EARN POINTS FOR FREE FLIGHTS WITH CEBU PACIFIC GETGO CREDIT CARDS

From hassle-free shopping, to convenient bills payment and limitless access to exciting promos, credit card users certainly enjoy the best of what life has to offer. Now, GetGo members can indulge in a lifestyle of luxury and free travel when they apply for their own CEB GetGo Credit Card.

As the most rewarding lifestyle program, GetGo is again making everyday purchases more satisfying by giving away 8,000 bonus points to newly-approved CEB GetGo Credit Cardholders who apply from January 31 to August 31, 2018.

Interested individuals can sign up via https://bit.ly/2Md1DXx or through other UnionBank channels. Once approved, all they have to do is to use their credit cards for a single or accumulated retail spend worth P20,000, register online at https://unionbankph.com/8kgetgopoints and sign up for the new UnionBank Online mobile app via the Apple Store or Google Play.

With 8,000 bonus GetGo points, you can book thrilling getaways and make priceless memories at any of the country’s most beautiful provinces. You can fly to Bacolod, Cebu, Iloilo, and Tagbilaran to discover unique local culture and architectures. You can even spend a weekend at the beach by scoring the best one-way flight deals to Davao, Suriago, and Dumaguete with your GetGo points. Or if you’re up to fly out of the country, you can use your additional 8,000 points to explore Cebu Pacific’s international destinations.

But wait, there’s more! New CEB GetGo Platinum Credit Cardholders will also receive a unique promo code worth 8,000 GetGo points when they spend another P20,000 worth of single or accumulated purchases using their new credit cards within 65 days from card approval date. They can use this code to get 8,000 points off when booking their flights with GetGo. That’s just P40,000 total spend using CEB GetGo Platinum Credit Card for a total of 16,000 GetGo points!

So, what are you waiting for? Enjoy your next trip with your own CEB GetGo Credit Card. Promo runs until August 31, 2018.

For more information on memberships and partners, visit www.getgo.com.ph. Stay updated on the latest promos by liking GetGoPH’s official pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

SMART ONLINE STORE ACCEPTS PAYPAL FOR ONLINE SHOPPING

Whether you're getting a new Smart Postpaid Plan or simply buying Smart Prepaid load, you can now enjoy a safer and easier online shopping experience on the Smart Online Store at store.smart.com.ph, which now accepts PayPal™ as a payment option.

The official digital shop of PLDT's wireless arm, the Smart Online Store is a web platform that gives you the convenience of buying Smart products and services anytime and anywhere - on your desktop, smartphone or tablet.

Through the Smart Online Store, you can sign up for the latest devices bundled with a Smart Postpaid Plan that suits your needs, renew or upgrade your existing plan, top-up with Smart Prepaid load, or buy phone accessories and add-ons, among others. The Smart Online Store also offers exclusive deals, discounts, and freebies.

With PayPal, your transaction on the Smart Online Store is safe and secure with 24/7 transaction monitoring and anti-fraud technologies.

PayPal also makes your online shopping quick and hassle-free because once you're logged in, you won't need to enter all your credit card details every time you pay.

To use PayPal on the Smart Online Store, just click the PayPal button as payment option and log into your PayPal account. Then, simply choose your preferred linked debit or credit card to complete the payment process.

Not yet a PayPal user? Sign up for free now at https://www.paypal.com/ph/home and shop at over 10 million online stores across more than 200 markets worldwide.

Aside from PayPal, the Smart Online Store also accepts other payment options to make your online shopping experience easier and safer. The Smart Online Store accepts Mastercard, Visa, ECPay, and Bancnet, as well as allows payments via LBC, SM, Cebuana Lhuillier, and Cash on Delivery.

Visit the Smart Online Store now and enjoy the convenience of transacting with PayPal.

LG MAKES LIFE HEALTHIER, CLEANER AND GREENER

We depend on energy every day, from the moment we brush our teeth in the morning to the time we set our alarm clocks at night. As a society, we use up an increasing amount of electricity, water and other natural resources such that our consumption’s effect on nature has already reached a critical level. Most of the energy sources we depend on, like coal and natural gas, are finite and can't be replaced.

These days, there is a global effort to conserve energy, and most of these eco-friendly actions starts at home. We are drawn to a green lifestyle for several reasons, whether it's sound environmental practices, cost-savings initiatives, or the opportunity to impart positive values to the younger generation. Clean living is now the key to a sustainable lifestyle; energy-efficiency has become the new hallmark of a green household.

While we would all love to commission a new, eco-friendly house, this has costly and impractical implications. But with a bit of thought and good planning, we can all make our current homes more energy-efficient—and save money on bills, too.

