You plan to move to the Philippines? Wollen Sie auf den Philippinen leben?

There are REALLY TONS of websites telling us how, why, maybe why not and when you'll be able to move to the Philippines. I only love to tell and explain some things "between the lines". Enjoy reading, be informed, have fun and be entertained too!

Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!

Saturday, October 19, 2024

Ogie Alcasid praises OFWs

BY ROBERT REQUINTINA

Oct 18, 2024 01:14 PM

AT A GLANCE

Janice Chang, Global Brand Lead for Sendwave Philippines, expressed her enthusiasm for the collaboration.

Filipino music icon Ogie Alcasid shared that he has long admired the commitment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to provide for their families.

During a press conference held in Morato, Quezon City recently, Ogie praised the hardworking Filipinos abroad as he was announced as the celebrity endorser for Sendwave, an international money transfer service.

Sendwave said the new partnership highlights Ogie’s support for the company's mission of providing overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with secure remittances and fast and charge no transfer fees.

“Noon pa man, saludo na ako sa ating mga OFW. Hindi biro ang kanilang pagkawalay at pakikibagay sa ibang bansa para magtrabaho. Naniniwala ako na sa tulong ng Sendwave, makakampante ang ating mga OFW na magpadala ng pera sa kanilang mga pamilya sa Pilipinas nang sigurado, mabilis, at affordable," said Ogie.

(“I look up to our OFWs. Being away from home and adapting to another country for work is hard. I believe that, with Sendwave, our OFWs can feel confident that their families back home in the Philippines will receive their remittances in a safe, fast, and affordable way.”)

Ogie Alcasid and Janice Chang, Global Brand Lead for Sendwave Philippines

Janice Chang, Global Brand Lead for Sendwave Philippines, expressed her enthusiasm for the collaboration.

“We're so excited to welcome Ogie Alcasid to the Sendwave community. Ogie is beloved among Filipino families worldwide for his talent, humor, and deep connection to family values, making him the perfect ambassador for Sendwave. With Ogie on board, we’re confident we can further our mission of helping OFWs support their loved ones, no matter the distance, by sending money with no transfer fees," said Janice.

Sendwave was founded in 2014, and since it kicked off operations in the Philippines in 2021, it has simplified the remittance process for OFWs affordably. Users can send money directly from their phones through the Sendwave app as quickly as text messages.

The app ensures that hard-earned money reaches loved ones fast, eliminating the need for form-filling, queuing, visiting banks or remittance centers. Sendwave supports transfers to bank accounts, cash pickups and mobile wallets, offering a hassle-free experience without additional transfer fees.

Chang emphasized the importance of OFW remittances: “In 2023, OFW remittances constituted nearly 7.7 percent of the country's GDP. These remittances are essential to Filipino families, so it is our mission at Sendwave to ensure that OFWs can send their hard-earned money home easily, safely, and affordably."

As part of Zepz, Sendwave continues to expand its global reach, and with Ogie as its new ambassador, the company is ready to launch exciting new campaigns to help OFWs stay connected with their families back home.

Style Weekend: Dressing up as a form of self-care

In a world where fads and trends dominate the scene, wearing pieces that reflect who we are can be therapeutic.

BY MB LIFESTYLE

Compiled and photographed by Loucel Hemongala

“What We Wore” is a section that highlights our readers’ outfits, detailing the stories behind how they layer, pair, and accessorize each piece. If you’d like us to feature your unique sense of style, post a photo of your look on social media and use the hashtags #StyleWeekend and #SWWhatWeWore. Don’t forget to tag and follow us @styleweekend.ph on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. We can’t wait to see your looks!

I feel like my personal style evolves every day as I stay inspired by everything around me. “It’s an art of substitution.” Just do you. Every week, I’ve been hustling here and there, making sure I have time for the people I love while trying to sustain my life and care for my new pet, Nigo. Shout out to her hoomum, Kassi G.—Okami Wolf

