by Penny Angeles-Tan | Dec 16, 2022 | Book Reviews
Most romance novels start from the POV of the female. Two Sugar Daddies’ Virgin by Nicole Casey steps out of that box and instead starts from the POV of Matt who is in a committed relationship with Leandro. Matt and Leandro are in an exclusive relationship and yet from the start the author makes it clear that they are bisexual, not gay. I would suppose that this is to allow us to accept their later relationship with a woman.
Leandro is a self-made billionaire and often travels, leaving Matt at home. He is not out of the closet so he does not feel that he could bring Matt and introduce him to other people as his boyfriend without ruining his reputation. Matt loves Leandro very much but resents being hidden away like a guilty secret.
In his guilt, and perhaps as a way to ensure Matt isn’t lonely all the time, Leandro decided that Matt should get a sugar baby.
Jourdanne is a hardworking young woman who is trying to raise enough money to go to Yale. First, the many repairs to her father’s inn inadvertently meant she wasn’t going to receive a salary for a while then her second job was razed by a fire. Since her best friend showed her an app where she could apply as a sugar baby, she saw this as her only hope of making a lot of money quickly.
Luckily, the first sugar daddy she meets on the app and chats with is Matt and they click. She reveals to him that she is a virgin. If he still wanted a physical relationship that would increase her price but if not then they would just be companions. Unplanned, things heat up between the two later and Leandro walks in on them. While nothing much happened, this was even before the contract was signed so an amendment was made and this time she ended up with TWO sugar daddies!
With a reverse harem people mostly assume that it is all about steamy sex but while there are scenes here that would make you fan yourself, it is mostly about the developing relationship between Jourdanne, Matt, and Leandro together. This is a heartwarming story with very few lows and a guaranteed HEA.
You can find Two Sugar Daddies’ Virgin by Nicole Casey on Amazon for only 0.99 or free with Kindle Unlimited. Enjoy!
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Dec 16, 2022 | Events
For many of Cebuana Lhuillier’s pawning clients, their jewelry is more than valued accessories. To many, these items were heirloom pieces, fruits of their hard work, or precious investments. During times of need, they also represent a quick solution, an opportunity for a better life, or a fresh restart.
For more than 35 years, Cebuana Lhuillier has known these stories from its clients as they go through its doors during their times of need. More than its high appraisal rates, they comfort its clients with the assistance of well-trained branch personnel and the assurance that its precious pieces are safely and securely taken care of. This eases the burden of parting with the jewelry for the clients, until the time that they come back to claim their pawned items.
Aware that the value of the items in their care goes beyond their weight in gold, Cebuana Lhuillier thought of a way to further give meaning to the Holiday Season for some of its most loyal clients.
Salamat, Ka-Cebuana
As part of its CSR initiatives, the company has made it its annual tradition to give back to those in need during the Holidays. Usually, these gift-giving activities were held every 6th of December in celebration of the Feast of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of pawnbrokers and the inspiration behind the legend of Santa Claus.
This year, Cebuana Lhuillier chose the best recipients—its valued clients, many of whom have stayed with the company for years, entrusting some of their most precious items in their times of need. The event, dubbed “Pasasalamat,” gathered more than 200 clients across eight regional locations nationwide in a simultaneous celebration of thanks and love from Cebuana Lhuillier. The gathering proved to be more than a celebration as attendees were feted to a day of fun and prizes, but the end of the program proved to be the most poignant of all when Cebuana Lhuillier, through its operations team, returned all the pawned items of its attendees as a special surprise.
Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO, shared, “Pasasalamat 2022 is our way of giving thanks to our clients for the trust and partnership we have established in the last 35 years. We’ve known their stories—and were blessed to be with them as they chased their dreams and provided better lives for their loved ones. With “Pasasalamat,” we are returning this trust by gifting them the items they pawned with us. We hope that through this small gesture, Cebuana Lhuillier is able to give further meaning to this season.”
A Season of Joy, Hope, and Giving Thanks
For many of the attendees of the Pasasalamat celebration, the unexpected blessings were more than expressions of gratitude coming from a long-time ally—it brought hope and joy as precious pieces, family heirlooms, and cherished investments found their way back to them.
