Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Olay’s #FearlessAtAnyAge Campaign empowers women to break free from unfair age-pectations

A survey conducted by Olay Philippines has uncovered that Filipinas are often burdened by the expectations that society puts on them whether they are in their late 20s, 30s or even 40s. These expectations range widely from what she should be doing to who she should be.

These unfair “age-pectations” about their behavior, career and marital status that come with negative comments about their looks, leave Filipinas feeling constantly judged and labeled based on their age.

Among the key findings of the survey is that 69% of women aged 30-39 years old are afraid of the expectations they know will come with aging. About 91% of Filipinas between the same age bracket also receive mean and negative comments about their age.

Another finding is that 83% of Filipinas are pressured to get married by the time they are in their thirties while 93% of them also feel the pressure of being financially independent by their thirties as well.

Genuinely knowing the strain these expectations can bring at every point in their lives, Olay is encouraging women to live their lives in their own terms, no matter their age through its new campaign #FearlessAtAnyAge. With the campaign, Olay wants women to know that no unfair expectation and no age label can limit them or stand in the way of who they want to be or what they want to do. 

“I can personally identify with the challenges that many women face on their own personal journeys”, says Chandana Sunder, Olay Philippines Country Leader at Procter & Gamble. “We want women to realize that age is just a number and should not dictate what they can and cannot do. At Olay, we want to encourage women to live life fearless of ageing and any societal expectations that come with it, to not feel restricted by what’s expected of them at a certain age, or limited by what is deemed right ‘at your age’.”

The #FearlessAtAnyAge campaign video entitled 30! So What? captures the life lessons of being fearless by a woman on the brink of a major change in her life at a time when everyone around her expects her to have an established career. Despite the expectations of those around her, the heroine in the video defies all odds and pursues her dreams.

Watch the video on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBzNhE-aHy0&feature=youtu.be) and learn what it means to be #FearlessAtAnyAge. Olay is committed to encouraging women to overcome these societal expectations and live their life regardless of their age. Join the Olay movement today by sharing the video and your own personal story on social media with the hashtags #FearlessAtAnyAge and #Olay to let other women know that age really is just a number.

Monday, July 23, 2018

YEAR IV OF THE CHOICE : Now is your chance to vote for your FAVORITES!



Foodies out there, you can show your love and support your favorites...Take this chance to vote for your own choice. 

In the first six months of this year alone, over 500 new restaurants opened … and that’s only all over Metro Manila!

Every month, every week, and almost every day it seems, there’s a new restaurant opening its doors. There are a lot of great new dining choices, side by side with the perennials, the classics that we grew up with.

As food bloggers, writers, and members of the F&B industry, we’re always very curious about the crowd favorites. The popular vote, if you will.  What are the beloved favorites? Let the voice of the people be heard!

Vote for your CHOICE here: https://awesm.pl/TheChoice2018


About The Awards

Together, Our Awesome Planet, the country’s #1 food blog and one of the Top 50 travel blogs in the world;  the Blogger and Influencer Collective known as the KTG (Kain Tulog Gang); and the prestigious World Food Expo (WOFEX), have partnered to conduct the People’s Choice for their Favorite Food, Restaurants, Hotels, and Chefs …. or simply, “The Choice”.

We conducted an intense first round of voting among ourselves, and our resulting Finalist Lists have made us very pleased:  we feel it’s a very diverse and fair representation of all our favorites from many diverse categories.
However, we’d like to emphasize that this is NOT a “Best of…” list. Taste, after all, is subjective. This is a vote for YOUR FAVORITES.

You can vote right now: https://awesm.pl/TheChoice2018

The Choice 2018 voting will be for two weeks starting on July 15, Sunday and ends on July 30, Monday. Awarding Ceremonies will be at the SMX Mall of Asia on Saturday, August 4, 2018, from 2pm to 5pm.



The Survey Parameters

1. For the Favorite New Restaurant category, our coverage period includes restaurants that opened between July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018.

