Lock & Lock opens at the new wing of Shangri-la Plaza

Posted on by jane

The Korean brand of storage containers, Lock & Lock, known for its 4-sided snap-and-lock feature, invited the SoMoms recently to be one of the first visitors at their newest location in Shangri-la Plaza along EDSA.

If you’ve gone to the 4th floor of Lock & Lock before at the original wing of Shangri-la Plaza, then this is your heads-up that they’ve moved already. They’re now at the 6th level of the new wing of the mall.

While you may think that Lock & Lock is only about plastic storage containers, you will be surprised to know that they also offer Boroseal glassware, cookware and storage bins, among others. I learned about it the first time we went to their main outlet along Araneta Avenue in Sta. Mesa.

To read about Lock & Lock in a previous visit of mine, click here.

A short presentation familiarized us with some new products you can now find at Lock & Lock.


INTERLOCKING CONTAINERS

The bottoms and covers of these Lock & Lock round containers screw into each other. They’re great for storing in your ref without fear of them toppling over. They are great space savers as well.

SPEED COOK PANS

This Korean pan is just right for bulgogi and other grilling dishes on the fly. It features non-slip silicone handles that keep your grip always cool and comfy. A hard, anodizing process coats the surface. The grooved surface was purposely designed so that the fat from the meat slabs drain quickly to the sides. In just a couple of minutes, your meat is already cooking – FAST!

And just to make the experience more fun, two of our SoMoms had a cooking contest after a hearty lunch at Wee Nam Kee using a Speed Cook pan. They had to cook as many pancakes as they could in a couple of minutes!

Tin and Tina cook it out! 
VERSATILE COOKWARE

The creativity of the Koreans (like those really nifty and comfy features in our Korean SUV) is evident also in Lock & Lock products. For example, we were shown this Korean cookware with a cover. Check what else they’ve thought up to incorporate into its design.
It looks cute as it is right? With ergonomic, cool handles and cover

Those 3 holes allow the steam inside to escape without having to constantly lift the cover

Turn the casserole’s cover over and it can be a serving plate
And see those two holes on the cover’s yellow top? That’s where your chopsticks go. Neat!

NEW PAN FEATURES

The CookPlus pans come with improved features:
1. 3-layer bottom – While it is not visible to the eye, the pans now have 3 layers so they are more durable (the bottom layer is high purity aluminum, followed by hard anodizing layer, and lastly, the non-stick coating which is what you see on the pan. The underside of the pans also are scratch resistant, as demonstrated to us. The presenter got a fork and ran its prongs across the pan’s underside several times without scratching it.
2. Capsule system – prevents burning of food as it allows air to travel between the capsules on the pan’s surface
3. Concave system – for better heat dispersion all over the pan
4. Mix & match glossy and satin surface
HEAT-RESISTANT GLASS
Lock & Lock glassware use Boroseal, a heat-resistant glass, which is so much better than tempered glass. Tempered glass tends to shatter into small pieces when subjected to extreme heat, posing a danger to those close to it when it does. Boroseal, when it shatters, stays in large pieces so it is safer to handle. This slide shows that Boroseal has less patterns on its surface, which means it is more resistant to heat.
I had so much fun going around the store checking out the new items. I bought several water bottles which we used a lot of at home and several storage containers for the kitchen. 
But the best buy I had that day was a new item – a first aid kit with several compartments for medical supplies and medicines. It has a handle that collapses in 3 parts, making it more flexible and sturdier.
Check out Lock & Lock at Shangri-la Plaza Mall, 6th level of the new wing. They’ve got promo items till end of December 2013. 

Human Nature’s Baby Care Line and a SoMoms Meet-and-Greet with Anna Meloto-Wilk

Posted on by jane

It was a great honor and privilege for the SoMoms when we were able to have an intimate meet-and-greet with none other than Anna Meloto-Wilk of Human Nature.

