TCL Introduces TCL FreshIN Series Air Conditioner to Offer Healthier and More Comfortable Experience

[Manila, September 2022]: TCL Electronics, a leading consumer electronics brand, has introduced the TCL FreshIN Series air conditioners to the Philippine market—the latest premium addition to the TCL Smart home ecosystem, different from conventional AC, which circulates air inside the house. TCL FreshIN Series features an all-around fresh air system that transports the fresh air from the outdoors to the indoors helping increase the oxygen and humidity level to offer users an unprecedented intimate experience of health and care.

For more information, please visit: https://www.tcl.com/ph/en/air-conditioners/tac-chsd-fai

FreshIN Series is available in 1.0HP and 1.5HP models, which can complement any space.

The FreshIN Series includes premium key features, such as its “FreshIN+” that will let you know when the fresh air enters your room with a blue light. The Temperature Balancing feature avoids uncomfortable temperature fluctuations. After the fresh air is drawn in, it will be either cooled down or warmed up to match the level required with ±0.5°C precision control.

FreshIN models feature a high-powered air engine, so you can enjoy up to 60 cubic meters of fresh air per hour, which could easily deliver pure clean air for most indoor spaces.

Air purification has now become a priority for consumers. The FreshIN Series features a highly efficient system using QuadruPuri Filters: the fresh air will pass through 4 different layers (a preliminary filter, a silver ion antibacterial layer, a HEPA high-efficiency filter, and a high-density filter).

TCL FreshIN Series also features Gentle Breeze Mode with more than one thousand micro-holes to create a soft laminar airflow, offering a comfortable breeze without a harsh, direct cold draft.

Connected with the TCL Home App, the FreshIN Series is compatible with Google Assistant, which gives users control of the air conditioner 24/7 with a smartphone or TCL TV with simple voice commands.

Only a clean air conditioner can keep the air in your home fresh. The CleanXpress function reminds you when it’s time to clean and makes it easy to keep it pristine. Controlled through the TCL Home app, the auto clean function is an efficient system that utilizes water molecules in the air to eliminate impurities. And, for effortless manual cleaning, the unit is designed to be taken apart and reassembled quickly.

Key features

FreshIN+

QuadruPuri Filter

Temperature Balancing

Air Engine

Gentle Breeze

Smart Inverter Technology

CleanXpress Innovation

Smart Control (IoT)

Native Style Cooling

360° Airflow

4-Way Airflow

Sleep Mode

Fast Cooling

Deep Clean

Ion Generator

*Product availability, appearance, and functionality may differ between regions. For regional sales information, please consult the TCL representatives in your community.

Shopee sends relief efforts to earthquake victims in Abra

 

MANILA, SEPTEMBER 16, 2022 - As part of its mission to better the lives of the underserved through technology, Shopee recently partnered with the Luzon Clean Water Development Corporation, Indoplas, and Metro Bangued Water District to provide aid to those affected by the magnitude 5.2 earthquake which impacted key areas of Abra last 28 August. 

 

Through its logistics arm, Shopee Xpress, Shopee delivered drinking water and donated 10,000 face masks for over 300 families in Barangay Lusuac in the Municipality of Peñarrubia and Barangay Patucannay in the Municipality of Tayum. This initiative is part of Shopee Bayanihan, the company's umbrella CSR arm that seeks to provide support for communities in need through partnerships with various humanitarian organizations.

 

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said “Shopee remains committed to utilizing our platform and resources to benefit local communities   and part of this is providing help where we can, most especially in times of need. We hope for the recovery and continued safety of these affected communities.”

 

With Shopee Bayanihan, Shopee furthers its objective of serving the underserved through technology, by helping communities benefit from the power of digital transformation wherever they are in the Philippines.

Tougher competition seen as “Your Song of Excellence” Season 2 enters the semis

EXCLUSIVE RAFFLE FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. 

AFTER weeks of choosing from hundreds of singing hopefuls on who will make it to the next round of virtual singing competition “Your Song of Excellence” Season 2, the dream of becoming the competition’s next grand winner becomes even closer.

