It's another day to enjoy Shopee's treat for Pinoys. Driven by its goal of serving Filipinos wherever they may be, Shopee continues to deliver ease and convenience for all through its highly-anticipated double-day sales. With the upcoming 9.9 Super Shopping Day, the start of its year-end shopping season, Shopee gives everyone much to look forward to with a new community-building project, the greatest selection of deals, entertaining activities, and exciting prizes.

Win a Shopee-sponsored Community Project for your Barangay
Beyond offering the best deals through its double-day sales, Shopee continues to work towards utilizing its resources and technology to help underserved communities across the Philippines. Especially crafted to welcome the start of the 9.9 Super Shopping Day, Shopee has launched Barangay Shopee, the newest initiative under its Shopee Bayanihan CSR program, where users can win a sponsored community project for their barangay, such as a new basketball court, multi-purpose hall renovation, and public school supplies.

From August 25 up to September 9, Shopee users from all over the Philippines can nominate their barangay for a chance to win a community project of their choice that addresses their barangay’s needs. To join the initiative, users simply need to post their video entries on Facebook and submit the link via the Barangay Shopee page in the app.

 

Gelo, Akira, JL, Mikki, and Nate’s latest P-pop offering conveys the excitement and confidence in the program’s titular character, Darna played by Jane De Leon, who embodies heroism, love, and compassion for the people of the fictional Nueva Esperanza.

Released a day before “Darna” simultaneously premiered on television and online last August 15, the soundtrack has already earned over 136,000 streams on Spotify and almost 100,000 views on YouTube. It also charted as the leading song on iTunes in the Philippines, Singapore, UAE, and Saudi Arabia immediately after release.

BGYO performed the track in a live performance on “ASAP Natin ‘To” featuring the powerhouse cast of “Darna.”

 

A different perspective, a different approach. As one of the hit bands of today's generation, Ben&Ben brings a new insight into forgiveness with their latest international single "The Ones We once Loved." I'm not sure about your feelings about their latest feeling but I find the song by Ben&Ben digs deep more than what it says. A deeper meaning in every word. 

Before we give more about this new single let's check out what Ben&Ben had made and some of their reach on different platforms. Having amassed more than a billion streams and a total of 3.5 million listeners on Spotify, Ben&Ben continues to make generation-defining statements with heartfelt tunes that resonate on a universal level. Considered as one of the most commercially successful acts in the Southeast Asian region, the nine-piece collective has recently won the Best Asian Band at the 2022 BandLab NME Awards, and reaped multiple recognitions for their groundbreaking work on the sophomore album, Pebble House, Vol. 1: Kuwaderno.

With an impressive music portfolio and an upcoming North American tour, the Filipino hitmakers return with another international release following the success of 2020’s “Doors” and “Leaves,” a collaboration with Korean singer-songwriter Young K of Day 6. Released under Sony Music, their new single “The Ones We Once Loved” is a quietly startling confessional that sounds emotionally impactful even in its apparent weightlessness. Written by Ben&Ben’s very own Paolo Benjamin, the track builds its staircase to somewhere personal and intimate, offering a unique perspective on love, forgiveness, and breakup.

“It's a song that owns up to one's faults, makes proper apologies, but also expresses hurt, as breakups are often two-way things,” says the band in an official statement. “It’s also one of the hardest songs we’ve written, because it requires the writer to forgive himself for his past and own up to his faults and mistakes. The painstaking process towards that state, the cycles of anxiety and catharsis that the writer went through, and the eventual expression of all of that in the form of this song, as an encapsulation of such a heavy journey, is what makes this song stand out among our other songs.”

Produced by Johnoy Danao and Jean Paul Verona, the song takes a deceptively stripped-down approach in terms of musicality, but careful not to lose the earnestness that defined their recent hits. According to the folk-pop outfit, they wanted to keep the arrangement as bare and as transparent as possible while still maintaining a certain depth, weight, and storytelling within the instrumentation.

 

SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), one of the leading property developers in Southeast Asia, secures a long-term deal with AboitizPower for Cleanergy supply, realizing its goal of increasing its renewable energy portfolio to more than 50%. This is in support of the Department of Energy’s program of moving up the renewable energy supply component of the country to 35% by year 2030.

Under the agreement, AboitizPower is poised to supply reliable and responsibly-sourced energy from Tiwi and MakBan Geothermal Power Plants, and PV Sinag’s Power Plants, operated and managed by AboitizPower subsidiary, Aboitiz Renewables, Inc. (ARI). This long-term contract will power SM Prime properties, including malls, leisure homes, offices, hotels, and other establishments under the Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) by the end of 2022.

