A song that was created for someone who was going through a difficult time in life has now evolved into something that anyone who has been through tough times can relate to. Whenever we encounter problems or hardships, the tendency is to either fight or fly. This song however tells us to do the opposite: Be Still. 

Be Still is a praise album created by Maria Chew along with some of her closest friends. It differs from other praise albums in the sense that each song has its own story to tell and is aged through time. 

The Creation 

The sound of each song is an expression of how unique God’s creativity flows through every individual. Some chords are unpredictable, some will surprise you, and the creators mostly used 7th & 9 chords in their music. Paired with the unique arrangements by Eric Pablo, this resulted in ensuring that every song is a different experience. 

Creating this album for Maria has been a lifelong dream but as with anything worth doing, there were hardships and challenges, the main one being that of scheduling. In God’s perfect time, despite the fact that the creator, singers, and arranger live in different countries, things started to fall into place and in one day, the singers, the recording studio, the sound engineer and everyone’s schedule all matched. 

The Singers 

The singer for “Be Still” which is the song cover is Jenny Pagalilauan. Maria and Jenny used to be bandmates but lost track of each other and then reunited with the help of Facebook. Jenny was the perfect choice because she has a strong solid mature voice, especially when reaching high notes. She sings 3 more songs in the album: “Fullness of Joy,” “Wonderful Savior”, and “Lord of My Life”. 

Faith Purificacion sings “Touch My Heart” which is a creation of Pastor Eric as well as “He Restores My Soul” which is a collaboration between Maria and her eldest daughter. 

The only male singer in this album is Zaldy Reblora. He is from the music ministry of the church that Maria used to attend to and his voice is perfect for duets as well as “I Pray in Jesus’ Name” which is a song that was composed 20 years ago. 

The Cover Song 

“Be Still,” is very applicable in today’s predicament, and in any situation people may have. When we are stressed, when we have no peace, when we don’t know what to do, just be still, and seek God. He will give us peace that passes all understanding. Trust in Him because He cares for you. And even when we are happy, be still and meditate on the goodness of God in your life. 

This is why the song was chosen. In this day and age where everyone is in a hurry to post, like, shar e, comment, and just get on with things, it is important to remember that we need to be still and stay still. This is the only way we can communicate with God and hear His message for us. Be still. 

Listen to the song “Be Still” through SoundCloud, You Tube, Amazon Music, Apple Music/iTunes, Spotify, and also on other digital stores worldwide.

Cinephiles from across the country will now get to savor the delights of the QCinema International Film Festival.

There's no need to go to Quezon City for this special edition of QCinema. No need to rush to the cinemas, brave the Metro traffic, nor line-up for movie tickets. QCinema brings the international film festival experience to anyone in the country, right in the comfort of their homes, through any internet-connected device. 

This is made possible through QCinema’s partnership with UPSTREAM and GMovies.

The film festival, which runs from November 27 to December 6, will stream two sets of films for five days each. 

It opens its virtual doors with ten award-winning and highly acclaimed films available for rent for only P 150.00 each.  

The films include QCinema grantees Cleaners by Glenn Barit; Oda sa Wala by Dwein Baltazar; Balangiga Howling Wilderness by Khavn; and Babae at Baril by Rae Red.  

Aside from these films, QCinema also hosts the Asian premiere of Genus Pan by Lav Diaz; the Southeast Asian premiere of Song Without a Name by Melina León and Divine Love by Gabriel Mascaro; and the Philippine premiere of Rom by Tran Thanh Huy; Suk Suk by Ray Yeung; and Corpus Christi by Mateusz Pacewicz. 

Genus Pan is a look at how much human beings are like animals. The film is the only Philippine entry at the 2020 Venice Film Festival. It also won for Lav Diaz the best director award in the same festival.

Song Without a Name is a 2019 Peruvian drama film directed by Melina León. It was screened in the Directors' Fortnight section at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. It is also the Peruvian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards. The film is about a mother who takes her newborn baby to a health clinic, but the baby and clinic both disappear.

Rom is the first Vietnamese film to receive the New Current Awards at the 24th Busan International Film Festival. The film is about the residents of an apartment complex that is slated for demolition.