Pasasalamat gathered more than 200 of its most loyal clients in 8 events happening simultaneously in one day
For Grecilda Torres, a small business owner and client of Cebuana Lhuilier for 26 years, the unexpected return of her pawned items—all rings—brought to tears. “Nakaka-touch isipin na gumawa ng time si Cebuana Lhuillier na ipakita sa amin na importante kami. I am very much grateful and thankful na—yung 26 years naming magkasama, it keeps going lang. My business and the business of Cebuana Lhuillier, magkasama pa din kami. Nagka-doctor na akong anak, pero still, nandito pa din ako with Cebuana. And for that, I am very thankful,” she shares.
Meanwhile, Remigia Mejia, a 79-year-old cancer survivor and loyal client of Cebuana Lhuillier for 30 years, cannot believe that a pendant that her late husband gifted her before they were married has found its way back to her.
She shares, “Hindi ko akalain na babalik yung mga alahas ko since pinag-iipunan ko din na matubos sila. Karamihan sa kanila, matatagal na sa akin, including yung pendant na bigay ng asawa ko and yung singsing ng anak ko which I gave her nung nag-debut siya. As much as possible, ayaw ko silang maremata kasi they are very valuable and sentimental pieces para sa akin. Kaya nagpapasalamat ako sa Cebuana Lhuillier for this event and for the many years na hindi nya din ako pinabayaan. Nagtra-trabaho pa lang ako, kasama ko na ang Cebuana Lhuillier and even till now, kami pa din ang magkasama.”
Ana Marie Mendoza Rapido (center), a public school teacher was overcome with emotion while opening her special surprise gift from Cebuana Lhuillier
For Ana Marie Mendoza Rapido, a teacher from Cavite and a Ka-Cebuana since 2012, Cebuana Lhuillier has been a trusted ally during times of emergencies. Through their jewelry, Ana Marie and her siblings were able to sustain the hospitalization and medication of their mother who has been in and out of hospitals in the last ten years.
“Ang Cebuana po, trusted na namin at lagi naming taga-sagip sa oras ng kagipitan, lalo na nung panahon ng pandemic,” shared Ana Marie who was in tears when she opened the box and saw her pawned item inside.
Grecilda, Remigia, and Ana Marie were just three of the many loyal clients whose continued trust and loyalty to Cebuana Lhuillier proved to be instrumental in the company’s continued reign as the country’s number one pawnshop. With Pasasalamat, the decades-old financial institution was able to express and extend its thanks to the many whose continued patronage remains the reason for its longevity and its continuous desire to serve as an ally and a friend to millions of Filipinos and their journey towards a better future.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Dec 15, 2022 | Book Reviews
I’m so glad that I decided to pick up Frenemy Protector by Kate Lovelace. What was lacking from Fireman’s Secret Baby was made up for here. We first encounter Liam and Lauren there. Liam is the youngest brother of Michael, the fireman. In that story, he had a huge crush on Bree, who ends up with Michael. Lauren is Bree’s best friend and had a thing for Liam, but her feelings were not returned.
The story opens with Liam narrating. Yes! I’m glad this started from a guy’s POV. It is a welcome change and immediately lets us, the readers, find out what happened to Liam after he left.
In the first book, Kate Lovelace already established that Liam had a lot of issues to get through. This book tells us how much he has grown into the mature 24-year-old he is who is more than just “Michael and Ethan’s little brother”.
The premise for Liam’s return is to handle the problems their family is facing with an entity that wants to buy their family property by hook or by crook. Recent events have shown that they are not shy of being crooks. And yet, the story is really about the budding relationship between Liam and Lauren and how Liam desperately tries to resist the pull. This is despite interference from his family who are eager to bring them together and Lauren herself who is irresistible without even trying.
From the get-go, this story is written well. It is engaging and described so well that I felt like I was part of the story, not just a spectator. In the first book, I wasn’t a fan of Liam because he was being a dick about Michael and Bree. Frenemy Protector is his redemption story and Lauren’s HEA.
If I had any issues with this book it would probably be two things. I’m not keen on the title as it doesn’t seem to be a right fit, even as I get further along in the story. The second is the cover art. Liam looks grumpy, and why is he naked? Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with naked men but in context with the story, I think he should be wearing a button-down shirt to match the scenes. Just my two cents.
