Thursday, October 10, 2024






EastWest Rural Bank and EastWest Unibank sponsored the National Teachers’ Day event hosted by the Department of Education (DepEd) as part of the 2024 National Teachers' Month (NTM) celebration. The event took place at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City last Thursday, October 3. The event is the culmination of the DepEd’s month-long campaign to honor the contributions of educators across the nation. With around 10,000 teachers and educational stakeholders in attendance, the day featured a variety of activities, including Zumba, heartfelt tributes to teachers, raffle prizes, and lively entertainment.



A special highlight of the day was the surprise visit and performance by Donny Pangilinan, ambassador of EastWest’s newest digital banking platform EasyWay. Donny’s commitment to financial literacy, which aligns with his personal values, made his tribute even more meaningful.







As part of EastWest Rural Bank’s commitment to supporting educators, one of its core products is the Teachers’ Loans, which offer special rates and flexible financing options designed specifically for educators. This product aims to support teachers in achieving their personal and professional goals, whether it’s for personal expenses, or further development. It highlights EastWest Rural Bank’s dedication to empowering those who shape the future.



“We at EastWest Rural Bank are proud to support this year's ‘Together4Teachers’ theme, which resonates deeply with our commitment to uplifting our unsung heroes in education. Through Appreciation, Admiration, Approval, and Attention, we join the Department of Education to ensure that our teachers receive the recognition and support they deserve. Their dedication shapes the future, and it’s an honor to be part of a celebration that values their incredible contributions to our society,” said Sheila S. Marasigan- Bajado, EastWest Rural Bank President.







MANILA - Fans of last June’s McDonald’s Flavor Fest will have more to love as it returns as Wild West-inspired Chicken McNuggets Sauces meet Tropical Fruit Fizz Drinks! Get ready for the return of Classic Ranch sauce, the introduction of all-new Cheesy Smoked Chili sauce, and enjoy an irresistible refreshment with tropical Green Apple Fizz and Mango Passion Fizz!



Satisfy your cravings for great-tasting chicken by dipping your favorite Chicken McNuggets into the bold Cheesy Smoked Chili, which features a blend of chipotle, bell peppers, and mild spiciness. You can also enjoy the savory, herb-packed Classic Ranch. For a touch of paradise, try the fresh and fruity Green Apple Fizz or the delightful Mango Passion Fizz, made with a blend of mango and sweet-tangy passion fruit!




McDonald’s App users who are eager to experience the Flavor Fest will get their chance! Starting on October 10, App users can redeem an exclusive 6-pc. Chicken McNuggets with 1 FREE new sauce and 1 FREE fruit fizz drink deal for only PHP 99 - a 44% discount! They will also have the chance to sip into tropical paradise with a Buy 1 Take 1 Fruit Fizz drink for only PHP 69! These McDonald's app deals are available in all stores nationwide via Dine-in, Take-out and Drive-thru only.



Barkadas can also enjoy a 20-pc Chicken McNuggets Bundle exclusively for delivery that will come with 20 nuggets, four sauces, and two fruit fizz drinks! This offer will be available via GrabFood, Foodpanda, McDelivery apps.




“After the first FlavorFest in June, we’re excited to introduce another dimension to our iconic Chicken McNuggets with the Cheesy Smoked Chili sauce and the returning Classic Ranch,” says McDonald’s Marketing Director Ashley Santillan. “And to complete this delicious taste experience would be a pairing of delicious drinks. Our fans would be delighted to sip and chill with our new Fruit Fizz flavors -- Green Apple Fizz and Mango Passion Fizz!"




McDonald's Chicken McNuggets new sauces and fruit fizz drinks are available starting October 10 for a limited time only via Dine-in, take-out, Drive-thru, or Delivery. Hurry, enjoy them while they're still here via dine-in, take-out, and drive-thru channels. For more information, visit McDonalds.com.ph, or follow @McDo.ph on Facebook, and @McDo_ph on Instagram.








Manila, Philippines — HUAWEI Philippines has officially announced the availability of the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2”, along with the Genius design keyboard, HUAWEI Glide Keyboard in the Philippines. This tablet not only features innovative Tandem OLED PaperMatte Technology but also comes with the upgraded GoPaint app, providing exceptional hardware and software support for professional creators. Committed to delivering a "More Than PC" experience, Huawei aims to make tablets a viable substitute for traditional computers.




