 |
| The Philippines' Concert King Martin Nievera performed in front of thousands during Barrio Fiesta London 2024's TFC Happy Hour (Image Source: ABS-CBN Corporation/Philippine Centre Of United Kingdom) |
ABS-CBN's The Filipino Channel (TFC)'s summer of fun in celebration of its 30th anniversary continues to sizzle with high energy, topnotch live performances, pride in Filipino culture and heritage, and an enthusiastic community spirit as TFC and the Philippine Centre of U.K. joined hands anew for the milestone 40th Barrio Fiesta London held last July 21, 2024 at the Apps Court Farm near Hampton Court Palace which solidified its claim as the biggest annual outdoor Filipino festival in the entire United Kingdom with thousands trooping towards the venue and taking art in the lively and colorful day-long festivities.
Guided by the spirit of samahan (working together) and damayan (supporting one another), Barrio Fiesta London rolled out a celebration that intermeshed the unique Filipino identity with inclusivity, diversity and camaraderie in London's multicultural landscape. Barrio Fiesta London 2024 was a major comeback supported by more than 36 community partners and organizations that performed during the parade. This was led by Philippines Ambassador to the UK Teodoro Lopez Locsin Jr., Philippine Centre of UK Chairman and Barrio Fiesta sa London Hermano Mayor Joseph Pariñas, ABS-CBN Global Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Managing Director for North and Latin America (NOLA) Jun Del Rosario and ABS-CBN Global Head of Events and Managing Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Joseph Arnie Garcia.
TFC brought a stellar line-up for the live main entertainment with Philippine Concert King Martin Nievera, Ultimate Heartthrob Piolo Pascual, rising star Belle Mariano who is one half of the highly popular love team DonBelle and recently the recipient of the Listeners' Choice Award in the inaugural Billboard Philippines Women In Music Awards. Ahead of the festivities was a formal gala organized by the Philippine Centre which aims to support the education of ethnic minorities in the far-flung areas in the Philippines and promote the Filipino culture and heritage such as learning of the Filipino language among the children in the UK.
* * * *
Filipino Shines In ASEAN-Wide CIMB Rising Start Singing Competition
 |
| CIMB Group Chief Brand & Marketing Officer Toni Darusman (third from right) along with CIMB Niaga Head of Marketing, Brand and Customer Experience Muhamad Firdaus Andjar (fourth from left), singer & songwriter Dee Lestari (fourth from right), Music Arranger & Director Andi Rianto (third from left), and the four winners of Kejar Mimpi Rising Start 2024: grand winner Sharifah Nurilmuhayati of Malaysia (second from right), first runner-up Jesica Theresia Koloay of Indonesia (right), second runner-up Annisa Ayu Jamaluddin of Indonesia (second from left), and Favorite Award recipient Marvin Ilagan of the Philippines (left), pose after the 2024 CIMB Rising Start singing competition's post-press conference held in Jakarta last July 31, 2024. (Image Source: Orange Magazine TV/CIMB Group) |
In a thrilling finale held last July 31, 2024 in Jakarta, Sharifah Nurilmuyahati of Malaysia bested seven other competitors from various countries in Southeast Asia and was hailed as the grand champion of the CIMB Rising Start Singing Competition spearheaded by CIMB Niaga of Indonesia. Indonesian singers Jesica Theresia Koloay and Annisa Ayu Jamaluddin secured second and third places, respectively, while Marvin Ilagan from the Philippines received the Favorite Award.
A Bulacan native, Ilagan represented the Philippines alongside fellow Pinoy finalist Gwen Arada from Batangas City. The two were selected among the top 10 local auditionees and won the opportunity to fly to Jakarta for the regional competition. Along with the other finalists from Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, they participated in various activities such as voice lessons and a recording session and music video shoot for “Make It Happen", the English version of the song “Kejar Mimpimu” by renowned Indonesian singer and songwriter Dee Lestari. The three winners will receive a total combined prize of IDR 169 million (over Php600,000) Additionally, they will also perform “Make It Happen” along with top Indonesian superstars at the ‘Kejar Mimpi for Indonesia Concert’ on August 24, 2024 at De Tjolomadoe, Surakarta, Indonesia.
The 2024 CIMB Rising Start Singing Competition aims to discover more emerging talents in the future across the ASEAN region, aligning with CIMB’s commitment to support and assist people to chase their dreams — which is what kejar mimpi means. In line with its mission to empower Filipinos to live their life purpose, CIMB Bank PH, the most awarded digital-only commercial bank in the country, continues to find ways to empower Filipinos to live their purpose through initiatives like CIMB Rising Start. This singing competition is fully supported by CIMB Group, the 5th largest bank in the region with strong additional presence in Greater China and the United Kingdom.
