Southeast Asia’s pioneer eCommerce platform, Lazada, today announced its new brand proposition, Add to Cart. Add to Life., alongside the launch of LazLive+, a curated interactive live content series that brings together recognizable, authentic and trusted experts to share fresh tips and skills with shoppers.
With the increase in adoption of eCommerce across Southeast Asia since the onset of the pandemic[1], online shopping has since integrated itself into consumers’ everyday lives. Shoppers now head to eCommerce platforms for exciting and entertaining content and seek out the latest fashion and beauty trending assortment. Recognizing that shoppers are no longer just buying products for functional uses, Add to Cart. Add to Life. reflects the brand’s belief that eCommerce can add to the lives of consumers by inspiring meaningful connections and memorable experiences with their purchases.
LazLive+ episodes connect shoppers with new ideas and experts from all walks of life, through cooking demonstrations, styling know-how, gaming tips, fitness motivation and more. Shoppers will get to interact real-time through the voting and chat functions with their favorite key opinion leaders including food content creator and entrepreneur Erwan Heusaff who will add flavor to life, fashion icon Solenn Heussaff-Bolzico who will add kikay to life, and gamer, streamer and entrepreneur Alodia Gosiengfiao who will add GG to life. LazLive+ will have 3 episodes featuring Solenn, Erwan, and Alodia from July 27 to 29 and will stream once a week every Wednesday at 7PM starting August 3 to September 28. Coupled with exclusive deals and entertainment that Lazada brings to the fingertips, shoppers can also create more fulfilling moments, big and small, that will enrich their lives and those around them.
“As Southeast Asians continue to add to cart, we want to be that bridge that connects our customers to opportunities that add to life. For us, it’s not just about buying a pan; it’s about owning a pan to add amazing flavours to a delicious meal for loved ones. Likewise, it’s not just about buying a skipping rope; it’s about adding fitness and health to one’s daily routine. Whether it’s a new hobby, honing a skill, creating a more comfortable home or a new look with a style makeover, every product on Lazada has the potential to be the launchpad for enhancing abilities and value-adding to our consumers’ lives,” said Marcus Chew, Chief Marketing Officer, Lazada Group. “LazLive+ will also be a great source of inspiration for shoppers with its unique blend of shoppertainment and shop-spiration content, that will enable consumers to discover and unlock new passions and possibilities in their lives, thanks to the experts.”
Lazada’s latest brand campaign will run across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam starting today, with a 30-second film, out-of-home, a series of key visuals, influencer engagement, topical social media activation, and other creative executions.
With its campaign It’s A Colorful World at Megaworld, the country’s leading lifestyle mall purveyor is holding vibrant events in simple but symbolic ways.
This June, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls changed their display logo on Facebook to reflect the rainbow colors of the Pride flag and released a campaign video made in partnership with Love Yourself Inc., which features proud LGBTQIA+ members Bet Domingo, Rica Salomon, and Jace Abad.
Rainbow world
Megaworld Lifestyle Malls landmarks in various properties are also united in promoting Pride awareness and creating safe spaces for everyone.
Uptown Bonifacio
At Eastwood City, various walls and passageways are rainbow-clad to perfection. A visible sight even from afar, the Wells Fargo building at McKinley Hill has been draped with a lining of a rainbow-colored cloth. Mall-goers can marvel at Uptown Bonifacio’s building LEDs which will be lit up with rainbows; as well as in its rainbow-painted pedestrian lanes. Meanwhile, Forbes Town’s long alfresco road is now adorned with colorful and vibrant pinwheels and Pride flags. The iconic Arco de Emperador at Arcovia City, which is the tallest triumphal arch in the Philippines, will stun guests with a rainbow-decked 3D lights projection show. Another vibrant spot at Arcovia City is their Rainbow Tunnel, located at G/F The View Deck.
Pride Celebrations at Arcovia City
Part of the It’s A Colorful World at Megaworld festivities in Megaworld Lifestyle Malls is helping organizations mount their Pride Celebrations in their properties across Metro Manila.
Arcovia City will be one of the venues for the first ever Pride March in Pasig City, which will be held on June 27. With the theme Unity Defying Adversity, the grand parade will begin assembly at Arcovia City at 3PM, and will then traverse various barangays in Pasig, with an ending point at the Pasig City Hall.
