Nippon Paint announces the winners of AYDA 2021!

After months of brainstorming, preparation, hard work and several mentoring sessions, this year's run of the Asia Young Designer Awards finally came to an end with the highly-anticipated awarding ceremony. The event was held last Friday (February 11, 2022), and was streamed live via Facebook and Zoom. In attendance were the finalists and their mentors, media partners, the distinguished panel of judges comprised of world-renowned architects and interior designers, and representatives from Nippon Paint Philippines led by its General Manager, Mr. Michael Alfred Francisco.

AYDA 2021 Awarding Ceremony.

With its theme "FORWARD: Amplifying Empathy Through Design", the challenge for this year's participants to the Asia Young Designers Awards was clear - designs should evolve from one-dimensional spaces to address the ever-changing consumer demands without sacrificing nature and the environment. An overwhelming number of students answered to the challenge, with entries coming from schools all over the country. These entries were eventually shortlisted to ten for the Interior Design category and ten for the Architecture category.

AYDA 2021 Finalists - Architecture Category.

AYDA 2021 Finalists - Interior Design Category.

For each category, two major awards were given - the Silver Award with a cash prize of Php 30,000 and the Gold Award with a cash prize of Php 50,000. The Gold Award recipient will also be representing the upcoming regional summit to compete against exemplary Architecture and Interior Design students across Asia. 

Here are the winners of the major awards:

Silver Award for Architecture - AFLOAT by Darwin Aquino.

Silver Award for Interior Design - Namnama Community Hub by Nuri Hong.

Gold Award for Architecture - Tagum City Garden by Karen Joy Robines.

Gold Award for Interior Design - Marahuyo Design Camp by Moira Kayla Ramiro.

Aside from the major prizes, special awards were also given to the participants in both categories:

Best Colour Choice in Architecture - Fitzgerald Eyas.

Best Colour Choice in Interior Design - Mary Margareth Calvo.

Best Green Innovation in Architecture - John Gabriel Espiritu.

Best Green Innovation in Interior Design - Kizzie Marie Pacaro.

People's Choice in Interior Design - Moira Kayla Ramiro.

People's Choice in Architecture - Juan Paolo Aguilar.

The mentors and the participating schools and universities also received special awards. For the Interior Design Category, Interior Designer Candice Arboleda was hailed as the Best Mentor, while De La Salle College of Saint Benilde and the University of Santo Tomas were awarded Best College/University and Best Supporting College/University respectively. 

In the Architecture Category, Architect Matias Baring was given the Best Mentor Award while the Best College/University and Best Supporting College/University awards were given to the University of Mindanao and Bulacan State University respectively. Finalists to the AYDA 2021 were also awarded with Php 10,000 each.

Ahead of the AYDA 2021 Awarding Ceremony, Maxine Loyola Naval from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines was hailed as the first-ever AYDA TV Correspondent. She was awarded a cash prize of Php 15,000 and had the honor of co-hosting the AYDA 2021 Awarding Ceremony. 

First-ever AYDA TV Correspondent - Maxine Loyola Naval.

Congratulations to all the winners! We are looking forward to see the Tagum City Garden and Marahuyo Design Camp take center stage once again in the regional summit of the Asia Young Designer Awards!

Watch the AYDA TV Correspondent Awarding Ceremony here, and the AYDA 2021 Awarding Ceremony here. 

For more information about the Asia Young Designer Awards, visit the Nippon Paint AYDA official website. 

Follow AYDA on social media for updates: 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/nipponpaintaydaph

Twitter - https://twitter.com/aydaph

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nipponpaintaydaphl/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl1bcAyX7GN-IpEaAh1BoNA

Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@aydatvphilippines

#CrispyFryPlayDay: Ajinomoto celebrates first Lucky FryDay PlayDay!

Crispy Fry® hosted its third #CrispyFryPlayDay to officially introduce its newest brand endorser TV host Luis “Kuya Lucky” Manzano. The event brought together media and their families for the first #CrispyFryPlayDay done online.

Surprise! The newest endorser of Crispy Fry
was there with us during the CrispyFryPlayday event!

