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Nippon Paint Announces Winners of Asia Young Designer Awards 2019/20

by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jul 11, 2020 | Awards and Competitions

Manila, 10 July 2020 – Following the 13th installment of the Asia Young Designer Awards (AYDA), Nippon Paint has crowned Lin Honghan, from China and Greta Elsa Nurtjahja, from Indonesia the grand title of being the Asia Young Designers of the Year 2019/2020, beating other participants across 15 geographical locations, in a rigorous selection process to represent their countries for the prestigious title in the Architectural Category and Interior Design Category respectively.

The winning design by Greta Elsa Nurtjahja from Indonesia embodied the theme with “Rumah Kopi” while Lin Honghan from China complemented the theme well with his design, “Sweet Dream in the Garden” where he incorporated traditional culture with modern design concepts.

Winners of Special Awards in Architecture

Lin Honghan (China)
Sweet Dream in the Garden

“Sweet Dream in the Garden” aims to explore zen culture, integrating traditional culture with modern design concepts. The project emphasizes the journey between “Real Life and Passed LIfe” with the five themes, ‘Buddhist Realm’, ‘Tasting Tea’, ‘Smelling’, ‘Enjoying Chinese Guqin’ and ‘Listening to the Rain’. The design aims to express the true meaning of life with inspiration from art forms such as traditional Chinese painting.

Greta Elsa Nurtjahja (Indonesia)
Rumah Kopi – A Communal House of Coffee

‘Rumah Kopi – A Communal House of Coffee’, derives from the perspective that humans have a natural instinct to be close to nature. Inspired by a local house in Indonesia, the project focuses on sustainability and collaboration as the communal house is based in a secluded village. With an emphasis on contextual dwelling, where being mindful of the history, culture, and beliefs of its surroundings is paramount to preserving the essence of the surrounding, Rumah Kopi hopes to achieve maintaining sustainability as well as prospering the inhabitants of the village.

Best Design Impact Award

Chandima Gawarammana (Sri Lanka)
“Industrial and Cultural Exposure” – Gem Promotional Center

With the ‘Gem Promotional Center’, Gawarammana aims to reveal the real treasure of the gem industry that is not known to many. In the city of Rathnapura, the project aims to rehabilitate the gem mines as a tribute to the community and their culture.

This design provides a modern solution to the industry in the form of a facility, revitalizing the traditional techniques used in the gem mines that have been passed down through generations.

Best Sustainable Award

Amir Reza Ghadiri (Iran)
“We Shall Stay” – Reuse of Wastewater to Stop Desertification

‘We Shall Stay’ focuses on reusing water at the very source, in efforts to stop desertification, of which the city of Zabol is susceptible to, due to the mass immigration it faces from its dwellers.

Ghadiri’s design takes into account the environmental challenges that Zabol faces, aiming to improve their lives with the least amount of investment. He also notes that this design could easily be adapted to other areas with a similar climate.

Nippon Paint Colour Award

Moeko Iwasaki (Japan)
Painters’ Glass House

“Painters’ Glass House” holds the belief that painting color is not only limited to setting the mood of an environment but also to establish certain areas while also creating and building new relationships with surrounding environments.

Iwasaki plays with six elements in her design: physicality, framing, uncovering of history, overlay, and resonance which culminates into a new spatial model that can exist both as a stand-alone or even as a new language of interior space. As colors are born, colors begin to change all throughout the space.

This design reinforces the idea that the act of ‘painting’ is synonymous with living.

Winners of Special Awards in Interior Design

Best Design Impact Award

Clarissa Aurelia Mashadi (Singapore)
“Plasticube” – An Urban Recycling Hub

‘Plasticube’ aims to re-imagine the plastic recycling process by creating a space for the community to recycle their plastic wastes directly into a new product, giving their plastic a second life. This urban recycling hub utilizes 3D printing technology in the recycling process, letting people produce desirable products from their plastic waste.

The design focuses on delivering a seamless experience, with boundary-less space that can be adjusted based on function or activity, as both convenience and practicality are key to forming recycling behavior.

