Tanduay’s Rum Fest Joins the Roster of Major Festivals in Bacolod

Held from Aug. 17 to 24, the week-long event is the first of its kind in the country. Known as the Tanduay Rum Festival, the event paid homage to the humble sugarcane as well as celebrated the Filipinos’ skill in the visual arts, culinary arts, mixology, dance, and music. For eight days, Bacolodnons participated in the Barrel Art Painting contest, basketball court painting, Culinaria and Mixology competitions, 5K Rum Run, float parade, street dance contest, and a concert headlined by iconic rock band Sandwich.

The City of Smiles headed by Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia now has six major festivals in its annual roster with the recent inclusion of the Rum Festival sponsored by Tanduay. This makes Bacolod the city with the most number of major festivals in the Philippines.

“Fortunately for us, Tanduay really invested into this. It made the Rum Festival a reality and a big success, judging from its initial staging. It started with a big bang, and this big bang would resonate for sure in the years to come. For our other festivals, it was a case of holding the festival first, testing it, then later on legitimizing it through the legislative process,” Mayor Leonardia said. “This one (Rum Festival) was an ordinance before it became a festival. I consider myself an accidental politician. It all started when I got involved with the Masskara Festival. I was the one who drafted the constitution and by-laws of the Masskara Foundation. When I received invitations to run, I decided to join, run like it was another student council election. Even if you don’t have much money, if the people want you, you could become mayor. When you’re in tourism, you have to be people-oriented. You also go to a lot of places, your horizons get widened, your views become broader, and you get insights. You learn to think of the total development of the community and society. If you think about it and look back, we should be asking ourselves why we haven’t done this earlier. When you talk of rum, you talk about it being a derivative of sugar, and Bacolod is a city that has developed and prospered because of the sugar industry. It made us so rich, and it has also made us poor. It had its ups and downs. The Bacolodnons are the kind of people who are basically happy. We enjoy life. We know how to celebrate. We know how to spend our money. It’s a natural habitat for festivals, and this is the right place to hold the Rum Festival.” ~Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia , Bacolod City Mayor

Mayor Leonardia was president of the Student Council when he was studying Law at the University of Negros Occidental. he had specifically included a provision that said the chairman of the Masskara Foundation should not hold an elective position. Later on, Mayor Leonardia would come to the realization that the kind of involvement he had with the Masskara Festival was something that he was inclined to do.

The Rum Festival was staged after an ordinance was passed declaring the third week of August as the date for holding the Rum Festival. In the ordinance, its author, former City Councilor Em Legaspi-Ang cited how Bacolod has been dubbed as the “Sugar Capital of the Philippines” and is the “home of the world’s largest selling rum.”

The Rum Festival joins Bacolod’s major festivals that include the Masskara Festival in October, the Bacolaodiat in January, Diwali in November, Chicken Inasal in May, and Halandumon in June.

Hosting festivals is not something new for Mayor Leonardia, who has been involved with the ini-tial staging of the Masskara Festival—Bacolod’s most popular cultural celebration. He used to head the Masskara Foundation, and he has also worked for the Department of Tourism before running for public office after the EDSA Revolution.

When he finally threw his hat into the political arena, he emerged as the number one councilor in his first try. He received a record number of votes, even more than those of the mayor or vice mayor during that time.

In the next election, he won again, this time as vice mayor. When he finally decided to run for mayor, he successfully toppled the ruling dynasty in his city. Heading the dynamic city of Bacolod, Mayor Leonardia cited his experience working in the Tour-ism Department as a factor in helping him deal with people and visitors.

In staging the first Rum Festival in the country, Mayor Leonardia it’s only fitting that it should be held in Bacolod.

Mayor Leonardia likewise pointed out that Bacolod is a good place to hold festivals because of its people.

Tanduay Now Available in Singapore, Partners with Octopus Distribution

Present during the rooftop launch in Singapore were (from left) Mr. Paul Lim, SVP for Marketing, Tanduay Distillers Inc.; Mr. Marc Ngo, Senior Brand Manager, Tanduay Distillers Inc.; Mr. Daniel Schwalb, Chief Commercial Officer, Octopus Group; Ms. Dato Elaine-Teh, Executive Chairman, Octopus Group; Mr. Lucio K. Tan Jr., President and COO, Tanduay Distillers Inc.; Mr. Matthew Ruscoe, Managing Director, Octopus Group; Ms. Karlu Tan-Say, Director of Eton Properties; Ms. Jane Ong , AVP for Exports, Tanduay Distillers Inc.; and Mr. Roy Sumang, Asst. Manager for Business Development, Tanduay Distillers Inc.

