SM Supermalls begins 100 Days of Happiness

To kickstart the Christmas countdown, SM Supermalls began its 100 Days of Happiness last September 16, where they aim to create a circle of happiness with 76 participating malls, shoppers, the marginalized communities of women, persons deprived of liberty, artisans, cause-oriented organizations, and select local government units.

"We want to create a circle of happiness in all our SM malls by featuring products of cause-oriented programs which we will offer to our shoppers who, in turn, give them to friends and family, and ultimately, benefit the communities that created these products," said SM Supermalls President Steven T. Tan.

Through the campaign, SM Supermalls encourages Filipinos to support the advocacies of individuals and organizations that provide opportunities and create livelihood for their communities. For this year, SM partnered with bag designer Zarah Juan, Spark PH, the Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP), the Association of Foot and Mouth Artists of the Philippines, UNICEF, and the Quezon City LGU for its Vote to Tote initiative, among others.

The launch event held at SM North EDSA The Block was attended by SM Supermalls President Steven Tan and SVP for Marketing Joaquin San Agustin; Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Vice Mayor Gian Sotto, and select councilors of the city; Spark PH Founder Mica Teves; GSP President Dr. Nina Lim-Yuson; designer Zarah Juan; and Brownies Unlimited Marketing head Dustin Ngo.

Equipping young girls to lead and build the future, one box of brownies at a time

For this year’s 100 Days campaign, SM Megamall, along with 9 other SM malls, is collaborating with Brownies Unlimited and the Girl Scouts of the Philippines. For every purchase of a special GSP-themed box of brownies in-mall and via the SM Malls Online App, one girl will be sponsored with a GSP membership for a year. 

"We have a lot of young girls across the country and they've had such difficult times during the pandemic. Our membership dropped significantly. By buying a box, you can sponsor a girl for one year and she can learn so many things like being independent, loving her country more, and helping her community," said GSP President Nina Lim-Yuson.

Recently, SM Supermalls helped the GSP vaccinate all its 70,000 members nationwide. By providing them with convenient and safe COVID-19 vaccines, SM Supermalls was able to ensure that the GSP members have access to quality healthcare services. 

SM shoppers can purchase a box of brownies from 46 Brownies Unlimited branches nationwide and the SM Malls Online App.

Giving marginalized women and persons deprived of liberty hope for the future

Apart from the GSP partnership, SM Supermalls also partnered with the local government of Quezon City for its Vote to Tote program, Spark PH, and bag designer Zarah Juan to sell upcycled tarpaulin handmade tote bags sewn by marginalized women and female persons deprived of liberty.

"Christmas is all about giving. We are very happy that this year, the communities of Quezon City are included as beneficiaries in this program. And apart from helping the women in our communities, we are also able to help the environment by upcycling 70 tons of election tarpaulins that we've collected." said Mayor Belmonte.

Juan, the designer, was the brainchild of the upcycling initiative. "During the elections, there were tons of election campaign wastes. I wanted to do something and I thought I have my platform– my designs. If my designs can actually solve this problem, then it's worthwhile. Then I pitched the idea to Maica Teves, the founder of Spark PH. From there, we gathered all the help we can– from the Quezon City LGU who will help us collect tarpaulins, the women communities that can help us create, and SM Supermalls who can provide us the platform to distribute."

A Happiness Walk was done to showcase the upcycled tote bags that shoppers can buy in SM malls. Joining the Happiness Walk were men and women of substance including select Girl Scouts members, Jeremy Lapena and Bernce Sevilla of the Downs Syndrome Association of the Phils, Mylene Abiva of WomenBiz, media celebrities Ces Oreña Drilon, and Gina Pareño among others.