I tend to stay in on weekends, but when I do go out with my boyfriend or friends, I opt for a comfortable yet slightly stylish look. I wore a T-shirt dress I got from my mother, allowing me to enjoy food without discomfort. I also sported a black ball cap for the sunny weather, denim shorts for ease of movement, and heels to compensate for my height. A black outfit complements my skin tone and, despite my soft and shy nature, it empowers me to embrace changes in my body and feel confident as a woman. My #StyleWeekend kicks off with a bang on Friday night after working from home. I dive into karaoke, treat myself to some yummy food, and get lost in ongoing anime and manhwa. Even though weekends are my rest days, they aren’t entirely free of chores like laundry and household tasks. Still, despite my busy weekday grind, I make sure to start my weekend with a positive vibe and recharge before Monday rolls around again. Weekends can be fun, even when you're taking it easy!—Engr. Karla Mae

Wearing comfortable, cool, and light clothes makes me feel confident on the pickleball court. My outfit feels great and helps me enhance my game, proving that fashion and sport can go hand in hand. My #StyleWeekend revolves around pickleball, as I host a popular Street Pickleball program every weekend in Ortigas Center. From setting up courts to welcoming players, I enjoy playing, teaching, and socializing with so many amazing people. We love pickleball because it brings people together, improves our physical fitness, and allows us to showcase our unique fashion sense on the court.—Coni Ibañez

I shape my identity through my style, seamlessly blending casual fashion with an air of sophistication. As a soon-to-graduate senior high school student, the pressures can be overwhelming, yet I find solace in expressing myself through my outfits each day. I particularly cherish my chic bayonet glasses, inspired by the playful yet refined aesthetic of Bini Maloi. My ensemble reflects my personality—which is feminine, vibrant, and full of life—while harmonizing modern and traditional influences. These bayonet glasses add a striking, whimsical touch, transforming my wardrobe into an elegant reflection of who I am.—Asiah

Being a grade 11 student is exhausting, so I always make time to unwind. The ultimate way for me to feel relaxed and refreshed is to dress up and head to a coffee shop with the perfect ambiance. As a Gen Z student, I embrace trends that allow me to feel both stylish and elegant. I love how I can mix and match pieces, whether it’s a chic top paired with tailored jeans or a flowy dress with trendy accessories. Every weekend, I take advantage of my coffee shop visits to showcase my outfits, feeling like a star as I walk in and brighten the space around me.—Janine Muñoz

Pumping energy into our love

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

Chaplain

Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)

Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

THAT’S practically what Christ wants of us as he said: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” (Lk 12,49) Obviously, we can only manage to do that if we truly identify ourselves with Christ.

Let’s remember that Christ left us with a new commandment that summarized and perfected the previous commandments articulated earlier. And that is that we should love one another as he himself has loved us. (cfr. Jn 13,34)

And how did he love us and continue to love us? Not only did he empty himself who, being God, became man, nor did he simply preach the ultimate truths about ourselves and things in general, nor did he simply perform wonderful miracles. He went all the way to assuming our sins and conquering them by offering his life on the cross and by resurrecting!

To top it all, he makes himself present substantially for all time, especially through the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, offering himself as the Bread of Life so that even now we can have a taste of the eternal life.

We really need to level up our knowledge of this truth of faith, training our mind and heart to capture this wonderful reality that should fill us with joy and eagerness to correspond to his love, since love, by definition, automatically arouses in us to love also in return.

We need to train ourselves to love the way Christ loves us. It’s a tall order, of course, but we have our whole lifetime to learn how to love. We may not perfect it, and that’s understandable. What is needed is simply for us to try our best, since it will be God who will do the rest.

Remember St. Paul telling us, “He (God) who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil 1,6) We should not worry too much if our effort to imitate Christ in his love would sometimes be erratic. The important thing to do is simply to continue, to move on trying our best, never surrendering to the urges of our weaknesses and mistakes.

Yes, we are subject to certain conditionings that can slow down our self-giving. We have to contend with our temperament which will always have its erratic ways, our physical and health conditions, our surroundings, etc.

But we should never forget that whether we realize it or not we are all involved in the supernatural work of God here on earth, where his supernatural powers are also at play. In the worst scenarios in our life, we can always beg for some supernatural help from God to enable us to do what we are supposed to do.

Yes, there will be sacrifices and tremendous amounts of effort involved here. We should just train ourselves to develop, with God’s grace of course, the power to tackle the difficult situations in our life.

What can always help is that we avoid getting imprisoned in our own world and allow ourselves to simply be at the mercy of the state of our physical, emotional and mental condition. With our spiritual faculties of intelligence and will, plus of course God’s grace that will always be made abundantly available, we can transcend beyond these constraining elements.

