by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 28, 2020 | Business
Are you obsessed with TikTok? Have you been following all the viral hashtags and trends on social media? If you answered “yes” to these questions, then you may be just what Shopee is looking for!
In this role, you get the chance to create and produce engaging social media content from beginning to end. The best part? Not only will you get paid to do something you really enjoy doing, but you’ll also proudly represent the brand as one of the Faces of Shopee on TikTok!
Shopee wants bold and imaginative people to join their creative think tank. If you love being on camera and have the confidence to back it up, then this job is for you!
Interested candidates can paste a link of their most creative 30-second TikTok video on the comments section of the Shopee Career page. The clip should include why the candidates are the best person for this exciting role. Head over to Shopee Careers for more details.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 27, 2020 | Health and Wellness
While we stay at home to help flatten the curve of this pandemic, we suddenly find ourselves with lots of time in our hands to do the things we could only dream of or used to take for granted. As we wait for the air to clear, we make use of the time we have to learn a new recipe, to work out, to pamper ourselves, or to simply change up our looks. But if you’re too afraid of cutting your hair, why not add a splash of color instead?
Simple acts of care especially during quarantine can make anyone feel better. Why not show your mom or your sister how much they mean to you by spending an afternoon at home giving each other refreshing new hair color? Give them a whole new look that shows off their unique personalities through Kolours.
Kolours
Kolours has been the go-to brand of many Filipinas, and for good reason. Infused with Color Retention Technology, Kolours gives a vibrant precision color that lasts for up to three months. It’s also packed with Vitamins E and B5 to condition the hair while coloring, along with a post-treatment conditioner enriched with Natural Coco Essence to help nourish the hair by keeping it hydrated and moisturized.
The best part is with amazing quality, it’s affordable and retails for only P250 SRP. Kolours comes in 12 variants, and has recently added a line with celebrity Solenn Heussaff!
meadowfoam seed oil
These newest products offer trendy colors and are all infused with Meadowfoam Seed Oil, delivering the Best Ever Damage Defense System.
Meadowfoam Seed Oil repairs the hair making it stronger and also locks in moisture to make hair softer and smoother. With the new shade range, there’s definitely something for everyone!
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 27, 2020 | Business
Celebrating life continues during lockdown – this optimistic proposition is what helped this cake business thrive in the tough COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the quarantine, people went on to celebrate special occasions with family, becoming an accidental opportunity for Cardinal Cakes, the offshoot of an events catering company known as Cardinal Cuisine.
“Our business provides catering services for birthdays, weddings, baptisms, and other parties. But with the abrupt ban on mass gatherings, we had to pivot to survive. Truly, necessity is the mother of innovation. We came up with a line of cakes and marketed them to friends and family via social media,” said Eric Bandola, co-owner of Cardinal Cakes.
Prior to ECQ, Cardinal Cuisine made cakes as ordered, and only as part of their catering events. But in the early stage of the lockdown, the big cake companies were closed, creating a void. Cardinal Cuisine was quick to take on this sudden opportunity, quickly mobilizing production and accepting orders for delivery. And that’s when Cardinal Cakes began.
After gaining traction on social media, Cardinal Cakes saw sales jump, and it continues to serve up whole cakes for delivery across Metro Manila. “Last Mother’s Day, we turned over more than 60 cakes for delivery,” shared Bandola. “Around 90% of our customers are from Metro Manila, but we also have regular patrons from the Southern Tagalog Region,” Bandola said.
Made with joy and passion, Cardinal Cakes bestsellers: Dark Chocolate Cake, Naked Red Velvet Cake, Walnut Carrot Cake, and Caramel Cake
Currently, Cardinal Cakes has four regular offerings – the moist and decadent Dark Chocolate Cake; the sublimely luxurious Naked Red Velvet Cake; the satisfyingly delightful Walnut Carrot Cake; and the light and fluffy Caramel Cake – with prices ranging from Php 450 to Php 1,000. The freshly baked cakes are sold immediately, thus turnover is quick, with rarely any inventory staying too long on the cake display. It’s best to order at least 12 hours in advance to make for enough lead time.
Bandola explained that all their cakes are ordered as gifts to celebrate life and rightly so because the cakes are baked with joy and passion. “We make our cakes like how mom makes them: full of love, sprinkled with joy, and carefully baked with tenderness. Good teams make good cakes, and our highly engaged and passionate team bake each cake as a product of that passion, and the desire to be part of our clients’ momentous occasions,” he said.
With a clear path towards business progression, Cardinal Cakes has plans for expansion and digital integration to deliver both happiness and excitement to more households across the country. “We love how our cakes are part of our customers’ celebrations. Celebrations are happy occasions and no lockdown can keep us from celebrating life with our families and loved ones,” Bandola said.
