Lifestyle

Grab, Southeast Asia’s most famous superapp, is expanding its food and parcel service, as well as cashless payment, services to more cities in the Philippines. Grab aims to make it easier for more Filipinos to get daily necessities, especially in light of the ongoing pandemic. Grab has been focusing on national expansion in the Philippines since launching GrabFood, GrabExpress, and GrabPay in Zamboanga in January 2021. Sta. Rosa, Laguna; Concepcion and Capas towns in Tarlac; General Santos City in South Cotabato; Legazpi, Albay; and Butuan, Agusan del Norte have all received services since then.

This month, the superapp plans to expand its presence in Zambales by launching GrabFood, GrabExpress, and GrabPay in the Subic Bay Freeport Region.

According to Cindy Toh, Head of Grab’s Cities and Expansion, “We’re pleased to make more services available to more cities across the Philippines. As part of our GrabForGood initiative, we’re committed to helping as many people as possible leverage our offerings to help them safely and easily purchase and pay for essential items, especially as they continue to face the challenges of the global pandemic. At the same time, we can empower Filipinos who need to maintain their livelihood by giving them opportunities to earn supplemental wages by joining our community of driver- and delivery-partners. Access to digital tools supports not just individuals but entire communities, and we’re excited to see the new cities we’re reaching- and those we will reach in the future- flourish with more opportunities and options for both workers and consumers.”  

SMALL BUSINESS EMPOWERMENT Via ON-DEMAND FOOD AND PARCEL DELIVERIES

Rowena Aguilar, a Laguna-based entrepreneur, was instantly concerned about the future of her company when news of the government’s enforcement of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) emerged last year. She used to distribute her custom handicrafts to different vendors in and around Sta. Rosa on a regular basis before the pandemic, but the quarantine restricted her capacity to do so. She was also concerned about her personal safety, even after the constraints were relaxed, due to the rise of COVID-19..

However, when Grab expanded to Sta. Rosa, Rowena was able to resume her business, leveraging Grab’s safe and fast deliveries to meet client demand. “I was able to breathe a sigh of relief because I was able to fulfill my handicrafts orders without delay, and without worries. It was also more convenient because customers were able to digitally pay for their orders in advance,” she said.

Rowena is one of thousands of small businesses and customers who have benefited from Grab’s cities expansion.

With communities still coping with the effects of the pandemic, consumers can rely on Grab for these essential services:

• GrabFood: Enjoy a wide selection of cuisines (including homegrown and local favorites) and have them delivered right to your doorstep anytime thanks to Grab’s fast and reliable delivery service. You can also look for sulit, affordable meals that you can enjoy year-round.
• GrabExpress: Send gifts or parcels to friends and family using the app’s reliable and secure delivery options.
• GrabPay: Whether you need to order food or make quick parcel deliveries, you can use Grab’s in-app digital wallet for your payments. GrabPay can also be used in-store at partner merchants such as SM, Starbucks, Uniqlo, and Ace Hardware. GrabPay is accepted at thousands of merchants nationwide. As an added bonus, each transaction earns reward points that can be redeemed for store discounts and selected vouchers.

For details on Grab’s operations, visit the Grab Facebook page.

Ayn Bernos

Ayn promotes sun-kissed skin and fights colorism in the Philippines through her content and her brand, Morena the Label!

A small boost in self-esteem will go a long way toward inspiring others. This is why it is so important for women to help, elevate, and inspire one another. Ayn Bernos, a video creator on Tiktok and a proponent of female empowerment, recognized this and decided to use her online content to inspire her followers, especially female viewers, to help them become more self-assured.

A breakup set her on the path to becoming a motivational content creator on the app. According to Ayn Bernos, “My first video that went viral was my post-breakup journey. I simply shared what I was able to achieve once I started focusing on myself and my growth – moving to a different country, traveling, starting a business – and I guess a lot of women were able to resonate with that,” Ayn shares. She adds, “Since then, I started creating motivational videos about confidence and being a work-in-progress. My favorite part is not really preaching or giving advice. It’s more about being open about my journey and sharing the lessons that I personally had to learn the hard way.”

