A press release from the Agila Net25 welcoming the New Year. 

It is indeed a magical comeback for HONOR as they officially set foot in the Philippine market again in August 2022 and has been unstoppable since then, launching a tablet, two smartwatches, and six mobile phones in just a span of four months. And take note I have witnessed it. 

To excite HONOR fans, the leading global smart devices provider teased that 2023 will be a very busy year for them – more launches, events, and exciting treats for consumers.

“2022 is just the beginning for HONOR Philippines and we are taking the brand to even greater heights come 2023. We have a very solid lineup for the whole year and you definitely don’t want to miss what we will be bringing from the HONOR ecosystem.” said HONOR Philippines Vice President for Marketing, Stephen Cheng. “The expansion of our markets and channel partners is in the works already, and we will stay committed to focusing on creating innovations for everyone. For us, there’s really no way to go but up.”

Since the relaunch, HONOR has opened and established more than 600 stores composed of kiosks and multi-brand stores. In fact, HONOR is now present at 17 dealers: Abenson, Cellboy, EC Panda, MemoXpress, Octagon, Present, Rules, Silicon Valley, Globe, Lazada, Shopee, and Kimstore.

HONOR indicated an increase of 366% in its manpower since its launch to augment the workforce for the company. Now, in three months’ time, HONOR currently has at least 1,000 employees including promoters to cater to newly opened stores in the country.

HONOR recently hinted the launch of its highly-anticipated foldable flagship HONOR Magic Vs, and while fans patiently wait for it, here’s a rundown of what HONOR has launched so far.

Let's kick off 2023 with a bang, as your favorite Kapamilya stars and guest artists bring you the freshest world-class acts on stage, featuring a must-watch Super Divas sing-off, a pop collab from Darren and Alamat, Andrea and Maymay's dance-off, plus treats from Sarah G, Moira, Nobita, and much more this New Year Sunday only on "ASAP Natin 'To" on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, and TV5.

Welcome the new year with a showstopping Super Divas sing-off from Morissette, Nina, Klarisse de Guzman, and Regine Velasquez alongside Elha Nympha, Fana, and Lara Maigue as they belt out the best birit hits of 2022. Plus, tune in to Sarah Geronimo's fresh performance in the latest edition of "Sarah G Specials."

Keep the party vibes flowing with a highly requested P-Pop collab from Alamat and Asia's Pop Heartthrob Darren, plus a sizzling dance showdown from Andrea Brillantes and Maymay Entrata in the latest edition of "Clash Dance."

Meanwhile, celebrate the unstoppable spirit of Filipino talents as we usher in the year with a mix of upbeat acts from Alexa Ilacad, KD Estrada, Kice, Enchong Dee, Jameson Blake, Angela Ken, and the whole ASAP family with special guest performer Nik Makino. Also joining the all-star New Year's celebration is Janine Gutierrez.

Say hello to 2023 anew with a fierce solo K-Pop dance cover from ASAP's Queen of the Dancefloor herself, Kim Chiu.

Don't miss a senti hits medley from Moira dela Torre alongside Anji Salvacion, Jeremy G, Ryssi Avila, Ann Raniel, Bryan Chong, Janine Berdin, plus balladeers Ogie, Martin, Jed Madela, and Jason Dy. More fresh musical treats come your way from OPM band Nobita, plus a collab from Gary Valenciano and Khimo Gumatay.

And usher in the year with more stellar duet performances from ASAP icons Gary Valenciano, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Martin Nievera, Erik Santos, Morissette, Ogie Alcasid, and Regine Velasquez with Sheena Belarmino, Jason Dy, JM Yosures, Klarisse de Guzman, Sam Mangubat, Reiven Umali, and Darren in "The Greatest Showdown."

Let's welcome 2023 the right way with a star-studded afternoon party from the country's longest-running musical variety show, "ASAP Natin 'To," this Sunday, 12 NN on local TV via Kapamilya Channel, Jeepney TV, A2Z, and TV5, online through Kapamilya Online Live and iWantTFC, and worldwide via TFC.

Viewers who use any digital TV box at home, such as the TVplus box, only need to rescan their device to watch "ASAP Natin 'To" on TV5 and A2Z.

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

The Brilliant Life is a mini-series depicting the life story of Glenda Victorio, founder, and CEO of Brilliant Skin Essentials and one of the country's youngest successful CEO in the beauty products industry.

