Virtual Talk on Quarantine Fatigue with Thomson Reuters

Quarantine Fatigue has affected us and we need to adapt and learn to ease into the new normal by learning how to recognize this kind of Fatigue and how to deal with it.

First off, Quarantine Fatigue though it may look different from person to person, may be defined as an exhaustion associated with the new restrictive lifestyle brought upon by the pandemic. as Dr. Luana Marques, President of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America has defined it.

Quarantine Fatigue comes from Chronic Stress

We need to know how it has affected us, whether we are aware of it or not, to determine what we can do to prevent it, spot its effect and address them as quickly as possible, in addition to knowing how to handle relationships with the people we are stuck with, as well as people who are close to us but cannot be with.

The Virtual Talk was opened by Ms. Tes Veloso, Senior Director Vendor Strategy & Relationship Management and Site Officer, Thomson Reuters Manila.

Special Guests includes Husband and Wife tandem of Dr. Allan Dionisio and Maribel Dionisio. Dr. Allan is a family medicine practitioner and a clinical toxicologist. He is also the chairman of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the Philippine General Hospital. Ms. Maribel on the other hand, has been a relationship and parenting consultant for over 25 years. For the last 5 years, she was a weekly relationship expert for Radyo Singko 92.3 FM’s Relasyon noontime program and was also a regular parenting expert at ABS-CBN’s Umagang Kay Ganda.

The Love Institute’s vision is to equip every individual with the knowledge and skills they need for their particular relationship stage – Single Life, Engagement, Married Life, Parenting and Family, and Marriage Enhancement.

Quarantine Fatigue Symptoms

* Physical fatigue, loss of energy

* Irritability

* Disturbed sleep (too much or too little)

* Eating too much or too little

* Anxiety (new or aggravated)

* Apathy, lethargy, lack of motivation

* Emotional Lability

* Loneliness and Disconnection

* Feelings of Hopelessness

* Sadness and Depression

* Persistent desire or actual attempts to break quarantine

There are different sources of chronic stress

-Worry about getting sick and dying and the stigma when you actually get the virus

-Worry about the loss of a loved one, loss of job and income

-Conflicts due to being physically together longer than usual

-Cabin fever

-Infodemic

-Loneliness and isolation from being cut off from friends and family

These sources of chronic stress when piled up for a long period of time can cause increase of risk for anxiety and depression, weakens the immune system, degrades our ability to cope with stress which is a vicious cycle. Due to long period of isolation, a person can feel lonely and can increase the risk of all cause mortality by 29%, cardiovascular disease by 50%, and for those with the highest levels of social isolation, it doubles the risk of death from heart attacks.

The good news is, we can deal with Quarantine Fatigue

1. Physical Activity – short but regular physical activity can reduce stress, improve mood and mental clarity, release happy hormones, sense of control over your well-being, increase motivation, focus and learning ability and lastly, can stimulate rest and relaxation.

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. – Viktor E. Frankl

1. Mindfulness – We can practice mindfulness through our mindful breathing. We need to fact check all the information we recieve, discern and digest it before we react. Our responses should be of reasonable assumption and to do it, we have to think of ways on handling our problems and of course, choose the better, if not best, way to do it.
2. Building Strong Relationships – in this quaratine, what we need to come through is simplified by having the 4 friends principle who would go through a roof for us. If you don’t have them yet, write who would you like them to be and make a plan to strengthen those friendships. If you have more than 4, then you are blessed. Treasure friends.

Three Factors for lasting friendship includes similar core values, emotional maturity and authentic love. These can be developed using the 3C’s of relationships.

C – Calendar daily friends chat or meet-up

C – show Caring behaviors

C – Communicate regularly and well

The Virtual Talk also held a Panel Discussion with Ms. Kay Emralino, Thomson Reuters Judicial Operations Group Leader, Mr. Bong Roa Yu, Thomson Reuters Operations Manager for Rules and Regulations Legal Content, and Ms. Lilibeth Repolidon, Thomas Reuters Collection Teams Leader.

