Adventure, fun, and excitement are some reasons why people enjoy going out and experiencing the outdoors. It is one way of communing with nature. The closer you get to the environment, the more you understand the value of life. Though most people consider going out as a breather for all the stress, still, the mountains and everything around it is there to give us the joy of being outside and liberated.

Speaking of wild and free, and independent, a country with so much more to offer when it comes to outdoor and nature, Canada has an appealing view for every adventurer. A town in Alberta, Canada, brings you not only in the wilderness but also lets you see parts of its historical past.

The town of Banff is one of the many unique towns. Aside from being a resort town, Banff is one of the towns settled inside a National Park. The establishment of Banff was in 1883, after the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Later, the Banff National Park was instituted, having the town included in the entirety of the park. In 1990, Canada included Banff as one of the municipalities. It was also the first to be incorporated inside a national park.

Since the town is inside a National Park, do they have Banff homes for sale? I couldn't imagine living in a place with all the beauty and sceneries of nature around you, but if it is permitted, I sure do want to own a property in that area. And I can enjoy these different activities.

Hike the Mountain Trails in Summer

If you're seeking the thrill of the mountain, Alberta, Canada, is one of the places to visit. And the town of Banff is the one to discover for yourself. It is the rocky and mountainous part of Alberta. In winter, its icy glacial part beams a perfect scenic view, but when its snowy part starts to melt, its wilderness portion springs the beauty of the mountain. It is the best place to enjoy a good trail hike.

Many adventurers visit this part of Banff for its fascinating trails and the wilderness part of the park. So, if you're in for a long perspiring hike, this activity is perfect. You can pump up yourself with a good fresh air of the mountain and at the same time enjoy the natural beauty of nature.

Wildlife Viewing

The preservation of National Parks is because of their beauty, value, and importance. But mainly, National Parks are sustained for their ecosystem. The wildlife and the system that they have to maintain the balance of nature. The preservation of the living creatures inside of these parks.

If you love taking photos of animals and different creatures, you can spend a day or two or even more in Banff National Park to see these lovely mammals, birds, and other creatures that are endemic to Banff. Maybe you can find your next Photo Piece for the National Geographer here in Banff.

Trail Around on Horseback

If you're back is aching on long walks, you can still enjoy the beauty of Banff by borrowing the back of the horses and ride with them. Banff got these one or three-hour tours around the places of Bow River with a river crossing adventure to experience.

You get to enjoy the view even more from a higher perspective than hiking.

Go Back in History

If remembering the past is a memory lane for you, you might not want to consider including this activity in your list of things to do in Banff. But if you're an old soul who is fascinated with history and past stories, then you might want to feast your eyes and ears on this.

The Banff Park Museum is where they showcase the natural history of western Canada. According to some articles about the museum, it was a log cabin constructed in 1903. I think it is the oldest museum in Canada. Imagine the preservation of historical items, displaying the diverse flora and fauna. It is considered a heritage site of Canada.

Canoe Your Way in the River

If you love canoeing, you can always try the adventure in the water by trailing the Bow River riding on a canoe. Honestly, I haven't tried canoeing, but, if visiting Banff will let me experience it, then it would be captivating.

Aside from these five activities to do in Banff, you can still have more things to do. All you need is the courage to be adventurous.

Something good news for all! Grab Philippines launched its GrabBayanihan Vaccination Support Program to help increase vaccine access and education for Filipinos. The program includes a range of measures to encourage all consumers and driver- and delivery-partners to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Grab Philippines will also work closely with the national and local government units and leverage its ground fleet network and app to offer mobility, communications, and logistics support for their respective vaccination programs.

In a recent survey conducted by Pulse Asia, it revealed that 61 percent of Filipinos don’t wish to get inoculated with a COVID-19 vaccine even if the shot is available. GrabBayanihan Vaccination Support Program is focused on vaccine access and education. As the Philippines begins to roll out vaccinations, Grab is committed to supporting informed and equitable access to vaccines for all Filipinos.