Ms. Glenda's life story will be airing on TV5 with actress-singer Arci Muñoz as the inspiring 25-year-old CEO of Brilliant Skin Essentials. The story will present Ms. Glenda's rags-to-riches story, a young mother from Morong, Rizal who beat the odds and reached for her dreams until she became a young millionaire entrepreneur.

In a press conference, Ms. Glenda Victorio shared that she'll bare all the stories of her life in this mini-series. Even some of the private parts of her life. She gathered all her courage and let them be part of the mini-series.

 

Pinoy ghost tales or pinoy ghost stories are part of our culture, the rich Filipino culture. I believe these stories are what makes every halloween to expect. Even though, we Filipinos love to have ghost stories all year-round.

Recently, I was invited for a viewing of a horror film genre. Since, I love to watch movies I went to the viewing party, which later on a press conference with aome of the actors and director of the film.

Actually it is a trilogy, a three story film that will give viewers different flavors from the usual horror film.

Wheelchairs have been significant to me in the past years. I'm not disabled, nor any of our family, but my father, who suffered a stroke, did use a wheelchair. The wheelchair was a donation at that time.

So, seeing all these Persons With Disabilities (PWD) beneficiaries fills me with so much gratitude. Very thankful that there are people who extend their hand to people in need.

The event coverage I went to was the giving of these wheelchairs to PWDs which was led by the PWD-founded non-profit Alagang AKAY in partnership with the Sol Aragones Foundation. In all, both organizations are to donate 1000 wheelchairs to PWDs and families. Aside from these they were also given other items plus the livelihood showcase.

As the e-commerce industry continues to evolve, Shopee seeks to train the next generation of young tech talents and prepare them for a career in e-commerce through its Graduate Programs. Composed of the Global Leaders Program (GLP) and the newly launched Fresh Graduate Accelerated Program (FGAP), Shopee’s Graduate Programs aims to fast-track the growth of fresh graduates and young professionals and prepare them to take on key leadership positions upon program completion.

With these, participants are given the opportunity to receive direct mentorship from senior management, work on the end-to-end processes of highly impactful projects, and expand their leadership capabilities through local and regional exposure.

The promising solo act marks her debut as a recording artist with “Always Remember,” an effervescent cut that champions the value of self-worth and preservation in an attempt to bravely face the world and conquer everything. Capturing the unabashedly colorful spirit of K-Pop and J-Pop with commanding confidence, Mona Gonzales aims to uplift listeners with her anthemic and captivating delivery—doing it like a seasoned pro.

“The way I personally describe it is something like a soft pop rock for me,” says the promising TikTok sensation turned P-Pop star. “The sound of electric guitar with a pop style beat is dominating through the whole song. The style is not really new, but the sound is unique in its own way. It’s a little different from the OPM that we’re used to. I think that makes it interesting.”

Produced by Oh Won Lee, an industry veteran who has helmed tracks by K-Pop icons Stray Kids, SHINee's Taemin, and Wanna One, and the country’s very own SB19, “Always Remember” is an inspirational track that pushes the envelope of modern pop production with breezy, summer hooks and a minimalist instrumentation. The end product is a mesmerizing take on P-Pop, one that is creatively boundless and flows with so much effortlessness.

As Mona Gonzales puts it, “Pinoy Pop Music doesn’t really have a certain and specific style and sound. Most of us new artists want to be unique. That’s true for me, but I want to add a new flavor and variety along with the existing Pinoy pop music right now. And with every Pinoy music artists, we will prove that P-POP can expand. And then people will talk about how the Pinoy pop music has evolved, its potential and where it can go.”

The release of the song comes with a vibrant music video that metaphorically follows Mona Gonzales’ journey as an artist with so much to explore and grow on. Shot in multiple locations that showcase the beautiful scenery of the Philippines, Mona Gonzales dances, sings, hops, and walks with the excitement of someone ready to navigate the world on her own terms.

Mona Gonzales’ “Always Remember” is out now on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment and ShowBT Philippines Corp. Watch the music video below.

 

 

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. recognizes the 10 winners of the Galing Pook Foundation 2022 at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacanang Palace. He commended the Galing Pook Foundation for recognizing and incentivizing top performing LGUs. With them in the photo are: Galing Pook Foundation chairman Mel Sarmiento, Local Government secretary Benjamin Abalos, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri.

Ten outstanding local governance programs were recognized in the 2022 Galing Pook Awards held at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacanang Palace last Tuesday, November 22, 2022.