For more information, visit facebook.com/CardinalCuisine. To order, you may contact 0905-420-4030 or 8821-0057. You can also reach Cardinal Cakes via Facebook Messenger at m.me/CardinalCuisine.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 22, 2020 | Health Tips
The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) says many companies need to improve their sustainability risk consciousness to come up with better business continuity plans as new risks, such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, become more likely possibilities in the future.
Jo Ann Eala, Head of BPI Sustainable Development Finance (SDF), said COVID-19, a rare but high-impact event, has opened the eyes of many, but there are existing, oft-ignored environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks which also require urgent attention.
Jo Ann Eala, Head of BPI Sustainable Development Finance
“Businesses must anticipate, prepare, and quickly adapt to the evolving global landscape. Sustainable and risk-conscious businesses are those that will survive during trying times. Risk consciousness, risk preparedness, and risk mitigation are key to sustainability,” she said.
Ms. Eala explained that BPI’s programs have promoted the inclusion of sustainability as part of clients’ business models, harnessing the Bank’s experience as the sustainability pioneer and leader in the Philippines since 2008. But as the world is hit with a pandemic of this scale, companies must now learn how to make use of risk-mitigating tools such as those used by BPI SDF to adapt, mitigate, and recover amidst the new normal.
“We are navigating unchartered waters as a result of this global pandemic which no one was prepared for. We need to adopt a new mindset that will change the way we do business,” she said.
She added that managing daily operations going forward will likely include the following:
Save on resources and reduce costs
- save electricity and water
- maximize manpower
- shift to less extravagant packaging and advertising
- opt for local vs. imported components of production
- cut non-essentials
- reduce transport and logistics
Choose efficient ways of doing business
- automate and go digital via secure platforms
- adopt technological innovations
- go paperless
- shift to higher efficiency equipment
- choose virtual communications and marketing vs traditional channels
Go back to basics
- focus on simple products that meet basic needs
- go natural
- go local
- drive down your carbon footprint
Manage business risks and build hazard resilience
- know your business risks – natural and man-made
- identify your weaker links
- mitigate organizational risks
- set up business continuity plans
“Remember that environmental and climate risk hazards like earthquakes, typhoons, flooding, and drought will not stop because there is a pandemic outbreak. Natural calamities will not give humans a reprieve, just because we are already suffering. It took COVID-19 for us to realize that risk management is a necessary component of business strategies,” she said.
BPI is offering the SDF program as a risk management tool for its clients and other stakeholders, as the bank helps clients achieve climate resilience and preparedness, noting that most industries are affected by the economic downturn caused by the wide-spread lockdowns across the country and the world. The SDF program allows clients to benefit from experts in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and climate resilience through free technical and financial advice for both large corporates and SMEs.
In the 3rd quarter of 2020, when businesses hopefully get back to some semblance of normalcy, BPI will be offering free webinars for SMEs as well as larger companies to save on electricity, produce renewable energy, shift to green buildings and more resilient climate-controlled animal housing facilities, and implement measures for business continuity should another pandemic hit.
Ms. Eala said BPI has been reporting its sustainable finance initiatives in the Bank’s annual integrated report. Compliance with a Sustainable Finance Framework (SFF) has recently been made a requirement by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, compelling Philippine banks and financial institutions to incorporate ESG and sustainability principles into their corporate strategy, risk management, and bank operations framework.
She said this is a process and the pandemic may serve as the impetus for more businesses to start the journey. By helping clients include sustainability practices in their businesses, BPI is able to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which are part of its own goals as a bank.
“Together with our clients and partners, we aim to harness our resources so we can bequeath a more sustainable world to the next generation, a generation that will be more conscious of the fact that good environmental, social and governance practices can no longer be ignored and should always be part of a short and long-term business plan,” she said.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 21, 2020 | Advocacy
AXA Philippines recently partnered with the Manila Doctors Hospital Corporate Social Responsibility Office to help members of the hearing-impaired community understand and disseminate information on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
They teamed up for a special project called Healthcare Equality and Accessibility for the Rights of the Deaf (HEARD), which aims to train the hospital’s healthcare front-liners to be able to independently communicate with deaf patients.
HEARD provided translator assistance to Manila Doctors Hospital’s deaf program through the Filipino Sign Language (FSL) Access Team for COVID-19. It is composed of volunteer doctors, healthcare professionals, sign language interpreters, technology professionals in delivering quality healthcare for the deaf.