The proceeds of the upcycled tote bags will be given to the women PDLs in Camp Karingal, and the marginalized women of Barangays Sto. Cristo, Greater Lagro, and Pinyahan in Quezon City. The tote bags will be sold in the following SM malls:

• SM Aura Premier

• SM Southmall

• SM City Fairview

• SM City North EDSA

• SM Megamall

Helping a community of artists 

And in the south of Metro Manila, the SM Mall of Asia family will be partnering with the Association of Foot and Mouth Artists in selling painted Christmas cards to the shoppers.

"All these and more will start to unfold in the coming days as we continue spreading happiness across all SM malls around the country. Let us not waste our next 100 days and use it to make one another happy by giving. Today, let the countdown begin to a hundred days of happiness!” Tan closed.

This is the second time SM Supermalls has started a holiday countdown campaign. In 2021, the biggest mall network in the Philippines showed the world more than a hundred ways of giving through 100 Days of Caring. Underserved communities surrounding the 76 SM malls were provided with their urgent needs through in-kind and monetary donations by the malls, its various business units, and the employees. 

For the list of all partner institutions and their beneficiaries visit www.smsupermalls.com and follow @smsupermalls on all social media accounts.

Is Your Home Clean and Safe this Holiday Season?

Pasig City, Philippines – [December 16, 2021] – Last year, the pandemic stole our Christmas as if the COVID-19 virus was the Grinch. But this year, due to people’s continued compliance with safety protocols, as well as the ongoing rollout of the nationwide vaccination program, quarantine restrictions have now been less stringent, especially since health authorities record a lower number of COVID-19 cases every day.

While everything is, in a way, now slowly going back to normal, with the holiday season just around the corner, welcoming Christmas guests is inevitable. And yes, it does not mean that we need to let our guards down since the sickness-causing virus still lurks around.

Aside from continuously following health protocols, what more can you do to ensure that your home remains free from the harmful COVID-19? Here are some tips as listed by Pine-Sol, a trusted cleaner for the home since 1929, to keep your home safe and clean so you can have a merry, worry-free, and Pine-tastic Christmas this season.

Start to declutter

Admit it. There’s nothing that feels homier whenever you see your house organized—no dirty dishes in the kitchen, no traces of shoe dirt on your walkway, no dirty laundry on the floor, and no random food wrappers sitting under the sofa.

So, unleash your inner Marie Kondo, and start tidying your space as the first step to make your home clean. Also, be sure to throw away the garbage. Remember, less mess, less stress.

Wipe down your home

Regularly cleaning your home after welcoming guests reduces the risk of spreading the virus. So, with a mixture of water and Pine-Sol Original, the No.1 pine-scented dilutable cleaner, always remember to clean the places your guests visit at your home.

As it has no rinsing requirement except for rubber or asphalt tile, you can just wipe down your entryway, floors, tables, kitchen countertops, bathrooms, doorknobs, windows, and other high-touch surfaces. And while it powerfully cleans your home and is safe on surfaces, it also deodorizes terrible odors and gives you a fresh and longer-lasting pine fragrance to enjoy this Christmas season.

Always disinfect

Isn’t cleaning the same as disinfecting? For the books, cleaning uses a mixture of water and soap for surface dirt and impurities, while disinfecting uses products to kill germs and viruses.

We don’t want our home to be the mutation ground of bacteria and viruses that cause infectious diseases, like the COVID-19 virus. That is why it is also necessary to disinfect your spaces thoroughly by using Pine-Sol Original to kill viruses on high-touch or exposed surfaces.

With the power to kill 99.9% of germs, including the COVID-19 virus, pour a concentrated portion of Pine-Sol Original in a sponge or cloth and wipe it on a wet surface. To effectively disinfect and help control the spread of the coronavirus, let it remain for 10 minutes on hard and nonporous surfaces, such as finished hardwood, cement, ceramic tiles, glass, plastic, carpet, linoleum, and granite, then wash it off.

“This holiday season, we at Clorox want to make sure that everyone is safe from the COVID-19 virus. Even if the country is slowly going back to normal, we must protect our loved ones from sickness. That’s why it’s important always to keep our home safe and clean so everyone can have a merry and worry-free Christmas,” said Monique Gonzalez, Marketing Manager for Clorox Southeast Asia.

