Pinoy Boxer Michael Dasmarinas Wins at Suntec Singapore at His Debut Fight for Ringstar Boxing

Filipino boxer Michael “Hot & Spicy” Dasmarinas, lived up to his monicker and spiced up the evening at Ringstar Boxing’s ‘The Roar of Singapore III’, held at Suntec Convention & Exhibition in Singapore last weekend.

Michael knocked out his Thai opponent, Phupha Por Nobnom, in the second round of the supposed 6-round IBO undercard bantamweight division fight.

Dasmarinas says, “I am thankful to all those who helped me win this fight. To my friends, manager, my family, thank you to all of you. This is for all of you.”

Michael’s story of hardships as a young child were shared previously in Philippine media and got him a lot of attention, with CNN Philippines Anchor Mico Halili, even suggesting that his next monicker as he becomes a bigger fighter should be “Gloves on Fire”, since he had a story that his gloves were burned when he was 9-years old by a family member, who did not want him to get into the sport which is ironically, his bread and butter now.

With this with, Michael’s next bout will be a world title fight in 2018.

Favored Singaporean boxer Muhamad “The Chosen Wan” Ridhwan on the other hand, whose fight against Namibian Nataniel Sebastian, became truly the most exciting fight of the night, with 12 rounds of aggressive back and forth of both fighters. Both of whom before entering the ring were undefeated, Ridhwan with a 8-0 record and Sebastian with a previous 9-0 record before the night ended.

Trash talking also took place at the press conference two days before the fight, with Ridhwan, the more confident of the two, even slamming Sebastian’s fight record.

Ridhwan received a unanimous decision from the three judges, with a score of 115-113, 115-113 and 115-114.

Asked if he was suprised with Sebastian’s ability to sustain the 12 rounds, Ridhwan says, “I neutralized that, he couldn’t fight in the middle, that’s why I took control of the punches. He pushed the limits though, he brought it to 12 rounds, but I’ve been there before. I’ve been there in training. It was a good test. We learn from this, we are just going to grow stronger and better.”

Ringstar’s Founder and CEO Scott Farrell also announced at the end of the evening, that Ringstar will be back in February 2018 in Dalian, China, then April again in Singapore.

Let Your Feelings Run Wild with GEM this November!

Buckle up for a roller coaster of emotions this November! Learn from the struggles of a newlywed housewife in the Japanese drama Caution, Hazardous Wife. See how salarymen cope with office politics in the Japanese workplace drama Heisei Busaiku Salaryman. Join genius detective Hajime Kindaichi as he tries to solve new cases in the murder mystery series The Files of Young Kindaichi NEO. Go head over heels with the fate of star-crossed lovers in the Chinese romantic drama Memory Lost. After all the drama, relax and root for your favorite K-pop idols as they take acting lessons with hilarious consequences in the Korean variety show Acting Fighter.

Caution, Hazardous Wife
Newlywed Isayama Nami (Ayase Haruka) begins her mundane life as an ordinary housewife when she and her husband move to a quiet, exclusive neighborhood. Nami decides to take cooking classes where she meets other housewives, receiving tips from them while becoming friends. But underneath their happy faces, they all seem to have issues troubling them. She suspects one of her new friends is a victim of domestic violence and decides to save her. Can Nami help all her new friends?
Caution, Hazardous Wife premieres 20 November, every Monday and Tuesday at 9pm, first and exclusively on GEM.

Heisei Busaiku Salaryman
At the West Tokyo branch office of Pakupaku Confectionery, a baking company, capable salarymen clinch successive business deals. However, nothing seems to go right for four staff members. They perform their best in their work but they fail, get scolded and must restart their work all over again. The quartet struggles with challenges as they are dangerously close to being laid off. How will the four struggling salarymen prevail?
Heisei Busaiku Salaryman premieres 22 November, every Wednesday and Thursday at 9pm, first and exclusively on GEM.







The Files of Young Kindaichi NEO
Hajime Kindaichi’s (Ryosuke Yamada) childhood best friend, Miyuki Nanase (Haruna Kawaguchi), is scouted as the lead actress by an award-winning director for the latest production of the school film club. However, there are rumors that everyone connected to the previous production is doomed to die. Indeed, the film club members are found murdered one after another. Can Kindaichi protect Miyuki before she becomes the next victim?
The Files of Young Kindaichi NEO premieres 5 November, every Sunday at 10:30pm, with 2 episodes back-to-back, first and exclusively on GEM.

Memory Lost
Highly intelligent police officer Jingxi (Yang Rong) had previously met Han Chen (Bai Yu) through a misunderstanding. They meet again through another police case, and this time, Jingxi is impressed by the brilliant Han Chen and his use of traditional investigation methods. The pair tries to resolve the misunderstandings between them and work together to solve many difficult cases as Jingxi develops feelings for Han Chen. However, because of an accident years ago, Han Chen has lost his memory and only remembers that he has a fiancée. He searches tirelessly for her, despite his amnesia and everyone else insisting that this woman does not exist, to find the answers to his past. Will Han Chen find the answers that he seeks?
Memory Lost premieres 16 November, from Monday to Friday at 8pm, first and exclusively on GEM.

Acting Fighter
It’s time for the master class of acting! From crying to dramatic scenes, join our hilarious group of young K-pop idols as they take on various challenges every week to improve on their acting skills and win the acknowledgement of their peers! Will they succeed in becoming superstars?
Acting Fighter premieres 4 November, every Saturday at 10:40pm, first and exclusively on GEM.

GEM is available on SKYCable Channel 116 in Metro Manila and on Channel 222 in Cebu, Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo, and Baguio.

Petmalu ang Werpa ng mga Lodi

Wazzup Pilipinas!

I think that I shall never see a word as lovely as "Lodi"

Grabe, I'm kinda surprised catching up on these ever-evolving cultures! But all differences are respected, free-willingly, lest I'll be tied to close-&-small-mindedness.

If you’ve been seeing the words lodi, werpa, and petmalu on your News Feed lately, don't be too confused. You might actually be familiar with these terms already. There seems to be a resurgence of the use of colloquial terms in the country, especially online, where people are always creating new modes of communication. This time around, there are fresh—albeit, funny sounding—coined words that millennials are using to express themselves. The style in which these words are fashioned, however, is an old school trick, where the syllables of a particular word are switched around to form a new one.

If the ‘70s had amats, astig, epats , and olats, and the the ‘80s had jeproks, bagets, and senglot , what kind of words are the kids of today using?

I am actually feeling old whenever I hear these "new" but familiar ways of creating new lingos since people have done the same before.

Just like in fashion, old trends just keeps coming back. It may just be a fad that will soon be replaced by a new "fad".

