SUN LIFE’S #liveBrighter Campaign: Millenials For A Financially Prepared Generation

The new generation of workforce, the Millenials, wants to grow with a company that respects their individuality while being part of a noble cause. Such opportunity is possible when one becomes a Financial Advisor. This is a door that Sun Life (of Canada) Philippines, Inc. opens wider with a recruitment drive called #LiveBrighter. It aims to present the profession as a career choice for Millennials who wish to have the time and resources to pursue their passions as they advocate financial foresight and planning.

“Millennials are known to be slashers as they juggle a lot of things live travelling, blogging, and other passion projects on top of their regular 8-5 jobs. It sounds very aspirational but how can they sustain this in terms of time and resources?” said Sun life Recruitment Manager Fin Bernardo. “With that in mind, we see that the profession of a Financial Advisor is a perfect fit for their lifestyle,” added Bernardo.

After introducing the Financial Advisor in popular culture thru its engagement with Cinema One’s Single/Single, Sun Life dishes out the #LiveBrighter Sessions. This is a series of meet-ups to show how a Financial Advisor lives up to the demands and rewards of the profession. It aims to reach more Millennials and send them the message that their dream job is just here all along.

Guided by the core values of a Sun Life Financial Advisor- caring, professional, inspiring, and winning - #LiveBrighter Sessions will give a taste of the benefits one can enjoy in choosing this particular career path. More than the chance to earn unlimited income, it also provides perks such as all-expense travel and the freedom to work with an unbridled schedule.

With more Filipinos keen on getting insurance and investment products, the possibilities for new Advisors are endless. “We need more Financial Advisors to educate Filipinos on the importance of preparing for unexpected life’s events and offer them solutions that let them have Money For Life,” explained Bernardo.

Choose to #LiveBrighter now. Register to the next #LiveBrighter Forum by visiting bit.ly/LiveBrighter.

About Sun Life Financial

Sun Life of Canada (Philippines), Inc. is a member of the Sun Life Financial group of companies, a leading international financial services organization providing a diverse range of protection and wealth products and services to individuals and corporate customers. Sun Life Financial and its partners have operations in key markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March 31, 2016, the Sun Life Financial group of companies had total assets under management of $861 billion. 

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippines (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

Philippines' makes mathematics history, nabs 2 gold in 57th IMO

It is the biggest news that is nearly three decades in the making.

The Philippines, long-time participant in the most prestigious mathematics competition in the world—the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO)— has finally nabbed not just one, but two gold medals, marking the first time in 28 years that the Philippines claimed the top prize.

Young math wizards Farrell Eldrian S. Wu of MGC New Life Christian Academy and Kyle Patrick F. Dulay of Philippine Science High School – Main Campus, both veterans in the IMO and other international math competitions, scored 30 and 29 points, respectively, to secure the first ever set of gold medals in history for the country.

Aside from top prize, the country also brought home two silver medals courtesy of Clyde Wesley S. Ang of Chiang Kai Shek College and Albert John Patupat of Holy Rosary College. The two silvers add to the five silver medals collected in years 1989, 2010, 2014 and 2015. Ang and Patupat won silver and bronze, respectively, in last year’s IMO.

Meanwhile, Shaquille Wyan Que of Grace Christian College and Vince Jan Torres of Sta. Rosa Science and Technology High School both finished with an honourable mention to round out the best finish of the national team.

With the victory, the Philippines already leaped into top 17 of the world rankings, up from 36th out of 104 last year. 

Science Education Institute Director, Dr. Josette Biyo, congratulated the team for “finally claiming the elusive gold medal.”

“Words can’t describe how the science community takes pride in the achievement of our national team. This is something that is brought about by intense dedication not just by the students but also the coaches, the parents and all the entities that gave their support for this endeavor,” said Biyo.

Biyo thanked the Mathematical Society of the Philippines (MSP) for its untiring effort in selecting, training and guiding the team throughout the process.

“We are very grateful to MSP, especially to Team Leader Dr. Richard Eden and Deputy Team Leader Dr. Louie John Vallejo, and all its officers and members for their immeasurable effort for this historic feat to happen. This is their victory as much as our students’,” she said. 

The IMO is the toughest and most prestigious mathematics competition in the world. Participants are faced with six “extremely difficult” problems, which are answered in two days. The Philippines started participating in the IMO 1988.

“We have been setting historic records year after year since 2010 and it’s tempting to expect our performance to get even better than this. This is an exciting time for us in the science and education communities,” added Biyo while promising continuous support for international participation in science and mathematics competitions. 

Brunei tops international ASEAN science lab competition

For the first time in five years, Brunei topped the ASEAN Plus Three Junior Science Odyssey (APTJSO), cutting short the four year streak of consistent top winner Philippines.

Topping the 5th APTJSO, held at the University of the Philippines – Los Banos, are Teo Siang Jun, Mohammad Ariff Zikry Mohammad Haziq, and Haji Ahmad Nizam Noor Manina from Brunei Team A.

Cupping the overall second and third places are two teams from the Philippines., represented by the Phillippine Science High School Central Visayas and Cagayan Valley Campuses. Philippines Team A composed of Jose Benjamin dela Cruz, Mark Ely Namoro and Hannah Keren Duque of PSHS-Cagayan Valley Campus landed second overall champion.

Coming third is Philippines Team D composed of Francis Jether Siao, Joseph Karl Salva Jr. and Sean Dominic Abella from PSHS-Central Visayas Campus. 

The APTJSO is an annual educational competition in the field of Science and Technology for young gifted students who are 13 to 15 years within the ASEAN Plus Three Region. The competition is designed to carry on the overall goal of the competition to develop the gifts and talents of young individuals in the S&T fields and to nurture future scientists and engineers within the APT region. Component contests of the competition are project pitching, laboratory skills assessment and poster presentation.

