“We are delighted to continue our expansion in the country with the opening of our largest store in the Philippines here at Ayala Center Cebu in Cebu City,” shared Skechers Philippines country manager Sue Pasustento. “With its prime location and an extensive offering of Skechers footwear, apparel and accessories, this store will be a showpiece for the brand and allow more Cebuanos to directly experience the comfort, style and innovation that defines Skechers around the world.”

Located on the 1^st Floor of Ayala Center Cebu in Cebu City, the latest Skechers store in the Philippines features a mid-century modern style inspired design, opening the interior space to bring in the outdoors. The 3,400-square-foot store will offer a wide range of Skechers footwear, apparel and accessories including fashion product, lifestyle looks and Skechers Performance shoes for sport enthusiasts, including Skechers GO WALK, one of the brand’s best-selling categories.

Skechers’ offering is enhanced with the company’s signature comfort innovations—including its patented Skechers Arch Fit Technology, Skechers Max Cushioning Technology, Skechers Hyper Burst Technology, Skechers Air-Cooled Memory Foam®, Skechers Relaxed Fit Technology and Skechers Stretch Fit Technology.

Skechers’ wide selection of versatile and functional apparel, which include hoodies, jackets, sportswear and shirts, as well as socks, backpacks and hats, allows consumers to dress head-to-toe in active lifestyle looks. 

Established in 1992, Skechers’ reputation for style, innovation, quality, and comfort have helped the brand expand worldwide. In 2021, the company transitioned its operations in the Philippines, becoming a directly owned operations and expanding its capital investment in the country. Skechers now has five stores in Metro Manila and seven total retail destinations across the Philippines.

Now in its second year, AIA Philam Life Hackers 2020 will be held in its online platform www.lifehackers.ph from November 27-December 2, 2020. The competition is open to all
college students nationwide, 18-years-old and above, with five members per team.

“We are very excited to hear from the Gen Zs, the innovative ideas and tech solutions they will propose, to help us address the protection gap situation in the Philippines at a faster rate,” shared Kelvin Ang, AIA Philam Life Chief Executive Officer.

Distinguished experts in various fields will also share their knowledge to help the students hack the problem statement, with Grace David, Marketing & Partnership Leader of Edukasyon.ph, Joan Magno, Product Expert of Canva, Martin Gonzales, Organizational Development and Start Up Leader of Google, and Senior Leaders from AIA Philam Life joining the lineup.

Winners get to bring home cash prizes over PHP200,000, together with internship opportunities at AIA Philam Life, and the chance to bring their projects to life.

Join AIA Philam Life Hackers 2020 by visiting www.lifeshackers.ph, https://www.facebook.com/PhilamLifeAIA/, emailing contact@lifehackers.ph or calling 09167250353. Registration is open until November 20 so sign up now!

Held via Zoom and Facebook Live, these webinars were made possible with the cooperation of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Visayas, Start-up Island Philippines, various Chambers in Region VII and the Rotary.

The first webinar which was entitled “Understanding Smart Contact Tracing: For Safer Communities and for Faster Business Recovery” was held last September 11 to promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of the importance of contact tracing in the fight against Covid-19 as well as disseminate awareness of available low cost but effective digital solutions.

In anticipation of an increase in business activities and easing of restrictions in Central Visayas, the DTI-7 enjoined the business sector to adopt safe technology solutions in the area of contact tracing.

The webinar included a number of notable speakers such as Symph Founder, Albert Padin who talked about Contact Tracing Technologies; Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong who talked about the Baguio City Contact Tracing Model; DOST Expert Vaccine Panel on Clinical Trials Chair Dr. Nina Gloriani who talked about The Science of Contact Tracing; and Atty. Amor Venenoso of the National Privacy Commission who talked about Protecting Data Privacy in Contact Tracing.

For those who want to watch the first webinar, they may visit this link: https://bit.ly/2GXufXH

The second webinar, an online Pitch Party of 10 curated contact tracing apps, was held last September 25. These apps included CLEARPASS, Coscan, Open Gov, QR City, among others. The panelists were the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines’s Co-Founder Atty. Jocelle Batapa-Sigue; DICT’s Regional Director Frederick Amores; Philippine Retailer Association Cebu Chapter’s President Chester Lim; Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry R7’s Regional Governor Edward Du; and Office Services Colliers International’s General Manager Gerard Thomas Padriga.