Anna took us through the history of Human Nature. It was great to hear directly from her exactly how Human Nature came to be. She took a different path from Gawad Kalinga which her dad, Tony Meloto, was grooming her for. Together with sister Camille, they realized that there was a lack of natural beauty products in the Philippines and those available abroad were too expensive.
Using almost all-natural and locally available raw materials, Human Nature is now one of the more popular home care, personal care products in the market. And I guess it was just a matter of time before their lines included babies because Anna is, herself, a proud and loving mother.

Their baby care line is now being relaunched with some new products and new packaging on existing ones. 
The Baby Care Line (plush toys not included, hahaha)
3 baby care products get new and better packaging!

Natural Baby Wash

A baby’s skin needs gentle, loving care while being washed and given a bath. Human Nature Natural Baby Wash is 99.3% natural (that means it’s free of harmful chemicals such as SLS and SLES) and made up of touches of lavender, rosemary and chamomile to smell really nice.

Natural Baby Wash comes in 3 sizes:
500ml – PhP 289.75
200ml – PhP 129.75
50 ml  – PhP 44.75
Natural Baby Lotion
Baby skin is properly nourished and hydrated inside the mother’s womb but once they are born, their skin is subjected to much harsher conditions, including pollution. Because baby skin is 10 times more sensitive than ours, it is so important to keep it moisturized and nourished. Human Nature’s Natural Baby Lotion is 100% natural. It’s completely free of harmful chemicals such as silicone and parabens and is made of a delicate blend of sunflower oil, avocado oil and aloe vera, plus natural glycerin to seal in all that moisture to keep baby’s skin baby soft and healthy.
Natural Baby Lotion comes in 2 sizes:
200ml – PhP 149.75
50ml  – PhP 49.75
Natural Baby Wonder Oil
The perfect all-around massage oil and skin defense and protector is the Natural Baby Wonder Oil. Also 100% natural, it’s got sunflower oil in it. Studies have shown how infants develop better when given a massage. This is your perfect baby massage oil. It also helps prevent and soothe diaper rash inflamed skin and can be used to heal little bumps and insect bites. For cleaning of the ears and baby’s belly button, use a bit of the oil on a cotton bud or cotton ball.
Natural Baby Wonder Oil comes in 100ml bottles and sells for PhP 129.75.
Kids Natural Shampoo and Baby Wash
Here’s a fun pair: one for girls and one for boys — Ocean Apple for her, Tangerine Thunder for him.
The shampoo bottles’ packaging makes bathing fun for young boys and girls. Ocean Apple is not just yummy apple-scented; the “Under the Sea” theme showing a mermaid and sea creatures is fun to look at while in the tub or shower. Tangerine Thunder, meanwhile, features a red Thunderbird car. And it’s not just for the hair; it’s a body wash as well so you can wash your kids from head to toe.
Its unique Protein Care System keeps kids’ hair healthy and squeaky clean. And it’s 96.4% natural and 100% free from harmful chemicals.
The Kids Natural Shampoo and Baby Wash comes in 3 variants:
500ml – PhP 289.75
200ml – PhP 129.75
50 ml  – PhP 44.75
Kids Natural Bath Soap
This bath soap really took me by surprise when Reby of Human Nature said that it smelled like…..
*drumroll*……….
CHOCOLATE!!!
I bet this is the first soap ever to smell like chocolate. And I’m actually tempted to try it out to see how my bathing experience would be like using this soap. It’s 100% natural and 100% free from harmful chemicals as well. A cold process allows the soap to retain the body’s natural glycerin — sealing in body moisture. 
A bar of Kids Natural Bath Soap retails at PhP 69.75.

Sneak Preview of the Starbucks 2014 Planners and the Christmas Starbucks Card

Posted on by jane
It’s that time of the year once more! Starbucks will be releasing its Limited Edition 2014 Starbucks Philippines Planners this coming November 2, 2013. This 11th edition set of 4 planners is truly one that you would not want to miss collecting.