That aside, this was quite enjoyable to read. The book isn’t available for mass distribution yet, but hopefully, it will be released on popular platforms such as Amazon soon.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Dec 15, 2022 | Advocacy
Leading digital solutions platform Globe and SM Advantage Card (SMAC), the loyalty card of retail giant SM, have come together to help put meals on the table of those in need through the Hapag Movement, Globe’s technology-driven program against involuntary hunger.
With every purchase of a SMAC card and every checkout, shoppers can now help support a family in need.
“We are excited to partner with SMAC at the most joyful time of the year so we can bring cheer to our fellow Filipinos who continue to suffer due to involuntary hunger. Now, it’s easier for shoppers to share their blessings with the needy, bring food to the table, and get assistance for decent livelihood as we mark this Christmas season post-pandemic,” said Globe Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer Yoly Crisanto.
“Our collaboration with Globe for the Hapag Movement is a pioneering partnership for us as it aligns with the SM brand’s goal of providing support to Filipinos in every way we can. This is the time for us to rally behind this cause to help those who continue to reel from the impact of the pandemic and challenges due to rising living costs. Ibalik natin ang sarap ng Pasko,” said Jay Beltran, SMAC SAVP Head of Sales and Marketing.
Through the partnership, P50.00 will be donated to the Hapag Movement and other SM Foundation programs for every purchase of a new SMAC card.
On top of this, SMAC members who purchase select items at the SM Store, SM Beauty, SM Appliance, Kultura, Surplus, Our Home, Baby Company, Crate and Barrel, Levi’s, The Body Shop, Forever21, Ecco, and Miniso will earn up to 1,000 EXTRA SMAC Points, and half of the EXTRA points they earn will be donated to the movement starting December 15, 2022, until January 15, 2023, in time for this season of giving.
“We celebrate the season of giving with our SMAC members with the gift of giving— letting them share blessings with our most vulnerable kababayans,” Beltran said.
Globe’s Hapag Movement leverages technology and collaboration to help 100,000 families experiencing involuntary hunger through supplemental feeding and livelihood support.
Globe initiated the program to help Filipinos severely affected by the pandemic, with its effects still felt today. An estimated 2.9 million individuals reported suffering from involuntary hunger as of October this year, largely unchanged from the quarter before, according to a Social Weather Stations Survey.
To learn more about the Hapag Movement, visit its official page. You may also visit SMAC.PH or download the SMAC app to know more.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Dec 15, 2022 | Events
From the online bulletin boards of local villages and cities, online marketplaces, fan groups, school associations, and even home improvement pages, Filipinos have continued to remain active in participating in their numerous online communities as a go-to source for discussing their favorite topics with like-minded netizens.
More and more companies, interest groups, and organizations are building communities to create deeper, more meaningful relationships with and among their users and members. According to market research company GWI, in 2020 alone, 76% of all internet users participated in an online community, a statistic that has annually increased by 2% over the past 3 years.
With the rise of online communities today, builders and innovators are expected to carry out the operational work of reaching members and managing offline and online events — all while nurturing genuine and authentic connections with their followers.
Today, community leaders can do away with using multiple platforms and save hundreds of hours on administrative work by streamlining various operations, made possible using Nas Company’s newest platform, Nas.io.
Nas.io is the latest tech platform released by global content creator and founder and CEO of Nas Company, Nuseir Yassin. Nas.io equips community leaders with modern, intuitive tech solutions that make it easier to start and manage a growing online community.
Connect and communicate with members
Founder and CEO of Nas Daily and Nas Company Nuseir Yassin, together with his team from Nas Company in the Philippines, pose for a group photo with the attendees of the ‘Nas Daily Community Meet-up’ held last November 12, 2022, at the New Frontier Theater, Quezon City.
One of the biggest challenges community managers face is reaching their audience, especially with the ever-changing algorithms of the most popular social media platforms. Community managers have turned to smaller niche groups on group chat platforms. However, this presents its own problems, such as it being easy for members to get lost upon joining.
Nas.io solves this by functioning as a management layer on top of existing chat platforms like Facebook Groups, WhatsApp, Discord, Telegram, or Slack. Managers can use it as a tool to provide community members context on what conversations to expect through a custom community landing page. Nas.io also includes a unique feature called Magic Reach that allows community managers to send emails and messages to their communities. This intelligent messaging feature automatically finds the best way to send messages to community members. The tool is designed to learn how users or members prefer to be contacted, and which platform they are most active in.