Since then, Ayn has also been able to use TikTok as a platform to talk about her advocacies, including that of challenging colorism in the Philippines. She admits that her morena skin was a source of insecurity growing up. Now, through her label as well as her content, she wishes to make a difference for younger Filipinas. She shares, “I was really insecure about my skin color as a kid, and it took me a long time to gain my confidence. Having a platform as an adult, I wanted to change that experience for future generations of morenas. I started Morena the Label to allow other morenas like me to also find that confidence. To some people, they’re just t-shirts, but to our customers and our followers, these t-shirts are an opportunity to be proud of our skin – oftentimes, for the first time. Morena the Label is a brand, but more than that, it’s also a community.”

Ayn Bernos is also an advocate of self-development and education. She is one-half of the Camp Confidence Radio Podcast, and even has a second TikTok account, Ayn Pero Tagalog, where she produces bite-sized English lessons aimed at make language learning a little less intimidating for beginners.

This is what Ayn had to say when asked about the most valuable life lesson she had learned. “It took me some time to learn, but when I did, it changed my life. I realized that I don’t have to compete with other women in order to succeed. I thought that success meant being the most beautiful, or the smartest, or the most talented woman in the room. But in truth, there is nothing more fulfilling than being in a room of supportive women who shine in different ways. It’s a cliché, but we really are stronger together.”

Follow  Ayn Bernos and other inspiring women on TikTok! Download the app on your iOS and Android devices today to get started.

IPG Mediabrands and TikTok are teaming up today to launch a first-of-its-kind creator and content accelerator program aimed at propelling brands to the forefront of culture. IPG Mediabrands and TikTok will collaborate to develop a series of custom programs for IPG Mediabrands clients, assisting them in establishing an authentic presence on TikTok by leveraging the platform’s community of creators. The two companies will form a bespoke Creator Collective, which will put together a small group of forward-thinking and diverse creators to offer hands-on feedback to IPG Mediabrands clients, ensuring that their content is culturally related. It’s welcoming and resonates with the TikTok audience. The first program in the series will be “Artist Camps,” a quarterly session in which designers will provide IPG Mediabrands clients with strategic advice and input on upcoming campaigns. The Creator Collective is the centerpiece of a three-year global partnership between IPG Mediabrands and TikTok, which aims to provide IPG Mediabrands’ agencies and clients access to TikTok expertise and training, first-to-market opportunities, tools and best practices, as well as research and media trial opportunities.

The Creator Collective forms the central pillar of a three-year, global endeavor between IPG Mediabrands and TikTok that focuses on providing IPG Mediabrands’ agencies and clients with access to TikTok insight and training, first-to-market opportunities, resources and best practices, and research and media trial opportunities.

“I am excited to announce that IPG Mediabrands clients will now get unique access to the immense content and entertainment capabilities of TikTok”, said Daryl Lee, Global CEO, IPG Mediabrands. “As the most improved platform from a media responsibility perspective based on our latest Media Responsibility Index, TikTok has earned this partnership through backing its words with action and integrity.”

“As audience reach declines in traditional formats, it is critical that client budgets fund new ways to connect with audiences,” added Dani Benowitz, President of IPG Mediabrands’ MAGNA. “This partnership will deliver incredible value to our clients and, as importantly, will help all of us learn the power of creating content communities at scale.”

“On TikTok, brands have the unique ability to become creators and storytellers by listening to the community and adopting an always-on approach to their content,” said Blake Chandlee, President of Global Business Solutions, TikTok. “We’re delighted to partner with IPG Mediabrands and help their clients tap into trends, create a steady stream of content that resonates with our community, and embrace the creativity and culture that makes TikTok such an incredible platform.”

