After over eleven weeks, Alyssa Valdez and Anji Salvacion returned to the outside world as the Celebrity Kumunity Top 2 of “Pinoy Big Brother Kumunity Season 10,” which just launched its Adult Edition on Sunday (January 2).

The Heartstrong Phenom of Batangas and Singing Sweetheart of Siargao won P100,000 each and are still in the running to become Big Winner of the season versus the Top 2 housemates of the Adult Edition and Teen Edition. Alyssa (22.63%) and Anji (13.60%) edged out Samantha Bernardo (13.53%), Madam Inutz (13.03%), and Brenda Mage (2.84%) in the final tally of votes based on the combined Kumu and SMS votes after the 10 million diamonds challenge for the Final 5 last week.

Meanwhile, hosts Toni Gonzaga, Bianca Gonzalez, Robi Domingo, Melai Cantiveros, and Enchong Dee introduced the official Adult Housemates in “The Big Arrival” which include siblings Nathan Juane (Ang Pursigidong Papiloto ng Las Piñas) and Raf Juane (Ang Ms. Beauty Kabo-guru ng Las Piñas), Seham Daghlas (Ang Brightminded Darling ng Iloilo), Zach Guerrero (Ang Smilennial Charmer ng Aurora), and Aleck Iñigo (Ang Most Valuable Rider ng Las Piñas).

Are you one of the many viewers who watch the story of Camille and Andrei? It's sad that it'll be ending soon but what's interesting is that their kwento or their story somehow made a true love story for others. 

Andrei and Camille’s (Paulo Avelino and Janine Gutierrez) dream of having a large happy family is jeopardized in the dramatic finale of “Marry Me, Marry You,” which is in its last three weeks on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, and TV5.

When Camille suddenly suffers a miscarriage, the couple will struggle to keep their family together. As she grieves and copes with the traumatic loss of the baby, she also becomes estranged from Andrei and will have second thoughts about starting a family with him.

Camille’s insecurities about becoming a mother will also reach new heights with the heartbreaking revelation that Andrei is the real father of the newborn baby of Patricia (Iana Bernardez), Andrei’s ex-girlfriend, and not his best friend Cedric (Jake Ejercito). Because of this, Patricia will become increasingly obsessed with stealing Andrei away from his wife and will even resort to violent measures to get her way.

 

Now that the holiday season is upon us, freelancers or gig economy workers, unlike regular nine-to-fivers, do not have fixed schedules and their workloads also vary depending on their current project load, at any given time. Now, whether they're about to accept work orders or are about to wrap-up an ongoing assignment, these tips can help freelancers enjoy a stress-free holiday break while still being able to accomplish their deliverables as promised, thus keeping their clients happy and continuously satisfied.

Setting your schedule

At the start of December, the final month of the year, it works to assess one’s calendar vis-a-vis assignments one has to still work on. Set a cut-off point when to stop accepting work orders so as to take it easy and have enough time to rest and prepare for the coming holiday festivities. Informing clients ahead of time will ensure ample time to properly send work deliverables in and incorporate the needed revisions, if any, before closing shop for the year.

Avoid taking on too many projects

The desire to take on more projects for additional holiday funds can be quite tempting. After all, who wouldn’t like extra income at this time of year? Still, the last thing anyone would want is to bite off more than they can chew and take on more projects that they can actually and effectively handle. That said, it always pays to set realistic goals on what can be accomplished during this time to keep clients happy and satisfied, maintain the quality and integrity of their output, and most importantly, save themselves from unnecessary stress.

Keep communication channels open

It’s also important during this time to stay in constant communication with clients so as to avoid misunderstandings on requirements, particularly the scheduling of deliverables, as it becomes all the more hectic because of the season. Be sure to have everything clearly spelled-out -- job requirements and timetables -- for a smoother and problem-free work process. Similarly, being able to respond to clients promptly shows professionalism and it leaves the right impression as the year is about to end.

Finalize billings

Dealing with uncollected billings or having to bill at the last minute can result in frazzled moments -- situations that can actually be avoided from the get-go. Again, just as having set deadlines for the submission of projects is key, knowing when one is able to bill can give peace of mind over the holidays. As well, if not using one already, having an app like Payoneer which allows for secure and convenient cross-border transactions can certainly make the life of freelancers much easier particularly for those with foreign-based clients.