The “Your Song of Excellence” Season 2 semi-finals stage, however, is no walk in the park so expect the semis stage of the competition to become harder and tougher as the judges choose the best among the best. The grind-out semis will most certainly bring out the finest in each of the hopefuls as they all try to get closer to the pinnacle of the competition: the Grand Finals!

But first, they have to hurdle the semis phase in their respective categories, whether Ballad, Acoustic, or Rock.

The Top 10 Semi-Finalists for “Your Song of Excellence” Season 2 under the “Ballad” (#HeartsAtHome) category are:

· EASTER JOY PARSACALA

· MA. NICOLE ANDRAE RAMOS

· RACHELL ALISWAG LAYLO

· JOHN CARLO GUBA

· JOHN PAUL C. LINTAG

· BRYAN D. DOLENDO

· ZILLAH E. CABARLES

· REDEMPTOR J. NUESTRO

· ANGELIQUE A. CRUZ

· ALLAN M. BADILLA JR.

As for the “Acoustic” (#FreshVibes) category, the Top 10 Semi-Finalists are:

· KIRBY CRUZ

· MELINDA TORRE

· MARIE T. DUMADARA

· IZAY BAND

· JULES DUO

· MICHAEL REY REGALADO

· KEL FULGENCIO

· JAWORSKI B. SISON

· GELEEN G. MANIEGO

· ANDREW ESTALILLA

Finally, for the “Rock” (#EpicRock) category, the Top 10 Semis competitors are:

· AIXIA MALLARY

· GENRIEL A. DIAZ

· VIC ROBINSON

· ADRIAN S. CRISANTO

· DREI MADRIÑAN BOLO

· KURT ALVIN PARAS

· ANNE FERRER

· ANGELO NINO VALDEZ GO

· ALJUNE MARK L. BAYLE

· KESSENTH CHENG

So just how tough is the semi-final stage of “Your Song of Excellence” Season 2? Only the Top 3 singers out of the Top 10 semi-finalists in each category will move on to compete during the Grand Finals.

For the semi-finals, the tough criteria for judging is 60 percent of total judges’ scores, with 40 percent coming from online voting.

The #HeartsAtHome semi-finals episode will premiere on September 11, 2022, and the deadline for voting will be on September 16, 2022. The names of the grand finalists for the Ballad category will be announced on September 20, 2022.

This will be followed by the #FreshVibes or Acoustic category semi-finals, happening on September 21, 2022, while deadline for voting is on September 26, 2022. The names of the Top 3 grand finalists will be announced on September 30, 2022.

Finally, the #EpicRock or Rock category semi-finals will be shown on October 1, 2022, with deadline for voting on October 6, 2022. Those who will go to the Grand Finals will be known on October 10, 2022.

And then, the much-awaited Grand Finals for “Your Song of Excellence” Season 2 will happen on October 30, 2022. It will be a slam-bang musical fest among the best of Filipino musical talent that everyone should not miss.

A whopping P1,000,000 worth of cash and products combined await winners in all categories, plus, a major recording deal with Ivory Music, one of the biggest independent record labels in the country, to help jumpstart the winners’ recording career.

Voting is easy. Just type the official hashtags for each category, whether #HeartsAtHome for Ballad, #FreshVibes for Acoustic, or #EpicRock for the Rock categories, on the Comments section of the posted episode. Make sure your votes will count by including the “#YourSongOfExcellence2022” hashtag on all comments. If there’s no “#YourSongOfExcellence2022” hashtag, the vote will not be counted, and it would be such a waste for it will hurt your choice’s chances of making it to the Grand Finals.

“Your Song of Excellence” Season 2 is organized by Taiwan Excellence, with premier brands Aromase PH, Asus PH, and Predator Gaming as sponsors, with Ivory Music as music partner and Far Eastern University as performing arts partner.