Here are some of the most popular slang terms you should know right now:


1) LODI
Meaning: Someone you look up to.
Origin: Lodi is the reversed form of the word “idol”
In a sentence: “ Iba ka talaga, lodi! Galing!”
2) PETMALU
Meaning: Something that is super amazing.
Origin: Petmalu is the reversed order of syllables of the word “ malupet”
In a sentence: “ Petmalu ang ulam ko kanina! Sarap!”

3) WERPA
Meaning: To give support.
Origin: Werpa is the reversed order of syllables of the word “power”
In a sentence: “More werpa mga erp! Kaya niyo yan!”


Other words:

4) ORB/ORBSKI
Meaning: A guy friend.
Origin: Orb/Orbski is the reversed form of the word “bro/broskie”
In a sentence: “ Lika na mga orb/orbski! Alis na tayo! ”
5) ENKA
Meaning: To eat.
Origin: Enka is the reversed order of syllables of the word “ kain ”
In a sentence: “ Lunch break na mga orb, enka na tayo!”
6) ERP
Meaning: A guy friend.
Origin: Erp is the reversed form of the word “ pare ”
In a sentence: “ Tara na mga erp! Inuman na!”
7) REMA
Meaning: A girl friend.
Origin: Rema is the reversed order of syllables of the word “ mare”
In a sentence: “ Erp! Musta na si rema?”
8) RAPSA
Meaning: Something that is delicious.
Origin: Rapsa is the reversed order of syllables of the word “ sarap”
In a sentence: “ Rapsa naman ang ulam natin ngayon!”
9) MATSALA
Meaning: To show gratitude.
Origin: Matsala is the reversed order of syllables of the word “ salamat ”
In a sentence: “ Matsala sa lahat ng sumusuporta!”


Source: Rosemarie Salceda Palana on Facebook

Researched from Social Variation Language , Filipiknow , and The Manila Millennial

G.SKILL Releases DDR4-3800MHz 32GB (4x8GB) SO-DIMM Memory Kit for Mini-ITX Motherboard

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world’s leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and gaming peripherals, is thrilled to announce the release of a new high performance DDR4 Ripjaws SO-DIMM series for small-form factor (SFF) platforms, at DDR4-3800MHz CL18-18-18-38 32GB (4x8GB) at 1.35V, making this the world’s fastest SO-DIMM memory kit. In addition, 3 new specifications will be added to the Ripjaws DDR4 SO-DIMM family, including DDR4-3600MHz CL16-16-16-36 32GB (4x8GB), DDR4-3200MHz CL16-16-16-36 32GB (4x8GB), and DDR4-3200MHz CL16-16-16-36 64GB (4x16GB). Such extremely high speed on SO-DIMM modules are achieved with the use of the ultra-high performance Samsung B-die DDR4 ICs.


Big Performance, Small Package

At Computex 2017 in June, G.SKILL demonstrated high-speed Ripjaws SO-DIMM series at DDR4-3466MHz, and we are now once again raising the speed of the fastest SO-DIMM memory kit to the intense mind-bending speed of DDR4-3800MHz. Validated on the latest ASRock X299E-ITX/ac motherboard and the Intel® Core™ i9-7900X X-series Processor, extreme memory performance is now a reality with small-form factor workstations.


The following stress test screenshot shows the new DDR4-3800MHz memory kit in action with a total runtime of over 9 hours:



3800 32GB SO DIMM 9.5HR-1



List of new Ripjaws DDR-4 SO-DIMM Specifications



Availability

These new powerful SO-DIMM memory kit will be available through authorized G.SKILL distribution partners in early December 2017

Luzon Grid on Normal Operation

The Department of Energy (DOE) closely monitors the power situation in the country. Based on the latest report it received, the yellow alert status in the Luzon grid was lifted by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) due to sufficiency operating reserves at 5:25 p.m. (Friday).

Tripping of the Pagbilao-Tayabas Transmission Line 1
According to the consolidated reports submitted to the DOE, the issuance of red and yellow alert statuses by the NGCP in Luzon started with the tripping of 230 kilovolt Pagbilao-Tayabas Transmission Line 1 at 9:04 a.m. This caused the isolation of Pagbilao Coal-fired Power Plant Units 1 and 2 in Quezon.

Other plants on forced outage at that time are: Calaca Coal-fired Power Plant Unit 2 in Batangas; GNPower Coal-fired Power Plant Unit 2 in Bataan; Masinloc Coal-fired Power Plant Unit 1 in Zambales; and, Sual Coal-fired Power Plant Unit 2 in Pangasinan. These incidents resulted in a total power capacity loss of 2,342 megawatts (MW).

At 09:53 a.m., only Pagbilao Coal-fired Power Plant Unit 2 went on line upon the availability of Pagbilao-Tayabas Line 1.

QPPL Forced Outage
At 9:57 a.m., the 456 MW QPPL Co. Coal -fired Power Plant in Mauban, Quezon tripped due to the vibration of the boiler booster pump. This resulted in an accumulated reduction of 2,416 MW of power supply in the Luzon grid.

The tripping and outages caused the initial power interruption in Luzon at that time. The Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) reported, however, that it immediately restored power supply in its franchise area at 10:04 a.m.

NGCP Issuance of Red and Yellow Alert
Because of these incidents, the NGCP issued a red alert status from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 nn and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The yellow alert status was also issued covering the period of 12:00 nn to 1:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The derating of San Gabriel Natural Gas Power Plant in Batangas and Pagbilao Coal-fired Power Plant Unit 2 contributed an additional reduction of 422 MW. This brought the total loss of 2,838 MW capacity in the Luzon Grid.

At 12:00 noon, Interruptible Load Program (ILP) participants in the MERALCO franchise area have been advised and 68 ILP participants committed to deload a total of 111 MW.

NGCP Adjusted Alert Statuses
By 12:30 p.m., the red alert notice was lifted by the NGCP after Pagbilao U2 and San Gabriel were delivering at full capacity. The NGCP issued the yellow alert status from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

At 2:53 p.m., QPPL Coal-fired Power Plant went online contributing more power supply to the grid. This eventually resulted in the lifting of the yellow alert status 5:25 p.m.

The DOE reminds the consumers that “yellow alert” means operating reserves have dropped below the required 647 megawatts (MW) contingency in Luzon, 100 MW in Visayas and 150 MW in Mindanao. “Red Alert”, on the other hand, means that the reserve left on the grid is regulating reserve or equivalent to 4% of the current demand and power interruption may occur.

3rd Danish Film Festival Unreels from October 19 to 22

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Embassy of Denmark in the Philippines, in partnership with Shangri-La Plaza and the Film Development Council of the Philippines, recently kicked off the 3rd Danish Film Festival with the screening of "The Sunfish" (Klumpfisken, 2014) at Shang Cineplex Cinema 4.

