Monthly Archives: March 2023

Among the many reasons for soju’s popularity in the country is how food and drink are at the heart of both Korean and Filipino cultures. Drama series often portray the drink as one best shared with friends or a romantic interest. Sharing meaningful moments with family and friends over even the simplest of meals paired with a refreshing beverage is also something Filipinos have in common with counterparts from the Land of the Morning Calm.

The pandemic brought the country to a near-standstill when, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority, around 7.3 million Filipinos lost their jobs and were forced to find new means of living. However, with openness to using digital innovations and the perseverance to bounce back, some saw it as a turning point and a start of new beginnings.

Such is the case of Cocoy Rubio, who only had PHP 700 pesos when he started his mobile bike cafe business, fresh out of being laid off as a bartender for six years. Taking a leap of faith, Cocoy used GCash to easily purchase supplies and enable customer payments, eventually building what is now known as The Bike Coffee in Cagayan de Oro. Cocoy’s journey of determination and grit is only one of the stories of the 70 million Filipinos who use GCash, retold through the #GCashStories digital series. [EMBED/LINK VIDEO]

Just like Rubio, many Filipinos aspire to start their own business, but are held back by the lack of starting capital. To fund their enterprise or expand their existing ventures, Filipino business owners consider seeking loans from formal lending institutions, such as traditional banks. However, a report from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) shows only 56% of Filipinos are banked or own formal bank accounts, making access to resources greatly limited.

The BSP also reports that 65% of adult Filipino borrowers perceive loan application from banks as difficult. Most lack the necessary documentary requirements, do not have enough IDs, do not meet the minimum salary or income, and do not have collateral to support their application.

GCash introduces easier way of borrowing cash with GLoan
As the nation strives to bounce back, GCash inspires Filipinos to take a step towards funding their future by providing a more accessible and convenient way of borrowing money without judgment. To provide more Filipinos with easy access to extra funds, GCash offers GLoan, its cash loan product. This offers a credible and easier alternative to traditional banks and other formal lending agencies without sacrificing their safety.

GLoan allows eligible GCash users to borrow up to PHP 125,000 cash sent straight to their GCash wallet, which can be used for multiple purposes, whether for restocking supplies, upgrading equipment, funding rental fees and even enrolling for a course that will help them upskill.

While typical traditional bank approvals take multiple days or months, GLoan offers instant approval for eligible users with no additional requirements needed. As GLoan eligibility is predetermined, there is no need for users to disclose their financial situation through income documents and trade references. Loan applications can be accomplished within the app, minimizing the need for face-to-face transactions, filling out application forms or submitting physical documents.

Eligible GCash users who wish to avail GLoan can choose their loan amount from P1,000 to a maximum of P125,000, and receive it straight to their GCash wallet. With competitive interest rates as low as 1.59% per month for 5-24 months, GLoan provides the same credible and secure experience of loaning from banks.

To be eligible for GLoan, users must have a fully verified GCash profile and must maintain a qualified GScore, which is the app’s trust rating reflecting their GCash activity. Increasing or maintaining one’s GScore can be done by maintaining an active GCash wallet balance, regularly using different GCash services and paying dues early or on time.

Inspired by Cocoy and ready to start your biz? Sagot ka namin. Access GLoan through the GCash dashboard under “Borrow.” Download the GCash app on the App Store or Google Play now and jumpstart your dreams. Kaya Mo, I-GCash mo.

UNIQLO Philippines and SM Foundation recently collaborated to send additional aid to communities hit by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng.

About 43 high-risk barangays in Zamboanga Del Sur, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Pampanga, Bulacan, Isabela, and Cagayan received Emergency GoKit+, with the distribution led by SM employee-volunteers.

 

An SM employee-volunteer from SM City Marilao prepares the Emergency GoKit+ for distribution.

The kits are aptly equipped with medicines and basic medical supplies, tools, and equipment to empower barangays in providing better first-aid responses when calamities or other emergencies occur.

Health workers from Bulacan receive the Emergency GoKit+

Meanwhile, over 2,400 families also received dinner sets through the collaboration.

