out the origins of the Banaue Rice Terraces. It was a different perspective because it didn't come from historians, but the folks who had their own stories passed on from generation to generation. They feel this was a more accurate narrative. They also got DK Tijam to do the narration for the episodes, so make sure you listen in on their conversation.

Eric talked about this lengthily during the Orange Magazine 14th anniversary event, please watch this:

Here is the first episode:

 Here's the newest episode which includes their experience witnessing a full on festival in Ifugao!

 

Their goal would be to go to other places in the country to do the same. They've gotten really good feedback upon releasing their first episode, and recently released their second one on the channel. If you would like travel content like this, you may subscribe to their channel and follow their social media accounts to get updated about their content.

Liza Soberano to do YT Series "Liza In Korea"

Dubbed as one of the prettiest faces in the world, Liza Soberano is set to do a new YouTube series called "Liza in Korea". If you've been following her recent appearances in Korean shows, she's always said how much she adored Korean drama, artists, idols and KPOP music too.   

The series premiere will happen on September 13th at 8PM and the consecutive Wednesdays thereafter in this 15 episode cultural and experiential tour of the land of the morning calm. This will of course be extra sweet because we'll all be seeing it through the eyes of Liza. Also in the show will be several businesses and individuals who's stories will also inspire more people through the digital production.

She will also be doing the actual narration, so you will feel like you're traveling with her and experiencing the things she's just beginning to discover. Liza will also share her experiences about entrepreneurship (with Lacimer) and talk about how it could be a viable way to improve lives in our home soil, which is pretty new to see coming from the beautiful actress.  

The first few episodes will be very exciting as she talks to top Korean content creators, the media, big networks, even a trip to world famous Lotteworld, even learn from top Korean choreographers so Liza can do a few KPOP dance numbers on the YouTube series.

To get you more excited, here's a teaser from the show!

For those who want to see the series when it comes out, go and subscribe via the PHH TV YouTube channel here. You may opt to see it on IG via the Lacimer official account which you can find here. If you're excited about what Liza Soberano is doing in Korea, this certainly will get you acquainted with what she's been up to these past few months. I'm sure just like me, you really miss her!

This is produced by JJ Global Group in Korea.

Alfred Vargas Shares Struggles and Fitness Journey

It must have been so hard for Alfred Vargas to have gained weight over time especially with, causing him to have lower self esteem and depression. As an actor, he was always seen being that guy who had over and beyond machismo, huge muscles when he was still making movies back in the day. He admitted this on one of the videos on his YouTube channel. The councilor for the 5th District of Quezon City admits "It was something that I didn't know I would go through, but in one morning, when I looked in the mirror... I just said I didn't know who I was when I got to 251 lbs. It was a wake up call, people started to call me Tito when they approached me. I didn't know it was getting worse, so I decided to change and do it not for vanity or projects, but for my kids, my family, so I could live longer for them."

He adds "I've lost a lot of weight, from 251, I am now 201 lbs. It's been 3 years, I've documented my struggles as well on my YouTube channel. I decided to share a few things that made me lose weight, plus a few things like parkour with the help of Ms. Kate Robles. She's a single mom that had the same problem as me. With our coach Raven Cruz, we've started to share how we were able to do it."

The series is called "Vargas Tries, pwede? pwede!". He also gets Cong. PM Vargas in some episodes. What's good is that fans and subscribers can ask them questions or request, even do odd jobs just to try it out. He's also going share what he learns about it. A new episode will be uploaded every 2 weeks, and pretty soon it'll become a weekly thing.

So make sure you head on to Alfred Vargas' YouTube channel here (youtube.com/@VargasTries), start subscribing, like and share!

Dating Terms Learned on Puregold Channel's "Ang Lalaki sa Likod ng Profile"

Have you tried online dating? How did it go? Well for some people, it's a hit and miss. What was your objective when you started? Were you able to get relationships out of it? There's a ton of questions need to be asked and answered right?

If you watched the recent episodes of Puregold Channel's "Ang Lalaki sa Likod ng Profile", you'll get a sense of what it would feel like in that situation. The hit series stars Yukii Takahashi and Wilbert Ross who plays the role of Angge and Bryce. Two hopeless romantics who resorted to look for love on social media, describing their ideal person not knowing they'd all hit the marks. Then after meeting each other in real life, it still feels quite awkward, so they end up thinking the other party would do ghosting (that sudden disappearance), catfishing (when one party pretends to be someone else!) and demand to do DTR (define the relationship) which you'll see being used quite liberally in the series. 