In the game show-themed event held via Zoom, Kuya Lucky invited select media Frymates for a special task: celebrate #CrispyFryPlayDay by partnering with their kids and family members to virtually cook meals perfect for families and friends. The virtual game had three exciting rounds, where participants had to guess the ingredients, and the price of special ulams made better with Crispy Fry products. Special awards and prizes were also given to select Frymates and winning participants.

All set for #CrispyFryPlayDay!

“The pandemic may have changed a lot of things, but one that we hope stays the same is the strong bond of families. Our new stay-at-home lifestyle creates opportunities for new bonding moments between loved ones. We encourage everyone to make cooking a shared activity because it’s fun, easy, and rewarding,” says Roann Co, Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation’s General Manager of Marketing and Public Relations.

Cooking with Crispy Fry®

Cooking is made better and more special with Crispy Fry®, the #1 breading mix brand in the market. Perfect for Filipino families, Crispy Fry® is made from choice flours and starches perfectly blended with seasonings, concocted to make fried chicken and fish crispy-delicious. The brand has an extensive list of variants available on the market. This includes Crispy Fry® Chicken Breading Mix, which comes in Original, Garlic, and Spicy so families can enjoy fried chicken in different ways. Crispy Fry® also has a variant with Gravy Mix and another with Japanese bread crumbs, seasonings, and spices. Meanwhile, the new Crispy Fry® Fish Breading Mix reduces oil spills while cooking so families can enjoy fried fish without the hassle.

Pantry staples! Thank you, Ajinomoto!

“Crispy Fry® is now a staple in my kitchen because it makes cooking so much easier. When I don’t have a lot of time, I fry chicken or fish using the easy-to-prepare breading mix. Each meal is made more special because Crispy Fry® guarantees crispanalo and isda-licious fried dishes, every time,” reveals Manzano.

Crispy Fry® and #CrispyFryPlayDay are part of Ajinomoto’s Eat Well, Live Well promise for Filipino families – to create high-quality products for delicious, healthy, and enjoyable mealtimes.

Happy #CrispyFryPlayDay!

To know more about Crispy Fry®, visit the Ajinomoto website at ajinomoto.com.ph and the Cookmunity by Ajinomoto Philippines at facebook.com/CookmunitybyAjinomotoPH. 

Experience an Excellent Christmas with TAITRA's Promo Treats!

Make Christmas even more special with awesome promotional prizes from Taiwan Excellence! As the holidays draw near, Taiwan Excellence has an exciting lineup of activities for us consumers, giving everyone a chance to bring home their top notch products bearing the Taiwan Excellence seal.

The Taiwan Excellence campaign promotes Taiwan’s superior-quality products and encourages technological innovation. Along with TAITRA, the initiative is sponsored by Taiwan’s Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA).

Taiwan Excellence Christmas Treats promo!

For the Christmas Treat promo,  Php 2,000 worth of participating products in a single transaction from PCExpress entitles the costumer to one raffle coupon. More items purchased means more coupons, and greater chances of winning. Entries will be accepted until November 30, 2017, and winners will be drawn on December 8, 2017, 4PM, at PC Express, Gilmore Plus.

At stake are the following prizes:
-     1TB ADATA External Hard Drives and Transcend 310 32GB Flash Drives for storing your extensive movie, photo, and file library;
-     ASUS Zenfone Live for taking glamorous selfie videos live;
-     TRANSCEND DP50 DrivePro Camcorders for capturing moments on the road;
-     SUPER Z 125 KYMCO Scooter for giving you a ride in comfort and style.

If your name wasn’t drawn in this Christmas Treat promo, don't fret! Taiwan Excellence will be releasing three mini-games on their Facebook page this November, with some surprises up for grabs. Help Formosa Bear navigate through the busy streets of Taiwan and shop for the perfect gift items, and you may get a surprise. Participate in these activities and don’t forget to like and share Taiwan Excellence’s Facebook page.

For more information, visit https://pcx.com.ph/taiwanexcellencerafflepromo/ and Taiwan Excellence on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/TaiwanExcellence.ph/.

-------------------------
About Taiwan Excellence
The symbol of Taiwan Excellence honors Taiwan’s most innovative products that provide tremendous value to users worldwide. All products carrying this symbol have been selected for specific Taiwan Excellence Awards based on their excellence in design, quality, marketing, Taiwanese R&D, and manufacturing. Started by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), R.O.C. in 1992, the symbol of Taiwan Excellence is recognized by 101 countries.


