Evo & Grace: The WanderLusts

Now on their third unstoppable week, TV5’s pandemic-inspired game shows continue to bring intense fun and action with vloggers Krissy Achino and Baninay gracing “Fill in the Bank” and Cignal HD Spikers ruling over “Bawal na Game Show” as this week’s headliners. After the back-back celebrity episodes of these wacky game shows, televiewers will soon be in the spotlight where they get to be the show’s star players. Join the hilarious tandem of Krissy Achino and Baninay as they exchange antics with “Fill in the Bank” hosts “Manedyer” Jose Manalo and “Madam Poky” Pokwang on Monday, August 31, at 7:30 p.m. Standup comedians Toni G and Afril fill the studio with non-stop laughter and fun as they play for money and bag the top prize of as much as Php150,000 in “Fill in the Bank” on  September 2.   In the September 4 episode of “Fill in the Bank”, business partners Alphard Robles and Jericho Tabangcura get the chance to show their money skills in the following money-savin...

To scale up government efforts to curb the impact of the pandemic, international development and humanitarian organization Oxfam and Microsoft partnered to provide cash assistance to low-income families of confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients in Quezon City. Oxfam Pilipinas country director Lot Felizco said the cash assistance would be initially provided to 90 families in areas identified to have high cases of COVID-19, such as in barangays Batasan Hills and Culiat in Quezon City, which are under strict community quarantine. “We shall use digital cash transfer through an electronic prepaid card to reduce the risk of virus transmission, and to manage a safe, quick, and transparent cash transfer. This also provides the affected communities more access to financial services, and ultimately, enhances their dignity,” Felizco said. The cash assistance amounting to Php 5,000, which is based on the government’s Social Amelioration Program, will support families to buy food and medicines...

The Global Youth Summit (GYS), the biggest annual summit for young people is going virtual this year! Live via Zoom and Facebook, the annual event of SM Cares’ Program on Youth in partnership with the Global Peace Foundation will be held on August 29 and 30, 2020 at 1PM. The GYS is the largest gathering for young Filipino leaders that aims to engage and inspire young minds to help achieve a better and more sustainable future for all thru various workshops that address themes and issues that impact youth like technology, environment, public policy advocacy and education. This year’s roster of resource speakers include Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, Kuya Kim Atienza, Cathy Yang of PLDT Inc., Agon Hare of Project Nightfall, Dr. Yang Mee Eng of the ASEAN Foundation, SM Youth Ambassadors Kaila Estrada and Andre Lagdameo, and a lot more.   Special guests are The Juans (Sat) and This Band (Sun). There will be giveaways and more surprises during live polls and Q&A portions. Inte...

THE façade of the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Main Building will be illuminated in red color on September 1, 2020, Tuesday from 7pm-8pm.   The lighting event is CCP’s support to a worldwide cause of the live events industry led by the National Live Events Coalition (NLEC-PH). The live events industry is a wide network of collaborators - planners, organizers, suppliers, talents, nd freelancers.  NLEC-PH was formed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its critical impact on the live events industry to amplify the voices, to empower, and to be advocates for every event practitioner. While the NLEC-PH has made strides in coordinating with the government (with the Inter-Agency Task Force, in particular) in seeking support for the industry, thousands are still unemployed and companies are still struggling.  Millions of our counterparts across the globe in the live events industry are still seeking aid, unemployment benefits and government assistance. In the pa...

PLDT Enterprise, the B2B arm of the country’s leading ICT and digital services provider, powers the 133 Negosyo Centers of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) nationwide with connectivity and digital services to support MSMEs in this challenging period. DTI’s Negosyo Centers play a pivotal role in getting the businesses back on track to survive the current economic climate. In support, PLDT Enterprise is deploying its BEYOND FIBER, Smart WiFi, and PayMaya services to the full-service Negosyo Centers—including 16 additional centers in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). DTI’s Negosyo Center Program was created to streamline the business process for MSMEs, connect them to business development services, seminars, training and programs, and assist in processing documentary requirements. "DTI acknowledges the significant role of the MSMEs to the Philippine economy and we stand ready to help them not only adjust to the 'new normal’ but thrive in a ...

