Get your snacks and drinks and get ready to binge-watch as Vivamax, the no. 1 Pinoy streaming platform, is slated to release two originals per week. This is going to be exciting news for people and netizens who love to watch movies online. 

Since its launch last January 29, Vivamax has produced 35 original films and series on the platform. Debuting with Darryl Yap’s Pornstar, films of different genres soon followed: Death of a Girlfriend, Revirginized, The Housemaid, Mahjong Nights, Taya, More Than Blue, and Vivamax’s first original sequel, Pornstar 2. Also notable are two original series, Parang Kayo Pero Hindi and KPL.

Vivamax likewise features many classic films not just from the Viva library but also from other production companies like Star Cinema, Regal Entertainment, 1017P, Reality, IdeaFirst, Brillante Mendoza’s Center Stage Productions. Vivamax is committed to work with the country’s biggest stars—Sharon Cuneta, Sarah Geronimo, Anne Curtis, Bela Padilla, Nadine Lustre, Andrew E., Yassi Pressman, Kim Molina, Jerald Napoles, Dingdong Dantes, Piolo Pascual, Carlo Aquino, Toni and Alex Gonzaga, among many others—and the finest directors—among them Brillante Mendoza, Lawrence Fajardo, Roman Perez, Darryl Yap, Joel Lamangan, and Yam Laranas. The list will grow come 2022.

Viva is slated to produce at least 52 films/series in 2022 for a regular weekly release of Vivamax Originals. As of December, there are 15 finished films scheduled to be shown in Q1 and over 40 projects greenlit in various stages of production. With the reopening of cinemas, at least eight films will see a theatrical release for a return to the classic viewing experience. Viva stays true to its commitment of a P1 billion production budget per year despite the pandemic and will continue to support the industry workers in order to serve the Filipino audience.

Over 2 million Vivamax subscribers are treated to a wide array of content—fresh originals, classic films, romance comedy series, the biggest Korean blockbusters, and popular Hollywood hits. And the subscriber base is steadily growing as Vivamax remains to be the #1 top-grossing Philippine entertainment app on Google and GCash. Vivamax has even made it easier to purchase subscriptions with budget-friendly plans: P49 (1 week), P149 (1 month), P399 (3 months) P749 (6 months) P1390 (1 year). These can be purchased in-app via GCash and credit card. Subscribers may also purchase Vivamax vouchers from 7-11, Ministop, Shopee, Lazada, SM Retail, GCash, PayMaya and soon in your neighborhood sari-sari stores.

Vivamax has also set its sights on the world. Outside the Philippines, the platform is currently available in Australia, Brunei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, United States, Canada, Middle East, and European territories. (Available titles vary per country)

Last December 30, 2021, the last day of the 3-day Album Launch and mini-concert series of Madhouse Music Record Label, Kwento Ni Toto witnessed and met four (4) talented and fascinating artists. The said album launch, which started on December 28, 2021, was held at the Social House in Circuit, Makati.

The solo artists and songwriters launched are Soleil Misalucha, Angelica Sengco, Reiner Espiel, and Joel Jabelosa. During the launch, they showcased their talents to their fans and followers. Their performances were captivating and soothing to the ear. Their compositions were also astonishing the beat, the lyrics, and the theme was captivating.

Soleil Misalucha made a jaw-dropping performance while playing her guitar. She also let the audience hear her talent in rapping. What's more interesting is that aside from being a talented singer-songwriter, Soleil is also a teacher.

Angelica Sengco, just like Soleil, is also a teacher with a captivating voice, and some of her compositions are interestingly witty, experiential, and with a nice rhythm to follow. Her presence on stage is a delight while she sings her pieces.

This third artist, Reiner Espiel is probably the Jack-of-all-trade, with his voice, talent, and being a musician, makes him an engaging artist. Especially, when he performs on stage. With a genius songwriter and musician like him, there's no dull moment when he's on stage.

The last artist is Joel Jabelosa, he is a songwriter who aims to give inspiration through his song and music.

Aside from the four (4) that were launched, there were also performances from selected artists like Choy Zablan, Reymart Titong, Seryosing Rockers, Ivee Madamba, Hunyo, Alvin Murillo, ang bandang Souldrift at The Yellow Cassette, and of course from the Founder of Madhouse, Mr. Rannie Raymundo.