To learn more about Pine-Sol Original, visit the website at https://www.pinesol.com/products/original-pine-cleaner/.

Christmas Feast Ideas That You'll Love

There are two traditional feasts that Filipino families often look forward to during Christmastime: the Christmas Eve Noche Buena and the one that follows on the 25th itself, which is often held as part of a festive family reunion. Either way, expect those in charge of preparing the dishes to pull out all the stops to serve the most delectable food on the table for everyone to enjoy.

And if that happens to be you, chances are high that you already have some recipes in mind to make each of these feasts a gastronomic delight to remember. They might even be all-time family favorites, or even hand-me-downs from your great-great grandparents. Having said that, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to learn a few more recipes just to keep things fresh and put something different on the table for Christmas. Two that are guaranteed to make you look like Master Chef are Meatballs in Black Truffle Sauce and Three-Cheese Truffle Macaroni and Cheese.

The recipes are as follows:

Meatballs in Black Truffle Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 slices white bread crusts removed, broken into pieces

• scant 2/3 cup whole milk

• 2 1/4 cups finely minced ground beef (or a mixture of meats, such as pork, chicken or turkey)

• 1/2 cup meat pâté

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Plain all-purpose flour, for dusting

• Olive oil for frying

FOR THE BLACK TRUFFLE SAUCE

• 1 tablespoon + 2 tsp butter

• A drizzle of olive oil

• 1 bunch spring onions scallions, finely chopped

• 1 carrot finely chopped

• 1 heaped cup button or oyster mushrooms finely chopped

• 3 1/2 tablespoon plain all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup white wine

• 2 cups beef chicken or vegetable stock

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary

• 1/2 cup double heavy cream

• 1/2 teaspoon Umbria Black Truffle Sauce

Instructions

1. Place the bread in a bowl and pour over the milk. Set aside to soak.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together the meat and the pâté. Add the soaked bread and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix until smooth and well combined. Form meatballs by rolling walnut-sized pieces of the mixture between your hands. They should be about 1oz each. Dust the meatballs in flour.

3. Heat some oil in a shallow pan over a medium-high heat and fry the meatballs just until they are golden. Do not overcook at this stage as we are going to finish them in the sauce. Set aside.

4. To make the sauce, heat the butter and olive oil in a pan over a medium-low heat and add the finely chopped spring onions, carrot and mushrooms. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the onion is transparent. Reduce the temperature to low and add the flour to the pan, stirring with a wooden spoon to make a roux. Cook for about 4 minutes and then add the wine, continuing to stir until you get a paste and the alcohol has evaporated, then add the stock with the salt and rosemary. Keep stirring and cooking until the sauce thickens, then add the cream, stirring so that the mixture doesn’t split or curdle. Add the meatballs to the sauce and cook for a further 5 minutes.

5. Put Umbria Black Truffle Sauce into the sauce, mix and fold and serve hot.

Three-Cheese Truffle Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter, divided

1 cup mushroom (75 g), sliced

1 pinch salt

1 pinch pepper

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk (240 mL)

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese (110 g)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (100 g)

2 cups shell pasta (400 g), cooked

TOPPINGS

½ teaspoon Umbria truffle oil

1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

Preparation

1. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper and cook until the mushrooms are softened. Remove from the pot.

2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour to the pot. Whisk until the flour is toasted, approximately 2 minutes.

3. Add the milk while whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Cook until the sauce is thickened.

4. Whisk in the Parmesan and cheddar cheeses and season with salt and pepper.

5. Add the cooked pasta and mushrooms. Mix until the sauce coats the pasta well.

6. Top with Umbria truffle oil, fold and add chives.

Of course, it’s understandable that you’d stop at nothing to make these year’s Christmas celebrations as grand as possible. After all, last year’s Holidays were mostly muted due to the pandemic. Now, the scourge that is COVID-19 is still here, but the country is showing signs of recovery and the quarantine restrictions are easing as a result.