For those who want to watch the second webinar, they may visit this link: https://bit.ly/3n1Fw9W

The third webinar in the R2R series was Pitch Party 2: Curated Contact Tracing Applications held on October 9 this year. Due to public demand, DTI-7 decided to organize a part 2 of the Pitch Party which ended with a DIY workshop on QR-based contact tracing system application. The goal of this session was to further the knowledge of the business sector on smart contact tracing and to showcase how they can create their own QR-based contact tracing system.

For those who want to watch the third webinar, they may visit this link: https://bit.ly/33ND5QK

For updates on DTI 7’s upcoming webinars, those interested may visit the department’s official Facebook page DTI.Region7 or its Youtube channel DTI 7 Digital.

Coinciding this year with the highly anticipated Sinulog Festival week, Plus63 Music & Arts Festival is an annual event that aims to support local talents and musicians by giving them the opportunity to perform alongside the world’s top performers. Plus63 refers to the Philippines’ country code and numerical global identifier.

Previous headliners include Swedish House Mafia’s Steve Angello in 2016, Steve Aoki in 2017 and last year, Showtek, who performed before over 10,000 fans.

House meets hip hop

This year, hip hop meets house as hit American rapper and producer Kid Ink and show-stealing Swedish act Dada Life is sharing the stage with the country’s top beatmakers Ace Ramos, MC Pao, DJ Short, Victor Jao, MC Benson, DJ Rich Rubillar, and MC Mak G.

Kid Ink is known for his chart-topping singles, multi-platinum albums, and collaborations with artists like Chris Brown, Steve Aoki, Little Mix and Fifth Harmony. His first studio album Up & Away landed on the US Billboard 200, while his second album debuted at No.3 on the Billboard 200 with hits like Show Me featuring Brown and Iz U Down featuring Tyga. Kid Ink dropped his last studio album in 2015, and has since released a mixtape and an extended play record.

On the other hand, Olle Cornéer and Stefan Engblom formed Dada Life in 2006, and rose to popularity with their humorous stage antics and happy-go-lucky approach to music. Dada Life has released three studio albums with their second Gold-sellingalbum, The Rules of Dada, reaching the Billboard 200. They also hold a Guinness World Record for the Largest Pillow Fight ever.

World-class music powered by country’s fastest LTE

The Plus63 Music & Arts Festival is just the beginning of a yet another star-studded and jampacked year for Smart Music Live as it sets out to bring more globally renowned music acts closer to Filipino fans.

All set for the festival? Get into the groove by streaming the music and videos of Kid Ink and Dada Life using Smart’s data-packed promos powered by Smart LTE, the country’s fastest LTE network as recognized by UK-based firm OpenSignal and certified by Internet testing and analysis leader Ookla.

Festivalgoers can hang out at the Smart Music Live Zone, which features Instagram-worthy installations that show top YouTube content you can enjoy with Smart’s Video Every Day promo. As a big treat, subscribers who can also claim free Instagram printouts at the Smart Zone using the official hashtags #SmartPlus63 and #SmartMusicLive.

Smart customers can also get updates and get a chance to win tickets by following Smart’s official accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For ticket information, check out the Plus63 Festival official Facebook page and official website.

“For me, it’s been the biggest and the best year we’ve ever had. We had the biggest sports fest and we participated in inter-BPO and city competitions. Guess who won? We did! This has been our year. So tonight is our night to celebrate and enjoy all that we’ve done, especially since we are celebrating our fifteenth year. Fifteen years is an accomplishment,” said John Sneed, SYKES Cebu’s Head and Vice President for Area Operations and Shared Services.

The Evolution of SYKES Cebu through Dance

One of the highlights and most-awaited part of the Rockapalooza event was the Employee Dance Competition. A total of seven teams took the audience for a ride as they showcased the evolution of dance featuring grooves from the past and viral moves of today. This resembled the evolution and continuous growth of SYKES Cebu, from humble beginnings to making its mark as one of the leading BPO in the country.

Dance is definitely part of the rich Filipino culture as presented by Team R2BU, the grand champion, in their presentation. The team incorporated the milestones of SYKES Cebu into their dance in an upbeat, colorful, and dynamic rendition.