So, we just have to use everything within our power to attain that ideal state of being always on the go, dynamic, eager to serve and to do things for everyone.

Friday, October 18, 2024

Spotify empowering Pinoy creators

SOUNDS FAMILIAR - Baby A. Gil - The Philippine Star

October 18, 2024 | 12:00am

Spotify empowering Pinoy creators

Ben&Ben, one of the headliners at the ‘Spotify Lounge: Philippines Edition,’ is named Spotify’s inaugural decade definer.

STAR / File

I always get a big kick out of checking the daily Spotify hit list. I’ve been covering the music business for many years and one of my dreams back then was to find a local chart dominated by Filipino artists, not foreign acts.

This finally happened about five or six years ago when I saw Moira dela Torre, the harana boys Zack Tabudlo, Arthur Nery and others leaving the foreigners on the wayside. And with Dionela, Bini and Hev Abi on top these days, it has been so ever since.

Gustav Back, managing director for Spotify SEA (Southeast Asia), said that the present ratio between foreign and local acts as far as streaming is concerned is 75 percent to 25 percent in favor of the Pinoys. That is quite a number not to mention the fact that our artists also most of the time occupy the top rungs.

Back, who like Spotify comes from Sweden, wants it to stay that way. He was in town a few weeks ago to meet and greet our artists and to hand out Spotify S trophies to the most streamed music. The task was a happy one.

“We at Spotify are very proud of how we have been able to help put Filipino music in the charts,” he said.

In fact, he said Spotify has come up with a lot of ways to keep Pinoys busy creating big streamers and enjoying the experience.

Spotify is an audio and media streaming platform established in 2006. That was a downtime for the music industry with piracy at an all-time high. Spotify offered a legit alternative to the peer to peer sharing of content that was popular during the late ‘90s and a way to make music more accessible to everybody.

It was music available in a convenient manner. On demand and anywhere you are with a wifi. No more players. No talkative DJs. No skipping cuts in an LP. It was just the music you like when you want it. Aside from that Spotify also royalties to copyright owners.

Spotify is now the largest provider of music all over the world. It is home to over a hundred million music tracks. It has also branched out to podcasts and now has six million podcast shows. And in the near future, there will be videos, movies, games and even DJs to simulate old-time radio shows.

Back mentioned several ways by which artists and content creators can take advantage of what Spotify has to offer. “Spotify champions hyperlocal genres,” he says.

“We make it easy for artists to pitch their music to listeners. We have data available so they will know how their music is doing. We give them the opportunity to connect with fans and even sell merchandise.

“Now that the podcast market is growing fast, Spotify has creator tools available for podcasters who need to create, manage and grow shows. We have also introduced interaction among artists through master classes and creative partnerships.”

And then there is RADAR, which I think, up and coming talents should aspire to get into. “RADAR is Spotify’s commitment and partnership with emerging artists to grow their careers and cross borders. It is the global home for what’s next and what’s new in sound, uplifting rising artists as they expand their global reach.”

Take a look at the names which entered RADAR last year. I am sure that Spotify must be very proud that they are all doing very well in their careers. Maki, Cup of Joe, Dionela, Hev Abi, Illest Morena, Jason Dhakal, Denise Julia, dwta, Ysanygo and BINI. The only hitch I see here is that the artists are recommended by labels they are signed with. This puts the indies at a disadvantage.

Of course, while empowering creators of all types Spotify also makes sure that it is the go-to place for listeners. Why not? It has all sorts of playlists available — from my favorite Daily Chart to the Viral50 to Rap Caviar to Discover Weekly, etc., etc.

This program helps preserve marine environment in Tiwi, Albay

Biodiversity blooms in barangays

BY MAT RICHTER

Oct 17, 2024 05:14 PM

In a small town in Albay, the marine environment houses diverse aquatic species crucial for biodiversity. Unfortunately, the climate crisis is set to worsen the reduction of diversity in marine ecosystems, which prompts the need to adopt sustainable practices and preserve with urgency the resources in coastal regions.

The Environmental Conservation for Sustaining Tiwi’s Aquatic Resources (ECO-STAR), a program by the Philippine Geothermal Production Company (PGPC) which is a unit of SM Investments Corporation, helps rehabilitate the beach and mangrove areas across 14 coastal barangays in the town. This effort contributes to the fight against declining biodiversity protection and, ultimately, climate warming.