Best Sustainable Award

Kwanchanok Handu-Domlarp (June) (Thailand)
“Fieldnity Life Tower” – Farmers’ Family Hub

‘Farmers’ Family Hub’ was inspired by temporary buildings in Thailand, often used to house farmers for various purposes such as rice cottages, observatories, and rice husks. This temporary structure originated from Thailand’s rural traditional lifestyle.

This project aims to bridge new innovations with old traditions, relating back to farmers’ origins, to create a sustainable living space.

Nippon Paint Colour Award

Nowshin Tabassum (Bangladesh)
Exchange

‘Exchange’ plays on the importance of physical interaction, especially in this digital era. This project re-thinks typical tea stalls and encourages conversations between new people over a simple cup of tea.

These conversations foster a positive exchange of new ideas, experiences as well as a way for people to network, challenging implicit assumptions that everyone holds the same views and experiences in a community.

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This year’s competition marks the Asia Young Designer Awards’ first virtual event in light of COVID-19 restrictions, establishing Nippon Paint’s steadfast passion in fostering the next generation of designers. Following the virtual competition, both winners walked away with more than US$10,000 worth of prizes, including the opportunity to attend a fully-funded 6-week Design Discovery program at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

The international competition theme this year, “Forward: A Sustainable Future”, posed a unique challenge to its participants to showcase designs immersed with functional and social sustainability elements. In an effort to break the boundaries of current design concepts, Nippon Paint and AYDA aim to nurture the next generations of architects and interior designers to conceptualize more sustainable designs in their projects that will reduce negative impacts on the environment and eventually improve quality of life.

Lea Aviliani Aziz, Founder, Principal & Director, PT Elenbee Cipta Desain

“Participants of this year’s virtual competition showed great innovations, strong concepts, and social interactions especially during this time of uncertainty. Not only did their designs showcase technical skill, but most importantly, a deep understanding of environmental sustainability and what it takes to change the future of design, which is the essence of the year’s theme. The judges had a difficult but rewarding experience deliberating the participants’ entries but above all, we are proud of the impressive work from designers across the region. Greta Elsa Nurtjahja exceeded expectations in this competition with the level of detail and vision in her design,” said Lea Aziz, one of the judges from the Interior Design category and Founder of PT Elenbee Cipta Desain.

Paul Noritaka Tange, Chairman & Senior Principal Architect, Tange Associates

“This year’s entries, to me, were very interesting and diverse. Some of the entries were very poetic, historical, and proves that the participants dived deep into researching the environment and how to address different environmental issues. So, it was rather difficult for us to judge with the variety of entries but we thought the final entries from different countries were very diverse and exciting,” said Paul Noritaka Tange, one of the judges from the Architectural Category and Chairman & Senior Principal Architect, Tange Associates.

In light of the Covid-19 outbreak, Nippon Paint made the decision to present this year’s awards via a virtual ceremony, where the finalists from the Interior Design Category and Architectural Category were judged on 8th and 9th of July respectively and engaged in an insightful Q&A session with the esteemed international judges. All of which then culminated in a live broadcast awards ceremony via Zoom on 10th July at 6:00 pm.

Wee Siew Kim, Group CEO of NIPSEA Management Company Pte. Ltd.

“Over the past twelve years, the Asia Young Designer Awards stayed true to our commitment to innovation and sustainability. By instilling a deep sense of responsibility and accountability in these young budding designers, we believe that in time, they will contribute to social and environmental advancements in society through their professional achievements. We are proud of the network that we’ve built, connecting industry professionals and talented designers from across the region,” said Wee Siew Kim, Group CEO of NIPSEA Management Company Pte. Ltd. (Subsidiary of Nippon Paint Holdings Co.).

AYDA by Nippon Paint will be organizing international webinars where professionals from the industry and young designers will bring their knowledge and talents together, in August and October this year. Nippon Paint and AYDA have announced 2020’s theme; Forward: Human-Centred Design and encourages submissions from the world’s budding talents. For more information and to participate in this competition, visit: https://www.asiayoungdesignerawards.com/.

About NIPSEA Management Co Pte Ltd (Subsidiary of Nippon Paint Holdings Co.)