Singapore pop artist Dominic Chin has released ALONE, the 6th single from his upcoming debut EP License To Cry , via Singapore indie label Umami Records. In this deeply personal song, the singer-songwriter lays bare his struggles with anxiety disorder. “Dear don't let me go, let me go tonight,” he pleads desperately in the chorus, accompanied by a minimalist, gentle electro-pop beat that gives the track its melancholic, intimate vibe. ALONE takes a step back from the dance floor and finds a way to reflect on life decisions cautiously, without resorting to self-sabotage. “The song is about my anxiety order and how it affects all the relationships in my life,” Dominic Chin shares in a statement. “Finding love and peace with good healthy relationships but feeling tremendously undeserving of it, resulting in me wanting to sabotage the relationship. The song talks about feeling conflicted about my relationships, being totally defeated and yearning for some help while I fight my ba...

Because reunions and birthday parties are what we sorely miss these days, TV5 brings more prizes and surprises in its wacky game shows “Fill in the Bank” and “Bawal na Game Show.” This week, viewers are up for a double celebration with game show host Pokwang’s birthday bash in “Fill in the Bank” and the most-anticipated TGIS cast reunion in “Bawal na Game Show.” Hosted by “Manedyer” Jose Manalo and Pokwang as Madam Poky, “Fill in the Bank” will have fellow comedians Ketchup Eusebio and Archie Alemania as contenders in its upcoming episode on Monday, August 24 at 7:30 p.m. Next episode on Wednesday, August 26, will have celebrities Ria Atayde and Jane Oineza vying for the jackpot money of as much as Php150,000. A special birthday episode is up on Friday, August 28, for “Fill in the Bank” host Pokwang as she is surprised by guests Sunshine Garcia and Saicy Aguila, friends from former shows “Banana Sunday” and “Wowowin.” Not to be missed is Madam Poky’s touching message about being gr...

With the gradual lifting of the community quarantine in some major cities and provinces in the Philippines where more activities are allowed, the recovery of sport tourism in the country is slowly moving forward into preparing for the revival of sports activities. Whether it’s competitive or non-competitive sports, the country is encouraged to proceed with safety protocols in mind despite the threat of Covid-19. Addressing the tourism sector in the country in his fifth State of the Nation address on July 27, President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte mentioned that national and local government agencies must work hand in hand to bring back the country’s tourism glory through coordinated policies. Duterte said in his speech, “In the same manner, the tourism and recreation industries, which are among the hardest hit by the pandemic, count on our full support. While we slowly try to put the fun back in our local travels, the national government agencies and local government units (L...

Remaining resilient amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. (PCPPI)—the exclusive manufacturer of PepsiCo beverages in the country—is assuring the public of unhampered operations despite challenges brought about by the sudden return to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine in some parts of Luzon.      Since the company is engaged in the business of manufactu¬ring and distribution of basic commodities, PCPPI is tasked to continuously operate its manufacturing plants for products such as water, juices, hydration drinks, and other carbonated beverages.    “We are seeing one of the longest community quarantines in the world. Our company is continuously functioning in a VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) environment and we are always anticipating regulatory and socio-economic changes to be able to minimize the impact of risks and decide quickly if and when necessary,” PCPPI president and CEO Frederick D. Ong.   In...

In a recent study, people thinking about selling their homes indicated they’re generally willing to allow their agent and some potential buyers inside if done under the right conditions. They’re less comfortable, however, hosting an open house. This is understandable, given the health concerns associated with social contact these days. The question is, if you need to sell your house now, what virtual practices should you use to make sure you, your family, and potential buyers stay safe in the process? Real estate agents have it tough.    They often work long, anti-social hours, they spend hours driving to and from different locations, they face a lot of rejection, and it can take a long time to become successful.   Virtual Reality (VR) is a new type of technology that can solve these issues.   How?   These virtual reality real estate assistants offer today’s estate agents a great opportunity if they follow this particular formula for success: Time = Money  ...