This year’s theme is “Coffee Perfection” and many details incorporated into the planner echo the theme.

The 4 planners feature leather covers and come in yellow, brown, magenta and black. These 4 shades were specifically chosen as they correspond to Starbucks’ coffee blends.

The yellow planner was inspired by the Blonde Willow Blend; the brown planner was inspired by the Medium Colombia Blend; and the magenta planner was inspired by the Dark Komodo Dragon Blend. These three blends are already available in the Philippines.

The black planner was inspired by the blend called Starbucks Reserve (available so far in Thailand and Singapore only) and is in limited quantity for now. The beans are exotic, rare, specially picked and roasted.

Starbucks Reserve Coffee (screenshot from Starbucks website)

Look at the artwork in each of the coffee blends. Then turn each planner over and carefully look at the embossed back cover. You will spot the same artwork incorporated into the back cover’s design.

Size-wise, they are about the same as last year’s. A magnetic clasp keeps the planners closed.

What are some of the new or improved features of this planner aside from the roast profiles?

* Signature bookmarks – Each planner also comes with its own signature bookmark and stands for something connected to Starbucks — a coffee bean for the yellow, a house (House Blend) for the brown, a vinta (Kape Vinta) for magenta, and the Starbucks cup for the black.

Each colored planner with its own signature bookmark

* QR codes – Starbucks has gone digital. On some pages with pictures depicting Starbucks stories, you will find a QR code at a corner. Scan that with a scanning app and if you are online, you will be redirected to a Starbucks video that expounds on what the printed story is all about! I can’t wait to try that one out.

The QR code

How QR code looks on a story page

* Coffee stickers – A Starbucks survey showed that most planner users love stickers so they introduced coffee stickers reflecting the blends being featured.

* Coupons, coupons and more coupons – There are now 14 coupons you can use throughout the year to get Starbucks freebies. Last year there were only 13. That’s more than one a month!

How to Get the Starbucks 2014 Planner

If you’ve collected stickers for past planners, you more or less know how this goes. But if you’re a first-time collector of Starbucks stickers for the planner, here is how:

1. Get a promo card from any Starbucks branch.

Front

Back

2. You will need 18 stickers this time (9 Christmas beverages, 9 core beverages), except bottled drinks.

3. Promo is from Nov. 2, 2013-January 8, 2014.

Limited Christmas Starbucks Card Collectibles

Starbucks collectors, this one’s for you!

Starbucks has come up with 2 Christmas designs for its Starbucks card. It will only be available on a very limited basis but works exactly like the classic Starbucks card. One design is a snowman in a forest on a wintry day and the other design is a golden Christmas tree against a red backdrop.

Starbucks Leather Card Cases
For the first time also, leather card cases are available in colors matching the four 2014 planners. Mind you, these are not synthetic leather cases. I held them up to my nose and smelled REAL LEATHER!
Now, take note of this because it is only good for 3 DAYS!
From Nov. 4-6, 2013, just buy a Christmas Starbucks card and top it up with P1,500 and you get a FREE leather card case of your choice (subject to availability of color at the branch). For those who would rather not get the leather card case (but why won’t you???), you can get P300 FREE extra load on top of your P1,500. Remember, just these 3 days.

And here’s one more tip…

You get the most value if you use your Starbucks card when purchasing a beverage. Why? Because not only do you get a sticker towards the planner but you also earn a star towards a future free beverage once you accumulate the needed number of stars.

Happy collecting!!!

Taking a second look at Singapore Airlines Fares and Features

Posted on by jane

When I was still employed with an accounting and consulting firm, I had several chances to travel to Singapore to conduct lectures and most of my trips were on Singapore Airlines. Those flights were very pleasant because not only were the planes new and modern but there were little pluses all over like orchids with the meals.