Divine Love is a Brazilian drama screened in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Divine Love tells the story of a religious woman who uses her position at work to help struggling couples save their marriage. While waiting for some praise, she is confronted with a personal crisis.

Suk Suk is a 2019 award-winning and critically acclaimed Hong Kong drama film about two secretly homosexual married men in their twilight years. This film premiered at the 24th Busan International Film Festival. 

Corpus Christi is about a reformed criminal who is prevented from applying to the seminary after his release. He dresses as a priest and ministers a small town parish. It premiered at the 2019 Venice Film Festival and is the Polish entry in the 92nd Academy Award. 

Limited number of tickets will be released per film and will be made available starting November 24. 

QCinema Festival Bundles will also be made available for P 750.00 each. Bundles give access to five films plus will give away QCinema-branded items.

To rent a film, go to upstream.ph to choose a film. Viewers will be guided to GMovies to pay for the ticket. To avail of QCinema bundles, go to qcinema.ph.

QCinema is supported by the film festival is supported by Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, Film Development Council of the Philippines, Outpost, Viva Communications, Inc., Treasury Wine Estates, Beringer Wine, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Megamobile, Inquirer.net, ClickTheCity.com, Cinema Bravo, Cinema Bravo PH, Film Geek Guy, Film Police Reviews, Pelikula Mania, Blog-ph.com, Lakwatsera Lovers, and WheninManila.com.

In celebration of the Fall/Winter 2020 collection, GUESS is excited to introduce Michele Morrone as the new worldwide face of GUESS Men’s.  Morrone is an international actor and singer who is best known for his lead role in the successful Netflix film 365 Days, one of the most popular movies in Netflix history that is currently streaming in over 200 countries.  

Morrone gained international recognition for his performance and soundtrack in the film, proving to be a multi-faceted superstar who has gained traction on social media rapidly, with approximately 10 million followers on Instagram alone – a stunning increase from 1.7 million followers three weeks before the campaign was shot.

Staged under the creative guidance of GUESS Chief Creative Officer Paul Marciano, the holiday advertising campaign was shot by fashion photographer Nima Benati in her first campaign with GUESS, at the breathtaking Villa Erba in Lake Como, Italy.  Once the home of internationally renowned movie director Luchino Visconti, this historic villa was the perfect setting for an iconic campaign and a fundamental inspiration for Paul Marciano’s love of Italian movie history. 

“I had a brief meeting with Michele at my hotel in Lugano last June and we immediately had a strong connection,” says Paul Marciano.  “Michele is an extremely hard worker, and a very ambitious and decisive man and these are all qualities I deeply appreciate.  In a matter of minutes, we knew we were going to work together and a few weeks after that very first meeting we met again in Lake Como to shoot these spectacular images.”

“The moment I met Paul, I knew I found a new mentor and friend,” says Michele Morrone. “We share the same values and goals.  It’s an incredible feeling being able to have fun on set doing what I love, while having a sense of comfort that I’m now part of such an amazing family. Family and loyalty are important to me, and I want to take this brand and treat it as my own.” 

“This campaign marks the launch of our new GUESS men’s collection, reflecting our new focus on elevated, classic, and high-quality styles which is perfectly in-line with Michele Morrone’s personality” says Paul Marciano.

Introducing, an exclusive look at the new Fall 2020 Campaign featuring Michele Morrone. This season’s collection reflects our new focus on elevated, classic, and high-quality styles. Shop for your favorite GUESS logo shirts, GUESS Fashion knits, GUESS Denim jeans and jackets, and our new GUESS mens polo that will match your everyday style this season. 

The GUESS Fall Collection drops in-store and via GUESS Philippines’ online store on November 16, 2020.

Filipinos are well-known for being bargain hunters. It doesn’t matter whether it’s food, clothes, or gadgets—everyone always looks for the best deals to get the most out of their hard-earned money. This especially applies when shopping for home appliances, most of which are big-ticket purchases.