Another vibrant show of pride at Arcovia City is the LOVE CON event, made in partnership with Love Yourself Inc. LOVE CON will be held on Saturday, June 26 at 1PM onwards, and will feature performances from queer personalities, fairs that puts spotlight on small businesses, and the much-awaited High Heels Protest.
Love Yourself Inc. is a non-profit organization that celebrates and supports the LGBTQIA+ community by offering free HIV testing, counseling, treatment, and life coaching.
Eastwood City of Pride
Feel free to love at Eastwood City of Pride and join in on the revelry with the whole community. In their special event The Beauty of Pride, Eastwood City is accepting submissions of Pride-inspired photos that will be flashed on various LED billboards around the township. Drop by the Eastwood Mall Atrium and immerse in themes of love, self-expression, and equality in Pride in Art gallery. Guests can also celebrate by dining and shopping, as Eastwood City is also holding special promotions on a wide array of Pride-inspired products.
For updates on the latest happenings, visit megaworld-lifestylemalls.com or call our hotline at (632) 8462-8888.
Fans know Max’s Restaurant as the iconic Filipino restaurant chain famous for its Sarap-to-the-Bones® Fried Chicken. But apart from that, it’s also the maker of another crowd favorite, its signature Sizzling Tofu. Now, along comes a new sizzling treat that might just be the next big thing—Sizzling Tofu con Pork Sisig. It’s a delightful combination of the best-selling Max’s Sizzling Tofu and an all-new Crispy Pork Sisig. Fans can now enjoy the creaminess of their favorite tofu dish together with the crispiness of Pinoys’ favorite “pulutan.”
This Sizzling Tofu con Pork Sisig is composed of golden-brown fried diced tofu, a mix of chopped white onions and green chilies, and mouth-watering pork sisig meat. It’s tossed in Max’s Special Sisig Sauce and sprinkled with crispy sisig chicharon to complete a real decadent delight for the palate. With the added crunch and savory flavor, it’s simply hard to resist, and is a perfect way to complete the feast with Max’s Fried Chicken and its other sumptuous local classics.
For anyone who wants to indulge in all-meat sizzling goodness, Max’s is also launching this month its special Sizzling Crispy Pork Sisig. This popular and well-loved Pinoy dish is now made the Max’s way for customers to enjoy during chill-out nights, celebrations, or simple meals with family and friends.
Fans can try Sizzling Tofu con Pork Sisig for only P349 and Sizzling Crispy Pork Sisig for P399 (dine-in) starting June 24. These are also available for dine-in, take-out, and delivery via 888-79000 or delivery.maxschicken.com.
For more information, visit the official Facebook page at @MaxsRestaurant and use the hashtag #MaxsTofuConSisig.
After more than two years of pandemic disruptions, Ginebra San Miguel Inc. (GSMI), the maker of the world’s no. 1 selling gin, returns to celebrate World Gin Day (WGD) in true Ginebra fashion. The celebration consists of month-long activities, highlighted by a media launch on June 10 to kick off the nationwide Gin Bar Crawl challenge that starts on June 11.
Held every second Saturday of June, WGD was first celebrated on June 13, 2009, in Birmingham, England. GSMI led the first WGD celebration in the Asia Pacific region in 2014, coinciding with the 180th anniversary of its flagship brand, Ginebra San Miguel. Since then, the WGD celebration in the Philippines has become a much-awaited, month-long event for gin enthusiasts.
On June 10, four of the country’s top professional mixologists will take centerstage to craft one-of-a-kind cocktails based on GSMI’s gin products. It promises to be an unforgettable gin experience, stirring up the senses.
GIN BAR CRAWL
People who are trooping back to the bars after a long hiatus are in for an exciting and unique experience with the Gin Bar Crawl challenge. Gin lovers are invited to try five specially-concocted signature drinks made with GSMI gin products (Ginebra San Miguel, GSM Blue, GSM Premium Gin, and 1834 Premium Distilled Gin) or buy a GSMI featured product at any of the 30 partner establishments nationwide on June 11, 17, 18, 24, and 25 from 6 p.m. to 12 midnight.
Participants will be given a Gin Passport with five sticker slots. All they need to do is buy the five different signature WGD cocktails from the partner bars and have their Gin Passports stamped with five corresponding stickers. One drink is equivalent to one sticker. Those who complete five stickers will receive a WGD Finisher Pack, consisting of three GSMI products, and a finisher T-shirt.