Rahul Hora, President & CEO of AXA Philippines
“Proper dissemination of information is vital to the management and containment of the ongoing pandemic,” says Rahul Hora, AXA Philippines President & CEO.
“While we are getting information from all media platforms, the deaf community does not have easy access. Through our advocacy and with the help of the FSL Access Team, the hearing-impaired will now have a better understanding of the ongoing health crisis.”
Aside from providing translator assistance, AXA Philippines has also donated 100 food packs to deaf patients and has given 19 units of respirators to the hospital which will be donated to public medical centers soon.
AXA Philippines also made a monetary donation to the Philippine Red Cross to procure surgical masks and food packs to all volunteers, which were distributed to 37 hospitals around Metro Manila and Rizal Province.
To know more about AXA Philippines corporate social responsibility efforts, visit www.axa.com.ph.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 19, 2020 | Health and Wellness
Life in lockdown has given us plenty of opportunities to master new skills. If you’re eager to learn but don’t know where to start, why not take a page from Ever Bilena, the country’s leading cosmetics brand, and follow their makeup tips and techniques so you can come out looking young and fresh, post lockdown.
Natural flush
While you can’t get that bronzed skin from an excursion to the beach this summer, you can still achieve a natural flush with the EB Blush Rush or the EB Matte Color Sticks. The EB Blush Rush has a watery-gel consistency with roll-on applicator while the EB Matte Color Stick is creamy matte in its consistency, making both products easy to blend on your cheeks, eyes, and lips.
For a sun-kissed glow, strategically apply on points of the face where the sun hits most, such as the cheeks, nose, and a little above the brows. Blend with your ring finger (remember to thoroughly wash your hands regularly/before applying makeup) to sink the product naturally into the skin.
Upgrade the look by adding faux freckles using brown eyeliner. Before doing so, set your tint with powder then dot your nose and cheeks with the eyeliner. With your ring finger, tap over the top to blend and make it look more natural.
Daytime to nighttime makeup with three basic shades
Eye makeup can be intimidating or overwhelming, especially for beginners. But the great thing about makeup is it allows you to have fun and experiment with different looks. A great product to start with is the basic shades of Ever Bilena’s Chocolate Palette. Apply medium shade brown all over the lid and lower lash line. With your pinkie, press into the lightest color in the palette and apply on to the inner corners to open up the eyes. Take your look from daytime to nighttime by patting on the darkest shade of brown on the outer crease of the eyes and then blend.
Ace these simple makeup techniques to make your everyday look flawless, even while at home, using these products available on Ever Bilena’s official page on Lazada (www.lazada.com.ph). Blush Rush and Color Matte Sticks are sold in bundles in all available shades. To know more makeup tips, visit Ever Bilena’s official Facebook page (@everbilenacosmetics) and Instagram (@everbilenaofficial).
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 19, 2020 | Health and Wellness
NOVUHAIR®, the leading natural hair loss treatment in the Philippines, partnered with The Fit Filipino (FITFIL) Movement lead by Jim & Toni Saret, the brand’s VIP Fitness Coaches, to a FREE 20-day Facebook Live workout aimed at improving your wellness quotient goals through a “Bulletproof Immune System Activity Booster”.
This workout program is designed to help beginners and complement the workout of those with active exercise routines.
You can still join the program from May 18 until May 29, 2020. Happening every day from Monday to Friday at 4 pm live on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/fitfilmovement
Learn more at https://www.novuhair.com/novuhair-boosts-optimism-via-free-workout/
Optimism Adds Resilience
Optimism is a crucial factor in how we choose to navigate our journey to success. Businesses, institutions, and various groups have a significant role to play in fostering this especially in times of crisis.
From the start of this pandemic, profuse optimism, coupled with genuine concern among key stakeholders in weathering the storm, is evident in the support and proactive measures of Pascual Total Health Incorporated, the holding company of Bionutra Innovations Inc., the company subsidiary marketing the leading natural hair loss treatment in the Philippines, NOVUHAIR® – nature’s answer to hair loss.
Discover more at https://bit.ly/3bCtLzS
#NovuhairCares #NothingToLoseNovuhair #ChooseNatural #BelieveInYourselfNovuhair #TeamFitFil
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 18, 2020 | Lifestyle
The saying “so much to do, so little time” was once a cliché we could all relate to. But these days, such seems to be inapplicable, for most of us are at home due to the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). With more time on our hands now, we ask, what more can we do to stay productive?
If there’s anything we are learning from our current reality during this time, it is that we can now do what we’ve always wanted to accomplish in the comforts of our home — be it baking, cooking, gardening, and other hobbies we had no time to learn before.
Interested? Here are some activities you may want to try to make the most out of the ECQ period.