On the other hand, the Philippines dominated the competition in terms of medal haul as it snatched 15 medals from the different component contests in the competition. Chinese Taipei scoured 9 medals while Brunei got a total of 7 medals. 

In the Laboratory Skills Assessment, a competition that tested their adeptness in conducting experiments, Brunei got the gold medal, followed by Philippines and Chinese Taipei. 

In the project pitching category, where the students gave proposals on how to mitigate the effects of the climate change in the rainforest, Team Apitong got the highest award. Group Apitong is composed of Jose Benjamin dela Cruz of the Philippines, Dong Rui of China, Chalernphon Neugleuthai of Laos, Nguyen Phuong An of Vietnam, Alexandra Parrthena Papadopoulos of Sweden, Sieng Sunhan of Cambodia, and Ismail Muhd Adiib of Brunei. They are followed by Group Anahaw composed of Aisyoul Khorni Muhammad Hazim of Malaysia, Tran Minh Huyen of Vietnam, Pawarisa Sittichai of Thailand, Sithiktiya Chey of Cambodia, Chen Meng-Fu of Chinese Taipei and Francis Jether Siao of Philippines. Group Almaciga obtained the third place, composed of Baek Ji Hun of Korea, Bajan Dionela Jitka Quinagoran of Philippines, Ko Wei Ting of Chinese Taipei, Moe Hnin Oo of Myanmar, Mahammad Amin Abidah Syahmina of Brunei, and Somavattey Im of Cambodia. 

China netted the poster presentation, followed by Indonesia and Korea. 

Department of Science and Technology Undersecretary for Science and Technology Services Dr. Rowena Cristina Guevara expressed her congratulations to the winning teams, prodding them to use their knowledge, learnings and experience from the APTJSO to pursue a STEM career and contribute to society.

“The energy, determination, and enthusiasm you have showed in this competition is a good fuel for the measures you want to take in taking on climate change by the horn,” she said during the awarding ceremony. 

UPLB Chancellor, Dr. Fernando Sanchez, Jr., on the other hand, reminded the participants how big an issue climate change is as well as their roles in being part of the solution to the said problem.

“Climate change is no longer something theoretical that may happen in the future, but a serious issue whose devastating effects we have clearly observed and experienced. It is also now an issue which many of our scientific minds are noew trying to find solutions to,” he said.

Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute Director Dr. Josette Biyo, meanwhile, was elated with the landslide medal haul of the Philippines. 

“You have made your mark not just as gifted individuals but as citizens of the planet. Your ideas have been heard and we hope that this activity has urged you to become disciples of science,” she said.

A Father's Day treat from McDonald’s for all Dad's

Filipinos have countless reasons to thank their dads on Father’s Day – for going the extra mile to make everyone laugh, for nights spent working on school assignments, and for the secret fries and sundae treat when mom was away. For all their hard work, dads deserve this one day in a year to take it easy and just relax. 

On Father’s Day, June 19, from         3-5 PM, McDonald’s will treat dads to free 1pc Chicken McDo for every Happy Meal purchase. This promo will be offered exclusively in all McDonald’s stores in SM branches and is valid for front counter transactions only. For complete mechanics,visit

 www.mcdonalds.com.ph.

Planning to treat dad to Chicken McDo on Father’s Day? Share your special moment by using the hashtag #PaChickenMcDoForDad and tagging @McDo_PH on Twitter and Instagram.

Below is the complete list of participating McDonald’s stores:

1. SM Aura                       25. SM Manila
2. SM Bacoor                     26. SM Marikina
3. SM Bacolod                    27. SM Marilao
4. SM Baguio                     28. SM Masinag
5. SM Baliwag                    29. SM Megamall
6. SM Batangas                   30. SM Muntinlupa
7. SM BF Paranaque               31. Sm Naga
8. SM Bicutan                    32. SM North EDSA
9. SM Cabanatuan (STO)           33. SM Novaliches
10. SM Cagayan de Oro            34. SM Pampanga
11. SM Calamba                   35. SM Rosales
12. SM Cauayan                   36. SM Rosario
13. SM Cebu                      37. SM San Jose del Monte
14. SM Clark                     38. SM San Lazaro
15. SM Daet                      39. SM San Pablo
16. SM Dasmarinas                40. SM Santa Rosa
17. SM Davao                     41. SM Seaside Cebu
18. SM Fairview                  42. SM Southmall
19. SM General Santos            43. SM Sta. Mesa
20. SM Iloilo                    44. SM Sucat
21. SM Lipa                      45. SM Taytay
22. SM Lucena                    46. SM Trece Martirez
23. SM Mall of Asia              47. SM Valenzuela
24. SM Makati

10-year old SM Mall of Asia expands into one of world’s largest and most exciting malls

A mall as successful as SM Mall of Asia is entering a new phase, reinventing itself, this time, into one of the biggest and most exciting destination malls in the world.

SM and SM Prime Chairman Henry Sy who once called this mall, the greatest project of his life, had a vision to build one of the largest malls in Asia which will not just be a shopping complex but a premier destination.

Sy’s vision was for shoppers and tourists alike to come together to have a unique leisurely experience. “The mall will be a major Asia Pacific destination,” Sy said at that time.

SM Mall of Asia opened in May 2006 as the flagship development of SM on its 60-hectare reclaimed land along the scenic Manila Bay in Pasay City. The mall introduced the first Olympic-size skating rink and the first IMAX theatre in the country. It also opened the Science Discovery Center now called The Exploreum and a state-of-the-art Bowling Center.

Ten years later, the mall is set to once again revolutionize the Philippines’ concept of a mall.