NIPSEA was founded by entrepreneur Mr. Goh Cheng Liang in Singapore in 1962. NIPSEA has established its position as one of the largest coating and paint specialists in Asia, known in the marketplace by its brand as “Nippon Paint” and is responsible for expanding its operation and development of Nippon Paint in Asia. It has become the best coating partner for architectural, automotive, industrial, marine, O&G, specialized clients, and millions of families across the world. The brand is recognized for its dedication to quality, dazzling innovation, and excellent customer service.

With more than 70 NIPSEA companies spread throughout Asia, NIPSEA understands the local needs of its customers in every community. The company embraces diversity and operates as a multinational corporation. NIPSEA Group has over 23,000 employees with over 80 manufacturing facilities and operations in 17 geographical locations with its headquarters in Singapore, efficiently serving all aspects of the business, from production to customer satisfaction.

For more information about NIPSEA Group http://www.nipponpaint.com/.

Splash Corp. Donates Nationwide Amid Ongoing COVID-19 Hospital Battles

by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jul 1, 2020 | Advocacy

The fight against COVID-19 is far from over. Until a safe and effective vaccine is found for COVID-19, Splash Corporation believes the private corporate sector should continue to help the government curb the spread of this disease and keep people safe.

As part of their continuing COVID-19 initiative, Splash Corporation has been supplying medical institutions and frontliners in Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao with Hygienix alcohol and Hygienix soap to ensure that their disinfectant requirements are sufficient. These donations are coursed through Splash sales personnel on the field and delivered with the help of Splash official distributors. Splash’s target is to finish delivering 80 gallons of alcohol and 5 cases of soap to each of the 40 hospitals in their list this July.

Splash Corporation also donated Hygienix alcohol and Hygienix soap to several Manila-based civic organizations. Splash Corporation hopes that its donations to the ABS-CBN Foundation, I am Hope, Safe Shelter, and World Vision will help these organizations in their respective campaigns and programs in the fight against COVID-19.

Mr. Marco Nieto, Splash Corporation SVP and General Manager

According to Mr. Marco Nieto, Splash Corporation SVP and General Manager of Philippine Operations and International Operations, “Splash Corporation donated Hygienix alcohol and soaps to the hospitals and organizations as our way of helping prevent the spread of the virus by protecting our frontliners who are tirelessly working to save those who are afflicted by COVID-19.”

The battle against the pandemic may not be over but if frontliners continue to receive the help and support they deserve from businesses and private individuals, their fight could be easier––and may soon be won.

Doña Elena Tower Adds Life to Manila’s Thriving Property Market

by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 27, 2020 | Business

Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno

The City of Manila has definitely had a resurgence under the leadership of Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso. When Mayor Isko removed unlawful obstructions and cleared illegal vendors off of Manila’s streets and sidewalks, he effectively changed how the city looked and how it moved. By cleaning up the city and bringing order to chaos, the determined mayor gave the City of Manila a fresh new feel that continues to inspire business confidence and draw consumer interest. And this hasn’t changed despite the COVID pandemic.

According to Lobien Realty Group (LRG), the City of Manila has a total of 99,874.29 square meters (sqm) of gross leasable office space and only 5,650.63 square meters (sqm) are currently vacant. LRG pointed out that this translates to a single-digit vacancy rate of 6%, which is very low and signifies that in Manila, there is a demand for office spaces, and what is supplied in the market is being taken up.

Doña Elena Tower

One of the most highly anticipated real estate developments in Manila is the Doña Elena Tower, a mixed-use building developed by Happy Coral Way Realty Corporation. This 11-storey building will soon rise in the busy district of Sta. Mesa Manila near the boundary of Mandaluyong City.

The Doña Elena Tower, which has LRG as its sole leasing agent, will provide Manila with 19,051 sqm of gross leasable area.

Built at an accessible location that’s surrounded by a wide variety of businesses and essential institutions, the Doña Elena Tower offers its tenants the chance to work in a community where most of what they may want or need is readily available.

Situated close to the entry and exit ramps of the on-going Skyway Stage 3 project and within the public transport system that connects EDSA through Shaw, LRG says Doña Elena Tower gives the added benefit of having quick access to Mandaluyong’s burgeoning business and residential areas, without having to deal with the hustle and bustle of the already crowded central business districts of Makati, BGC or Ortigas.