Though they are all singers and composers, each of them has different genres and themes in the creation, plus the individuality they put every time they perform.

During the interview, Mr. Rannie Raymundo made an emphasis on the new breed of talents that needs to be put up to raise again that Filipino spirit in line with the music. He also said that they are campaigning to coin Filipino music as OFM which describes as Original Filipino Music.

Mr. Raymundo is right we need to have that spirit again, the love for Filipino Music.

A great start of the year to learn the dos and don'ts of online. iWantTFC opens 2022 with new stories about love and family in the third season of the original anthology series “Click, Like, Share” starring Vivoree Esclito, Jane Oineza, Elmo Magalona, JC Alcantara, Shanaia Gomez, and Belle Mariano. It will stream exclusively on the iWantTFC app and website (iwanttfc.com) starting January 12 every Wednesday at 8 PM.

Hello, 2022! After taking the time to reflect on the past year, it’s time to get ready for new beginnings. Not sure where to start? For a truly clean slate, your first step should be to clear and rewire your brain. And what better way to do that than with some decluttering and organizing? With a clean, put-together space (and mind!), you can stay focused on your new goals.

Check out five easy tips to help you stay organized throughout 2022. Below, you can also discover product recommendations from Shopee, your go-to source for organization items, essentials, and everything in between at the best prices:

1.Write down your to-do list


If you’ve got a lot on your plate, don’t attempt to keep your to-do list in your brain—this will only overwhelm and stress you out. Instead, stay on track with a planner. This Undated Planner from National Bookstore, perfect for fans of the hit TV show Friends, features undated pages and blank weekly pages on which you can jot down your checklists and more.

2.Set your priorities

Got a long to-do list? Don’t attempt to accomplish everything all at once. Set clear priorities by color-coding your planner. You can process each day’s tasks easily by just glancing at color-coded sticky notes. This set of Sticky Notes includes stationery in different colors and sizes.

3.Manage your workload

How often have you taken on extra deliverables or said yes to engagements, only to realize that your calendar is too full? This year, take care of your mental health and say no when you have to. Stay on top of your schedule with a handy pocket-sized Animal Desk Calendar. These colorful calendars, which come in pretty pastel colors, feature monthly views.

4.Keep your workspace tidy

ShopeePay, Shopee’s integrated mobile wallet, continues to make financial services more accessible and convenient for Filipinos. The e-wallet offers free and real time transfers, on top of other free services, to enable easier and more seamless digital transactions.

ShopeePay users can now enjoy free cash ins and bank transfers in real time with 35+ banks and e-wallet partners, including BDO, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), RCBC, Metrobank, Chinabank, UnionBank, and more with InstaPay. InstaPay is an electronic fund transfer (EFT) service that allows customers to transfer funds almost instantly between accounts and is available 24/7, all year round. On top of the new cash in via InstaPay option, users can also link their bank account to their ShopeePay Wallet for free and easy cash ins.

Within the app, verified ShopeePay users can also instantly send money to any ShopeePay user for free, available 24/7. Additionally, senders can also personalize their send money transactions with themed virtual cards fit for any occasion. With ShopeePay, users can do more cashless transactions and get discounts on load products and cashbacks on bills payment.

As more consumers embrace and adopt digital transactions, ShopeePay aims to support the transition by providing hassle-free digital banking options. This year, the Philippines saw an exponential growth of new digital consumers, recording about 12 million since the start of the pandemic. Aside from the significant increase in digital consumers in the country, there is also a notable increase in the adoption of digital-only banking, recording 18.34 percent in 2021, and is expected to reach 36.18 percent by 2026.

Ruoshan Tao, Head of ShopeePay Online, Philippines, said, “The digital market of Southeast Asia is rapidly growing, and digital transactions such as online payments and money transfers are also becoming more prevalent. At ShopeePay, we are committed to providing our users with seamless and easy access to digital financial services through a secure and integrated ecosystem. We look forward to continue helping Filipinos embrace digitalization.”

Here’s how to cash in to your ShopeePay Wallet via InstaPay, and enjoy up to P25 cashback on your InstaPay fee:

 

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.