Indeed, home appliances are a big investment. That’s why you need to be more diligent in doing your research before you make that purchase. To help you ensure that you’re getting the best value, here are some shopping tips to remember:

Set a Strict Budget

This is one of the first things that you have to think about when shopping for appliances: how much can you spend or are you willing to spend? As mentioned earlier, appliances such as TVs, refrigerators, and washing machines are big-ticket purchases. When you know how big (or small) your budget is, you can immediately narrow down your choices and make better decisions. Indeed, even if you have a lot more wiggle room, setting a strict limit will make sure you won’t over-spend. 

Compare, Compare, Compare

Just like shopping for smartphones or laptops where you compare specifications, you should definitely do plenty of research about the appliances you’re trying to buy. This is especially important when you’re working with a limited budget. Don’t lock yourself to specific brands, too. Sometimes, less popular brands can offer more value.

Shop from Reputable Suppliers

During your research, you might chance upon sellers who offer incredible deals. You might see a 60% discount from the original, or maybe a model of an appliance that’s not usually available in the Philippines. It can be tempting to snap up these deals of course. However, trust your instincts. If something feels too good to be true, it probably is. Make sure to shop from reputable, trustworthy suppliers like Robinsons Appliances. Doing so will ensure that you’re getting not just authentic appliances, but also reliable after-sales services.

Be Patient in Looking for Reviews

Checking out customer reviews should be a big part of your appliance-shopping research. Online testimonials are good, but try to also look for real-life recommendations from your friends and family. Ask them about the pros and cons of the product, how long they’ve been using the appliance, and if they can recommend it to you based on your specific needs. Remember that the impressive specifications of a refrigerator or a TV won’t matter in the end if the actual performance is less-than-stellar.

You should also look for reviews not just about the product itself, but also the manufacturer and the seller. In particular, you should check how reliable their after-sales services are. Just in case you encounter any problems, you’ll have more peace of mind knowing that you can count on hassle-free customer support.

Check Out the Energy Efficiency

For appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners, dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers, you should pay attention to the Energy Star rating. This is a 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the highest. An appliance with a 5-star rating means that the appliance is energy-efficient and also environmentally friendly. For air conditioners, in particular, make sure to check its energy efficiency ratio or EER. This will tell you how much power the unit needs in order to produce its cooling output. The higher the EER, the more energy-efficient the air conditioner is. All of these simply means that you’ll be saving more money on your utility bills.

Review the Warranties

As long as you buy from trusted suppliers, all your appliances will come with warranties. There are usually two that come with every purchase: one from the store or dealer and one from the manufacturer. Make sure to review the details of each. The most crucial details to take note of are the warranty coverages and the period of validity. The former is particularly important. Will the warranty cover repairs, including labor and parts? Is the unit qualified for replacement?

Of course, you should also check the conditions of the warranty. Most if not all warranties become void if the appliance has been tampered with in any way, even if it’s something as simple as a screw. If you’re a self-confessed handyman, think twice before you tinker with an appliance to perform small repairs. Finally, make sure to keep and organize all receipts, warranty cards, and all relevant documents. This will help make warranty claims so much easier.

Time Your Purchases

Many appliance manufacturers unveil their latest models around September or October. At this time, the previous year’s models will get a price drop. This is a perfect opportunity to make a purchase. Other ideal times to buy appliances include the end of the year, during the summer, and during big sales such as the holidays.

Remember that appliances aren’t like smartphones that you can replace every year. That’s why you need to patiently consider your options before you shell out cash or swipe your card. Keep these tips in mind to make sure you get the best appliances that meet your budget and all of your requirements. 

photo via 123rf.com

QCinema International Film Festival 2020 stages a hybrid festival with an edgy line-up for its special edition for this year!  

Known for its well curated films in this side of Southeast Asia, QCinema Special Edition returns with a slate that will either be streamed online or physically screened with a limited audience. It will take place from November 27 to December 5, 2020.

“Like many other film festivals around the world, we’ve had to adapt to the unprecedented challenges of 2020.  Factoring in safety concerns and restrictions, we’ve decided to follow the global trend of staging a hybrid film festival,” says Ed Lejano, festival director.

The festival’s socially-distanced and by-invitation-only screenings will be held on its opening day, November 27 and on November 28 at an outdoor venue in Quezon City.  

