Starbucks introduces its Island Series collection for the Philippines' 120th Independence Day

Starbucks introduces its Island Series collection for the Philippines’ 120th Independence Day

Posted on by jane

Coffee lovers in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao — heads up! Just in time for the Philippines’ 120th anniversary celebration of Independence Day on June 12, 2018, Starbucks will be releasing its Island Series collection. Each major island (Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao) is represented in the Island Series with a Starbucks 16-oz mug as well as a matching Starbucks card.

The Luzon  ceramig mug in matte vibrant blue features a glossy decal with gold foil highlighting the night scenes of the business districts of Luzon. the Starbucks wordmark logo is laser engraved on the side of the mug and comes in a collector box packaging.

Starbucks Island Series mug and card – Luzon in a collector box

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Electrolux donates washing machines to lighten mothers' loads...literally!

Electrolux donates washing machines to lighten mothers’ loads…literally!

Posted on by jane

As a Mom, I know how much of our energy can be spent washing clothes. I’m lucky. I have a washing machine and someone who helps with the laundry. But so many other mothers of less fortunate circumstances don’t. They need to work hard for other people in order to earn money and still have to wash (often by hand) their family’s clothes when they come home. These mothers often have to set aside quality time that they could have spent with their family because there are chores to do — cooking, cleaning, teaching their kids.

It was right and just in time for Mother’s Day then that many of these mothers were given a respite. Partnering with supply chain outfit CEVA Philippines, Electrolux Philippines donated 200 washing machines to chosen mothers, communities, and organizations.

Called “Love You Loads”, the donation program involved GMA Kapuso Foundation and Gawad Kalinga’s beneficiaries and programs. At a simple turnover ceremony at the Electrolux office, Electrolux Philippines Country Marketing Manager Andrea Soto-Pionilla said that May is “the time where we recognize and share our appreciation for mothers and all the hard work that they do.”

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Globe myBusiness Academy Online gives more MSMEs access to its learning site

Globe myBusiness Academy Online gives more MSMEs access to its learning site

Posted on by jane

Globe myBusiness, the micro, small-and medium-scale enterprise arm of Globe Telecom, launched recently its online learning site, Globe myBusiness Academy Online, in order to broaden access by entrepreneurs to its lessons and insights culled from industry experts – any time, anywhere.

Derrick Heng, Senior Adviser for Globe myBusiness

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IVO gives families more pure and clean drinking water

IVO gives families more pure and clean drinking water

Posted on by jane

Let me start out with a personal story

It took a serious illness in the family for us to switch from bottled water (our water for decades) to tap water in 2013. The thought was horrifying at first. I always had visions of Metro Manila’s water being ‘dirty’ and ‘unsafe for drinking’. But our holistic doctor insisted that tap water was best. He told us that distilled water removed all the minerals, something our bodies need. Bottled mineral water, even if thought safe to drink, came with the risks of bacteria from insufficiently cleaned water containers, long exposure to air especially for 5-gallon containers (a breeding ground for bacteria), and oftentimes, the mineral content was incomplete. Tap water, on the other hand, contained all the minerals needed by the body, like calcium and magnesium, and the chlorine effectively killed bacteria until the water is exposed to air.

I did do my own verification to confirm what our holistic doctor was telling us. I tweeted Dr. Eric Tayag of the Department of Health to ask about an article I read where it said Metro Manila’s water was potable. Here is my tweet as well as his response.

We’ve been drinking tap water since 2013 and we have had no incidence of amoebiasis. Still, we take some precautions. For one, the chlorine in the water (used to kill bacteria) has to be evaporated before we consume the water since chlorine is not good for the body. So, we would fill a couple of water pitchers with water and leave the cover open for about half an hour to let the chlorine evaporate. It’s not always convenient when you want to drink water NOW.

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Can you guess why this laundry soap is hypoallergenic?

Can you guess why this laundry soap is hypoallergenic?

Posted on by jane

There are products that become generational brands as they continue to be used from generation to generation. One of those household staples that I remember around the house, growing up with my Dad and Mom, was Perla.

Perla was our kitchen soap. I remember my Mom always had a bar of Perla on a soap dish beside our kitchen sink. Come to think of it, in many houses, including my relatives’ houses, Perla was often the kitchen soap. I always presumed my Mom was using it because Perla was less expensive than dishwashing liquid but apparently, it was THE dishwashing soap during my generation.

