Season of self-love: Simple joys to spice up your weekend
MANILA, Philippines — People in a relationship are not the only ones who have all the fun come February. Just a day after Valentine's Day, Singles Awareness Day has become known as an "unofficial holiday celebrated by single people," said the website of the National Singles Day US organization.
So, whether single or taken, here is a listing of things that you can do and have for yourself to further add to your "self-care" mantra, which is needed now more than ever with lockdowns in place. Enjoy and take a break from heartbreak — you deserve it!
Love your own
E-commerce platform Shopee launches Tatak Pinoy, a virtual trade fair geared towards supporting homegrown Filipino brands and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Amid the COVID-19 lockdown, which forced hundreds of Filipino businesses to close physical shops, the platform claimed to have supported over 1,000 sellers transitioning online through its Seller Masterclasses and its partnerships with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and local government units.
The initiatives helped Filipino entrepreneurs gain a basic understanding of e-commerce and digital marketing. Sellers were also able to master the app’s marketing tools, helping them achieve their maximum potential in e-commerce.
To further strengthen support for local entrepreneurs, e-commerce site and DTI launch the very first Tatak Pinoy Virtual Trade Fair, a campaign that aims to promote products from Filipino brands and local MSMEs. From February 19 to 21, shoppers can discover local delicacies and pasalubong items, particularly those from Regions XII and IV-A, on the e-commerce site.
They can also buy products from Filipina-owned businesses, championed by USAID’s partnership to empower local female entrepreneurs.
In its statement, DTI’s Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion announced, "The Department of Trade and Industry - Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion is proud to be a partner for Tatak Pinoy. This initiative will connect thousands of consumers to more than a hundred MSMEs on one platform. We invite Filipinos from all over the country to patronize and take pride in products that are certified Tatak Pinoy from the National Trade Fair Pop-up Store and Go Lokal!”
Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “We strongly believe in the importance of uplifting homegrown entrepreneurs. From microbusinesses to SMEs, these local brands all contribute to the Philippine economy’s growth as a whole. Considering that most local businesses still can’t promote their products outside of online platforms due to the pandemic, (our site) also wants to create the opportunity to showcase the best Filipino brands. We will continue to spearhead campaigns that help reignite pride and demand for local products and drive the growth of the economy.”
Apart from discovering high-quality local craftsmanship and assisting local businesses in the process, shoppers can enjoy exclusive discounts up to 10% off on participating Filipino brands such as Colourette, Vice Cosmetics and Human Nature. Shoppers can also enjoy more deals when they checkout using ShopeePay.
Nominate your distance learning heroes
To highlight and recognize the outstanding efforts and resilience of higher education institutions (HEIs) throughout the challenges of the current times, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Rex Education collaborate to launch the very first Gawad Edukampyon Awards.
This inaugural award is an effort to celebrate the outstanding achievements and innovations by HEIs in the fields of Teaching and Learning, Research and Public Service and Community Engagement. With the challenges presented by the new normal upon us, Gawad Edukampyon aims to create an arena where different universities, colleges, teacher-training schools and professional schools can share their experiences and best practices as we create, refine, and implement innovative programs that could lead to a “better” normal for education.
Rex Education’s advocacy and core philosophy, Edukampyon, is about empowering the whole community where all of us are duty bearers who have an obligation to recognize, respect, protect, and fulfill the right of every learner to good, quality education. This advocacy has been the guiding principle of the company throughout the years, dedicated to grooming a Filipino whole learners who is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, challenged and values-oriented.
“With Gawad Edukampyon, we hope to celebrate the adaptiveness, innovativeness, and resilience of every higher learning institution, who have been our heroes of education, especially during the most difficult times. We also want to honor the dedication and cooperation of every person, every community, every school, and every organization, moving together for a single cause. We saw different heroes of education rise as we try to put together the winning formula that can create a ‘better normal’ for our learners. We want to spread these stories of hope, through this program, to inspire all,” said Don Timothy Buhain, Rex Education Chief Executive Officer, during the launch.
Gawad Edukampyon is also tied to CHED’s own Bayanihan efforts, which aims to help and guide students, teachers, learning institutions and the whole education sector to discover solutions that would help us win in the new normal.
This year, finalists and winners will be selected through a very rigorous screening process and will be featured at the Philippine Flexible Learning summit on October 5 to 7 in observance of World Teacher’s Day. The narratives of the winners will also be featured in the book Padayon, which will be published by Rex Education, and will be uploaded in the Philippines CHED Connect Open Education Resource Hub. Stay tuned for further announcements at the company and CHED's Facebook pages to know more about how HEIs can submit their entries.