To celebrate the deal, it held a rooftop launch at the Octopus Building in Ubi Road 3 in the Lion City. With the theme "Tanduay Sunset Party", the event was attended by Tanduay President Lucio K. Tan, Jr., the executives, and staff of the Octopus Group, F&B directors, restaurant owners, bar managers, and members of the media. Tanduay's resident mixologist, Dondz Bolante, served high-end cocktails such as the Guava-Basil Mint, Tanduay Negroni, Manila Mule, and Basil Mojito.

After the party, the Octopus Group held a trade launch at El Mesa in Clarke Quay. Attendees enjoyed free-flowing mojitos, Dondz special macadamia sour as well as Lechon while being entertained by El Mesa's in-house bands.

“Partnering with the Octopus Group is part of our effort to bring Tanduay to the global market. We are glad to finally make our products available to our kababayans in Singapore and at the same time introduce them to the Singaporeans.” ~Tanduay President and COO Lucio K. Tan, Jr

Mr. Lucio K. Tan Jr., President, and COO, Tanduay Distillers Inc.

Tanduay Distillers, Inc. recently entered into a partnership with Octopus Distribution Networks, the leading distributor for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in Singapore, to further its international expansion plan.

Tanduay increased its market share abroad by expanding its distribution networks. It is currently available in the USA, Germany, China, UAE, Guam, and Australia.

In 2017, it further amplified its marketing initiatives. From that year, it experienced a two-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 86.25% in its export business.

Tanduay’s international marketing initiatives include creating a presence in both sports and entertainment. It has a partnership with the Golden State Warriors, making it the first Philippine brand to sponsor an NBA team. It has naming rights to the Tanduay Club in the Oracle Arena, and Tanduay Rum can be found at retailers in the Golden State Warriors’ blue and gold “Strength in Numbers” collectible boxes in California.

Tanduay is also the official rum of the Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Nets. It has been a Presenting Sponsor of the 40/40 CLUB and an Associate Sponsor of the arena's Brooklyn Show platform.

Tanduay has also previously sponsored and will continue to sponsor the Emmy Awards this year.

Declared the World’s Number One Rum by Drinks International for two consecutive years, Tanduay has received numerous awards from international bodies, the most recent of which were from the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC).

Healthy Digestion To keep your digestive system running smoothly

The brain and your digestive tract are in constant communication with one another. An incredible amount of information travels between your gut and your brain – so much so, that the nervous system that resides in your digestive tract is often called the body’s “second brain”.   This system alerts the “first brain” if you’ve eaten something you shouldn’t have, and also keeps tabs on your hunger level and your mood.

Your digestive system has a huge job - it breaks down the foods that you eat in order to make nutrients and energy available to the body, and it is responsible for steering unwanted waste out of the body, too.  On top of that, your digestive tract is a key player in immunity – the cells lining your digestive tract help protect your body against bacterial and viral invaders that could make you sick. If more people really thought about how much their digestive systems do for them every day, they might be more inclined to take better care of their digestive health.

Many people abuse their digestive system – by filling it with highly processed foods, or eating too much, or eating too fast – and pay little attention to it until something goes wrong.

Key Components to Digestive Health

In the most general sense, what you eat and the way you live your life influences the health of your digestive system.  A nutrient-rich, balanced diet helps to nourish all of your body’s cells, including those in your digestive tract.  Fiber, fluids and regular exercise all help to keep you regular, and taking care of your “second brain” by keeping your stress levels in check can also help to promote digestive health.

Fiber and Fluids Support Digestive Health

Perhaps one of the most important dietary components for digestive health is adequate dietary fiber.

Most people think of fiber as the substance that helps to keep the digestive process moving.  And certain fibers do just that.  But not all fibers function exactly the same way, which is why we often talk about two types of fiber – insoluble and soluble fiber – both of which contribute to digestive health, but in different ways.

Insoluble fiber – sometimes called “roughage” - isn’t broken down by the body but it absorbs water, which adds bulk. This type of fiber - found in vegetables, bran and most whole grains - helps to speed the passage of waste through your digestive system, which helps keep you regular.