Major brand partners include Acer Philippines, Annie's Way 安妮絲薇果凍面膜第一品牌, FECA PH, Johnson Fitness Philippines, LUFTQI空氣淨化專家, Transcend Philippines, Zyxel.ph, Dacian, and Tatung.

Don’t forget to like and follow Taiwan Excellence page.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TaiwanExcellence.ph

Instagram: @taiwanexcellence_ph 

Cetaphil partners with Watsons for the National Healthy Skin Mission

To celebrate 75 years of being the leaders in the sensitive skin space, Cetaphil has partnered with Watsons for this year’s National Healthy Skin Mission.

A brand whose success is built on creating dermatologist-recommended skincare products for every skin story, this year’s National Healthy Skin Mission is an experimental booth located at SM Makati that will serve as a one-stop shop for all skincare needs and will allow customers to learn from trusted dermatologist experts.

The entire roster of Cetaphil products will be sold at the booth. The master brand Cetaphil is comprised of the iconic Gentle Skin Cleanser, the Gentle Moisturising Lotion, and the Gentle Moisturising Cream. All three products have recently been reformulated with glycerin (to help prevent dryness), niacinamide (to strengthen the skin barrier), and panthenol (to soothe and restore dry skin). 

The Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance line is also present at the booth that focuses on brightening skin the healthy way, with products that are effective yet gentle on the skin. With the Bright Healthy Radiance products, you can be sure to target issues like hyperpigmentation, melanogenesis, even skin tone, and dark spot reduction. 

Finally, for baby’s skin, the brand offers the Cetaphil Baby range. It features gentle and tear-free formulations, making bath time with your newborn an enjoyable process. Mommies can also avail of the Cetaphil Baby calendula line, allowing their baby’s to have a healthy start in life. While for those with Atopic Dermatitis, the Cetaphil Pro products are also found at Cetaphil’s National Healthy Skin Mission booth.

Buy any of these products for your sensitive skins (or your baby’s!) and get a chance to spin the wheel to take home more free Cetaphil products. In addition, consumers get a limited Cetaphil tote bag if they buy products worth PHP 1500. You can also bring any empty skincare products, and get free Cetaphil products. Lastly, the brand also offers free Dermatologist consultations. 

Cetaphil and Watsons have a lot more in store for you throughout the National Healthy Skin Mission event. On September 5, Mariel Padilla will help moms, especially first-time moms to navigate the world of parenting, while on September 14, Michelle Dy will host a masterclass on how to achieve healthy radiant skin. 

Learn more about this year’s National Healthy Skin Mission by tuning in to Cetaphil and Watsons' Facebook page.

Wais Moms Ruby Pagobo and Bernadette Aguilar get a fresh start on dreams for their families.

Manila, Philippines – Continuing decades of support for millions of Filipino moms across the country, Surf Philippines, has launched the first ever online entrepreneurship program—Wais University. The program has since gained more than 13,000 enrollees for the program and counting.

Surf envisions the program to be a catalyst for change that will help Wais moms all over the country to be successful in their entrepreneurship journey by promoting confidence to pursue their own business, help better understand the ins and outs of the trade, and give a better chance with any endeavor they want to launch.

Two recent Wais University alumni, Ruby Pagobo and Bernadette Aguilar, share their stories as to how joining Surf’s online business course has provided them enough knowledge and confidence to finally start their own businesses, enabling them to dream bigger for themselves and their families.

Challenges Faced

Ruby, a full-time mom, dreams of one thing: Financial independence.“Gusto ko magakaroon ng financial freedom, yung walang utang kasi siyempre gusto ko ma-secure yung future ng pamilya ko. Yung asawa ko naman OFW, so minsan mahirap talaga.”

Bernadette, who’s also a full-time housewife and mom, is working towards financial stability and is willing to learn more practical skills that can help start her own business. However, it hasn’t been a steady journey as she admits that there are times that her family often has to scrimp so that they can afford daily needs. “Napagkakasya ko ang budget para sa pangangailangan namin sa pamamagitan ng pagtitipid at pag-una ng mahahalagang bagay.”