My takeaways on this very timely talk, is that we need to connect regularly and we need to connect with people well. We can do fun activities even virtually and also observe friendly tone when speaking especially to our dear family members and friends.

Balance is the key when it comes to Quarantine Fatigue, we need to find time to sustain our spiritual, emotional, financial, intellectual, environmental, physical and social aspects of our lives, and who we choose to be friends/connected with can determine and bend our core values, too.

Lastly, we should practice to PAUSE.

Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you’re about to react harshly and you’ll avoid doing and saying things you’ll regret later.

Allegro Beverage Corp.’s Webinar Series 3 “Grow and Promote Your Business Through Social Media”

Allegro brew at home!

Allegro Beverage Corporation (ABC) is the exclusive distributor of the finest espresso machines, brewers, coffee beans, syrups, sauces, and teas from around the world. Our customers are hotels, casinos, chain accounts, restaurants, cafes, and offices.For the past 20 years, Allegro is known for touching base with the B2B market, as time progressed, we aimed to expand our reach and capture the B2C market (the home brewers) as well to cover a larger market share.Amidst this pandemic situation, we decided to re-launch our Social Media sites, Facebook, and Instagram. Sharing our Customers our top three goals – to reach the consumers and introduce our products and equipment to household home brewers, everyone can enjoy high graded coffee beans at reasonable prices, and brand awareness.

We can use Social Media as leverage to boost our business. Since the pandemic, the food service industry has a drastic dramatic changes, these includes the following:

Focus changed from Ambiance to Food Safety

Menu changed from Full/Buffet Style to Limited

Location changed from Mall to Central Commissary/Online/Homemade

Special Requirements changed from Dine-In/bar to Limited Indoor Seating, Al Fresco or Drive-Thru

Online Ordering changed from Optional to Critical

Payment changed from Cash/Credit to Contactless

Food Costs changed from 30-35% to 40-45%

Staffing changed from Waiters to Delivery Guys

Restrictions changed from No Smoking to Social Distancing and Health Clearance

The changes are happening right before our eyes, from Traditional marketing which has limited audience, global marketing, non-versatile(cannot be altered once published) and delayed means of communications to Digital Marketing that reach out to maximum people, can target a specific market or client, very versatile in changes and has the ability of immediate communication.

4 P’s of Marketing

Product – an article or substance that is manufactured or refined for sale.

Place – a portion of space available or designated for or being used by someone.

Promotion – the publicization of a product, organization, or venture so as to increase sales or public awareness.

Price – the amount of money that has to be paid to acquire a given product/service.

We can use Social Media to interact with others, share and create content through online communities. Social Media also presents great marketing opportunities for business of all sizes.

Today’s marketing goal is to promote business, reach new costumers, increase transaction sales ans create repeat business that can be done via Social Media by setting our smart goals, create a content calendar and set timelines.

Moving forward, as we aim to have our brand be recognized with boundless limits, we made Allegro available and make it connected to reach the multitude of people across various social media platforms; make them feel Allegro’s presence, and the need to avail of our products would be as easy as tapping a button on your Facebook or Instagram account.

MILO Launches Home Court Campaign, Inspiring Parents To Help Their Kids Pursue Their Champion Journey In Sports, Even At Home

As parents continue to learn how to adjust in the new normal, they are faced with an even bigger challenge and responsibility of finding ways to keep their kids active and healthy while at home. To assist moms and dads in this hour of need, MILO has launched its Home Court campaign, providing access for parents and their kids to the resources they need to jumpstart and continue their sporting ambitions, even in the comfort of their own home. Even in these uncertain times, MILO remains committed to fueling kids’ champion journeys in sports and in life. 

Being the Home Court for kids, MILO’s newest campaign encourages parents to support their kids as their champion journeys continue even at home through online training modules, remote coaching sessions, and  creative solutions to equip parents as the new coaches of their children. 