Sponsored by Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT), MOEA
The Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), R.O.C. implements policies and regulations governing foreign trade and economic cooperation. Established in January 1969, the BOFT's role and position adjusts regularly to meet the needs of the ever-changing international economic and trade environments. The BOFT has been guiding and working with the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) in numerous promotional trade projects and activities both internationally and domestically. Having worked with TAITRA for many decades, the BOFT continues to commission TAITRA for various critical government projects relating to business, trade, and investment, while promoting Taiwan internationally.

Organized by Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA)
Founded in 1970 to help promote foreign trade, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) is the foremost non-profit, semi-governmental trade promotion organization in Taiwan. Jointly sponsored by the government, industry associations, and several commercial organizations, TAITRA assists Taiwanese businesses and manufacturers with reinforcing their international competitiveness and in coping with the challenges they face in foreign markets. TAITRA boasts a well-coordinated trade promotion and information network of over 1,200 international marketing specialists stationed throughout its Taipei headquarters and 50 overseas offices worldwide. Together with its sister organizations, the Taiwan Trade Center (TTC) and the Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC), TAITRA has created a wealth of trade opportunities through effective promotion strategies.

Mousasi vs Philippou, Lim vs Magny added to UFC Fight Night Manila.

Oh yes, two more fights have been added to the much anticipated, first-ever UFC event in the Philippines!

Announced earlier today, Gegard Mousasi and Costas Philippou will meet in a middleweight matchup as the co-main event while in the welterweight division, Neil Magny will face-off against Hyun Gyu Lim.

Co-main event!

Mousasi, currently ranked at #7, is fresh off from a victory last January, where he punched out Dan Henderson in just 70 seconds. Philippou (ranked #12), on the other hand, is coming off a KO of Lorenz Larkin that ended his two-fight losing skid.

Lim vs Magny.

Neil Magny, who holds the longest current winning streak in the welterweight division, is aiming for his seventh consecutive victory. His current run includes wins over Tim Means, William Macario and, most recently, Kiichi Kunimoto, whom Magny submitted last February 14.

South Korean star Lim has a 3-1 Octagon record in his two years with the UFC, with all three of those wins coming by way of knockout. His most recent victory was last September, where he elbowed the lights out of Takenori Sato last September in just 78 seconds.

Stay tuned for more UFC Fight Night Manila updates! :)

Urijah Faber vs Frankie Edgar to headline UFC Fight Night Manila!

It's gonna be another thrilla in Manila as the UFC's first visit to the Philippines will feature a main event fight between two mixed martial arts superstars and former champions.

Here we go!

Former UFC world lightweight champion Frankie Edgar takes on former WEC featherweight champ Urijah Faber in a five-round featherweight main event which will air live on FOX Sports 1 from the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila. The event is set for May 16.

Frankie Edgar, who was the king of the lightweight division from 2010 to 2012, is now seeking gold at featherweight, where he has won three straight over Charles Oliveira, BJ Penn and Cub Swanson after a razor-thin decision loss to current champion Jose Aldo in February of 2013.

On the other hand, Faber, also known as the 'California Kid', ruled the featherweights in the WEC from 2006 to 2008. He went on to become an elite bantamweight since coming to the UFC in 2011. Winner of six of his last seven, Faber has never lost a non-title fight, an impressive record that could be tainted as he faces Edgar in the Philippines.

Five more match-ups have also been announced for the main card.
In the lightweight division, Tae Hyun Bang will be up against Jon Tuck while Zhang Lipeng takes on Kajan Johnson. At 125 pounds, Yao Zhikui squares off against Nolan Ticman and the Philippines' own Roldan Sangcha-an meets Jon Delos Reyes. In the welterweight division, Li Jingliang battles Roger Zapata.

Tickets will go on sale in March, launched in conjunction with SM Tickets at www.smtickets.com.
Stay tuned for more info and updates! :)

Sinulog 2014 goes digital with Globe Telecom.

If you're in Cebu right now to join the festivities of the annual Sinulog Festival, I have some great news for you!