The pandemic and current inflation also took toll on both families. Bernadette recounts that loss of stable income and rising prices of goods have become one of the greatest challenges they have faced as a family especially when it comes to everyday needs.

New Normal, New Knowledge

Being Wais moms themselves and in hopes to gain more knowledge and opportunities to earn, both Ruby and Bernadette have signed up for the Wais University, a program launched by Surf with the help of the Filipina Homebased Moms (FHMoms) community group on Facebook.

“Yung tingnan ko po yung mga topic na idi-discuss sa webinar, pasok po siya sa negosyo namin na gustong gawin,” Ruby recounts.“May nasimulan na kaming negosyo na online sushi store kaso nagsara noong bagyong Odette. Pero ngayon, sisimulan ulit namin pag uwi ng asawa ko.”

Bernadette quickly became interested since the free virtual format befits her as a stay-at-home mom. “Naging interesado akong matuto ng mga skills na iniisip kong makakatulong sa akin. Lalo na pag may libreng oras ako, may mapaglaanan ako na importante at saka libre naman, nasa bahay lang din ako at may gamit na cellphone.”

Wais Learnings

Both Ruby and Bernadette admit that they enjoyed taking part in the online entrepreneurship program.

For Ruby, the assessment part of the program allows her to test her learnings. She’s now more confident and enthusiastic to work especially because she now knows what permits she needs in establishing both an online and physical store.

“Lahat tayo may pangarap sa buhay, kaya go lang ng go!” encourages Ruby. “Ang mga problema nandiyan talaga yan kaya maghanap tayo ng paraan para magka-business. Sipag at Tiyaga lang talaga.”

Meanwhile, Bernadette is excited for other moms who get to enroll in the future as the course is free and provides resources to help moms be more confident in starting their own business. Bernadette flourishes with her own soap-making business, applying her Wais University learnings.

She encourages other moms to take advantage of this free program, invest in their own learnings and start their own Wais Journey. “Yung may kids na pwede mag invest ng time sa pagsali sa mga grupo na sumusuporta sa mga ina at matuto sa ikauunlad ng sarili para makahanp ng opportunity na kumita nang hindi kailangang gumastos ng malaki. It takes time talaga pero worth it yung learning.”

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Want to gain the confidence in starting and growing your own business like Ruby and Bernadette? Enroll for free Negosyo Courses at www.waisuniversity.com to start your Wais journey to financial independence!

Jollibee Group Foundation reinforces support to smallholder farmers throughagri-technology

Since 2019, the PUM Netherlands Senior Experts have guided farmers in soil testing and given them advice on soil health. They have also been assisting in varietal trials to test for better crop varieties, and introduce mechanization to improve productivity.

Together with local and international experts, Jollibee Group Foundation has been introducing technologically advanced farming techniques and systems to smallholder farmers to empower them to improve their productivity and gain more income.

Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF) continues to support smallholder farmers by providing them access to technologically advanced farming techniques for more sustainable agriculture.

“Improving smallholder farmers’ knowledge and capacity for greater productivity and profit will redound to the continued growth of our agricultural sector,” said Gisela Tiongson, JGF Executive Director.

Launched in 2008, JGF’s Farmers Entrepreneurship Program (FEP) empowers and helps smallholder farmers sharpen their technical and business acumen, as well as partnership-building skills. Today, these farmers supply the vegetable requirements used in some Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, and Mang Inasal favorites.

“By becoming more adept and qualified to participate directly in the value chains of food companies, small producers get assured of a regular market, resulting in their increased and steady income,” Tiongson added. To reinforce support to smallholder farmers, JGF has adopted public-private partnerships to help farmers gain access to agricultural technologies that increase their yield, reduce farming costs, and make them more competitive in the market.

Weather data, farmer efficiency

Since 2020, the Foundation has partnered with IBM’s The Weather Company for a more accurate community-level, 7-day weather forecast. JGF also worked with the Central Luzon State University to interpret the weather data and translate it into the prescribed farm practice for the day. The information is then shared in a private messaging group for faster dissemination among the farmers. The SMS feature of this system is now being developed for easier access.