Cooking
garlic butter shrimp
Why don’t you try whipping up something in the kitchen using ingredients you never thought would work before — like the famous, easy 7-up chicken marinade or challenge yourself to cook a perfectly seared steak or experimenting on preparing the Dalgona in various versions — from coffee to fruity flavors — that are making the rounds on the internet?
Now is the best time to sharpen your culinary skills; then by the time the quarantine is over, you may gather your friends for a dinner at home and serve them your best recipe discoveries yet.
Baking
While you’re at it, why don’t you try baking sweet treats to brighten someone’s day, too?
You can start with the basic ones — from baking cookies, then banana bread, to probably advancing to cakes; that is when you’re confident enough with your weighing and measuring skills. Yes, bake it ’til you make it.
Arts & Crafts
While garbage collection may be a problem these days, recycling and upcycling wastes at home are highly recommended. Turn them into something useful such as the tissue roll carton as a cable wire organizer, PET bottles as a case for your pencil or art tools, cans as flower vases, etc.
You can make pencil cases for your kids, new jars for your room, and even toys for your kids, among other creative ways to reuse them. There are even free online classes that you may join to unleash your artistic side, as well as free music lessons, to boot.
Reading
Want an escape but can’t go out because of the virus? Let must-read fiction and non-fiction — be it hard copies or eBooks — take you to places and settings you’ve never seen before. Books help your brain withdraw from anxiety-inducing news on your social media feeds.
You can do some light reading with food books or to feel some love while on quarantine, there are romance novels. Do read up on travel and create that itinerary of your biggest adventure yet once this quarantine is over.
Work it out
In these uncertain times, it is best to sweat the stress out, not only to stay healthy but to also keep the happy hormones going. No gym equipment? No problem. There are still a lot of exercises you may do using ordinary items or fixtures at home.
Need weights? Use PET bottles as DIY dumbbell; need elevation for your cardio exercise, use the stairs; or if you need to run but has no space, do high-knee, stationary run or jog. For Zumba or Yoga classes, there’s always YouTube.
Gardening
We’ve also seen more people trying to grow their own urban garden at home in their effort to be more sustainable these days. You might have come across Facebook and Instagram posts by your friends showing off the progress of their mini farm and hydroponic techniques using recyclable bottles.
A lot of beverage companies are receiving requests from non-government organizations for donations of PET and other plastic bottles, too, as they will use them as pots for their plants to create sustainable farms for the communities they are serving.
Frederick Ong, President & CEO of Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc.
“We have received several requests for plastic bottle donations from various groups for urban farming projects. And as a company that champions sustainable practices, we are more than willing to help them create a greener world,” said Frederick Ong, President & CEO of Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc.
“Other than our frontliners, our environmental advocates are to be considered heroes also, because what they are doing is for the long-term. And we are here to support their causes,” he added.
And if there’s something we are realizing during the quarantine period, it is that the earth seems to be healing, because of less human activities outside our homes. Most of us are realizing the grim effects of not taking care of the environment. And this pandemic is teaching us to nourish Mother Nature more for us to enjoy healthier years.
More than ever, it is high time to learn how to remain productive, while taking care of the environment. It is clear that we are breathing cleaner air and seeing clearer skies these days. And let’s all do our job to keep it this way to save more lives and for the benefit of generations to come.
But if you opt to do nothing during this quarantine period, there’s no problem with that, too. Remember: The most productive people also make time doing nothing for self-care and balanced life.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 17, 2020 | Business
The times have changed and the new normal calls for more than your average clean as experts say it will take longer before the world completely heals from the effect of COVID19. As the country prepares to ease up after the almost three months of Enhance Community Quarantine, Hotel Sogo steps up for its version of the hotel industry’s ‘new normal’.
Hotel Sogo is doing various ways to ensure the safety and security of its guests and employees against the spread of Covid19 virus, once they go back to regular operations. Top on its list will be the use of ultraviolet (UV) lights in disinfecting around its facilities and intensified the process from checking-in to ordering food to make sure their facilities as So Clean. The ultraviolet (UV) lights are highly effective at disinfection, as its rays are capable of killing bacteria, germs, and viruses.
To prepare its employees in servicing its guests, Hotel Sogo makes sure to protect its employees from the virus by giving them vitamins to boost their immunity and provided personalized PPEs. Hotel Sogo employees have their medical check-ups and Covid19 testing to make sure that their personnel is free from the virus to make sure that the employees and not just the facilities are So Good and ready for their regular operations.
