by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 17, 2023 | Lifestyle Tips
Even the simplest of household decisions impact how communities safeguard the environment. In line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. (PCPPI) encourages Filipinos to make more mindful choices on how valuable resources like water, energy, and oil are consumed and managed.
The exclusive manufacturer of PepsiCo beverages in the country, PCPPI reaffirms its sustainability commitments ahead of Earth Day, which is observed worldwide on April 22. According to Frederick D. Ong, PCPPI President & CEO, adopting sustainable lifestyle habits affects people and the planet for the better. “The daily decisions we make can help reduce household waste, save expenses, and improve our well-being. Living ‘sustainably’ does not have to be complex, as we can all start with the choices we make at home,” he said.
Re-use and repurpose
plastic bottle planters photo credit to supersimple.com
It often takes a fresh perspective to see our everyday tasks differently. One of the ways to reduce household waste is through repurposing old items, like plastic water bottles which may be transformed into plant holders or vases. Used boxes can also be turned into organizers, while brown paper bags can be used as craft paper for school projects.
Meal planning
Apart from selecting healthier food options from the market or grocery, meal planning has the added benefit of consuming just the right amount of food—thereby cutting down on excess and food waste. Planning meals ahead of time also helps manage one’s budget, as well as electricity costs.
Unplug when not in use
Turning off that are not in use, using enough water to wash hands, or unplugging fully charged devices are some good practices to manage resource consumption at home. These also help maintain the health of electrical appliances, helping them run properly for longer.
Go digital, go paperless
One of the shifts accelerated during the community lockdowns was the move towards paperless transactions. Mail and bills are now accessed electronically, minimizing the need to consume paper. With further advances in technology, the possibilities are endless for how the world can help preserve and protect trees.
As PCPPI supports the practice of these sustainable practices, the organization continues to work on its own sustainability initiatives that demonstrate its long-term commitment to care and respect for the environment.
PCPPI aims to reduce the use of virgin plastic and reach 100% recyclable packaging. The company continues to expand its efforts in lightweighting and exploring alternative packaging sources. Since early 2021, PCPPI has also transitioned to renewable energy use to supply the energy requirements of its plants. Solar panels are installed in its Batangas, Cebu, and Davao manufacturing facilities.
In line with the Adopt-an-Estero Program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), PCPPI has organized clean-up drives near bodies of water in the communities where it operates. PCPPI has adopted key waterways across the country, including those in San Fernando, Iloilo, Bacolod, Davao, Cebu, and Zamboanga. Partnerships with agencies like the Laguna Lake Development Authority allow PCPPI to regularly meet with other community stakeholders on how to best address environmental concerns and develop innovative ways to protect local ecosystems.
PCPPI is the exclusive manufacturer of PepsiCo beverages in the country. It distributes well-loved brands such as Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, 7-Up, Mirinda, Mug, Gatorade, Sting, Tropicana, Lipton Iced Tea, Milkis, Chum Churum Soonhari, and Premier. For more information about PCPPI and its products, please visit www.pepsiphilippines.com.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 16, 2023 | Book Reviews
I don’t know how it happened but Rise to Ultimate Power: The Great Awesome Power System by Strange Pen was recommended to me by Goodnovel and out of curiosity I opened it and started reading. It isn’t the usual kind of story I read on Goodnovel but when I checked “About the Book” I saw that it was just 74 chapters (so far) so decided to give it a shot.
Quick backgrounder, Harvey is poor and because of it, his peers ridicule him and his girlfriend dumped him for her ex who had more money than he. Not too long after he hears a voice in his head that tells him he has a windfall of several million and it tells him to complete tasks to receive rewards.
This voice in his head is called The System. How it got in his head is not explained. The way The System seems to work is through a rewards system where he does tasks and is given different things. Sometimes it is more money, company shares, and even skills he never had before. It almost gives me that Matrix feel, without having to choose between the red or blue pill.
So far I am 19 chapters in and all he has done is good. He helped his family and the police. I’m invested in the story because I’m curious about just how much he will level up. A love interest would be incidental, as far as I am concerned.
It is not a romance. At least, it hasn’t been 19 chapters in. I would probably classify it as a “coming of age” kinda story even though Goodnovel classified it as “system”.
Here I am posting this review and, of course, I intend to share the link to the story on Goodnovel where I am reading it. The funny thing is … when I try to search for the book using the search feature it says the book does not exist! It is already in my library but it is not searchable. Also, for some reason, the book is currently being promoted.
This does not compute. How am I reading the book and where is my payment going if it does not exist?