With all these practical and helpful tips, the hope is for many Filipino freelancers out there -- 1.5 million as of last count -- to enjoy a productive, fruitful, and merry holiday season.

 

If you have ever noticed messages in work and marketing emails encouraging you to consider the environment before printing, you are well aware of the perception that printing output, and its associated hardware, produce waste that finds its way into landfills. Paper waste alone makes up between 7% and 23% of municipal solid waste depending on whether it is a low-, middle-, or high-income country.

While printer energy consumption, paper waste, ink usage, and cartridge replacement have an environmental impact, consumers may be largely unaware of the advances that have been made to reduce the printer output, materials and accessories that find its way to landfills. Consumers in Asia Pacific are becoming more conscious of whether the products they are buying are green, or clean, as their sustainability sophistication grows in each market. Businesses are also devising ways to achieve more circular models to encourage responsible production and consumption. Home printers, in particular, have received some tech-based enhancements in recent years that are making it possible to print freely.

As consumers have become more aware of the environmental impact of their activities, they are interested in finding products that are sustainable but also convenient to use and cost effective above all. Continuous ink supply system (CISS) printers, or ink tank printers, have emerged in the home printer market to address these needs. Its main features are edging out standard inkjets and laser printers in each of these areas.

Printing at Home is Here to Stay

In spite of trends to digitise and go paperless, printers continue to be an essential technology in homes. This was proven when demand for home printers surged last year as people settled into home offices to work and online schooling became the norm during the pandemic. Deloitte anticipates that going forward, home printers may not be used daily as some routines resume but the need for hard copy printouts will persist for people who continue to spend some time working or learning from home.

The home printer market has incorporated more sustainable features in recent years. In particular, ink tank printers that were typically used by small businesses or home offices with high volume printing needs, are increasingly being purchased for personal use. Ink tank printers run on large refillable tanks instead of individual cartridges that need to be discarded once empty. These tanks hold more ink, eliminating the need for frequent cartridge changes that can be costly over time. This makes it a cost-effective option for home offices as well as start-ups and small businesses.

Leading the Evolution of the Home Printer Market

As the first company to introduce ink tank printers to the market, Epson has changed the approach to inkjet printing with the EcoTank lineup. On top of this revolution, Heat-Free Technology with Epson’s PrecisonCore Printhead consumes up to 85% less energy than laser printers of a similar speed. The CO2 emissions of consumables (e.g. raw materials, manufacturing, production and distribution of parts, and consumer use and disposal) is less than a fifth of conventional cartridge printer models. This can mean distinct savings in annual energy bills.

With no heat required for warming up the printer, EcoTank printers operate at a consistently high printing speed. The Heat-Free Technology also makes Epson’s EcoTank printers more efficient and capable of printing reliably for a long period with minimal maintenance downtime to allow more time to focus on productive tasks. EcoTank printers also feature ink bottles with an ultra-high page yield of up to 7,500 pages in black and 6,000 pages in color. The ink is simple to refill, with spill-free bottle designs to make the process fast and maintain productivity.

Using an Epson EcoTank printer produces pages at a fraction of the cost of a standard inkjet or laser printer, especially when frequent and bulk printing is required. For the environmentally conscious, purchasing an Epson EcoTank printer is a reliable, affordable choice that aligns closely with sustainable values, while helping you to be more productive at home.

 

Who doesn’t love movies? Whether you’re going to the theaters to bond with your friends or just want to watch your favorite actors on the big screen, movies are for everyone. However, due to the pandemic, cinemas closed down to prioritize safety. Fortunately, the media and entertainment sector was quick to follow and began offering a greater selection of high-quality content that is available on-demand and can be watched on any device.

To emulate the experience of watching movies in the cinema, people are spending more on in-home entertainment solutions. Rather than buying costlier smart TVs, consumers are opting to purchase home projectors. These devices can deliver cinematic picture quality and offer the flexibility to turn rooms into multi-functional spaces perfect for a family movie night or a workout session.