Data Optimization is big business. Many Internet companies proclaim that they can increased your web traffic and page ranking.  Of course, they charge big bucks to help you improve your web site traffic. What you are really paying for is their so-called expertise or what some call intellectual capital. This leads to a simple question: If you could reallocate some of your limited marketing dollars through your own efforts and achieve your small business Internet marketing goals, how would that affect your business? During these last few months, this is precisely the action that I took. First Lesson Learned: Data or MRO Optimization is more about simplicity than complexity.  The challenge is to understand the simplicity within the complexity of search engines, robots and key words. To understand the simplicity of SEO begins by returning to why web sites exist. Originally, web sites were considered to be cyber space storefronts.  As the Internet evolved, web sites evolved wi...

ON August 15, Cinemalaya will feature Bruma, a film by Mexican writer and director Max Zunino, under its CCP Arthouse Cinema specials. The film will be available for 24 hours only from midnight of August 15, 2020.  The online screening is part of the Embassy of Mexico's celebration of their Dia National Del Cine (National Film Day), an annual event to promote Mexican cinema both in Mexico and around the world.  The film will stream on Cinemalaya's Vimeo platform for free. In the Philippines, the celebration is made possible by Embassy of Mexico in the Philippines, with the support of the Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografía, in partnership with the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. Bruma or Mist, its English title, is an 82-minute improvised production set between Mexico City and Berlin, Germany. In an interview for Variety at the premier of the film in the Guanajuato International Film Festival in 2017, Zunino described his work as an “exercise of spont...

If you have been arrested or accused of a crime that has the potential of jail or prison time, you may want to seriously consider hiring an attorney to represent you. Unless you don’t mind the possibility of spending time in jail, you’ll probably want the services of an attorney.  Almost any expert will strongly advise a person against representing him or herself in court unless they are very knowledgeable about the field of law; and even then he or she will still be discouraged from representing him or herself for a criminal case. Less than one percent of people represent themselves in a criminal case. The vast majority of people engage the services of an attorney. That is because it is very difficult for someone to represent him or herself in court.  You wouldn’t want someone without any knowledge of how to do heart surgery doing a heart transplant on you would you? Likewise, would you want to represent yourself in court and face possible prison time without having the best ...

Singer-songwriter and producer Zack Tabudlo finds renewed perspective on time’s delicate role in shaping your own destiny, setting an ultimatum on fear with his newest single, “ Nangangamba ,” out this Friday, August 7, on digital platforms worldwide. On his first release under Island Records Philippines, Zack urges listeners to take ownership of their own feelings: that inaction may shield you from pain, yes, but ultimately it’ll get you nowhere. He brings love songs up a notch, infusing pop and R&B elements to his powerful vocals—a testament to his ever-evolving songwriting and production style. But moreover, it signals a shift on his creative choices in keeping his individual artistry as dynamic as his growth in the music industry. “With these new tracks, I'm sure people who have experienced these would relate so much more… [the latest single] is very different, music-wise and in terms of maturity,” he shares. Part of this artistic growth is Zack’s experience of writing “Nan...

As technology grows everyday, so does our fascination with what it can do. Technology is amazing and can be very useful in so many ways. It helps people communicate, transfer information, learn, discover, and even save lives in the medical field. For me, the most important uses of the technology I use is my online classes and my cell phone. Technology in transferred in different ways. Technology can be great until the media that comes with it surfaces. For example, besides for mostly school purposes, I am usually on my cell phone instead of my laptop. I have the internet on my cell phone which allows me to have apps, e-mail, and access to websites. Also, I have to admit that I do enjoy watching television. What we see on these outlets of communication and media is often negative. The time and importance we have on these forums and devices is also detrimental to our lives outside of the virtual world. Current research is discovering that individuals suffering from social isolation can e...