Steven Tan, Senior Vice President for SM Supermalls recalled that when the design team was going through the redesign process for SM Mall of Asia, SM Prime Holdings President Hans T. Sy wanted it to have the “wow” factor.

“Mr. Hans Sy didn’t just want to expand the mall without giving a reason to the people. He said, if there was going to be an expansion, we have to ensure the success of the mall,” Tan said.

Designed by Miami-based firm Arquitectonica, the enigmatic “wow” would finally come in the form of a FIFA World Cup-size soccer field mounted on the mall’s roofdeck. A botanical garden that blends with a spectacular view of the bay will also be built.

“I’ve seen the perpsectives and the view from up there will be breathtaking. There will be an unobstructed view of the sea and it is beautiful,” Tan said.

With over 700 tenants, SM Mall of Asia is considered one of SM’s most successful malls, enjoying an occupancy of between 98% and 100%. This has prompted the company to do the redevelopment of the mall in phases. The Olympic-size skating rink which will be on the third floor is targeted to be ready by the end of the year. A food hall, dolled up with designer furniture in tune with the mall’s modern look, will also open on the third level.

New brands are also set to come in including Swedish clothing giant H&M which is slated to introduce a 3,000 square meter flagship store that promises to be something unique.

The mall will also have a “warmer” look and feel, according to Tan where the interior will adopt a different color scheme and introduce wooden panels.

The mall also recently unveiled a “solar carpark” which was visited recently by no less than environment advocate and former US Vice President Al Gore. The 2.7 megawatt MOA solar carpark, in partnership with Solar Philippines, is nearly twice the size of the 1.5 MW SM North Edsa Solar Carpark, making it one of the world’s largest on-site solar projects. Comprised of 10,426 solar panels and 40 inverters, it supplies nearly 20% of the mall’s power needs.

To add to the dynamic developments in the 60-hectare MOA complex, Conrad Manila, SM Prime’s deluxe hotel is set to open in June this year with a new retail podium called S’Maison which will house unique concept stores as well as luxury retail stores, fine dining restaurants and state-of-the-art cinemas.

Another latest development, the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Museum is taking shape which will give visitors a unique experience in learning the history of the 250-year old global trade route where the Philippines and Mexico played major roles. The museum will highlight the galleon trade’s impact on today’s commerce, banking, travel, and cultural exchange. The dome will showcase the actual process of building a galleon, while exhibiting relics such as porcelain, gold, and other goods that were traded in the Spanish era.

With such new and exciting additions, MOA will add about 250,000 square meters to its floorplate, spanning a total of over 650,000 square meters which will count as one of the largest in the world, a fitting milestone to a mall that has touched the lives of millions in the last 10 years.

SM Supermalls Biggest Free Doughnut Treat

SM Supermalls is bringing back its “Download & Win” in-app mobile game and sweetening the deal by giving away 3 Original Glazed® Krispy Kreme doughnuts each to 100 unique SM Supermalls mobile app registered users every day from April 30 to June 30, 2016. How’s that for a tasty treat?

Embedded within the SM Supermalls Mobile App, “Download & Win” was the first digital scratch card promotion in the country. Its launch during SM Supermalls’ 30th Anniversary was marked with the giving away of exciting prizes such as free mobile data, free Spotify, Facebook, Games, Unli-Call and Unli Text every day for the entire month of March.

The celebration resumes this month with a shower of doughnuts! And joining can’t be simpler – just download the mobile app and get a chance to win.

Upon signing up in the SM Supermalls mobile app, you will receive a digital scratch card on the app. Scratch off the gray area to find out if you won. Get another shot of winning the next day until the end of the promo period. With some good luck and the daily habit of checking the app, you’ll be closer to sinking your teeth into those craveable doughnut treats for free.

The SM Supermalls Mobile App is free on Google Play Store and Apple App Store. It is loaded with other features that let you plan your shopping even before you get to the mall. A unique feature of the app is the Feed section that highlights the latest store offerings, discounts and promos, services, as well as movies and events in SM malls nationwide. It also has the Mall Directory that provides a complete list of establishments in the malls while the Mall Map shows the exact location of all stores and mall facilities. To keep up to date on what’s new, visit SM Supermalls website or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Viber Public Chat, and Snapchat.

Matstone: Designed for the perfect juice and more

As we advance in age, our bodies’ defense mechanism weakens. Most cannot afford to exercise anymore or go on a diet for several reasons, which explains why we are always sickly that even common ailments can quickly hit us.

Therefore, we feel gloomy and depressed whenever a loved one who’s in his or her twilight years suddenly becomes unwell and ailing. However, there are emerging measures to help prevent ailments from hitting you or if you do get sick, can help you recover in a fast and healthy way.

One of these is “slow juicing,” a process of extracting juices of its vital nutrients that are needed to strengthen our bodies, help improve our immunity, for the sick to recuperate quickly and overall provide for better health.

“Slow juicing” slowly and gently presses the fruit or vegetables to extract all the natural juices that are full of vitamins and minerals. And more importantly, taste is retained so what you’ll get is all-natural juice that’s great-tasting, too.

Here in the Philippines, Filipinos who are in their advancing ages will be glad to note that the Matstone Horizontal Slow Juicer is now available for them to enjoy the benefits of juicing and help protect them or recover effectively from sickness.

Matstone is the only slow juicer in the country that carries the horizontal design with its many advantages in terms of reliability and functionality. When it juices, there is an assurance of no stuck-up of fruit pulps inside the juicer. This one-of-a-kind juicer can also juice hard, leafy vegetables and guarantees no leakage whatsoever. 