New app for your beauty needs
Among the most important tenet of self-care is feeling good about yourself. Taking special care of your looks is not only due to vanity but it reflects how you see yourself. But with the lockdown and strict health protocol still in place, you can really hop from your usual beauty and wellness routines. Thankfully, there's a new app that promises to take care of all of your beauty and wellness needs.
Zoi Lifestyle app lets you book appointments with salons, spas, skincare clinics and the like. Through its online booking service, it aims to help businesses in the beauty and wellness industry by providing them with a platform to reach clients, while at the same time allowing them to manage the flow of clients. Payments are also done through the app, which makes contactless payment possible.
Using Zoi is quite easy and convenient. Through the app, you will be notified that your booking has been accepted or rejected. Once accepted, you can visit the salon or clinic on your chosen date and time to have your service.
As of today, the app has partnered with Cut by Encarnacion, Danna's Beauty Salon and Spa, Skinnovate Skin Care, Salon De Laurel, Royal Aesthetics, Lush and Luxe Nail Lounge and Dr. Claudine Ramos Dermatology.
“Because of the pandemic, many Filipinos, including myself, had no choice but to book appointments to get a haircut, a facial, or other services. However, many establishments in the beauty and wellness industry are not able to respond to customer queries. This is how we conceived the app, which has made it far easier and much more convenient for clients to book their haircuts and other beauty and wellness needs, all by using this app,” said Patrick Victoria, Founder.
Beauty and wellness providers will have an additional platform to reach clients and increase their digital presence as they slowly return to their normal operations and adapt to impacts of the pandemic.
“Our plan is to onboard more partners to enlist their businesses in the app so that people can have access to all their beauty and wellness needs at their fingertips. Currently, we have partners from all over Metro Manila but in the future, we plan to expand to other major cities in the Philippines like Cebu and Davao as well,” added Victoria.
The app is available for download at the Google Play Store.
Opthalmologist-tested 24-hour eyeliner
Haven't we been discussing about self-care involving looking your best? Looking your best could involve trying to maintain the look at its best. But sometimes, there are days when your look erases over time. This is true with eyeliners. Ladies, you know this problem all too well.
Well, you never have to worry about eyeliner smudging, cracking and melting with the help of the new L'Oreal Paris Matte Signature Eyeliner. Owning your signature look is made simple with its precise tip and easy grip holder. The sharp brush tip and liquid dip feature helps you control application as you play up and define your look.
This liner features 24-hour matte color in both black and brown shades. You can spend an entire day running errands and this liner still sticks thanks to its water-proof, smudge-proof and transfer-resistant formula. It is also opthalmologist-tested so those with sensitive eyes can feel safe using this liner.
Lift your mood with scents
No matter how you express your love – whether modern or traditional – you got yourself covered with scents from Sweet Honesty by Avon. Leading direct-selling brand Avon Philippines welcomes actress Gabbi Garcia as its new brand ambassador for Sweet Honesty perfumes.
Along with her real-life beau Khalil Ramos, the duo starred in their first commercial together for this year as the perfumes introduced a revamped, more modern look but still retained their timeless scents for anyone to enjoy. The scents collection includes Classic, Moments, and Forever, which come at a promo price of P299 this Love Month via the brand’s representatives or Avonshop.ph.
Observe Oral Health Month with essential-oil-charged mouthwash
The pandemic has heightened people’s need to look after their health more and as a result, make them more conscious on being active, what food they eat, and what products they use on their body, just to name a few.
But while other aspects of health are being prioritized, oral health is often overlooked or forgotten because there is also a lack of information among the Filipinos. Though, the reality is that oral health should also be prioritized as it affects our overall health.
According to the Department of Health, oral disease is recognized to be a serious public health problem in the Philippines as it was also found in their National Monitoring and Evaluation Dental Survey from last 2011, that more than seven out of 10 Filipinos have never even been to a dentist. So, this Oral Health Month, it’s high time that we talk about our mouths again and educate Filipinos on proper oral care because brushing alone misses millions of germs in your mouth which is the main cause of several oral health problems.
“Our Listerine Bibig Time campaign is back and bigger than ever for its third year as we aim to bring back the conversation to our bibigs! With the goal to educate Filipinos more about the state of their oral health, we also want to encourage them to also upgrade their bibig routines for an overall healthier body, especially in the time of a global pandemic. Mouthwash goes beyond than just giving fresh breath. It is a proven oral care essential used daily as it gives total mouth defense that brushing can't give,” shared Brand Manager Fitz Domingo.
Brushing only kills 25% of germs in the mouth. The Philippine Dental Association advocates for proper oral hygiene by practicing brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash twice daily. After brushing and flossing, rinse with Listerine Total Care mouthwash for 30 seconds. By using Total Care mouthwash daily, you can reportedly achieve overall better mouth health because brushing is not enough and the mouth wash can go to places where brushing can’t, killing 99.9% of germs.