Søren Balle's debut film follows the story of Kesse (Henrik Birch), a third-generation fisherman living in the small town of Hirtshals at the top of the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark. With new fishery policies and the global financial crisis pressuring local fishermen, he turns to notorious and alternative ways of making ends meet. This leads him to meet female marine biologist Gerd (Susanne Storm), his polar opposite.

Aside from the opening film, ten other films featuring the richness of Denmark's cinema will be screened for free from October 19 to 22 on a first-come, first-served basis.

Susanne Bier's "After the Wedding" (Efter Brylluppet, 2006) stars critically acclaimed actor Mads Mikkelsen as Jacob Peterson, a manager of an orphanage for homeless children in India who is sent to Copenhagen, Denmark, where he discovers a life-altering family secret.



Similarly, the award-winning psychological drama “White Night” (Hvid Nat, 2007), directed by Jannik Johansen, also forces its protagonist to deal with his past when a workaholic’s life takes on a downward spiral following an accidental death in a bar-room brawl. As the guilt of the unscrupulous real estate agent Ulrich Nymann (Lars Brygmann) grows, his life slowly crumbles around him. Next, an unpleasant event from his past rears its unforgiving head.

Acclaimed Danish director Thomas Vinterberg's new film “The Commune” (Kollektivet, 2016) is a period drama about the clash between personal desires against solidarity and tolerance with communal living in 1970s Copenhagen. Anna (Trine Dyrholm), a local television newsreader, and her husband, Erik (Ulrich Thomsen), who teaches architecture at a university, have a 14-year-old daughter, Freja (Martha Sofie Wallstrom Hansen). When Erik's father passes away, Anna suggests that they turn the huge house where Erik grew up into a Danish commune as it is too expensive for them to occupy on their own.










“Long Story Short” (Lang Historie Kort, 2015), directed by May El-Toukhy, follows a group of friends approaching mid-life as they struggle to redefine the perfect relationship and find true love. The dramedy, which tells the story of their ups and downs over three years, is an ensemble film about love in which most of us will recognize some aspects of our own lives.

Young viewers will also be entertained by Frederik Meldal Nørgaard's “Going to School” (Villads Fra Valby, 2015) and Tilde Harkamp's “Iqbal Farooq and the Secret Recipe” (Iqbal & Den Hemmelige Opskrift, 2015). The former is based on the books by Anne Sofie Hammer where the six-year-old Villads often runs into trouble with the rules of the grown-ups around him while the latter tells the story of an imaginative 13-year-old boy who ends up creating a potent explosive that two crooks, Easelman and The Swine, begin to hunt down.

Michael Noer's “Key House Mirror” (Nøgle Hus Spejl, 2015) tells the story of Lily and Max, a couple who have been married for over 50 years and now live together in a nursing home, where Max has been reliant on professional care since his stroke. Lily, who has been putting her own needs aside and is desperately longing for intimacy and excitement in her life, decides to fight to escape the bars of her invisible prison and claim her freedom.

Noer also directed “Northwest” (Nordvest, 2013), which follows the 18-year-old Caspar as he struggles to provide for his family by stealing for the local gang in the suburbs of Copenhagen. He wants to reach the top, no matter what. He carries out small-time break-ins for Jamal, before moving on to work for big player Björn. All goes well, until Jamal's gang decide they want revenge.

In the Danish martial arts film “Fighter” (Fightgirl Ayse, 2007), directed by Natasha Arthy, high school student Aicha doesn’t want to enter medical school like her brother Ali, as her Turkish parents expect her to. Instead, her passion for kung fu leads her to secretly start training at a professional, co-ed kung fu club. A boy, Emil, helps Aicha train for the club championship and they fall in love. But the rules of life are not as simple as the rules of kung fu, and she is forced to decide who she is and what she wants.

Anders Morgenthaler's “Echo” (Ekko, 2007) follows a divorced police officer Simon, who has recently lost custody of his six-year-old son. In a desperate move, he takes his son into hiding in a remote and empty cottage to spend one last holiday alone together. But his plan to spend the last holiday with his son soon turns into a nightmare.





The selection and screening of films for the 3rd Danish Film Festival are made possible by The Danish Film Institute, TrustNordisk, Shang Cineplex and the FDCP through their Film Cultural Exchange Program. For inquiries, call 370-2500 loc. 597 or visit www.facebook.com/shangrilaplazaofficialfanpage.

PETA Festival of Windows: A Celebration of People's Theater for Development All Set frpm Oct. 24 to 29

The Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), recipient of the 2017 Ramon Magsaysay Awards is organizing a week-long festival that highlights the role of arts in development, as exemplified in the various advocacy campaigns the pioneering theater company has engaged in the past 50 years – Children’s Rights, Women, Gender, Health and Sexuality, Youth and the Millenials, Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction, and Human Rights.

Happening on October 24-29, 2017, the festival will feature PERFORMANCES, WORKSHOPS, LECTURES and DISCUSSIONS. It will showcase some the best advocacy PLAYS of PETA and its partners. There will be 13 performances from Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, 3 Performances from Cambodia and Thailand. Festival participants can expect to learn new skills through workshop sessions on songwriting, Shadow Puppetry, Physical Theater, Improvisation, BOAL Forum Theater, Circus Techniques and more! Exciting Keynotes, Lecture Performances and Special Interest Group Discussions will give participants a look into the experiences, success stories and the challenges of practitioners and experts, particularly in the areas of Building creative communities, Public spaces and awareness, Participation, Capacity Building, Participation, and Partnership and Stakeholder Building.

The Festival of Windows will gather more than 120 performers, 40 experts and speakers, hundreds of artists, arts managers, audiences and participants from different parts of the globe.

Festival passes are available at P 4,500.00 each (P3,500 for students) and entitles holder access to all the opening and closing reception, lecture performances, main stage performances and one workshop or 2 huddles a day. Day passes are also available for P 1,000 per day (P 800 for students). For those interested to watch specific shows, tickets are also available for all Lecture-performances and Main Stage performances.

The Festival of Windows is presented by PETA in partnership with Starbucks, Save the Children, Development and Peace and the Festival’s Major Hotel Sponsor, Madison 101.

For details of Festival, visit the official website – www.petafestivalofwindows.com.

For more information and registration, please call the FESTIVAL OF WINDOWS SECRETARIAT at 7256244 or email us at festivalofwindows@petatheater.com.

FamilyMart sweetens up your day with Dessert Faves

Do you know that you can get a feeling of instant happiness after a bite of your favorite cupcake loaded with frosting or a cookie with chunks of chocolate? Yes, it’s true that desserts can lighten up your mood and FamilyMart knows it, too. So, get ready to indulge as FamilyMart brings you Dessert Faves!