But I guess over the decades, the airline industry became more price competitive and for some reason, it seems that Singapore Airlines acquired a reputation for being one of the more expensive airlines. Even during a blogger get-together with Singapore Airlines, a blogger said the same thing when asked what was the first thing that popped into her head when she heard the words “Singapore Airlines”.
But guess what! For this whole afternoon with them, we got a personal and close-up interaction with the executives of Singapore Airlines in the Philippines and learned that, contrary to the popular view, Singapore Airlines really had price-competitive rates!!! And to prove it, you could check out their air fare till November 30, 2013 and you’ll find out that they may actually be a lot cheaper than the usual budget airline promos you get out there.

Their fares are good till Nov. 30, 2013 purchase but travel can be till March 31, 2014 for Singapore, Southeast Asia and Indian Subcontinent or May 31, 2014 for travel to Australia and Europe.

Check out their lowest fare at US$210. That is already an all-in, round-trip fare (so you do not get fooled by promos that catch you with dirt cheap fares but actually have a lot of add-ons) and the only thing not there is the travel tax because some travellers do not need to pay the tax. And guess what. It includes gourmet cuisine in-flight. How much lower can you go?
The Singapore Airlines team did not just present to us their very affordable fares. They also showed us the new cabin features on their initial fleet of eight Boeing 777-300ER planes that recently debuted with the Singapore-London leg.

Almost PhP 7-B has been poured into the creation of new products in these planes like the most advanced in-flight entertainment system, larger screens, touch-screen handsets, USB and HDMI ports and more spacious and comfortable seats across all classes.

FIRST CLASS
In First Class, they’ve increased the width of seats to 35 inches wide and 82 inches long when opened up. You can literally curl up in this spacious seat (more like a couch with those dimensions) while reading a good book. The 82 inch length ensures the comfort of extra-tall passengers. Just check out the next few slides to see all the new features.

BUSINESS CLASS

ECONOMY CLASS

But hold on. That is not the only good news. They have actually slashed their fares to several destinations till Nov. 30, 2013. Budget airlines often cut out a lot of comforts to bring prices down. Other airlines appear to have very low prices but once you start adding up surcharges, they actually end up costing a lot more than what you expect. Singapore Airlines told us that whatever fares they offer till Nov. 30 are all-in — that means it includes gourmet meals. The only thing not in their fare is the travel tax since some travelers are exempt from paying it.

Just look at these fares and tell me they aren’t reasonable.

US$ 210 to Singapore (there are 4 daily flights out of Manila on an A330 or B777 wide body aircraft)
US$ 310 to Southeast Asia destinations (other than Singapore)
US$ 700 to Indian Subcontinent
US$ 780 to Australia
US$ 990 to Europe

The fares are payable in KrisFlyer miles (starting at 5,000 miles) and one can even mix miles and cash.

The message of Singapore Airlines to all would-be travelers is really this: Before you book passage on another airline, do not fail to check out their website. You may be totally surprised to find that their fares (all-in) are actually competitive enough and may even be lower than the usual budget airlines you have been taking.

Oishi’s Giant O Wow Giveaway

Posted on by jane

Imagine you’re a student who just finished a difficult exam. You are tired and raring to go home. You board a jeep, thinking this would be a normal ride home. Suddenly some of your fellow passengers unmask their true identities and you find out they are celebrities out to give you the ride of your life!

This is not a dream. It actually happened.

Last October 1, Oishi and Team O members (Ramon Bautista, Slater Young and Elmo Magalona) went around the Intramuros and Luneta areas in disguise. On the Jeep O, they looked just like a driver and students.

Students began filling the jeep at different stops. Along the route, the 3 Team O celebrities revealed their true identities to the delightful squeals of everyone on board. The celebrities and students went for a ride on Jeep O with everyone having a good time and going home with Oishi snacks.

Watch this video and see just how much fun the day was. Indeed, it was an O Wow day.

Now, it’s my turn to share an O Wow moment with you. I’ve got this giant, Oishi pack to give away to one lucky reader.

YES!!! This BIG!!! O Wow!!!