Soluble fiber– found in foods like apples, oranges, oats, barley, and beans – thickens and swells up when it comes in contact with liquid.  So, when you eat these foods, they swell up in the watery environment of your stomach and help to fill you up.  But another important feature of soluble fiber is that it functions as a prebiotic – which means that it encourages the growth of the good bacteria in your digestive tract.

Your digestive system houses tens of trillions of microorganisms - made up of thousands of species – taken together, this bacterial colony is sometimes called the “gut microbiome”. 

These bacteria help your body extract nutrients from your food, they help with the production of certain vitamins, and they protect the health of the digestive tract by keeping out dangerous foreign invaders.  But this mini-ecosystem residing in your gut appears to do even more – there is evidence that your gut microbiome may also influence your body weight, memory, and mood, too.  So, it’s important to provide these bacteria with their preferred source of fuel – in the form of soluble fiber.

You can also introduce beneficial bacteria into your system directly – in the form of probiotics found in certain foods.  Fermented foods such as yogurt and kefir, pickles and sauerkraut, miso paste and olives are all-natural sources of beneficial bacteria.

Since soluble fibers dissolve in water – and insoluble fibers trap it – it should come as no surprise that adequate fluids are important in keeping your digestive system running smoothly. But you also need water to produce saliva and digestive juices, and to transport nutrients to your cells, so taking in adequate fluids every day is vitally important to your digestive health.

Exercise and Stress Reduction Support Digestive Health

Regular exercise also supports digestive health in a couple of ways.  As your muscles contract and your breath deepen during activity, the natural contractions of your intestinal muscles are stimulated, too, which helps to move food through your system.  Exercise is also a well-known stress reducer, so it can help reduce digestive upsets that can occur in response to negative emotions.

The connection between your brain and your “second brain” in your digestive tract is something you’ve probably experienced in the form of a “gut reaction”.  When stress or anxiety strikes, your brain sends a signal to your gut - and the next thing you know you’ve got a churning stomach.

The signals travel in the other direction, too – from gut to brain.  When something in your digestive system isn’t quite right, an alert is sent to your brain, often before you even notice anything is wrong.  Either way, this brain-gut connection suggests that keeping your digestive system in tip-top shape is vital to your sense of well-being.

The diet and lifestyle steps you take to keep yourself healthy are the same ones that promote digestive health, too. A diet that includes plenty of fiber from colorful fruits and vegetables and whole grains, adequate hydration, and regular exercise are all key factors.  And take time to enjoy your meals – you’ll be more relaxed, and less likely to overeat, too.

Herbalife Nutrition has more than 8,300 employees worldwide. To learn more, visit IAmHerbalife.com.

About Herbalife Nutrition:

Herbalife Nutrition is a global nutrition company whose purpose is to make the world healthier and happier. The Company has been on a mission for nutrition - changing people's lives with great nutrition products and programs - since 1980. Herbalife Nutrition offers high-quality, science-backed products, one-on-one coaching with a Herbalife Nutrition independent member, and a supportive community that inspires customers to embrace a healthier, more active lifestyle.

Herbalife Nutrition’s targeted nutrition, weight-management, energy and fitness and personal care products are available through its independent distributors in more than 90 countries.

Herbalife Nutrition supports the Herbalife Nutrition Foundation, a non-profit organization that assists community organizations focused on providing good nutrition. Herbalife Nutrition is also proud to sponsor more than 190 world-class athletes, teams, and events around the globe.

Joybean First Booth Open's at Greenbelt 3

Almost Filipinos have a saying that Milk tea is life but then again theres a new alternative drink that has an equally delicious and addictive but much healthier, introducing Joybean. Joybean reveals its own take on this popular drink by introducing a milk tea line exclusive to the Philippine market.

Joybean opens its first pop-up store in Greenbelt Makati City named it Joybean it is a new kind of joy by well-loved Singaporean a soy milk brand. This new concept offers a premium yet affordable guilt-free soy-based products with milk tea options to cater to our Filipinos love for the popular Asian drink.

Some of their recommended flavors are the Brown Sugar Soy Milk, Chocolate Joy Freeze, and Wintermelon Milk Tea. They taste just like your usual favorite drink but with more health benefits. The drinks are made of soybean milk which is plant-based and is a good source of protein so don't worry about compromising your diet. This makes it all vegan-friendly and do not contain any animal or animal by-products . Each drink comes with a sustainable straw made of bamboo, sugar cane and coffee to help the environment. The food packaging also eco-friendly and biodegradable. Joybean encourages its costumers to help Mother Earth one sip at a time. 