“More than taking part in amping up their skills with online trainings, Home Court inspires moms and dads to play a more active role as coaches to their little champs,” says Nestlé Philippines Vice President Veronica Cruz. “It’s all about being fun and imaginative with them to assist their learning and growth in their respective sports, as well as keep their champion spirit strong and nurture the lifelong character-forming values that come with it such as discipline, hard work, and self-confidence.” 

Over the past few months, MILO Home Court has already launched a series of initiatives equipping parents and kids to stay active, healthy, and train like a champ. MILO Champions IG Live, for instance, featured our most prized national athletes and brand ambassadors Keifer Ravena, Alyssa Valdez, Pauline Lopez, Juan and Javi Gomez De Liaño, and Coach Rio Dela Cruz leading free workout sessions for their fans. It also introduced MILO Sports Clinics Online, a newly-introduced digital platform where kids can learn the fundamentals of basketball, volleyball, taekwondo, and gymnastics under the tutelage of professional coaches from MILO’s partner organizations—all for FREE! 

After a successful first round, MILO is now gearing up to introduce new sports to its online clinics, giving more variety and room for kids to explore what they want to pursue with arnis, badminton, karate, tennis, and football. 

Suited for kids ages 7 to 12 years old, each 60-minute session will be made available on YouTube for kids to try out in their homes for as long as 4 weeks per sport and will be done in partnership with professional coaches of MILO’s partner organizations such as Department of Education Arnis Association of the Philippines (DEAAP), Asuncion Badminton Center, Association for the Advancement of Karatedo in the Philippines (AAK), Children’s Tennis & Sports Management Inc., and coaches from FC Barçelona Barça Academy; all supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). 

“After postponing MILO Summer Sports Clinics, we’re glad that there’s still a surge of interest from parents to let their kids participate in the online version,” says MILO Sports Executive Lester Castillo. “We know how important it is to keep the champion journeys going which is why we are providing ways for them to still pursue their sporting dreams at the safety and comfort of their homes. Together with our trusted partner sports organizations and our best efforts, all is made possible in equipping our future champions.” 

Access the MILO Sports Clinics Online through this playlist: 

Through MILO Home Court initiatives and with the new MILO Champion Formula that contains more milk, packed with more Champion Energy Nutrients na PROTOMALTÒ, Iron, at Vitamins B2, B3, B6, and B12, at mas sulit dahil mas pinarami na ang isang sachet at the same suggested retail price, parents and their children are given the right energy to be creative and continue their champion journeys, even at home. 

There’s still a lot to look forward to MILO Home Court, so stay tuned to the MILO Philippines Facebook page (@milophilippines) for exciting announcements and important updates: https://www.facebook.com/milo.ph/.  

WHAT MOMS LOOK FOR IN CHOOSING THE RIGHT GROWING-UP MILK FOR THEIR KIDS

Every mom’s goal is to support their kids with good health, proper growth, and mental development. It’s hard do it alone but with the right growing-up formula milk—the goal is attainable.

Wyeth Nutrition™, manufacturer of PROMIL® FOUR, partnered with the world’s biggest e-community of shoppers – the Home Tester Club (HTC) – to find out what moms look for in choosing the right growing-up milk for their kids.

Home Tester Club strongly advocates helping people make informed purchases by sharing real product experiences. It promotes responsible and sensible shopping through shared conversations and reviews among its members, which consists of shoppers across all ages and product categories.

Last November 2019 to January 2020, HTC conducted a survey among 335 moms (from 20-45 years old, with kids 3 to 7 years old located in Metro Manila) to compare PROMIL® FOUR with other milk brands in a ‘blind’ test and taste engagement. 

Results reveal that 9 out of 10 Home Tester Club moms would switch to PROMIL® FOUR after trial for its taste.

Rina, a mom from Makati City, shares that PROMIL® FOUR’s right amount of sweetness is what her kid loves the most. “As compared to other brands, it provides the exact amount of taste for my kid without needing to add sugar. I have tried other brands of growing-up milk and I didn’t like how they were very sweet”.