Please join using the Rafflecopter widget below to get the maximum number of entries. Also, be sure to read the Terms and Conditions inside Rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Remember, this giveaway ends Nov. 10, 2013 (12AM Manila time). I will be announcing the winner through an update in this blog post as well as on my Twitter account (@philippinebeat).

Good luck, everyone! And thanks, Oishi, for sharing many O Wow moments with us.

BonChon Delivers!

Posted on by jane

The ever popular global restaurant that originated in Korea now has a new service. BonChon now delivers straight to your doorsteps. Yay!

My family had the chance to try out their delivery service. A day before, I received a reminder email saying that BonChon would be delivering the food by 6pm. On the day of the delivery, I had to go out of the house to attend an event. Good thing I was already home around 5pm because at exactly 6pm, the doorbell rings. And guess who came with the messenger who brought our BonChon dinner…the branch manager of the Promenade branch himself!!! WOW!

BonChon Promenade branch manager, Aurelio Andea (left), with rider Pancho Barroga

Our dinner stash came in a thermal insulated bag!
Here’s what they brought for us:
It was a feast for my kids (and one nephew who was staying with us at that time). Here are some pics I took (I missed photos of the large iced tea glasses because the kids immediately went for them).
Sweet potato fries, PhP 60 each

Medium wings with soy garlic dip, PhP 365

Seafood platter with soy garlic dip, PhP 395

Large fries, PhP 60 each; Onion rings, PhP 60 each 
Oriental Crispy Chicken Salad, PhP 125 each; with extra chicken, add PhP 30

There’s only one delivery number to remember for Metro Manila: 633-1818. And for other delivery areas, here is a screenshot I got from their website. Minimum order is P300 plus 10% delivery charge.
As of this posting, here is what is available in their delivery menu.

Three Extraordinary Women, One Extraordinary Moisturizer – Physiogel

Posted on by jane

One of the side effects of having cancer is the drying up of skin. I was told this during the time hubby was diagnosed with cancer and had to undergo oral chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Radiation, in particular, was what tended to have an immediate drying effect on his skin. Our doctors told us that this would happen specifically in some areas of the body like the extremities and in the area that is irradiated.

But Physiogel, a leading dermatologist-prescribed moisturizer from GlaxoSmithKline, is what three extraordinary women turned to when they were going through their cancer journey. One of these beautiful survivors is a SoMoms friend of mine, Patty B. Balquiedra, 44 years of age, a mommy blogger, online entrepreneur and a loving mom of 2 beautiful girls. Two other cancer survivors also used Physiogel. One is Alya B. Honasan, a veteran editor and writer for newspapers, magazines and books, a certified Iyengar yoga teacher, avid scuba diver, occasional theater actress and doting mom to her dog Kikay. The other is Michee Cadhit, head of customer service and international relations department of The Medical City, a mother of three.

(L-R) Patty Balquiedra, Michee Cadhit, Alya Honasan

Each one had her own extraordinary story.

Patty Balquiedra

My friend Patty just discovered her cancer last year, went through chemotherapy, and ‘graduated’ just February of 2013. Asked how she felt after first being diagnosed, Patty says:

“Each day is a gift –  I don’t remind myself about my breast cancer when I wake up each day. It’s something that stays with you forever and it’s like a thought that’s always in the back of your head. Since that’s the case, I now wake up each day, thankful for the chance to get out of bed and do what I need to do. Every day that I’m alive is a chance for me to do right, serve and please God, take care of my family, love myself, show people how much I appreciate them. I’m 10 times more thankful for every little thing that happens and I now want to make the most of every single day, as a way to show my thanks to God for this second chance at life.”

If you see Patty these days, you won’t even recognize her as a cancer survivor. She is always bubbly, positive and never fails to thank God for each day that she wakes up. Her shoe business is what’s keeping her busy besides attending SoMoms events with us.