The Onion and Vegetable Producers Cooperative (OVEPCO) farmers from Barangay Tabulac in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija were among the first to benefit from this system. Through the barangay-level forecasts provided, the farmers can adapt and better decide when to plant, fertilize, and harvest their crops.

“It has been helpful. Now we can prepare for what will happen tomorrow. It has become a guide for our daily farming,” shared Eddie Soriano, OVEPCO Chairman.

This project currently supports 116 farmers in 12 barangays in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija and Alcala, Pangasinan.

Healthy soil, healthy production

In partnership with the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Soils and Water Management, JGF ventured into studying soil samples and providing practical recommendations to make the soil healthier and more viable for greater yield.

To help farmers improve their crops, JGF worked with the PUM Netherlands Senior Experts, various seed companies, and Jollibee Group’s own Research and Development team to find appropriate onion and bell pepper varieties that will meet the company’s requirement, and which can be more easily produced by the farmers.

Together with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, JGF is also looking into further increasing the productivity of onion farms. Called “Project SAYA” or Strengthening Agricultural Yield of Allium Cepa L. (Onion) in the Philippines, the project aims to help increase onion production by addressing inefficiencies, gaps, and factors affecting the level of production; as well as to identify potential and suitable areas for expansion.

“These agri-technology efforts are creating a ripple effect of empowerment and opportunities among our partner farming communities and institutions. They have reported greater knowledge on farming techniques, increased yield and income, and the confidence to transact with market players,” said Tiongson. “JGF will sustain these efforts so that farmer entrepreneurs can continue to gain greater pride in their profession and to reap the benefits of sustainable agriculture.”

Empowering through Education project to be launched in Cebu

The empowerment of the out-of-school youth in the Philippines got a shot in the arm with the conceptualization of an innovative mobile classroom project in Cebu.

The project called the “Mobile KART Project” and proposed by SEED4COM got a further boost after it was declared as one of the Top Three winners at the “Taiwan Excellence: Sharing is Caring” philanthropic campaign that started last year. Winning the campaign means the opportunity to create more mobile classrooms that will benefit more out-of-school youth in many other areas in Cebu.

The aim was noble: to assist Cebu’s youth, particularly from poor and marginalized families, and provide them with free access to education with diverse and free-of-charge training courses that will hopefully educate them even in the midst of a debilitating pandemic.

The project will be officially inaugurated and launched on October 2022 at several locations in Cebu City such as Lapu-Lapu City, Cordoba, and Olango Island, among others. It would become doubly significant since the launch will coincide with the holding of the annual Taiwan-Philippines Joint Economic Conference.

The innovative and creative Mobile KART is not just any mobile classroom. It comes equipped with solar panels, laptops, an LED TV display, audio system and even routers for mobile internet connectivity, and all are Taiwan Excellence Award-winning products.

The Mobile KART Project offers courses such as “Transformative Educational Access for the Communities and Homes” and also “Technology Vocational Livelihood Skills Training.” These courses are meant to teach the poor youth in Cebu’s poverty-stricken areas with valuable life skills, particularly the benefits of reading. Hopefully, the skills will equip them with knowledge they can use to improve livelihood or pursue higher education when given the opportunity.

The “Mobile KART Project” is a mobile classroom that originated in Cebu and was part of several initiatives related to education by Sustainable Energy and Enterprise Development for Communities or SEED4COM (https://www.seed4com.org/). The organization was established to help improve human conditions and empowering poverty-stricken areas, rural and last-mile communities in the Philippines.

Truly, the “Mobile KART Project” winning at the “Taiwan Excellence: Sharing is Caring” was a proud moment not just for SEED4COM but also for the country, according to Dann Diez, Executive Director of SEED4COM, considering the huge number of entries.