2. There are 40 questions in this survey and answering this survey should take only around 10-15 minutes. It is best to give a definitive answer to each question and feel free to skip if you can’t decide.

3. All answers are treated as confidential and final once you click on the submit button.

4. One survey response for one person only.

5. Please give us your name and email address for our random validation of the survey responses.

Here’s the link to the survey:  https://awesm.pl/TheChoice2018


The Hall of Fame Awardees

Consecutive Winners in their respective categories in 2015, 2016, and 2017, the following establishments have now been elevated to The Choice Hall of Fame, and thus, will not be eligible for further awards this year and in the years ahead. Congratulations to the Hall of Famers!!!



Food Favorites
Fast Food Burger: Burger King
Gourmet Burger : 8 Cuts
Fried Chicken : KFC
Sisig : Gerry’s Gril
BBQ : Aristocrat
Hotdog/Sausage : S&R
Ramen : Ramen Nagi
Donut : Krispy Kreme
Ensaymada : Mary Grace
Frozen Dessert : Dairy Queen
Pastries/Cakes: Conti’s
Coffee :  Starbucks

Restaurant Favorites

Chinese : Gloria Maris
Thai : People’s Palace
Korean : Bulgogi Brothers
Mexican : El Chupacabra
Fine Dining : Antonio’s
24/7 Dining : North Park
Family Dining : Chili’s
Hotel Buffet: Spiral
Fast Food : Jollibee


Vote NOW!

Sunday, July 22, 2018

Taiwan Excellence Basketball Camp fuels Pinoy court skills and Taiwanese innovation

Taiwan Trade Center Manila Director Clement Chen (C) is joined by PBA players JC Intal (L) and Doug Kramer (R) during their official launch as Taiwan Excellence ambassadors at a press event held at Meeting Rooms 5-6 of the SMX Convention Center, MOA Complex, Pasay City.
Combining the Filipino passion for basketball and the Taiwanese drive for innovation, the first-ever Taiwan Excellence Basketball Camp recently filled the Mall of Asia Music Hall with an intense 3-on-3 Hoop Challenge, top-notch innovations from Taiwan Excellence, and PBA stars.
A partnership between Taiwan Excellence and legendary PBA star Coach Eric Altamirano, the two-day Camp aimed to promote sportsmanship as it brought together some of the Metro’s most promising basketball players while highlighting the incredible products awarded with the Taiwan Excellence Seal.
 “Taiwan Excellence Basketball Camp is an exemplary showcase of excellence from both countries: the fighting spirit of the Filipinos further empowered by the products of Taiwan,” said Alfred Wang, Director of the Economic Division of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO).
With its aim of promoting the leading products, Taiwan Excellence shares to the world a variety of truly innovative brands. Initiated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), Taiwan, R.O.C., in 1992, the symbol of Taiwan Excellence is continuously recognized by 102 countries.
The symbol of Taiwan Excellence, according to Wang, honors Taiwan’s most innovative products “that provide tremendous value to users worldwide.” Each product has been selected for a specific Taiwan Excellence Award based on their excellence in the following categories: design, quality, marketing, Taiwanese R&D, and manufacturing.
Boasting participation of 192 amateur Pinoy ballers, the Camp put their skills to the test in a rigorous 3-on-3 matches while 3 PBA stars are on the sidelines showing support.
Alongside Coach E of Alaska Aces, local court heroes JC Intal and Doug Kramer of Phoenix Fuel Masters also gave their support to the budding ballers.
Also integral to the whole Taiwan Excellence Basketball Camp set up is the Taiwan Excellence Experience Zone which exhibits the top-of-the-line products of Taiwan.
With products from tech giant Asus, fitness company Johnson, and bike manufacturer Tern, among others, the Taiwan Excellence Zone got everyone up close and personal with impressive products championed by Taiwan.
Wang hopes these superior products from Taiwan will boost the way of life and strengthen the love of Filipinos for basketball and sports in general.

