Through the years, pasalubong shopping has become synonymous with Duty Free shopping, thanks to the country’s overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and balikbayans who have made homecoming gifts a Filipino tradition.
For the Filipino traveler, no arrival from abroad or even departure from the country is complete without a pack of chocolates for the children, a bottle of the wife’s favorite perfume or the finest wines to share with friends.
Duty Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC) was created to primarily meet the international traveler’s Duty Free shopping needs. As travel and tourism are now regaining its pre-pandemic state, DFPC is all set to expand its operations to recapture the market. Aside from the two Manila downtown malls, Fiestamall and Luxe, DFPC has arrival and departure outlets at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminals and at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA). Recently, DFPC has set up stores at some of the country’s top tourist destinations. Tourists can now shop at the Duty Free departure store at the Kalibo International Airport after their vacation in Boracay, while travelers to Iloilo can drop by the arrival Duty Free outlet at the Iloilo International Airport.
This December 2022, Duty Free shopping will be available to tourists and guests at the Hilton Hotel in Clark, Pampanga
True to its newest tagline “Only the Best”, DFPC is determined to be the country’s BEST travel retailer by offering only the BEST products and service to its customers. Despite the pandemic’s profound impact on the Tourism attached agency’s business, DFPC continues to enhance its merchandise mix, programs and services to meet the evolving consumer preferences and retail trends. All these efforts are geared for DFPC to regain profitability and hence be able to contribute to the government’s tourism projects. To know more about DFPC and its latest offerings, visit http://www.dfp.com.ph or follow dutyfreephils on Facebook and Instagram
Cetaphil celebrated the launch of Cetaphil Ultra Protect with the Level-Up Series to advocate the importance of whole-body wellness, including healthy skin.
This fitness activation took place in four different boutique fitness studios: Electric Studio for that cardio fix, ONELIFE Private Studio to elongate the body, Polecats to learn how to move confidently, and now Rebel to lean in and discover that well of inner strength.
Each event was met with excitement from present content creators and members of the media, especially those who hadn’t done the chosen activities before. Because there were four different studios, each with different exercises, Cetaphil was able to provide a variety of experiences.
Cetaphil encouraged everyone to get fit in the name of holistic health, after which a full wash with Cetaphil Ultra Protect was encouraged because Cetaphil knows that the skin is the first line of defense against germs; hence it is necessary to make it as fit as the body.
Bodies were sweating in full force, muscles were pushed to the limit, and endorphins reached an all-time high, all in time to try Cetaphil Ultra Protect and to see the importance of having a clean, moisturized body.
Cetaphil Ultra Protect
Cetaphil Ultra Protect is a cleansing bar that combines the benefits of wider germ protection with gentle yet intense skin hydration.
There are no compromises with its 3D Derma-Mimic Technology that cleanses the skin at an antimicrobial level with a dermatological tried-and-tested formulation, which repairs the skin barrier’s defense against water loss.
It washes away 99.9% of germs and is specifically designed for frequent daily use, preventing and soothing skin irritation. The skin is now instantly protected and hydrated.
As the holidays are coming up and it is once more time to see friends and family, now more than ever, it is time to #BeUltraProtected with Cetaphil Ultra Protect.
The new Cetaphil Ultra Protect Antimicrobial Cleansing Bar is available at the official Cetaphil Philippines stores in Lazada and Shopee. You can also find Cetaphil products at MercuryDrug, Watsons’ stores, and supermarkets nationwide.
About Cetaphil
Cetaphil is a skincare brand that has been recommended by dermatologists for over 75 years and is today used by millions with delicate skin from all over the world. For more information, visit http://www.cetaphil.com.ph.
The Manila Central University, popularly known as MCU and formerly known as the Escuela de Farmacia del Liceo de Manila, is a private, non-sectarian institution of primary and higher education with a campus located on EDSA in Caloocan. Dr. Alejandro M. Albert, who also served as its first Director, founded it in 1904.
In the past 118 years, MCU has continued to innovate because it understands that changing one’s perspective can result in discoveries that progress technology and education. By upgrading its systems, processes, and policies, MCU continues to rise to the challenge of being a creative institution in a constantly changing environment.