Access: To support easy access to the COVID-19 vaccine and to encourage its employees, partners, and consumers to get vaccinated through the local government units, Grab Philippines is committed to:

• Work with local and national governments to include Grab driver- and delivery-partners in the National Vaccination Program of the Philippine Government as economic frontliners.
• Work with its partners to provide pre- and post-vaccination telemedical consultation to help identify the comorbidity status of its driver- and delivery-partners, and connect them with their local governments for inoculation.
• Extend its Post-Vaccination Livelihood Protection insurance policy free of charge to cover the potential loss of income to driver- and delivery-partners resulting from COVID-19 vaccine side effects.
• Create a specialized fleet of vaccinated driver-partners to provide discounted mobility solutions for senior citizens and high-risk individuals or those with comorbidities going to and from vaccination centers.
• Subject to vaccine supply availability, Grab Philippines will subsidize the cost of COVID-19 vaccines for driver- and delivery-partners who are not covered by the national vaccination program.
• Cover the cost of COVID-19 vaccinations for all Grab Philippines employees and their immediate family members.

Education: Grab Philippines is working closely with the Department of Health to provide up-to-date vaccination information to combat misinformation and boost public confidence in COVID-19 vaccines.

• Together with the Department of Health, Grab Philippines will publish accurate vaccine and other public health information within dedicated high-visibility spaces in the Grab app.
• To help governments better understand the public sentiment around vaccines, Grab Philippines will launch a “COVID-19 Snap Survey”. The survey will enable the Department of Health to conduct lightning polls to gather real-time data on vaccine sentiment. Grab hopes this will enable public health authorities to better tailor their vaccine strategy.
• Grab Philippines will also conduct a series of workshops and town halls to educate its driver-, delivery-, and merchant-partners on the benefits of getting vaccinated.

Grab Philippines Country Head Grace Vera Cruz said: “Many of our kababayans spent the last year making enormous sacrifices for our communities - showing the best of who we are as Filipinos. Now that we are gradually striving towards socio-economic recovery, we believe that the vaccination efforts- from both the private and public sectors- provide much-needed hope for many of our kababayans. Through Grab Philippines’ technology, platform, and partnerships, we are reinforcing our commitment to supporting livelihoods, and helping the recovery of our communities.”

Epson expands its 76” printer series and offers customers greater flexibility with the SC-F10030H, a new dye-sublimation printer that comes with two additional colour options: Fluorescent Yellow and Fluorescent Pink or Light Cyan and Light Magenta, to address the market’s fluorescent and light ink colour demand.

This new dye-sublimation textile printer is the first in Epson’s textile large format printer genre with 6 new PrecisionCore™ Micro TFP printheads and the option for Light Cyan and Light Magenta (LcLm) inks. Working together, these new features enable the highest productivity possible in continuous printing of bright, vibrant textiles.

The textile industry is ever-changing, and the ability to manufacture unique printed textiles on short production run is quickly becoming a business advantage. From delivering production efficiency to producing spectacular print quality, Epson’s SC-F10030H helps businesses evolve and move to the next level.

With its new fluorescent colour options, the SC-F10030H allows businesses to expand to more print applications in apparel, soft signage, or home décor. Industries with high image quality requirements like advertising or interior design can utilise the SC-F10030H to produce eye-catching printouts that provide greater versatility for customers.

Aside from its additional printheads and new colour options, the SC-F10030H retains all the features of the SC-F10030 such as Epson’s Precision Dot Technology, Auto Adjustment features and Self-Repair function to ensure remarkable print quality, high reliability, and enhanced productivity. To improve total customer experience, the new model also comes bundled with an Epson Cloud Solution PORT for remote monitoring to enable accurate failure diagnosis and prompt responses to inquiries.