Alya Honasan

At the Makati Shangri-la function room, I spotted Alya and immediately sensed a ‘naughty’ streak in her. She was vibrant and cracked jokes with Patty and Michee. I struck up a conversation with her. Not long after, we drifted to discussions about yoga and while we were chatting, I could not help but think how amazingly brave she is to face her cancer while still doing everything she loves – yoga, sports, acting, etc. Alya, who still has another round of chemotherapy to face, jokes about dreading the loss of her eyebrows but ends by shrugging it off. Here is her brave testimony:

“I can already say, unequivocally, that cancer is one of the best things that ever happened to me. Really. It has taught me to take it easy and live again, in the true sense of the word. Although I ate healthy and exercised, my stress levels before I got diagnosed were bordering on the insane. There never seemed to be enough time to do the things that had to be done. Cancer gave me the gift of perspective, and realizing that some things are just more important than money and achievement It gave me the gift of humility to realize that I cannot always be in complete control of my life and my future, and that’s fine. And it gave me the gift of gratitude, really, for all the love that has been shown me, for the good things I have, and for knowing with renewed certainty that God has been holding my hand throughout all this.”

Michee Cadhit

Michee considers herself lucky that she works at The Medical City. Somehow, being in a hospital environment made it easier for her to handle the loss of her hair because she was not the only one who would be seen around her place of work with a bandana on her head.

“Cancer taught me the value of life in its simplest and most beautiful form. It taught me to appreciate the simplest blessings each day brings. That family, friends and relationships are the most important in one’s life. Hence, we should treasure as many fond memories and fruitful relationships with them.”

The 3 Physiogel brand ambassadors with GSK executives including my friend, Cathy Babao (2nd from left)

All three said that they use Physiogel for their dry skin. Patty has been a Physiogel user long before she started chemotherapy. Alya says it was endorsed by her personal surgeon and she attests to its efficiency. Michee said Physiogel eased her scars and rashes from radiation. Being the 3 beautiful and strong brand ambassadors for Physiogel during this month celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness is most fitting for these brave women warriors.

What, exactly, is inside Physiogel? It is made by Stiefel, a GSK company. Formulated with Derma Membrane Structure (DMS) Technology, Physiogel closely resembles the natural building blocks of the skin. Moisture on the skin easily evaporates with both heat and in airconditioned areas, leading to try, dehydrated skin. But because it has natural lipids similar to the skin’s physiological lipids, Physiogel effectively helps repair the skin barrier and prevent moisture loss.

I never had very dry skin but as I grew older, I noticed that my skin would flake if I did not apply lotion right after taking a bath. Many skin care products simply apply a superficial, oily layer on top of skin without really working on it deep down to repair damaged skin. Physiogel is one of the few brands that actually make me feel like I can walk around the whole day, exposed to sun and airconditioning, without losing my skin’s natural moisture.

At the Physiogel event celebrating the stories of these 3 breast cancer survivors, the SoMoms showed up in full force to support Patty and her friends. But of course!

Physiogel is available in leading drugstores and supermarkets nationwide. It also comes in handy 10ml sachets – perfect for short trips, handy to store in women’s bags, and for traveling.

For more information about Physiogel, visit www.physiogel.ph/ or www.facebook.com/PhysiogelPH

It’s not too late to catch this season’s Starbucks beverages and desserts!

Posted on by jane

I just realized that I only have till November 1, 2013 to catch this season’s beverages!

BEVERAGES (till Nov. 1, 2013)

Ristretto Bianco

Ristretto Blanco (Tall-PhP 145; Grande-PhP 160; Venti-PhP 170)
Ristretto Blanco is new in the espresso line-up. It’s a rich, smooth and velvety beverage. Ristretto shots are created by forcing less water through the coffee. This results in a fuller-bodied shot with a deep coffee flavor. Steamed whole milk creates the foam and it is poured in such a way that it ends with that white dot finish you see. 