* * * *
Tanauan Entrepreneurs Scale Up Through PLDT And Smart's eBiznovation And #BeCyberSmart
 |
| (Image Source: Upgrade Magazine/Smart Communications Inc.) |
PLDT and Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) expand the reach of business owners in the city of Tanauan in the province of Batangas by helping them adopt digital innovations. Through an event organized by PLDT Enterprise to support the growth of micro-, small-, medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), at least 150 entrepreneurs — members of the Tanauan Muslim Community Association — were introduced to e-commerce platforms under the PLDT Group’s eBizNovation program. “PLDT and Smart leverage on technology to help boost the income of MSMEs. Online platforms open bigger opportunities to scale-up their operations and help create future-ready businesses,” said PLDT and Smart Assistant Vice President (AVP) and Head of Stakeholder Management Stephanie V. Orlino.
E-commerce platforms connect Filipino MSMEs with a broader market and expand their presence from offline to online communities. Through PLDT and Smart's eBizNovation program and with support of their partners, local shop owners from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao gain direct access to consumers and expand their revenue opportunities by onboarding them on e-commerce platforms. PLDT and Smart also helped the participating entrepreneurs to #BeCyberSmart to further build their business' resilience. The PLDT Group shared tips on identifying phishing, the most common form of cyberattack, summed up in the acronym “SCAM”.
• S stands for ‘Sender is unknown’. Never answer calls or respond to messages from unknown persons or entities, especially those asking for one-time passwords or OTPs. Official bank and Smart agents will never ask for your OTP.
• C stands for ‘Compelling reason to act immediately’. Scam texts often urge you to click the link to avoid account suspension or to avail of the limited-time offer.
• A stands for ‘Attention grabbing offers’. Potential victims are often baited with too-good-to-be true promos or prize winnings.
• M stands for ‘Malicious link’. Whether sent via SMS or email, these messages are often accompanied by a link that leads to a phishing website.
The PLDT Group continuously finds ways to promote inclusive technologies that can help boost livelihood opportunities among MSMEs, cooperatives, farmers, and fisherfolk, leaving no one behind. The #eBizNovation program also highlights the PLDT Group’s support to the government’s Go Digital Pilipinas Movement which seeks to uplift the lives of Filipinos through adoption of digital services while the group’s efforts to drive relevant cybersecurity information on scams and fraud are fundamental to its much broader program to elevate the quality of customer experience by protecting them from threats and attacks.
* * * *
PH's First Halal Kitchen To Open In Davao City
 |
| (Image Source: Orange Magazine TV/Department Of Science And Technology-Science And Technology Information Institute) |
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Regional Office No. 11 (DOST-XI), in partnership with the Philippine Women’s College (PWC) in Davao City, is set to launch the first Halal Kitchen in the country which will serve as an innovation, research center, and demonstration site for Halal industry. According to DOST-XI Assistant Regional Director Mayan Jane J. Inni, the agency saw that there is still a gap in promoting Halal and tourism, despite the past initiatives they have conducted like the Halal Verification and Laboratory and the research and development (R&D) component, where they also partnered with different higher education institutions (HEIs) and state universities and colleges (SUCs). “The problem is we have very few halal-certified hotels and restaurants here in Davao. Recognizing that Davao is the potential hub or location for events like this in Mindanao and the Southern part of the country becomes a limitation for us. So that’s why through this partnership, we established the halal kitchen facility at PWC to provide the innovation and research center for the industry to know more and learn more and to adapt Halal and the provision of services especially for tourism and education,” said Inni.
According to PWC Dean Dr. Aristotle P. Carandang, halal is a multi-billion industry and is now being looked at as a potential income-generating sector of the Philippines. Inni further stated, “Well definitely, it will cater to the rest of the Philippines. But as to whether it’s the first in the Philippines, I think it is because DOST is pioneering efforts to promote and provide answers to the problems of halal sectors. We started with the R&D, with the laboratory, and now with services. So, I think that’s true that the Davao Region Halal kitchen is the novel and the first in the Philippines”, Inni said. “This year, I’m happy because it’s going to be operational and we’re just going to do some government registration work and the training for trainers is already been lined up and this is now under my watch," said Dr. Carandang. He added that the halal training and instruction services will also be included in the PWC’s curriculum to capacitate more professionals, especially tourism students.
