by Penny Angeles-Tan | Oct 13, 2016 | Stories
Ipanema, Brazil’s fun, chic and colorful brand of sandals and flip flops, has opened its latest outlet at SM City in Sta. Rosa, Laguna as part of its expansionary thrust in time for the holidays. The new store is one of the new outlets that the company is eyeing to open this year in time for the holiday season.
With the opening of this latest branch, residents within the area can conveniently shop for the latest Ipanema footwear, especially for gift giving this Christmas. The new store carries the latest Ipanema styles and collections, each one inspired by the spectacular coastal neighborhood of Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Cecille Loretizo, ELRO Sales and Marketing Head
“Our expansion in this part of the South couldn’t have come at a more opportune time as the holiday season is just around the corner,” explains Cecille Loretizo, Head of Marketing, ELRO Retail Corp.
“This new store which carries Ipanema sandals exclusively, boasts of a wider selection of the latest footwear from this iconic Brazilian brand.”
Aside from the newly opened Ipanema outlet at SM City Sta. Rosa, Ipanema store is set to open in SM City Dasmarinas and more stores on the upcoming months, signs of ELRO’s strong outlook in the market as it aims to further grow its retail footprint in the country.
The new Ipanema store is located at Level 1, SM City Sta Rosa. Ipanema stores are also located at:
- Ayala Abreeza Davao
- Ayala Centrio Cagayan de Oro
- Bacolod
- Cabanatuan
- Cauayan-Isabela
- Clark-Angeles
- Gensan
- Iloilo
- North Edsa
- Pampanga
- Roasales
- Robinsons Place, Antipolo
- SM City Lucena
- SM Lanang Premier in Davao
- SM Seaside Cebu
For more information you can follow Ipanema Philippines on their social media accounts:
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Oct 9, 2016 | Food & Beverage
Torn between two classic Taco Bell favorites? No need to choose as Taco Bell rolls out its newest item on its menu – the Quesarito.
What is a Quesarito?
The Quesarito, as the name suggests, is a mash-up between cheesy gooey quesadilla and beefy meaty burrito.
Imagine a Quesadilla made with Taco Bell’s signature three cheese blend and nacho cheese sauce wrapped around a burrito filled with seasoned beef, Mexican rice, cool sour cream and creamy jalapeno sauce. Its two delicious flavors coming together to create something truly extraordinary!
Taco Bell’s Quesarito meal. Beverage not in photo because I was drinking it at the time. 😀
Have I tried it?
I had the opportunity to try the Quesarito meal for myself when I went to Taco Bell at the Ground Floor of Gateway Mall in Cubao. I usually like to drop by there on my way home from work for a quick bite and I was checking to see if there was anything new.
As I perused the menu I noticed they had a new product out so I decided to give it a shot. I love quesadillas and I love burritos so I thought to myself … “I eat rice topped with Cheez Whiz sometimes so this must be similar.”
And to some extent it is! What makes it different? Why everything that makes a burrito and a quesadilla different from plain old rice and cheese, of course! All the filling. 🙂 Add to that the side order of chips and a drink just complete the meal perfectly.
If you don’t say anything they will automatically give you the barbeque flavored chips for your side order. I tried it the first time and didn’t like it. Not because it wasn’t good but because I found the combination of cheesy Quesarito and barbeque chips too salty for my taste. When I asked for plain chips they willingly obliged me. 🙂
As for the beverage that accompanies it, you get to choose … soda or iced tea. I opted for RED iced tea (my favorite!)
Try the Quesarito for yourself!
Try the new Quesarito exclusively available for a limited time only at Taco Bell branches in:
- Gateway Mall (Ground floor and at the food court)
- TriNoma
- Alabang Town Center
Priced at P129 ala carte and P169 with nachos and a drink, this is a mash-up you wouldn’t want to miss.
For more updates, visit Taco Bell’s official website at www.tacobell.com.ph or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Oct 6, 2016 | Stories
Citi – the country’s largest foreign bank launches Voice Biometrics in the Philippines, the first bank to roll out this groundbreaking authentication across Asia.
Starting October, clients of Citi Philippines will no longer need to remember passwords, or personal identification numbers, or answer a series of questions to verify their identities. The country’s largest foreign bank is the first bank in Asia to introduce Voice Biometrics, which simply means your voice is now your password.
Voice biometrics – now a reality in Philippine banking
Citi Philippines CEO Aftad Ahmed and Consumer Banking Head Bea Tan announced to the media the introduction of this groundbreaking technology being introduced to the Philippines.
With this launch, Citi’s more than 1 million clients in the country can now enroll in Voice Biometrics and let their voices be the means for authentication of their phone banking transactions.
In the press briefing attended by representatives of traditional media and bloggers Citi’s voice biometrics system was explained and demonstrated in several ways to showcase the level of security voice biometrics can give Citi clients.
First we set up the voice authentication system for one of the audience volunteers. It was a painless experience which lasted only a few minutes.
Next we tried to have one of the female audience members pretend to be someone else and midway through the call the real Citi customer took the phone and continued the call. Here voice authentication was not enough. Given the circumstances the client will either have to do one of two things … hang up and call again or answer a series of 3 to 5 verification questions.