“Epson continues to innovate in the dye-sublimation space, and the new SureColor F10030H with light color and fluorescent ink options make bold colour applications possible, creating eye-catching output and providing greater versatility for customers,” said Eduardo Bonoan, Head of Marketing, Epson Philippines.

The SureColor FC-10030H industrial dye-sublimation textile printer will be available in the region in June 2021. Please contact your local Epson Authorized Dealer stores for more information.

ABS-CBN and Electric Entertainment’s historic crime drama series “Almost Paradise” overflows with Pinoy pride as it continues to champion Filipino talent in its last two weeks on Kapamilya Channel and A2Z.

Like in the previous eight episodes, the Filipino cast and crew of the American crime drama series promise world-class entertainment in the final two chapters in the story of former U.S. secret agent Alex Walker (Christian Kane), who was drawn back to his old life after retiring in the island paradise of Cebu.

According to ABS-CBN International Production and Co-Production Division Head Ruel Bayani, the company really wanted to show the world the quality of content made by Filipinos through this project.

 

The Gold Squad, Francine Diaz, Kyle Echarri, Seth Fedelin, and Andrea Brillantes are into a new project that will highlight the need for responsible use of social media while exploring its dangerous consequences in the new anthology series “Click, Like, Share.”

It will premiere on June 5 with a new episode dropping every Saturday on KTX.ph and iWantTFC, and will soon be available on TFC IPTV and Upstream.

The digital series will underscore the role that social media plays in people’s lives, especially teenagers, and how it can cause harm on users, such as bashing, cyberbullying, online harassment, and depression.

In the first episode “Reroute,” Brennan’s (Kyle) addiction to social media takes a turn for the worse when an app suddenly falls in love with him and attempts to control his life. Meanwhile, in “Cancelledt,” Karen (Francine) gets caught off guard when her seemingly perfect life online unexpectedly becomes a reality.

In the third episode called “Trending,” Cocoy (Seth) manipulates the truth about a viral story that makes him famous, only for it to come back and haunt him. Andrea will also face the consequences of her actions as Beth in “Poser,” where a face-morphing app produces a clone that takes over her life.

This is a touching ode to all mothers, Cebu-based singer-songwriter Kervin Kane put his pop-rock spin to a special ode to moms comprising of Tausug, Cebuano, and Tagalog lyrics entitled “Ina Ku Kalasahan (Mahal Kong Inay).”

In an interview on MOR Entertainment’s digital show “Good Time ‘To,” Kervin said the heartbreaking song is about a mother who is gone too soon, a reminder for listeners to express their gratitude for their moms while they still can.

Mang Takbil composed the original Tausug song, which now includes additional Tagalog and Cebuano lyrics in the remake. Ryan Sarmiento produced the new single released by ABS-CBN’s rock/alternative label DNA Music.

The original “Ina Ku Kalasahan” became popular in Tawi-Tawi a decade ago. In 2016, “MMK” also played the track in one of its episodes. A Malaysian soul and R&B artist based in Sabah named Min Yasmin also recorded her own version of the touching ballad.

As the first ever act to grace the kumu Live Events’ virtual stage, Miguel, Paolo, Pat, Agnes, Poch, Keifer, Andrew, Jam, and Toni will certainly put on a heartfelt and satisfying showcase for their fandom ‘Liwanag.’

The nine-piece folk pop/pop rock band is expected to serenade viewers with hits like "Leaves," "Maybe the Night," "Pagtingin," "Kathang Isip,” “Lifetime,” and latest single “Upuan.”

A partnership between the country’s number one music channel MYX and the newly launched kumu Live Events, Ben&Ben’s virtual offering will be exclusively seen via the Pinoy community app’s desktop platform kumu.live.

Tickets for the one night only online event are now available for purchase at bit.ly/32H1ciH, which are priced at P499 and P999 for general admission and VIP tickets respectively.