“This partnership with AboitizPower is aligned with our unwavering commitment to being a catalyst for economic growth and steward of nature. We will continue providing world-class amenities within our sustainable lifestyle cities that have been beneficial and inspirational to millions of Filipinos,” said Jeffrey Lim, SM Prime Holdings Inc.’s President.

 

The eagerly-anticipated transformation of Jane De Leon as the new Darna has finally happened last Friday (August 19), capping off the pilot week of the ABS-CBN series that also saw the death of Leonor (Iza Calzado), the first Darna.

The #LipadDarna episode revealed how the white mythical stone found its way back to Narda—now an emergency medical technician—during a rescue mission caused by an earthquake in Nueva Esperanza.

 

Do you believe that there are three (3) common documents that we will use in our life span? If yes, then do you think you know what are these?

Believe it or not, there are three (3) common documents that compel us to use whether it's for school, for work, or personal matters. These documents very much tell about us or someone close to us, and that is from life to death.

The intriguing three (3) documents are the Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, and Death Certificate. One way or another we all use these documents. Most of the time it describes our existence and absence in this life.

The Birth Certificate.

It is the main document that proves or disapproves of our existence. In a birth certificate, we have the information about our parents - the name of our father and mother, where they live, and their birth dates too. This certificate is essential and needed from the time we are all born. It is in demand and the most requested document. It starts from elementary to high school to college, and even up to the time that we work, it is needed.

The Marriage Certificate.

I think this document, whether single or married, we'll be needed in some circumstances like school, work, or claiming of inheritance.

In school, students present the Marriage Certificates of their parents to prove that they are sons and daughters. While at work, it is requested to prove if you're married or not. For inheriting properties, it is a requirement to present the individual as the rightful heir.

The Death Certificate.

When it is about personal matters, we won't be using this kind of document if it is about us, but our heirs will do. Those that we will be leaving behind. Or us to our parents.

Where to get it fast?

Today, with the presence and abundance of technology, applications, and the internet, our lives are made easy. We get things in a flash, fast, and efficiently. Gone are the days of slow pokes because today is about speed and efficiency. It is hassle-free and no worry. All you have to do is relax.

Online is the fastest way to get your documents.

It is as fast as counting 1, 2, and 3. A few clicks from the website PSAHelpline.ph and viola you'll have your documents in a matter of days. So, all you need to do afterward is relax and wait until it arrives. Two to three days is the fastest to have your documents on your doorstep. It may change if there's a problem with the requested documents but if there's none we will have it in no time.

Few simple steps to navigate the request.

Decide first on the document we'll be requesting and for what purpose, whether it is a birth certificate or marriage certificate, for me, get them both because we'll never know when it is needed. It is best to keep one.

Once we have decided, visit the website www.PSAHelpline.ph. We'll land on the front page, we'll see different "order now" buttons. Of course, before doing anything else always read the details and other things that we think are important to know. By the way, whatever button we click, we'll end up on the "order now" page.

On the order page, we'll have four (4) options - BIRTH, MARRIAGE, CENOMAR, and DEATH. Since the platform only allows one transaction at a time, pick what we need most. Don't forget to tick the "I accept the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy," then click "Continue".

We'll be asked if we're requesting our Own Certificate or Someone Else's. Then, click again the "Continue" button.

 

News from the brand that brings online shopping experience. This August, Shopee Philippines will be launching its first-ever Ultimate Case Challenge, a business case competition open to Filipino undergraduate students from across the globe. Finalists of the competition will get the chance to win up to ₱50,000. Throughout the duration of the case challenge, each team consisting of 3-4 members will be asked to pitch their own unique ideas and solutions to a real-world challenge included in a business case brief.

Karen Perez, Head of People at Shopee Philippines, said, “We’re thrilled to support Filipino tech talents from all over the world by providing them with opportunities to develop their skill set. Through the business case competition, we aim to hone their analytical and process improvement skills, preparing them to be proactive problem solvers in the fast-paced tech industry. We hope to inspire a new generation of talents who will continue to drive the tech industry forward.”

Apart from the opportunity to put their skills to the test, teams will also receive mentorship from leaders at Shopee and the chance to fast-track their careers in tech through Shopee’s career development programs: the Global Leaders Program, Shopee’s 2-year flagship graduate program for young professionals, and the Apprentice Program, Shopee’s specialized internship program.

The regional business case competition has already garnered over 4,000 participants across four other markets including Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Don’t miss your chance to be part of the Shopee Ultimate Case Challenge’s pioneer run in the Philippines. Ready your teams and sign up at careers.shopee.ph/succ from August 22 to September 30.

 

“Sleep with Me,” starring Janine Gutierrez and Lovi Poe, is the next girls’ love (GL) series that will tickle your fancy!

All six episodes just dropped on iWantTFC and the series immediately became the top trending topic on Twitter in the Philippines.