Lastly, we had an existing Citi customer who had already enrolled in voice authentication call the Citi call center.
Aftad Ahmed, Citi Philippines CEO
“We are proud of our strong track record in innovation, and we are delighted to once again take the lead in introducing a game changer in the banking industry,” said Ahmed.
“We are relentlessly focused on making it more convenient for our customers to bank with us. Voice Biometrics will deliver convenience and additional protection for their accounts.”
The voice biometrics authentication capability identifies customers through their voice print, which, similar to a fingerprint, is unique to each person. Citi clients can opt to enroll by recording their voices, which the bank will use to generate and store their voice prints for matching subsequent calls to Citibank. Each voice print will be uniquely tagged and cannot be reverse engineered once stored.
Once available, customers who call into the bank’s contact centers will have their identity automatically verified within 15 seconds or less as they explain their reason for calling. This is a reduction from an average time of around 45 seconds currently or 66% less time spent verifying their details currently.
Bea Tan, Citi Philippines Consumer Banking Head
“Voice biometrics is a great example of how we at Citi listen to our clients and leverage technology to address their concerns,” explained Tan.
“With our client’s agreement, we can digitize their voice print and with a successful registration, the next time they call, we will do away with the three to five questions to verify their identity, which can take between 45 and 60 seconds.”
To date, voice biometrics authentication has been implemented in the following countries in Asia:
- Australia
- Hong Kong
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- Taiwan
It will be rolled out throughout the region in 2016 and 2017 to cover all 12 of Citi’s consumer banking markets in Asia Pacific that represent more than half of the bank’s 19 consumer markets globally.
Citi targets to be the first financial services firm to deploy voice biometrics authentication across Asia Pacific as the bank builds further on its successful innovation in retail banking in the region.
Citi has around 15 million Consumer Banking customers in the region and the bank expects to have at least 1,000,000 customers actively using voice biometrics authentication in the next 12 months. Within three years the bank expects the number of users to grow to 3,000,000.
Asia is an important region for innovation at Citi. Six years ago, the bank launched its new branch design – called Smart Banking – in Asia for the first time. The Smart Banking concept involves using technology, architecture and design and new retail channels to connect customers to their money and provide them with a better way of banking. Over 200 such branches have since been rolled out globally since the Asian launch.
About Citi
Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions.
Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.
For more information about Citi visit their website at www.citigroup.com or any of their social media accounts:
With Citi your voice is your password.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Oct 5, 2016 | Stories
A total of 19 gorgeous married women and single moms successfully made it as finalists to the first-ever Mrs. Bacolod Globe 2016, a competition that encourages women in the City of Smiles to be movers of society and symbols of inspiration.
Nineteen gorgeous married women and single moms made it as finalists to the first-ever Mrs. Bacolod Globe 2016, a competition that encourages women in the City of Smiles to be movers of society and symbols of inspiration.
The Mrs. Bacolod Globe Competition
The pageant is a component of the national pageant Mrs. Philippines Globe 2016, a national competition established in 2012 under the auspices of Mrs. Globe, an international competition touted as one of the biggest international beauty pageants for married women and single mothers.
Carla Cabrera Quimpo, Mrs. Globe Philippines 2011.
According to Carla Cabrera Quimpo, National Pageant Director, franchise owner of Mrs. Philippines Globe, and Mrs. Globe Philippines herself in 2011, the turn out for the first Bacolod competition is very encouraging. “Each of the finalists embodies the positive traits of a true Bacolodnon woman. Their beauty, strength of character and achievements really shine through, making each a strong contender for the national title Mrs. Philippines Globe 2016.”
“Whoever advances to the national pageant will not only represent Bacolod well but will also serve as an inspiration to other married women in the province to become better versions of themselves,” added Ms. Quimpo.
The Finalists for 2016
This year’s Mrs. Bacolod Globe 2016 finalists are:
- Rosalia Jamaybay Fransz
- Janice Dinorog Makilan
- Michelle Christie De Castro Sayo
- Ma. Irene Altes
- Julie Kristie Martelino Mondia
- Analyn Marie Gayatin
- Mary Jean Medianero Basiano
- Mae Belen Gonzales Imperial.
Also included are:
- Monica Jeselle Pido Estrella
- Jean Eyre Lobaton Salazar
- Maria Theresa Tomayao Uhlmann
- Felamie Lopez Demegillo
- Stefannie Labis Montaner
- Jinky Dequina Girasol
- Kristoffersen Estrope Jison
- Michelle Duyungan Boyero
- Maria Althea Rose Mauricio
- Irish Menente Vale
- Rasha Mustafa Demonteverde.
The 19 finalists will compete in the Mrs. Bacolod Globe 2016 Finals Night on October 6, 2016, 7:00 PM at SMX Bacolod. Top actor Ian Veneracion will be gracing the event.
Candidates will be judged based on the following criteria:
- 50% beauty, personality and appeal, and
- 50% for physical physique.