LRG believes that the office space market is a good barometer for the state of the economy because when office spaces are in demand and supply is being taken up, it means that businesses are expanding, jobs are being generated and money is being spent. Based on the high demand for office spaces in Manila, LRG expects that finding tenants to occupy Doña Elena Tower will not be difficult. Judging by LRG’s optimism, it can be said that Happy Coral Way Realty Corporation made an excellent decision to build the Doña Elena Tower in the City of Manila.

Face mask makeup tips

by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 24, 2020 | Personal Care Tips

In the new normal setting, we are required to practice social distancing and wear face masks in public to better protect ourselves from COVID-19. While makeup may seem unnecessary, it can make a huge difference in improving our mood and boosting our confidence. Even with a face mask on, you can still rock a pretty makeup look with Ever Bilena and EB Advance products.

Wear a light foundation.

We know, wearing masks can get hot and uncomfortable. So opt to wear light-weight, non-comedogenic coverage such as Ever Bilena All Day Liquid Foundation or EB Advance BB Cream to allow your skin to breathe and be comfortable underneath the mask.

Eyes are the focus.

Playing up your eyes is one way to make your look stand out. Beginners can try a monochromatic look by sticking to the same shades in the EB Advance Eyeconic Palette and applying it on the lids and underneath the eyes.

Meanwhile, seasoned makeup users can try more complex looks, blending all the shades of the same EB Advance palette and finishing it off with a winged eye using the Ever Bilena All day Eyeliner Pen.

Glow from beneath.

Give yourself an extra boost of confidence by dabbing on the EB Advance Glow Out Highlighter on the high points of the cheeks, brow bones, and bridge of the nose. You can also opt to go for a flushed skin with the Ever Bilena Blush Rush Tint.

Take care of your lips too!

EB Advance Vinyl Lip Gloss

Even when your lips are hidden underneath the mask, it needs some care, too. Our lips are prone to chapping and drying so make sure to apply a lip balm or a gloss like the EB Advance Vinyl Lip Gloss to keep it moist and protected.

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Give yourself a boost of confidence even while wearing a mask by trying out these products from Ever Bilena and EB Advance available on their official page on Lazada.

For more updates, like and follow Ever Bilena and EB Advance’s Facebook pages (@everbilenacosmetics and @ebadvance) and Instagram (@everbilenaofficial and @ebadvance).

Go for the Perfect 10!

by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 20, 2020 | Health and Wellness

The Fit Filipino Movement (FitFil) led by Health & Fitness VIP Coaches Jim & Toni Saret and co-presented by NOVUHAIR^®, nature’s answer to hair loss, wish to invite you, your family and loved ones to join a 20-day Facebook Live FREE workout session designed for all beginners and active fitness buffs starting June 22, 2020 (Monday) at 4 pm.

Everyone is invited to join for FREE & win exciting prizes!

How can Novuhair help?

NOVUHAIR^®Topical Scalp Lotion is formulated with 19 natural ingredients that work in synergy to help prevent hair loss.

Go for the perfect 10! Nothing to lose.

As a hair loss remedy, this VIP promo kit offers an extra 120ml bottle worth P1,990 for FREE. That’s 64% savings for an effective hair treatment for men and a safe female hair loss treatment.

#Perfect10Novuhair #FreeToBeMyself #FreeToBeWithOthers #NothingToLoseNovuhair #NovuhairCares #ChooseNatural

Nippon Paint continues to nurture the designers of tomorrow

by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 19, 2020 | Business

Organized by Nippon Paint, the Asia Young Designer Awards (AYDA), will see its 13th year of empowering young, budding designers to be agents of change by creating a positive impact, through design, within their communities. Held annually, student participants go through a rigorous selection process to proudly represent their countries for the grand title of Asia Young Designer of the Year 2019/20 at an international level. Despite the Covid-19 outbreak, AYDA pushes boundaries to continue nurturing designers for a better future.

