Author: Jeman Villanueva

With about 7,641 islands, the Philippines has just enough flavors to match, all fused together in the country’s cuisine. Along with these diverse flavors, come a myriad of fun moments- experimenting with more than 15 ingredients in halo-halo, eating with bare hands during boodle parties, enjoying five meals a day including merienda, all the while bonding with friends and family whether there’s a ‘handaan’ or a big gathering, or just a simple get-together. https://youtu.be/OrmFW6Meeww For Filipinos, eating is an experience to be enjoyed and shared with everyone. Their friendly nature and exceptionally tasty meals spell joy and comfort, welcoming everyone,…

It’s officially the perfect season for coffee-lovers as we transition into the coziest time of the year. With the chilly weather and with more customers seeking the comfort of a good cup of joe, this season marks the best time to explore and discover well-crafted coffee beverages. While Pinoys may not experience crisp autumns at home, Starbucks is bringing everyone the smooth and creamy flavors of fall with their brand new beverages, handcrafted with heart, to enjoy during this cool time of the year. Available for a limited time only starting September 10. A returning favorite is the Asian Dolce…

If you have kids and have a Disney channel on TV at home, most probably you already stumbled on one of the daily episodes of “Upin & Ipin.” Well, there is a good news for you and your kids as “Upin & Ipin: The Lone Gibbon Kris” is set to be screened this August 28 in Philippine cinemas. “Upin & Ipin: The Lone Gibbon Kris” is tagged as the most expensive Malaysian film in history reaching almost RM 20 million ($4.84 million USD) and roughly took five years for the entire production crew to finish this animated sequel. Executive producer Burhanuddin…

There are many things to like about freelancing in the Philippines. From not having to deal with the stressful daily commute to being able to work in the comfort of your own home, the benefits to being your own boss are numerous and tempting, especially to the salaried office worker who has always lived life from paycheck to paycheck. However, the truth of it is that freelancing comes with its own challenges—things that you may not be able to figure out simply by looking in from the outside. This can set you up for a nasty surprise should you take…

Global superstar Ed Sheeran has unveiled his official video for ‘Nothing on You’ featuring Paulo Londra and Dave (watch here). The video, which stars Sheeran, Dave and Paulo Londra, was shot in London and directed by the team behind online music platform SBTV; the same outlet who shot Sheeran’s first-ever online session of ‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’ back in 2010.

PLDT mobile services arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has announced that it shall start accepting pre-orders for the much-anticipated Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Series from August 9 to 18, available with Smart Signature. As a big treat, customers who shall pre-order within this period will also enjoy up to Php15,000 worth of Samsung freebies: Get a FREE Galaxy Fit, Galaxy Tab A 8.0”, and Samsung DeX Cable when you get the Note 10+ (512GB), the variant exclusively available during pre-order Get a FREE Galaxy Tab A 8.0” when you pre-order the Note+ (256GB) Get FREE Galaxy Buds when you pre-order…

Pay day? For many, that day comes with relief and excitement. That is, the excitement to reward ourselves with a special meal with family or friends (samgyupsal anyone?), that pair of sneakers we’ve long been eyeing, a nice new toy to add to our Funko collection or that new tumbler and card to add to our Starbucks collection. But while self-reward is vital, some tend to overdo this at the expense of the need to save. A Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas survey on consumer expectations for the first quarter of 2019 showed that only 36.6 percent of Filipino households have…

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, and Samsung Electronics, reveal a regional partnership to boost consumer outreach in Southeast Asia. Samsung’s partnership with Shopee will expand its reach to online shoppers, leveraging Shopee’s consumer base to engage more than 200 million users across the region. As part of the regional partnership, both companies will renew their commitment to provide consumers with convenience and increased access to quality products on-the-go. Shopee will also be rolling out interactive consumer engagement features to entertain users as they shop on the move. “Samsung is pleased to witness the growth of…

Kesha recently drops “Best Day (Angry Birds 2 Remix)” via Kemosabe/RCA Records, encapsulating the carefree spirit of the season and suggesting we take a walk in the sunshine, dance with our friends and embrace the day to the fullest. Featured in The Angry Birds Movie 2 (out August 21st in the Philippines via Sony Pictures Animation in association with Rovio Entertainment), “Best Day (Angry Birds 2 Remix)” is pop music at its most joyful. With a smooth vocal performance, funk bass line, beachside vibe, and a mantra-like refrain about seizing the moment and expelling negativity, the song captures what continues…

Noticed something different with GCash on their website? It seems they have a new logo. We reached out to GCash, the leading mobile wallet in the Philippines with 20M users and 63K partner merchants, through its operator, Mynt, and they confirmed that indeed, GCash is about to ‘refresh’ their brand. According to GCash Chief Marketing Officer Chris Manguera, GCash will roll out its new look in the coming weeks together with improved services through its app. “The brand refresh is more about improving rather than changing,” Manguera says. “It’s not a cosmetic change, but changing and improving the…

Much like how Disney’s 1994 original feature film won over the hearts of fans worldwide, the highly-anticipated return of Disney’s The Lion King was met with excitement and nostalgia during its big opening weekend in the Philippines With its stunning visuals and updated versions of the fan-favorite soundtrack bringing its story and characters in a whole new way, Disney’s The Lion King roared its way to blockbuster success in the Philippines as it recorded PhP265,399,494 (est. USD 5,007,538) on its first five days since it opened on July 17. The film also sets the record as the No. 1 film…