A general admission ticket allows a holder access to the main show’s livestream, while the VIP ticket owner will enjoy the additional perk of joining the virtual meet-and-greet with Ben&Ben after the show.

Don’t miss Ben&Ben’s virtual concert presented by MYX and kumu Live Events this May 22 (Saturday) at 7 PM! For more details, follow MYX Philippines on Facebook (www.facebook.com/MYX.Philippines), Twitter (@MYXphilippines), and Instagram (@myxph).

Convenience and safety are what Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, has in mind as they now offer another rewarding method to pay for your cash-on-delivery (COD) orders using ShopeePay’s Scan to Pay feature.

The pandemic has pushed a lot of Filipinos to opt for cashless transactions more than ever. The total transaction value of digital payments in the country expects to show an annual growth rate of 16.40% and amount to 28 billion US dollars by 2025[ Statista]. With more Filipinos maximizing the potential of mobile wallets, ShopeePay aims to make it easier and secure for people turning to digital payment methods. With ShopeePay, users can venture into new opportunities whether it’s for personal or business purposes.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “As digital payments take on a greater significance in the lives of Filipinos, it is essential that we come up with initiatives that’ll make payments seamless, safer, and more worthwhile for our consumers. Through this additional payment method, we can help people adapt to the evolving digital space and make the transition to a cashless society a lot more convenient.”

By using Scan to Pay with Shopee Xpress, Shopee users can check the parcel first to see if the order is correct and in good condition before paying for it. In addition, payment is contactless - ensuring the safety of both the buyers and riders to reduce potential health risks.


To make users' experiences more rewarding, users who pay for their online purchases with ShopeePay through QR code scanning can get up to 20% cashback* until June 10.

Here’s a guide on how users can safely Scan to Pay for their COD purchases via ShopeePay:

1.Choose Cash on Delivery (COD) as a mode of payment and Shopee Xpress as a shipping option when checking out an item.
2.Inform the Shopee Xpress rider about the preference to pay COD via ShopeePay
3.Click ShopeePay wallet and choose “Scan”
4.Scan the QR code of the Shopee Xpress rider
5.Input the needed transaction order amount and your ShopeePay PIN
6.Enjoy 20% cashback once payment is complete

For more information, visit https://shopee.ph/m/cod-via-shopeepay.

Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

 

The demand for OLED TVs is still on a steady rise in 2021. According to Consumer Reports, more brands are expected to come out with entry-level OLED sets to make it more accessible to people looking for affordable TVs with 4K quality.

That being said, however, the concern over screen burn-in is expected to also grow alongside it. But what is it exactly and what causes it?

Simply known as “burn-in,” this is a permanent defect in areas of a TV display that can be caused by cumulative effects of displaying the same image or scene for long periods of time. This usually starts as an image retention—when a TV shows what appears to be a shadow of the original image even after it has disappeared.

OLED TV at a local airport waiting area with burn-in, as evidenced by the dark shadow in the middle of the screen.

OLED displays are much more susceptible to burn-in because it relies on the self-emissive nature of its individual pixels. Therefore, when a TV is on for hours, the pixels that light up a static image can “burn in” due to pixel aging with its brightness diminishing to a lower state.

In the past there have been reports of OLED TVs installed at prominent spots such as the Incheon International Airport that showed signs of burn-in that can make customers worry about the long-term reliability of the device.

OLED TV owners might be able to fix the problem and prevent permanent damage by turning down an OLED TV’s brightness and avoid leaving static images on for several hours or even days. Some displays have “pixel refreshers” that automatically shift an entire image on TVs by a few pixels.

They can also prevent burn-in by consuming less of certain types of content that show static graphics remaining on screen for a long period of time. These types of content can include news channels and live sports that show scores, tickers, and channel logos as well as video games that show health meters, status bars, or maps on a certain part of the screen.