Once operational, the DOST-XI will provide experts and resource speakers for the requests for orientation and training. The facility was inaugurated in August 2023 for the installation of equipment needed for the training and was made possible through fundings from DOST-XI and the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development. The facility was introduced to the participants of the Science Journo Ako (SJA), a science journalism seminar-workshop conducted in Davao City held last July 10-11, 2024 organized by the DOST-Science and Technology Information Institute, comprising of 54 junior and senior high school students and teachers from 15 schools in the Davao region.
* * * *
Mapúa Malayan Digital College, Globe Prepaid Collaborate To Empower Working Students To Step Up In Their Careers, Lives, And Finances With First Ever Step Up Sessions
 |
| (Image Source: Orange Magazine TV/Mapúa Malayan Digital College) |
Mapúa Malayan Digital College (MMDC) and Globe Prepaid partner up for Step Up Sessions, an incredible opportunity for working students and hustlers to learn from top industry leaders through 6 free upskilling talks all hosted on the immersive GoHUSTLE digital interactive platform of the Globe Hangouts portal. The Step Up Sessions are in line with the mission of the Step Up Sa Pangarap movement which was launched by MMDC last year, giving working students enough support to earn a college degree while excelling at work and empowering them to step up in their careers. With these upskilling talks, MMDC and Globe Prepaid aim to equip participants with the right tools to achieve their dream careers and empower them to make it happen at their own time. Top industry leaders from CEOs of startups to digital marketers and content creators share their expertise and experiences on different topics such as leadership, financial literacy, and content creation.
MMDC’s very own Kirbie Lao and April Rose Punay from the Integrated Advising Team are the hosts of the Step Up Sessions. Working student Shekinah Florentino found the learning sessions to be very empowering for her, and these inspired her to work towards her future, saying, “I found the Step Up Sessions to be very motivating as it focused on important values and skills that will be essential for my future career. The Step Up Sa Pangarap community support is also engaging with the speakers using their experiences to connect with the audience.” Maja Samaniego, another participant, shared that the sessions have been inspired by the speakers who spoke about their experiences, saying, “So far, Step Up Sa Pangarap has done wonders for my confidence as a young freelancer, knowing that others have also successfully gone through what I’m experiencing now — that we all start somewhere as beginners! The community has also been invaluable in providing not only a sense of camaraderie and support, but also the resources to go forward at your own pace, in your own time.”
With more than 800 registrants for the five different sessions, the Step Up Sessions were successful in reaching a diverse audience from around the country who have the opportunity to level up in their careers and are ready to grow personally and professionally. The last Step Up Session, which discusses the grit and growth mindset of working students and will feature the success stories of some of them, will take place on August 15, 2024 at 7:00-9:00 pm. Create an account on the Globe Hangouts portal and register for the culminating leg of the Step Up Sessions at https://bit.ly/StepUpSessions.
* * * *
TNT Tropang Giga Basketball Clinic Ignites Passion In Cebuano Youth
 |
| (Image Source: Upgrade Magazine/Smart Communications Inc.) |
Over 100 young basketball enthusiasts from Cebu recently gathered at Southwestern University PHINMA Coliseum for the TNT Tropang Giga Basketball Clinic, marking a significant step in the PLDT Group’s commitment to nurturing grassroots basketball in the Philippines. TNT Tropang Giga is a Smart Communications Inc. (Smart)-backed professional basketball team playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). “Sports have a unifying power. As a telco, our main purpose is to provide meaningful connections, and sports is one avenue. We aim to create opportunities across communities, contributing to the Philippines’ overall prosperity,”said PLDT and Smart First Vice President (FVP) and Head of Sports Jude H. Turcuato.
The clinic offered a rare opportunity for aspiring players to learn from professional basketball players and coaches, fostering new skills and confidence. Cheryl Mejellano, parent of a 13-year-old participant, expressed her enthusiasm, saying, "Having our professional Bisaya players lead the basketball clinic has undoubtedly inspired our kids to pursue their love for basketball with renewed confidence." As a parting gift, all young participants received a drawstring bag, t-shirt, tumbler, and basketball, serving as a reminder of their experience and newfound inspiration. The day-long event culminated with an exclusive meet-and-greet session for Smart and TNT customers and employees at the PLDT Smart Experience Hub in Ayala Center Cebu. Lucky fans had the chance to interact with TNT Tropang Giga players, take photos, and receive team merchandise.
This initiative underscores PLDT Group’s dedication to community building and youth development through sports. By bringing professional players closer to aspiring athletes, the group hopes to ignite a lasting passion for basketball and create meaningful connections that extend beyond the court. This also aligns with the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals (UNSDG) #3: Good Health And Well-Being and #11: Sustainable Cities And Communities.