Melody, mom to Ava, echoes the concern of most moms about sugar content. “We’ve been looking for a milk formula with less sugar. From my observation, the used glass of [PROMIL® FOUR] milk didn’t attract ants. It also tastes healthier, so I decided that this is the milk that I will give my daughter.”

Maylene couldn’t be happier that Thea, her daughter, finds PROMIL® FOUR not too sweet and really has the milky taste that is just right for the taste buds of kids.

Aside from the taste, mommy respondents agree that another important factor for them in choosing the right milk is the nutrients found in the product.

Jenny shared that her daughter Sherra usually drinks a glass of milk when she gets home from school. At first, her daughter was not enthusiastic when she tasted PROMIL® FOUR. However, it changed after a few more tries, and now her daughter loves it. According to Jenny, “It’s a good transition for me because PROMIL® FOUR offers more nutrients than the other milk brand we’ve been using. We’re sticking with it from now on.”

Another mom named Carla was surprised upon discovery of the nutrient content of PROMIL® FOUR. ”Actually, it’s only now that I learned the kind of nutrients of this product. Wow, there’s a lot! I’m really going to give this milk to [my daughter] Crystal”.

PROMIL® FOUR is scientifically designed with important and essential nutrients to support a child’s proper growth and mental development to help nurture the gift.

In the PROMIL® FOURTest and Taste challenge, HTC validated the survey with actual reviews of moms who participated in the activity. The result: 9 out 10 Home Tester Club moms in Metro Manila would switch to PROMIL® FOUR after trial. 

What about you, moms? Test and taste your child’s milk to experience the difference yourself.

Hanabishi’s 2in1 Grinder and Coffeemaker Is a Product Worth Investing In

Enjoying freshly brewed coffee doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t have to invest in an expensive coffeemaker to have one every day. Neither do you have to travel far or get in line. Thanks to Hanabishi, you can have it right in your own home.

Recently, the company known for its affordable and quality appliances introduced the Hanabishi 2in1 Grinder and Coffeemaker. Available for just PhP3,750, it can make four cups of coffee in one brew. You can use it for both coffee beans and ground coffee.

“To say that Filipinos love coffee is an understatement. We are proud of our kapeng barako and we are fond of exploring different varieties of coffee. It was evident with the success of coffee shops from Starbucks, UCC Café, and Coffebean and Tea Leaf in the local market,” said Cherish Ong-Chua, Vice President, Finance and Marketing at Hanabishi.

According to Ong-Chua, Hanabishi’s new product offering, the 2in1 Grinder and Coffeemaker, is an innovation that aims to bring the coffee connoisseur experience right to every Filipino’s home. However, they have simplified the functions of the machine.

Operating it is easy. Just add your coffee beans or ground coffee, pour in some water, select the setting, and your coffee would be ready in minutes. Cleaning it is just as fuss-free.

The Hanabishi 2in1 Grinder and Coffeemaker is also a good product to invest in if you’re running or looking to put up a coffee shop. It’s less expensive than most coffee makers and functions just as efficiently.

For more information about Hanabishi’s 2in1 Grinder and Coffeemaker, visit myhanabishi.com.

Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo shares her secrets in keeping Luna healthy and happy!

Quarantine stories and parenting tips straight from Mommy Juday!

The health and safety of the whole family is every parent’s number one priority especially during these unprecedented times. For our super mom, Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo, adapting to the new normal was never easy but with the help of her friends and a few experts around her, adjusting has now become a challenging yet delightful learning experience for her and her family.

Knowing the difficulties and struggles of being a mom, Mommy Juday shared some of her latest discoveries in making sure that her kids can safely grow healthy and happy while staying at home.

1. Gawing mas happy ang bawat moment na kasama si Chikiting

“Ngayong araw-araw tayong magkakasama, ito yung time for us to nurture our kids more. I-enjoy natin yung bawat moment na kasama natin sila dahil our kids really look up to us, ginagaya nila tayo. Kaya kung ano yung sabihin natin, gawin natin, pano tayo magdamit, paano tayo mag-alaga sa kanila, ibinabalik nila sa atin yun.” shared mommy Juday as she explains the value of spending as much time with her kids during the quarantine period.