What do you think will happen to the two? Would there be a second date? Neflix and chill? Or perhaps have a round of rebounds with thirst traps on the app? There's a lot to learn about the language obviously and you can see more of it in the next episodes of "Ang Lalaki sa Likod ng Profile". So if you're interested about what would happen next, go watch the series on Puregold Channel's YouTube channel and see if it's worth the effort to do online dating at this day and age.

If you prefer on Facebook, simply search @puregold.shopping or @puregold_ph on IG or Twitter. If you spend a lot of time on TikTok, go follow @puregoldph instead. There's a lot of ways you can follow the story, go fall in love with them too!

SPARKS CAMP - First Queer Dating Show in the Philippines

Is dating difficult these days? Have you been looking for that certain spark? Be ready as 10 single guys gets the ball rolling in the country's first queer dating reality show called "SPARKS CAMP". The show will be premiered this Wednesday at Black Sheep's YouTube channel and yes, netizens have certainly noticed.

I've seen how people reacted on Twitter, some thirsty for conversations. At the helm is Director Theodore Boborol who has been part other hit shows like PBB and MMK among others. Patrick Valencia and Daniel Saniana also wrote the script. Patrick has done "Hanging Out", "The Third Party",  hit web show "Hello Stranger". Daniel on the other hand did "Sila Sila" apart from his other works. Hosting the show is Ms. Mela Habijan who's been a stern supporter and part of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Director Theodore says "We are very excited to let you see the show Sparks Camp, I hope you enjoy the show and hear who you are rooting for in the camp."

Mela says "Happy pride! This is the first queer reality dating show, it's difficult for the community and hope this sparks conversations especially in the queer community."

Here are highlights from this evening's mediacon, enjoy!

People will love the cast, as campers Dan, Nick, Gabe, Justin, Stanley, Karl, Aaron, Alex, Bong, Nat will be trying their luck in finding the one who will give them that spark. This is part of the throng of content that ABSCBN is putting out on YouTube, make sure you watch and take part in the conversation. Remember, May 24 at 8pm, in Black Sheep's YouTube channel.

Patrick Valencia in the end adds "This is our labor of love and hope you spread the word, thank you!"

PS. Got the chance to see the first episode, which you shouldn't miss so you get to know the guys before they try to see if there's real spark!

Home Cinema Dreams Come True with the LUMOS DAWN

Meet the LUMOS DAWN, the newest affordable home cinema projector available in the Philippines.

My love for movies and the arts has always been an obvious thing since I've been covering entertainment events in Manila. I've always wanted to have my own home theater especially during the pandemic, and it's a lovely premise to have one at so you wouldn't have to go far if you want to enjoy local and international films right at the comforts of your home. You'll be glad to know that there exists something that would fulfill your dreams, meet the new LUMOS DAWN Projector. 

 

Form and Function I Need

Aside from the usual subscriptions I have on streaming apps, I often watch Anime, documentaries, gaming re-runs, and the best films available online on TV. I've got some of the best brands bar none, but I do feel that TV's just doesn't cut it to feel like you're in a movie theater. My room theme is monochrome, and a wall was painted white years ago so I figured I'd better put that to good use. The LUMOS DAWN arrived safely packaged in a box within a box.

It comes with a Remote, a User Manual, a Basic Set-Up Tips flyer, a Power Cable, an RCA Cable and an HDMI Cable. If you're not a techie, it's easy to understand how to put these together. The package doesn't come with batteries, buy one from the grocer or use the one on other remotes for the meantime.

This is where the Power Cable goes

Shiny lens, with the LUMOS logo in front

Underneath, it's got a place where you could fit a stand and screw it. I love how it's a standard size and it fits on my actual tripods here at home.

It's got an audio port where you can use your wired earphones in, an AV port, 2 USB ports for storage and plugging in other devices in plus an HDMI port where I had my laptop plugged in (and see HD quality videos in).

The front has a power button, turns green when it's ON

I like that this one has a cover so you won't have trouble keeping it in boxes or have it gather dust in storage.

The LUMOS DAWN Smart is a smart device, so the remote control for it is essential. The NEXT and DONE clicks, the Volume Control, Home, Menu, Source switches, and mouse control is done through this. You can use a wired mouse too, but it would be so convenient to just get batteries for this and make your movie and streaming moments E A S Y. 

I love how this particular device has a very compact form factor, like they thought about making it small sized but powerful. It's got ample amount of ventilation so as not to heat up. The ports are also positioned well, not too crowded for all the other devices you would need to connect it to. After hooking it up with the cables, we turned it ON. 