One of the ways MCU is improving is with the new branding. This will help the community and raise awareness of the MCU brand as we enter a new era. They have introduced additional courses in addition to their well-known medical and health programs, and they are expanding internationally through alliances and collaborations. The school’s choice to hire multi-professional degree holders as faculty members also contributes to its capacity to create Board Topnotchers and good ratings for exam results.
The second innovation is the introduction of the Filemon D. Tanchoco Sr. Scientific Discoverer Award; The Scientific Discoverer Award seeks to recognize and inspire students to do their best work. The pursuit of new information is crucial to the advancement of science as well as the solution to the most significant problems threatening human welfare. Atty. Tanchoco wants to recognize scientists and innovators whose discoveries will help the Filipino people or are incredibly significant and will advance human well-being.
Lastly, through collaborations with Palafox architects, who has a strategy for campus building restorations, modernity can also be ensured. During the recent tour, where guests from various media outlets were taken around campus, MCU showed the ongoing campus developments and renovations, proving that though they’ve had 118 years of excellency, MCU strives to do more and be more, enabling them to compete with the country’s best of the best universities.
“Our colleges and universities are called on to face and answer the challenge of excellence. We must produce men and women with highly sophisticated inquiring minds since it is in the minds of our people that we build this dream of greatness, it is in the mind of the young Filipinos where we should plant the seeds of intellectual leadership!” – Dr. Filemon G. Tanchoco Jr.
Believing that values-based education offered salvation from poverty, Filemon Dionisio Tanchoco dedicated his life to making that vision a reality for many young Filipinos and for the nation he loved. This is what MCU stands for, what they believe in, and what they will continue to achieve.
This Holiday season, Pinoys can now get a chance, for a limited time, to taste the country’s award winning Liberica coffee from Sta. Maria, Laguna in a Cold Brew Kit.
The coffee used in the Cold Brew Kit won 2nd runner-up at the 2022 Japanese Barista Championship held recently in Japan.
The Philippine Liberica Coffee is being championed around the world and capturing the hearts and taste preferences of expert baristas and judges around the world by 2019 Philippine National Barista champion, Michael Harris Conlin and Henry and Sons.
With cold brew’s ever-growing popularity and countless benefits, it’s about time someone made the process of making it super easy and affordable. “Whoever adds the water makes money, but this time, we want you to be the one to add the water, so you get to save your hard-earned money,” said Conlin.
“With the ready-to-cold brew kit, you won’t have to fuss around with grind size, filters or water-to-coffee ratio. JUST ADD WATER and put it in the fridge for 12 hours, and you’ll have a perfectly extracted, super sweet, low acidity, low bitterness flavor-packed cold brew. Making a cold brew is now easier than ever with the Ready to Cold Brew kit,” added Conlin.
“We created this unique coffee blend to mirror how coffee is a slow and meticulous process. It takes five years for a newly planted tree to bear fruit, six months for pollinated flowers to grow into a ripe cherry, harvest and processing is three to four months, drying takes four to six weeks, and the parchment is rested for 90-120 days before hulling and roasting. Coffee is a slow, meticulous process, so once in a while, let’s pause and reflect on the hard work of the people who made this coffee and its long journey to your cup,” added Conlin.
As the temperatures vary, many turn to refreshing drinks to help stay cool and hydrated. But if you’re watching your sugar intake, it can be challenging to find delicious and low in sugar options.
Filipinos have a big sweet tooth, with all types of food, from desserts to savory dishes containing sugar as a key ingredient. This year, the country faced a deficit in sugar production, causing sugar to skyrocket to P100 per kilo, nearly twice as expensive as its cost last year.
This shortage has affected various industries, especially the food & beverage and agricultural sectors. Because sugar is a staple in the Filipino pantry, many people have been struggling to satisfy their sweet needs. Fortunately, Stevia, a healthy alternative can help Filipinos keep their dishes and lives sweet. Filipinos now have Stevia as a natural and healthier alternative to sugar.
Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant. It is 300 times sweeter than sugar but has zero calories and does not cause spikes in blood sugar levels. Stevia is better than chemical-based artificial sweeteners because it has no aftertaste or potential health risks.