With the advent of digital technology, Globe Telecom makes its presence felt at the Sinulog Festival in Cebu from January 16-19, 2014 by harnessing social media to showcase the vibrant and lively celebration to the rest of the world.

This year, the leading telecommunications company turns to social networking sites Instagram and Twitter to engage locals and tourists participating in one of the country’s biggest and most attended festivals with a photo submission contest.

To join the contest, Sinulog attendees should capture and upload photos taken from the Globe Neon Carnival on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtags #Wonderful2014 and #GlobeSinulog2014. The photos must tell the story of “Globe creating a wonderful world of festivals and celebrations at the Sinulog 2014”. 

Five winners of Globe prepaid load cards plus 1 grand winner of P5,000 worth of prizes from Globe Telecom’s mass market brand TM will be awarded daily during the 4-day event.

Located at Block 11 Cebu IT Park, Apas in Cebu City, the Globe Neon Carnival is a village-like attraction that houses the Globe Mobility Store-on-the-Go, a one-stop shop showcasing the telco’s line-up of prepaid, postpaid and Tattoo broadband offers as well as exclusive Sinulog deals for subscribers to enjoy.

Follow me on Instagram! :)

Aside from the roving Globe Store, the Globe Neon Carnival also features food carts and drinks stations, interactive game booths, and exciting prizes for lucky locals and tourists. Entertainment acts from blacklight dancers, local bands, and local and international DJs are expected to provide the fanfare at the event.

One of the highlights of the Globe Neon Carnival is the “Kaloka-like” contest, a concept that originated from a noontime show open to the public. Participants are to showcase their looks and talents to convince the crowd and the judges that they deserve to win the title. Three (3) celebrities composed of an international singer, a primetime TV queen, and a men’s magazine model will form the panel of judges.

In addition, a daily raffle will be open to subscribers who will avail of Globe Prepaid, Postpaid and Tattoo offers, with exciting prizes such as tablets, handsets, and gift certificates from partner-establishments.

“We invite both the locals and tourists attending the Sinulog Festival to ready their smartphones and take photos from the Globe Neon Carnival to be part of this year’s biggest Sinulog social media craze courtesy of Globe as we experience a brand new Globe network in Cebu. With a quick snapshot of the energy-filled festival celebration in Cebu, you can win prizes by showing to the whole world, via social media, that it’s really more fun in the Philippines,” said Globe Retail Transformation and Management Head Joe Caliro.

Open daily from 4:00PM until the wee hours of the morning the next day, the four-day event is open to the public for free but Globe subscribers will be greeted with a slew of food treats and freebies upon entry.

To know more about #GlobeSinulog2014, follow @enjoyGLOBE on Twitter and like Globe Telecom on Facebook at www.facebook.com/globeph.

A Very Merry Christmas with Bamboo!

Heads up, music enthusiasts! Rock icon Bamboo will take the center stage at the Music Museum on December 20th for a special benefit concert.

Dubbed as BELIEVE: Christmas @ Home with Bamboo, this concert aims to raise more than a thousand toys, which will in turn be given to the children survivors of Typhoon Yolanda. Together with Tattoo Home Broadband, this event aims to provide assistance to our 'kababayans' who have been devastated by the super typhoon, and give our young survivors something to smile about this holiday season.

Bamboo!

You can make this event a smashing success through your simple donations. There are two ways to donate:

1. Purchase a pair of toys via TICKETWORLD and get tickets to Bamboo's benefit concert.

Ticket prices* are as follows:

Balcony - Php 400/pair of toys

Orchestra Side - Php 600/pair of toys

Orchestra Center - Php 700/pair of toys

*Service charges may apply.

2. Post an Instagram video message to donate a toy.

From December 17 onwards, you can post your video messages or Christmas song covers on Instagram and dedicate them to the kids affected by #YolandaPH. Remember to tag @ChooseTattoo and use the hashtag #UnwrapHope to make your entries valid. Globe will reply to your entries once validated, and for every valid entry, a toy donation will be made by Tattoo Home on your behalf.

Mark your calendars, friends, get ready to post some creative video messages, and see you at the concert! :)

Wordless Wednesday #62 | Hong Kong Holiday!