THE Gawad CCP para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video will showcase screenings of this year’s entries with the theme LIGALIG: Gawad Alt 2.0 as it temporarily migrates to the online livestreaming platform on August 7, 2020.   The Awards Night will be held on August 15. LIGALIG: Gawad Alt 2.0 is an online film festival and competition of the Ika-32 Gawad CCP para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video.   In light of the COVID-19 lockdown, the festival was shifted from the 3-day on-site screening event to an online streaming platform to continue serving its community of avid film enthusiasts.   The films will be watched on Vimeo while the talkbacks and livestream events will be held at Facebook Live and KUMU, the official live streaming partner of Cinemalaya and Gawad Alternatibo. Established in 1987, the Gawad Alternatibo annually cites the best efforts of Filipino filmmakers in four categories – Animation, Experimental, Documentary and Short Feature.   It is one of th...

Even on the onset of community quarantine back in mid-March, half of Robinsons Hotels and Resorts’ (RHR) hospitality brands have remained in operation to serve long-term guests. These guests included employees from business process outsourcing firms who needed a safe space where they can travel to and fro from work with ease. Now that the community quarantine has eased up in some major cities nationwide, RHR continues to provide housing needs and offer a secure environment for employed individuals with Home to Go. For a safer alternative to get oneself to work, one can call Home to Go his temporary home where one can enjoy privacy, convenience, comfort and security all within a furnished hotel room. A typical Home to Go room measures 18 square meters with twin beds and a private bathroom. It’s priced for as low as P22,000 net per room per month in Summit Hotel Magnolia, Summit Hotel Greenhills and Summit Galleria Cebu and at P20,000 net per room per month in Summit Circle Cebu and Summ...

Influencer is a term applied to virtually every social media platform one can imagine. It is massively popular these days and an influencer would typically have amassed a following of other users who value their opinion and content. They make it possible for influencer marketing to be the go-to way for businesses all around the globe to reach their target demographics. With the Covid-19 outbreak, the importance of influencer culture has become more evident. Influencer marketing is a billion-dollar industry fueled by the jet-setting and exotic locations influencers portray online. This niche-driven industry features  travel influencers  most of the time because that is one of the most followed niches even before this pandemic. But just as air travel came to a grinding halt, how do travel influencers survive in the industry when relatability and relevance are critical in their field? How Covid-19 changes ‘travel influencing’ When Covid-19 first broke, there was concern about...

The success of rap music as the main expression of hip hop has elevated it beyond a cultural movement but to the status of financial powerhouse.  Started in the 70’s by innovative DJ’s, rap has become a world wide phenomenon. The organic growth of the music has established the identity of rap music as a political tool for the underprivileged. It has been the voice of the oppressed and underrepresented. Today’s rap, however, has changed. The forces behind hip hop are no longer focused on the art and message. Instead rap has become a commercial boom to be used for profit. The hyper commercialization of rap music has led directly to the degrading of its potency as a form of pure art.     The rap industry posted revenues in excess of 1.5 billion dollars in 2005. It’s a far cry from the roots of rap, perfected in east coast ghettos some 25 years ago. Today, the industry of hip hop is run with the efficiency of major corporations. Potential rap stars are plucked from obscu...

SB19 pushes the envelope of pop music with the release of their debut full-length album, Get in the Zone , out today on all digital platforms worldwide via Sony Music .   Mashing together various music influences with top-tier production and global appeal, the nine-track release features six original compositions, along with the EDM version of “Love Goes” and two instrumental songs. Thematically speaking, Get in the Zone maps their creative and personal journey. “It hasn’t been long since we released our debut single ‘Tilaluha,’ but prior to that, we have been training for years already,” says Sejun. “We wanted to incorporate all the things that we have experienced during trainee days into this album by putting all the emotions that we went through into our music. It was an emotional rollercoaster, but we pulled through and we hope that we get to inspire people with our story.” SB19’s first album kicks off with the two-punch knockout of “Alab” and “Go Up”—both chart...