Galing Pook Foundation with its co-presenters SM Prime Holdings Inc., and the DILG-Local Government Academy, and sponsors Cebu Pacific and Airspeed named local government units from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao that promote innovation and excellence.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. commended the Galing Pook Foundation for recognizing and incentivizing top performing LGUs. He stressed how strong collaboration between the public and private sector can lead to more meaningful and successful programs that truly benefit the Filipino people.

“The recognition that you give to cities and municipalities inspires them to accelerate their drive towards improvement and it encourages LGUs to adopt practices that make us paragons of excellence in public service. It is necessary for us to underscore the importance of strengthening partnerships between the government and private organizations, such as the Galing Pook Foundation, especially as we bring about meaningful progress in the country.”

Galing Pook Chairperson Mel Sarmiento expressed his gratitude to all the local executives and LGU teams that participated this year: “It’s truly inspiring to see the impact of the work that you do, and I’m sure you’ve brought value to many Filipinos all over the country. Our collaborations bring us closer to realizing our shared vision, na ang bawat pamilyang Pilipino, may simple pero kumportableng buhay.”

The winners of the 2022 Galing Pook Awards were: The Green Wall of Alcala (Alcala, Cagayan); Advancing and Sustaining Good Governance and Community Actions towards Resiliency and Empowerment (Basilan Province); Bataan Public-Private Partnership Programs (Bataan Province); Balik-Biñan Project: Tourism Development through Heritage Conservation (Biñan City, Laguna); From Black to Green: Fishponds, Eco-Tourism and Full Employment (Brgy. Cayabu, Tanay, Rizal); Trekking to Unlock Community Ailments and Difficulties (TUCAD) (Goa, Camarines Sur); “I-BIKE” A Program Promoting the Development of the Iloilo City Bike Culture (Iloilo City); Yaru: A Whole-of-Community Approach Towards Disaster Management (Itbayat, Batanes); Libertad Fish Forever Savings Club (Libertad, Antique); and Basta Piddigueño, AgriHenyo: Consolidated Farm Production System (Piddig, Ilocos Norte).

The 10 winners were chosen from 18 finalists and a record field of 196 applications from different LGUs in the country.

Launched on October 21, 1993, the Galing Pook Awards has recognized 329 LGU programs from 200 LGUs in the country that have been promoted for replication to benefit more communities.

More than just an area where students gather to hold classes, a school environment plays a vital role in learners’ cognitive development. Research has shown that with an environment conducive to learning, students increase their attention and focus, and they are more motivated to practice higher-level critical thinking skills.

Adamant to provide students with venues where they can fully hone their skills and knowledge, SM Foundation (SMFI)—the corporate social responsibility arm of the SM group—cemented its partnership with the Department of Education (DepED) in 2002 through DepEd’s Adopt-A-School Program.

Through this, SMFI builds SM school buildings in grassroot communities, complete with basic furniture and equipment. More so, SMFI integrates specialized features to each SM school building to address the unique needs of their school recipients—some received rooms dedicated as a guidance office, a clinic, a mini-library, and some even got a water tank and a handwashing facility.

SM school building in Sorsogon City

To date, SMFI has turned over more than 100 SM school buildings nationwide with the help of its partners, which share the same aspirations for the Filipino learners and teachers. One of which is the SM Prime Holdings (SMPH) - one of the largest integrated property developers in Southeast Asia. Since the project’s inception, over 90 SM school buildings out of the more than 100 were built through the social good collaboration with SM Prime.

Infrastructure for calamity prone areas
SMFI and SMPH ensure that the SM school buildings incorporate a disaster resilient design to guarantee the safety of the students, teachers, and other school personnel. Emergency lights at both staircases, and fire and earthquake alarm bells are also installed.

Principal Joji Buelvo, school principal of Basud Elementary School (BES) in Sorsogon City, shared the state of their school community before they accepted the fully furnished SM school building from SMFI and SM Prime in 2021: “Ang aming paaralan ay saksi sa maraming kalamidad. Kaya karamihan ng mga classrooms ay may kalumaan na, ang mga kisame ay malapit na bumagsak—talagang hindi na conducive for learning.”

“But through your [SMFI and SM Prime] donation, our BES learners now have a haven where we can nurture their young minds to be academically-ready and well-rounded members of the community,” Buelvo further expressed.