Salted Caramel Mocha (Tall-PhP 150; Grande-PhP 165; Venti-PhP 175)

From salted caramel ice cream to salted caramel-flavored milk tea and now to Starbucks’ Salted Caramel Mocha, one enjoys this unique blend of sweet and salty. This concoction is made from a creamy mix of espresso with velvety steamed milk, blended with mocha sauce and toffee nut flavored syrup. It’s finished off with a topping of whipped cream, buttery caramel sauce, and a mixture of turbinado sugar as well as smoked sea salt. This description is enough for me to want to go out and get one. I just might do that in the coming days.

DESSERT CHOICES
What are beverages without matching dessert? Take your pick from these 3 returning favorite dessert items.
Blueberry-licious Cheesecake
Blueberry-licious Cheesecake (Slice-PhP 130; Whole-PhP 1,450)
Blueberry cheesecakes are one of my favorites. This Blueberry-licious Cheesecake is topped with sweet and tangy blueberries over a very light cheesecake.
Butterscotch Oat Fudge Bar

Butterscotch Oat Fudge Bar, PhP 60
The chewy Butterscotch Oat Fudge Bar is liberally sprinkled with walnut chunks and creamy chocolate ganache. 
Double Chocolate Fudge Bar

Double Chocolate Fudge Bar, PhP 50
Combine dark chocolate fudge bars coupled with chocolate chunks and you get the Double Chocolate Fudge Bar. For me, anything chocolate-y is always the perfect partner of hot coffee.

Why I Don’t Leave Home Without my BDO Rewards Card

Posted on by jane

If you had a chance to peek into the contents of my wallet (don’t bother to count the money because I don’t put much in there), you’ll see all sorts of plastic cards. I have a credit card, grocery membership cards, a bookstore discount card, a drugstore loyalty card, cafe loyalty cards and ID cards. They are nice to have handy but there is one more card I won’t leave home without – my BDO Rewards card.

Look! I’ve been a BDO Rewards cardholder since June 2007!!! When I was asked to share about BDO Rewards, it really was no problem because I have been using it already for years.

My own BDO Rewards card (serial numbers erased for security)

I actually started out with an SM Advantage Card but switched to BDO Rewards. Both earn reward points but if you’re a Banco de Oro depositor like I am, the BDO Rewards card is actually the better option because you can rack up more points. I’ll tell you why.

Reason #1 – Different banking transactions count towards points

Different transactions with BDO earn points. Some other bank reward programs only earn you points when you make placements or add on to your existing bank accounts. With BDO Rewards, besides peso and dollar bank balances, points are awarded also for availing of consumer loans, using its electronic banking (online banking, phone banking and ATM) services, paying with its BDO Debit Card, credit-to-account remittances, and credit card transactions.

In fact, I don’t even have to do much to earn points. Even if I were to just maintain my balance, it would continue to earn monthly points if it met the minimum criteria. Of course, increasing my balance means greater points.

Read more details on how to earn points here.

Reason #2 – I don’t have to do anything to earn points 

Just by leaving my bank accounts in BDO, I earn monthly points. I don’t even have to do anything actively. Points are awarded monthly depending on the level of one’s maintaining balance. In other words, it is a card that keeps on giving even if you do nothing.

Reason #3 – Purchasing from SM, SM partner stores and partner retailers earn points too

The BDO Rewards card works just like the SM Advantage card when used in SM Department Store, SM Supermarket, SM Hypermarket, SM retail establishments and other BDO Rewards partners. And it earns exactly the same way too.

Reason #4 – Every point is a peso

How many other cards do you have whose peso value equals the reward points? Not many. Most of those I know require several points to equal a peso. With BDO Rewards, 1 point = 1 peso.

Reason #5 – BDO Rewards surprises. And saves money. 

Believe it or not, over the years I have already bought about 3 bags on sale and a couple of blouses with just my accumulated points. Whether you are shopping or doing banking transactions, you just keep racking up points you can use for free shopping.