More and more restaurants and other food businesses in the country are now using stevia as sweetener. With Stevia, restaurants and food businesses can sustainably sweeten their drinks and dishes. Moreover, more Filipino families can enjoy the food that they love. Stevia can be a total game changer for industries struggling to cope with the ongoing sugar shortage dilemma.
Stevia is readily available in the Philippines produced by the country’s first FDA approved Stevia manufacturing company, Glorious Industrial & Development Corporation (GIDC), the Stevia Company.
Sweet & Fit Stevia, from GIDC, The Stevia Company is used as a natural sweetener and present in all the Glorious coffee, choco and iced tea mixes.
“We understand how important sweets are to Filipinos,” said Ms. Au De Leon, president and CEO of GIDC, The Stevia Company. That’s why we’ve made sure our products are healthier and available nationwide, empowering more Filipinos with a sweet solution to the sugar shortage dilemma.”
GIDC is tapping the hospitality industry as well as the bakers’ association to introduce as well as explore ways on how to use stevia in its various products and sweet offerings.
People who need to limit their sugar intake can now make their lives sweeter with Stevia. People don’t need to sacrifice flavor to care for their health. A teaspoon of Stevia is equivalent to three teaspoons of refined sugar. Stevia improves food and beverages naturally, unlike sugar which has been linked to obesity and diabetes. Moreover, Stevia is considered nonglycemic, meaning it does not affect one’s blood pressure levels.
R.M. Lim’s Chinese Buffet of the Lancaster Group of Companies opens November 18, in Mandaluyong City.
The new Chinese restaurant is a part of the Lancaster Group of Companies located at the Lancaster Hotel along Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City.
R.M. Lim’s Chinese Buffet is named after the President and CEO of the Lancaster Group of Companies, Ronald M. Lim, offering to the public a value-for-money Chinese cuisine buffet with a massive spread that includes dimsum, noodles, soup, congee, and a variety of authentic Chinese dishes.
For only an affordable net price of Php 599, the buffet restaurant offers unlimited Chinese dishes that Chinese food lovers and enthusiasts will surely enjoy.
Led by Lim, with his Chinese culinary heritage, together with partners Norman Alensuela, and Marlon Aquino, R.M. Lim’s Chinese Buffet is open from 10 AM to 10 PM daily, with no cut-offs and no breaks.
For reservations and inquiries, you may call the Lancaster Contact Center at 0968-8697673.
After months of gruelling preparations, RP Blu Boys begin their quest for World Cup glory as they tackle powerhouse TEAM USA on November 26 at the Rosedale Park, Auckland, New Zealand.
The Philippine’s Men’ National Softball, who qualified to the World via a strong runner up finish in the Asia Qualifiers, is bracketed in Group A with very strong teams such as Argentina, USA, Cuba, Czech Republic and host, New Zealand.
“Our RP Blu Boys’ confidence is on a high. They have been doing well in practice and in tune-up games and we hope to translate those to good performances in the upcoming games. It will be a tall order but we’re gunning for a win or 2 against the very strong teams in our bracket.”, said ASAPHIL President Jean Henri Lhuillier.”
“Our boys are ready. Preparations have went well and we are all eager to compete. We don’t want to make any promises except for giving our best every game, every inning and hopefully we sould pull off some upsest.”, said RP Blu Boys Head Coach, Jasper Cabrera.
The WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup is slated on November 26-December 4 in Auckland, New Zealand. Other participating countries comprising Bracket B are equally strong Teams, Japan, Canada, Venezuela, and Denmark.
Huawei has signed a global commitment to join the International Telecommunication Union’s Partner2Connect digital alliance, which will bring connectivity to about 120 million people in remote areas in more than 80 countries by 2025.
Liang Hua, Chairman of Huawei, announced the decision at the company’s 2022 Sustainability Forum, Connectivity+: Innovate for Impact. The forum explored how ICT innovation could unleash the business and social value of connectivity and drive sustainability in the digital economy era. Speakers at the event included senior leaders from the ITU and United Nations.