For its opening, QCinema will screen the monochromatic version of Parasite, the 2019 winner of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and Best Picture at the 2020 Oscars. The black and white version of Parasite by Bong Joon-ho was first released at the Rotterdam Film Festival last January.

QCinema will also have a ceremonial turnover of the COVID-19 assistance grant it is giving to the Inter-Guild Alliance and will announce the winners of its COVID Completion Grant at the opening. The COVID Completion Grant is for chosen independent films forced to halt production and post-production during the pandemic lockdown 

Winners of its QCShort Shorts Competition will also be announced in the said event.

On November 28, it will present to a limited number of viewers Identifying Features by Fernande Valadez and Death of Nintendo by Raya Martin.

Identifying Features won the audience award at the Sundance Film Festival 2020. It also won in the same festival the best screenplay.  Death of Nintendo is the coming of age tale which had its world premiere at Berlinale 2020. 

After the screening, QCinema will host the book launch of Philippine Cinema by Gaspar Vibal and Dennis Villegas and edited by Teddy Co.

The festival’s online screening will be released nationwide through UPSTREAM, the newly launched online Transactional Video on Demand (TVOD) streaming platform. Tickets may be purchased from the country’s largest aggregator for online cinema ticketing, GMovies.

Highlighting its online festival are four QCinema greats.

QCinema 2019, 2018, and 2017 best picture winners stage a comeback.  These are Cleaners by Glenn Barit; Oda sa Wala by Dwein Baltazar; and Balangiga Howling Wilderness by Khavn.  The fourth is the big winner at the recent Urian award, Babae at Baril by Rae Red. 

The program also includes special sections.

The Asian Special Edition includes the only PH entry at the 2020 Venice Film Festival and Malaysia’s entry to the 93rd Academy Awards. 

Genus, Pan by Lav Diaz is a look at how much human beings are like animals.  The film won for Lav Diaz the best director award in the 2020 Venice Film Festival.  Roh is a 2019 Malaysian Malay-language indie arthouse horror film by Emir Ezwan. 

Two feature films will be shown under New Horizons, QCinema’s program that puts the spotlight on first and second-time filmmakers who are receiving accolades from the international film festival circuit.

Song Without a Name is a 2019 Peruvian drama film directed by Melina León. It was screened in the Directors' Fortnight section at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. It is also the Peruvian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards.

Rom by Tran Thanh Huy, the first Vietnamese film to receive the New Current Awards at the 24th Busan International Film Festival, is also in the New Horizons section. 

Films under QCinema’s much-lauded and much-anticipated sections are also in the line-up.

This year’s RainbowQC section includes End of the Century and Suksuk.

End of the Century is an Argentine romantic drama film, directed by Lucio Castro and released in 2019.  Suksuk is a 2019 award-winning and critically acclaimed Hong Kong drama film about two secretly homosexual married men in their twilight years.  This film by Ray Yeung premiered at the 24th Busan International Film Festival. 

Lastly, Screen International section features three films that earned widespread acclaim in different film festivals.

The first film is a Brazilian drama screened in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, Divine Love by Gabriel Mascaro. 

A 2020 Cannes Film Festival selection, True Mothers, a Japanese drama film by Naomi Kawase is also in QCinema’s Screen International.  This is Japan’s entry at the 93rd Academy Awards. 

The third, Corpus Christi is a Polish film by Mateusz Pacewicz, which premiered at the 2019 Venice Film Festival and is the Polish entry in the 92nd Academy Award.

QCinemas Special Edition 2020 will include online talks on the new filmscape and free screenings of QCinema 2016, 2017, and 2019 shorts.

The film festival is supported by Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, Film Development Council of the Philippines, Outpost, Viva Communications, Inc., Treasury Wine Estates, Beringer Wine, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Megamobile, Inquirer, Click the city, Cinema Bravo, Cinema Bravo PH, Film Geek Guy, Film Police Reviews, Pelikula Mania, Blog-PH.com, Lakwatsera Lovers, and When in Manila.

More about the festival are at qcinema.ph.