If you are unable to find the book on Goodnovel, you can also read it on Meganovel. Interestingly, when I opened the book cover on Meganovel on another tab, the favicon indicates that it is pointing to an image hosted in the Goodnovel server. Are Goodnovel and Meganovel related perhaps? Curiouser and curiouser!
Side comment/s:
- I find the title very juvenile. the first part made sense, but the second part … it made me think that the author is probably a teenager
- The book cover is also very juvenile and does not really match the way the character is portrayed in the story. It is hard to believe that that boy on the cover is 19.
- The author cannot make up his/her/their mind if the main character’s name is Harvey or Melvin. Sometimes his last name is Weinstein and other times it is Reed.
- The author keeps messing up his/her/their pronouns.
- Often the author uses a term that does not make sense, but probably closely resembles the word he/she/they want to use. As the reader, you should be able to grasp it in context.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 16, 2023 | Entertainment
Filipino Actor James Blanco won the Best Actor award at the 20th Asian Film Festival for his role in Daniel R. Palacio’s Ang Matsing at Ang Pagong (The Monkey and the Turtle). James bested 17 other nominees at the film festival held at Cinema Farnese in Rome, Italy from March 30 to April 5, 2023.
Film director Enzo Aronica, screenwriter Roberto Recchioni and journalist Marco Lodoli served as the jurors. In their own words, they selected Blanco “for how he manages to interpret, with passion but also with a series of important nuances, the character of a hero despite him, witnessing a reality in disguise, corrupt and violent”.
The 20th Asian Film Festival director Antonio Termenini presented the award, which was received by “Ang Matsing at Ang Pagong” producers Vanessa Joy Palacio and Hilque Dairo on behalf of Blanco. “Dream Palace” actress Kim Sun-Young of South Korea won Best Actress and “Barbarian Invasion” from Malaysia won Best Picture.
Written and directed by Daniel, “Ang Matsing at Ang Pagong” is the debut project of M1 Films. The film represented the Philippines proudly as its message of social inequality echoed throughout Rome. The viewers applauded Daniel for his tenacity in denouncing political issues in the Philippines. In the film, Blanco plays the role of a rural town’s vice mayor, challenging the incumbent chief for the mayoral position in the coming election.
“I gave James the freedom to respond and react with his own interpretation of the character,” Daniel revealed. “That’s why his creativity and natural acting shone on the film. He even challenged the script on one occasion, standing firm on the character’s mindset. I loved it! He’s perfect for the role and the story I co-wrote with my mentor Armando Bing Lao.”
M1 Films executive producer Oliver Sy was praised for choosing a powerful story with a powerful voice to start the company’s venture into the movie industry. He favored the Asian Film Festival, one of Europe’s most important film festivals, to hold the world premiere of the film with over 80,000 Filipinos in Rome.
Blanco’s award concluded a memorable event as overseas Filipino workers from different parts of Italy came to watch the film. They expressed gratitude and praise to the director, sharing their sentiments about the movie.
“We were watching our life story,” one teary-eyed Filipina shared. “Thank you for showing it here.”
Donna Celeste Feliciano-Gatmaytan, the Consul General of the Philippine Embassy in Rome, joined Daniel, Vanessa, and Dairo at the film festival. Daniel welcomed the mostly Italian audience who were fascinated with his docu-drama cinema style and when asked by the Italian press if he plans to stay true to denouncing films in the future, he quipped, “There’s no other purpose of my film but that”.
In the photo: Hilque Dario, Donna Celeste Feliciano-Gatmaytan, Daniel Palacio, Antonio Termenini, and Vanessa Joy Palacio
“The words of appreciation from fellow Filipinos were accomplishments already,” Daniel continued. “The win was a cherry on top.”
Aside from co-writing the script, Armando Lao is also the editor of “Ang Matsing at Ang Pagong” while Jeffrey Icawat and Jerel Travezonda are the cinematographers. Joining Blanco in the cast are Jana Victoria, Ryan Sandoval, Raquel Villavicencio, Cataleya Surio, Dido Dela Paz, and Lou Veloso.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 16, 2023 | Beauty
A confident smile is essential in today’s world, where first impressions are important. But what if your smile isn’t as bright as it could be? Luster, the leading teeth whitening kit brand in the Philippines, has the solution for you. Their revolutionary teeth whitening kit can whiten your teeth in just 7 days, giving you the confidence to smile and take on the world.
Luster teeth whitening kit
Luster’s teeth whitening kit includes four gel pens and an LED mouthpiece. The gel pens contain a safe and effective whitening formula that targets stains on the surface of the teeth, leaving them visibly whiter and brighter. The LED mouthpiece accelerates the whitening process, helping you achieve professional-grade results at home.