 “They did a great job in showcasing the best products that Taiwan can offer. The quality can go head to head with other global brands,” said Christian Ramos, one of the players for the Camp.
Meanwhile, the two celebrity players look forward to using the products themselves.
“I am really excited about the bikes from Tern. They make biking and going around the city a much more fun experience,” said Intal.
As for Kramer, he has his sights on the Paper Shoot, compact digital cameras with cases made out of eco-friendly paper.

“I really feel that the whole family will fall in love with it. It is so simple and sophisticated, I know my kids will love using Paper Shoot.” Kramer said.

For updates about Taiwan Excellence, visit their website https://www.taiwanexcellence.org/ph and follow their Facebook page atfacebook.com/TaiwanExcellence.ph.

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Look Good, Feel Great with the Power of a Healthy Breakfast

I'm a breakfast skipper. When I wake up in the morning, I always go straight to doing stuff and forgets my first meal most of the time. But, as time goes by, I made some discoveries. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.


“Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.” This adage suggests that breakfast should constitute the most important meal of our daily diet, followed by lunch, and end off with a light dinner.  "Studies have shown that a healthy breakfast has wide-ranging benefits for the human body, such as supporting metabolism, boosting mental alertness and improving digestion," says Susan Bowerman, Senior Director of Worldwide Nutrition Education and Training at Herbalife.

Yet according to the Healthy Breakfast Survey conducted in 11 markets across the Asia Pacific region by Herbalife, 21 percent of the Filipino respondents do not consume breakfast daily. While those who do, have an unbalanced meal that comprises mainly carbohydrates in the morning. Too often, breakfast is little more than toast, white rice, noodles or a cup of coffee, tea or chocolate drink - all of which digest quickly, leaving people hungry by mid-morning.

Skipping a breakfast meal might seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but the side-effects could be detrimental to your health in the long run. For a start, skipping your breakfast could lead to more cravings later in the day which makes it harder to manage your weight.

Bowerman adds, “In general, we tend to make bad food choices when we are starving, as we would be more likely to indulge in food. Also, research has revealed that skipping your breakfast could increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes.”

By contrast, starting the day with a good breakfast has many benefits. Consuming your breakfast could do wonders for weight management, as food consumption releases gut hormones which control appetite, having a sustained effect throughout the day and helping to reduce the number of cravings. "Plus, there's less risk of heart disease and diabetes, while you can improve muscle health, memory, energy and mood by starting the day right."
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also found that people who consume a high-protein breakfast tend to eat fewer calories throughout the day compared to those who do not, due to the appetite-suppressing effect from dietary protein, thus providing satiety between meals.
But how can we practically incorporate a healthy breakfast into our daily eating habits? 

According to Herbalife’s Healthy Breakfast Survey, the top three motivators for Filipino  respondents to adopt a regular breakfast diet are if consuming breakfast contributes to health and well-being; if their breakfast can help in giving them more energy; and if their breakfast can be made more accessible to them.

With this in mind, perhaps making a few simple changes to daily living might do the trick – such as waking up 15 minutes earlier, opting for a quick and nutritious breakfast fix, or getting a friend or loved one to join you for breakfast.

While this marks a positive start to a long-term change in lifestyle habits, the type of breakfast choices one makes will also have an impact on overall health and well-being.

When it comes to selecting just what to eat for breakfast, Bowerman advocates following Herbalife's Global Nutrition Philosophy, according to which our total daily calories should be comprised of 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fats, along with 25g of fibre and eight glasses of water.

"A healthy, balanced breakfast should provide you with an adequate amount of protein, while a few pieces of fruit or vegetables can provide sustained energy and fibre. For healthy fats, nuts or avocado can serve as a delicious energy source for your body," adds Bowerman. "And if time is pressing, consider having a protein shake, like the Herbalife Formula 1 Shake – which is easy to prepare and provides all the nutrients required to start your day right."
So, all you need to have a healthy breakfast each day is a little time and commitment. Choose ingredients that are enjoyable and nutritious, and you can make it a habit to start the day right and will soon enjoy the benefits as you feel and look better, with more zest for life.