This holiday season, most of us are still unable to go to the theatres to watch a Christmas movie because of safety reasons. The good news is, with a stable internet connection and a functional device, you can still bond with your loved ones over films or serial shows at home. While watching on your laptop or flat screen TV can suffice, elevate the whole experience with just a white screen or wall, a wireless connection to a mobile device or tablet, and an Epson Projector.

Some of the latest Epson models provide an epic viewing experience on its massive screens with high-quality 4K picture resolution. Epson’s EpiqVision Laser Projection TV produces bright images from virtually anywhere inside your home— even outside. It can also project up to 150 inches without a screen. That’s why it’s the perfect choice, whether you are binge-watching your favorite TV shows or hosting an outdoor movie night for the holidays.

Compared to 1 chip projectors on the market, Epson’s 3LCD technology delivers a wider range of color that is more comfortable for the eyes. That means there is no need to darken a room to comfortably view the screen. The inclusion of Yamaha’s latest AudioEngine™ DSP technology in some EpiqVision models produces an impressive sound stage to deliver a big-screen, surround-sound theater experience that rivals dedicated high-end audio systems and soundbars. With EpiqVision Laser Projection TV, you’re not only getting quality picture resolution, you’re also getting a unique audio experience like no other.

With the Built-in Android TV™ and wireless connectivity with Chromecast™, Epson EpiqVision Laser Projection TV can seamlessly access popular streaming services including YouTube. This product line can also cast content directly from a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Even gamers will have something to love about this product, with favorite games from Google Play or consoles easily accessible through an HDMI port.

As we adapt to the changes in home entertainment, it’s important to find reliable devices that can be our partners in creating a positive experience. EpiqVision Laser Projection TVs enable wireless connectivity, as well as, ultra-short throw projection capabilities that make it an ideal addition to any home entertainment system.

With Epson’s latest models, more people can enjoy a flexible, portable, and low-cost option for video streaming without sacrificing picture quality. Make EpiqVision Laser Projection TVs the perfect addition to your movie night or dates with the ones you love this holiday season.

With its string of successful campaigns and relatable social media content, Shopee is the most tweeted e-commerce brand in the country according to Twitter for 2021.

The leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan took the second spot overall in Twitter’s ten most tweeted brands list in the Philippines, which was released as part of the latter’s “Best of Tweets 2021” awards announced on December 14, 2021. The annual rundown aims to celebrate and recognize outstanding brands for their groundbreaking campaigns and engaging digital content.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “We are pleased to be recognized as one of the most talked-about brands in the country by Twitter. As we welcome a new year, Shopee will push for excellence and increase engagement satisfaction not only in-app but on other platforms as well. This coming 2022, we will continue to improve our services to better tend to the needs of our consumers, sellers, and brand partners.”

As a platform that prioritizes making online shopping safe, fun, and engaging for everyone, Shopee regularly engages with its users on social media through relatable posts with timely content. During big campaigns, Shopee dominated the Twitter world with the appearance and performance of K-pop idols, which resulted in being in the top trending hashtags locally and nationwide.

Shopee also drives online conversations with the anticipation that comes with its big campaigns, TV commercials with Shopee brand ambassadors, and TV specials where users can win big raffle prizes, watch performances from their favorite celebrities or K-pop idols, and get the best deals and promos they can instantly ‘add to cart’ and check out during the show.

Successful Campaigns such as 9.9 Super Shopping Day and 11.11 - 12.12 Big Christmas Sale Shopee continues to provide convenience and greater cost savings for its consumers with its yearly anticipated double-digit campaigns. The recent Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day and 11.11 - 12.12 Big Christmas Sale achieved multiple milestones, including 9.5 million items sold in the first hour of 9.9 in Metro Manila alone, over 270 million plays on Shopee Prize last 11.11, and a 14x surge in Shopee Mall orders during 12.12. More and more consumers also made Shopee’s integrated mobile wallet ShopeePay their preferred payment method with over 1.5 million top-ups for 12.12 alone.

With its continuous efforts to tailor and adapt to users’ shopping needs, Shopee now also ranks 3rd on YouGov’s Global Best Brand 2021 list in the Philippines, the only e-commerce platform to make it to the list.

