#MerryGCash! P300,000 up for grabs

#MerryGCash! P300,000 up for grabs

Get ready to greet the new year with a bang as GCash is giving buy load users a chance to win up to P300,000 in the last draw of its Lucky Load promo, which gives customers a chance to win a portion of a weekly pot prize by purchasing load and playing their earned tickets.

In the past weeks from November 21, 2022, thirteen buy load users have already won thousands of pesos, making their Christmas holidays a merrier experience, indeed!

GCash customers just need to keep on using the Buy Load feature until December 28, 2022, so that they get one ticket entry for every P50.  Participants should bear in mind that the number of tickets will be rounded down. For example, if the load amount is P70 or P99, this will only earn you one ticket entry. So, why not spend some more and save that load for when you need it?

Once a GCash user gets the ticket, they can select 6 icons from a roster of 30 icons. After picking the six icons, the user can submit the ticket entry. To win, a player must have six matched icons, in no particular order, to the winning draw.

For the past weeks, the prize of P150,000 has been divided equally among all users with the corresponding number of matched icons. And since there were no winners during the 4th weekly draw, the prize was added to the pot of the final draw.

If there are still no winners during the last draw, the remaining pot prize will be raffled off to 500 lucky winners on December 29, 2022. Winners will be posted on the GCash official Facebook page on or before January 10, 2023.

Thanks to GCash, anyone can get a chance to enjoy even better holidays with more money to spend on shopping, travel, or some self-care, that’s why it’s important to buy more load to earn more tickets and have more chances to win up to P300,000.

The GCash app is available for free on the Google Play Store, App Store, and HuaweiApp Gallery. For more information, visit www.gcash.com.

About GCash

GCash (G-Xchange, Inc.) is the #1 Finance App in the Philippines. Through the GCash App, 71M registered users can easily purchase prepaid airtime; pay bills at over 1,600 partner billers nationwide; send and receive money anywhere in the Philippines, even to other bank accounts; purchase from over 5.2M partner merchants and social sellers; and get access to savings, credit, loans, insurance and invest money, and so much more, all at the convenience of their smartphones. GCash is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mynt (Globe Fintech Innovations, Inc.), the first and only duacorn in the Philippines.

GCash was recognized by The Asian Banker (TAB) and by the IDC in 2021 for its outstanding digital financial inclusion programs.

Mango Float

Mango Float

mango float ingredientsThe Mango Float is a popular dessert during parties. I’ve heard it referred to as a Mango Graham cake because of its ingredients, I suppose. This dessert is easy to make and disappears quickly! I always make sure to make space in my tummy when I know it is on the menu.

Will any mango do?

If you live in the Philippines you know that there are several types of mangoes but not all of them will go well as an ice cream cake, which is technically what this dish is. The type of mango we use for the mango float is the one we call kalabaw. I seriously have no idea why it is named after an animal but among all mango varieties, this is the one that is very sour while it is green and super sweet when it is yellow and ripe.

The secret to a really good mango float is … the mangoes have to be very sweet. And the best way to find out is to taste it. Just take a slice and eat that. From my experience, though, you should be able to tell how sweet it is even as you are peeling it. In my case, if I start to salivate I already know it will be too sour to put in the dish but perfect to munch on later.

What cream to use?

All-purpose cream is what I used for this recipe but if you have whipping cream (or whipped cream) then that will do as well. There are several brands in the market to choose from such as Anchor, Emborg, President, Arla, etc. I prefer regular all-purpose cream because 1) it’s cheaper and 2) it is available everywhere. In addition, I can easily whip the cream myself with a stand mixer.

Can I use sugar instead of condensed milk?

Truly, what you combine is up to you but from my experience, the condensed milk not only serves as a sweetener but is also a binder since it is quite thick.

Graham crackers

For this recipe I would recommend having the Graham crackers two ways … in cookie form and crushed. You can find both versions easily in the grocery store. For the layers, we will use the cookies but for the toppings, we will use the crushed Grahams. This is honestly more for aesthetics than anything else but I also like the texture of the crushed Grahams. 🙂

Here is my take on this dish.