On and off the web, TikTok and IPG Mediabrands have committed to finding new ways to promote diversity, equality, and inclusion. TikTok was a recent participant in the Equity Upfront, organized by IPG Mediabrands’ MAGNA, and the two companies will partner to create new, creative strategies to support nonprofit organizations and elevate underrepresented communities on the platform.

When you have the right tools to have the job done, staying creative and productive while working from home is much easier. Even a simple mouse update or the addition of a high-quality speaker system to your home office setup will significantly improve your productivity. Upgrades can be expensive, particularly when you have to purchase your own equipment, but they are well worth it. The key is to spend wisely so that you can function wisely as well. On April 4, 2021, Logitech wants to help you get the cool gadget update by offering amazing offers and discounts at the 4.4 Mega Shopping Sale at the Logitech Official Store on Shopee.

Here’s what’s happening at the 4.4 Mega Shopping Sale

Enjoy up to 35% off on essential work from home devices from Logitech, including:

• The M585 Multi-Device Mouse, a multitasking mouse that has the capacity to navigate seamlessly between two computers, and transfer data, files, and media from one to the other.
• TheMX Anywhere 2S Wireless Mouse, which provides the ideal combination of comfort and portability, allowing you to work from anywhere. Also a multi-device mouse, it allows you to copy-paste and navigate with ease between three computers.
• The full-sized M191 Wireless Mouse, which features a comfortable contoured design that’s perfect for medium to large hands. This mouse allows you to work wirelessly and freely from up to 10 meters away with virtually no delays or dropouts.
• TheZ333 Speaker System with Subwoofer that gives you bold sound with strong bass, great for watching videos, playing games, or simply listening to your favorite tunes.

Apart from huge discounts, you also get a P50 discount voucher for a minimum purchase of P1,500 or a P150 voucher for purchases of at least P2,500 when you shop on April 4. Don’t miss this awesome chance to upgrade your home office gear at the 4.4 Mega Shopping Sale!

Visit and follow the Logitech Official Store on Shopee to learn more. Visit the Logitech website and official Facebook Page for more information.

Octagon, Silicon Valley, PC Express, Datablitz, Complink, I-Tech/Gamezone, Electroworld, Abenson, Office Warehouse, PC Hub, PC Worx, Villman, DynaQuest, Techwarez, Gameline, Thinking Tools, Gaisano Interpace, Digi-Serv Solutions, Davao FutureBright, Concept Computer, and Nutec are just a few of the Logitech partner stores.

Smile Train has always been committed to finding new paths and using technology to serve more patients and communities around the country through its Interactive Telehealth Program and Speech Camp. The Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) and the Philippine Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators honored the programs with awards from colleagues in the communications industry. The program’s awards recognized the volunteers’, healthcare organizations’, and corporate partners’ commitment and devotion to rallying support for cleft patients so that they could continue to receive quality cleft treatment even during the disease outbreak.

Smile Train’s Speech Telehealth Program in the Philippines has supported more than 100 patients, providing them with more than 700 cleft care-related sessions, including speech therapy, nutritional support, breastfeeding guidance for mothers of babies with clefts, pre-surgical consultations, and psychosocial care. Results which made it possible for the programs to be conferred with the Silver Anvil Award at PRSP’s 56th Anvil Awards and a Merit Award at IABC’s 18th Philippines Quill Awards.

Launched in April 2020, two weeks into the lockdown, the Virtual Telehealth program is manned by volunteer speech language pathologists. Maximizing technology and social media, the Virtual Telehealth Program made use of Facebook Live, chat applications such as Viber and Messenger, and online discussions to ensure that speech therapy classes continued virtually. More than that, the Telehealth Program managed to reach cleft patients who live in rural or isolated communities and made its services more readily available or convenient for people with limited mobility, time, or transportation options.