The best approach is to take small steps. Switching or upgrading to energy-efficient home appliances is a simple place to start. For many of us, cooling accounts for a huge percentage of our household energy use. Living in the Philippines where days are humid and the average temperature is 30oC, air conditioners provide a more comfortable living environment. Unfortunately, the lack of usage understanding and information on air conditioners has brought about more electricity and energy wastage, not to mention sky-high electricity bills, especially if the unit is it is old, outdated and inefficient.

At LG, ecologically conscious products and design that push the boundaries of energy-efficiency are a way of life. The new LG Dual Cool with Dual Inverter Window Type Air Conditioner now features R32, a green refrigerant that efficiently conveys heat and gives a more powerful cooling performance compared to that of air conditioners using refrigerant R22 and R410A.

The LG Dual Cool with Dual Inverter Window Type Air Conditioner also comes with an Energy Saving Mode that lowers your electricity consumption—not to mention your energy bills—by up to 40 percent. Other cool—literally—characteristics include the ability to reduce the time needed to expel heat in a room by up to 30 percent, and an Inverter Comfort Airflow feature that minimizes temperature fluctuations, and offers pleasant and efficient cooling all throughout use. (No more energy-consuming on and off cycles.)

LG is also committed to providing consumers with a cleaner and healthier lifestyle. It has equipped its Dual Cool with Dual Inverter Window Type Air Conditioner with a micro dust filter that helps diminish airborne bacteria and viruses, assuring that the air in your home is clean, safe and breathable, and assuring that the family remains healthy and allergy-free.

LG ELECTRONICS PHILIPPINES UNVEILED LG G7 THINQ

LG Electronics Philippines finally unveiled the LG G7 ^ThinQ, its new flagship premium smartphone, at an exclusive launch recently event held at trendy bar and lounge Yes, Please. 

Combining exciting innovations, a sleek design, and stunning display and sound with LG’s intuitive ThinQ AI technology, the G7 ^ThinQ takes the smartphone experience to unprecedented heights. The G7 ^ThinQ comes with a Super Bright 6.1-inch display that, at 1000nit is brighter than any other mobile phone screen. This, along with the phone’s AI-powered operational and creative features, a Quad DAC feature that provides distortion-free sound, and a hardworking camera, offers consumers a better user experience all around.  

LG has always striven to provide products that makes the daily grind easier for its consumers. In the LG G7 ThinQ, this principle is reflected in the Hotkey, a button on the side of the phone that activates Google Assistant with one tap. Holding down the button will allow for instant conversations with Google Assistant, and will allow the user to search the internet, open applications and remotely use the phone on voice command (LG has worked with Google to come up 32 new Google Assistant commands). The G7 ^ThinQ also sports Super Far Field Voice Recognition, which allows it to hear commands for Google Assistant up to five meters away.

During the launch, LG invited gadget website Yugatech’s founder, Abe Olandres, to explain how the G7 ^ThinQ’s AI-powered features can provide beneficial advantages to everyday life. As Abe explained, the phone’s AI CAM helps deliver an unprecedented smartphone photography experience by recognizing an object and automatically adjusting settings according to what it sees. The phone also has 19 different color and contrast filters to help enhance results. All these features combined makes capturing professional-quality images a truly effortless experience for everyone. 

To fully display how the G7 ^ThinQ delivers the ultimate camera experience in a smartphone, LG commissioned a short video from up and coming director Mikhail Red, whose latest film Birdshot won the Asian Future Best Film Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival, and was the first Filipino full-feature film to be included in Netflix’s inventory. The video not only demonstrates Mikhael’s skill and dexterity as a director and photographer, but showcases how the LG G7 ^ThinQ’s camera delivers a higher range of details, more vivid colors and striking luminance when capturing both moving and still subjects. Mikhail’s video also demonstrated how the LG G7 ^ThinQ  enables the Super Bright Camera feature in a low-light setting, resulting in clearer, more focused images, or how the camera supports depth-of-field Bokeh effects with a Super Wide Angle feature.

Superior sound is also another G7 ^ThinQ boast. The flagship smartphone has a Boombox Speaker that, as demonstrated in the launch, increases the base sound level by more than 6dB with twice the amount of bass. Translated in layman terms, the LG G7 ^ThinQ packs more than 10 times the loudness than that of a typical smartphone. 

“LG is pleased to introduce you to a smartphone that will take you beyond the limits of your imagination, and bring you closer to the things that matter in your life,” remarked Mr. Paul Jeon, LG Philippines’ VP for Mobile Communications. “The LG G7 ^ThinQ reflects a new era in smartphone design, the beginning of new AI-powered services and the gateway to a new way of thinking.” 