Given that we’re mostly staying at home, grab every opportunity to spend as much time with your chikitings by doing the things they enjoy, their passions, and the things they’re curious about. Immerse yourself in what they like to get to know them better and help them develop their skills along the way.

2. Spark the curiosity of your chikitings and learn with them

Being at home does not mean skipping on the chance to learn, children are naturally curious and this is the opportunity for you to explore and learn new things with them. Mommy Judy Ann values her children’s education and shares that she studies with her kids. She proudly admits that she even learns a lot from them!

“Nag-aaral ako with them dahil bilang nanay kailangan mo rin i-level up ang knowledge mo sa kung ano ang ginagawa ng mga anak mo. Kasama din nila ako magresearch tungkol sa mga bagay bagay dahil minsan mas alam pa nila kung ano yung mga bago at trending kaysa sa’kin at mas natututo ako from them and with them.”

3. Gawing family bonding ang gawaing bahay

Use this time to teach your kids about household chores by slowly introducing small tasks they can do around the house. In the case of Mommy Juday, Luna enjoys helping her cook, and they even started planting their own veggies together: “Recently nagtatanim kami nina Lucho at Luna ng mga veggies na pwede naming ulamin!”

She also knows the importance of teaching her kids the skills they need to be more independent as they grow up, “We need to equip our children with basic survival skills tulad ng pagluluto, paglilinis, paglalaba, at paghuhugas ng pinggan para paglaki nila, hindi sila nakadepende sa ibang tao dahil naturuan natin sila at this early age.”

4. Panatilihing malusog at masaya ang mga chikiting with the right nutrition partner

Choose the right nutrition partner which can always provide all the nutrients that your chikitings need for them to grow happy and healthy. Mommy Judy Ann also believes that boosting our kids’ immune system will be their very first line of defense against illnesses. By providing their tummies with complete nutrients, they can be strong enough to fight off germs and viruses.

“Sa panahon ngayon, we need to look for the right milk na makakatulong sa happy at tamang paglaki ng mga bagets natin. We want them to be ready and equipped with whatever they might face diba? Kaya ako I choose only NESTOGROW® 4 for Luna talaga.”  Mommy Juday also talked about how her trusted milk brand is enriched with L COMFORTIS® which improves the absorption of nutrients in children’s tummies and no added table sugar — ensuring that your kids get the #KumpletongNutriTIYAN they need to #GrowHappy and healthy!

Mommy Judy Ann’s NESTOGROW® journey

Judy Ann and her youngest daughter Luna officially joined the NESTOGROW® family this year as the brand’s newest endorsers alongside Mommy Melai Cantiveros-Francisco and Mela. “Malaki talaga ang pasalamat ko sa NESTOGROW® at sa tiwalang ibinigay nila sa amin ni Luna. Sa totoo lang, NESTOGROW® talaga yung produktong pinagkakatiwalaan ko, especially when it comes to my children.” Working with NESTOGROW® has been such a great blessing for Judy Ann this year. It was just a perfect match from the beginning as she automatically fell in love with the brand as it helped show great improvement for Luna.

To further shine light on the importance of gut health, the newest mom and daughter duo starred in NESTOGROW’s TV commercial where Judy Ann explains to Luna na ang health ng katawan ay nagsisimula sa tiyan! 

With the release of the TVC, Mommy Judy Ann lets us in on a secret that the whole production was done right in their home with just a camera and the help of a few friends. It was a different experience being used to having a full production set, but according to her, “It was really a collaborative effort since konti lang kami and wala din kaming masyadong gamit . But it was fun working with friends and seeing Luna really happy and energetic during the shoot!” For Judy Ann, the whole experience is really something she’ll be treasuring since they were able to create something despite the challenges brought by the new normal: “This is something that will remain very memorable for Luna, and for me as well kasi we were able to rise above the challenge and adapt to change. I’m just so happy to see Luna happily doing things and adjusting to change at a very young age.”