But even then, there is still a possibility that some images will be retained. The static image somewhat disappears when switching channels but eventually, it becomes a major cause of concern when the image is already transfixed on the same spot. It becomes a constant eye-sore and the only way to enjoy watching their TV again is by buying a new one.

To check for burn-in, a popular method called the gray screen test will let you see image retention and burn-in more clearly. Samsung has also developed a burn-in detection video test for easier checking.

If you’re an OLED TV owner and are looking to switch, consider opting for a QLED TV instead because this TV technology uses a backlight to provide brightness. This means that the pixels aren’t susceptible to uneven aging, which ensures that the screens are safe from burning in.

For more information about Samsung’s unrivaled QLED 8K technology, visit https://www.samsung.com/ph/tvs/qled-tv/highlights/.

“Pinoy Big Brother Connect” alumni Andi Abaya, Kobie Brown, Haira Palaguitto, and Kyron Aguilera know fighting for their dreams doesn’t begin and stop with just their stint as housemates. After showcasing their personality and character in the country’s most famous house, the quartet has joined The Squad Plus, Dreamscape Entertainment’s teen barkada, to further develop their talents as they wait for their next big projects in showbiz.

Get to know the newly launched squadmates here:

1) Andi Abaya
“PBB Connect” 2nd Big Placer Andi Abaya has been a commercial model since she was 13 and has nurtured a passion for performing since she took acting workshops in grade school. Now 19, she has developed more talents that make her showbiz-ready, including dancing, singing, playing guitar, and acting.

As a former competitive cheerleader, Andi knows the value of taking big risks and the determination to dream even bigger. In “PBB,” she proved that confidence could be an asset. As she treads the next step in her career, this multi-talented girl-next-door knows and believes she is here to stay.

Grab Philippines and Rexona have come together to launch the Grab X Rexona Hero Movers Rides Program to honor the ‘kayod’ of our delivery-partners while supporting their everyday needs through a range of meaningful offerings and initiatives.

Delivery-partners must meet the target number of rides every month to get a chance to win. There will be three (3) Hero Mover Categories which they can join in every month:

●GrabMart Hero Movers for the month of May;
●GrabExpress Hero Movers for the month of June;
●GrabFood Hero Movers for the month of July.

This partnership ladders up to Grab Philippines’ ongoing efforts to support the everyday needs, and help improve the quality of life of its driver- and delivery-partners, as they continue to provide meaningful service to many Filipinos despite the pandemic.

One hundred fifty (150) delivery-partners will be rewarded throughout the course of this three (3) - month incentive program. Each month, fifty (50) winners who hit their target ride will get a chance to take home exciting prizes such as a brand new Yamaha Mio Soul Scooter, a Samsung A52 smartphone, tablets, Unilever Livelihood Packages, as well as gift certificates.

“Rexona as a brand stands for movement, with a purpose of inspiring the confidence in everyone to 'move more'. And on Labor Day, we are proud to launch this groundbreaking partnership with Grab in honoring the Grab Drivers or we'd like to call the new Hero Movers who have kept on moving for us and for the economy. Through the Grab x Rexona Hero Movers Program, we'd like to pay tribute to these movers by powering their mileage and rewarding them for the 'kayod' and the hard work they've put in,” says Unilever Philippines Business Performance Manager for Total Deos Von Cruz

Through this partnership, Grab delivery-partners will also be kitted with Rexona-branded long sleeves, helmets, and insulated bags, as well as personal care packages consisting of Rexona deodorants and antiperspirants to help them stay fresh and ready as they embark on every ‘kayod’ to support the everyday needs of many Filipinos - including their families.

Apart from the partnership with Rexona, Grab Philippines has also launched its Groceries For Your Rider Feature where consumers are now able to order groceries and other daily essentials for their delivery-partners whenever they place their own orders on GrabMart.