 

Perla laundry soap

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Earth Hour 2018 is happening on March 24 with its theme #Connect2Earth

Earth Hour 2018 is happening on March 24 with its theme #Connect2Earth

Posted on by jane

Save the date – March 24, 2018. On this day, Filipinos nationwide will be observing Earth Hour for the 11th straight year.  Its theme, #Connect2Earth, is a campaign to strengthen awareness about biodiversity and climate action.

Earth Hour Flashback

Earth Hour began originally in Sydney on March 31, 2007. The year after, in 2008, Manila joined in. My family and I participated by turning off our house lights. I’ve been trying to participate in some way since then. Initially Earth Hour just involved turning off lights everywhere. Malls and public places began organizing events around this lights-off highlight. But in 2011, Earth Hour launched its theme “Going Beyond the Hour” to encourage all participant cities to do more than just turn lights off for an hour. Today, Earth Hour participants span over 7,000 cities and 180 countries and territories with many sustainable and energy-saving activities year-long. In the Philippines, for example, these Beyond the Hour activities involve:

  • The deployment of portable solar lamps to replace dangerous and dirty kerosene lamps in Palawan and Mindoro.
  • The sharing of best practices for communities via the One Planet City Challenge.
  • The dissemination of climate change solutions via environmental education sessions, training modules, heavy media engagements, and talks.

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Starbucks introduces its offerings for New Year 2018 and the Year of the Dog

Starbucks introduces its offerings for New Year 2018 and the Year of the Dog

Posted on by jane

Starbucks star-BARKS! As the New Year breezes in and the Year of the Dog is just around the corner, Starbucks once again has a lineup of goodies that are both eye candy and mouth-watering.

The Lunar New Year Starbucks card

So cute!!! Beginning January 9, this lovable Lunar New Year Starbucks card to welcome the Year of the Dog (which starts Feb. 16, 2018) can be yours just for a load of PhP 300.

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Easy, delicious holiday meals I learned at the Electrolux A Taste of Christmas cooking event

Easy, delicious holiday meals I learned at the Electrolux A Taste of Christmas cooking event

Posted on by jane

It’s not everyday that I get to learn how to prepare holiday meals from a chef himself so it was an exciting afternoon when Electrolux invited me, along with other bloggers, to experience  A Taste of Christmas with Chef Jonathan Paul Em.

Right in the heart of Alabang Town Center, Electrolux had a kitchen setup with several of their latest kitchen appliances. My blogger friends were excited! Stay with me because I’m putting Chef Jon’s recipes right here for you to try during the holidays!

The 4 dishes that Chef Jon had readied for us were:

  1. Smoked Salmon Cucumber Rolls
  2. Spiced Fruit Salad Cups
  3. Cassava Tarts
  4. Christmas Paella

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Acer Philippines ties up with The SM Store to give you a #MalayangPasko

Acer Philippines ties up with The SM Store to give you a #MalayangPasko

Posted on by jane

If you are planning to buy a laptop or desktop for yourself or a special someone this Christmas season, hold off any plans until you read this post. Acer Philippines (the leading PC brand in the Philippines) has just tied up with The SM Store (everyone’s shopping destination) to give its customers a #MalayangPasko (free Christmas). Every purchase of a qualifying laptop or desktop from Acer comes with FREE SM vouchers to add to your Christmas shopping. It’s added value from two power brands in time for the Christmas season.

 

Acer and The SM Store teams
The Acer and The SM Store executives with promo endorsers JM De Guzman and Jennylyn Mercado

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Starbucks celebrates its 20th year in the Philippines with a bejeweled collection

Starbucks celebrates its 20th year in the Philippines with a bejeweled collection

Posted on by jane

TWENTY YEARS!!! On December 4, 2017, Starbucks will celebrate 20 years of its presence in the Philippines!

December 4, 1997 saw the opening of a little coffeehouse with a green logo in a Makati building and to this day, it still stands there – in 6750 Building, Ayala Center. Starbucks Philippines was the third market to open outside of North America.

In celebration of these two decades, Starbucks is coming out with a very special anniversary collection of mugs and tumblers.

At the top is its (very) limited edition Starbucks 20th Anniversary collection of mugs released beginning December 1, 2017.  All the anniversary mugs’ designs are a tribute to the Philippines’ woven art. Each 12-oz ceramic mug features traditional textile patterns and is accented by 200 white and emerald (the traditional 20th anniversary stone) Swarovski crystals. It also comes with a special-edition numbered certificate and a ready-to-gift box stamped with the Starbucks wordmark.

(L-R) White, White Gold, and Silver ceramic mugs with Swarovski crystals

 

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