Aside from being a slow juicer, the Matstone Horizontal Slow Juicer can also slice vegetables for a fresh and healthy vegetable salad. It can also mince vegetables, grind coffee beans, or even make homemade pasta so you can prepare all these nutritional dishes for your Mama or Papa, Lolo or Lola.

“We believe that Matstone Horizontal Slow Juicer is more than just a healthmate,” IAJ Wellness Corporation General Manager and Vice President Cris Llamo, said. “We also have in mind other members of the family who are in need of delicate health maintenance and also as a preventive measure to some ailments. Matstone’s multiple functionality in the kitchen also makes it a versatile kitchen assistant, processing fresh ingredients without taking much of its much needed nutrients.”

Matstone is the first low-speed juicer introduced in the Philippine market that runs at an ideal speed of 80 revolutions per minute (RPM) which makes it an effective juicer for green and leafy vegetables yet retains most of the nutrients found in the food.

So if you think you need to complement common medicines with other healthy means that help to improve your health or combat and recover from ailments, try slow juicing for a change. Who knows, going “juicing” might be the best one you can try to help you live healthier or effectively get well from an illness. Try the Matstone Horizontal Slow Juicer. It’s a decision you will never regret.

Matstone Horizontal Slow Juicer is distributed in the Philippines by IAJ Wellness Corporation. To know more about Matstone Horizontal Slow Juicer, testimonials, and healthy recipes, visit their website, www.matstone.com.ph and like them on Facebook www.facebook.com/MatstoneJuicerPhilippines.

NOVUHAIR LAUNCHES ENHANCED FORMULATION: Topical scalp lotion boasts of 19 natural ingredients

Say goodbye to hair loss and scalp problems with the newly-enhanced formulation of Novuhair. With 19 natural ingredients, the leading medicated topical scalp lotion is now almost 100% natural.

“The Novuhair Topical Scalp Lotion used to only have 12 natural ingredients. Its improved formulation has a much better fragrance and a cool and minty feel. It also has anti-dandruff properties, as well as nourishing and moisturizing effects on the hair and scalp,” said Sheila Mae Velilla, CEO of Nutramedica, developer and distributor of Novuhair.

Aside from producing a more effective solution for hair growth, the changes were necessary to make the product 100% compliant to the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive ACD. 

“Nature has provided a safe and effective answer to hair loss and scalp disorders with Novuhair. It is the only topical scalp lotion in the market that has the highest concentration of natural ingredients, FDA-certified and ACD-compliant. Novuhair is a
homegrown, proudly Philippine-made product that is globally competitive. ” added Velilla.

Made of herbal ingredients that include moringa oleifera, panax ginseng, virgin coconut oil and the natural essences of rosemary and peppermint, Novuhair nourishes the scalp and hair by increasing the flow of nutrients and improving blood circulation to the scalp. Novuhair also helps hydrate the scalp, maintain the hair’s natural luster and prevent early hair graying, hair dryness and itching.

Acer provides channel partners with further training

Channel partners are important elements in its success which is why Acer Philippines continues to provide them with enough selling skills through continuous training under the tech titan’s Channel Partners Enablement Program (CPEP). The program was designed to equip Acer’s commercial sales partners with the latest updates on Acer products and solutions together with Microsoft Philippines. CPEP also lets channel partners be further trained to develop not just their selling skills but also their personality through a soft-skill trainer. Later, the attendees were given a certification examination and qualified channel partners received sales certificates from Acer Philippines, Inc. Company officials such as Manuel Wong, Acer Philippines Managing Director welcomed the participants, while Microsoft Philippines Windows Marketing Client Specialist Eufer Pasion, provided Microsoft Windows 10 Professional updates. Jofel Riofrio, Acer Philippines Product Lead for Commercial Products presented product updates for Acer commercial products, Laura Lu, Business Development Manager from Acer headquarters lectured on Smart City Solutions while Alex Araneta conducted the soft-skills training session.

In photo is Jofel Riofrio, Acer Philippines Product Lead for Commercial Products,

during his presentation on the latest Acer commercial products available in the market.

For more about Acer Philippines’ innovative products and other updates, go to www.acer.com.ph, follow Acer via Twitter or www.Facebook.com/AcerPH.

About Acer 

Established in 1976, Acer is a hardware + software + services company dedicated to the research, design, marketing, sale, and support of innovative products that enhance people's lives. Acer's product offerings include PCs, displays, projectors, servers, tablets, smartphones and wearables. It is also developing cloud solutions to bring together the Internet of Things. Acer is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2016 and is one of the world’s top 5 PC companies. It employs 7,000 people worldwide and has a presence in over 160 countries. Please visit www.acer.com for more information.

BPI, DOST Award Young Scientists for the Year 2016

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Foundation and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) presented the Best Project of the Year Award to Jerome Alan S. Japitana, a BS Chemistry student of the University of Santo Tomas at the 2016 BPI-DOST Science Awards, held at The Mind Museum in Taguig yesterday April 5, 2016.

Also the winner in Basic Research Award, Japitana’s study “Using Non-Precious Materials in the Development of a Cost-Effective Cathode Catalyst for Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells”, studied the use of cobalt to improve the efficiency of fuel cell performance. Fuel cells are viable option for environmentally-sustainable and economically-feasible source of energy.

The Best in Applied Research Award winner Joselv E. Albano is a BS Biology student from Ateneo de Davao University. His project “molecular Detection and Expression of merA and Mercury Reduction by Pseudonomas putida”, demonstrates the promising ability of the mercury-reducing bacteria in the bioremediation of contaminated areas. Bioremediation can be a less expensive and more efficient method of alleviating elemental mercury that pose a great danger to human health.

With the aim to generate and reinforce the interest of our youth to pursue science and technology as a career, BPI Foundation, in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology, launched the BPI-DOST Science Awards a decade ago to primarily inspire, recognize, and support the most outstanding young scientists and innovators from across the Philippines.