More than the genuine ‘kilig’ between the female leads, the series tackles the struggles of interabled queer individuals and how they navigate life in a society that makes them feel like outcasts.

Lovi portrays Luna, who suffers from a rare sleeping disorder, while Janine plays Harry, an ever-lovely late-night radio DJ who uses a wheelchair.

The series, which recently won the audience award for best episodic at the LGBTQ+ film festival in Los Angeles, is also available for iWantTFC premium subscribers outside the Philippines and Indonesia, and is directed by Samantha Lee, who is a proud member of the LGBT community herself.

No matter how you identify as, “Sleep with Me” is definitely a must-watch. Here’s why:

Beautiful love story between two girls

“Sleep with Me” can be classified as a GL. However, as Direk Sam mentioned in a previous interview, it is a simple and tender love story between two individuals who just happen to be girls. The series does not overcomplicate the sexuality of Harry and Luna because they both know (and are 100% sure of themselves) that they are madly in love with one another. And even if they are both female, that isn’t a problem at all because as the saying goes - “love is love.”

This is probably interesting. Cryptic billboards and posters around the Metro and its alluding to a new Ben&Ben release have recently appeared in strategic locations all over Metro Manila.

The material, which contains discarded film photos with texts exposing some personal thoughts, is said to be part of the lyrics of an upcoming Ben&Ben song to be released sometime next week.

A few days ago, the nine-piece Filipino collective tweeted what looks like a snippet of lyrics offering an intimate take on the painstaking process of letting go. Ben&Ben also dropped a performance video of “Stand By You,” featuring Indonesian superstar Pamungkas. The collaborative visuals, which were recorded earlier this month at SoundCheck Studio, have racked up more than 220,000 views as of press time.

Set to conquer the international stage with their first North American tour, the Paninindigan Kita music act will be performing in iconic and key venues across nine cities in the US and Canada—ahead of their send-off concert on September 3 at the CCP Open Grounds.

If you love listening to bands, specifically rock bands, then you've probably heard the group named Kamikazee. Originally, the term kamikaze was a Japanese term for Japanese Special Attack Units of military aviators who flew suicide attacks for the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels, which happened during the 2nd World War. And that's a fact that happened.

But, if you're pronouncing Kamikazee with a double letter "e" at the end it's a play of words that describes "kami kasi" or is translated as "it's because of us."

Kamikazee band emerges during 2000, a Filipino rock band originally known all throughout its career as a quintet composed of Jay Contreras, Jomal Linao, Led Tuyay, Puto Astete, Bords Burdeos, Jian Lubiano, and Mikki Jill. Some of their albums are Kamikazee, Maharot, Long Time Noisy, and Romantico.

 

Filipino alternative pop band Any Names Okay has finally dropped their much-awaited sophomore EP, Leaving Home via Sony Music Philippines. Taking a huge step forward in terms of musical and creative direction, the 6-track release digs deeper into the journey of navigating adulthood and embracing the uncertainty that comes with the process.

“As a band, we’re maturing in our songwriting and the way that we operate as creatives,” shares the five-piece outfit. “We want to grow old with our listeners—which can be scary, but very exciting. A lot of those fears and joys can be found in this collection of songs.”

Lyrically, the band’s new EP, Leaving Home expands on introspective and existential themes—sometimes rendered in emotionally blunt details, but most of the time, exhibiting some of the growing pains that one has to go through in their transitional period towards maturity. The promising newcomer explains, “We’ve all been through the wringer the last few years, and this was a much-needed emotional release for everyone. We believe that a thorough listen of the EP, however, still shows that same heart, energy, and sincerity that people have come to know of us.”

Its focus track “Takbo” is one of the standout cuts in the EP as it tackles breaking free from the socio-economic fatigue that is burnout and hustle culture. According to the band, the song is all about running for running’s sake: playing with the imagery of aching muscles and exhausting activities, with its destination and goal to no avail. “While the song is an ode to the tired and tireless self, the reprise that it ends with is dedicated to hope— the hope that this is all for something, that you grow stronger the more you run,” Any Name’s Okay points out.

The release of the song comes with a visual that encapsulates the feeling of weightlessness in all that running. Helmed by Miko Reyes, the music video depicts “a person floating in and out of their world.”

The Yugto band adds, “Familiar to a lot of us, we can feel lost even in the happiest of places. Similar to the track itself, the end shows that there is a point to all the running; it just takes a bit of time to recognize it.”

Leaving Home is written and produced by Any Name’s Okay themselves, but with the help of their long-time pal, Luigi Del Rosario for one of their singles, “Limbo.” Frequent collaborator Tim Recla and Nick Azurin also mixed and mastered all the songs in the EP, respectively, giving it a more gossamer-sounding vibe.