The Experience

After screwing it to the tripod I had sitting around, we turned it on and checked its features. After pointing it into the wall I had inside my room, I adjusted the settings by turning the knobs in front. It just takes a few seconds to do that.

You can set the distance of the device quite far (about 3m max) to achieve an 125 inch screen and still see clear images. I did change my wall paint to a matte white color about a year ago and it did wonders for the images this time. It's like my own projector screen without shelling out extra for that. With its 1080p support and 600p clear resolution, it's undoubtedly one of the best ones in the market in the same price range. Quite bright as its got 2500 Lumens which makes videos clear and not appear blurry or faded on screen. When you turn it on, it would ask for your language, timezone, have it connect to your home's WiFi network to gain access to internet. The device has it's own App Store, or Google Play so if there's something you would like to install for a smart device like this, it'll be cinch to do.

It has a built in YouTube and Netflix app so you don't need to bother installing one on the device. They don't also advice you update it and just use as is. If it's not broken, why fix? Makes sense! Aside from that, it's got AirScreen and Miracast which you can use to cast your mobile phone screens into the LUMOS DAWN so imagine what you can do with those Mobile Legends, Call of Duty or Genshin Impact sessions you do for hours. It may well then be the grandest place to play and have an immersive experience (yes the LUMOS DAWN has Dolby Audio speakers!). I'm totally not suggesting you do those TikTok numbers you've been practicing secretly, but you do you!

The soil from Mars certainly looks detailed

I don't need to move shelves, just point the projector on the space I've got on the east side of my room and it becomes an extra place to watch more videos!

LUMOS DAWN gives a lot of these features without breaking the bank. It's priced at Php 6,999 and the LUMOS DAWN Smart version for Php 9,999. It also comes with a 1 Year local warranty which assures you hours of movie and entertainment pleasure right at the comforts of your home. I even used it as a screen to watch YouTube videos today. It was lovely watching documentaries, foreign TV shows and Valorant matches which I streamed live on the YouTube app. Now isn't that a dream?! If you wish to have one, you can purchase them today at https://www.lumosprojector.ph/.

Well, since I'm celebrating my site's milestones this year and you've read this far, I'm letting you in on a huge surprise. I'm hosting a GIVEAWAY of a brand new LUMOS DAWN. This is your chance to win that dream home cinema projector you've been eyeing, and I'm here to make your Home Cinema Dreams Come True with the LUMOS DAWN. All you need to do is look for the Facebook post of this article HERE and follow these steps below:

1. On the comment section, tag 3 FB friends and comment “I like LUMOS DAWN because…….” (and state why you do)!

2. Share the FB article post on your Facebook timeline (set in PUBLIC) with the hashtag #LUMOSHomeCinemaGiveaway and tag the official LUMOS FB page @lumosprojectorph  

3. Bonus points will go to those who Like our FB Page @kumagcow - 1 bonus entry

and Like & Follow the LUMOS FB page @lumosprojectorph - 1 bonus entry

(take screenshot and post photo of liked page on the comment section) 

All I need from you (if you WIN) is a photo with the prize when you get it and tag us both. All I wish is that you put it to good use, and here's hoping the best of luck to whoever wins it! Winners will be announced next week so stay tuned!

 This definitely made my Home Cinema Dreams Come True!

ZEINAB HARAKE Endorses Beautéderm Oral Care Line

After recently garnering a whopping 13 Million subscribers on YouTube, and having a total of 50 Million followers on social media platforms, your favorite girl ZEINAB HARAKE is taking another feather on her hat as the newest endorser of Beautéderm Corporation's Oral Care Line. This includes Koreisu Whitening Toothpaste, Koreisu Family Toothpaste, Etre Claire Mouth Wash and Etre Claire Mouth Spray.

 

Beautéderm  CEO and President Ms. Rei Anicoche Tan says "I remember asking my team of who would be able to do this as I've got celebrities in the Beautéderm brand. She's different as she's an influencer and the task is to communicate the message of our oral care line to an even wider audience. I needed someone young and thought of getting her, I was impressed that in a single live video, they already garnered thousands of views. When I watched her, she's super natural, she's not fake and just do it as a task (because we all know they sometimes are). There really is a clamor for her, a lot of people have asked for her so we did it. Zeinab represents the youth, the Gen Z's, and she is the perfect fit for the brand."