 

Josh, Justin, Ken, Pablo, and Stell of the P-Pop boy group SB19 have lent their voices for the inspiring track “No Stopping You,” the theme song of the Star Cinema and kumu film “Love At First Stream.”

“No Stopping You” encourages the idea of being unstoppable in pursuing dreams, keeping the fire burning to achieve goals, and never letting mistakes define who someone is. It marks the first project of the trailblazing quintet with ABS-CBN Music.

Good day mga KaToto! Here's a heads up for all movie buffs! The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) returns to cinemas this year, with eight official entries to watch.

Here is the list of the films shortlisted for the 2021 lineup:

1. "A Hard Day" (Viva Communications, Inc.)
Starring: Dingdong Dantes and John Arcilla
Directed by: Lawrence Fajardo

 

As the movie Nelia holds its Grand Press Conference last December 18, 2021, at the City of Dreams Manila Grand Ballroom as the official entry for the 2021 Metro Manila Film Festival, the A and Q Films Production, a new company that aims to become one of the recognized film productions outfits in the country was also officially and formally launched.

A and Q Films PRoduction was founded by business partners Atty. Aldwin Alegre and Atty. Melanie Honey Quiño in January 2020. The company was created to produce educational films for use in schools during the pandemic.  

In the midst of their production in 2020, A and Q Films Production saw an opportunity to create their first full-length film. Using a draft of the screenplay written by Atty. Quiño 15 years ago while she was still a student, they created a new version of Nelia, which is now one of the eight official entries of the 2021 Metro Manila Film Festival. 

"We never thought that our first full-length film would make it as one of the finalists of the MMFF. We are deeply grateful to the MMFF for this opportunity and hopefully this will just be the beginning of A and Q Films Production's continuous creation of more films that could provide comfort, joy, and lessons to Filipino viewers," said Atty. Alegre. 

Given the opportunity received from the MMFF, as well as the support shown by the entertainment press, netizens, and viewers to the film Nelia, A and Q Films Production has become increasingly persistent in their goal of producing more films that Philippine film industry and the whole country can be proud of. 

In fact, they are already preparing for the possibility of making Nelia Part 2. A and Q is also currently in talks with several international film distributors who have expressed their intent to showcase NELIA in America and other parts of the world. 

Nelia will first be seen in theaters in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao this coming December 25, 2021 to January 7, 2022, as part of the MMFF. It stars Winwyn Marquez, Raymond Bagatsing, Mon Confiado, Ali Forbes, Shido Roxas, Juan Carlos Galano, and many more. 

 

Calamities happen and are uncertain, and this Kwento for today is about the tragedy that struck the Philippines, particularly the people of Leyte. This is an eye-opener for everyone!

To help the thousands of devastated Filipinos in Visayas and Mindanao grappling with the aftermath of super typhoon Odette, Shopee launches its Shopee Bayanihan: Typhoon Odette Support initiative wherein users can buy donation vouchers through the app, with the commitment to match up to ₱1,000,000 worth of total donations made to Shopee’s partner charities for this initiative.

From December 23, 2021, to January 4, 2022, Shopee users can purchase the donation e-vouchers that will be used for water kits, health, and sanitation stations, and other essentials such as food and clothes from partner charities UNICEF, World Vision, and GMA Kapuso Foundation. Users can view and purchase these Typhoon Odette Support vouchers through https://shopee.ph/m/odette-support via Shopee’s integrated mobile wallet, ShopeePay.

• 1. Head to the microsite https://shopee.ph/m/odette-support.

• 2. Choose the e-voucher of your preferred charity.

• 3. Click “Buy Now” to purchase the donation vouchers using ShopeePay.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “We are saddened to see the devastation brought by Typhoon Odette to our kababayans in Visayas and Mindanao. As we are committed to using our platform to serve and give back to communities, we are working to provide immediate assistance to aid the speedy recovery of those affected by this natural disaster. We send our thoughts and prayers to everyone affected and we will help as much as we can.”

 

Celebrate Christmas this year with Star Cinema and kumu’s first ever collaboration movie “Love at First Stream,” an official entry to the 2021 Metro Manila Film Festival.