Established in July 1999, Stalder Laboratories, Inc. (SLI) continues to create globally competitive products and consistently upholds its commitment to manufacture products that meet the demands of its regular clientele and prospects. Located at the heart of San Pablo City, Laguna, SLI is duly licensed as a Cosmetic and Drug Manufacturer by the Philippine FDA. It is a GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certified manufacturing facility producing Halal-certified products. For over 21 years, SLI has built its foundation on the skin care industry. It continues its obligation in providing client satisfaction by ensuring products meet their specifications and by providing confidence that products are manufactured with the best quality.

How has the new normal been affecting the laboratories' operations?

“It disrupted the operations and decreased the productivity. The management was forced to downsize and re-arrange work schedules based on the curent need. Workforce safety protocols were adapted which also affected the efficiency.”

What is your market outlook? What can clients expect you in the coming months?

“The "new normal" requires a new mindset, and that is to respond positively to this global crisis and adapt to the abrupt changes it brought in our company. We go on the offensive when our competitors are weak. Our marketing and advertising costs were minimized as we utilized the social media platform in the promotion of our products, especially those products crucial in this time of pandemic, namely: hand sanitizers, rubbing alcohol, and hand soaps.”

“We also started to engage more on selling our products through the social media and e-commerce. We maintained our focus on the needs of our customers, we respond according to their needs through launching products they keep on inquiring. Apart from that, our customer service is strengthened through adding additional work days for our regular employees to cater each and every customer in our social media pages.”

SM Malls in Baliwag and Pulilan officially welcome Christmas in the province with the recent unveiling of their Holiday centerpieces inspired by each town’s unique symbolism. 

Taking into spotlight are some of the pride attractions in Baliwag and Pulilan as SM Malls worked in hand with some of Bulacan’s best artisans, to create locally inspired centerpieces— Holiday Time travel taken away from Baliwag’s Clock Tower, and Little Drummer boy, a symbolic representation of marching band whose performance signals the start of Pulilan’s colorful festivity. 

SM City Baliwag’s picturesque Holiday Time Travel themed Christmas display transport shoppers’ imagination into the iconic Clock Tower, a popular heritage tourist attraction in Baliwag since 1930. A silent witness to this town’s colorful history, the nearly century old Clock Tower is an inspiration to SM City Baliwag’s 27 feet Christmas tree adorned with intricate element of vintage clocks and hundreds of metallic red and gold ornaments, choreographed with colorful light installations. The platform underneath was creatively outlined to form a nostalgic grandfather clock. Surrounding the centerpiece are iconic telephone booths reimagined as magical portals for time travel.  

“It has been a challenging year, but we remain sincere in sparkling hope to every Bulakenyos. This Christmas, we give honor to the local town’s pride attraction while we help uplift the works of Bulacan’s best artisans through a unique collaboration that enabled us to come up with this year’s Holiday Time Travel themed centerpiece” shares SM City Baliwag Mall Manager Rodora Tolentino. 

An intimate yet meaningful ceremonial lighting of Christmas centerpiece highlighted this year’s Christmas launch at SM City Baliwag as enchanting lights and excellent musicality signal the grand reveal. The Mall Atrium became a music hall filled with classic Christmas chants making shoppers feel more like Christmas. 

Meanwhile, SM Center Pulilan pays tribute to the town’s colorful festivity through its classic little drummer boy inspired Christmas centerpiece. Pulilan’s Kneeling Carabao festival celebrated in honor of San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers won’t be complete without the symphony of music and performances of marching percussion imaginably felt on SM Center Pulilan’s 30 feet Christmas tree surrounded by 6 feet little drummer boy figures. With nearly 20,000 LED lights and ornaments, hundred yards of garlands and wreaths, embellished with Christmas balls and ornaments in gold, silver and sparkling red, the centerpiece reflects how Pulileños celebrate tradition and shape up their faith through festivities.  

To signal Holiday, SM partners with the Department of Trade and Industry and its Buy Local, Go Lokal through Kasama ng SM campaign to support micro, small and medium enterprises by rolling out Christmas Markets highlighting local products and businesses. 