SM employee-volunteers prepare the donations for Paeng-hit communities in Laguna.

It can be recalled that heavy rains hammered parts of Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon, affecting almost a million Filipinos and leaving thousands displaced and over a hundred injured. Shortly after, SM Foundation and SM Supermalls employee-volunteers handed out Kalinga Packs to 8,800 affected families.

SM employee-volunteers from SM City Sta. Rosa hand dinner sets to Paeng-hit communities in Laguna.

When disaster strikes, SM Foundation, together with SM Supermalls and SM Markets, is committed to providing immediate relief to those affected by calamities through its Operation Tulong Express (OPTE). Since 2014, the program has distributed over 700,000 Kalinga Packs (relief packs) nationwide.




To learn more about UNIQLO’s sustainability efforts, visit https://www.uniqlo.com/ph/en/spl/uniqlo-nuvali, or follow UNIQLO Philippines on Facebook and @uniqlophofficial on Instagram.

To learn more about SMFI’s OPTE program and more social good programs, visit www.sm-foundation.org or follow its social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube): @SMFoundationInc.

Music makes everything better, especially when heard in the greatest quality possible. Inconveniences such as audio distortion, blown speakers, poor bass, and treble quality can be a total mood killer. It’s about time that you invest in a well-rounded device that will allow you to experience powerful sound wherever you go, something that the new Samsung Sound Tower ST50B provides!

The new wireless Samsung Sound Tower can keep you company whenever and wherever you like, no matter the occasion.
Take incredible sound with you everywhere

The Samsung Sound Tower ST50B is geared for all of life’s experiences. With a strong internal battery lasting up to 18 hours, it plays ultra-powerful audio that allows you to enjoy unplugged entertainment all day and all night.

Music by the poolside? No worries! The Sound Tower ST50B is water-resistant with an IPX5 feature ensuring that it is protected against low-pressure water streams. There’s no need to be anxious that a night of non-stop partying and accidental drink spills will ruin your speakers.

 

 

Powerful music, one device

Share your music with others with the Sound Tower’s wireless capabilities. Pair up to two mobiles with the Sound Tower simultaneously and enjoy music with your friends with the Bluetooth multi-connection feature. You can also amplify your sound experience by connecting up to ten Sound Towers wirelessly with the Group Play feature, perfect for gatherings or even if you just want it loud.

Enjoying concerts and movie marathons with friends and family anywhere in great quality is possible with the Sound Tower. It’s simple to connect your TV to the sound tower–so sit back, relax, and experience amplified sound quality with its seamless wireless TV connection.
Partying at home sounds better than ever

The Samsung Sound Tower ST50B is always up for a party! Get the room jumping and keep the good vibes flowing with its unique bi-directional speakers, which allow sound to be heard clearly in multiple directions. Whether your party is indoors or outdoors, shaking it up with incredible, immersive, sound is just a push of a button away.

It just isn’t a party without an awesome light show–so go all-out with the Sound Tower’s built-in LED party lights that set the mood through dynamic lighting effects such as party, ambient, and dance modes. Choose how these sparkly lights will enliven the venue through the use of the Samsung Sound Tower App on your mobile device. Be the disc jockey yourself using the DJ Effect for the best sound available for all types of music.

Karaoke sessions with family and friends get a level up! Own the stage and sing your hearts out with the Samsung Sound Tower ST50B’s Karaoke Mode plus dedicated mic input.

Ready to experience powerful sound wherever you go? Have a blast with the Samsung Sound Tower ST50B and get your well-rounded sound device now! For more exciting updates on Samsung TV and Sound Devices, check out www.samsung.com/ph, and follow Samsung on their official Facebook and Instagram pages.

For all avid home cooks out there, here’s a question we want you to answer truthfully: As much as you love making creations in your own kitchens, how often do you find yourself craving take-out food?

If your answer is “a lot,” then you’re definitely not alone in your plight. Ordering in is as convenient as it goes, especially now in a time of food delivery services being available anywhere you are. More than that, there’s just something different about enjoying something prepped by your favorite restaurant. The magic lies in not having to slave in front of a stove–and enjoying restaurant-quality dishes in the comfort of your own home.