Leaving Home Track list:
1.Yugto
2.Snooze
3.Limbo
4.Takbo
5.Today I Want To Live
6.Discovery

The EP launch happening on August 20, 2022 at Dirty Kitchen (Gravity Art Space), Quezon City is already sold out. But for those who would be joining the band as they perform the tracks from the EP live, you’re in for a treat.

“We’ve prepared some secret performances that you’ll just have to wait and see,” says Any Name’s Okay. “Showgoers will be getting first dibs on our brand-new merchandise, as well as get the chance to join our giveaways. We’re definitely doing our best to make the launch equally as exciting for everyone there!” Any Name’s Okay’s second EP, Leaving Home is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Philippines. Watch the music video of its focus track “Takbo” here.

 

The first-ever Drag Race Philippines, from the Emmy-award® winning production company World of Wonder, premieres this August 17, 2022 on HBO GO via SKY featuring the fiercest, most fabulous Filipino drag artists from all over the world.

Watch the drama unfold as 12 Filipino drag queens - Brigiding, Corazon, Eva Le Queen, Gigi Era, Lady Morgana, Marina Summers, Minty Fresh, Precious Paula Nicole, Prince, Turing, Viñas DeLuxe, and Xilhouete show off their fiercest attitudes as they go head to head to compete for the crown.

The competing queens are given different challenges each week where they can showcase their own charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent. At the end of each episode, be ready to witness two queens battle it out and lip-sync for their lives. Aside from the breathtaking costumes and powerful performances, Drag Race Philippines will pay homage to the rich Filipino culture adding a fancy twist to iconic Pinoy elements, traditions and festivities.

The local franchise will be hosted by actor, model, and drag artist Paolo Ballesteros. Jervi Li, also known as "Kaladkaren," best known for their impersonations of Kapamilya journalist Karen Davila, and Jiggly Caliente, a fellow Filipina and contestant on RuPaul's Drag Race season 4 and All Stars season 6, will serve as judges.

Drag Race Philippines is produced in the Philippines by Fullhouse Asia Production Studios, Inc in conjunction with World of Wonder Productions, Inc. Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell, and RuPaul Charles serve as executive producers on the series.

All roads lead to Drag Race Philippines and SKY subscribers can stream or download Drag Race Philippines from August 17, Thursday, on HBO GO through mobile, desktop, smart TV, and via the SKY Evo box.

To subscribe, visit mysky.com.ph/hbogo. HBO GO can also be enjoyed by SKYcable subscribers with existing HBO PAK subscription at no additional cost. Follow SKY on Facebook (fb.com/myskyupdates), Twitter (@myskyupdates), and Instagram (@myskyupdates) for further news and promotional updates.

 

With more Filipinos relying on e-commerce to get their essentials, this has also increased the need to protect them due to the growing number of fraudulent activities happening in the digital space. In a Consumer Pulse Survey conducted by TransUnion in February 20221, of the over 1,000 Filipino adults polled, 53% said they were targeted by fraudsters in the previous 3 months. From the same survey, 42% said they were scammed by Phishing, 38% were victimized by money and gift card scams, while 30% were scammed by third-party sellers via online retail shops. While businesses in different industries are continuously upgrading their platforms, fraudsters also search for ways on how they can adapt to the ever-changing landscape and discover new vulnerabilities.

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, recognizes the need to enhance user protection and security by educating customers on vulnerabilities, and how they can avoid being a victim of fraud. With the recently launched Shopee Cares PH – an online community platform where Shopee provides customer education and support – the goal is to empower consumers with proper know-hows and tips on how they can protect themselves from phishing scams, money and gift card scams, and third party seller scams.

Martin Yu, Shopee Philippines Director, said, “Shopee has always been committed to ensuring that every Filipino’s online shopping experience is safe and reliable, and Shopee Cares is a testament to that. Through this platform, we aim to equip them with knowledge on how to shop safely and combat these online scams together so that they can continuously enjoy shopping online.”

 

ABS-CBN’s modern-day account of the most iconic Pinay superhero has finally seen the light of day as “Mars Ravelo’s Darna” debuted to rave reviews, encouraging support, and high viewership that promises an exciting run for the highly anticipated series top billed by Jane De Leon.

The first episode—which soared to a peak of 296,334 live concurrent viewers via Kapamilya Online Live on YouTube—introduced viewers to Jane’s Narda Custodio, her mom Leonor (Iza Calzado), brother Ding (Zaijian Jaranilla), and grandmother Berta (Rio Locsin).

It also provided an explanation as to how Leonor, the first Darna, came to Earth from her planet of origin Marte, and gave viewers a clear image of her capabilities as she fought off an alien being that has invaded their town as Darna.