Aside from delightful drinks, Joybean comes with flavorful snacks match your choose drinks, delicious pancakes and mini rolls they also have pudding and bead curd on the menu which one can enjoy individually or as a group with friends and family. 

Joybean ensures these snacks contain no preservatives and no food coloring. They compliment well with our soy milk drinks plus they're easy to consume and especially for the millennials who are in full swing.

Joybean’s booth is located at Greenbelt 3 (across Seattle’s Best Coffee) and discovers the new joy in soy! The second pop-up store will soon open in SM Fairview later this year.

About Joybean

Joybean (Jollibean in Singapore) has been spreading joy with fresh and healthy soy products since 1995. Known in Singapore for bringing traditional drinks and snacks to convenient locations like shopping malls and MRT centers, Joybean aims to provide fresh, healthy, and premium quality soy-based drinks and snacks in a fuss-free and affordable advantage.

Mega Prime renews Marian Rivera as its ambassador and launches

Mega Prime announces the renewal of partnership and other exciting updates on Prime Mom Club, Mega Prime's online community that serves as a platform for moms to share insights, activities, and learnings about successful homemaking last September 24, at the Prime Ballroom, Prime Hotel, Sgt. Esguerra, Quezon City.

[L-R] Rams David, Marian Rivera's Manager; Marian Rivera, Mega Prime Ambassador; Michelle Tiu Lim Chan, Mega Global VP for Finance, Export and Support Group; Marvin Tiu Lim, VP of Sales and Marketing.

The rewards program together with the official contract signing of celebrity mom Marian Rivera-Dantes as she marked her third year as Mega Prime’s ambassador and as an honorary member of Prime Mom Club.

To treat moms who continuously strive to serve the best meals to their families, Mega Prime launched an exciting rewards program that makes it much easier and more rewarding for homemakers to provide healthy and great tasting meals for their family.

“Sobrang happy and excited ako to continue my partnership with Mega Prime. As a homemaker, full support ako sa mga quality and affordable products that they offer. And because of that, alam ko na nabibigay ko ang best mealtimes na deserve ng family ko. Through this rewards program, very confident ako na marami pang mommies ang ma-eencourage na sumali because it’s easy, fun and very helpful talaga. As an honorary member of the Prime Mom Club, inaabangan ko talaga yung mga bagong initiatives and activities nila na big help sa aming mga mommies. Dahil sa rewards program na ito, I’m sure masmarami pa kaming maututunan sa kitchen at mas mapapasarap pa ang mealtimes sa bahay. Very thankful ako kay Mega Prime dahil binibigyan nila ng pagkakatanon ang mga mommies na matutuo sa isa’t isa.” ~Marian Rivera-Dantes, Celebrity Mom

Mega Prime has been a steady ally of homemakers for its array of high-quality products that make cooking much easier with its easy-open canned vegetables such as Whole Mushrooms, Pieces and Stems Mushrooms, Whole Kernel Corn, Cream-style Corn, Green Peas, Garbanzos, and canned fruits and sweet preserves. Their newest products include the Mega Prime Choices such as Vermicelli Noodles, Oyster Sauce, and Sweet Chili Sauce.

To take part in the rewards program, interested parties should sign up as a member at primemomclub.com. The rewards program gives points to active members and those who purchase Prime products as well. Attendees who registered at the launch event instantly received 200 points.

“The Prime Mom Club was created by Mega Global to create a community of homemakers who love learning from one another. Through this community, members exchange tips and ideas on how to provide better meals and make parenting easier. Our new rewards program complements the activities of the club, by rewarding those who are loyal users of the Mega Prime brand.” ~Raymund Alegre, Senior Brand Manager of Mega Prime

To support homemakers in their kitchen adventures, the Prime Mom Club was set up in 2018 as a community that will empower moms with tips and delicious recipes using Mega Prime’s products, all made of premium ingredients that transform everyday dishes into memorable meals. In addition, the workshops also focus on the many aspects of homemaking and parenting. This online community has grown steadily and now includes more than 1,000 members who regularly participate in its activities.