However, that doesn’t mean you and your family should be letting your guard down. Rather, continue to be vigilant even as you think of ways to gather everyone this Christmastime—ideally, sharing some sumptuous Meatballs in Umbria Black Truffle Sauce and servings of mouthwatering Three-Cheese Umbria White Truffle Macaroni and Cheese.

Merry Christmas!

Here’s the top gift ideas from your favorite personalities this holiday

Manila Philippines, December 2021 - ‘Tis the season to be jolly! For us Filipinos, exchanging gifts and spending time with our families and loved ones never gets old, and can never start too early. But if planning is not your strong suit, there’s still enough time to go gift shopping and plan virtual or IRL get-togethers in the weeks leading up to Christmas. 

If you have yet decided on what to give or do, say no more as we listed top gift ideas from Dasuri Choi and Blacklist International to make your holiday with your loved ones more Joy-Full. 

Bonding over food 

Similar to our old Filipino Christmas tradition, our resident Korean (but Filipino by heart), Dasuri Choi recommends celebrating this holiday by arranging an intimate dinner with your family and closest friends. “Here in Korea mga chingu, Christmas is spending time with people you love. We don’t have Korean dishes specific for Christmas but parang sa Pilipinas, we like celebrating with lots of food,” Dasuri added. If you’re not an ace in the kitchen, there’s no need to worry. OPPO is offering its smartphone users exclusive holiday discounts on Let’s Eat Pare merchants like Brunchmate, Lulu’s, Manok PH and more, through MyOPPO App, so you can have an easy time preparing a meal for the important people in your life. 

Finding practical and useful gifts

When determining a perfect gift, OhMyV33nus from Blacklist International looks into something that the receiver will use often or something that will replace their old ones. Upgrading things such as watches, headphones, tablets, and phones are your best bet this Christmas if you want to give out practical gifts. OhMyV33nus said, “Whenever I buy gifts for my family, I always think of something that they can use everyday, specifically sa gadgets. I want them to have a seamless device like how I like mine.”

OhMyV33nus recommends the new OPPO A95, a reliable and high-performing smartphone, for everyone who wants to upgrade their loved ones’ mobile devices this Christmas season. With its long-lasting 5000 mAh battery, All-Day Eye Care Feature and 8GB RAM+128GB ROM and all for Php15,999, it’s a smart upgrade for any heavy mobile user.

Treating loved ones and yourself to some exciting promos and sales

If we could give our faves the world every Christmas, there’s no doubt we would. So why not the next best thing: treating them to year end sales and promos so they can get everything they want - and more! Wise of Blacklist International advises to take advantage of the OPPO Joy-Full Sale, until December 31, 2021, so you can extend the holiday cheer beyond the 25th. 

Purchase any OPPO smartphone under Php9,500 this December and get Php700 off OPPO IoT gadgets, like OPPO Band, Enco Buds and more. And if you’re eyeing smartphones priced Php9,500 and above, you can also take home a P700 off IoT voucher, G25 earphones, or 32GB memory card. 

Double and even triple your holiday cheer with the Joy-Full OPPO Sale!

For more updates and detailed promotion mechanics about the sale, visit OPPO’s official website at www.oppo.com/ph or via the official Facebook page at OPPO Philippines. Or visit OPPO official stores on Shopee and Lazada.

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About OPPO

OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since the launch of its first mobile phone - “Smiley Face” - in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology. Today, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO provides its users with the ColorOS operating system and internet services like OPPO Cloud and OPPO+. OPPO operates in more than 40 countries and regions, with 6 Research Institutes and 5 R&D Centers worldwide, as well as an International Design Center in London. More than 40,000 of OPPO's employees are dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world

Coca-Cola launches new Christmas Campaign under Real Magic™ Platform

Manila, Philippines – Coca-Cola, the Philippines’ most-loved beverage brand, heralds this year’s season with “Buksan ang Magic ng Pasko,” a holiday campaign that celebrates the real magic of community and togetherness. The multi-faceted campaign carries, at its heart a simple message of festive joy and inclusion; reminding us that real magic is in the moments of connection we share with others.