Create and manage events
Aside from consistent communication, community builders also aim to create perfect events both in-person and virtual for its members. From setting calendar invites to creating virtual meeting rooms, to making an event page and setting up a registration form, Nas.io simplifies the process of creating and managing events.
By filling up three basic fields, community managers can automatically generate a personalized Zoom link shared with its members, which will lead them to a customized event page. Through the platform’s feature of sending and saving notifications to the members’ calendars, emails, and mobile app, community managers can expect higher attendance and engagement rates. The platform can also be programmed to handle member authentication to ensure exclusivity. And, should there be an admission fee to join these events, a hassle-free payment processing system can also be set up by the manager.
Make communities sustainable
All the longest existing communities include monetization. This is why Nas.io includes monetization features that allow community managers to earn in order to sustain their community.
From membership subscription fees, exclusive content access, and event participation, creators can set up their communities to be free, paid, or even NFT-gated. This means that members are given several payment options that can be fulfilled through credit or debit cards, PayPal, and even crypto.
Filipino Communities started using Nas.io in its early stages
Prior to its official launch, Filipino communities started using Nas.io in its beta stage and have demonstrated great potential in the market. Philippine Country Head of Nas Company Jacqueline Maye Lim said, “We at Nas Company aim to enable the creators, entrepreneurs, and marketers to add value to their members through our platform. We have seen early signs of this in our beta launch where we have amazing communities that help their leaders build a deeper connection with their audience enabling them to solve their problems and add value to them. Whether it’s about finding alternative employment or simply saving on important life milestones, communities are everywhere.”
Founder and CEO of Nas Daily and Nas Company Nuseir Yassin awarded Community Creator Jam Blauta of the Barangay Virtual Assistants (Barangay VA) for being the first community to gather 10,000 members in Nas Company’s newest community platform, Nas.io.
Barangay Virtual Assistants, more commonly known as Barangay VA, is one of the largest communities on Facebook with over 30,000 members. Despite the number of followers, community leader Jam Blauta shares that he can’t reach all thousands of his followers. “As a community manager, I need to easily secure my audience and reach them instantly whether through SMS or email. The reality is, the number of social media followers doesn’t matter anymore and when you post content, you only reach 10% or sometimes even less. This is why Nas.io is the best thing that has happened in helping me reach the community of virtual assistants.”
To date, over 10,000 aspiring virtual assistants are using Nas.io, where they are educated, trained, and given free advice and online courses on how to get employed.
Founder and CEO of Nas Daily and Nas Company Nuseir Yassin recognized Community Creator Camille Fornela of The Budgetarian Bride for reaching over a thousand followers in the beta stage of Nas Company’s newest community platform, Nas.io.
Another up-and-coming group is Camille Fornela’s The Budgetarian Bride, an online community of brides, grooms, and wedding planners, who come together to discuss budget-friendly nuptial options and real experiences on wedding planning. Today, The Budgetarian Bride’s community has helped almost 4,000 soon-to-be married Filipinos plan their dream weddings without breaking the bank. “Having multiple content formats available in one platform and connectivity to existing ones is essential in growing my community,” said Fornela.
Yassin awarded community leaders Jam Blauta and Camille Fornela in an exclusive community meet-up held at the New Frontier Theater last November 12, 2022. He highlighted their success in engaging local audiences in their respective communities that are transforming Filipinos’ lives.
Visit nas.io to know more about how you can create your own communities today.
About Nas Company
Nas means people. Nas Company is on a mission to build community products that bring people together. Nas Company has successfully built communities over the years and is now building tools and integrations that will allow others to manage engaged communities faster and better than ever before.
About Nuseir Yassin
Nuseir Yassin is the founder and CEO of Nas Company and Nas Studios with over 50 million followers across the world. Nas.io and Nas Academy are housed under Nas Company with the mission to Bring People Together by building innovative education and community tools for creators.
I’m so glad that I decided to pick up Frenemy Protector by Kate Lovelace. What was lacking from 
Leading digital solutions platform Globe and SM Advantage Card (SMAC), the loyalty card of retail giant SM, have come together to help put meals on the table of those in need through the Hapag Movement, Globe’s technology-driven program against involuntary hunger.
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