Satisfy your taste for treats as the popular Japanese convenience store gives you two new desserts. Chocoholics will surely enjoy the Double Chocolate Cupcake. And if you want something sweet and tart – maybe even for breakfast – there’s also the Blueberry Muffin. You can have these Dessert Faves at FamilyMart for only P35.

But that’s not all. At FamilyMart, you’ve got varied choices for a quick, affordable, and satisfying dessert. Try the Banana Muffin, S’mores, or Revel Bar for only P35 each. For Snap card holders, when you get either an Oatmeal Raisin Cookie or a Chocolate Walnut Cookie for only P38 each, you can earn 5x Snap points.

So, head on over to your nearest FamilyMart and add a sweeter note to your daily routine by grabbing your favorite dessert anytime you want.





For updates, exciting products, and awesome deals, like and follow FamilyMart Philippines on Facebook, @familymartph on Instagram, and @FamilyMartPH on Twitter. For store locations or more information on FamilyMart Philippines, log on to www.familymart.com.ph.

FamilyMart is the 2nd largest convenience store chain in the world with over 18,000 stores across Asia. In the Philippines, FamilyMart has branches in Makati, Fort Bonifacio, Quezon City, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Pasay, Alabang and Laguna.

Filipina Fitri Cerado Returns to Asia’s Got Talent For Another Shot at Fame

Fourteen year-old Fitri Cerado is not giving up on her dreams of being a singer. After missing out on the Asia’s Got Talent semi-finals in season one, Fitri is back after two years of hard work and training.

“The reason I came back to Asia’s Got Talent is because I want to prove David [Foster] wrong. I want to prove that I could work harder on my piano. I don’t want to give up on anything, I just need to work harder,” Fitri said with determination.
“Did I crush your dream?” David Foster asked.

“No, because I’m here now,” Fitri confidently replied before performing a mesmerizing rendition of The Animals’ “The House of the Rising Sun.”

“You just set a new standard. You just raised the bar for all the singers from now on. That was amazing, thank you,” Jay Park said.

Fitri received three yeses from the judges and she’s now in the running to be in the semi-finals.



In the same episode, Anggun pushed her Golden Buzzer for 36-year-old comedic magician, Akira from Japan (#AkiraPippi).
“You made me laugh! And not only did you make me laugh, you gave away some magic tricks. I don’t know where this act is going, but I think I need you,” Anggun said.
Akira will head directly to the semi-finals where he will be one step closer to winning the grand prize of USD100,000.

To watch these performances, extended highlights and exclusive behind-the-scenes clips, subscribe to the Asia’s Got Talent Official YouTube Channel at www.YouTube.com/AsiasGotTalent. For a full recap of this episode, visit www.AXN-Asia.com/AGT2recap.

Episode 2 encores this Saturday at 2:10pm on AXN. A new episode of Asia’s Got Talent airs every Thursday at 8:30pm. To follow the journey of this season’s acts, check out #AXNAsia and #AsiasGotTalent on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Asia’s Got Talent is the 67th adaptation of the Guinness-World-Record-breaking hit “Got Talent” format, which was created by Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment and is co-produced by FremantleMedia. The “Got Talent” format is officially the most successful reality TV format in history and currently airs in 186 countries.

Asia’s Got Talent is supported by presenting sponsor Traveloka, the leading travel booking app for all flight and hotel needs; and sponsoring partner Great Eastern Life, the market leader in the conventional life insurance business and the largest life insurer in Malaysia by asset size.

In the Philippines, Asia’s Got Talent is brought to you by Cherifer, Tangkad Sagad, KFC Delivery and Vivo Smart Phone.
Marina Bay Sands, Asia’s leading business, leisure and entertainment destination, is the official venue partner of Asia’s Got Talent.

@AsiasGotTalent / #AXNAsia / #AsiasGotTalent / #AsiasGotTalentAuditions
www.AXN-Asia.com/AsiasGotTalent

AXN is available on Cablelink Channel 38, Cignal Channel 121, Destiny Cable Channel 61, Dream Satellite TV Channel 20, G Sat Channel 51, and SKYCable Channel 49. AXN HD is available on SKYCable Channel 247.

DOTr's "Notice to Terninate" to BURI

Please be informed that on 17 October 2017, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) served upon BURI a Notice to Terminate (Notice) its MRT-3 contract due to the following reasons:

1. Poor performance;

2. Failure to put in service and subsequently ensure the availability of contractually obligated number of trains, and more importantly, for failure to put in operation reliable and efficient trains;

3. Failure to implement a feasible procurement plan for spare parts, as it in fact failed to procure and store the required volume of spare parts, which affected its ability to effect immediate repairs on defective trains and other facilities of the MRT-3 system, and;

4. Failure to comply with the contractual requirements of a complete and up to date Computerized Maintenance Management System.

Further, please be informed that BURI was given 7 calendar days upon its receipt of the Notice to respond and submit a verified position paper stating why its contract should not be terminated. After which, the DOTr shall have 10 days, upon receipt of BURI's response, to decide whether or not it will issue an Order to terminate the entire contract.

Thank you.

32 New Elevators, 13 New Escalators at LRT-2 Stations Now Ready for Public Use

In order to enhance accessibility and convenience of rail commuters, the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) simultaneously opened yesterday, 19 October 2017, 32 new elevators and 13 escalators in various LRT Line 2 (LRT-2) stations.

LRTA Administrator Reynaldo Berroya, who led the simple opening rites at the LRT-2 Recto Station in Manila, said the project is in line with the objective of the Duterte administration to provide the riding public, especially senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and pregnant women, a safer and more accessible commuting experience.

“Ito po ay handog ng ating Pangulong Duterte sa ating mga mananakay upang maging madali ang pagbi-biyahe,” Gen. Berroya said, noting that the elevators have rails that are user-friendly to PWDs, particularly the blind.

Gen. Berroya likewise expressed his gratitude for the support given by Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade to the rehabilitation program of LRTA.

Berroya noted that the operationalization of elevators and escalators is part of the newly-installed, state-of-the-art and durable conveyance system of the LRTA, which is designed to last from 10 to 15 years.

Berroya said this is the first time that the conveyance system has been replaced since LRT-2 started operations in 2003.

“Yung nakaraang anim na taon sira yan kaya kawawa yung mga pasahero noon,” he said.

Apart from the conveyance system, rehabilitation projects of LRT-2 include the systematic replacement of all train air-conditioning systems, restoration of four trains and rehabilitation of station facilities and equipment. ​​​​​​

The LRT-2 runs from Santolan in Pasig to Recto in Manila, and has an average ridership of over 252,000 passengers daily.

Aegis Juris Fraternity: How to Get Away with Murder 101

The Aegis Juris fraternity members attempted to 'cover up, conceal' the UST law student's death.