Last year saw architect Tanay Bothara from India take his place at the gold spot in the Architectural Category with his award-winning project that saw him spend six weeks attending the Design Discovery Program at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design; an entire experience worth USD10,000 fully sponsored by Nippon Paint, as part of his winning prize, setting the stage for more to come this July.

Tanay Bothara attending the Design Discovery Program at Harvard GSD with his course mates

Tanay was able to attain a life goal following his gold achievement at the AYDA 2018/19 – to make it to Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design ‘Design Discovery Program’. “During my time at Harvard University’s GSD, I personally had the chance to design a unique civic center project, which provided me with rare insights from design experts from around the world. It was a great learning opportunity and I’m glad my journey landed me here. I encourage students to take part in AYDA to be able to experience what I have been able to. All it takes is the courage to pursue the competition knowing you have nothing to lose and only so much to gain,” said Tanay Bothara, Asia Young Designer of the Year 2018/19 (Architectural Category).

Children Uprooted, a humanitarian project by Tanay Bothara

AYDA 2018/19 saw Tanay channel humanitarian ideals with his award-winning project “Children Uprooted”. The architect achieved his personal goal of making a noteworthy contribution that will positively impact lives around the world as he showcased an attempt to recover the lost childhood of the Syrian children as he re-adapted war-torn spaces into playgrounds while strengthening color, warmth, and normalcy in a socially conscious process.

In 2018, Nippon Paint announced the establishment of the Gennosuke Obata Fellowship Fund at the Harvard GSD – a fund that has been providing financial aid to GSD students from Asian countries for the past two years. This partnership brings an additional program that rewards the Regional Winners of AYDA a 6-weeks all-expense paid experience at the prestigious school. Nippon Paint is connected to Harvard GSD’s alumni around the world to make way for more collaboration between the prestigious school and AYDA.

Since its inception, AYDA has engaged more than hundreds of industry professionals in the Asia Pacific to mentor the student participants and expose them to first-hand knowledge in the industry. Participants will also receive coaching and attend skill-building workshops to better prepare them for the upcoming virtual competition held on July 8th and 9th this year, where finalists will present their finest works to a panel of judges to be the next Asia Young Designer of 2019/20.

“Nippon Paint conceptualized AYDA as part of the brand’s inclusive business project to empower and groom budding architects and interior designers across Asia and we are very proud to have been able to showcase the extraordinary pool of talents we come across throughout the years with AYDA. Following the 2019 A Sustainable Future theme that set the motion for aspiring designers to bring to life a sustainable future, we’re eager to see what will be brought to the table for 2020’s Human-centred Design theme,” said Wee Siew Kim, Group CEO of NIPSEA Management Company Pte. Ltd. (Subsidiary of Nippon Paint Holdings Co.)

Despite the outbreak of Covid-19 and with safety measurements in mind, Nippon Paint has made the call to present this year’s awards via a virtual ceremony attended by international judges and esteemed finalists representing their country for the grand title of categories in AYDA. The event will see finalists present their award-winning work to an esteemed panel of judges in the Interior Design Category and Architectural Category on the 8th and 9th of July respectively. The finalists will also engage in a 10-minutes Q&A session with the judges and two of the 26 finalists will walk away with the grand title of each category.

The initiative by Nippon Paint will also organize international webinars where professionals from the industry and young designers are able to bring their knowledge and talents together.

Since founded in 2008, AYDA has grown exponentially since – garnering more than 35,000 entries from more than 1,200 tertiary educational institutions across 15 geographical locations that recognize Asia Young Designers around the world and also offer sub-award prizes in each category:

Nippon Paint Colour Award – US $1,000
Best Design Impact Award – US $1,000
Best Sustainable Design Award – US $1,000

About the Asia Young Designer Awards

The Asia Young Designer Awards (“AYDA”) was first launched in 2008 as part of Nippon Paint’s vision to nurture the next generation of design talents. The event serves as a platform to inspire architectural and interior design students to develop their skills through cross-learning opportunities and networking with key industry players as well as fellow architectural and interior design peers in the region.

AYDA has since grown in terms of reach and stature and has now established itself as one of Asia’s premier design award across 15 geographical locations namely Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam with further expansion plans in the pipeline.