A Never-Seen-Before GENIUS Keyboard: HUAWEI Guild Keyboard


Most tablets lack a dedicated slot for storing a stylus, making it cumbersome to carry and manage. Even when tablets do include a storage slot, they often don't provide charging capabilities, leaving the stylus depleted when needed. The all-new HUAWEI Glide Keyboard addresses this issue with its innovative storage and charging design for styluses. Simply placing the stylus in the slot initiates automatic pairing with the tablet, eliminating the need for repeated pairing, and remains charged, ready for use even after extended periods of inactivity.


True to its name, the HUAWEI Glide Keyboard is engineered to enhance input and creation with a flexible adjustment. When using the tablet for drawing, the keyboard’s bottom edge stays elevated above the touchpad, ensuring stability and preventing any interference with the keyboard, regardless of the strokes or gestures employed. It also features skin-soothing materials designed to withstand daily stains, spills, and mishaps, including tea, coffee, cooking oils, condiments, and even lipstick.




The World’s Leading Display Technology: Innovative Tandem OLED PaperMatte Display


The 12.2-inch display of the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2” is one of its most striking features. It uses HUAWEI’s unique Tandem OLED display, which achieves a spectacular peak brightness of 2,000 nits, ensures the dramatic contracts between light and dark regions, and a consistently clear view, whether it's under the glow of indoor lighting or the sun. The unique nano-level pixel stacking technology bolsters the service life of the display 3 times longer compared with a traditional single-layered OLED display. An exclusive pixel isolation layer precisely controls the amount of light emitted by the display, optimizing power efficiency by 33%, so that content remains crystal clear even under direct sunlight.


The screen boasts a 2,000,000:1 ultra-high contrast and a 2.8K resolution, combined with a four-sided equidistant design, and applying ultra-narrow 4.6 mm bezels, achieving a 92% screen-to-body ratio – making it one of the tablets with the narrowest bezels in the industry. With a 144Hz refresh rate and 480Hz touch sampling rate, it delivers a smoother and more seamless regardless of whether you're drawing, web browsing, or scanning through text.


Not only does this screen excel in display quality, HUAWEI claims that its PaperMatte display is easier on the eyes than a typical tablet display. Through a myriad of patented technologies and nano-level techniques designed to reduce eye fatigue, HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2” has obtained SGS's Low Visual Fatigue Premium Performance 2.0 Certification, further enhances the eye protection performance, ensuring user comfort during extended use.



Art on the Go: Experience the Next Level with GoPaint


The HUAWEI-developed painting app, GoPaint app, has been recognized by many users in previous releases. Users appreciate the wide range of brushes and tools, which allow for a high degree of creative flexibility. This time, the GoPaint app on the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2” lives up to digital artist expectations, now upgraded and more powerful.


The GoPaint App features several unprecedented tools including Fluid brushes, which let you create stunning blending effects, mimicking the way liquid pigments like ink and watercolor naturally blend. The Fluid brush naturally adjusts its blending effect based on the realistic texture canvas, making the canvas the perfect medium for writing, paintings, calligraphy, and a range of other creative endeavors, to cater to a range of different needs.




Last September, HUAWEI launched the GoPaint Worldwide Creating Activity 2024. This year, the initiative is centered around the theme “Creative by Nature,” inviting artists to capture the beauty of nature, exploring the limitless possibilities of the GoPaint App. Interested participants are encouraged to submit a variety of pieces, whether it’s a sci-fi artwork, a fashion design, narrative art, digital watercolor or ink pieces. Submissions are accepted until December 31, 2024.


An expert jury panel will choose the top 20 entries. The winners will each receive $1,000 and the opportunity to showcase their artwork on a global stage through exhibitions, events, and HUAWEI’s social media pages. The winning pieces will also be featured on HUAWEI apps and merchandise. Winners will also have the chance to share the stories behind their winning artworks in video features and exclusive interviews. Visit the official Global Worldwide Creating Activity 2024 website to find out more.


An Artistic Design: Thin and Light Golden Silk Design


The HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2” has also reached a new standard in exterior design, boasting a wholly unique “Golden Silk” rear cover design. In order to produce this unique “Golden Silk” design, each device is meticulously polished over a thousand times. Its lustrous gold color variant features an ultra-thin 0.5mm aviation-grade glass fiber, to ensure beauty and strength, and techniques like ink printing, multiple optical layers, and multiple transfer printings produce a texture that is reminiscent of elegant silk.