It is shocking that upcoming and existing lawyers from this frat are like these. The so called future generations of lawyers are actually a new breed of criminals, cowards and liars. They will twist and manipulate the law to save themselves. It makes you wonder if all lawyers that once belonged to a frat are also like these. There is truth in the saying that Lawyers are liars. They work around the law to save their guilty clients confirming that the affluent who can conveniently hire good lawyers usually get away with crimes.

The Facebook conversation of Aegis Juris Fraternity members that focused on Horatio "Atio" Castillo's hazing death, as presented in the Senate reveals how the frat members attempted to get away with "murder." Good for us that they are amateurs since it's probably their first time to encounter death during their hazing activities. If there's a class/subject on how to get away with murder 101... I think they're about to retake it again. Who knows how long they have been doing this and if everyone else were taught to behave like this.

This is appalling! Such a disgrace not only for the university but for their families and the profession!

I am sorry for the loss of the parents of the UST student but luckily they are in power to make a difference in other students life that wants to participate in Fraternities like this one. Can we just not miss the fact that the freshman willfully joined a frat even though he knew he’s not supposed to.

Fraternities and sororities are false brotherhood and sisterhood at its finest. When you join a group who encourages you to side with each other even if at fault, then you do not deserve to be part of society. I just hope justice will finally prevail and all these educated criminals be disbarred.

It is just very disappointing how slow and hassle the process of finding justice for your brutally murdered kin in the Philippines despite of the apparent concrete evidences being laid out.

I'm somehow elated by the fact that amidst all the evil planning these so-called lawyers were doing that time, one man (Michael Vito), stood his ground and bravely reminded his brods about their fraternity's sacred mantra "Do no injustice, suffer no injustice."

It's appalling to see how these young lawyers turned their back from their sacred oath:

"I will do no falsehood, nor consent to the doing of any in court; I will not wittingly or willingly promote or sue any groundless, false or unlawful suit, or give aid nor consent to the same;"

One even mentioned that they did no injustice, citing it was an accident. Is that how justice works for these 'future' court judges and politicians. No wonder our country's in deep sh*t.

The deep side of this crime is mind boggling. Really, these are lawyers and lawyers to be? We are led to believe that these lawyers take an oath after they pass the bar exam to uphold the law. They uphold their dark characters, their criminal minds thinking they are lawyers and above the law. Instead of having balls to accept the consequences if their action, they resort into lies and perjury that will bite the asses.

*The Aegis Jvris Fraternity is a recognized law school based fraternity exclusively domiciled in the Faculty of Civil Law, University of Santo Tomas. Established since 1979, Aegis Jvris, literally mean Shield of Justice in latin, was founded by 25 young, idealistic, and brave founders who have sown the fraternal seeds which have grown to... become the most dynamic, and active law fraternity in the Faculty. The Aegis Jvris Fraternity pride itself by having 5 deeply rooted principles of Academic Excellence, Equality, Godliness, Integrity, and Service.

It’s a Fun-Filled Halloween for All Ages at Shang this October

Halloween is here once again, and Shangri-La Plaza has lined up thrilling events for mall guests of all ages to enjoy. 

Visit the Toy Frenzy with the Boo Crew happening from October 19 to 29 at Level 1, Main Wing. Stock up on board games to play and bond over with the whole family from Hobbes & Landes; choose from a range of child-friendly books from National Bookstore; score educational toys from Build City; get child development tools for your infant or toddler from Ogalala; or simply discover what’s new from other participating merchants. Young players can visit Alter Ego’s board game events on October 21-22 and 28-29 at Level 5 of the East Wing.

See your favorite characters and superheroes in all their life-sized glory with the Halloween Installations from October 20 to 29 located in different areas of the mall. Pose with The Hulk, Iron Man, and Spiderman; cute characters such as Hello Kitty and the Minions; or the Star Wars iconic Stormtroopers, R2-D2, and C-3PO.

Bring the kids and dress them up in their best costume for the one-day-only mall-wide Trick or Treat on October 29 where little ones can go from store to store to receive sweet treats and surprise goodies.

Then, from October 30 till November 7, mall guests can shop their way into Dino Planet at the IMMRSV Dome located in the Grand Atrium. Enjoy a spectacular 360-degree view of the Earth in the age of triceratops and velociraptors. People of all ages will be awed by the one-of-a-kind experience of exploring the tropical forests and learning about these majestic creatures.  

Enjoy all these Halloween festivities when you come by the Shang this month of October.

For inquiries, call 370-2597/98 or visit www.facebook.com/shangrilaplazaofficial. Follow the Shang on Instagram: @shangrilaplazaofficial.

Fujitsu Selects Cebu for Philippines Expansion

Fujitsu is expanding its Global Delivery Center (GDC) network with a new office in Cebu, which opens officially today. The satellite office is an extension of Fujitsu’s GDC in Manila. From the Manila office, which opened in 1993, Fujitsu delivers extensive services in Remote Infrastructure Management, Service Desk, Application Services and Business Process Outsourcing, primarily to customers in the Asia Pacific region, North America, Europe, the Middle East, India, Africa and Oceania. The teams working in Cebu will initially focus on providing Fujitsu customers with support in business application development.

With the highly skilled Philippines workforce supporting current and future software application, Fujitsu aims to help customers quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively develop, upgrade and maintain their business applications. The high proportion of Japanese speakers in the region was another key factor in Fujitsu’s decision to choose Cebu, and to create 400 new positions there over the next two years.

The new GDC satellite office is based in Cebu Business Park which aims to provide green space as well as business, lifestyle and leisure activities to create an inspiring environment. The city’s high population of well-educated, technically skilled people, who often boast multiple language skills, was a key factor for Fujitsu's decision.

The new center is officially opened today with a ceremony attended by the Undersecretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology of the Philippines (DICT), Monchito Ibrahim; the Head of the Consular Office of Japan in Cebu, Chiharu Tsuruoka; and a Philippine Economic Zone Authority Representative, Raymond Hava. On behalf of Fujitsu, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Delivery, Hidenori Furuta, as well as the Head of Fujitsu’s GDC in the Philippines, Arlene Gregorio, attended.

Arlene Gregorio, Head of Fujitsu’s GDC in the Philippines, said: "Our Global Delivery Centers are strategically located to offer customers access to a consistently high quality service and pool of dynamic and talented employees with high technical and multilingual skills. When expanding our GDC in the Philippines beyond Manila, Cebu was an obvious choice. We are fortunate that many Cebuanos speak Japanese, as well as being great software developers."

The worldwide network of Fujitsu Global Delivery Centers offer 24/7 coverage, 365 days a year, supporting more than 1.2 million end users, on over a million devices, in 40 languages. Fujitsu continues to grow its GDCs and aims to meet demand for skilled, high quality work from customers, across a wide range of industries.