Zeinab says "I am so happy that I get to be one of the babies of Ms. Rei Tan. I've seen how she takes care of the people who endorse Beautéderm and this is such an honor. I promise that I will take care of the trust they've given me and I love you! I'm pretty new in the industry, I make videos, I never imagined that my followers would grow this much, for all the work we do I am happy to be part of Beautéderm." 

She adds "I told Mama Rei my crushes, I love Marian Rivera, she's always been my peg. I would love to be with her and the others who are also part of Beautéderm. I got a little shy when Piolo Pascaul commented on one of my posts and said my signature line "ARAT NA!". I also would like to do events with Dingdong Dantes if possible, because only Beautéderm has made it possible with their endorsers. There's no network wars here."

Here's a portion of the press conference a few days ago

Zeinab Harake will also be appearing in the launch of BEAUTéDERM Ayala Mall Cloverleaf (Sunday 3PM) and will be appearing with Jelai Andres, Ruru Madrid, Bianca Umali, JC Santos and Boobay. There will also be a meet and greet session if you meet the required purchase. So if you're raring to see them in the flesh, the time is now! 

Congratulations to Beautéderm and Ms. Rei Tan. Also to ZEINAB HARAKE for conquering odds and now is reaping the fruits of her labor. She's a very nice lady who deserves the best things in life because she's worked hard for it.

TJ Monterde and Korean Singer YELO Release New Single "Little Things"

Looks like TJ Monterde is going places as he just released a song he collaborated with South Korean Singer/Songwriter Female Artist YELO called "Little Things".

TJ says "This all started with a call from my label and asked me to listen to it, and I loved it right away. I knew I would love to sing this song, but it took me a great amount of time writing the story for it. The melody was just so beautiful! My contributions was mostly on the lyrics, the overall story. It was remarkable to see how we had been able to work in producing this song."

Artist YELO debuted in 2018 with her album "Swim in You" and also does covers on YouTube. She says "I had an impression that TJ's a great singer. I knew right when we started that he really enjoyed the music. We had to send each other messages, like we we pen pals. He's a very talented musician, very popular, and I felt that it was an honor that I got to work with him."

Recording took a lot of file exchanges from Wild Grass Studions in Quezon City (where TJ recorded his parts) and Monotree Studio in South Korea (for YELO). This single is produced by South Korea based MonoTree Korea and will be released through PolyEast Records. Go stream it on all digital platforms and see the performance on YouTube. You'll love what TJ and YELO brought to the table. Go check updates about it on PolyEast's social channels.

The New Impressive Samsung Galaxy A22

I've had the chance to actually use this new addition to the Galaxy A series, it's the Samsung Galaxy A22. Made for tho/se who are into content creation, this is equipped with a powerful camera that gets quality in fun and colorful ways. In the Philippines, available colors like Black, White, Mint and Violet colors. The one I got to use for a few days was Black and I actually like how it looks.

You can say it's photo and video centric because it's got Quad cameras on the back, wherein the main one has 48MP, 8MP for the ultra wide lens, and 2MP for the others like Macro and Depth of Field lens. Now if you're usually with shaky hands, you utilize the Optical Image Stabilizer so your viewers won't feel dizzy watching your YouTube videos. The A22 is also smart, it uses intelligent AI camera experience so scenes are identified right away just by merely pointing at a subject. For dark or low light scenes, the Night Mode would help not just to see the images, but to capture stable shots so you get awesome photos. The phone's scene optimizer automatically adjusts the levels of brightness, contrast, white balance and other elements of the images. If you prefer, you can also edit it according to filters available in the phone (and adjust it to your liking).

Viewing movies, KDrama and just about any game with its Super AMOLED Display will surely be an amazing experience and possibly, you'll appreciate the 90Hz refresh rate that it can do when you play moba or FPS games on mobile. This phone also has Eye Comfort shield that lessens blue light that won't be comfy in the eyes especially in the evenings.

Your imagination would surely be the only limit with this phone, it ain't that expensive either at Php 11,990. You can get it in Samsung online or Experience Stores nationwide. There's also available promos which you can take advantage of, you'll get it after purchasing the smartphone and registering as a Samsung Member. There are also flexible terms at 0%, just head to the store and ask for it. This phone also lasted me quite a few days before I had to connect it to a charger with regular social use. The 5000mAh battery does that, and it charges fast because of the 15W capability. Don't say I didn't tell you about it. Oh and yes, the Galaxy A22 5G version is Php 13,990, a few thousand bucks difference ain't bad no?

 

 Check out my unboxing experience here!

 

Choose according to your liking. For me, the A22 is enough and sufficient.