Learn and spend time with your kids during this quarantine period by checking out NESTGROW’s latest commercial through this LINK and find out why you should definitely not forget about the importance of the tiyan!

Visit NESTOGROW® Facebook page for more updates and you can also purchase NESTOGROW® 4 on their official stores at Lazada and Shopee!

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About NESTOGROW® 4

NESTOGROW® 4 is the only growing up milk brand that contains L. Comfortis®, a probiotic that may help in your child’s digestive health and now without added sucrose. NESTOGROW® 4 is not a breastmilk substitute and is suitable for healthy children above 3 years old.

Quarantine creativity: 19-year-old Cebu student uses soy sauce to make art

As the quarantine keeps everyone at home for their safety, many young Filipinos spend their time honing their skills and creativity, finding ways to express themselves. With all this free time on their hands, there are those who even go the extra mile when it comes to being creative.

This was certainly the case for 19-year-old communication student Thea Sophia Disabelle, from Bantayan Island, Cebu, who stirred buzz on the internet after creating art not just through traditional mediums, but also using a medium no one thinks could be used for art: soy sauce. Yes, the very same soy sauce you ordinarily see in kitchens at home.

“It all started when I poured a little amount of soy sauce into a saucer, since I needed it for my fried fish,” said Thea, who made her first soy sauce artwork back in March using Silver Swan Soy Sauce, a staple in their pantry. “After that, I paused for three seconds while staring at it—something was beautifully formed. After I had my breakfast that day, I asked myself, ‘Why not make art using soy sauce?’”

Working with soy sauce

While Thea always had access to Silver Swan Soy Sauce as it was the family’s preferred brand since her childhood, it would take her a few more months before trying to make another soy sauce artwork after her first one. This time, however, people took notice.

“I posted it on Facebook and didn’t expect to get many likes, comments and shares,” she said.
“Fortunately, it really went viral and I was so overwhelmed.”

Although Thea also creates art using more traditional mediums such as paint, pastels, and pencils, she likes the convenience that soy sauce allows, recommending it to artists who may have challenges getting art materials during the quarantine. Silver Swan Soy Sauce, made of high-quality soybeans, also provides artists a unique texture to work with, distinguishing it from the usual materials and providing a tamang-tamang timpla evento art.

“The texture looks so cool after a while,” she says. “Artists just need soy sauce, a large plate, and imagination. It’s tricky to do this kind of artwork because one wrong move, you’ll have to start all over again. It might be an ephemeral artwork but it’s worth the effort.”

Quarantine Creativity: 19-year-old Thea Sophia Disabelle only had a bottle of Silver Swan Soy Sauce, large plate, and a limitless imagination to create unique works of art.

Inspiring young Filipino creatives

As some artists find new ways to make breathtaking art during the quarantine using everyday items, Thea believes that there’s really no limit to what anyone can create as long as they keep trying. She herself wants to pursue a fine arts course and eventually turn her hobby into her life’s work.

“I encourage them to be creative and make use of their time through art,” she says. “You don’t need expensive art materials—you just have to go to your kitchen, get some stuff and make it your masterpiece. It’s just a matter of creativity, dedication and willingness to learn something new. You just have to be creative in making nothing into something. That’s how art works.”

As a token of recognition for Thea’s astounding creativity and resourcefulness, NutriAsia, makers of Silver Swan will be sending her and her family more of their products for their use—whether it’s for their food or for more of Thea’s art.

MPTC expressways RFID campaign on track following DOTr push for cashless toll

 The Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) declared its support for Department Order 2020-012 issued by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) that requires expressway-bound vehicles to enter via cashless, contactless transactions “to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 and subsequently as a means to ensure a more efficient flow of traffic.”

In its statement of support, MPTC announced that its ongoing groupwide RFID sticker installation campaign is onstream.

DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade signed the department order last August 13^, 2020 and mandated DOTr’s attached agencies to formulate procedures “to ensure the smooth implementation of the new policy.