The coming days will be merrier as SM Malls in Baliwag and Pulilan celebrate Christmas with full swing festivities and entertainments the malls have in store all throughout the Holiday season. For updates, checkout SM City Baliwag and SM Center Pulilan official Facebook and Instagram pages. 

Star has always been a symbol of achievement, talent, honor, and excellence but it takes a different meaning as the country approaches the season of hope. While the pandemic won’t stop Christmas from coming, festivities for this year will be undoubtedly different but one constant still remains and that is SM’s iconic holiday centerpiece and its symbolism. 

This year’s Christmas centerpiece is inspired by the Star of Bethlehem that glows brightly, leading the three Magis to the greatest story ever told. The intricately designed 30 ft. Christmas tree will not only serve as a seasonal centerpiece in the mall but also a shining beacon of inspiration, and hope for humanity.

“2020 was a challenging year for all of us but it also gave us more reasons to celebrate Christmas” says SM City Marilao Mall Manager Emmanuel Gatmaitan. “SM City Marilao’s Christmas centerpiece hopes to inspire joy as we celebrate Bulakeño talent and craftmanship,” he added.

Because Bulacan must be the only province that has representatives in almost every category of notable personalities in the country like National Artists, culture heroes, celebrities, and even political figures. The five pointed stars honor the accomplishment of these personalities through the walk of fame that surrounds the Star of Hope. 

SM City Marilao’s repurposed Christmas tree is elegantly embellished with Christmas balls and ornaments in solid gold. Golden ornaments are meticulously fabricated as tribute to Bulakeño goldsmiths and jewelers. On the top view, the centerpiece resembles a golden crown composed of 40 grids of golden lamp posts. It is adorned by hundred yards of garlands and wreaths as well as thousands of LED lights, making the centerpiece glow from a far like a fine jewelry. 

Shoppers at SM City Marilao may also discover Christmas around every corner as they come across collection of holiday trees and wreaths spread throughout the mall. There would also be interactive virtual surprises and family filled Christmas activities that will add extra touch of wonder to holiday shopping.

As part of our Kasama Ng SM campaign to support micro, small and medium enterprises, SM City Marilao also expanded its efforts to support local through the Christmas Market located at the mall atrium. Christmas Market will be rolled out all throughout the season to help rebuild Filipino businesses. 

SM’s holiday centerpieces have been a part of the longstanding tradition that ushers in Christmas time in the province. SM City Marilao’s Christmas Tree will be on display until January 3, 2021

Armed with a promise to provide its consumers with a smarter way to watch, enjoy, and play without breaking the bank, ROWA enters the Philippine market through its official store in Lazada. Starting this November, Filipinos can now enjoy and experience the brand’s high-quality Smart Android TVs available at an affordable price.

ROWA is a consumer electronics and home appliance company under the TCL Group of Companies, the fast-growing electronics company and leading player in the Global TV industry. ROWA is known as a game player when it comes to high quality smart televisions and top of the line home devices. It has already set its footprint in different countries in Asia and continues to be on the game as it offers value for money products. 

Feature-packed but affordable Smart Android TVs

Kick starting their launch in the Philippines, ROWA will introduce its very first series of Smart Android TVs that are feature-packed but are surely made affordable. Ranging from 32 inches to 55 inches with full-HD and 4K resolution, these TVs are built with more exciting features customized to fit the needs of the Filipino market. 

The ROWA L51 series will offer consumers a bang for the buck with all the goodness they can experience with a Smart Android TV. Equipped with the latest Android System certified by Google, consumers can enjoy all the smart features it offers with Google Assistant, Voice Control, and Google Chromecast. Moreover, it also comes with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, HDMI, USB ports, and more. 

ROWA 32L51 – 32-inch Full HD Smart Android TV – P12,095

ROWA 40L51 – 40-inch Full HD Smart Android TV – P15,995 

Engineered with the 4K resolution and QLED technology, the ROWA T61 series is for consumers with an extra budget for an upgrade. Now they can enjoy their usual Netflix and YouTube chill moments in a bigger and better viewing screen. Lastly, all ROWA TVs come with a two-year warranty with nationwide after-sales service.