Photo caption: From L-R: Arlene Gregorio, Head of Fujitsu’s Global Delivery Center in the Philippines, Hidenori Furuta, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Delivery, Monchito Ibrahim: Undersecretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology of the Philippines (DICT)

Sprout Solutions Underlines the Benefits of HR and Payroll Automation

Innovation, changing the way HR works
Sprout Solutions underlines the benefits of HR and payroll automation for businesses of all sizes

The recent ‘State of HR in the Philippines’ report published by Sprout Solutions ranked the major pain points Filipino HR (human resource) practitioners face. Garnering the most votes from a thousand participants are recruitment (56.90%), timekeeping (40.30%), and payroll (38.90%). These identified pain points, which can be really tedious and time-consuming, are actual problems for companies operating in the Philippines regardless of its size.

Good news is technology is continuously changing the business landscape. Today, these HR administrative tasks can be automated through cloud-based software solutions that positively impact productivity and efficiency -- generally improving a company’s bottom line.

According to Patrick Gentry, CEO and Co-founder of tech startup Sprout Solutions, companies are now recognizing the value of investing in software tools that streamline HR and payroll processes which ultimately, enhance productivity, develop employee-employer relations and meet the changing demands of today’s workplace.

“HR automation is now a huge deal for organizations as it can bring fundamental changes in the roles HR play for business growth. HR professionals can now spend more time establishing insights that provide added value for their workforce as technology gradually eliminates the administrative aspect of their job,” added Gentry.

With the Philippines having a total of thirty-two pay rates including night shift differential, overtime pay, holiday pay, among others, HR and payroll processing can get really complicated. Unfortunately, many business organizations are still doing these tasks manually making them prone to discrepancies, errors and even delays. Such inaccuracies are known to cause mistakes in the salary being paid, often resulting in an unhappy staff and strained relations between employees and employers. Meanwhile, from an operational cost standpoint, these incongruities can also lead to higher expenses.

Aside from that, a number of reports are also required from HR practitioners and/or payroll masters to comply with government mandatories. Filing of forms and getting updated reports from the agencies that monitor and collect employee income taxes and contributions can also get complicated especially for growing businesses.

Sprout Solutions, a provider of locally developed and global-quality HR and payroll software, addresses these major pain points through paradigm-changing solutions tailor-fitted for local enterprises.

The company offers customized solutions for its clients through its two modules: Sprout HR and Sprout Payroll. These programs are world-class software solutions that enable HR professionals to perform crucial tasks, both in payroll and HR, within a single dashboard.

Having all HR data reside on one integrated platform, Sprout makes it easier to track work in progress, daily attendance, leave requests, among others. Their comprehensive payroll system is also able to cut processing time by ninety percent.

Sprout’s cloud-based software tools enable organizations to efficiently comply with government requirements by making mandatory government forms accessible and downloadable (with encoded information) through the payroll module.

The tech startup is known to be the only solutions provider to truly automate complex payroll and timekeeping processes that exist for BPO companies and other time-sensitive industries in the Philippines. It has already earned the trust of more than 200 clients, composed of small businesses and some well-established industry players with thousands of employees and is the first Filipino company to be accepted by Acceleprise, a Silicon Valley enterprise SaaS accelerator. It has since expanded its operations to help businesses grow through its software solutions that address HR and payroll needs.

To know more about Sprout Solutions and its services, visit their website at https://sprout.ph/.

Jeremy Miado is Not Giving Up on His Title Dreams as He Gears Up for Cage Return

Jeremy “The Jaguar” Miado is part of a deep talent pool of Filipino mixed martial artists with huge potential, and his objective in the constantly-growing sport is to etch his name among the all-time greats.

Miado will take a big step towards fulfilling his dream to become the sport’s household name as he locks horns with undefeated Thai prospect Pongsiri “The Smiling Assassin” Mitsatit on the undercard of ONE: HERO’S DREAM, which takes place at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar on 3 November.

The three-round meeting with Mitsatit is a critical match for Miado as he is looking to get his career back on track after suffering a razor-thin split decision setback to compatriot Robin Catalan in his promotional debut this past April.

“I am happy that ONE Championship has given me the opportunity to showcase my talent on a global scale. My goal is to be a world champion. This is the first step in my road back to the winner’s circle. Soon, people will know who I am,” Miado stated.

“This is my big opportunity to show people my capabilities as a martial artist. I am very proud and blessed that they are giving me this chance again. For now, I will do my best and train hard,” he added.

Although he is still a relative newcomer to the game, Miado is armed with a strong boxing background as he made a name for himself as a boxer in the Bicol Region and garnered an incredible 32-2 amateur record.

Relocating to Manila two years ago, it was no surprise that success has followed him as Miado amassed an impressive mixed martial arts record of 6-0 since making his professional debut in January 2016.

Miado’s success rate has already seen him claim regional titles such as the Blaze FC strawweight championship belt in December 2016.

The 24-year-old Filipino standout currently hones his craft at Underground Battle MMA Gym in Marikina City, where he is mostly training in anticipation of his second promotional bout under the ONE Championship banner.

As Miado seeks to earn his first win in ONE Championship, a tough task is in front of him as Mitsatit will look to build the momentum to produce on what promises to be a sensational mixed martial arts career against the Filipino.

Mitsatit took the world by storm in 2016 after winning his highly-anticipated first ONE Championship appearance when he defeated Myanmar's Ye Thway Ne in dominating fashion.

The 21-year-old native of Chiang Mai, Thailand followed up his impressive first ONE Championship appearance with a first-round stoppage victory over Filipino Wushu champion Rabin “The Rock” Catalan at ONE: WARRIOR KINGDOM last March.

“My opponent is an outstanding striker, but I am focusing on my ground [skills]. I am a striker, but I know what his skills are,” Miado said of his opponent. “I think his game plan will be to use his striking to overwhelm me. I am practicing my defense in the stand-up. But he needs to watch out for my takedown attempts.”

Miado has a burning desire to become a world champion someday and knows that he must pass his test against Mitsatit as another loss could set him back considerably.

“My goal is to become a world champion. I want to be at the top here. Eduard Folayang was my idol when I started in this sport, and now he is the ONE Lightweight World Champion, so it shows I can do it. I will be going for the belt,” he declared.

Miado is confident that he will be able to translate his winning roll in the local Philippine mixed martial arts scene into the ONE Championship cage.

“I want to compete because this is my passion. Manny Pacquiao is a superstar in boxing. Everybody knows him. My plan is to do my best to have a name like his in ONE Championship,” he ended.