“It is clear connectivity alone is not enough. It must be affordable, the content must be relevant and in the local language, and users must have the skills to make best use of it,” said ITU Deputy Secretary-General Malcolm Johnson. “Thank you to Huawei for their support of the Partner2Connect (P2C) Digital Coalition, and for their announced P2C pledges in the key areas of rural connectivity and digital skills.”
Siddharth Chatterjee, United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, called for “multi-stakeholder partnerships” of policymakers, the private sector, academia, and civil society to close “the sobering reality” of a digital divide which excluded a third of the global population.
“Our dynamic world urgently needs improved digital cooperation to capitalize on the transformational potential of technology to create new jobs, boost financial inclusion, close the gender gap, spur a green recovery and redesign our world to be more prosperous and inclusive,” he said. “Now is the time to act”.
In his keynote address, Dr Liang stressed that access to a stable network was a basic requirement and right in the digital age. For many who remain unconnected, access to reliable connectivity would mark the first step towards transforming their lives.
Huawei Philippines is working together with local organizations to initiate Bohol Cacao Livelihood Recovery and Rehabilitation Program to help the cacao farmers.
As one of the biggest manufacturers of cacao in the Philippines, cacao farming is one of the primary sources of income for farmers in Bohol, but over 20,000 cacao trees were affected by Typhoon Odette last year. In order to help strengthen and create stability in the cacao industry in Bohol, the farmers will receive two days training in cacao rehabilitation and restoration, integrated pest and disease management, cacao harvesting, and post-harvest care. QR Code will also be implemented to aid in cocoa inventory and traceability. They can readily know and track the condition and state of cacao trees using the QR Code.
According to a report released by GSMA last July, based on Speedtest Intelligence data, Singapore led Southeast Asian on median 5G upload speeds in Q1 2022, Thailand and the Philippines followed with 207.27 Mbps and 163.51 Mbps median download speed, respectively.
Connectivity is not just a tool for convenient communications, but will help bring everyone into the digital world, and provide them with access to more information and skills, better services, and wider business opportunities. This will, in turn, drive further social and economic development. Huawei said during the event.
As ICT infrastructure continues to evolve, innovative technologies like cloud and AI are allowing those in rural and remote areas to enjoy the convenience of a digital world. Huawei Cloud has proposed the Everything as a Service strategy and made Huawei’s more than 30 years of technical expertise and digital transformation experience available through cloud services. This means that access to Huawei’s digital infrastructure capabilities on the cloud is now just as easy, affordable, and sustainable as water and electricity.
Digital transformation, digital talent, and new business models are all essential for balanced development in remote regions. Huawei previously announced that by 2025, with the improved ICT infrastructure, the company will work with partners to enable 500 million people to enjoy digital financial services and 500,000 people to enjoy inclusive education.
In the Philippines, Huawei also empowering educators and learners in the new normal. “To help the Filipinos get better digital education by providing diverse programs to teachers and students through innovative solutions. We are grateful to be able to contribute our effort in building a digital society in the Philippines,” said Daniel Guo, Huawei Philippines COO.
Launched in 2015, Huawei Seeds for the Future program has covered over 210 students for the past 8 years in the Philippines. ICT Academy, cooperated with USeP, MSU-IIT, DLSU at the beginning, has partnered almost 70 universities in the Philippines, covered more than 15,000 students.
Huawei is committed to inclusive development. Through its ongoing technological innovation, Huawei is contributing to a higher level of digitalization in remote regions, enabling everyone to enjoy the convenience of a digital life, and promoting the balanced development of the global digital economy.
Department of Education and Domex Philippines strengthen partnership, update on initiatives to benefit schools and students nationwide.
In its partnership with Unilever Philippines and germ-killing expert Domex, the Department of Education (DepEd) has awarded schools and divisions from all over the country for their exemplary initiative to maintain proper sanitation.
The Eskwelang Unstoppable Awards recognized 2 school divisions and 5 schools in an event held last November 15 at the DepEd Central Office in Pasig City.
Based on the data obtained from the DepEd’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools (WinS) monitoring report for school year 2021-2022. the City of Navotas won as Best School Division, garnering the highest score on select sanitation indicators in DepEd’s WinS monitoring. Bislig City of CARAGA Region won as Most Improved School Division, showing the highest change in the total score for the same sanitation indicators across 2 school years. Bangkulasi Elementary School, Dagat-Dagatan Elementary School, Navotas Elementary School, Filemon T. Lizan Senior High School and Bangkulasi Senior High School were awarded from the winning Best School Division as Best SDO-Model Schools as they showed exemplary practice in keeping their schools clean and germ-free.