ROWA 43T61 – 43-inch 4K Smart Android TV – P20,695

ROWA 55T61 – 55-inch 4K Smart Android TV – P27,895

Enjoy BIG discount and more at ROWA’s Grand Opening Sale!

Consumers can enjoy up to 40% OFF from SRP, free shipping nationwide, free gifts, up to P1000 worth of vouchers, and more at the ROWA’s Grand Opening Sale this November 11, 2020, at the Lazada 11.11 One Day Biggest Sale.

Learn more about ROWA and visit their Lazada Flagship Store and search for ROWA

Teleperformance, the worldwide leader in outsourced omnichannel customer experience, marks newest milestone with the launch of their first business site in Cavite after 24 years of operations in the Philippines.

Officially called Teleperformance Molino, the company’s recruitment center located at Vista Mall has already opened its doors to applicants, while the operations site – its 22nd in the country – will open first week of November.

The launch of Teleperformance Molino comes at a time of an ever-increasing need for an economic boost and career opportunities due to the pandemic. Teleperformance’s entry into the province known as the Land of Brave Heroes is a signal of the company’s optimism in the Philippines’ IT-BPM industry and in the potential of Cavite, as the investment encourages job generation and industry advancement in the region.

Teleperformance Philippines Chief Operations Officer Mike Lytle conveyed his excitement over the company’s newest site. “Even with the ongoing pandemic, Teleperformance remains optimistic in the country’s growth and continues to believe and invest in Filipino talent. Our new site in Molino marks another milestone for the company. We are excited to be in Cavite as we see it as one of the fastest growing provinces in the Philippines, with great potential to become a regional growth hub. We believe that this new venture during this period can contribute to the country’s push for provincial development and to the overall recovery of our economy.”

Since they began operations in the country in 1996, Teleperformance Philippines has grown to be a preferred offshore contact center outsourcing option for some of the world’s largest companies, as well as local brands. Its wide portfolio of customer experience solutions, all of which will be offered in their Molino site, is a testament to the company’s passion for innovation and use of state-of-the-art technologies, especially now with the push for digitalization in the country and the need for businesses to adapt to the new working environment. Combining these solutions with the right human resources and safety measures, Teleperformance implements a high-tech and high-touch transformation strategy that delivers a differentiated customer experience.

One of its solutions, the Teleperformance Cloud Campus, allows agents to remain connected and collaborative, while telecommuting through a centralized command center that can even allow clients to interact with their workforce. This was instrumental in helping the company quickly adjust to the lockdown earlier this year and transfer over 50 percent of its workforce to a work-at-home arrangement within a few weeks.

Milestone event in Cavite 

In the launch event called “Brave New Horizon”, Teleperformance took guests on a tour of its newest recruitment center. There was also a preview of the soon-to-open BPO operations site, which will have complete facilities like nap rooms, gender-neutral bathrooms, lactation rooms, a clinic, and entertainment rooms – all of these free and available for use by their employees to encourage health and safety, fun, and camaraderie in the workplace.

Gracing the virtual launch and expressing their congratulations were the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Director General Charito B. Plaza, Bacoor City Mayor Lani Mercado-Revilla, Managing Director of Vista Land Commercial Division Rep. Camille Villar, and IT-Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) President Rey Untal. 

In his remarks, Secretary Bello commended the BPO industry “for successfully navigating the new normal.” He went on to highlight that “Teleperformance is a shining example of the BPO industry’s tremendous growth and resiliency. Your presence in the country for the past 24 years and continuing robust performance are manifestations that the industry will continue to be at the forefront of economic recovery and development.”

PEZA Director General Plaza echoed the optimism and noted that “amidst this pandemic, Teleperformance continues to be a vanguard for development and a staunch provider of employment for the Filipino people. We firmly believe that real, sustainable economic development stems from enabling every Filipino and every family to have a stable source of livelihood and income through the investments and reinvestments of companies such as Teleperformance in PEZA’s economic zones.”

Meanwhile, Mayor Mercado-Revilla acknowledged the arrival of Teleperformance as a herald for other companies to see Bacoor as a good business location owing to its prospects to be the business hub of CALABARZON region. 