Rockstars Meet Rockstars

The halls of Waterfront Hotel were filled with black and leather-clad ensembles as SYKESers showed their rockstar qualities for the grand celebration. These rockstars got to see Ely Buendia and Jason Fernandez as they rocked the night away with their OPM hits and own renditions of the classic rock songs.

Not only did SYKESers enjoy great music and sumptuous food, they also took home amazing giveaways and raffle prizes with winners taking home as much as Php10,000 cash.

Set in the vibrant seaside town of Dumaguete, the play revolves around Charlene, who’s dream of becoming a star seems to be within reach until a series of unfortunate events compels the young dreamer to sell chicharon and mani. Her life as a vendor intersects with other children and characters who are striving to define their life purpose.

Scharon Mani was a musical hit from Dumaguete, and now it’s the Cebuano’s turn to witness this masterpiece. The Cebu show was produced by Cebu’s premiere theater communications company, 2TinCans Philppines, Inc. and front-lined by some of Cebu’s topnotch theater actors.

Here’s a sample performance of the song Dumzville by the cast of Scharon Mani.

Scharon Mani was an adaptation from a book by Junsly Kitay and utilizes songs by The Belltower Project. It will be staged at the Centerstage of SM Seaside City Cebu on December 7, 8, and 9, with Matinee performance at 2pm and Gala performance at 7:30pm.

Tickets are priced at ₱350, ₱600, ₱1000, and are available via Yapsody and Ticket2Me websites. For more details, visit 2TinCans.ph and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

I’ve been using a BackJoy SitSmart in the office for over 3 years now and I could not seat well without it anymore. I believe it it really improved my posture and I said goodbye to back pains every since. You can read more about my BackJoy SitSmart experience on my previous blog.

During the event, we did a simple posture correction yoga using a BackJoy SitSmart Posture Core. We were first taught on how to sit correctly using the BackJoy SitSmart Posture Core and I can really tell the difference. We then proceeded with some yoga poses in a sitting position. It was short but an eye opening experience on how we should take care of our posture and how easy it is to exercise using BackJoy.

The BackJoy SitSmart Posture Core is a bit bigger compared to the one I currently own. I already replaced my old BackJoy SitSmart in the office and hopefully this will improve my posture even more.

BackJoy also introduced their new products during the event.

SitSmart Posture Core

This is a revolutionary active sitting device with a patented cup-design that tilts the pelvis and tips the body forward. Visual indicators on the seat guide the users to sit correctly, while built-in finger grip allows easy sit adjustments. Made from closed-cell EVA, it is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

SitzRight Seat Cushion

Made of soft, supportive EVA material, it was designed to help you sit with better posture, alleviating fatigue and discomfort. The contoured design has higher pillars in the back that prop your pelvis up and open the angle between the upper body and legs, reducing strain on the hip joints and encouraging proper posture. SitzRight also features a unique cutout that provide pressure relief for your tailbone.

Perfect Fit Lumbar Support

An excellent support cushion with a patented port and pillar technology that encourages the natural curvature of the lower back, and dual panels that help soothe spine pressure. For added convenience, it comes with adjustable straps that can be easily attached to the user’s chair or car seat.

BackJoy products are available in SM City Cebu and SM Seaside City Cebu.

DJ Daiki Wakabayashi will be returning together with guests artists and DJs from Japan to give us another unforgettable dance music event.

Electro Beach Festival will be happening on October 6, 2018 at Ibiza Beach Club of Movenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu. The party will start at 3pm until 11pm in the evening.

Purchase your tickets in advance for only Php700. Door price is Php1000. For tickets and more information, email ibizabeachclub.cebu@movenpick.com or call +63 32 492 7777.

Head over to my Facebook page to learn how you can score FREE tickets to Electro Beach Festival.

Best Buy Bundles enables customers to easily mix and match PLDT Home Fibr, Cignal premium pay tv, and Smart mobile plans with the convenience of unified bill. Customers also enjoy as much as Php11,300 worth of savings in a year, up to 10% off with two services, and up to 15% off when they mix and match three services.

Customers who sign-up during the Fibr Digital Fair were able to take advantage of PLDT’s on-site provisioning, real-time credit screening, installation within 24 hours, free modem, and discounted installation fee. Those who upgraded to Roku-Powered Tvolution, Telpad and Advanced Fam Cam also got a free one-month subscription.