Every kid, according to Smile Train, is deserving of the chance to live a normal life. Its willingness to provide speech therapy sessions online during such trying times demonstrates the foundation’s flexibility and dedication to delivering consistent comprehensive cleft treatment to its beneficiaries’ ever-changing needs. The program not only showed Smile Train’s ability to adapt rapidly, but it also helped to illustrate the numerous disparities that remain when it comes to the assistance that cleft lip and palate patients need.

To learn more about how Smile Train’s sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.ph. For more information about Smile Train’s work in the Philippines, please contact [email protected].

Sameer Singh has been appointed Head of Global Business Solutions, Southeast Asia, at  TikTok, the leading destination for short-form mobile content. Singh will be in charge of leading sales and business marketing solutions across all TikTok for Business products in the area in his new role. Singh has pioneered creative marketing and advertisement strategies over the course of his 25-year career. Prior to joining TikTok and ByteDance, Singh was the Chief Executive Officer of GroupM South Asia, where he helped clients gain a strategic edge in digital leadership and content. Singh has also worked for Google, where he held important leadership roles, GSK, Procter & Gamble, and IPG have offices in Palo Alto, Boston, London, Dubai, and Guangzhou, among other locations.

In a career spanning over 25 years, Singh has pioneered innovative marketing and advertising solutions. Prior to joining TikTok and ByteDance, Singh spearheaded the operations at GroupM as Chief Executive Officer, South Asia, providing clients with a competitive advantage in digital leadership and content. Singh has also held key leadership positions in Google, GSK, Procter & Gamble, and IPG, across geographies including Palo Alto, Boston, London, Dubai and Guangzhou.

“TikTok has supported tens of thousands of enterprises and partners, especially small and medium businesses, to elevate their marketing and advertising efforts and grow their business with our extensive product suite. Southeast Asia is a fast-growing region with boundless potential, especially in the short-form content space, and the SEA markets continue to be a priority for us as we expand and innovate our TikTok for Business offerings to suit the diverse needs of this region,” said Singh.

TikTok’s Global Market Solutions arm enables companies of all sizes to connect with their target customers in new and innovative ways, while also providing a supportive and secure atmosphere for brand partners. Singh’s appointment reaffirms TikTok’s contribution to Southeast Asia’s local economies by assisting the region’s few small and mid-sized companies.

 “We are in a dynamic time at TikTok as we introduce new and creative ways for brands of all sizes to reach success on TikTok, and Singh has been indispensable in driving TikTok’s advertising efforts thus far,” said Blake Chandlee, TikTok’s President of Global Business Solutions. “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome him to this new role and look forward to seeing how he will propel the team to new heights as Head of Global Business Solutions in Southeast Asia.”

TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, Mountain View, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo. www.tiktok.com.

Summer is officially here, and just because you won’t be able to spend it outside in the sun doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time. It’s entirely possible to have a different kind of summer at home, and Devant will assist you in doing so. The brand takes the best of summer indoors, helping you to remain healthy and worry-free. Its feature-rich televisions, such as the Devant Smart Quantum 4K TV Series, are ideal for this. Large screens equal big entertainment, and the Devant Smart Quantum 4K TV, which comes in 65”, 55”, and 50” sizes, delivers just that. Its Quantum Ultra HD 3840×2160 resolution produces a crisp, direct picture that is reminiscent of scenic views on a beautiful summer day. It runs the Vidaa U operating system, which has a simple, easy-to-use interface that can be customized to fit your unique needs.

Through the VIDAA STORE, an HTML5-based storefront of exciting apps that are all optimized for TV, you can get all the apps you need for entertainment. Missing the sea? Watch movies and TV shows set on the beach on Netflix. You can also use YouTube to learn how to make summer-friendly food and drinks, like smoothies and fresh cold salads. And, with Anyview Cast, you can mirror your phone screen onto your TV to watch and relive all the fun memories of past summers on a larger screen.