“This is an important partnership for Unilever and we’re very much honored because this initiative has helped our schools become a safer and better avenue for the youth to develop a clean school environment,” says Unilever Communications and Corporate Affairs Head Ed Sunico says in a statement. “We hope to get everyone’s help throughout the year and in more to come so that we can maintain this standard across all schools nationwide.”
DepEd Undersecretary for Legislative Affairs and Partnerships Gerard Chan highlighted the challenges faced by the public throughout the ongoing school year, and how key partners like Unilever and Domex have helped the government implement the Comprehensive WinS Program. The program aims to provide clean water, usable and clean toilets, and proper hygiene practice in schools which are essential to achieving learning outcomes and are integral to keeping learners safe and healthy.
“We at the Department of Education recognize everyone’s concern over the health and safety of our learners within and beyond the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. As learning shifted from classrooms to homes in the last 2 years, we have witnessed the entire school community, including all partners and stakeholders, come together to support our learners as they continue engaging in distance learning. And now, as we transition to 100% in-person learning, we are fortunate to have the unwavering support of our partners amidst this unprecedented time,” shares the Undersecretary.
Immanuel Gebhardt, Country Director – Philippines of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the development agency of German Government which leads international development cooperation for sustainable development, was also present at the event and gave the organization’s commitment to help in providing supportive tools to local schools for proper sanitation with a focus on operation and maintenance of sanitation facilities.
Unilever and Domex Brand Manager Regina Ocampo closed the event and expressed gratitude for the partnership between Unilever, Domex, DepEd, and GIZ. “We are whole-heartedly grateful that despite current challenges, we are still able to make this partnership thrive and continue to serve Filipino schools nationwide so that every student will have access to a clean school, especially usable and clean toilets, to help them become the future of this country,” says Ocampo.
The Eskwelang Unstoppable Awards was done ahead of World Toilet Day on November 19, which aims to raise awareness for the 3.6 billion people around the globe who do not have access to safely managed sanitation.
Jamie Balmores is the epitome of the saying hard work pays off. He left the Philippines over a decade ago to settle in Edmonton, Canada where he worked as a resident nurse. Through hard work and a lot of side hustle, JT, as he is fondly called, rapidly advanced from his position as a resident nurse in Edmonton, Canada, to that of an authentic influencer and celebrity in his community and hometown.
JT is the owner of Jeepney Jaytee, Edmonton’s most famous and multi-awarded food truck. He launched his food truck business in 2015, and by the time 2016 rolled in, he was already a household name and had become a tourist destination. Everyone needs to stop by his food truck in Edmonton or you weren’t really in Edmonton.
He promotes and highlights different Filipino delicacy by regions regularly in Global TV, CityTV and Dinner Television. He is one of the major stakeholders when it comes to promoting Filipino cuisine in Canada. This is also why everyone, not just Filipinos, line up for hours just to have a taste of Jeepney Jaytee’s food.
He has won Best Foodtruck in Canada from 2016 – 2022, Best Filipino Restaurant Cuisine (Reader’s Choice Award) 2021, Best Local Social Media Personality Gold Award 2021, and Best Filipino Food in Edmonton 2022. His best sellers are his authentic Ilocos Bagnet, Sisig Tacos/Sisig Fries, and his Cheesy Bistek Shawarma. JT serves as an inspiration to his fellow Filipinos in Canada to work on their dreams. He is a firm believer that nothing is impossible when you start planning your life and work hard for things you want to achieve in this world.
In fact, JT is the ambassador of Great Smile Family Dental, Skinlueaur Laser Center, and Prestige Vision Center. They chose him not only because he’s popular in the community but because he embodies the virtues they are looking for in an ambassador: a good role model and someone who has integrity. This is proof that it’s never too late to be what you want to be, no matter that age and what stage in your life you are. If JT can make it, so can you.
WOMAN LIFESTYLE 