Mango float

A simple no-bake dessert that is always a hit at gatherings. The most challenging task for most is layering.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Filipino
Keyword: cream-based, graham crackers, mango

Equipment

  • stand mixer (optional)
  • mixing bowl
  • spatula
  • 1 9x13 pan

Ingredients

  • 500 ml cream
  • 250 ml condensed milk
  • Graham crackers
  • crushed Graham crackers
  • 2 to 3 pieces ripe mangoes, sliced thinly

Instructions

  • Place the cream in a bowl, and mix it until it is smooth and not lumpy. Add the condensed milk and fold using a spatula.
  • Put some of the cream mixture in the tray and spread evenly.
  • Place a layer of Graham crackers (without overlapping) to cover.
  • Put some cream on the Graham and spread evenly.
  • Last some thinly sliced mangoes as close to each other as possible.
  • Place a layer of cream and spread.
  • Repeat step 4 until you run out of mango slices.
  • Top with crushed Grahams.
  • If you have extra slices but not enough to cover another layer you can put them on top of the Graham bed.
  • Place in the freezer to set.

Notes

This does not take long to set so you can enjoy this in an hour or two.
* In the first step, before mixing the cream with the condensed milk, I like to whip it for about 7 minutes to put some air in it so that once this dish is frozen it isn’t rock hard.

This really doesn’t take long to make but I hesitated to indicate a time because it really depends on you. If you are the type who likes to work quickly and efficiently then it will be done in no time at all. But if you are the type to loo-lee-loo and take your time, it will take longer, but probably not by much more. What matters is that when you make this dish, don’t stress out. It really is super easy to make.

The Smart and Easy Way of Cooking Your Noche Buena This Christmas

The Smart and Easy Way of Cooking Your Noche Buena This Christmas

The holidays are always such a big eating season for everyone. It’s that one time of the year when we feel extra carefree about what we eat because, seriously, have you really enjoyed

But what if we tell you that you do not need to sacrifice healthy eating to enjoy the season? Even more, what if you find out that you can whip up your flavorful recipe in minutes in your own kitchen?

Breville’s Smart Oven Air Fryer should be on every Christmas wishlist of all home cooks out there. Versatile, easy to use, and very durable, this oven from the premium home brand can give you the best of both worlds in terms of flavor and ease of cooking as you cruise through the holidays.

One of the beauties of the Smart Oven Air Fryer is its ten cooking functions that can let you make to-die-for crispy treats and scrumptious slow-cooked meals. Toast, bake, roast, grill, and, of course, air fry without any fuss while shortening your cooking time. Equipped with dual-speed convection, this kitchen partner speeds up the cooking process by raising hotter air while sinking colder ones. The result: 30 percent reduced cooking time as compared to regular ovens and air fryers!

Richie Zamora, the vlogger behind The Pickiest Eater in the World makes a perfect case for this when he prepared a full spread of TV chow snacks for his family to enjoy in minutes. He shares, “All these amazing snacks were cooked in the air fryer with absolutely no oil. Everything was cooked to a beautiful crisp, but you don’t even realize that they aren’t deep fried.”

Let’s Eat Pare also showed how fast and easy it is to make restaurant-level fried crispy wings with the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer. In just 20 minutes, they were able to make a big batch of chicken wings in sour cream flavor! You can check out their recipe here if you want to try their version.

 

Of course, preparing healthier versions of dishes is another thing that makes this kitchen must-have from Breville essential. Air frying significantly reduces — if not totally removes — the use of oil in cooking, which means that you consume fewer calories and prevent weight gain and obesity when you air-fried food. Fortunately, for the Smart Oven Air Fryer, you don’t need to worry about sacrificing flavors to go the healthier route. Chef Beng proved this when she made a Pinoy-style whole-fried chicken using it.

“Normally, I would have this deep-fried, but using an air fryer is apparently so much better as the chicken is amazingly crispy, juicy, and full of flavor. Not to mention, this is a way healthier process than deep frying.”

She also shares that she loves the precision with time and temperature that this Air Fryer provides. “Just press a function, and it automatically shows how long and high the cooking process will be.” This is made possible by Breville’s patented Element IQ System, which is a smart algorithm that decides the ideal cooking environment for a range of different cooking techniques.