Mr. Paul Jeon (center), LG Philippines’ VP for Mobile Communications, with Yugatech founder  Abe Olandres (left), and film director Mr. Mikhail Red (right)

Yugatech founder Abe Olandres talks about the implications of AI technology in mobile use, and how it can help better our lives.

Up and coming film director Mikhael Red discusses the cool photo and video capture features of the LG G7 ThinQ

Tech media and bloggers learn the different features of the new LG G7 ^ThinQ from LG ambassadors.

LG gave away the new G7 ^ThinQ to the ultimate BTS fans. From left, Nico Gelle, Mobile Marketing Communications Manager of LG Philippines; Christina Zabat of ABS-CBN Lifestyle; Reyn Guergio of Manila Shaker; and Mayan Salapantan, Senior Manager for Corporate Marketing of LG Philippines 

The winners of the first and only LG G7 ThinQ Media Quiz night

STARBUCKS BREAKFAST MEAL

Starbucks Philippines is introducing new breakfast options using flavorful ingredients and craveable combinations that pair perfectly with your favorite coffee. The new breakfast menu is a worthy reason to hop out of bed and visit your nearest Starbucks store.

The Sous Vide Egg White with Couscous and Quinoa is simple yet wonderful. Eggs are prepared using the French “sous vide” technique resulting in a velvety texture and a myriad of flavors. Mixed couscous, vegetables and quinoa served on the side bring the extra boost to fuel your day.

Another smart choice is the protein-rich Spinach Mushroom Frittata. Egg whites, spinach, mushroom, and cheese are brought together for a tasty start to any morning.

The Fruit and Nut Toast is a coffeehouse classic baked with whole grain, sweet dried berries, apple, orange peel and flavorful nuts. It’s a breakfast staple that tastes even better with a dollop of butter and jam.

A refreshing breakfast choice, the Berry Chia Overnight Oats is packed with fiber, vitamins and nutrients. Dig into your day with a unique mix of berries, almond, pistachio, chia seeds, rolled oats, whole milk and Greek yogurt.

Visit www.starbucks.ph for the full Starbucks menu of breakfast goodness.

ARANETA CENTER BUSPORT NOW ACCEPTS PAYMAYA FOR PAYMENTS

Araneta Center BusPort gives travelers a hassle-free travel experience with PayMaya!

Travelers can now pay for their bus tickets via #PayMayaQR or using their physical PayMaya card at the BusPort.

Travelling to must-see destinations in the Philippines is now made easy as PayMaya partners with Araneta Center BusPort (ACBP) to give travellers safer and convenient ways to book bus tickets for their much awaited trip around the country.

Travellers can already reserve and pay for their bus seats in advance through the Araneta Center BusPort website (https://www.aranetacenterbusport.com/), with a payment gateway powered by PayMaya Business. This means they can easily use their credit, debit, or prepaid VISA, JCB, and Mastercard to pay for their ticket reservations online.

Aside from that, thrill-seekers can also satisfy their wanderlust by paying their bus tickets in an instant using only their mobile phones through PayMaya QR over the counter at the BusPort. Additionally, they can also choose to use their physical PayMaya card or any VISA, JCB and Mastercard to pay for their tickets for a total cashless travel experience.

Total cashless travel experience

“For the thousands of passengers travelling from our BusPort, this partnership is a premium upgrade they deserve. We know that cashless transactions will further strengthen our mission to provide convenient and swift service to different kinds of travellers,” said Antonio Mardo, SVP Operations of Araneta Center.

The Araneta Center BusPort accommodates travellers heading to and from Central Luzon (Dau, Olongapo, Subic), Southern Tagalog, Bicol regions, Visayas and Mindanao. From their passenger lounge, baggage handling, ticketing system to security features, the state-of-the-art BusPort has been enhancing their amenities to maintain their exceptional service to all travellers in their terminal.

“We’re happy to bring a total ‘cashless’ payments experience closer to the travellers of Araneta Center BusPort. With PayMaya onboard, travellers can worry less on securing and paying for bus tickets–whether it’s online or at the terminal–and start focusing on how they can make the most out of their trip to their favorite Philippine destinations,” said Paolo Azzola, COO and Managing Director at PayMaya Philippines.

PayMaya also gives added safety to travelling passengers as they can bring less cash and utilize their smartphone and card to pay for their travel expenses.

“The risks of carrying big amount of cash when travelling can now be avoided as PayMaya allows travellers to use their card and smartphone as their wallet,” Azzola added.

Open an account in a snap

As a treat to Araneta Center BusPort patrons, those who will use PayMaya QR to pay for their bus ticket can enjoy two free slices of pizza from Pizza Hut at the BusPort from June 20-26, 2018.

Creating a PayMaya account is quick and easy! All it takes is a minute. Just download the the app on the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store and sign up for an account using any Philippine mobile number.