Against the backdrop of global warming and climate-defined future, our team for the search for the 2016 Best Science Project: “Engineering our Future through Environmental Sustainability” has resulted in the identification of 30 brilliant young scientists from 11 partner Universities whose research projects focus around the discovery and use of sustainable materials, solutions for agriculture, disaster mitigation, health, technology, and many more.

Preceding the Awarding Ceremonies, a short Environmental Forum focused on “Engaging the Youth for Environmental Sustainability” took place to discuss the pressing environmental issues, the Phililippines currently deals with. The panel included Atty. Gia Ibay of Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF)-Philippines, Mr. Tony Lambino, Head of Public Policy, Ayala Corporation and Mr. Carlo Delantar, Country Director, Waves for Nature and Founder of Floreia. Moderated by Mr. Glenn Banaguas of the Environment and Climate Change Research Institute, the discussion tackled the delicate water, energy and food nexus, currently being threatened by effects of climate change.

Now on its 27th year, the BPI-DOST Science Awards has recognized over 800 outstanding science awardees from its partner universities nationwide: Ateneo de Manila University, Ateneo de Davao University, De La Salle University, Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Saint Louis University, Silliman University, University of the Philippines Diliman, University of the Philippines Los Baños, University of San Carlos, University of Santo Tomas and Xavier University. Up to three exceptional students are selected per partner institution every year. An awardee is selected on the basis of his academic performance and must be nominated by the school.

The Best Project of the Year and Best in Basic Research Winner Jerome Alan S. Japitana received P75,000.00, while the Best in Applied Research winner received P50,000.00. All regional finalists received P10,000 while the national finalists received P25,000.00.

Aside from the cash awards, all awardees went through a Technopreneurship Workshop facilitated by Ms. Maoi Arroyo of Hybridigm, and her team last April 4, 2016, in the hopes of planting the seeds of entrepreneurship in young budding researchers and innovators as a career option.

BPI Foundation will be holding awarding ceremonies at the campuses of its partner universities in the months of April and May 2016 for the awardees to be locally recognized for their achievements and contributions to nation-building.

Please visit http://scienceawards2016.bpifoundation.org for more information on the speakers and the 2016 awardees.

Film on chemical bonds, young love wins 1st Indie-Siyensya

Apparently, Chemistry can be well explained through ‘hugots’ or catchy-romance terms.

Combining simple terms and some romantic flavor, student-filmmakers from Mapua Institute of Technology succeeded in explaining the complex topic of chemical bonds in their film entitled ‘Bonding Tayo’ earning them the Best Film Award at the first ever Indie-Siyensya Competition.

In an awarding ceremony held at the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Taguig City, the team composed of Marvin Nofuente, Nikkei Bernal, and Charles Ongchangco beat out 15 other science film entries to claim the top award along with a P50,000 cash prize. Indie-Siyensya is a pioneering science filmmaking competition organized by DOST’s Science Education Institute (SEI).

‘Bonding Tayo’ is a film about two Chemistry students who were working on a research paper. The male character named Nito tries to explain chemical bonds to his partner, Elisa, through ‘hugot’ lines that also served as his way to express his feelings towards her.

The board of judges composed of scientists and filmmakers thought the movie chose an effective treatment in discussing a complex topic such as chemistry as it “meets the language of the Millennials.”

“[We] liked it because Chemistry is hard to explain and [the filmmakers] found such an effective way to make the subject appealing to the young audience especially in this era of AlDub, JaDine and the like,” said Pauline Mangilog–Saltarin, Creative Director of Jesuit Communications at the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), who was one of the judges.

Other members of the board of judges were former DOST Undersecretary Prof. Fortunato T. dela Peña; University of the Philippines Assistant Professor Dr. Aletta Yñiguez, former Sineskwela Producer, Ms. Marcela Claudette Villanueva; Museo Pambata Executive Director, Ms. Maricel Montero, and ADMU’s Communication Department Chair, Dr. Severino Sarmenta.

Placing second were Jasmin Robert Bansil, Aira Jill Brosas, and Danielle Andrea Ferrer for their film entitled ‘Bathala,’ which was about how a student was able to develop a prototype of a technology that can produce energy and potable water for the Dumagats. The film netted them a P30,000 cash prize.

Lastly, the trio of Princess Bacani, Angelica Mateo and Cristina Tula won third place and P20,000 for ‘Pwede Bang Red Uli?’, a short film on scientific ingenuity in addressing color blindness and how a person’s concern for another can push one to look for solutions using science to help.

DOST-SEI Director, Dr. Josette Biyo, said she was impressed about the quality of entries describing them as “effective and entertaining means in communicating science” to the public. “We have proven that Filipino-made science films are indeed effective means of bringing science and technology (S&T) closer to the people,” said Biyo.

Lastly, dela Peña urged the filmmakers to keep making films and discovering science as the field offers unlimited topics that can be tackled thru artistic methods. “I hope that this activity marks the start of your own story whether in film or in science. We hope that you really use your gifts for the best cause, that is, to serve the nation,” he said.

Meeting Mark Zuckerberg and My Facebook Friends Day Experience

Last January 31, 2016, Fellow Filipino Abby Asistio flew to San Francisco and had the wonderful opportunity of being chosen as one of the eighteen invited by Facebook on their 12th Anniversary Friends Day celebration with California-based Alopecia awareness advocate, Rachel Regal. Alopecia is an autoimmune condition which results in partial or total head and body hair loss. Abby Asistio have had it since she was four while Rachel just developed it sometime in 2012, the same year she discovered that her 10-year-old daughter, Eliana, had it, too. Six inspiring stories were picked by Facebook among its 1.64 billion users and Abby’s friends were all amazed when theye’ve found out that Abby’s Alopecia story was one of them. Imagine that!