Enriched with four essential oils, Total Care claims to protect with six-in-one benefits: achieve a germ-free mouth, less plaque, healthy white teeth, strong teeth, fresh breath and healthy gums, when used twice daily.
New dark chocolate variant
Don't we all agree that we tend to hoard some chocolates just for ourselves? That you can't stop popping one piece after another. That's the case for Nips, especially with its Dark Chocolate variety.
It's good to share, especially with that special someone but if you don't have one, it's still well and good. At least you have it all for yourself.
Who could resist this childhood favorite chocolate with its right balance of bitter from its dark chocolate center and sweetness from its candy coating? This treat is now available at supermarkets and groceries.
Cookies to get you into e-learning mood
Posted by Janeena Chan on Monday, November 30, 2020
With often repetitive everyday routines, it can be hard to keep focus and constantly productive.
Get into the grind for online learning sessions and busy work days with the new think and creamy, chocolate-filled Choco Mucho Cookies, the cookie variant of the popular chocolate bar brand.
Munchies with immunity-boosting benefits
With the change of times and transition to online schooling and stay-at-home play, our kids’ physical and mental wellbeing remains a priority.
As a snack option, Frootees cookies are jam-filled biscuits fortified with Vitamin C and Zinc to help give kids and kids-at-heart a stronger immunity against sickness. Enjoy these new delights while watching The Frooteam Series on YouTube.
Milk tea candy
Milk tea is an accessible drink that you can drink while taking a casual stroll, during a commute; even while working or studying! Plus, you don’t have to wait for it to cool down before diving in. Apart from being a refreshing pearly favorite, milk tea’s sweetness can hit the spot when cravings come at any time of the day.
For those craving time, X.O. Candy now offers its new milk tea variant. The X.O. Milk Tea Candy has a smooth blend of wintermelon tea and sweet cream that aims to satisfy cravings anytime, anywhere. For just one peso, you can get your milk tea fix. It is now available at supermarkets, grocery stores, as well as Universal Robina Corporation's official store on Lazada and Shopee.
24/7 Pinoy food
With everyone encouraged to stay at home as much as possible this year, Pinoy love for heartwarming, delicious and homey food has intensified.
Many have taken to cooking. But sometimes, the mood for something fast and good strikes. Of course, being the connoisseurs that we are, we don’t want to settle. True-blue Pinoys want to eat scrumptious food, whether at the office or in their own homes. For moments like this, nothing beats traditional “tatak-Pinoy” grub.
“I love to cook. But sometimes, I can’t be bothered to do anything in the kitchen, especially since I live alone,” shared Ray, a Digital Marketing Creative for a medium-sized business in the metro. “I’ve been put in a work-from-home set-up since March and, ironically, I find it more tiring sometimes because the line between your work and your personal life blurs. When I feel like that, I just usually get food delivered.”
“Definitely Filipino food,” Grace, a virtual assistant, answers when asked about the type of food she usually gets. “I’m not new to food delivery. I’ve been ordering in even before the pandemic and all because I barely have time to cook or eat out. I love it because you can try different cuisines without leaving your home. But when I feel like I want something special but familiar, I definitely go for Pinoy food.”
For over 30 years, homegrown food chain store GoodAh!!! has aimed to provide Filipinos with hearty meals through delivery this year. The food chain serves classic Pinoy food such as silog varieties, barbecues and local viands like Sinigang and Bistek. The Lugaw and Noodles menu features Goto, Arroz Caldo and Mami.
Available via GrabFood and FoodPanda and branches in Sucat, Bicutan, Timog and Granada, the delivery service is also ideal for families quarantining together because of their for sharing menu which includes classics like Kare Kare, Crispy Pata, Herb Chicken and the like. People who want to enjoy a Pinoy-style family feast can easily complete their weekend spread by having them delivered.
In addition to the seamless ordering and delivery experience that it offers, the food chain also strictly follows safety protocols for their food preparation. It will also be releasing a new menu soon to offer more choices to their customers.
"The food we serve exudes how Filipinos prepare food with passion,” shared Chef Marq Martinez. “It is Filipino comfort food at home, at any time of the day, without having to turn on the stove.”
Ring in a bountiful year
The Empress Dining Palace rings in a bountiful Year of the Metal Ox on an auspicious note by honoring Chinese New Year traditions and putting sumptuous, celebratory dishes at the forefront.
The feast at The Empress abounds with celebratory dishes like Treasure Pot or “Poon Choi” - a communal dish featuring prime ingredients like abalone, sea cucumber, roast duck, pork knuckles, prawns, a variety of mushrooms and more - and the beloved glutinous rice cake Nian Gao or Tikoy.
Welcome the Year of the Metal Ox with friends and family and experience authentic Chinese dining at the restaurant located at 7th Avenue, Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