TW.Mangrove-16901p.jpg — The program plants mangroves to help with marine conservation.

To better serve local communities, the program has developed a watch station area that would serve as the town's information center for coastal and fishery education, which includes addressing the harmful effects of illegal fishing.

"Our holistic approach to coastal conservation not only focuses on environmental protection but also on improving the livelihoods of local families. By integrating education, community engagement, and sustainable practices, we aim to create lasting benefits for both the environment and the people,” said Napoleon Saporsantos Jr., president at PGPC.

The company said since the program’s inception, it has overseen the planting and nurturing of over 300,000 mangrove and beach tree species and facilitated the rescue and release of 327 sea turtles, which received financial support through its fundraising events.

Meanwhile, since 2017, PGCP said it has contributed to restoring the Bariis River in the town through coastal clean-up activities, solid waste management, tree planting, and awareness campaigns. This river, formerly polluted, now has one of the most acceptable qualities recognized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Environmental Management Bureau.

“While the Bariis River is crucial to our renewable energy operations, our primary goal is to ensure the health of our ecosystems. Clean rivers contribute to a healthy environment overall, and that’s why we are dedicated to their preservation,” he added.

Moving forward, the program seeks to continue working toward transforming Tiwi into an Eco-Adventure Marine Park, with plans underway for team-building activities, wildlife conservation, and livelihood improvements.

Collective action is key to protecting our natural resources, which starts by building on awareness about their decline and later joining eco-initiatives that champion their conservation. ECO-STAR shows it takes a village to help restore our finite resources, urging each of us to act now and preserve the biodiversity that thrived long before us.

BINI launched as newest endorser of Penshoppe

BY JONATHAN HICAP

Oct 17, 2024 11:42 PM

AT A GLANCE

A music video showcasing the collaboration will also be released on Oct. 20

Penshoppe, a leading lifestyle brand in the Philippines, launched P-pop girl group BINI as its newest endorser.

The grand launch was held at The Fifth at Rockwell on Oct. 16. It also marked the start of Penshoppe’s latest campaign, “Be Your Own Icon,” which encourages individuals to confidently express their unique styles and stories.

“BINI not only exemplifies our brand persona—confident, current, fun, youthful, and cool—but also aligns perfectly with our ambition to build a brand that transcends borders,” said Brandon Liu, Penshoppe brand director.

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BINI + MANCOM 1.jpg P-pop girl group BINI (Penshoppe)

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P-pop girl group BINI with the Penshoppe team (Penshoppe)

Penshoppe aims to inspire individuals to be the best versions of themselves. By collaborating with BINI, Penshoppe aims to solidify its position as a brand that shapes culture and inspires self-expression.

The “Be Your Own Icon” campaign urges customers to embrace their individuality and stand out by being unapologetically themselves.

The event featured an exciting cityscape skyline backdrop, representing the iconic future Penshoppe envisions for its audience.

The launch also showcased the Q4 Iconic Collection, a range of elevated pieces designed for those who wish to turn heads and express themselves with confidence.

Attendees, including members of the press, business partners, and Club Penshoppe members, experienced a vibrant program featuring a fashion show and an exclusive performance by BINI, including a sneak peek of their latest music video.

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Club Pen (Penshoppe)

Penshoppe said the launch was just the beginning of its big push for the “Be Your Own Icon” movement. To continue the hype, a new track from BINI has been released in tandem with the event. The new song, which is set to become another trending hit from the group. is the new anthem of Penshoppe which encapsulates and reflects what the brand stands for.

Loyal and new customers, as well as fans of BINI, can now share in the experience as the new collections and photos of BINI will be featured in Penshoppe stores nationwide. A music video showcasing the collaboration will also be released on Oct. 20.

“Penshoppe continues to lead and influence culture, and our partnership with BINI is a testament to that commitment,” said Cisco Droege, chief product officer at Penshoppe Group. “With a deep understanding of our customers and innovative global practices, we empower individuals to express themselves stylishly and accessibly.”

As part of the long-term partnership between Penshoppe and BINI, customers can look forward to interactive activities, including a dance challenge and the launch of two exciting scent lines—Juicy Tropics and Unleashed—dubbed the Binilicious Scents.

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