2019 National Trade Fair: A Green Show

Department of Trade & Industry-Bureau of Domestic Trade & Protection (DTI-BDTP) in coordination with DTI Regional Operations Group is opening the 2019 National Trade Fair tomorrow at SM Megamall.

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Themed as “A Green Show“, the 2019 National Trade Fair will showcase over 250 MSMEs (micro, small & medium enterprises) from all over the Philippines to promote exhibitors whose products are green, organic and eco-friendly. The aim of this initiative is to encourage MSMEs to engage in green practices that promote efficient use of energy and resources.

FACT: Did you know that 99.6% of businesses here in the Philippines are comprised of MSMEs?

The annual four-day retail and order-taking event will showcase products such as furniture and furnishings, houseware and decor, wearables and fashion accessories, gifts and souvenirs, as well as heirloom food, and health and wellness products.

10 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD COME TO THE NATIONAL FAIR:

1 The Best Products From The Regions

2 Holiday Decor Pavilion: Philippine Homestyle and Holiday Decor Association (PhilHHDA) will give a sneak peek of upcoming holiday trends including holiday decor made of recycled or upcycled materials.

3 Living Green Pavilion: Discover green crafts developed by eco-conscious MSMEs in collaboration with the Design Center of the Philippines. The showcase features a one-of-a-kind design collaboration that champions materials indigenous to the country and pushes for efforts that are kinder to the planet.

4 The Green Pavilion: In search of organic, sustainable, eco-friendly, and yummy food? Indulge your taste buds at the display of the Association of Laguna Food Processors (ALAFOP) in partnership with DTI-Laguna.

5 Marawi Showcase: Help our internally displaced persons (IDPs) or ‘Bakwits’ in their economy recovery by supporting their wares at this special section organized in cooperation with DTI-Region 10.

6 Furniture and Furnishings Showcase: Upgrade your home with a new statement piece crafted by Filipino Artisans. Don’t miss out a stop at this special setting for the best Filipino craftmanship!

7 One Town One Product (OTOP) Hub: Specialty products by region. No need to go to the province to stock up on all the delicacies you miss from home or from your travel.

8 Leather Crafting Workshop: Make your own belt, coin purse, wallet, or bag! Support this social enterprise involving persons with disabilities by buying some of their handcrafted leather goods.

9 Kapetirya: The coffee pavilion brings the best of Philippine coffee blends to the metro.

10 Green Station: Contribute to the green initiative by bringing waste materials for recycling by our partner-beneficiaries. For your good deed, you get a free eco-bag (which you get to sew!) courtesy of Monteverdo Sewing Inc.

The 2019 National Trade Fair is open from 10AM to 9PM on August 22-25, 2019. Admission is FREE.

For more information, contact numbers are (02) 751-3223 and (02) 791 3102, or email bdtp@dti.gov.ph. You may also follow DTI-BDTP on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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#DoItRight Campaign: A Call to Filipinos to Proudly Support RH Law and Responsible Parenthood

Survey over the years show that more than 70 percent of Filipinos support family planning and initiatives, such as the Responsible Parenthood and RH Law. A coalition of 11 organizations launched the Do It Right! Campaign last August 16, 2019 to urge Filipinos to proudly show their support for reproductive health and family planning with the Do It Right! slogan and hand sign.

“The Do It Right! Campaign is designed to encourage everyone to take those beliefs they already hold inside and share them out in the open, proudly, especially on social media like Facebook,” said co-organizer Benjamin de Leon, President of The Forum for Family Planning and Development. “By showing each other how many feel the same, in a positive, celebratory spirit, Filipinos can together free themselves from old inhibitions.”

The Do It Right! Hand Sign

The Do It Right! hand sign is the campaign’s new symbol for Reproductive Health. Two fingers together symbolize the relationship of two people. The thumb in between represents the contraceptive or safe-sex measures that strengthen their bond.

“The Do It Right! slogan and logo are not private properties. They belong to everyone to use as long as they believe in and align with the campaign’s core principles,” said Hyam Asher Bolande, Chairman of the Board of DKT Philippines. “This is wide open. We invite anyone who feels this topic is important – companies, famous Filipinos, anyone – to come on board.”

Do It Right! Campaign’s Social Media and Online Initiatives

“Am I pregnant?” “What is the best contraceptive I can use?” “Can you share your experience with the contraceptive that you are using?”

These are just some of the questions I encounter everyday on 1st Time Moms (a Facebook parenting group I co-manage with my mommy friends). The awareness of family planning is there hence their questions. However they lack the proper knowledge and asks information to co-mommies who most of the time answers based on hearsay and their personal experiences.

With the coalition’s set up of Do It Right’s Facebook page, we can now encourage parents to like and follow the page for more accurate information about family planning. This will serve as the focal point for the evolving campaign, as well as the hashtag #DoItRIght.

“The Facebook page is just the start. It will soon be joined by Do It Right! website in English and Filipino language that will serve as portal for people to find factual information on sexual and reproductive health and family planning in a user-friendly self-service manner,” said Hyam Asher Bolande, Chairman of the Board of DKT Philippines.

The campaign will also include festival events and advertising in traditional media – billboards, prints and radio.

About the Do It Right! Coalition

Initial members include DKT Philippines, the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP), The Forum for Family Planning and Development, The Philippine Society for Responsible Parenthood, LoveYourself, RTI International, SheDecides Philippines, and all four professional associations for the country’s midwives: The Integrated Midwives Association of the Philippines (IMAP), the Private Practicing Midwives Association of the Philippines (PPMAP), the Midwives Foundation of the Philippines (MFPI), and the Philippine League of Government and Private Midwives (PLGPM).

https://bit.ly/2Hi3OsO

Movie Review: Hello, Love, Goodbye (Spoiler Alert)

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I met with my mommy friends, Beverly & Vanessa, to see this movie. Last time I saw them was when we watched Alone/Together! We finally had the chance to take a break from taking care of the kids, thanks to our loving husbands. 🤗

I was curious when I first saw the trailer because I immediately see an on-screen chemistry between Kathryn and Alden. My curiousity grew bigger when I saw the big crowd amidst the strong rain during their mall tour at Vista Mall Taguig.