About Herbalife Nutrition

Herbalife Nutrition is a global nutrition company whose purpose is to make the world healthier and happier. The Company has been on a mission for nutrition - changing people's lives with great nutrition products and programs - since 1980. Together with our Herbalife Nutrition independent members, we are committed to providing solutions to the worldwide problems of poor nutrition and obesity, an aging population, skyrocketing public healthcare costs and a rise in entrepreneurs of all ages. Herbalife Nutrition offers high-quality, science-backed products, most of which are produced in Company-operated facilities, one-on-one coaching with an Herbalife Nutrition independent member, and a supportive community approach that inspires customers to embrace a healthier, more active lifestyle.

Herbalife Nutrition’s targeted nutrition, weight-management, energy and fitness and personal care products are available exclusively to and through its independent members in more than 90 countries. Through its corporate social responsibility efforts, Herbalife Nutrition supports the Herbalife Family Foundation (HFF) and its Casa Herbalife programs to help bring good nutrition to children in need. Herbalife Nutrition is also proud to sponsor more than 190 world-class athletes, teams and events around the globe, including Cristiano Ronaldo, the LA Galaxy, and numerous Olympic teams.

Herbalife Nutrition has over 8,300 employees worldwide, and its shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HLF) with net sales of approximately US$4.4 billion in 2017. To learn more, visit Herbalife.com or IAmHerbalife.com.


Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Salad Bar for Healthy Meal or Snack

Are you into healthy lifestyle? Is food preparation a struggle in your part? And when you are out without "healthy baon" where do you dine in? Guess what, I found a place where I can still eat healthy... Discovering the Salad Bar is such a great find. I don't need to worry if in case I get hungry away from home.


A good choice of food to feed our body is one of the wisest decisions a person can ever do for himself. 


Last Friday, we had a long day, errands here, there and everywhere. It made us hungry and of course led us to finding food that will fit our healthy lifestyle goals. With so many choices around the area, we saw a part of the food choices. The Salad Bar. The healthy choice of meal that you can have if you are out and need to fuel up.


First, you need to get your container from the staff, pick your own choice of fruits and vegetables, all fresh ingredients. They have mushroom, macaroni salad, shredded carrots, corn, cucumber, and a lot more. You can put as much as you want, as long as it still fits the container. Last thing you need to do is to put the dressings. Finally, the weighing time, to see how much your plate would cost. Surprisingly, it’s affordable, I can say. You can get it for only P30 per 100 gram. Not bad for a healthy meal, right? Rather than having junks that will soon make us sick and spend more that the cost of healthy foods.


Salad Bar is a good choice for any meal time. They offer the healthy combinations of fruits, vegetables and even nuts. Not the usual ready to eat salad that you can order from other establishments.  Plus, your creative side of making your own salad can be a challenge too. 


Mom & Daughter Foodie



What can you ask for? You can enjoy it while hanging out with family or friends at the Food Choices. You may have it for to-go too. We, health buffs and going-to-be health buffs can enjoy low calorie, high fiber, healthy salad only at Salad Bar PH. 

 SALAD BAR

Laza Food Plaza, 2nd Floor Zuellig Building, Makati Ave corner Paseo de Roxas, Makati City, Philippines Food & Art Galleri, 12th Floor GT Tower, 6813 Ayala Avenue corner H.V. dela Costa Street, Makati City, Philippines Dell's Foodcourt, 7th Floor Robinson's Summit Center, 6783 Ayala Avenue, Makati City Philippines Food Choices, 3rd Floor Glorietta Ayala Center, 6811 Ayala Ave, Makati City, Philippines


Saturday, July 14, 2018

GROW HAPPY WITH NESTOKID® FOUR

Happy and healthy comes together in the NESTOKID® FOUR Grow Happy Nation event happening from July 14 to 15 at the Midtown Atrium of Robinsons Place Manila and on July 21 to 22 at the SM City Dasmariñas Cavite Activity Center. Headlined by exciting activities and fun, learning opportunities for both parents and kids, NESTOKID® FOUR advocates the importance of providing children not only with the right nutrition needed to support their crucial developmental years, but also a happy environment where they can grow, flourish, and enjoy time with the family.