“Our driver- and delivery-partners provide much needed support to many Filipinos - whether it's in the form of mobility or delivery services. Through our technology, innovations, and our enduring partnership with Rexona, we are constantly reinforcing our commitment to support not only their everyday needs, but also improve their quality of life. We are deeply grateful for the trust and support of our driver- and delivery-partners, and we are committed to continue introducing many meaningful programs and innovations, to outserve their needs, and help achieve their aspirations,” says Grab Philippines Country Head Grace Vera Cruz.

For more information on the Grab X Rexona Hero Movers Rider Program, please visit: https://www.grab.com/ph/driver-featured-blog/grabxrexona-hero-mover-rides-program/

Games! Yes, we're going to talk about games today here in Kwento Ni Toto. I'm not sure if I had published the article that I wrote for a Non-Government Organization's newsletter about video games in this blog. But, whether I have or not, still, this blog is all about Kwento or Stories. And the best story is when you're in it or have experienced it.

I love playing video games! And probably it was also the reason why I somehow encountered unwanted circumstances in my life. That specific part of my life somehow affected me, my decisions, and even my dealings with people, especially online. It is my life, and it's all in the past now. The best part of that experience is I have learned so much.

So, moving on with our story. As I mentioned, the best storyteller is experience. And being in the generation who have witnessed most of the development and progress in technology about video games, I can say that it is a gift to share that experience.

Video games and Game Console Encounters

Drawings and sketches are appealing to my eyes. I don't know why I love different and bright colors, especially if there's a character that stands out of the usual images.

An interesting revelation of the actor who will play the role of "Doctor Foster." Prime Kapamilya actress Jodi Sta. Maria is the lead star in the Filipino remake of BBC’s global hit “Doctor Foster,” which will be known locally by its title “The Broken Marriage Vow,” ABS-CBN Entertainment unveiled in a live online event called “The Doctor Is In” on Friday (May 7).

Jodi, whose career is marked by compelling performances and highly acclaimed roles across various genres, takes on another iconic character as Dra. Jill Ilustre, the Filipina counterpart of Gemma Foster. A loving wife and mother with an accomplished medical career, Jill begins to see cracks in her picture-perfect life when she discovers that her husband is having an affair with a younger woman.

 

Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo is ready to strut her stuff with her signature ‘hala bira’ walk in the upcoming “69th Miss Universe Competition” that ABS-CBN will bring to viewers in the country live via A2Z on May 17, 8 am.

In an interview with Dyan Castillejo on “TV Patrol,” the 24-year-old Ilongga beauty queen shared that her ‘hala bira’ walk is ‘going strong’ as she is focused in her training under the supervision of Miss Universe Philippines creative director, Jonas Gaffud.

Rabiya also shared that she has been practicing her walk while wearing her heavy, but beautiful gowns for the pageant night. She’s also mastering her own hair and makeup to achieve the Filipina look during the competition.

Besides her walk and makeup, the country’s candidate is also busy preparing herself as well for the Q&A portion, which is one of the most anticipated segments of the competition.

“Now I really need to study the social issues. Q&A ang favorite segment ko sa competition. Eh, I like to study. I love to learn. So sana makapasok sa top five para magamit ang mga napagaralan,” Rabiya explained.

Meanwhile, Rabiya is also asking the support of Filipinos to help her enter the Top 21 by voting for her on www.missuniverse.com/vote.

“Please support my journey to the crown by voting for me online,” she said.

Cheer for our candidate Rabiya Mateo and witness the crowning of Miss Universe 2020 as ABS-CBN brings “The 69th Miss Universe Competition” LIVE from Florida, USA on A2Z on May 17, 8 am. It will also have a replya on A2Z at 10:30 pm.

For other replay dates, catch Miss Universe on cable via Kapamilya Channel and online via iWantTFC on May 23 at 9:45 pm. Replays are also available on Metro Channel on May 24 (12 nn and 10 pm), May 26 (5 pm), and May 29 (8:30 am).

For updates, follow @ABSCBNPR on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or visit www.abs-cbn.com/newsroom.