Guests need not worry during their stay Hotel Sogo ensures that operations and preparations are So Safe, as mandatory temperature checks, passage through disinfecting tent, and use of disinfecting foot tray are in place. The availability of hand sanitizers in common areas is strictly observed, as well as social distancing from the receiving process to elevator use going to their rooms. Facilities are also redesigned and modified to protect the guests and employees, like placing the glass panel divider on top of the front desk.
All of this information can be found in Hotel Sogo’s ‘new normal’ video playbook. The video is shared with relevant government agencies like the Department of Health (DOH), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and the Department of Tourism (DOT), in the hope that the video could serve as a benchmark of other similar establishments prior to their reopening.
Watch Hotel Sogo’s ‘new normal’ playbook video below to know more.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 14, 2020 | Bon Appetit
Garlic Butter Shrimp is so easy to cook. The main reason we don’t prepare this more often is that shrimp is quite expensive. Today my mom got half a kilo for Bubu which she graciously shared with us.
Here is my recipe for Garlic Butter Shrimp.
Garlic Butter Shrimp
Garlic butter shrimp is so delicious and so easy to prepare.
Course: Main Course
Keyword: butter, garlic, seafood, shrimp
Author: Penny Angeles-Tan
- 500 grams shrimp
- Sprite
- 8 tbsps Anchor butter 1 stick
- half a head of garlic, minced
Wash and clean the shrimp by cutting the whiskers short and place in a clean bowl.
Pour in enough Sprite to cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
Heat a saucepan and melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and mix. You want the taste of the garlic and butter to really incorporate.
Using tongs, arrange the shrimp in the saucepan so that all the pieces are flat and swimming in the butter. Lower the flame and cover.
After 1 minute remove the cover and flip the pieces of shrimp. to properly cook the other side, too. Cook uncovered for 1 minute then turn off the stove.
Your dish is now ready to serve.
Plating the shrimp
Plating is important. It makes the dish look even yummier than it already is.
- Get your serving dish (preferably one with a lip as this dish has a sauce) and carefully lay out the shrimp. I suggest using tongs for this.
- Get a spoon and scoop out the garlic from the pan and place it down the center of the dish.
- Pour (or spoon) the butter sauce over the shrimp to make it look shiny and moist.
Enjoy!
If you like this recipe and will replicate it, take a pic and share it on Facebook or Instagram and don’t forget to tag me and use the hashtag #slvrdlphnrecipes
Are you obsessed with TikTok? Have you been following all the viral hashtags and trends on social media? If you answered “yes” to these questions, then you may be just what Shopee is looking for!
Shopee wants bold and imaginative people to join their creative think tank. If you love being on camera and have the confidence to back it up, then this job is for you!
Kolours has been the go-to brand of many Filipinas, and for good reason. Infused with Color Retention Technology, Kolours gives a vibrant precision color that lasts for up to three months. It’s also packed with Vitamins E and B5 to condition the hair while coloring, along with a post-treatment conditioner enriched with Natural Coco Essence to help nourish the hair by keeping it hydrated and moisturized.
The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) says many companies need to improve their sustainability risk consciousness to come up with better business continuity plans as new risks, such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, become more likely possibilities in the future.
AXA Philippines also made a monetary donation to the Philippine Red Cross to procure surgical masks and food packs to all volunteers, which were distributed to 37 hospitals around Metro Manila and Rizal Province.
While you can’t get that bronzed skin from an excursion to the beach this summer, you can still achieve a natural flush with the EB Blush Rush or the EB Matte Color Sticks. The EB Blush Rush has a watery-gel consistency with roll-on applicator while the EB Matte Color Stick is creamy matte in its consistency, making both products easy to blend on your cheeks, eyes, and lips.
NOVUHAIR®, the leading natural hair loss treatment in the Philippines, partnered with The Fit Filipino (FITFIL) Movement lead by Jim & Toni Saret, the brand’s VIP Fitness Coaches, to a FREE 20-day Facebook Live workout aimed at improving your wellness quotient goals through a “Bulletproof Immune System Activity Booster”.
Optimism is a crucial factor in how we choose to navigate our journey to success. Businesses, institutions, and various groups have a significant role to play in fostering this especially in times of crisis.
While you’re at it, why don’t you try baking sweet treats to brighten someone’s day, too?
While garbage collection may be a problem these days, recycling and upcycling wastes at home are highly recommended. Turn them into something useful such as the tissue roll carton as a cable wire organizer, PET bottles as a case for your pencil or art tools, cans as flower vases, etc.
The times have changed and the new normal calls for more than your average clean as experts say it will take longer before the world completely heals from the effect of COVID19. As the country prepares to ease up after the almost three months of Enhance Community Quarantine, Hotel Sogo steps up for its version of the hotel industry’s ‘new normal’.
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