Join the Mega Prime Mom Club and be treated to a wide range of privileges, including access to Mega Prime exclusive events featuring experts, member-exclusive newsletters, rewards, and special gift items and products from Mega Prime. Visit https://primemomclub.com/sign-up/ to sign up. For more information and updates, like and follow them on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM.

Super Expo creates buzz in Manila - SiGMA, ICE and AIBC - Three big shows in Manila, June 2020

Excitement for next year’s super expo for iGaming, land-based gambling, and blockchain reached new highs on Thursday in Manila, as SiGMA Group and Clarion held a press conference and networking event to officially launch the Manila 2020 show.

Almost 200 media and members of Manila’s business community attended the event to confirm the event, discuss the sector and network with others across these three business verticals. SiGMA Manila, ICE Asia and Manila AI & Blockchain Summit will take place on June 8th-9th 2020 at the SMX Convention Centre, as well as the adjacent Conrad Hotel, Manila.

The conference will address all the latest developments in land-based gaming, igaming, esports, digital games as well as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Internet of Things, Big Data, Quantum Technology and FinTech. 

For the very first time in history, the two verticals - new tech and gaming will meet in one city on the same dates, bringing the brightest minds and most successful entrepreneurs under one roof.

About iGaming Show in Manila

As a joint venture between SiGMA Group and Clarion Gaming, the gaming part of the event will cater to both the land-based gambling sector as well as the iGaming sector, with online suppliers, operators, affiliates, regulators and blockchain businesses all being housed under one roof at the SMX Convention Centre (situated in the heart of Manila as well as the adjacent Conrad conference venue).

Clarion Gaming are the organizers between the world’s largest gaming show, out of London, ICE Totally Gaming. SiGMA Group is responsible for the world’s second-largest gaming show, based out of Malta - SiGMA. With these two forces uniting and heading to Manila together, the organizers are expecting around 10,000 delegates from Europe and USA.

About Blockchain and AI Show in Manila

The organizers behind the world’s largest Blockchain and AI expo in Europe, AIBC Summit, will also be bringing their wealth of experience and contacts to Manila. Past editions have seen world-class speakers Akon (grammy-award winning artist and social impact leader), Winklevoss brothers, John McAfee, Sophia the World’s first robot citizen, Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, Tim Draper, Anthony Pompliano and many more.

The AIBC Summit in Manila is supported by CEZA and Vibe.ph.

 Why Show in Manila? Why Asia?

As Asia tempts leading brands from the global gambling sector to expand business opportunities in the region, it’s fast becoming clear that Asia is the new frontier for both land-based and iGaming industries.

Recent figures from Global Gaming Statistics 2019 reveal that jurisdictions all over Asia are  looking to capitalize on the global opportunities flourishing in the gaming sector. Given this trend, it’s crucial to foster dialogue between East and West, addressing considerations such as regulatory environments in different territories, payments processing methods, the integration of blockchain emerging technologies, and even bandwidth for mobile gaming.

It’s precisely these issues that next year’s show in Manila will address by bringing the biggest brands and jurisdictions in the sector together in one venue.

“We are impressed by the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit in South-East Asia, specifically in Manila and the Philippines. Which is why we believe that ICE, SiGMA and AIBC - Asia - should be held in Manila. I look forward to the first edition this coming June 2020 with excitement. The feedback from our previous attendees in Europe has been overwhelming.” ~Eman Pulis, Founder, and CEO of SiGMA

“The opportunities for growth in Asia are increasing exponentially year on year, and the time is right to cement new and existing relationships between the gambling industries in both East and West. To combine the expertise of Clarion courtesy of the world-famous ICE brand and SiGMA ensures both the land-based and iGaming sectors will find synergy in Manila in 2020. This is an exciting time as we extend the reach of the ICE brand following the launch of ICE Africa in 2018 and ICE North America in May 2019.” ~Kate Chambers, Managing Director for Clarion Gaming

On June 8-9th, 2020, all eyes will be on South-East Asia, in Manila for this gathering of top level delegates from all over the world.

The floor plan for Asia is already filling up fast. Detailed information about our Sponsorship and Exhibitor packages can be found on our site. If you have any questions, or wish to speak to someone about opportunities, please contact Eman eman@sigma.com.mt or Jean at jean@sigma.com.mt.

Visit www.sigma.ph or www.ice-asia.com for further details about the Gaming conference in Manila

Visit www.aibcsummit.com for further details about the Blockchain & AI conference in Manila.