“Our groupwide RFID roll out is on track to comply with D.O. 2020-012 and we will be ready to implement contactless toll payments consistent with the timeline,” said Rodrigo E. Franco, MPTC President and CEO.  “Our expressway network that includes the North Luzon Expressway, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, Manila-Cavite Expressway, and Cavite-Laguna Expressway is primed for cashless and contactless transactions within the year”, Franco further said.

            Franco added that “the MPTC tollway group will now accelerate all preparations to fully implement all-RFID (radio frequency identification) transactions in our toll plazas”.

            Roberto V. Bontia, concurrently heading CAVITEX and CALAX and head of MPTC’s RFID 100 Task Force, outlined MPTC’s preparations into four key elements: (1) Infrastructure Readiness, (2) Operational and Visibility Improvements, (3) Motorist Assistance, and (4) Manpower Re-equipping and Retooling.

Bontia pointed out that the MPTC tollways are technically ready to shift from manual toll collection to full RFID-enabled system. Moreover, MPTC assures that any RFID sticker installed by its provider Easytrip Corporation, will be compatible throughout the MPTC network of expressways hence, a better customer experience overall.

Preparations are also highlighted by operational and visibility improvements, chiefly with improved RFID signages to help direct motorists during the transition.  Likewise, the RFID stickers are available to online and in 24×7 onsite installation sites, to ensure that they are expressway-ready. “Getting the free RFID sticker online thru Shopee, and installing it yourself, is the truly contactless and cashless way,” Bontia remarked.

            For onsite options, more installation sites have been made available. There are also arrangements for specialized groups such as trucking groups, public utility vehicles, homeowners’ associations and local government-based commuters.

            Franco underscored MPTC’s policy of “supporting Sec. Tugade’s programs to improve transportation convenience for our country and people, especially the programs that will help control the spread of COVID-19, and keep our motorists, our tollway frontliners, and our employees safe.”

This Grade 12 artist can make awesome artworks with banana catsup

When hard times strike and traditional resources are out of reach, the most creative of us can find ingenious ways to make one-of-a-kind works of art.

This is especially true for Filipinos—and no one proves our resourcefulness and creativity more than this amazing Grade 12 artist, who didn’t need paint or pencils to create artwork. No, Vincent Dwight Paulo from Nueva Ecija uses banana catsup to draw portraits of famous personalities while staying at home during the community quarantine.

While he first started with a catsup portrait back in 2018, it was during the quarantine when he really started honing this unique art skill. “I really engaged myself in doing catsup art since school and art supplies shops were closed,” said Vincent. “I was running out of materials, so I used catsup instead.”

With creating catsup art being only a hobby for him, Vincent never thought it would become as popular as it did.

Working with catsup

Catsup was not the first medium he had used to create art, but it was the one within reach at home—which is how he ended up creating portraits of celebrities like Liza Soberano, Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla, Taylor Swift, and One Direction.

“I really loved catsup because it is readily available inside the house,” Vincent shared. “I really love exploring and trying other mediums just to try something new. I don’t like to stick to the conventional and typical artworks that we see.”

Vincent primarily uses UFC Banana Catsup as it is the family’s favorite catsup brand at home. “It’s always what’s in our kitchen, and we really like fried foods dipped in UFC Banana Catsup because of its tamis-anghang taste,” he said. “I don’t want to try other brands for my art because I’m already used to UFC.”

Vincent’s resourcefulness led him to their kitchen pantry, where he used a bottle of UFC Banana Catsup to create one-of-a-kind portraits that went viral on social media.

Artist Vincent Dwight Paulo received various NutriAsia products which the family can enjoy both for cooking and creating unique artwork.

Inspiring creativity in Filipinos

While Vincent wows admirers online with his amazing catsup art, his plans are a little more different, as he dreams of taking up architecture in college. He realizes that such a course could be expensive, hindering others from pursuing their passion, but with his work he wants to inspire fellow artists and creatives to be resourceful.

“Being more creative and resourceful really is my objective. Painting does not stop if you don’t have art materials,” he continued. “Alternative materials are everywhere; you just have to explore. If you could think of some other materials than those usually used in making art, that would be great.”