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Hello, Love, Goodbye is a breath of fresh air from the love team that we are used to see. A break from the typical Filipino movie storyline of infidelity and deception. Everything was incorporated well in the movie- family, friendship and love. Surprisingly, the storyline was smooth. It was a complete package. The characters of Kathryn and Alden dealt with their relationship with all honesty but things still didn’t worked out well. So imagine the disappointment I had and the tears I shed. I admire how strong-willed Joy (Kathryn) is and a risk-taker towards achieving her dreams. With Ethan (Alden), I admire his courage to take a risk again in falling in love with Joy despite the situation they are in. I had mixed emotions with how the story ended- dismayed that they parted and at the same time I find hope in their goodbye. A sequel to this is something I’m looking forward to. This movie definitely exceeded my expectations. More movies with these two, please! 🥰

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FOOD HACK: Amber’s Spaghetti

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Food hack tayo today! 🍝 Featuring Amber’s spaghetti with the ever famous thinly-sliced hotdogs! The kids requested for spaghetti last Saturday and they want daw yung may thinly-sliced hotdogs. 😅 since I can cook naman, I tried to hack it na lang.

Ingredients:

• Del Monte Pasta Italiana (900g)
• Del Monte Sweet Style Spaghetti Sauce ground pork (500g)
• Purefoods hotdog (250g)
• Salt
• Pepper
• McCormick Dried Basil Leaves
• Magnolia’s Daily Quezo cheese
• Knorr pork cubes (2)
• Sugar (optional)

Procedure:

• Cook Del Monte Kitchenomics Pasta Italiana according to package instruction.
• Set aside 4 cups of pasta water.
• Sauté minced garlic and onions.
• Add cooked ground pork (pre-boiled).
• Add salt, pepper and McCormick dried basil leaves.
• Add Del Monte’s sweet style spaghetti sauce (1kg & 500g) and 4 cups of pasta water.
• Add 2 Knorr Philippines pork cubes.
• Let it simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Let it cool. (If you want your spaghetti sweeter, you can add sugar to it. I didn’t add na since del monte’s sweet style spaghetti sauce is sweet enough for us. 😊)
• Slice hotdogs (slant cut) as thinly as you can. 😅 You can either fry or steam it.
• Mix pasta with sauce.
• Top it with Magnolia’s Daily Quezo grated cheese and sliced hotdogs. Done! 😊

BPI Opens Biggest Flagship Branch in Northern Metro Manila

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BPI marks its 168th anniversary with the opening of its biggest flagship branch in Northern Metro Manila. From left, BPI COO Ramon Jocson, BPI President and CEO Cezar Consing, Head of Sales and Service Channels An-an King and Division Head for Northern Metro Manila Branches Rally Jereza.

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) today formally opened its biggest flagship branch in Norther Metro Manila to date—the BPI Shangrila-Shaw branch and Preferred Center in Mandaluyong City, as it marks 168 years of building a better Philippines.

The new flagship branch follows the design of BPI’s other flagship branches in Ayala Insular and Makati Stock Exchange. BPI Shangri-la Shaw showcases the most modern and innovative designs that will complement the Bank’s aim to provide trusted financial advice, and seamless and convenient client experience.

“This new flagship branch, like similar ones in Metro Manila, represents how technology and brick and mortar can be combined to enhance the customer experience. Today’s Filipino customer wants and deserves more, and a modern branch like this one is one way that we can respond,” said President and CEO Cezar P. Consing.

Shangri-la Plaza is a prime spot located in the heart of Mandaluyong and Ortigas, which is why it was chosen as the location of Northern Metro Manila’s first and biggest flagship branch. Mandaluyong and Ortigas are two of the biggest central business districts in the country. The St. Francis Shaw branch was relocated and named BPI Shangri-la Shaw when the site of the old branch was sold to Shangri-la.

The branch is the first in Metro Manila to stay open seven days a week, from Mondays to Sundays.

Enhanced customer experience

BPI Shangri-la Shaw houses the first multi-purpose Preferred Center, a venue for client engagement activities with facilities that enhance experience and deliver convenience and value to clients.

With this latest branch feature, BPI reinforces its commitment to enhance overall customer experience, both online and offline by providing easy access to relevant financial solutions for every Filipino.

“The two-floor multi-purpose events venue located in the branch’s Preferred Center is what makes BPI Shangri-la Shaw unique compared to the other flagship branches,” said Rally Jereza, Division Head for Northern Metro Manila Branches.

In line with its digitalization efforts, BPI also added an interactive self-service screen in the new branch. A large video wall also displays informational videos for clients.

“Digitalization is about enhancing the client experience. This requires that we make the experience of our clients seamless as they move from physical branches to our digital channels, such as the mobile app and website. Our digital transformation journey allows for an omni-channel experience, with clients being able to start a transaction in one channel, and complete it in another,” explained Jereza.

As for the overall branch design, the Bank drew inspiration from the map of the Philippines. The irregularly shaped ottoman seats at the center of the room represent the Philippine archipelago. The swirling lights in the ceiling evoke images of the Philippine climate and the ever-changing winds that sweep over the country.

BPI hopes to build a better Philippines through providing easy and convenient access to relevant financial and enhance overall customer experience in both online and offline channels.