One of the highlights during Fibr Digital Fair was the appearance of PLDT barkada Billy Crawford, Dimples Romana, Ella Cruz and Yassi Pressman last June 9. The afternoon was filled with entertainment, fun games and lots of picture taking.

“Cebu has always been an important market for PLDT. We want to ensure that our Cebuano customers can conveniently enjoy the best of what we offer- wether it’s a broadband, mobile or home entertainment- whenever and wherever they want it.” said Oscar A. Reyes, Jr., SVP and Head of Consumer Business Market Development for PLDT and Smart.

Visit the PLDT store nearest you to start creating your own bundles. You may also visit https://pldthome.com/buildyourownbundle to apply online.

The opening ceremony was packed with SYKES employees and their families who participated in various fun-filled activities such as the inflatable play area, photo booth, and raffle draw. Lucky SYKESers went home with SYKES merchandise and other major raffle prizes such as a Wireless JBL Headphone, an LG 43-inch LED TV, and a Samsung Galaxy Note 8.

The event was graced with celebrities as renowned Bb. Pilipinas Grand International Nicole Cordoves and UAAP and ABS-CBN Sports Anchor Martin Javier hosted the event, while Jak Roberto charmed everyone in the arena with a special song number. Energies soared as the CCP Bobcats Cheerleading Team and the UST Yellow Jackets Drumline showcased their talents.

SYKESers showed their support for their teams during the most-awaited parade of athletes as they donned their team colors and uniforms. Another anticipated part of the program was “Crowning Glory” – the first headdress competition wherein participants showed their flair for creativity and resourcefulness by sporting headdresses and costumes with their own interpretation of supremacy using only eco-friendly and recycled materials.

The SYKES Sports Fest and Family Day was officially declared open by Shane Bates, Senior Director for Support Services – APAC, after the lighting of torch and athletes’ oath-taking which was led by Red del Rosario, Director for Site Operations.

Meanwhile in Cebu, SYKESers celebrated their Sports Fest and Family Day on May 6, 2018 (Sunday) at the grounds of University of the Southern Philippines, Lahug, Cebu City. More than a thousand SYKES employees and their families were present to support their respective teams during the event. They started off with the parade which featured this year’s teams, namely the RYBU Blue Lions, SG&A White Warriors, CSBU Red Transformers, DBBU Pink Panther, MLBU Green Stallions, JNBU Black Immortals, and AMBU Gold Eagles.

To start off the series of games, members of AFP-Cebu led the Army Dozen Exercise to ensure that attendees were pumped and warmed up for the entire day of fun activities. The Army Dozen Exercise consists of 12 simple, yet strengthening exercises that takes about 15 minutes to complete.

For the most-awaited part of the event, representatives of Ms. SYKES Cebu Sports Fest 2018 took over the stage alongside the talented University of Cebu Dance Company. The rest of the pageant consisted of a Runway and Question & Answer portion to showcase their beauty, wit, and character. Phoebe Joy Elbanbuena stood out among the rest and was crowned Ms. SYKES Cebu Sports Fest.

The remainder of the activities included Boot Camp Games (Bypassing Security: Decoding Cryptic Spy Messages and Obstacle Course Race) and Sports Competitions (basketball, volleyball, table tennis, billiards, darts, and DOTA). The final leg of the program was the awarding ceremony for winners and athletes. Numerous lucky SYKESers took home various raffle prizes such as a 32-inch Devant LED TV with Speakers, Samsung J7 Prime Smartphone, SKYWORTH Speakers, Samsung Bluetooth Headset, G-Shock Watches, SYKES Backpacks, SYKES T-shirts, and Gift Certificates from First 5 Sports Lounge and Cafe.

The program officially ended after Franklin Pasayloon (Senior Director – District Operations) shared his inspiring remarks. “It has been 15 years, 15 long years that SYKES has remained to be the number one employee-centric company in the region. And I don’t think this is just because of the very strategic business approach that SYKES has. It’s because of the community of people that we have working together every day that made and is making SYKES more successful than ever,’ Pasayloon explained.

This annual event throughout SYKES Philippines is an avenue to promote camaraderie and unity among athletes and its supporters; it also serves as a great opportunity for SYKESers and their families to bond and work out those muscles for a better and healthier self.