Abby and Rachel met each other through the double A hand sign campaign that Aby started in 2012, and They've been "connected" since then. Last year, Facebook Stories featured how these two were able to build a friendship, as well as campaign for disease awareness through Facebook! And last February 1st, Abby and Rachel had the chance to tour FB headquarters in Menlo Park, San Francisco, meet and chat with the people behind Facebook (Founder & CEO Mark Zuckerberg, COO Sheryl Sandberg, CPO Chris Cox, and a whole lot of awesome people), get crazy cool gadgets and have one of the best experiences of their lives.

Abby recounted that it was such a surreal feeling to be in the same room as the creator of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. Mark Z was wearing his trademark look (jeans, sneakers, shirt and a big smile on his face), and had such a friendly, approachable aura and demeanor about him. Not at all intimidating! He shared stories about how the company started, its mission-vision, the ups and downs that come along, and their future plans. Those invited also had the chance to ask him questions. When Mark Z was asked about achieving success and life’s “impossibilities”. He said, “There’s a difference between impossible and things taking a really long time. Even if you’re not going to be able to do something in a short time period, if you care about something, you want to see the world to move into that direction… So the best thing to do is just get started and not be discouraged. It’s tough because this stuff is hard, or else people would’ve already done it.”

Abby Asistio got the chance to ask a question to one of the world’s 50 most powerful, successful women in business, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg. Aside from Alopecia awareness, Abby is also an active Real Beauty advocate with girls and women struggling with various insecurities, being so consumed by the world’s unrealistic and sometimes superficial standards of beauty. So Abby asked Sheryl about her perception of it. Sheryl said that beauty is just like success and that no one could really define it for you. We are all unique. We have different stories, dreams and desires. We should
explore our own inner and outer beauty, believe and embrace that we are beautiful, and never allow anyone to tell us otherwise.

Mark capped off his talk by sharing their company philosophy with everyone present. Though already having over 1 billion subscribers, there are still 7 billion people all over the world without access to all the meaningful connections and information that Facebook brings. One thing that the company stands by is that “things are always 1% completed”. It keeps them grounded, reminding them that there is always so much work, growth and progress to be done, and so many people to reach out to and help.

Everything about the Facebook trip was overwhelming and inspiring according to Abby. More than anything, it reminded her about “responsibility”. We are all given our own platforms, in this case “accounts and connections”, to make a dent in this world. It is up to us to become complacent and take these vehicles for granted, or maximize the opportunities and use them to make a positive impact in this generation. Abby is grateful that Facebook has become a medium for her to communicate disease awareness and touch people beyond the confines of her tiny room and her country. Abby is also glad that she and Rachel are two out of millions of people choosing to recognize the importance of social media in contributing to making this world a better place, and actually doing something about it.

Truly, God plans the best adventures and creates the most beautiful surprises. Abby knows that she wouldn't have been handpicked for this if it weren't for Him, as well as the countless individuals who have cared and showed support for my advocacy. Abby would like to leave a positive thought to everyone that we should really take the time to search for and identify our “purpose” – that one unique, very specific calling that is the result of our talents, dreams, desires, passions and experiences. Once you find it, be faithful to it no matter how long or difficult the journey towards its fulfillment may be. You’ll never know where it could lead to, how far it could go and how large it could grow. Abby is also thankful that her campaign continues to spread and reach new heights and she is particularly grateful to Facebook for giving her this opportunity and to Novuhair, Nature's Answer to Hair Loss (www.novuhair.com), for always being so supportive of her advocacy and endeavors. Abby is proud and honored to have represented the Philippines and the Alopecia community in this once-in-a-lifetime, international event.

The Toddler Travels Book Launch Invite

Inviting everyone to the Toddler Travels Book Launch happening this coming 8th of April 2016 7:30PM at The Forum, 4/F Fully Booked, Bonifacio Global City.

This is all about the authors adventures and misadventures (I think) when she travel abroad with her little one.

The event is for FREE, therefore anyone can come. See you!

Hundreds of thousands of Filipinos join McDonald’s 4th National Breakfast Day

March 14 was definitely McDonald’s best Monday ever! For the fourth year in a row, McDonald's National Breakfast Day delighted Filipinos across the country with free McMuffin sandwiches.

With over 400 stores nationwide who took part in the event, hundreds of thousands of Filipinos enjoyed a free and delicious McMuffin to start to their day.

From 6:00AM to 7:00AM, families, groups of friends, and individuals woke up extra early and flocked to participating McDonald's stores for their free breakfast treat via dine-in, take-out, and drive-thru. 

McDonald's Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Kenneth S. Yang took the lead in welcoming Filipinos to the much-awaited morning event. McDonald's Chief Happiness Officer Ronald McDonald was also present, along with McDonald’s endorsers and National Breakfast Day ambassadors. The brand’s most recent endorsers Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza, popularly known as "AlDub", gave McMuffin sandwiches to customers in McDonald’s Bluebay Walk, Pasay. Other celebrities who were present in different stores around the metro included Xian Lim, Enrique Gil, Janine Gutierrez, Bianca Umali, Miguel Tanfelix, Alwyn Uytingco, Vin Abrenica, and Shaira Mae Dela Cruz. 

"We celebrated our first National Breakfast Day in 2013 to share the goodness of a McDonald's breakfast to more Filipinos," said Yang.

The National Breakfast Day experience goes beyond March 14 through a “breakfast surprise.” Participating McDonald’s stores nationwide further spread the morning cheer by giving 100 free McMuffin sandwiches to groups or organizations who are unable to enjoy a good breakfast because of their early or different work schedules. Examples of these are security guards, hospital staff, and public school teachers.