What it means to grow happy and healthy

All moms and dads want to see their kids grow happy and healthy, which is why they go to great lengths just to give their children the best, regardless of life circumstances.

NESTOKID® FOUR believes that raising happy and healthy children can start with something as simple as with choosing the right milk, as nutrition is vital for good health and well-being. NESTOKID® FOUR is specially formulated with L. Comfortis, a probiotic that helps strengthen tummies to provide better digestion and help in absorption of nutrients, making sure that kids get the nutrition they need during their growing-up years. It is also packed with Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, and DHA for overall growth and development.


NESTOKID® FOUR, however, acknowledges that milk is just one of the key components to raising a happy and healthy child, and therefore encourages parents to complement proper nutrition with providing their children a nurturing environment where they can play, imagine, and bond with loved ones. The brand’s newest endorser and proud mommy of two, Melai Cantiveros-Francisco agrees saying, “I learned from my experience with Amelia that proper nutrition should go hand-in-hand with a happy home talaga. I really think it makes all the difference, lalo na ngayon na nakikita ko kung gaano siya ka-confident sa school at kung gaano kadali sa kanya makipagkaibiganDaig pa ako sa pagiging Ms. Congeniality!”

Join the Grow Happy movement


By joining the event prepared by NESTOKID® FOUR, parents and their kids can enter the activity area and learn more about how they can Grow Happy through four major stations: Laro (Play) allows kids to be physically active through a friendly game of ring toss, Likha (Art) gives participants the freedom to express themselves through lines and colors, while Musika (Music) challenges kids to a fun game of musical chairs with a twist. To cap it all off, NESTOKID® FOUR reminds parents about the importance of raising happy, healthy kids with a storytelling video at the final station, Nutrisyon (Nutrition).

Be part of the movement and drop by one of the two NESTOKID® FOUR Grow Happy Nation runs. Get a chance to also win a 1-year supply of NESTOKID® FOUR when you post photos from inside the Grow Happy Nation activity area using the hashtags #GrowHappy and #NESTOKID. For more details, visit www.facebook.com/NESTOKIDPH


About NESTOKID® FOUR
NESTOKID FOUR is the only growing up milk brand that contains L. Comfortis, a probiotic that may help in your child’s digestive health. NESTOKID® FOUR is not a breast milk substitute and is suitable for healthy children above 3 years old.



Tuesday, July 10, 2018

World-class Composers Create Banaue-Inspired Music to Pave Way for Rice Terraces Rehabilitation


Soil erosion and degradation, land abandonment, and lack of interest in farming. These are just some of the many issues that affect the Banaue Rice Terraces.




According to the local government of Banaue, around 600 hectares of the site is abandoned, contributing to its deterioration. This places the Banaue Rice Terraces at risk of being removed from the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In response to this, the Banaue Rice Terraces Restoration Project was formed. The project targets to restore and conserve the biodiversity and cultural practices at the site. One component of the project is to generate widespread public awareness and participation to the cause, and one of the initiatives to support this is the Banaue International Music Composition Competition (BIMCC).

After months of preparation, 20 composers from all over the world are heading to Banaue to see the world-famous Banaue Rice Terraces for the first-ever BIMCC. The 10-day immersion trip is meant to showcase the Ifugao culture and bring their issues closer to the composers for their deeper appreciation and understanding. 