Adding money to your account can also be done through more than 20,000 Add Money touchpoints nationwide, including Smart Padala centers, SM Business Centers, Robinsons Business Centers inside Robinsons Department Stores, 7-Eleven Outlets, Touchpay Kiosks, UnionBank ATMs, Shopwise, Wellcome, 2Go, ExpressPay, Cebuana Lhuillier, Palawan Pawnshop branches, BDO, UnionBank Online, RCBC Online Banking, and financial institutions that are part of InstaPay, among many others.

To know more about PayMaya’s products, services and promotions, visit www.paymaya.com or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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ISLAS PINAS, FILIPINO FOOD & HERITAGE VILLAGE AT DOUBLE DRAGON PLAZA

Islas Pinas, an indoor “Filipino Food & Heritage Village” and a new, distinct destination for both local and international guests, is now open at the DoubleDragon Plaza, DD Meridian Park, Macapagal Avenue corner EDSA Extension, Bay Area, Pasay City, Metro Manila.

Designed to showcase the abundance and vibrancy of the Filipino culture, this new establishment lets guests discover, explore and experience the Philippines’s heritage sites, natural resources, hospitality and most importantly, its cuisine.

The result of collaboration between DoubleDragon Group and Chef Margarita Forés, Islas Pinas is a project that aims to inspire love for the Philippines and to cultivate patriotism by showcasing the country’s beautiful sites and diverse regional cuisines. With a seating capacity of over 700 seats in an expansive 2,500 square meter space, Islas Pinas is the perfect place to give visitors a taste of the best that the Philippines has to offer.

ISLAS PINAS also hosts an authentic Sarao Jeepney, which for many generations became the king of the Philippine streets especially in the countryside.

“DoubleDragon has always believed in embarking on projects with relevance. We believe Islas Pinas will be a landmark in the country, and will showcase the diversity not only of our cuisine and handicrafts but also our landscape and architecture brought about by the rich heritage and culture of the country,” says

DoubleDragon’s Chief Investment Officer Hannah Yulo.

At the helm of this project is none other than Asia’s Best Female Chef of 2016, Margarita A. Forés whose mission is to bring Filipino cuisine to global prominence. Thus, Islas Pinas is a vision coming to life for her, where Filipino food is not just on the sidelines but at the centerstage.

“This is an absolute dream project for me that has come at such a perfect time,” said Forés. “I give my thanks to then Undersecretary of Agriculture, now Secretary of Tourism Berna R. Puyat, for putting me together with the DoubleDragon group, who was looking for someone to operate this amazing Islas Pinas project about half a year ago. This fast-tracked such a blessed opportunity to continue pushing my biggest advocacy – that of helping to promote the best our country – our cuisine, ingredients, farers, artisan producers and home cooks from Batanes to Jolo – in the best way I can!”

It is her aim for guests to experience the Philippines with their five senses and beyond. Thus, aside from the culinary delights and a picturesque interior design worthy of Instagram posts, the venue will also feature modern and traditional cultural performances and games to ensure a fun and truly Pinoy ambiance.

SINAG, the Tagalog word for ‘ray of light’ offers all-day Filipino breakfast favorites like our TAPSILOG (TAPa – salted beef, SInangag – fried rice and ItLOG – fried egg) and Batchoy, an Ilonggo noodle soup with pork offal, crushed pork cracklings and beef loin.

ALAMAT or legend, tells the story of the different regions of the Philippines through its signature dishes. BILAO is coined after the woven winnowing basket where comfort snacks like pansit (fried noodles) and puto (rice cakes) are usually served, while PANADERYA offers neighborhood bakery favorites such as pan de sal and kalihim. TUSOK-TUSOK, on the other hand, offers urban street food finds like barbecue on stick, isaw (grilled chicken intestine) and kwek-kwek (fried quail eggs).

PANULAK or beverage is where the samalamig (cold drinks with different flavors) will be available. Lastly, PAMPANG or shore will allow guests to enjoy chosen fresh catch cooked to their preference.

All these will be available daily, without the scorching heat and pollution as the space is fully airconditioned. Located at the bustling DD Meridian Park in the Bay Area along EDSA Extension and Macapagal Avenue, Islas Pinas can be easily accessed using both private and public transportation.

“Because of the ideal location of DoubleDragon Plaza at DD Meridian Park – our close proximity to the airport terminals and being only about 5 minutes away from NAIA X – we believe ISLAS PINAS will become a must-visit stopover for both domestic and international tourists visiting the capital,” said DoubleDragon's Chairman Edgar Injap Sia II.

ISLAS PINAS is the main anchor of DoubleDragon Plaza, which forms part of the 4.8 Hectare DD Meridian Park commercial and office complex.