Weighing only 508g and with a thickness of just 5.5mm, making it the brand’s thinnest and lightest 12.2-inch tablet, easy to hold and manipulate with one hand.




Unleash Office Excellence: PC-Level Performance in Your Hand


The PC-Level WPS Office apps offer robust office capabilities with features like a PC-level UI layout, comprehensive editing tools, and advanced demonstration functions. The intuitive menu design ensures that users familiar with the PC version can seamlessly transition to the tablet apps without needing to relearn or adjust their work habits. These tablet apps support advanced features, including video insertion in Presentation, Pivot Tables in Spreadsheet, and custom headers and footers in Writer, making task management more efficient. Notably, the integration of Huawei Print in these apps allows for quick previews and printing directly from the document screen with just a tap on the toolbar. These features collectively provide all the necessary tools for creating professional-quality documents and presentations.




Extraordinary Flagship Tablet with More Than PC experience


Thanks to its innovative step architecture, the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2” is equipped with a 10,100mAh large battery that supports industry-leading 100W SuperCharge. HUAWEI SOUND quality is delivered through custom 8-driver array speakers and a largest-ever 3.5 cc rear chamber, providing the strongest sound performance in a 12.2-inch tablet.


With its outstanding hardware configuration and innovative software features, the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2” sets a new benchmark for tablets. Whether in display quality, eye protection, design, or office and creation experience, this tablet demonstrates powerful capabilities. Coming in as a PC-Like bundle, HUAWEI Glide keyboard and HUAWEI M-Pencil (3rd Gen), for users seeking ultimate display effects, work-on-the-go, efficient creative experiences, the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2” is undoubtedly an ideal choice.


Unleash your creativity and experience productivity like never before with the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2” WIFI 12GB+512GB, now available in the Philippines. Prices start at ₱59,999. Grab the tablet from October 11 to October 31 and take home an exclusive bundle including the HUAWEI Watch GT4 41mm (valued at ₱8,999), HUAWEI Glide Keyboard (valued at ₱9,999), HUAWEI M-Pencil (valued at ₱5,999), PC-Level WPS Office (valued at ₱4,999), and HUAWEI Bluetooth Mouse (valued at₱1,899).


This exclusive offer is available on Shopee, Lazada, Tiktok, HUAWEI Online Store, and HUAWEI Experience Stores nationwide.


To learn more about the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.2”, visit Huawei’s official website or social media accounts (Facebook | Instagram).












For many of us, food is a love language. Through time, this love goes beyond the taste, but of places visited and memories made. Having said, a distinctive food experience awaits Bulakenyos with the arrival of SM Center Pulilan’s latest dining haven, EC CafĂ©.

This newest Instagrammable café in SM Center Pulilan offers a diverse menu curated to cater to any groups and occasions. Get ready for a total culinary delight as EC Café serves a round-the-clock menu such as an all-day breakfast, classic pasta recipes, main course meals, premium steaks, and desserts.





Of course, there is house wine, classic and international cocktails, as well as crafted hot and cold drinks that are guaranteed crowd favorites in EC Café.





Aside from offering a delectable gastronomic journey, EC Café is collectively known for its aesthetic interiors and cozy ambience that lets diners create a lasting memory with food, friends, and family.

Plan your next food escape and visit EC Café conveniently located at the ground level of SM Center Pulilan.













After surprising fans with his story-driven conceptual single “The Other Side”, Bangkok-born singer-songwriter Phum Viphurit goes even deeper into the world of his alter ego Paul Vibhavadi on “Balter Baby”, the second single from his upcoming EP PAUL VIBHAVADI VOL. 1. Released to streaming platforms on October 9, 2024, this dance-oriented piece is Phum’s first instrumental-only track that showcases another side of his musical tastes and capabilities. An animated music video for “Balter Baby” by Shea Oracheski and James Bedggood based on Phum’s concept will also debut on the official Phum Viphurit YouTube channel.




In terms of narrative, “Balter Baby” picks up just before where “The Other Side” left off, in which the lovable sloth Paul Vibhavadi is grappling with his newfound adulation amongst a sloth-worshipping tribe he stumbled upon during his journey in search of the magical forest of Himmapan. “I wanted to expand on a part of the previous music video when it shows the tribe worshipping him, almost like an Ari Aster, Midsommer-type dance,” says Phum. “So it’s showing Paul in the trance of that, what he was feeling in that dance sequence.”