The Awards and Prizes
The winner of the Mrs. Bacolod Globe 2016 title will win P40,000 cash while the first and second runners-up will each take home P20,000 and P10,000 cash respectively. Special awards will be given to 10 finalists including Darling of the Press, Best in Evening Wear, Most Beautiful Face, Mrs. Body Beautiful, Personality of the Year and Woman of Charity.
After the coronation, the Mrs. Bacolod Globe 2016 title holder will fly to Manila to compete in the Mrs. Philippines Globe 2016 National Competition on October 23, 2016 at the Samsung Hall, SM Aura, Taguig City.
The winner of the Mrs. Philippines Globe 2016 title will then fly to Beijing, China to compete in the prestigious Mrs. Globe international competition this December 11, 2016.
Founded in 1996, Mrs. Globe is recognized worldwide as a competition that celebrates not just beauty, goodwill, and tourism awareness through pageantry and competition; but more importantly, it promotes and supports the admirable strength of mothers by giving them a chance to reinvent and unleash the better versions of themselves, and to communicate the deeper strength of every woman.
For ticket sales updates, please like MrsBacolodGlobe on Facebook or visit www.smtickets.com.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Oct 2, 2016 | Events
Bonifacio High Street is a favorite weekend fun spot for many residents of Metro Manila. Here we can find so many things that could cater to our whims. Spas, shops, parks, restaurants, cafes, dessert stores, kiosks, and many more.
New store opening at Bonifacio High Street
Baskin-Robbins Bonifacio High Street
Baskin-Robbins, the world’s most beloved ice cream brand, spreads more happiness as it opens its 14th branch at B8, Bonifacio High Street, Taguig, delighting ice cream lovers around the metro.
The newest branch of the world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty shops features premium hard scoop ice cream, customized ice cream cakes and a full range of frozen beverages which will now be easily accessible to shoppers and residents within Bonifacio High Street and nearby areas in BGC.
President of IceDream Inc., exclusive licensee of Baskin-Robbins in the Philippines.
“There has been a lot of anticipation for the opening of this branch so we are looking forward to bringing our extensive flavor variety and fun factor to the lively Bonifacio High Street area. Guests can expect to enjoy their usual favorites plus a whole range of new and exciting flavors.” shares Michael Dargani, President of IceDream Inc., exclusive licensee of Baskin-Robbins in the Philippines.
To make the store opening more fun and memorable, Baskin-Robbins lined up a series of delicious treats for its guests and customers, including a special one time offer of their awesome range of ice cream flavors for just P31 all day on October 1.
Treats of the day
Apart from the sweet treats, guests enjoyed many freebies and various activities including a lively performance by the UP Dance Company, a friendly meet-and-greet with the Baskin-Robbins mascot, photo printing, face painting, a special booth called ‘Waffle Wonderland’ where guests could customize their waffles in various shapes and colors and ‘Fundae Sundae’ a booth designed for pure indulgence.
Waffle Wonderland
I felt some school loyalty so I opted for the green waffle cup. Animo La Salle! 😀 Cone or cup the choice is yours! For my ice cream flavor I chose Baskin-Robbins Double Chocolate. Yum!
Fundae Sundae
The fundae sundae is definitely a lot of fun … to watch them assemble and later, to eat.
- They take a cup and half fill it with toppings. I chose crumbled Oreos.
- Then they ask you for the flavor you want – here I chose Love Potion Dark.
- Then they take a sugar cone and push it down on the ice cream.
How to eat.
- Push the cone down a bit so that the ice cream picks up some toppings.
- Lift up and enjoy.
- Repeat as many times as you want until the toppings, ice cream, and cone are gone. 😀
Ice Cream Cakes
The brand’s delicious and mouth-watering ice cream cakes also attract dessert enthusiasts worldwide. Each delectable cake is made up of one’s choice of Baskin-Robbins ice cream flavors.
Available in a wide variety of designs and sizes, they are perfect to celebrate any occasion — birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, weddings, and graduations or just to satisfy ice cream cravings!
Baskin-Robbins was founded in 1945 by two ice cream enthusiasts whose passion led to the creation of more than 1,300 ice cream flavors and a wide variety of delicious treats.
Give in to your sweet cravings and join the fun with the opening of the newest Baskin-Robbins’ branch. Come visit the latest addition to Baskin-Robbins’ growing chain.
To avail of more exciting promos, visit a Baskin-Robbins store near you:
- Baskin-Robbins Uptown Place Mall, Central Square and SM Aura in Bonifacio Global City;
- Greenbelt 5 and Glorietta 2 and 5 in Makati;
- 2/F SM North, SM North The Block, Fairview Terraces and TriNoma Mall in Quezon City;
- SM Southmall in Las Pinas;
- SM Dasmariñas in Cavite and Solenad in Sta Rosa, Laguna.
For more updates, check out www.baskinrobbins.ph or its social media accounts:
Ipanema, Brazil’s fun, chic and colorful brand of sandals and flip flops, has opened its latest outlet at SM City in Sta. Rosa, Laguna as part of its expansionary thrust in time for the holidays. The new store is one of the new outlets that the company is eyeing to open this year in time for the holiday season.
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