The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer is definitely the kitchen partner to have this holiday season if you want to enjoy healthy, delicious meals minus the fuss. As Richie, Chef Beng, and Let’s Eat Pare say, respectively:

“The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer proves that cooking doesn’t need to be greasy to be delicious, and preparing food with less guilt doesn’t mean less flavors either.”

“It has ten cooking functions, which make it a value-for-money purchase. I totally love it, and I highly recommend this smart kitchen appliance.”

“It’s the ultimate kitchen tool you need to put on your Christmas shopping list, pare!”

What are you waiting for? Add the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer to your holiday wishlist now. To learn more about the product, visit the Breville website and follow its Facebook and Instagram pages.

The Broken Warrior’s Daughter by Cooper

The Broken Warrior’s Daughter by Cooper

My long-awaited review of The Broken Warrior’s Daughter by Cooper is finally here! Lol! I actually finished reading it days ago but I kept rewinding to some parts I really liked so I couldn’t “officially” say I was done.

This story is definitely a love story, to be specific, it is a courtship, which I find uncommon in most werewolf stories I’ve read. For most werewolf stories, once they find their mates they’re immediately at it like rabbits. Their age, of course, is a factor as both parties have to be of age to feel the mate bond.

It’s a love triangle and I confess to initially rooting for the other guy. Liam is older, an established Alpha, and was really into Cara … enough to choose her, not just wait for fate to tell him she is his mate. Based on the way Cara was attracted to him, it was a very strong possibility.

I’ve always wondered about the make-out scenes, though. This is not isolated to this book. Many authors seem to be of the opinion that only penetration equals sex. Therefore, they can get naked and do everything but that doesn’t mean they’ve had sex yet. This, I believe, was the Bill Clinton argument. According to him all Monica Lewinsky did was suck him off so, technically, they never had sex. But there is a reason it is called oral sex.

So … if a guy gets a girl’s top off and sucks on her breasts then has his hand under her skirt doing “unspeakable things” between her legs they’re still not having sex, even though his fingers are buried inside her. For me, that level of intimacy … if we get close to anyone’s privates … is already sex, just not penetrative sex.

For the training scenes, I would love to see that on the screen. The way they were described got my blood pumping and couldn’t help but wish there was a video to accompany the story. 😀

I would highly recommend The Broken Warrior’s Daughter by Cooper. You can find it on Goodnovel. The story is fast-paced and the author writes so well that I found my anticipation levels at a 10 just waiting for Cara to turn 18.

Alpha Wolf’s Fated Mate by Anika Skye

Alpha Wolf’s Fated Mate by Anika Skye

Alpha Wolf’s Fated Mate by Anika Skye is better than the other story of hers that I’ve read but still leaves me wanting more. It feels incomplete and the characters’ backstories aren’t fleshed out. As I am reading I have more questions than answers. This writing style makes sense if this book is part of a series but it still means that a lot more thought should be put into the back story of each character rather than the hodgepodge of information this book gives us.

The attempt at a non-linear story that gives Dimitri’s POV is a good attack but was clumsily executed. Even the POV of Helen always seems to be “wondering”. Once again, we have our lead female running away from an abusive relationship. This is the second story I’ve read that had that kind of backstory for the lead female but does not give enough information to make that factoid relevant.

And then a surprise factoid is given that is not substantiated in the story. Aside from the taste/smell of her blood, there are no other manifestations so … what is that?

While this book is better than the last one, it still needs a lot more work before it should be published.

Alpha Wolf’s Fated Mate by Anika Skye is on Amazon and can be purchased in Kindle format for 0.99 or you can read it with a KU account. I would recommend the latter if you are just curious about this.

Alternergy and Shell Team Up for Offshore Wind in the Philippines

Alternergy and Shell Team Up for Offshore Wind in the Philippines

Alternergy Holdings Corporation, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Pililla AVPC Corporation, (“PACO is hereafter referred to as Alternergy”) and Shell Overseas Investment B.V. (“Shell”) formally announced the agreements that both parties have recently entered into a partnership to jointly explore the vast offshore wind potential in the Philippines.