Over the years, AYDA has impacted thousands of young and talented student designers, presenting them with various opportunities to engage with renowned speakers and key figures in the design industry. Not only has the exposure enabled the participants to gain first-hand industry knowledge, personalized coaching, mentoring, and skill-building through various workshops by experienced lecturers, they also learn from their fellow peers from across borders.

With that, AYDA has established a close-knit design community comprising professional architects, interior designers, industry associations, partners, design schools, alumni, and design students.

AYDA welcomes all applications and those shortlisted will be notified. For more information, please visit https://www.asiayoungdesignerawards.com/.

About NIPSEA Management Co Pte Ltd (Subsidiary of Nippon Paint Holdings Co.)

For more information about NIPSEA Group http://www.nipponpaint.com/.

Shopee partners with CJ ENM to bring KCON online

by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 8, 2020 | Events

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, partners Asia’s leading entertainment and lifestyle company CJ ENM to bring KCON, the world’s largest Korean culture festival, online for the first time. KCON is a highly-anticipated annual event for Kpop fans across the globe, entering its ninth year of bringing the ultimate Korean culture fan experience worldwide including the US, Japan, and Thailand.

It will go online for the first time in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, with Shopee as the official live stream partner for the KCON:TACT 2020 Summer concert. This partnership will see Shopee air live performances, concerts, and more from KCON:TACT 2020 Summer for free to users on Shopee Live.

KCON:TACT 2020 Summer will be the highlight of Shopee Live Kpop Fest, which will kick off on June 10. Launched in collaboration with CJ ENM, the festival aims to meet the growing demand for online entertainment amid social distancing measures in the region. Popular Kpop groups including GFRIEND, (G)I-DLE, ITZY, MONSTA X, and Stray Kids will also make special appearances on Shopee Live, while Shopee users can enjoy daily Kpop themed streams and challenges.

Agatha Soh, Head of Regional Marketing at Shopee said, “Shopee is proud to be the exclusive partner of CJ ENM to stream KCON:TACT 2020 Summer to fans in Southeast Asia and Taiwan for the first time, as part of Shopee Live Kpop Fest. This partnership builds on our efforts to connect people through entertainment and shared experiences, and comes after a series of successful collaborations with Kpop stars.”

“Shopee Live Kpop Fest and KCON:TACT 2020 Summer reflect our commitment to meet evolving needs, as people around the world stay home and turn to online entertainment. We look forward to more exciting collaborations with CJ ENM in the future.”

Don Kim, General Manager of Global Festival at CJ ENM said, “KCON is the largest festival of Korean culture in the world. Bringing the festival online, we have lined up an amazing experience for KCON:TACT 2020 Summer including interactive events with state-of-the-art technology, a star-studded concert lineup, and more. We are excited to go above and beyond what fans have experienced so far, and we are excited to partner with Shopee for fans in Southeast Asia and Taiwan to join the festival.”

From June 10 to 26, avid Kpop fans can look forward to a wide range of live streams and challenges daily at Shopee Live Kpop Fest, including:

Exclusive appearances by popular Kpop idols, WJSN and Weki Meki on Shopee Live at 8PM (GMT +8) on June 10 and 15 respectively. Users can enjoy first-hand access to the groups with exciting performances, interviews, games, and more in each stream.
Daily Kpop themed challenges for fans to show off their knowledge, recreate iconic Kpop looks, and more. The best fans stand to win attractive prizes such as vouchers and signed merchandise from their favorite idols.

Shopee will mark the finale of Shopee Live Kpop Fest by screening KCON:TACT 2020 Summer on Shopee Live from June 20 to 26, 2020. Shopee users and Kpop fans can look forward to seven consecutive days of non-stop entertainment, including live concerts and interviews by some of the biggest Kpop stars in the world, including GFRIEND, (G)I-DLE, ITZY, MONSTA X, and Stray Kids.

Stay tuned for more updates on KCON:TACT 2020 Summer and Shopee Live Kpop Fest at http://shopee.ph/m/live-kpop-fest. Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

Acer Philippines and APEC Schools team up to launch online enrollment

by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 4, 2020 | Business

Acer Philippines, the country’s leading brand in the PC market, has formalized its partnership with APEC Schools is launching an online enrollment program to foster a safer and more efficient enrollment experience.

