Author: Jeman Villanueva

Amidst the on going pandemic, one way to lessen the stress is to go cashless. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), paper money can carry the viruses and bacteria that they contract with for as long as nine days at room temperature. The government also suggested that going cashless for your transactions help you avoid getting contaminated from deadly novel coronavirus (COVID-19). To take precautionary measures on the spread of the dreaded disease, we were advised to regularly sanitize our hands whenever we are handling money, or better yet, use contactless payments instead. Despite Metro Manila’s “lockdown”, it’s a…

March 14 is no ordinary day. Around the world, “brainiacs” also call it Pi Day – an annual celebration of the famous mathematical constant (3.14). Believe it or not, special events are hosted to honor the irrational number; and whether you’re into that sort of thing or just craving for an actual pie, your favorite New York-style pizza is here to make it even better. For one day only, math geeks, science junkies, and pizza lovers alike can commemorate Pi Day with Yellow Cab’s latest offer. Celebrate your interest in numbers and generously feed your passion for mathematics, or even…

Living in the city can be very taxing, and there’s nothing more satisfying than being able to unwind with a cold lager or a slushy cocktail while watching the waves rolling on the seashore. But when you can’t get to a beach, stealing a few moments from the day or going on a mini getaway goes a long way when recharging one’s batteries. Take a break from the hustle and bustle and capture a tranquil beach bum vibe at The Canary, F1 Hotel Manila’s newly remodeled bar. Guests can chill amidst a tropical setting under city lights where scrumptious food,…

Captivating generations of Disney fans, “Reflection” has been a powerful ballad that breathed life into the narrative of Disney’s “Mulan.” Written and produced by Matthew Wilder and David Zippel, “Reflection” holds a special place in the hearts of many Filipinos for decades. Just as much the 2020 reimagined version of Mulan is set to release in Philippine cinemas in a few weeks, Disney Philippines introduces a new voice to Mulan’s iconic song as it connects to today’s generation of Disney fans. Deemed as the most streamed Filipina artist, Disney Philippines has collaborated with Moira de la Torre on a localized…

Israeli singer-songwriter VANNA has recently launched her debut single High Hopes via Singapore based indie label Umami Records. Produced by Roy Avital of Tel Aviv based indie-electronic trio Garden City Movement and mastered by Matt Colton (James Blake, Muse, Coldplay), High Hopes is a song about not giving up, even in the darkest, loneliest moments of one’s life. “In the end we must ‘run slow, with high hopes’, be patient, and face the future with optimism.” shares VANNA, “I wanted to let people know that they are not alone and there is always hope.” A gently fingerpicked acoustic guitar sits…

As the government intensifies its efforts to digitize its processes, GCash, the leading mobile wallet in the Philippines, is also broadening its initiatives to support the Philippine Digital Transformation Strategy by providing digital payments solutions to government agencies. By allowing GCash account holders to pay for government services, GCash is helping the government bring its services closer to Filipinos by leveraging readily-available digital financial technologies. Through their GCash wallets, GCash users may enjoy the convenience and security of going cashless by paying for their taxes directly to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), or paying for their passport application fees…

AirAsia relaunched its services to Ho Chi Minh City along with the mounting of more domestic flights in the Philippines ahead of the summertime peak travel period. With the first flight out on 29 March 2020, Ho Chi Minh City will be AirAsia’s 16th international destination from Manila. AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricky Isla said, “We are pleased to announce our newest services to Ho Chi Minh City after being held over for eight months. As an Asean airline, we aim to increase regional connectivity and to provide more business and leisure opportunities in Vietnam to our AirAsia guests.” To celebrate…

Pinoy hip-hop phenom Shanti Dope makes his 2020 comeback with the newest single “Normalan.” Keeping up with the sound of the times while retaining his irresistible flows, Shanti gets back to talking about love in this hot new track, which serves as a spiritual sequel to his hit debut single “Nadarang.” The sensual track talks about an experience with girls – keeping it with ‘no strings attached’ until he finds ‘the right one.’ “Normalan” serves as Shanti Dope’s first single after collaborating with OPM icons Gloc-9 and Chito Miranda on the track “Pati Pato.” To date, the young phenom has…

To celebrate BTS’ fourth studio album ‘MAP OF THE SOUL : 7’, Spotify has partnered with the global superstars to launch the MAP OF THE SOUL : 7 The Enhanced Album out now. Availableonly on Spotify, the enhanced album – curated with original content and exclusive goodies – will serve as the ultimate destination for the ARMY to celebrate the release of BTS’ latest album. BTS is the first artist in Asia to partner with Spotify to create an enhanced album offering fans exclusive content, from Storylines (personal written commentary sharing the inspiration and story behind each song), Canvas (bespoke 8-second video loops…

Showing no signs of slowing down, Vivo established a 25% total market share in Q4 of 2019 to take second spot in the local smartphone industry rankings. Based on the latest Canalys report on the smartphone landscape of the Philippines, the leading global technology company achieved the feat behind a 159% year-on-year growth which may be attributed to a series of new technologies, products and marketing initiatives rolled out last year. Focusing on innovation and novelty, Vivo introduced the V15Pro with the world’s first 32MP elevating dual selfie camera, the V17 Pro with the world’s first dual selfie cameras composed…

You’ve probably heard or read about the controversy surronding ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal. Different opinions and sentiments were posted on social media and I can’t help but wonder what will it be like without the country’s leading network. Being a ‘kapamilya’ for more than 30 years, ABS-CBN have shaped my childhood and adolescent life with their educational programs and youth-oriented shows. I grew up with shows like Sineskwela, Wansapanataym, ATBP: Awit, Titik at Bilang na Pambata, Art Jam, Epol/Apple, Mathenik, Eh Kasi Bata, Sarah, Ang Munting Prinsesa, and Batibot. These shows made me appreciate math and science, and brings out my…