As a token of recognition for Vincent’s astounding creativity and resourcefulness, NutriAsia sent him and his family more of their products for their use—whether it’s for their food or for more of Vincent’s art.

 

 

Tanduay Rums Bag Ultimate Spirits Challenge Award in US

Commited to the Filipino Spirit, Tanduay is the second largest seller of rum in the world. Tanduay Rums Bag Ultimate Spirits Challenge Award in US. How Tanduay’s Award-Winning Rhums are Made Tanduay has been dominating spirits competitions and awards in the recent years. Most recently, three of its products again gained recognition, this time from the prestigious Ultimate Spirits Challenge.

The Tanduay Double 16 Years Old Aged Rum was a finalist for the rum category, receiving a rating of 94 and was adjudged excellent and highly recommended. Tanduay Asian Rum Gold, meanwhile, received a 92 rating and was also adjudged excellent and highly recommended. With a rating of 88, Tanduay Silver Asian received a strong recommendation and was deemed very good.

“Tanduay has always been committed to creating the best rum possible. From the sugarcanes we use to our distillation process, we make sure that each product that comes out of our plants have gone through our stringent quality checks,” said Tanduay SVP for Sales and Marketing Paul Lim.

It’s Starts with the Quality of the Sugarcane

Tanduay sources its sugarcanes from Victorias, Negros Occidental, where planting begins just as the rainy season is about to start and harvesting done by summer of the following year.

The canes would then find their way to Tanduay’s sugar mill, where they are carefully cleaned, stripped off their leaves, cut, and refined. From these canes will come the molasses, the key ingredient to making rum.“At Tanduay, we only use first-syrup molasses, which are extracted from the initial boil of the sugarcanes. It contains a high sugar content, and is valued for its unique taste,” Lim said. The molasses is then fermented for 12 hours. This process turns the sugars into alcohol, creating a ferment prime for distillation.

Distilled and Blended to Perfection

Tanduay’s distillation plants are located in Negros Occidental, Misamis Oriental, and Laguna, and they keep the tradition of Tanduay’s original distillery in Manila, which has already been decommissioned.The country’s humidity and these distilleries’ high elevation contribute to Tanduay rum’s distinct flavors and aromas. It is in these distilleries where the molasses is turned into a clear liquid—ethanol.

“Our skilled blenders would then take over. We owe much to them for creating the Tanduay flavors that the world has come to love,” Lim said.The liquids are stored in Kentucky bourbon oak barrels, where they will be aged.

“Tanduay uses two aging processes. In the single-barrel method, rums mature in individual barrels for a set amount of time. The solera aging process, meanwhile, channels the rums through a series of Kentucky bourbon barrels that are never empty, which helps create and sustain the flavors contained there for generations,” Lim said.Tanduay’s Master Blender, who is the guardian of Tanduay’s formulas, will then check the rum for consistency and quality.

Tanduay has been dominating spirits competitions and awards in recent years.  
Once again, three of its products gained international recognition, this time from the prestigious Ultimate Spirits Challenge in the US.
Tanduay takes pride in delivering the highest quality products, ensuring its sugarcane source and efficient distillation process.
We would like to share with you how Tanduay’s award-winning rums are made. 

Once the Master Blender gives the go signal, the rums are sent for bottling and packaging.“Creating a Tanduay product requires hard work and dedication, so we are deeply honored every time we would receive an award. Most of all, we are thankful for the loyalpatronage of Tanduay consumers who now comprise not only our fellow Filipinos but people from other countries as well,” Lim said.This June, Tanduay was declared once again the world’s best-selling rum by Drinks International. Early this year, Tanduay won five medals from the Beverage Testing Institute. Tanduay Asian Rum Gold topped the list with a gold medal. Silver medals, meanwhile, were awarded to Tanduay Asian Rum Silver and Boracay Cappuccino Flavored Rum. Tanduay Double Rum and Boracay Coconut Flavored Rum both received bronze medals