Watch - SiGMA 2018 in Europe

Watch - AIBC Summit Europe Documentary 

13th Grand Barista Cup 2019 is from Magnum Opus

JC Landicho of Magnum Opus hailed the Grand Winner of the 13th Grand Barista Cup 2019  from Chapter Coffee Roastery and Café who just won:

• FRANKE Fully Automatic espresso machine worth 100K
• EXPOBAR Barista Kit worth 15K
• Coffee Class at UCC Academy Philippines
• Championship Trophy
• MILKLAB Apron, T-shirt, Jug and 1case of Milklab Dairy
• Plus more gift items from sponsors

Gathered around the best of the best Baristas from various coffee shops, restaurants, schools, and hotels to compete for the coveted title of becoming the 13th Philippine Grand Barista Champion. During the competition proper for the 13th Philippine Grand Barista Cup, each of the 6 finalists prepared the following beverages:

• Espresso
• Cappuccino
• and their own six beverages

After the exceptional showcase of skills by the 6 finalists, here are the 1st and 2nd runners up:

1st Runner up - John Richard Co of Chapter Coffee Roastery and Café

PRIZES:

• EXPOBAR Barista Kit worth 15K
• Coffee Class at UCC Academy Philippines
• Plaque
• MILKLAB Apron, T-shirt and 1case of Milklab Dairy
• Plus more gift items from sponsors

2nd Runner up - Karl Zouriel Lat, an independent competitor from Makati

PRIZES:

• EXPOBAR Barista Kit worth 15K
• Coffee Class at UCC Academy Philippines
• Plaque
• MILKLAB - Apron, T-shirt, and 1case of Milklab Dairy
• Plus more gift items from sponsors

The 13th Philippine Grand Barista Cup this year was judged by International Panelists like:

• Marco Poidemani (2019 Italian Barista Competition)
• Fabian Fredriksson (Marketing Manager of Crem, APAC)
• Tristan Destura (1883 Maison ROUTIN Brand Ambassador)
• Fernando Menendez (Franke  Coffee Systems Asia Sales Director)

The 13th PGBC was also made possible by the following sponsors: Exposer Espresso Machine, Mahlkonig Grinder, Franke Coffee System, Moan Italian Coffee, Allegro Gourmet Syrup, Milk Lab, UCC Philippines, UCC Coffee Academy, BDO, Lotus Bischoff and Far Eastern University.

The 13th Philippine Grand Barista Cup 2019, headed by Allegro Beverage Corporation, became a huge success as baristas and coffee connoisseurs from different parts of the country gather last September 13 to witness a one of a kind coffee making competition. 

See you next year for the

14th Philippine Grand Barista Cup 2020

Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards to celebrate 9.9 Shopee Super Shopping Day!

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, welcomes 9.9 Super Shopping Day with celebrities Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards. The blockbuster duo will appear in a number of activations on September 9, including a Shopee livestream at 6PM and Shopee Quiz at 8PM.

During Shopee Live, users can watch Kathryn and Alden take part in challenges including the Shopee Whisper Challenge and Shopee Fast Talk. In addition, viewers can stand a chance to win exciting prizes including an iPhone XS Max, Samsung Galaxy S10e, and more. There will also be discount vouchers worth up to ₱999 to be given away. 

“We’re thrilled to have Kathryn and Alden be a part of our 9.9 Super Shopping Day celebration. Fans can now relive their ‘kilig’ as they watch Kathryn and Alden reunited once more through the livestream. This is another way for us to entertain our users and connect them closer to their favorite celebrities. We are looking forward to a great turnout in this year’s shopping event and we invite everyone to watch them on Shopee Live.” ~Ruoshan Tao, Head of Marketing at Shopee Philippines

9.9 Super Shopping Day will offer a full day of live entertainment, including a 7-hour non-stop livestream from 12PM till 7PM. Viewers can look forward to non-stop games, hourly giveaways including 9 premium phones, and new vouchers given out every 30 minutes.

Shopee’s biggest shopping event for the region will culminate on September 9 featuring exciting promotions such as:

● All Day Sitewide Free Shipping ₱0 minimum spend: Users can avail free shipping with no minimum spend for 9.9 Super Shopping Day.

● 24 rounds of Flash Deals: Users can score items across all categories for as low as ₱9.

● 100% cashback vouchers and discount vouchers: Users should stay tuned as Shopee gives away tons of vouchers for a limited time only.