But then again, what really is the true meaning of restaurant-level food nowadays? What if we tell you that you can still enjoy the same quality of take-outs by cooking in your kitchen?

Convenience and quality come in the form of the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer, the new kitchen must-have for every discerning homemaker. The newest in the line of the premium brand’s standout oven models, the Smart Oven Air Fryer boasts an outstanding product DNA that can help anyone create restaurant-quality food at home.

Versatility-wise, this unit from Breville is packed with ten cooking functions that include toasting, grilling, roasting, slow cooking, and a dedicated air frying function. It also uses a dual-speed convection technology that reduces cooking time by 30 percent so you can enjoy your food faster. What makes the Smart Oven Air Fryer even better, moreover, is that it cooks without oil so you can enjoy healthier versions of your favorite dishes. Thanks to its trademarked Element IQ System—a smart algorithm that helps create the ideal cooking environment for a range of different cooking techniques—the guesswork for the right settings is taken out of the equation, making this unit ideal even for newbie home cooks. It’s like bringing a professional restaurant-level kitchen partner that does the work for you right in your very home.

If you’re wondering how far you can take your creativity with the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer, here are some recipes that you can try on your own. Fair warning, you might NEVER want to order take-out again after having a bite of them!

LIME DOUGHNUTS

Donuts are never a miss if you have a sweet tooth. Make your own handcrafted donuts at home by following this recipe.

975 g Flour, All Purpose

1.5 g Groceries, Yeast

20 g Sea Salt

100 g Refined, sugar

8 pcs Eggs, raw

220 ml Water

130 ml Dairy, Full Cream Milk

900 g Dairy, Unsalted Butter

60 ml Groceries, Buttermilk

20 ml Juice, Lime

1.5 g Salt, Kosher

300 ml Vegetable Oil

400 g Lime

Doughnut Procedure: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, and milk. Whisk in the butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until the liquid is absorbed and there are no lumps. The mixture will resemble muffin batter. It may look a little lumpy and slightly greasy but be assured that all of the butter will be absorbed by the time the dough rises. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours.

Uncover the bowl and use a rubber spatula to gently loosen the dough from the bowl. Dampen your hands with cool water and slide one hand under one side of the dough. Fold that side of the dough into the center and press it down gently so it adheres to itself. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the folding process two more times. After the fourth fold, flip the dough over so the seams are on the bottom. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours, or overnight.

Uncover the bowl and repeat the folding procedure in the previous step. Put the dough onto a plastic wrap–lined baking sheet. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and pat the dough into a flattened dome. Refrigerate the dough until it is firm, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly dust them with flour. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and dust a countertop lightly but evenly with flour. Turn the dough out onto the floured countertop and dust it with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to a 3⁄8-inch (9 mm) thickness. Use additional flour if it begins to stick. Use a 3-inch (8 cm) doughnut cutter to cut out the doughnuts and put them onto the parchment-lined pans. Separate the holes from the doughnuts so they may be fried separately. Cover the pans loosely with plastic wrap and let the doughnuts proof for 1 hour. Gently ball up the trimmings from the doughnuts, put them in a bowl, cover them with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until they firm up, at least 1 hour or up to 24. These trimmings may be rerolled to make additional doughnuts.

Pour 2 inches (5 cm) of oil into a large pot and heat it over medium-high heat until it reaches 350F (177C). Set a wire rack over a baking sheet. Put 4 to 5 doughnuts at a time in the oil and cook for 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon or spider to flip the doughnuts over and cook them for 1 minute on the other side. Flip one more time and cook for 1 minute more. The doughnuts should be golden brown. Use the slotted spoon to transfer the doughnuts from the oil to the rack to cool. Repeat to cook the remaining doughnuts. To cook the holes, put 12 into the oil at a time and cook for 45 seconds. Use the slotted spoon to turn the holes over and cook for 45 more seconds. Some of the holes may not flip, so use the slotted spoon to stir them in the oil so they cook evenly. Transfer the holes to the wire rack.