“The Banaue Rice Terraces is more than just a breathtaking view. It is home for a community fueled by their culture,” stated General Jaime de los Santos, Project Manager of the Banaue Rice Terraces Restoration Project. “The area has faced a host of challenges in recent years, and we aim to bring it back to its full glory through the Banaue Rice Terraces Restoration Project. We recognize that there is much work to be done and what we’re doing is just a start. Through BIMCC, we want to call attention to the scale of the challenge and how the public can show support through a celebration of music and culture.”

The competition called for Banaue-inspired symphonic compositions and received an overwhelming response from composers all over the world, generating 84 entries.

Following screenings and deliberations, 20 composers were chosen to go on an immersion program in Banaue, where the top 10 finalists will be chosen at the semi-finals to be held at the Banaue Hotel. The chosen pieces will then be performed by an orchestra at the Grand Finals Night at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo at the Cultural Center of the Philippines on July 25, 2018.


TITLE
COMPOSER
AGE
COUNTRY
Tugtugin para sa mga Supling ng Pinagsapin-saping Lupa
Christian Joshua Padre Ansale
21
Philippines (Rizal)
Water Steps
Bracha Bdil
29
Israel
Symphonic Suite “Archipelagos”
Theodoros Broutzakis
49
Greece
Beyond the Mountains
Jan Neland Cabuguas
32
Philippines (Negros Occidental)
Pagpapanumbalik
Jimuel Dave Dagta
27
Philippines (Quezon City)
From Wonder into Wonder. Green Steps to the Sky
Caterina Di Cecca
33
Italy
The Hills of Banaue
Jonathan Feasey (Shaw)
22
UK
Pugaw
Avner Finberg
35
Israel
The Story of Ifugao
Leon Firŝt
23
Slovenia
Hymn to Nature
Eteri Kourbanov
30
Israel
Terraces
Lee Jinjun
27
Singapore
Banaue Symphony
Raquel Sanchez Martínez
23
Spain
Symphonic Poem: The Rise of Banaue
Michele Masin
21
Italy
The Harvest of the Rice
Mario Alfredo Oyanadel Guiñez
27
Chile
Balitúk: The Divided Child
Charlie McCarron
31
USA (Minnesota)
Hudhud
Alessandra Salvati
49
Italy
Lightning Storms on the Terraces
Eduardo Soutullo Garcia
49
Spain
Kabunyan
Jem Robert Bautista Talaroc
27
Philippines (Quezon City)
Crossing the Rice Terraces
Miran Tsalikian
31
Greece
The Ifugao Cloud
Stefano Giannotti
55
Italy


“Through music, we are sending a strong message to the public and the world about the beauty and culture of the Banaue Rice Terraces. We hope to draw out attention from Filipinos to help restore our famous World Heritage site and the ecosystem that thrives in and around it,” shared BIMCC Artistic Director Professor Chino Toledo.

“All the Banaue-inspired compositions that we received from composers from all over the world signify how different cultures can relate to and work on a common goal of preserving an international treasure, as well as the diversity and rich heritage surrounding it,” added Toledo.

Helping out Filipino farmers and the agriculture sector has been a longtime advocacy of Universal Harvester, Incorporated (UHI). UHI President and CEO Dr. Milagros O. How.

“Our work on the Banaue Rice Terraces Restoration Project also calls attention to the need for greater support to the agricultural sector. UHI formed our advocacy arm under TOFARM to push for the advancement of the Philippine agriculture and to recognize farmers as the country’s heroes. Through these activities, not only are we unlocking potentials and boosting productivity, but also preserving our heritage as Filipinos,” explained Dr. Ong-How.

The first BIMCC Grand Prize winner will receive US$12,000 and two runners-up will each receive US$6,000.

The public can further support the cause by getting donor seats at the Grand Finals. Prices range from Php1,000 to Php5,000. Proceeds from the event will be used for the benefit of the projects to rehabilitate and restore the rice terraces starting at the Barangay View Point, Banaue, Ifugao.

Midea Philippines earns Superbrands recognition for excellence and expertise in the home solutions industry

  Midea Philippines, a frontrunner in the home and commercial solutions industry in the country, recently earned its place in the prestigiou...