Some photos from our trip to Disneyland Hong Kong earlier this month. :)

Up Close and Personal with Xander | Alexander Fan Party in Manila Press Conference

Kpop artist Alexander Lee Eusebio (or simply Alexander to us Kpop fans) is in town! He'll be having a Fan Party on Saturday (July 27) and will appear live on Sunday (July 28) at KFest4. Prior to these events, I had the privilege of seeing him up close and personal at yesterday's press conference.

Held at KPub BBQ at The Fort Strip, the press conference was attended by media outfits, fellow bloggers, and some of Alexander's fans. Kring Elenzano was host for the said event and was the first to throw a question at Alexander - how it feels like to be back in the Philippines.

"Has it really been three years?" Alexander asked, his eyes beaming at the crowd. It's been three years since Alexander's last visit and except for the fact the he is now a solo artist, the former UKISS member is still as bubbly, cheerful, and handsome as before. "I missed halo-halo!" Alexander said. "You've seen my photo eating halo-halo?"

Welcome back, Alexander!

Alexander talked about his upcoming movie, 3 Peas in a Pod, where he plays the role of Peter Park. He admitted that he's nervous with his silver screen debut, but doing the movie was a fun experience. Alexander also spoke of his co-star Calvin Chen, who was a good hyung (that's Korean for elder brother) to him.

The program went on with a Q&A portion, and Alexander gamely answered the questions from the media people and his fans.

I'm not going to name my son adobo! Haha.

When asked if he misses being in a boy band, Alexander admitted that he does. "When I was in UKISS, each member would take turns on answering questions, and when we go on the stage to perform, each one would have different parts. But now being solo, sometimes I really wish that they would help me with the workload and make me stronger."

The 25-year old also didn't have qualms in saying that he would like to perform again with the group. "I don’t know when but I’m sure it will be exciting.," he added.

Alexander, who has dabbled into singing, dancing, modelling, and now acting, was also asked if there are any other things that he would like to try. The crowd went wild when the idol star answered, "I want to try to be a husband. I want to find a girlfriend, later a wife, stuff like that..." A wave of laughter then erupted as Alexander protested, "But no I’m not going to name my son ‘adobo’! Because there's a rumor saying that I’m going to name my son ‘adobo’. No!"

Looking good, Xander!

As for his Fan Party, the Kpop star said that the fans should expect 'a not so fake Alexander' during the event. "I want to be more like myself," he stressed. He also promised to sing a Filipino sing, to which he has listened to several times.

The press conference ended in a happy note, with Alexander thanking the media and inviting everyone to his Fan Party in Manila, which happens later at SM Megamall Cinema 4 at 4PM. Hope to see you there!

Posing for the crowd. :)

A big, big kansahmnida (that's 'thank you' in Korea) to Fangirl Asia for inviting The Rebel Sweetheart to this event. :)

See you at the party! :)

A Secret Revealed | Tony Moly Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream.

Just when you thought you've seen it all when it comes to BB (blemish balm) creams, cosmetic innovators from the Land of the Morning Calm (ergo, South Korea) have come up with an offshoot and decided to move to the next letter of the alphabet.

Enter the CC cream, otherwise known as the 'color control' or 'color corrector' cream. Created and developed in South Korea, the CC cream not only acts as a skincare product but also gives the skin a more effective, natural-looking coverage.

Sells at Php 948 each. :)

This (and more) is what the Tony Moly Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream does - and it has finally made its way to the Philippines. The product - dubbed as the 'Celebrities' Secret' was officially launched last Tuesday, at the Tony Moly branch in Market! Market!, Taguig City.

The event was hosted by Ms. Bianca Valerio, who was also the makeup artist for the day. She did a makeup demo, where the attendees got to see the Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream in action.

And where we got to see the seven key features/benefits from this smart, all-in-one cream. These features include: color correction, anti-wrinkle, moisturizing, whitening, UV protection, improves complexion, and conceals imperfections.

With the many skincare issues the Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream can address, it's no surprise that this product sold like hotcakes the first time it landed on Philippine shores. It's almost always out-of-stock whenever I drop by Tony Moly stores and attempt to buy one, haha!

And now, let me end this post with some eye-candy.

Yoochun is love! :)

Many thanks to Tony Moly Philippines for inviting The Rebel Sweetheart to this event. ;)