Topbilled by today’s rising stars Daniela Stranner, Anthony Jennings, Kaori Oinuma and Jeramiah Lisbo, “Love at First Stream” revolves around the new normal, where life is wildly digital. They are the Stream Team: the unstoppable dreamer Vilma (Daniela), the loyal lover boy Tupe (Anthony), the sweet girl-next-door Megumi (Kaori) and the bad boy heartthrob with a heart of gold Gino (Jeremiah).

Helmed by blockbuster director Cathy Garcia-Molina, the film showcases these young characters and how they experience romantic relationships, family and fight for their ambitions and dreams.

The film marks the first ever lead roles of Daniela, Anthony, Kaori and Jeremiah in a film after they were launched as artists of Star Cinema’s talent management arm, Rise Artists Studio, in 2019. Daniela first showcased her acting prowess in the ABS-CBN teleserye ‘Make it With You,’ opposite Anthony, who starred in Direk Cathy’s last project prior to this film, the digi-movie series ‘The House Arrest of Us.’ Kaori, a former housemate of ‘Pinoy Big Brother: Otso,’ has been in several television and digital series projects including the ‘Four Bad Boys and Me’ in 2020 and the phenomenal series ‘He’s Into Her’ early this year with Jeremiah, who’s also part of ‘Make it With You.’ Jeremiah also starred in the hit movie ‘Four Sisters Before The Wedding’ and recently topbilled an ‘MMK’ episode featuring the life story of ‘PBB’ ex-housemate Ralph Malibunas.

‘Love at First Stream’ also marks Direk Cathy’s first ever film to be part of the MMFF and her movie comeback after ‘Hello, Love, Goodbye’ in 2019. More blockbuster films under Direk Cathy’s helm include ‘Four Sisters and a Wedding,’ ‘The Hows of Us,’ ‘She's Dating The Gangster,’ and ‘My Ex and Whys.’

Since the announcement of ‘Love at First Stream’ in July, it has been an interactive and immersive project as search for other cast members and even singers to record the movie’s official soundtrack were done via kumu campaigns.

“We found a way to make kumu users part of [the movie],” said Paolo Pineda, kumu’s Chief Commercial Officer. “Not necessarily the big stars, but they can star in the movie, they can sing the song for the movie and a few more things. It’s all in the grand plan to make this a movie the Kumunity can be proud of.”

Joining the cast of ‘Love at First Stream’ are Agot Isidro, Hyubs Azarcon, Igiboy Flores, Melissa Gibbs, Pinky Amador, Almira Muhlach, RJ Ledesma, Gail Banawis and Vien King in their introductory roles, with the special participation of Tonton Gutierrez.

Nothing’s gonna stop us to DO MORE, DREAM MORE and LOVE MORE with ‘Love at First Stream.’ You may catch it in your favorite cinemas starting December 25 Christmas Day, following minimum health and safety protocols.
v For more details about ‘Love at First Stream,’ follow the official Star Cinema account (@starcinema). Also, be sure to subscribe to the social media channels of kumu (@kumu.ph) on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter now. You can also check out the kumu blog for all the latest happenings in the Kumunity.

Don’t have the kumu app yet? It’s easy! Download the app at Google Play or the App Store, and start adding to cart! Visit our website kumu.ph for more information and insights into the exciting world of kumu.

 

If you’ve been put in charge of planning a party for your workplace, a church, or even just a friend or relative for a birthday, and you’re wanting to stray from the beaten path of playing party music from a speaker, you might be considering live entertainment for the occasion.

Live entertainment for hire is certainly a growing industry these days, as people are eager to get back out of the house and enjoy all the fun things they once did. It’s also an unusual and an especially fun way to plan a party, to hire live performers instead of just presenting some canned form of entertainment.

If you’ve got an event coming up and are loving the idea of hiring live musicians or other types of entertainers for it, then you might be stuck at the prospect of determining what genre would be best. Do you go for rock, jazz, classical, oldies, Christian rappers?

We’re here to help give you some ideas about what types of live music you can hire for your party. Check out these three options.

Rock Bands