“Most of us grew up with Coca-Cola. As a brand, we consider ourselves fortunate to have been given the opportunity to be part of every Filipino table and witness the real magic of human connections, especially during Christmas. From celebrating every occasion to being a source of comfort – Coke serves as that uplifting pause that connects people, in friendship and in community, over a meal or a glass of Coke – and we see this even more pronounced during Christmas,” says Cesar Gangoso, Coca-Cola Marketing Director for Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia. 

Coca-Cola, with its 100-year-old history with the Filipino community, signals the start of Christmas celebrations with a full line up of experiences that people can enjoy. This includes a display of creative out-of-home images that celebrate people, colorful packs, lights and sound festival, well-decorated bottling facilities all over the country, and the infamous Coca-Cola truck going around to surprise 10 local communities.

Gangoso adds, “Christmas for most Filipinos has been a bit different for the past two years. However, what has always been consistent is the familiar comfort that family and friends bring. This year is no different, and just like in the past, Coca-Cola will continue to be part of everyone’s story.”

Coca-Cola’s Real Magic brand philosophy believes that magic is everywhere. It is alive in quiet moments and in grand celebrations. It is in every new experience discovered and nostalgic memories remembered. It is real in shared moments with people we love and even with our community, whether these connections are made physically or virtually.

 

Of course, Christmas will not be the same without iconic films. Buksan ang Magic ng Pasko is anchored by a new short film and supported by a series of activations across digital channels including influencer partnerships and in-store activations. The new film, directed by Sam Brown of Rogue Films and created by dentsuMB UK, embraces and celebrates human kindness with a renewed relevance for the world we live in today. Its uplifting tale shows a boy whose imagination and efforts gather a community’s goodwill at Christmas, creating a shared moment of magic around a festive meal and a Coke.

Coca-Cola Philippines has a series of activities for this holiday season. Buksan ang magic ng Pasko! Celebrate #PaskongCocaCola and the people around you who make moments of connection and hope truly magical. Visit facebook.com/CocaColaPhilippines to learn more.

Share in the Spirit of Giving with ShopeePay this Holiday Season

MANILA, DECEMBER 3, 2021 - This holiday season, ShopeePay, Shopee’s integrated mobile wallet, makes giving easier and more convenient. With ShopeePay, enjoy meaningful holiday traditions by showing generosity and expressing gratitude through gifts, and donating to chosen charitable organizations. Here are ways to go cashless this holiday season with ShopeePay.

Send money with Christmas-themed Virtual Greeting Cards

Filipinos are all about traditions, especially during Christmas time - from attending Simbang Gabi, hanging parols, and giving and receiving aguinaldo with family members. ShopeePay keeps this Christmas tradition alive by letting users send money for free to other ShopeePay users. Users can personalize their ShopeePay aguinaldo with virtual Christmas cards. Here’s how to send money via ShopeePay:

1. In the ShopeePay Wallet, tap ‘Send Money’ and select ‘To Shopee User’

2. Enter the phone number or Shopee username of the person you want to send money to

3. Input the amount to be transferred, and select from the different virtual cards to personalize the transfer

4. Enter ShopeePay PIN to confirm the transaction.

To send money to other ShopeePay users, you must have a verified ShopeePay account. 

Buy holiday gifts and Scan To Pay with ShopeePay  in over 15,000 stores nationwide.