Alternergy Chairman and former Energy Secretary Vince Perez (seated 2nd left) and Shell General Manager Offshore Power, Asia-Pacific Joe Nai (seated 2nd right) shake hands during a ceremonial signing of the Alternergy and Shell Joint Partnership for the development of offshore wind power projects in the Philippines. The ceremonial signing, held on 21 November 2022 at the Department of Energy, was witnessed by Energy Secretary Raphael Perpetuo Lotilla (standing 6th left) and other DOE officials and officers from Alternergy and Shell.

The partnership of Alternergy and Shell has obtained a Wind Energy Service Contract (WESC) from the Department of Energy (DoE) to assess the feasibility of an offshore wind project in the wind-swept Calavite Passage near Mindoro.

Alternergy chairman and former Energy Secretary Vince Pérez said: “This is a partnership of combined competencies and experiences towards the goal of boosting the Philippines’ renewable energy target.”

“The Philippines’ offshore wind industry is promising and still at its nascent stage. The World Bank estimates that robust development of offshore wind could add 20 GW of installed capacity by 2040, accounting for 14 percent of the Philippines’ electricity needs and some USD 14 billion of value added to the economy. Shell, as our strategic partner with 50 years of deep water offshore and over 20 years of offshore wind development experience, will bring in its global track record, supply chain access, and technical expertise in developing large-scale bottom-fixed and floating offshore wind projects. Alternergy looks forward to working with Shell and jointly shaping with stakeholders the policies for a sustainable offshore wind industry in the Philippines,” Mr. Pérez added.

“The Philippines is moving towards a low-carbon future and offshore wind is well positioned to support this energy transition. As Shell has powered progress for the Philippines for over 100 years, we will continue to support the country by providing more and cleaner energy solutions to meet the needs of our consumers today and in the decades to come,” said Lorelie Q. Osial, Country Chair of the Shell companies in the Philippines.

“Alternergy is a pioneer in renewable energy and has successfully brought onstream the Philippines’ first onshore wind farm even before there was any enabling law. Shell looks forward to this new partnership to jointly explore the feasibility of one of the Philippines’ promising offshore wind projects,” said Sarah Rose Lim, Shell’s Head of Offshore Power for the Philippines.

Aside from the Calavite Passage Wind Power Project, Alternergy and Shell are looking at other offshore wind sites for possible development.

This partnership is an opportunity to provide integrated value to customers through power generation as well as explore synergies with retail electricity supplier Shell Energy Philippines, Inc. and Green Energy Supply Solutions, Inc.

About Alternergy

  • Alternergy is a renewable power pioneer with a solid portfolio of project companies engaged in different RE projects, particularly wind, run-of-river hydro, solar farm and commercial rooftop, battery storage, and offshore wind projects.
  • With robust expansion plans in the next five years, Alternergy aims to develop up to 1,370 MW of additional wind, offshore wind, solar, and run-of-river hydro projects.
  • Alternergy’s management team is comprised of a pioneering group of RE advocates who were also involved in the development of the 33MW Bangui Bay wind farm in Ilocos Norte, the first commercial wind farm in Southeast Asia at that time.
  • Alternergy also developed the 54MW Pililla Wind Farm in Rizal, the first non-recourse project financing for a wind project without corporate guarantee, and was recognized with a Sustainable Finance Award by the International Finance Corporation.
  • For additional information, please refer to our website at alternergy.com.

About Shell

  • Shell is an international energy company that aims to meet the world’s growing need for more and cleaner energy solutions in ways that are economically, environmentally, and socially responsible.
  • Shell’s global reach, combined with 100+ years of global energy market experience and deeply embedded capabilities position it well to offer integrated decarbonization solutions for its customers in progressing through the energy transition.
  • Renewable Generation is the driving force behind the development of Shell’s integrated power value chain, developing and deploying onshore and offshore wind, solar, and batteries to produce electricity, which Shell can aggregate, trade and market directly to customers.
  • Shell’s strength as a developer, particularly in offshore wind, has been built through practical experience and expertise development, including more than 100 years in global energy markets, 50 years in deep water offshore, and over 20 years in offshore wind development. We complement our experience, technology, and project development capabilities with the acquisition of innovative renewable energy companies that offer unique portfolio positions, talent, and deeper market expertise.
  • Today, Shell has more than 2.2 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity in operation and under construction, and 9.5 GW in the funnel of potential projects across North America, Europe, the UK, and Asia (Shell equity). Shell’s offshore wind project pipeline ranges from conventional bottom-fixed offshore wind developments to floating wind, and from wind-power to hydrogen developments to multi-technology projects combining offshore wind with floating solar and batteries.