● Shopee’s ₱1 Game: Users can take home a brand-new Apple iPhone XS Max, Vivo X21, and ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M2 for only ₱1.

● Discounts up to 90% off from top brands: P&G Olay, Maybelline, Anker, Vivo, Pampers, and more will be giving Shopee users exclusive discounts.

Find out more about 9.9 Super Shopping Day at https://shopee.ph/99.

Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

About Shopee

Shopee is the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. It is a platform tailored for the region, providing customers with an easy, secure and fast online shopping experience through strong payment and logistical support. Shopee aims to continually enhance its platform and become the region’s e-commerce destination of choice.

Shopee has a wide selection of product categories ranging from consumer electronics to home & living, health & beauty, baby & toys, fashion and fitness equipment.

Shopee, a Sea company, was first launched in Singapore in 2015, and has since expanded its reach to Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. Sea is a leader in digital entertainment, e-commerce and digital financial services across Southeast Asia. Sea's mission is to better the lives of consumers and small businesses with technology, and is listed on the NYSE under the symbol SE.

PH & China, An Exchange of Art and Culture

Deng Jun, Country Head of Bank of China Manila (first from left), Celeste Diokno, Managing  Director of Bank of China Manila (first from right),  and Tina Colayco, President of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila (second from right), flank Filipino artists (from L-R) Rico Lascano, Phyllis Zaballero, Norberto Carating, and Manuel Baldemor. Together with Jonahmar Salvosa (not in photo), they will be participating in an upcoming culture and art exchange program that seeks to generate awareness for environmental harmony.

Bank of China Manila extends its efforts to bridging people. "Our two countries have been friends for a long time. We share many similarities, but we also share many differences. Through this exchange of cultures, we hope to enhance the understanding between the peoples of Philippines and China," said Mr. Deng Jun, Country Head of Bank of China Manila. 

Since 2002, Bank of China Manila has been working towards boosting bilateral cooperation in the economic, financial, and trade fields between China and the Philippines. From efforts like the SME Cross-Border Trade and Investment conference, where Filipino businesses were matched with Chinese investors, to the facilitation of two panda bond issuances, the bank has been steadfast in pursuing its mission of bridging the Philippine and Chinese markets. 

In partnership with the Metropolitan Museum of Manila (MET), the Chinese Culture and Art Association, and China Daily Mail, Bank of China is launching an international arts and cultural exchange program between China and the Philippines. The project brings together five Filipino artists and five Chinese artists to participate in a brief residency in historically and culturally significant locations that will juxtapose similarities and nuances of people, place, and nature. It will culminate in two group exhibitions in both countries with corresponding public programs. 

Tina Colayco, President of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila and Mr. Deng Jun, Country Head of Bank of China Manila

A shared advocacy

In its aim to bridge cultures, Bank of China is endeavoring to unpack and highlight the similarities between the Philippines and China. For both countries, rapid growth has at times led observers to disregard the negative impact of economic activity on the environment. But environmental protection has now become a common goal for both nations to preserve their vast natural resources. 

It is this kinship with the living environment that inspired the theme for the cultural exchange. Dubbed “In Harmony with Nature”, the program seeks to present the issue of climate change and mankind’s stewardship of the natural environment, from an artist's perspective. 

  

This kind of advocacy is something Bank of China is no stranger to. "We care deeply about the environment, and that extends to our business as well. We implement a strict Green Financing policy where we only finance projects that do not damage the environment," said Mr. Deng. 

An exchange of art and culture

For this project, ten renowned Filipino and Chinese artists have been chosen for the caliber of their work, the strength of their practice, and potential synergy with their counterparts. They are some of the most distinguished in their respective countries, and are able to convey complex non-art concepts through their artistic lenses. 

  

First, the participants will undergo a brief residency in Palawan before returning to Manila to exhibit their work at the MET. This initial leg will be punctuated with a collaborative/interactive painting that will be held during the exhibit’s opening day. After the art exhibition in the Philippines, a counterpart art exhibition will be held in China. It will then be the Filipino artists’ turn to visit China for a similar residency and collaborative painting activity. 

  

The participating artists from the Philippines are Manuel Baldemor, Rico Lascano, Phyllis Zaballero, Norberto Carating, and Jonahmar Salvosa. Their Chinese counterparts are Kuku Chai Bukuk, Cai Zhixin, Ding Jie, Hao Ping, and Liu She.