Watch McDonald’s beautiful surprise here.

“We are happy to continually delight our customers with a beautiful breakfast experience for the fourth time in a row—it’s McDonald’s best Monday ever,” said Yang. “We hope to see everyone every day at McDonald’s to enjoy our delicious and affordable breakfast offers,” he added.

Keep on sharing about your beautiful morning on McDonald’s Facebook page, facebook.com/McDo.ph, or tag @McDo_PH on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #NationalBreakfastDay.

Staycation at Club Balai Resort in Talisay

Yes! After several years I was back to full-time work.  My little boy is now in grade school, he has become independent (yep! I trained him to be one).  It was my desire to keep my mind up and going again, amidst work stress and braving the metro traffic.

And so after quite sometime, I think I need some relaxation.  So today, me and my little boy Ivan headed further south for our weekend staycation at Club Balai Isabel in Talisay, Batangas.

Club Balai Isabel is located right on the shore of Taal lake, overlooking the world famous Taal volcano of course, and its less than an hour land travel from Calamba City via the South Superhighway extension.  Coming from Metro Manila, including the usual traffic, maybe add another one hour and half travel time.

It used to be a private subdivision but over the years, it was developed and expanded into a resort community.  So now it has become one of the favorite tourist destinations in the south, more so, within the Taal Lake area.  The resort now offers amenities and facilities to suit corporate events, family holidays or any special occasions, and its just perfect for our mother-and-son staycation.

It was my little boy’s first time here and he was really excited with the inviting atmosphere running back and forth along the lake shore feeling the cool breeze of the wind at mid-morning. But you know, when I myself got here for the very first time some years back, what I did look for? Where did the videographer hang the wedding gown of that famous celebrity actress when she was wed here.

Before heading to our room, we had a quick breakfast, afterwhich we explore the different facilities of the resort. Oh by the way, I have some friends who are also here so we had time to bond with them as well.

Our accomodation is a 5-bedroom villa that’s good for 10 or more persons.  It has 2 toilet and bath, a mini-kitchen with fridge, dining and living room area and a balcony overlooking the lake.  There’s also a flat screen TV with cabled programs, cabinet, dresser, and a writing table.  Accordingly, we can have the option to cook, but we just forget about it.  Instead, we indulge ourselves with the resort’s food buffet and those other delicious and tempting items on their menu.

After the late lunch, we headed to the lake area where we tried their water sports activities.  Yes, one of the reasons we’re here.  Need not go to Boracay to enjoy jet-skiing, kayaking or the banana-boat ride. Accordingly, they will soon open for para-sailing  and the flying.  Ha! Ha! I am not familiar how its being done but it seems exciting as well.

Ivan was sad because he too small and young to try these activities nor was he allowed to board the speed boat.  But anyway, isn’t he cute in his pink floral life vest.

During the night, we were able to watch some fireworks display at a wedding event happening here at the same time.  Also spent some time chatting and catching up with one another while listening to their acoustic singer Ms. Cath Manansala, calls herself a one-man band. She’s really good doing all those yesteryears songs like the hits of “The Carpenters”. It was almost midnight when we retire to our room for the much-needed rest after a long enjoyable day.

Next day, we attended the Sunday mass at the Spousal of Mary and Joseph Chapel inside the resort.  Then we took time to enjoy the swimming facilities, Club Balai Isabel has three swimming pool areas. At the Kumintang Pool, you need not bring towel, its provided. Just leave it there after use. Ivan rented a bike to explore more the area, which is so tiresome because I need to follow him around (ha!ha! why didn’t I rent my own bike?).

Its time to go after a hearty buffet lunch.

It was a short stay and we wish we had more time.  But anyway, my little boy liked the idea of going back here some other time.  Maybe next time we can tag along his cousins if they are not so busy at all.

For me it was a relaxed weekend.  I had time to unwind, think not much of my duties at the office.  Yes! Hopefully we’ll come back.

So if you’re planning some staycation, relax moments, Club Balai Isabel is it.  Check out their website at http://www.balaiisabel.com. They are also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

More photos here.

Michelin Innovation: Driving the search for new technologies on Road Safety and Better Mobility in Shell Eco-Marathon Asia 2016

Michelin has joined hands again with Shell for the third staging of the Shell Eco Marathon Asia (SEMA), now on its third and last year in the Philippines from March 3 to 6, 2016.

This year, MICHELIN focuses on Innovation as the driving force that ensures road safety and better mobility on race tracks and ordinary road conditions. In 2014, the key word for MICHELIN at the Shell Eco-Marathon was Michelin Total Performance, underscoring the need for tires to deliver multiple performances, to be safe, energy-efficient and long-lasting.

This year, with Innovation as the key word, participating student teams are looking for new approaches to create safe and energy-efficient vehicles that promote sustainable solutions.

The Shell Eco-Marathon is an international competition that challenges student teams from various parts of the world to create economical, environment-friendly and dependable prototype vehicles. MICHELIN continues to be the Official Global Partner and Tire Supplier of the SEMA in 2016andwillprovidetechnical assistance and support to the participating teams throughout the competition.

“Innovation is Michelin’s key strategy and driving factor for the search of new technologies, leading to ideas, products, or methods that improve road safety and mobility for all motorists, passengers and pedestrians. Michelin’s alliance with Shell furthers this search by seeking out the ideas of students in the Shell Eco-Marathon.", said Damien Hallez-Gozzard, Michelin Group Technical Communication Director.

"Shell and Michelin have partnered anew in the Shell Eco Marathon Asia because we share the same values to put innovation at the heart of developing better mobility. Michelin wants to demonstrate our innovation in sustainable mobility by providing ultimate energy efficient tires to students. We also want to share our technological expertise by giving advice about car suspension," said Michael Nunag, Chief Representative of Michelin Philippines.