Luster stands out among teeth-whitening brands due to its dedication to quality and safety. The brand exclusively uses high-quality ingredients that have been tested and approved by dental professionals. This commitment ensures that their products are safe and effective for daily use, without causing any harm to the teeth and gums.
Luster is convenient and easy to use. The compact gel pens can fit into any purse or pocket, making it simple to whiten your teeth while on the go. The hands-free LED mouthpiece allows you to carry on with your daily activities while whitening your teeth, making it ideal for busy individuals who want to multitask.
Luster is not just any teeth-whitening kit; it’s a true game-changer. It’s ideal for anyone looking to enhance their smile and boost their confidence. Whether you’re preparing for a special event or simply want to feel more self-assured in your daily life, Luster can help you achieve that perfect smile.
Luster is a brand you can trust to provide safe, effective, and convenient teeth-whitening solutions. With Luster, you won’t have to spend a fortune on expensive dental procedures to achieve a bright and confident smile. Try Luster’s teeth-whitening kit today and experience the difference it can make in your life!
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 14, 2023 | Book Reviews
I have read my share of age-gap romances and Bossy Silverfox by Ruby Wilde is probably the first one I have read where I really saw/felt the age gap. It isn’t just the vague notion of their actual age. There are also all the references in the story that gives us the reader, and Maggie, a hint of the 20-year gap.
Maggie is possibly around 25 and an editor for Wrought Iron Publishing. While many people her age are still unsure of what they want to do Maggie is already at her dream job.
Leo is possibly in his mid-40s, like 45. He is the boss at Wrought Iron and has secretly had a crush on Maggie from the moment she joined the company years ago. Instead of showing his affection like a grown-up, he acts like a child and bullies her, lol!
It takes a weekend conference out of town to get these two on the road to romance which does not develop as fast as I initially thought. There were a few obstacles that were not easy to overcome and in the end, they did get their happily ever after.
If there was one thing specifically that bothered me it was their love scenes. Very little happened in the way of foreplay and before even two paragraphs end he’s inside her. After they climax instead of spending time cuddling in the aftermath, Leo and Maggie immediately stand and get dressed then do other stuff like cook or read. I can only speak for myself but I think foreplay, cuddles, and aftercare are important.
Bossy Silverfox by Ruby Wilde is not a bad story, mind you. It just left me wanting more. Some parts were slow and at times it felt like the story jumped drastically or there was a story arc that could have been worked more. And, definitely, I think their sex life leaves much to be desired as it was like it was simply sex and nothing else.
You can find this book on Amazon for $0.99 but if you have Kindle Unlimited, it’s free. I would recommend using KU to read it first then if you like it, you can opt to buy it.
Apart from selecting healthier food options from the market or grocery, meal planning has the added benefit of consuming just the right amount of food—thereby cutting down on excess and food waste. Planning meals ahead of time also helps manage one’s budget, as well as electricity costs.
Turning off that are not in use, using enough water to wash hands, or unplugging fully charged devices are some good practices to manage resource consumption at home. These also help maintain the health of electrical appliances, helping them run properly for longer.
PCPPI is the exclusive manufacturer of PepsiCo beverages in the country. It distributes well-loved brands such as Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, 7-Up, Mirinda, Mug, Gatorade, Sting, Tropicana, Lipton Iced Tea, Milkis, Chum Churum Soonhari, and Premier. For more information about PCPPI and its products, please visit www.pepsiphilippines.com.
I don’t know how it happened but Rise to Ultimate Power: The Great Awesome Power System by Strange Pen was recommended to me by Goodnovel and out of curiosity I opened it and started reading. It isn’t the usual kind of story I read on Goodnovel but when I checked “About the Book” I saw that it was just 74 chapters (so far) so decided to give it a shot.
Here I am posting this review and, of course, I intend to share the link to the story on Goodnovel where I am reading it. The funny thing is … when I try to search for the book using the search feature it says 
Luster stands out among teeth-whitening brands due to its dedication to quality and safety. The brand exclusively uses high-quality ingredients that have been tested and approved by dental professionals. This commitment ensures that their products are safe and effective for daily use, without causing any harm to the teeth and gums.
I have read my share of age-gap romances and Bossy Silverfox by Ruby Wilde is probably the first one I have read where I really saw/felt the age gap. It isn’t just the vague notion of their actual age. There are also all the references in the story that gives us the reader, and Maggie, a hint of the 20-year gap.
You must be logged in to post a comment.