This Christmas, have a seamless gift shopping experience with ShopeePay. Enjoy cashless transactions and score exclusive cashback or discounts when you scan to pay via ShopeePay QR in over 15,000 partner merchant stores nationwide. For your fashionista friends, shop for gifts at Penshoppe, Plains & Prints, Olympic Village, OXGN, Regatta, and Anello. Workaholic or tech-savvy family members can enjoy gifts from National Bookstore, Digital Walker, MemoXpress, or Power Mac Center; all of which accept ShopeePay as an in-store payment method. 

Christmas baskets are also great to give during the holidays, which can be purchased at Puregold, Family Mart, Newstar Shopping Mart, and other grocery and convenience stores. Something even better than physical presents is quality time; with ShopeePay, you can treat your loved ones at BonChon, Mary Grace, Papa John’s Pizza, Fruitas, and many more food and beverage establishments. Stretch that budget even more this Christmas with ShopeePay P1 Deals, to get discounts at restaurants, for food and beverage items, groceries, and more. 

Share your blessings when you Donate with ShopeePay. 

Through ShopeePay, you can also conveniently give to your preferred charitable organization. Among the many NGOs you can donate to include, ABS-CBN Foundation, Gawad Kalinga, GMA Kapuso Foundation, Red Cross, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Save Philippine Seas, UNICEF, Virlanie Foundation, World Vision, and more.  To see the full list of charities and their QR codes visit https://shopee.ph/m/scan-to-pay#anchorId-Donate. 

There are two ways to donate via ShopeePay:

Scan the Charity’s QR Code

1. Go to the ShopeePay homepage and select “Scan.”

2. Scan the charity’s QR code. 

Note: This can be found on the Shopee app or website (https://shopee.ph/m/scan-to-pay#anchorId-Donate) or on the charity’s social media page or website

3. Enter the donation amount and proceed to pay using ShopeePay.

Upload the Charity’s QR Code

1. Go to the ShopeePay homepage and select “Scan.”

2. Select the image icon found on the top right of the screen

3. Upload the image of the charity’s QR code from your phone’s gallery

4. Enter the donation amount and proceed to pay using ShopeePay.

Ruoshan Tao, Head of ShopeePay Online, Philippines, said, “We want ShopeePay to be a meaningful part of the holidays for our users. We are committed to being a platform for good, providing our users with seamless and easy access to digital financial services, especially during this happiest time of the year.  As 2021 comes to an end, we will continue to improve our features to serve the local community to the best of our ability, and help more Filipinos access the benefits of ShopeePay.”

Buy Load, Pay Bills, and Scan to Pay with ShopeePay for safe and cashless transactions this Holiday season. Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

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About Shopee

Shopee is the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia & Taiwan. Shopee connects shoppers, brands, and sellers across Asia and other fast-growing markets, empowering anyone to buy and sell anywhere and at any time. 

 

Shopee offers an easy, secure, and engaging experience that is enjoyed by millions of people daily. It offers a wide product assortment, supported by integrated payments and logistics, as well as popular entertainment features tailored for each market. Shopee is also a key contributor to the region’s digital economy with a firm commitment to helping brands and entrepreneurs succeed in e-commerce.

 

Shopee is a part of Sea Limited (NYSE:SE), a leading global consumer internet company. In addition to Shopee, Sea’s other core businesses include its digital entertainment arm, Garena, and digital financial services arm, SeaMoney. Sea’s mission is to better the lives of consumers and small businesses with technology.

 

About ShopeePay
ShopeePay is an integrated mobile wallet that offers users easy access to digital payment services. Launched in the Philippines in 2019, ShopeePay enables a seamless shopping experience by allowing users to make online payments on Shopee, top-up their wallets, and transfer and withdraw funds.

ShopeePay makes it easier to shop and do business. It provides users with a convenient, secure, and rewarding payment option; it empowers businesses and helps them capture new opportunities. 

ShopeePay is part of SeaMoney, the digital financial services arm of Sea Group. A leading digital payments and financial services provider in Southeast Asia, SeaMoney’s mission is to better the lives of individuals and businesses in the region with financial services through technology.