The 2015 SEMA drew a record number of 127 participating student teams from 20 countries in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Teams from Philippine schools also broke records for fuel and energy efficiency. Winners of the different Shell Eco-Marathon this year in Asia, Europe and the Americas may join the first world championship series in London.

The public is invited to visit the Michelin Safety City at the Fanzone on the SEMA grounds on March 4, 5 and 6. On display at the Michelin booth are its Michelin Innovation tires like the Michelin Primacy SUV Tire which was launched in the Philippines in February 2016. The Primacy SUV tire has 2.2. meters shorter braking distance on wet roads, 6% improved grip in wet cornering and 1.9 meters shorter braking in dry conditions.

All visitors are encouraged to join the Michelin #SaferMobility Facebook photo contest by sending pictures that depict how road safety rules are followed by Pinoy motorists. Visit the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/sem16michelin to check the contest mechanics and know more about Michelin’s quest for safer and better mobility. All participants will receive tokens from the Michelin Fanzone booth, and winning entries will receive a grand prize at the Shell Eco-Marathon.

DOST-SEI, Intel, FIT-ED announces ‘innovation prize‘ for the youth

The Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) recently partnered with Intel Technologies Philippines and the Foundation for Information Technology Education and Development (FIT-ED)—a non-profit organization advocating ICT learning among communities—to launch a project that will bank on creativity and innovativeness among teenagers.

Dubbed as “imake.wemake”, the project seeks to unleash the creativity of young Filipinos in innovation using accessible technologies that can address a certain community issue or social problem. The competition, which is launched this February, is open to teams with 15-18 year-old members who can propose an innovation or a product that can “solve a problem” using the Intel Galileo platform.

The Intel Galileo is a microcontroller board that can be used as a development tool in building simple to complex projects such as LED lights, robots, automation features in appliances, and many others.

“The technology empowers people, most especially the young tech savvy ones, to imagine and create something out of that imagination,” said SEI Director Dr. Josette Biyo. “Through this initiative, we want to make them think and be creative in utilizing the technology in making their innovations or products in mind become reality.”

Biyo added the imake.wemake project also intends to hone the students’ skills in communication, critical and analytical thinking, engineering and technical proficiencies, as well as the value of risk and failure analysis.

Submissions will come in the form of a project proposal stating the rationale, problem statement, objectives, methodology, and plan for the development of the innovation. A team from DOST-SEI, Intel, and FIT-ED will lead the assessment of the proposals.

Ten team-projects will be selected and will receive technical assistance and a unit of the Intel Galileo board from DOST-SEI. They will also undergo training, to be led by Intel Technical Consultants, before the build-phase, which can be up to three (3) months.

After the build period, teams will have to present their products and demonstrate their functionality through Poster and Project Presentations to the Jury.

Three prize awardees will emerge among the 10 and shall be conferred with the Youth Innovation Prize by DOST Secretary Mario Montejo including a P50,000 cash prize.

“As we aim to produce more scientists and engineers it is important that we let our students make something out of their imaginative minds. This competition will certainly be a good platform for creativity and we hope that they find their niche in innovation and become great ones in the future,” Biyo remarked.

Philippines' win most int’l science & math medals in 2015

Filipino science and mathematics wizards just keep getting better.

After setting a record 484 gold, silver and bronze medals from international science and mathematics competitions in 2014, our national contingents collected a total of 614 medals in 2015, stamping another memorable mark in the history books.

Youth Excellence in Science (YES) Awardees filled the stage at Phivolcs during the awarding ceremony held on February 4, 2016.

At the Youth Excellence in Science (YES) Awards—an annual event organized by the Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) that recognizes students who win gold, silver and bronze medals in world science and mathematics contests—some of the medalists from Metro Manila and nearby provinces received their badges of honor from no less than DOST Secretary Mario Montejo. The ceremony was held on February 4, 2016 at the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology in Diliman, Quezon City.

Of the total tally, 321 come from the national capital region, while 293 come from the other regions.

Philippine Science High School – Main Campus garnered the most number of international medals with 52, followed by St. Jude Catholic School and Grace Christian College with 28 and 23, respectively.

Montejo lauded the historic achievement of the awardees, citing efforts of DOST in promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) among the youth as reinforcements in the said feat.

He said that while a lot of issues and challenges remain to be faced in terms of S&T, the excellence of YES medalists prove that there will be great minds to drive the field in the future.

“Each year, the YES Awards reminds me that despite the difficult task of creating solutions to various challenges, the future of the Philippines is bright knowing that we are developing the future leaders well,” said Montejo who urged the medalists to choose STEM fields when they go to college.

Montejo cited the increased scholarship slots and strengthened benefits to motivate the students to go into STEM fields.

“The scholarship slots have soared since 2010 and we have indeed helped produce scientists and engineers in the process. We hope to capitalize on this improvement by encouraging all gifted students to go into sciences and make their mark in the field,” he added.

An Awardee from the historic 2015 batch receives his YES Medal from DOST Secretary Mario Montejo.

An Awardee from the historic 2015 batch receives his YES Medal from DOST Secretary Mario Montejo.

Meanwhile, one of the YES Awardees, Bryce Ainsley Sanchez of Grace Christian College addressed his fellow awardees and urged them to continue doing great in competitions.

Finally, DOST Undersecretary Dr. Rowena Cristina Guevara encouraged the students to follow into the foot steps of the likes of DOST scholar-graduates, Reinabelle Reyes, Gay Jane Perez, and others who are now “impact scientists” today.

“We have all the reasons to believe that you will be like them, if not better, in the future,” said the Undersecretary.