If there is one very clear memory in my mind associated with BDO Rewards, it had to do with my Mom. It is a precious memory because she already passed away last year in November. A few months before that, I think in celebration of Mother’s Day, I took her to Megamall. She was just accompanying me as I bought a few things I needed in the department store. Our plan was really just to have lunch and bond. But while there, I realized I had enough points accumulated. Because of BDO Rewards, I was able to give my Mom a nice new bag. FREE!

3 Tiers for BDO Rewards Cards

There are 3 different card types or tiers, depending on how many points you earn within a 2-year period.


Emerald: below 5,000 points
Sapphire: 5,000 to 9,999 points
Diamond: 10,000 points and above

The higher your tier, the more perks and privileges that go with the card.

Because I can earn reward points in many places I frequent, the BDO Rewards card never leaves my wallet. Reward points can be used to pay for purchases at any branch of the SM Store, SM Supermarket, SM Hypermarket as well as SM retail establishments such as Watsons, Toy Kingdom, Ace Hardware, Surplus Shop, SM Appliance Center and more.

If you’re already a BDO depositor, ask your branch for details on how to get the BDO Rewards card.

24/7 Banking Convenience with BPI

Posted on by jane

Online banking has really brought so much convenience to depositors these days.

I remember what it was like in the 80s. If you walked into a bank’s branch, the first thing you’d notice is that the area allocated to backroom operations was so much larger than the area for its depositors. Signature cards were contained in several, long metal file containers; deposit slips were filled out in duplicate or triplicate and different types of checks (on us, local, regional, out of town checks) would require different, color-coded deposit slips; and perhaps the biggest inconvenience was that you could only transact from Monday to Friday and oftentimes, only till 3:30 pm. Clearly, banking processes then were designed more for the banking institutions rather than for the depositing public.

Fast forward to today and we see all banks having some kind of online presence. But even then, not all banks are the same. More banks are better at bringing greater convenience to its depositors than others. In my personal experience, having banked with several banks over my lifetime, BPI’s 24/7 online banking channels are among the best, if not the best.

ATMs

Not many may know this but BPI was probably the first local commercial bank to introduce ATMs in the Philippines. I was then working in the Computer Audit Group of SGV and was a witness to this as I had a chance to look into BPI’s IT systems including ATMs (by saying this I am dating myself, haha). It was a challenge then. BPI not only had to ensure its ATM software and processes were airtight so that everything was balanced and accounted for daily but it also had the pioneering task of changing the mindsets of depositors who were quite reluctant to deal with a machine, especially when it came to dispensing money.

But look where we are today. ATMs are everywhere. And BPI’s ATMs can be found in any nook and cranny, within bank premises, in malls and even in some schools. An ATM’s 24-hour convenience has become part of the Pinoy’s daily life.

EXPRESS ONLINE BANKING

So far this is the one I use a lot. I never have to leave home because I can pay bills (immediate and scheduled), load my mobile phone (and that of my kids), check my investment and credit card accounts aside from my bank accounts, and even get a queue number before I go to the bank, all right from my laptop. Did you know that last one? It’s an option available inside BPI’s Express Online Banking website, right after you log in. Just identify which branch you’re heading for, choose date and time, and it gives you a queue number! This, to me, is a killer feature of BPI’s online banking as it saves me so much time.

Look for this button inside your BPI Express Online account
Screenshot of appointment page of BPI Express Assist Online

BPI Express Mobile App

The latest addition to BPI’s 24/7 banking channels is the BPI Express Mobile App for iOS and Android.

This is really a convenient alternative when I cannot go online on my laptop. On-the-road checking of my balances, being able to pay bills on the fly and even loading up our mobile phones is so easy. In fact, the mobile app allows you to transfer funds to any 3rd party account (as long as you have activated this feature) — something you can’t even do yet via the Expressonline account on the web.

Like me, you can enjoy the painless convenience of BPI’s 24/7 online banking channels. In these times of busyness and traffic, being able to do all these banking transactions from wherever you are truly cuts time, effort and cost for BPI depositors.

BPI Expressonline homepage: www.bpiexpressonline.com