ZANJOE MARUDO Celebrates a "Hanep!" 15 Years

Dubbed as one of the most eligible bachelors in the showbiz industry, a multi awarded actor with a Best Actor Award in the International Emmy's in his belt, Zanjoe Marudo is celebrating his 15th year. After starting as a contestant in Pinoy Big Brother, he's now donned magazines, TV shows, movies, he's now one of the most in demand actors in the Philippines... and of this generation.

To celebrate his milestones, Star Magic is going to publish a three part documentary on the Star Magic Official YouTube page entitled "Hanep, Kinse na pala! Zanjoe’s 15 years in showbiz!". The series will be composed of interviews and testimonies of his family, friends, co-actors, several of which include Piolo Pascual, Angelica Panganiban, his crush Jodi Sta. Maria, real life Darna Angel Locsin, Bela Padilla, and esteemed directors Ruel Bayani, Cathay Garcia-Molina, FM Reyes, Connie Macatuno, and Star Magic head honcho Director Lauren Dyogi. Here's our interview with him a few days ago:

 

The episodes will be published on September 26 (12 noon), October  2 and October 9 same time. You'll get to know Zanjoe even better after seeing this and see the reason why he's doing good after all these years. Zanjoe will also be doing The Broken Marriage Vow, also, he's nominated for the iWant Original Film entitled "Malaya" in Gawad Urian, plus he's also on YouTube now together with his friends Hyubs Azarcon and basketball phenom LA Tenorio via their channel D' LaZY Road Trip, so make sure you're subscribed to that and Star Magic's channel if you want to stay updated of his work!

Skincare YouTube Channel Launched: LUMINISCE by Dr. Kaycee Reyes

When skin and preventive medicine advise ain't reachable because of the pandemic, we find ways to get in touch with the experts. In fact, she's reaching out to you now via her own YouTube channel Dr. Kaycee Reyes, founder of famed Luminisce Holistic Skin Innovations.

I've witnessed a few friends and went to her clinic in BGC a few years ago, and I've seen really remarkable change in their skin. Her new YouTube channel is going to be more on programs about skincare and talk about how you can take good care of it with your family. You'll see her giving advice, including celebrities like the Legaspi twins, Carmina Villaruel and Zoren Legaspi. Of course, there are regular joes like you and me who may be featured in the show so don't hesitate to subscribe if you're interested in the topic. See how an expert does it especially if you're looking for skin solutions, hair too.

Doc Kaycee says "I'm a skin doctor, I pursued preventive medicine and cosmetic surgery in Germany. I appreaciate you being here today. 9 years ago, I didn't know we would be this big. The idea of being beautiful inside out is honestly difficult especially with the heightened stress we get because of the pandemic. We are reaching to patients so they could reach their goals. We started with online consultation, treatments in the clinic and send it to homes. Patients have loved it and now we're releasing 10 more treatments from Luminisce and products. Health is wealth, there's no one pill that can cure everything, but prevention is definitely better than cure. We also launched SOL REVIVE, mobile on wheels, to do preventive care. These are aesthetic treatments that can be scheduled and arranged with patients. The YouTube channel is also launching today, episodes will come out in the next few weeks. We hope you get to see it soon! I believe YouTube is still in its infancy, so we're testing how to reinvent ourselves in the channel. I've been writing for a couple of years now, the YouTube channel would be some place to inform people with evidence based medical procedures."

 

 

Luminisce has a branch in BGC (this photo), The Podium and Alabang

Innosense.ph (Innosense Organics) is also a health food store curated by Dr. Kaycee Reyes. It's part of the preventive medicine procedures, so we don't progress to diseases. Diabetes, depression, negative life events, it is activated by lifestyle choices. The food that we eat should not induce inflammation, nor should it be harmful food. We need a reset and be mindful how we could prevent it. We need to lessen toxicity, and prevent the activation of certain diseases. We need to age gracefully and Dr. Kaycee will take care of part of that as well. 

 

The first episode on the YouTube channel will include the Villaruel-Legaspi family. They've been with Luminisce for 6-7 years already as patients, they're very kind and have always given a very positive personality. Carmina, Zoren, Mavy and Cassy have had different skin conditions, they come once a month previously, but since they couldn't go to the clinic, they're given kits once a month so they would be able to take care of their skin even at the comforts of their home. There will be a few more episodes in the pipeline including aesthetics, preventive medicine, mental health, life in the pandemic, things that you could learn from so you become a better individual inside out. You may start by subscribing to her YouTube channel youtube.com/c/luminisceByDocKaycee

Congratulations Doc Kaycee! Can't wait to see the episodes!