Pursuing its objective of driving Philippine social development by fostering the youth and the culture of excellence through education, the Henry Sy Foundation, Inc. (HSFI) recently inked a partnership with the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) Research and Endowment Foundation to construct a building that elevates health education in the country.

  Named in honor of the late SM Founder, the Henry Sy, Sr. Hall of UST will rise on the main campus in Manila to respond to the needs of digital medical education.  

The Hall will feature technologically advanced facilities and equipment that complement UST’s teaching, learning, and research practices. Focused on interdisciplinary collaboration in medical studies, it will also house the simulation and research facility of the UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery (UST-FMS).   

Paragons with passion  

Fr. Richard Gaw Ang, OP, Rector of UST, thanked the Sy family as they work together to provide the best education to future physicians and increase UST’s research productivity to fill the gaps where communities are disadvantaged.

“Your family consists of industry leaders who have visions for the Filipino community. Your choice to support this endeavor of the UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery is a significant stamp of approval to the work and tradition of this medical institution,” Fr. Ang said in a letter to the Sy family.  

Heralded as a game-changer that aims to strengthen diplomatic ties and promote cultural exchanges, ASEAN-India Music Festival 2022 delivered an astounding comeback that not only presented resilience during the time of the pandemic, but also championed shared histories and traditions among the participating partner-nations.

The three-day festival, which was organized by the Ministry of External Affairs and Seher—India’s premier cultural organization that works closely with the Indian government, showcased an exquisite merging of artistic heritage and cutting-edge modernity as headliners brought a slice of their culture on stage through music.

The second edition of the music festival featured an eclectic lineup from 11 countries, including Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and India. The event took place in Purana Qila, one of the most prominent and oldest forts in Delhi, India from November 20 to 22, and promoted rich musical traditions that connected the present and the past to a crowd of thousands.

Some of the most notable performances include Singapore’s Linying Band, whose compelling songwriting style and folk-pop sensibilities proved to be a hit during the festival run. The acclaimed hitmaker, who takes pride in being the first Southeast Asian act to get signed under Canadian Record Company Nettwerk Music Group in 2016, considers the experience of performing in India and representing Singapore a career milestone.

“It feels great,” says the Good Behaviour songstress. “And I think I didn't expect for this venue to be so breathtaking and so amazing. And I think that's something that's so unique. It’s cherry on top already, such an interesting opportunity to play, [this city is] already one of my favorites.”

The Philippines’ very own Bayang Barrios at Ang Nilayagan also brought the house down with anthems that tackle socio-political issues in the Philippines, particularly the vast destruction of the forests in the countryside due to ongoing urban developments. Singing soulful but powerful hymns against a backdrop of tribal-infused beats and ethnic instrumentation and delivering spiels in both English and Filipino, the eclectic singer-songwriter drew loud cheers from the audience who seemed captivated by her undeniable charisma and talent.

“Music is universal,” Barrios reiterates. “Despite the difference in language, people will always be connected in rhythm and pulse. What matters is that you are able to communicate your message through distinct but universal expressions—be it body movements or a smile.”

Host country India proved that they’re a powerhouse in terms of global music influence with artists such as Jonita Gandhi and Sukhbir elevating the art of performing in a uniquely compelling way. The latter in particular, performed with a percussion ensemble that masterfully blended Bhangra and Bollywood influences with modern pop, dance, and hip-hop music.

During his backstage interview with select Southeast Asian lifestyle and music press, Seher Founder/Director Sanjeev Bhargava emphasized that the success of ASEAN-India Music Festival lies on strengthening cultural ties among participating countries and fostering a global community that transcends beyond boundaries.

“Let’s bring the people of the world closer together,” Bhargava said. “And over here, my mandate is very clear. People in India have always been drawn towards the West. They want us to go to university in London or Canada or the U.S. Nobody tells us to go to Vietnam. Nobody tells me that there’s a beautiful culture in Cambodia.”

ASEAN-India Music Festival 2022 celebrates 30 years of India and Southeast Asia’s diplomatic relations. With its utmost goal of increasing awareness of the ASEAN identity amongst creative intellectuals and the public at large, the cultural festival has also done showcases in Shillong Meghalaya in Northeast India, as part of its plan to bolster its ‘Act East’ policy.

For more information about the ASEAN India Music Festival, visit the official website.

 

Kwento Ni Toto readers!!!! Here's another fun things to do at SM Supermalls this yuletide season!