Shell in the Philippines

  • Shell companies in the Philippines (SciP) represents various entities operating in the following: (1) Downstream business through Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation or PSPC, (2) Business Operations through our SBO Manila centre, and, more recently, (3) in power trading and marketing through Shell Energy Philippines, Inc.
  • Commencing its operations in 1914, SciP has grown to be one of the Philippines’ largest investors, directly employing over 4,000 people nationwide.
Billionaire Revenge by Lacey Nash

Billionaire Revenge by Lacey Nash

When I started reading Billionaire Revenge by Lacey Nash I found the pacing slow. I had to force myself to keep reading because there really wasn’t much happening. I said to myself that perhaps it is a case of a slow burn. Chapter 5 is when they first interact face to face and it isn’t until another 5 chapters before they agree to meet to “make a deal”.

This book is only 25 chapters (plus an epilogue) long so it is kind of like saying that it took half the story to establish that Scarlett is destitute, Xavier will get his pound of flesh, and they will somehow end up together.

From the title, we already know that Xavier will seek revenge. The thing is, though, as I read the story it wasn’t really “revengy” at all. It is as if from the moment they were intimate with each other he forgot all about his agenda.

This story is also supposed to be steamy and there are some love scenes but there weren’t enough descriptions of what was happening or the foreplay didn’t really last long enough to fog up my glasses.

If this book has a pulse it would more or less be steady. Despite the emotional roller coaster Scarlett is supposedly going through, the story is written pretty much one note with a possible minor movement up or down without much to really spike. I almost got excited at that critical scene toward the end but it lacked punch because she just keeps crying. Sigh.

I wish Scarlett was a stronger person. I also wish we could have sometimes seen the POV of Xavier. That would have elevated the story, I think.

Billionaire Revenge by Lacey Nash is not for me but it might just be right up your alley. For the beginner or intermediate romance readers, this may be good enough. It is available on Amazon for 0.99 but you can also read it for free with Kindle Unlimited.

Alpha Wolf’s Secret Nanny by Anika Skye

Alpha Wolf’s Secret Nanny by Anika Skye

Non-linear storytelling is fun, and I thought that was what was happening with Alpha Wolf’s Secret Nanny by Anika Skye. The way the story began was a fumbling attempt at a flashback. As the story progressed, I had hoped to get more information about why Griffin, her ex who happened to be a werewolf and an Alpha, was hunting her down and killing anyone and everyone who protected her.

She shows us a glimpse of her past when Griffin singled her out from all the girls in school to go to the prom with him. After that nothing else was said except that he wanted her and would stop at nothing to get her back. For years she has been trying to hide from him and this last time is when she took a job as a nanny to the newborn child of Winston. Unbeknownst to her, he is an Alpha wolf, too.

Winston is drawn towards her but fights it. It is obvious that Charlotte knows a few things about wolves but not about mates. In this story a human-werewolf relationship is taboo and yet Griffin was still hellbent on having her despite her “rejection”. It is just too confusing!

The story feels incomplete and needs fleshing out and could be longer and better if the author takes the time to do it. You can read Alpha Wolf’s Secret Nanny by Anika Skye by downloading it from Amazon. You can buy it for 0.99 or read it with a Kindle Unlimited account.

Beauty and her Beasts by Lisa Cullen

Beauty and her Beasts by Lisa Cullen

I downloaded Beauty and her Beasts by Lisa Cullen with Kindle Unlimited a couple of months ago more out of curiosity than anything else. First, I’ve never read anything from Lisa Cullen before, and second, I was curious if she would successfully execute the anticipated menage scene.