Sharing the same initiative to promote innovation in education, APEC Schools has moved to digitize its students’ records by making enrollment available online. This allows students to complete their enrollment process for SY 2020-2021 without visiting any APEC Schools branch.

APEC students using an Acer laptop

“As we prioritize the safety of Filipino students and their families, this partnership allows us to further improve the capacity of the education sector by developing a contactless enrollment solution to ease their worries during this uncertain time,” said Sue Ong-Lim, General Manager of Acer Philippines.

“At the height of the implementation of the Luzon-wide quarantine to contain the spread of COVID-19 infections, parents can harness the use of digital technology. They will no longer have to go through the old tedious enrollment process, and just stay home with their families and be safe,” she added.

APEC Schools announced that the online enrollment will begin in April. Forms such as the online admissions checklist, student questionnaire, and enrollment policies agreement can be easily downloaded from their website.

Students can enroll for junior or senior high school programs using their own tablet, laptop, or mobile phones through APEC Schools’ enrollment panel: http://enroll.apecschools.edu.ph/.

“Having the online enrollment system in place allows us to continue our commitment to parents and students even during this pandemic. A time like this is uncertain and challenging but securing their child’s future doesn’t have to be. This is all possible thanks to our partnership with Acer,” said Joie Lopez, CEO of APEC Schools.

The computer company has been supportive of redefining education through various initiatives that promote technological transformation in the workplace and enhance digital literacy in the academe.

APEC Schools offers the use of Chromebooks, one of Acer’s laptop models, in the classroom as a supplementary tool in education that lets the students learn more and do more. With over 20 branches across Metro Manila and Calabarzon, APEC Schools offers accessible and innovative education from junior to senior high school. The institution prepares college-ready and employment-ready individuals by creating their future #BetterEachDay.

For admission-related inquiries, you may visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/APECSchools, email ad********@*************du.ph, or call 0917-258-7621 and 0998-846-2120.

Economical cooking at home

by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 3, 2020 | Bon Appetit

One of the best things that came about during the lockdown is the onslaught of online cooking videos found across all social media platforms. More and more people are honing their culinary skills by experimenting and trying out new recipes in the kitchen. While this is great, it’s always good to keep a few important things in mind, most especially conserving energy and avoiding food waste when preparing meals for the family.

Here are some useful tips from Solane, one of the country’s leading LPG solutions provider, on saving energy, time and ingredients in the kitchen:

Get your ingredients ready.

Some people tend to prepare the ingredients in the middle of the cooking session while the cooking gas is on. Not only is this a waste of time but also an unnecessary waste of gas. Be sure to prepare all the ingredients ahead of cooking time and put them within your reach as you cook. That way, you don’t need to run around the kitchen to hunt for ingredients, making your cooking time shorter. This will also help you save cooking gas.

Defrost before cooking.

Some of us are probably using our microwave to defrost our frozen food. Doing this consumes a lot of electricity when our aim is to save money on our bills. Instead of using a microwave, take out frozen ingredients ahead of cooking time, place them on the counter, and thaw at room temperature.

Use low heat as much as possible.

If you’re cooking or tenderizing meat by boiling, make sure to cover the pot with the lid and lower the heat as soon as it starts to boil. Leave it simmering until soft and tender. You are making the most of your cooking fuel by doing this.

Choose your burner.

The bigger the burner, the more energy or cooking gas is used. When you’re using a small pan to cook, use a smaller burner. But If you have only one burner or your burners are of the same size, turn down the flame as soon as food starts to boil to maximize cooking gas.

Keep your LPG well-maintained.

Keep your household safe by turning off the LPG cylinder valves when not in use. Do a regular maintenance check on your stove and LPG tank such as checking if your burners, regulators, and hose are clean and functioning well and that the LPG tank is in good working condition. Regular inspection of your stove and LPG is a good safety and energy-saving practice.

Cooking at home is great but remember to be practical and smart about it. Save your time, money, and maximize your cooking gas by following these easy hacks from Solane. For more information, visit www.solane.com.ph.