​​For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

Duterte on PUV Modernization Program of DOTr

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) welcomes the statement of support of President Rodrigo Duterte on the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization Program. The President’s support is definitely a boost to the program, which aims to provide our commuters a convenient, safe and environment-friendly mode of transport.

We draw our strength and energy from the President’s constant reminder to always be guided by the public good and give the Filipino people the service they deserve.

We are one with the President in effecting badly needed reforms in the public transportation sector. Rest assured that we will not stop until these reforms are put into effect.

Further, we are happy to note that most, if not all, transport groups and cooperatives, with the exception of PISTON, are supportive of modernizing our public transport system.

Nonetheless, the DOTr remains open to fostering a more productive relationship with various transport groups, and welcomes healthy dialogues to bring the level of discourse to a more sensible discussion.

Moving forward, we would like to appeal for the support of all the stakeholders in this endeavor. The PUV Modernization Program is long overdue and Filipino commuters have suffered enough. Let us make this program happen for them.


With the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), everybody benefits - from drivers, operators and most especially the millions of commuters.

The President’s fervid support of modernization goes back to the attempts of previous administrations to whose attempts to do the same but had been thwarted due to similar ideologically based transport strikes and protests.

However, when public good is at stake, the Duterte administration will not compromise. This is the message of the President’s speech yesterday. It underscores the national leadership’s strong political will and decisive stance to initiate reform in the public transportation sector.

Government is open to more healthy dialogue, discussion and responsible engagements with transport groups that wish to learn and contribute to the development of the PUV Modernization Program.

This is a wide window of opportunity for everyone -- drivers, the operators, the riding public. The public needs to discern that some ideological influences can derail the greater good. Let us move forward towards the comfortable life that PRRD is fighting for.

A Standing Ovation for Asia’s Got Talent Season 2 Premiere

AXN takes top spot as the #1 international channel in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore collectively.

It’s a YES! from Asia.

The premiere of AXN’s highly anticipated Asia’s Got Talent Season 2 topped ratings among all regional Pay TV channels in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore collectively during the show’s debut on Thursday, October 12, 2017 at 8:30pm.
Billed as the biggest talent competition in the world, Asia’s Got Talent features some of the region’s most breathtaking, jaw-dropping, and mind-blowing performing artists competing for the coveted winning title and a USD100,000 grand prize. The premiere episode was a kaleidoscope of quirky characters and stunning talents, with many acts winning the hearts of judges David Foster, Anggun, and newcomer Jay Park. In a surprise twist, Jay was the first judge to push the Golden Buzzer for the Kyrgyz dance group ADEM whose animated performance racked up 10.2 million views on AXN Asia’s Facebook page in just four days.

In the Philippines, the Asia’s Got Talent premiere improved the timeslot average by seven times and secured AXN at #1 in its timeslot, commanding a 60 per cent share among 21 English General Entertainment channels.

In Malaysia, Asia’s Got Talent took the spotlight as the #1 English program of the day on pay-TV, outperforming the season one premiere rating by 50 per cent. AXN dominated the timeslot with a 49 per cent share across 11 English General Entertainment channels.

In Singapore, Asia’s Got Talent led the ratings chart in its timeslot among all English Pay TV channels, delivering a strong 128 per cent growth versus the timeslot average.

“Asia’s Got Talent is the only show in the world that unites the region in a celebration of vibrant cultural diversity and breathtaking talent that truly shines. We’re proud to provide such an incredible platform on AXN in which to showcase a whole new generation of talent and are thrilled to have the support of our Asian viewers to help launch the next global superstars,” said Virginia Lim, Senior Vice President and Head of Content, Production and Marketing, Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia.
Each act competing in Asia’s Got Talent will have to receive at least two “Yeses” from the esteemed celebrity judges, comprising 16 time Grammy-winning Canadian musician David Foster, Indonesian rock icon Anggun, and Korean American singer/rapper Jay Park. The three judges must select the most dazzling performances from thousands of hopefuls hailing from 15 territories across Asia. Those who make it to the semi-finals will contend with the ‘fourth judge’, AXN viewers who will ultimately decide the winner of Asia’s Got Talent.

Asia’s Got Talent spans 10 weekly episodes, including five audition episodes, three semi-finals, a finale episode and a results gala. Connect with the judges, hosts, and your favorite contestants through videos and photos on Asia’s Got Talent Facebook, Instagram and YouTube platforms. #AsiasGotTalent

Asia’s Got Talent is the 67th adaptation of the Guinness World Record-breaking hit “Got Talent” format, which was created by Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment and is co-produced by FremantleMedia. The “Got Talent” format is officially the most successful reality TV format in history and currently airs in 186 countries.

Asia’s Got Talent is supported by presenting sponsor Traveloka, the leading travel booking app for all flight and hotel needs; and sponsoring partner Great Eastern Life, the market leader in the conventional life insurance business and the largest life insurer in Malaysia by asset size.
In the Philippines, Asia’s Got Talent is brought to you by Cherifer Tangkad Sagad!, KFC Delivery, and Vivo Smart Phone.

Marina Bay Sands, Asia’s leading business, leisure and entertainment destination, is the official venue partner of Asia’s Got Talent.

Asia’s Got Talent Season 2 broadcasts every Thursday at 8:30pm on AXN.

@AsiasGotTalent / #AXNAsia / #AsiasGotTalent / #AsiasGotTalentAuditions
www.AXN-Asia.com/AsiasGotTalent

AXN is available on Cablelink Channel 38, Cignal Channel 121, Destiny Cable Channel 61, Dream Satellite TV Channel 20, G Sat Channel 51, and SKYCable Channel 49. AXN HD is available on SKYCable Channel 247.

NAIA Improves Passenger Satisfaction Ratings

Reforms in the NAIA have finally bore fruits. 

According to a survey released to "The Guide To Sleeping In Airports" travel website released on Sunday, October 15, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is no longer included in the top 20 worst airports in the world, and even in the top 5 worst airports in Asia 2017. 

It can be remembered that on the same survey conducted during the past administration and released in October 2016, NAIA used to be among the world’s worst airports, landing on the 5th place.

Such placement was attributed to the issue of  “laglag-bala”, which was among the main complaints of travelers especially by OFWs, but was addressed during the first 100 days of the Duterte administration.

Meanwhile, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade welcomed this improvement, but said that this is just the beginning. Secretary Tugade reminded that the DOTr must not be complacent as there are many things yet to be done and improved at the NAIA.

"Work, work, work lang. While it is good that we are not listed among the worst, let us work even harder to be included amongst the best," Secretary Tugade said. "We should be careful that we do not backslide. The show must go on -- and better!," he added

For his part, Manila International Airports Authority (MIAA) General Manager Ed Monreal says this result is only as good as the last race. 

"The bigger challenge is to maintain or even surpass our achievement," GM Monreal said.  