Here are all the fantastic Devant Smart Quantum 4K TV features that you can enjoy:

1. Available in 65”, 55”, and 50”
2. Quantum Ultra HD 3840×2160
3. Vidaa U Operating System
4. VIDAA App Store
5. HDR Compatible
6. Ultra Smooth Motion
7. Bluetooth Function
8. YouTube
9. Netflix
10. Screen Sharing
11. Dolby Atmos
12. Dolby Vision

At the Devant Summer Splash Sale, get a free Devant Soundbar when you upgrade to an amazing Smart Quantum 4K TV! The Devant Summer Splash Sale is available in Devant’s Official Flagship Stores on Lazada (https://bit.ly/DevantLaz9) and Shopee (https://bit.ly/DevantShp9), as well as participating retail stores, until March 31, 2021.

For more about the #SummerSplashSmartTVs, as well as other products, check out the Devant Website (www.devanttv.com) Devant products are also available in leading appliance stores nationwide.

Follow Devant on Facebook (www.facebook.com/devant.tv), Instagram (www.instagram.com/devanttv), and Youtube Devant Official Channel for the latest updates.

(L-R) Mike Dauden (Head of ConcepStore), Jojo Concepcion (Chairman & CEO, Concepcion Industrial Corporation, JT Solis (Co-Founder & CEO, Mayani), Atty. Ron Dime (Co-Founder & Chief Legal Counsel, Mayani)

A Farm to Kitchen 3-Day Mega-Sale will be held this March 29 to March 31 against the backdrop of tighter neighborhood quarantines and a preference for shopping from the comfort of one’s own home, offering customers up to a 20% discount on selected kitchen appliance and fresh produce packages conveniently delivered to their doorsteps.

Mayani, the country’s fastest-growing farm-to-table network with over 10,000 rural smallholder farmers, Kumu, the leading live streaming app for Filipinos around the world, and ConcepStore, the e-commerce arm of the Concepcion Industrial Corporation, have come together to launch the initiative (CIC),Carrier, Condura, Toshiba, and Midea are only a few of the well-known home brands that are publicly traded.

Mike Dauden, Head of ConcepStore stated, “ConcepStore is focusing on the big home reboot as people learn to cope and adapt to the new normal. We are beginning to see a shift towards a safer and healthier lifestyle with more and more families staying home and eating fresh. Our goal is to provide a healthier lifestyle with us providing modern kitchen appliances, Mayani bringing in the fresh produce, and Kumu as our community builder.”

The alliance continues with what is also considered the first-of-its-kind Farm to Kitchen offerings that showcase quality and inherently support the local agricultural industry, one of the hardest hit sectors during the pandemic. With CIC’s 60-year conglomerate controlling nearly 40% market share in the consumer appliance space, the alliance proceeds with what is also considered the first-of-its-kind Farm to Kitchen offerings that showcase quality and inherently support the local agricultural industry, one of the hardest hit sectors during the pandemic.

“We have long laser-focused on moms, health buffs, and kitchen aficionados as they are the drivers of our retail growth, so this is way to further capture more holistic data on their spending patterns and constantly come up with new offers that meet their total needs – from what they eat to how they prepare the food,” said JT Solis, the Co-Founder & CEO of Mayani, top brands like Shell, WalterMart, and Safe Options now use who to control their fresh produce supply chains.

The 20 percent flash sale on bundles like the Multifunctional Vegetable Sterilizer with Fresh Benguet Basket and Bean to Cup Coffee Maker with Barako Coffee Beans is only available on the Mayani e-commerce platform and Kumu app’s live commerce channels starting March 29 and is stackable – meaning customers can check out with multiple discounts. On April 5, deliveries will be made.

Irving Mendoza, Vice President for Live Commerce of Kumu said, “We evolved our app not just to provide a venue to for authentic communities but also a launchpad for homegrown brands such as Mayani and ConcepStore to amplify their e-commerce roadmaps.”

Tags: ConcepStore, Mayani, Kumu, Farm to Kitchen, Mike Dauden, Jojo Concepcion, JT Solis, Irving Mendoza, Mayani Philippines