Intriguingly, Phum opted to convey this chapter of Paul’s story via an instrumental track with no vocals, once again pushing the boundaries of his music in the process. “I’ve done instrumental-heavy music, but always with glimpses of my voice. This one’s purely for people to dance to,” says Phum. “Honestly, if you go through the last fifty of my liked Spotify songs, I would say 45 of them are instrumental music. When I’m looking for inspiration, I try to write lyrics over pre-existing instrumentals, and I wanted to deconstruct that method by, ‘Hey, what if I can capture someone’s attention or move their head along to this three-minute house track that’s guitar-based with some synths?’ It was an interesting challenge, but also fits within the theme of the story.”








Regarding the specific influences for “Balter Baby”, Phum says, “I listened to a lot of Modjo, a dance group from the 2000s. I also listened to a lot of Seventies Motown, funk and disco. But most of it was led by the visual, because I directed the ‘The Other Side’ music video and was pretty heavily involved in the animation process for the ‘Balter Baby’ video. So I was thinking of Paul’s story and what particular soundtrack would suit this scene.” Indeed, the music of “Balter Baby” perfectly complements the video that takes us into Paul’s mind as his immersion into this new world that has embraced him sees him grooving along like a retro dance video game character.




The choice of “Balter Baby” as a single also further emphasizes the boldness of Phum Viphurit’s exploration on the PAUL VIBHAVADI VOL. 1 EP, while still making sense within the context of the project. “I felt like it was going to introduce a new house-inspired song like ‘The Other Side’, I needed a bit of a continuation before I break from that tempo and texture, so ‘Balter Baby’ was the most natural selection to me,” he says. “It’s like, ‘Hey, it’s not just a one-off thing.’ I’m playing with the idea of trance, movement and motifs throughout the whole EP.”




The end of the “Balter Baby” video sees Paul Vibhavadi enclosed in a glowing orb as he floats away from that tribe, and the audience is free to draw their own conclusions – or look for more answers when the PAUL VIBHAVADI VOL. 1 drops on October 17. “I know it’s quite a conceptual piece of work, and there’ll be many different interpretations of it,” says Phum. “But I’m so excited to show my creativity and make people feel something again with this next piece of work.”







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Wednesday, October 9, 2024


Grace Tan Caktiong (third from left) is awarded by Fr. Richard Ang, O.P. UST Rector; Atty. Dwight Ramos, President of the UST Alumni Association, Inc.; and Asst. Prof. Joreen T. Rocamora, PhD, Director of the Office of Alumni Relations-UST.



MANILA, Philippines. – Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF) co-founder and chair, Grace Tan Caktiong, was recently honored as 2024’s The Outstanding Thomasian Alumni (TOTAL) Awardee for Service to Humanity, a recognition given by the University of Santo Tomas to exemplars from the Thomasian community.



Grace Tan Caktiong’s inspiring leadership over the past 20 years directly facilitated the foundation’s programs that have improved farmers’ livelihood, helping children continue their education through sustained school feeding and scholarships and enabling wide-reaching disaster response programs to help prevent hunger during calamities. The Jollibee Group Foundation is the social development arm of the Jollibee Group that was established in 2004 to help uplift communities through the Jollibee Group’s food expertise.



Tuesday, October 8, 2024













PASAY CITY, September 27, 2024 -- SM is launching an expanded Share Shoes program this October through the SM Store to support underprivileged students, aligned with the 100th birth anniversary of its founder, Mr. Henry “Tatang” Sy Sr.



The program will benefit 20,000 kids from 100 public schools nationwide, from the previous year’s 16,000 from 80 public schools. It will be coordinated through 100 partner organizations and beneficiaries. A key element of the program involves the participation of SM Store customers themselves: For a minimum PHP3,000 single-receipt purchase, customers have the opportunity to sponsor a brand-new pair of shoes for a student for only PHP100.



A decent pair of shoes makes a difference in the lives of many Filipino school children. In 2023, the Philippine Institute for Developmental Studies reported that poverty remains a major barrier to education, with many Filipino children lacking even the basic necessities like proper footwear.






By joining this collaborative effort for social good, customers are not just shopping — they are creating a lasting impact, extending hope and support to those in need. The act of giving a pair of shoes not only meets a basic need but also sends a message of encouragement to students, assuring them that through education their dreams will be fulfilled. SM Store invites its customers to provide more than just footwear but also a path to greater possibilities for Filipino students.







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