“Tons of thanks to you, Teleperformance. Thank you for your vision, for your trust, and for blazing the trail for the people of Bacoor, of Cavite, and the whole region to set sail on this brave new horizon to a bright and prosperous future for everyone,” said the Mayor.

IBPAP President Rey Untal also congratulated the company for this milestone. “I’m sure it was no small feat, and the fact that the team was able to push forward with this despite the present climate speaks volumes of your capacity to adapt and grow in strength no matter the circumstances. The ripple effect that this Teleperformance milestone will have on the advancement and expansion of the sector and its allied industries in the region will be felt for many years to come.”

Rep. Camille Villar, Vista Land Commercial Division Managing Director, welcomed Teleperformance into the VistaMall community. “We are excited to forge this partnership with Teleperformance. We hope to work hand in hand with you in creating jobs and helping boost the economy of Bacoor. VistaMall is indeed your partner.” 

Teleperformance is the leading global group in digital integrated business services, recently winning the Frost & Sullivan 2020 Asia Pacific Services Provider of the Year Award and, earlier this year, its third consecutive Great Place to Work® certification. Currently, the organization has around 47,000 employees from business sites located in Metro Manila, Antipolo, Bacoor, Baguio, Bacolod, Cebu, Davao, and Cagayan De Oro.

The shift to the new normal begins for QCinema International Film Festival. Regarded as one of the leading international film festivals in Southeast Asia, QCinema is the flagship project of Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte aimed at pushing forward Quezon City‘s brand as the film capital of the country.   

The challenges of the past year have led QCinema to reinvent their festival format into a QCinema Special Edition 2020. Aptly titled QCinema: A New Filmscape, this year’s festival is slated to run from November 27 to December 6, 2020.    

“As a universal art form, cinema connects us all through stories about compassion, love, forgiveness, human goodness, faith, hope, and destiny. We are not daunted, but we embrace this new filmscape” says Mayor Joy Belmonte. 

The QCinema 2020 lineup will be released nationwide through Upstream, the newly launched online Transactional Video on Demand (TVOD) streaming platform, and tickets may be purchased from the country’s largest aggregator for online cinema ticketing, GMovies.

The partnership between Upstream and GMovies will allow anyone in the Philippines to access QCinema’s 2020 films anytime. This is a leap in its coverage as previous QCinemas were confined only to Metro Manila venues and theaters.

“This period of vast isolation has presented an opportunity for QCinema to reach out to more audiences from across the country. For our special #QCinema2020 edition, we will adapt, explore and take on new forms,” says QCinema festival director Ed Lejano.

This year’s program will be a mix of foreign and local films. Included in the streaming line-up are past QCinema #AsianNextWave and Circle Competition grantees.

QCinema is known for its unique grants that give full ownership to the filmmakers. Earlier this year though, the festival announced the cancellation of its grants for 2019 – the Asian Next Wave and the QCShorts grants, in consideration of the filmmakers’ safety and wellbeing.

Aside from the streaming of its films, the film festival will also host a variety of online and offline events.

Prior to the 10-day event, QCinema will stream for free its past #QCShorts grantees on its social media accounts and website (QCinema.ph).

“QCinema has been my favorite local film festival since its inception, bringing together unflinchingly original filmmakers from around the globe like Yorgos Lanthimos and Gaspar Noe and pairing them with brave new Filipino voices like Dwein Baltazar and Timmy Harn. By making the entries accessible on Upstream in partnership with GMovies, these contemporary classics can now be viewed by the whole nation,” said Globe Studios Head, Quark Henares.

“QCinema has been my favorite local film festival since its inception, bringing together unflinchingly original filmmakers from around the globe like Yorgos Lanthimos and Gaspar Noe and pairing them with brave new Filipino voices like Dwein Baltazar and Timmy Harn. By making the entries accessible on Upstream in partnership with GMovies, these contemporary classics can now be viewed by the whole nation,” said Globe Studios Head, Quark Henares. 

During the festival proper, the festival will host a gathering to give grants to Inter-Guild Alliance and select independent films, the production of which were halted because of the pandemic.  It will also award six short films that present the lighter side of quarantine. 

Aside from these, there will also be talks on the new filmscape.