It can be remembered that NAIA earned the ‘world’s worst airport’ title from 2011 to 2013. In 2014, it landed in the 4th place. It was not included in the top 10 worst airports in the world in 2015, but landed 8th worst airport in Asia. 

Meanwhile, four Philippine airports again joined the list of the top 25 best airports in Asia for this year, 2017. They are: Iloilo International Airport, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Clark International Airport, and Davao International Airport. 

Among the reforms implemented in the NAIA during the Duterte Administration were the restriction on general aviation to prioritize commercial flights and reduce flight delays; the imposition of the five-minute rule [where pilots who declare they are ready to take off must depart within the prescribed time or they would be put back at the back of the queue] to reduce flight delays and instill discipline among airlines; the construction of Rapid Exit Taxiways to allow an aircraft to leave the runway at higher speed and increase flight movements; provision of  cleaner toilets additional seats, free Wi-Fi, and Well-Wishers’ Area. Regular taxis were also allowed to queue and pick-up passengers at designated points in NAIA terminals to address shortage of taxi units servicing passengers. 

Further, since the new administration took over, there has been no single incidence of a passenger missing a flight for possessing a bullet. Passengers no longer feel the need to wrap bags and luggages in plastic or masking tapes.

Tees On Trend: The Tee Party Commences with the Annual SM Youth Tee Festival

Childhood symbols become young adult emblems as SM Youth rolls out their yearly-awaited SM Youth Tee Festival T-shirt drop. The Tee has been a classic symbol of youth and self-expression, as generations have taken to the classic style piece and dressed it up and down according to their style. It's not a surprise to find a multitude of Tees in every youth's closet, and the yearly SM Youth Tee Festival allows SM Youth's loyal following to stock up on Tee drops as featured T-shirts can be bought with special discounts.

But first, the collection. SM Youth is out to make Mickey cool again—every kid's favorite mouse bids for teen squad status as Mickey Mouse prints appear in select SM Youth T-shirts. It's a pop art fix waiting to be satisfied: Mickey Mouse cartoons are rendered as T-shirt patterns, some illustrated in his classic red trousers-yellow shoe look, others showing a more minimalist interpretation of the motley mouse in graphic black and white. In a supporting role, other youth prints make the cut as well: cartoon cacti patches and other Instagram emoji fodder play the star in a line of multicolored basic tees. SM Youth Ambassador Kaila Estrada fronts the campaign as she is joined by the winner of the SM Youth Go-See Contest, Erika Kristensen.

Styling a tee can be turned into the easiest fashion hack as the versatile pieces covers all areas of the style spectrum: cuffed ripped jeans, vintage socks and skater sneaks speak of '80s streets, while a monochrome two-piece suit is an ode to the gods of high-low fashion. Any way you want to wear your SM Youth tee, it'll look like it's made just for you.

Shop SM Youth tees at a massive discount with the SM Youth Tee Festival. From September until October 31, slash up to P200 off the total price of three (3) tees. That's an annual treat you wouldn't wanna miss out on. Shop SM Youth T-shirts at all The SM Store branches nationwide. Visit facebook.com/SMYouthLifestyle or on Twitter and Instagram at @SM_Youth for more details on the Tee Festival and other promos.

Bring On The Tees: Bring Out the Excitement in Stocking Up On Shirts at the SM Men Tee Festival

So much talk is given about men in suits, but how about men in shirts? In the realm of menswear, you can't spell "style" without a tee, and SM Men's annual Tee Festival lets avid tee enthusiasts in on the chance to score stylish T-shirts at a great price. After all, what's guy style without a shirt? Today, even basic tees are given a new spin—whether it be in colors, fit or silhouette—fit for any kind of style, so no man can ever give a valid excuse for not stocking up on his new shirt pile.

This year, pieces offered for the SM Men Tee Festival are decidedly intellectual: Ivy League sensibilities matched with unexpectedly stylish basics seen in Palo Alto startup geniuses. Tailored tees, pastel palettes and subtle pattern details all come together for Tee offerings that reminisce proper golf matches and drinks by the country club. Pastel polo shirts, tie-around sweaters and stately stripes are mixed along with generic tees in dark colors and Zuckerberg hoodies in somber shades. As a most-fitting wildcard, woodsmith denim patches are sewn onto basic black shirts, adding a more casual industrial mood to an otherwise academic collection.

Wear each piece modified according to your style: match light-colored shirts to tattered jeans to balance out the prep school vibe, or carry a hip hop beat with hoodies and dark shirts worn with jogger pants and the flashiest high-top sneakers. The great thing about shirts is, you can wear them any way you want.

Until October 31, the SM Men Tee Festival gives you great deals on the most stylish shirts. You can get up to P200 off on the total of three (3) shirts purchased. An annual sale not to be missed, head on to the SM Men section at every branch of The SM Store nationwide.

Visit facebook.com/SMMensfashion or on Twitter and Instagram at @SM_Men for more details on the summer collection and other promos.

Beat Acne with Proactiv

As per consumer perception, it is without any doubt that Proactiv is the trusted and reliable acne product.

I have not heard of any other product with equal popularity and acceptance. Many brands have tried to reach similar  status but have failed. Proactivly has truly put itself above everyone else when it comes to effective acne cure.

Filipinos are very particular about the types of products that they use on their skin. They like to read about various brands and even try different products to find out what works best for their skin type.

Everyone wants to have flawless skin. Yet, it is quite a challenge considering the pollution we encounter almost everyday on the streets, whether in Metro Manila or even at the provinces, where pollution caused by factories, transport  vehicles, smoking are becoming prominent now that almost everyone can now afford to buy vehicles. Our lifestyle is also a struggle because of the proliferation of oily, fatty and other harmful diet that does not contribute to healthy skin. Therefore we are forever haunted by pimples.

Those little bumps can make or break one’s confidence. Teens for instance, prefer to stay home when they have pimple problems because it is easily noticed by their peers.

My teenage daughter is so bewildered by the non-stop presence of pimples in her face. I try to explain to her that almost everyone goes through the same phase on life but pimples really does bring down confidence especially when facing an audience during talks, meeting with people or speaking engagements at school.

America’s #1 acne treatment system has been helping Filipinos with pimple problems regain their confidence. The Proactiv Solution clears problematic spots and prevents acne before it starts for a fresh-looking, blemish-free skin. The solution kit is composed of several products developed by top international dermatologists and covers a 3-Step System the guarantees a clear and healthy skin.

Available at Watsons and SM Department Stores, Proactiv has 30-Day kit (Php 2,495) for first time users who wish to try the product and a 60-Day kit (Php 3,995) for those who have been enjoying Proactiv’s many benefits. Proactiv offers a money-back guarantee.

With Proactiv Solution, more people now have the chance to fight back on acne.