Lime Glaze Procedure: Put the confectioners’ sugar in a bowl and pour in the buttermilk, lime juice, and salt. Use a whisk to stir the mixture together until it forms a smooth glaze. Reserve at room temperature and whisk until smooth before using.

Dip one side of each doughnut into the glaze, then flip the glaze side up and return to the cooling rack.

Grate the zest of 3 of the limes over the glazed doughnuts.

Once all the doughnuts are glazed, put the doughnut holes into the bowl with the glaze and grate the zest from the remaining lime into the bowl.

Use a spoon to mix the holes in the glaze and evenly coat them.

Transfer the holes to the wire rack and let the glaze harden. Serve once the glaze is firm to the touch if you can wait that long.

AIR FRIED INASAL CHICKEN WINGS

Get your fill of chicken wings with this easy air fryer recipe. Chicken inasal is one of the most famous dishes to be seen on a wide table of Filipino cuisine.

3 pcs Ginger, thumb

3 pcs Lemongrass

500 g Poultry, Chicken Wings

2 tbsp Fish sauce

2 tbsp Garlic powder

2 tbsp Onion powder

3 tbsp atsuete oil

1 tbsp Black Pepper Crushed

10 pcs Calamansi (juiced)

4 pcs Lemon wedge

Using the Breville Juicer, juice the ginger and lemongrass to make a concentrated extract of ginger and lemongrass.

Combine the extract in a Ziplock with the chicken wings, fish sauce, soy sauce, calamansi, garlic powder, onion powder, astute oil, and ground pepper.

Shake up the contents of the ziplock to combine thoroughly.

Allow to marinate for at least 3 hours. Marinate overnight for best results.

Empty the contents of the ziplock onto the black tray provided with your Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer.

Air Fry the chicken wings for 12 mins at 360 Deg F.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Flex your kitchen magic with the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer. For more information about it, check out Breville Philippines’ website or follow their Facebook and Instagram pages. Managing your own space is as fulfilling as it is challenging sometimes. For anyone living in a modern apartment or a condo set-up where every square foot holds its weight in gold, finding the sweet spot between maximizing space and making it conducive for everyday living can be a real struggle.

It’s because of this need that so many multi-functional and space-saving household essentials shot in popularity in recent years. But how effective are they for other parts of the home where we usually spend a lot of time doing manual work and prep? Case in point: our kitchens.

Years ago, a regular kitchen was expected to have several appliances to be truly functional. But modern problems require modern solutions, and so a new wave of kitchen partners that can do multiple jobs started taking over households. Think about it: a few years ago, would you have even imagined that you could survive without a stove?

Now you might say, “This isn’t even possible at present” Well, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer is here to prove you wrong. The latest model from the premium lifestyle brand’s best-selling line of kitchen partners, the Smart Oven Air Fryer is a versatile unit that can do almost anything and everything a home cook needs in their kitchen.

The model’s dedicated air frying setting is just the tip of the iceberg of its note-worthy line of features. With ten cooking functions that include grilling, slow cooking, baking, roasting, and even a pizza-cooking feature, you can skip having a stove–and a dozen other appliances in your kitchen. Make your favorite roast or whip up your favorite crunchy fries in minutes with its dual-speed convection feature that raises hot air and sinks cold air to reduce the cooking time by 30 percent.

The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer also has an Element IQ System that makes it ideal even for a newbie home cook. The technology is a smart algorithm feature that helps create the perfect cooking environment for different cooking techniques. The advanced sensing and temperature control of this model promises even cooking all the time, eliminating guesswork for its users.

In terms of design, the Smart Oven Air Fryer is crafted for ease of use. It comes with a clear and easy-to-understand LCD Display and an interior oven light that automatically turns on at the end of every cooking cycle. Topping these is its sophisticated and sleek aesthetic which makes it so easy to fit in any modern, classy home.

True enough, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer checks all the boxes a smart homeowner needs from a cooking appliance. It is sleek, versatile, user-friendly, and can elevate anyone’s creativity in the kitchen regardless of their cooking level. Small space or not, this model is a definite must-have for anyone looking for a kitchen partner that can meet their modern needs.

Do you want to learn more about the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer? Check out their website or follow their Facebook and Instagram pages now for more information.