I don’t hate this story, but I don’t love it either. There are just too many inconsistencies that make my teeth hurt. The story tells us that Allana is a college graduate of a business course. She goes to a bar later for drinks with a couple of professors she had in college whom she became friends with. This tells me that the setting is the present day. However, she gets picked up by a CARRIAGE and their source of light is CANDLES. So this puts the setting in the past, pre-electricity.

Her three men are King, the one-armed lion shifter who owns the castle-turned-hotel, Gunnar the bear shifter who runs the kitchen, and Declan the half-wolf shifter who is the groundskeeper.

Upon meeting each one she gets instantly aroused and her first thought is to jump their bones. This is very forward-thinking and puts the timeline to the present … again. She was hired to be the hotel’s manager, which was considered a man’s job … present day, yet again.

Add to that all the incorrect word usage … surmised instead of summarized, flench instead flinch, smitten instead of smited … and those are just 3 words. Believe me, there are more.

And can I also say, how irresponsible for all three men to each just come inside her with no protection? Is pregnancy not something they have to worry about?

This could qualify as a reverse harem in that she finds herself involved with three men but never at the same time with more than one until the last chapter of the story where she finally gets to be with all three. A few seconds of foreplay is, apparently all they need before each man finds a hole and fills it to the sound of her moans and groans.

Beauty and her Beasts by Lisa Cullen is available on Amazon with KU but if you want to buy it, it costs 2.99. I’d recommend reading it on KU.

BingoPlus Foundation signs P6 Million Tech Scholarship with iAcademy

BingoPlus Foundation signs P6 Million Tech Scholarship with iAcademy

The country’s pioneering live-streaming and digital bingo game operator BingoPlus through BingoPlus Foundation are set to invest in the vast potential of young Filipinos to help engineer a better future for the country.

BingoPlus Foundation officially inked a 3-year, FutureSmart Scholarship Program worth six million pesos with iACADEMY, one of the most innovative and sought-after technology, design, and business academic institutions in the country. The FutureSmart Scholarship program will provide scholarships in BCSC software engineering, BS in entertainment and multimedia computing game development, and BS in information technology with a specialization in web development to ten outstanding students from deserving families.

iACADEMY Raquel Wong Chief Operating Officer and AB Leisure Exponent, Inc. President and BingoPlus Foundation Trustee Jasper Vicencio

Jasper Vicencio, President of BingoPlus and Trustee of BingoPlus Foundation said, “The FutureSmart Scholarship is our way of investing in the country’s youth as the driver of progress in the future. And we want to give equal opportunities to deserving students with so much potential but who lack the necessary resources to continue their education in pursuit of their dreams and aspirations for themselves, their families, and the nation. Indeed, doing something good, especially for education is a plus.”

The choice of technology for the program is inspired by BingoPlus. “Economies depend on digital-savvy individuals who are ready to take the helm of their organization’s digital transformation. BingoPlus itself, like any modern company, runs on the wonders of technology and a solid IT infrastructure. Our mission is not only to provide support for education but also future employment for qualified individuals,” Vincencio added.

iAcademy Chief Operating Officer Raquel Wong meanwhile expressed her utmost gratitude to BingoPlus Foundation for extending its generosity to exemplary students who will not have to worry about finishing the program due to a lack of financial resources.

“What BingoPlus Foundation and iAcademy crafted for the program will definitely help students fulfill their dreams, as well as contribute positive change to our society. The career path in computing is very lucrative and iAcademy has been very consistent because our programs, especially the ones related to computing, delivered a 96% placement rate,” she says.

Apply for the scholarship today!

Stringent criteria, requirements, and screening processes have been set to ensure that only qualified and deserving students are accepted for the program. Students must have good moral character, a General Weighted Average (GWA) of not lower than 1.75 and no grade lower than 2.50, and must not have been subjected previously to any disciplinary action by their schools, either academically or administratively.

The application also requires a two-minute video pitch explaining why they deserve the scholarship, and how they intend to collaborate with BingoPlus Foundation after finishing the course.

Interested parties may submit their applications at sc*********@**********du.ph. The names of the selected 10 scholars will be announced in January 2023.

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