Organized by the Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), the vision of “Taiwan Excellence: Sharing is Caring” was to help make society a better place by giving everyone an opportunity to raise ideas about charity and other altruistic activities related to the sustainable development of society and environmental protection by utilizing products of Taiwan Excellence.

Solving family problems in the most excellent way

The Covid-19 pandemic did not spare anyone, in the Philippines or anywhere else in the world. Businesses big or small, tourist destinations, even the small sari-sari store, did not escape the wrath of the deadly virus.

Moreso families like the Ekselente family.

The Ekselente family is your typical Filipino brood that struggled mightily during the pandemic. They own a resort, which is both their family home and prime source of income. Since they have no visitors because of the lockdowns and community quarantines, the family business is losing money for lack of income. Worse, the family is considering selling it to be able to survive.

Theirs was an archetypal dilemma that would test their values, and how they would be able to keep the family together in such stressful times was told through the eyes of the family’s helper or “Kasambahay,” Ofelia, who remained loyal and true to the Ekselente family. She shared in their difficulties and heartaches, and even went out of her way to help the family that had been good to her by staying with them, to help them keep themselves together as they go through life’s challenges.

Their story showcased several facets of family life: the emotional struggles of the father, the resolve of the mother whose stabilizing force is tested constantly, and the situation that their son and daughter are in as they suddenly faced an unexpected turn from the life that they were used to before the pandemic, when everything was still sweet and rosy.

The story of the Ekselente family was convincingly brought to life through a six-part series that featured real-life scenarios, coupled with pleasant and rejuvenating—sometimes heart-wrenching—music, as the family went through their daily struggles, a life suddenly turned upside down.

The father, Jojo Ekselente, is a former Overseas Filipino Worker who bought the resort to show that he is capable of giving his wife, who comes from a well-off family, and his children, whom he barely knew him since he was always overseas working, a comfortable life. He returned to the country because of the pandemic but struggled to find a decent job.

Soledad “Sol” Ekselente, the resolute rich kid, struggled in keeping the resort and her family intact, even if she has almost zero experience running a business, let alone a household because she was a unica hija. She is trying to learn to handle things, no doubt, but the hardships kept piling up, like whether to sell the resort or not, and keeping away from her snobbish mother.

David Ekselente, the “chill” guy, is the exact opposite of his sister. The family’s “gamer” seems to lack that competitive fire his sister has, and would rather settle with what he has at the moment than chase the bigger things in life and not be too preoccupied with the family’s problems since he has problems of his own.

Cheska Ekselente, the last member of the Ekselente off-springs, is very much like his father—competitive and go-getter—an ambitious Dean’s Lister in college and an aspiring social media influencer. She is driven by her desire to be fully independent and will stop at nothing to achieve her goals, yet longs for attention from her father whom she feels she doesn’t know much since he was always out of the country working, until now that he became jobless but may soon return for work and may leave again.

Finally, the matriarch, Lola Beatrice (Sol’s mother) is the picture-perfect rendition of an alta sosyedad mother– nosy, sneering, condescending—but can be deemed overprotective since Sol is an only daughter. She makes known her disdain for his son-in-law, rubbing in his incompetence by being a lola who spoils her grandchildren, always giving them what they want just to despise their father.

The six-episode Casa Ekselente story was part of an impressive digital marketing promotion initiative for 2022 presented by Taiwan Excellence, and ably utilized the power of cohesive content to broaden engagement and reach. The story of the Ekselente family is part of a strategy that used organic and creative content in order to generate organic reach and strengthen product and consumer connection for six Taiwan Excellence Award-winning brands such as Juliart, Asus, Acer and FECA during the regular scenes.

For the scenes that involved music, on the other hand, the brands that were seen were Aromase, Annie’s Way, Gigabyte, Johnson Fitness, Tatung and Transcend.

And the results for Casa Ekselente were totally impressive and significant, where the six episodes garnered over 900,000 views on Facebook and Instagram. It was, indeed, a successful move by Taiwan Excellence that employed excellent strategies in order to achieve excellence and achievement in digital marketing.