GIN IS IN: COOL, CLEAR, AND VERSATILE
The gin-drinking culture is very much alive in many countries, especially in Europe. Gin has been around since the 17th century but it has remained popular, hip, and loved by many to this day. The enduring fame of the drink can be attributed to its cool vibe.
The rise of the craft gin movement has also spurred a collection of unique blends that everyone — especially the young, can enjoy. Gin’s clear, pure quality is derived from a rigorous distillation process that brings out its best flavors. Gin is also an ideal drink for its versatility, as it can be enjoyed straight or mixed with other ingredients in a cocktail. With an abundance of flavors and accessibility, gin continues to be an all-time favorite among spirits.
In the Philippines, gin is synonymous with brand Ginebra San Miguel. It is the country’s pioneering gin and the oldest consumer brand still in the market today.
The brand, already an award winner as early as the late 1900s, was originally a drink for the wealthy—popular among both peninsulares and insulares. To this day, Ginebra San Miguel continues its legacy of excellence. Its white spirits line has been a consistent Gold Quality Label awardee of the Monde Selection International Quality Institute.
Reaping accolades both locally and internationally, Ginebra San Miguel is the epitome of excellence. Every bottle of Ginebra San Miguel goes through a stringent production process to ensure optimal quality. As a testament to the strength of its brand name, variants such as GSM Blue, GSM Blue Flavors, and Ginebra San Miguel Premium Gin, have been introduced to cater to different market segments.
NEW INNOVATIONS
GSMI continues to innovate and cater to the varied tastes of its different markets.
Among its latest creations is the 1834 Premium Distilled Gin. Infused with classic juniper berries, and unique Philippine botanicals such as Sampaguita and Calamansi, 1834 appeals to sophisticated tastes.
Another exciting new product from the GSM Blue Flavors is the GSM Blue Cosmopolitan. This new flavor is a mix of sweet and tangy notes from Cranberries and Lime. Patrons of the GSM Premium Gin will also have a more exquisite experience with its new look and enhanced flavor of natural ingredients such as juniper berries, botanical essences, and citrus flavors.
GSMI also previously released the Ginebra San Miguel Hari, a 1-liter version of the flagship brand, Ginebra San Miguel that is designed for group drinking. Packaged in a bigger Frasco or Kwatro Kantos, the Hari is the perfect size for a barkada or family of four to five. The Ginebra San Miguel Hari also bears the Ginebra San Miguel label with the iconic St. Michael logo made by National Artist Fernando Amorsolo.
“Through our World Gin Day activities, we hope that more Filipinos will gain a deeper appreciation of gin and enjoy a unique gin-drinking experience made more special by GSMI’s world-class products,” said GSMI Marketing Manager Ron Molina.
Apart from the Gin Bar Crawl challenge, other WGD activities include online videos on the gin attributes and gin-drinking experience as well as pocket events on June 11 in Baguio, Naga, Cebu, and Davao to drum up the celebration.
“They’re all in it together, whether they like it or not.” Check out the new posters for Columbia Pictures’ new action-thriller Bullet Train and meet these characters exclusively in cinemas across the Philippines August 03, 2022.
Brad Pitt as Ladybug: He’s just trying to forget what he does for a living.
Zazie Beetz as The Hornet: Don’t be rude to this train attendant.
Bad Bunny as The Wolf: Here comes the Big Bad Wolf.
Joey King as The Prince: She’s not as innocent as she looks.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Tangerine: The juice is worth the squeeze.
Brian Tyree Henry as Lemon: Don’t get on his sour side.
Andrew Koji as Kimura: What secrets is he hiding?
Logan Lerman: Don’t take your eyes off him.
Michael Shannon as The White Death: What is waiting at the end of the line?
Hiroyuki Sanada as Elder: Everything you’ve ever done has led you here.
Momomon is Momomon: Dangerously cute.
About Bullet Train
In Bullet Train, Brad Pitt stars as Ladybug, an unlucky assassin determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the rails. Fate, however, may have other plans, as Ladybug’s latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe – all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives – on the world’s fastest train…and he’s got to figure out how to get off. From the director of Deadpool 2, David Leitch, the end of the line is only the beginning in a wild, non-stop thrill ride through modern-day Japan.
Directed by David Leitch, screenplay by Zak Olkewicz based upon the book Maria Beetle by Kotaro Isaka.
The film is produced by Kelly McCormick, David Leitch, Antoine Fuqua. The executive producers are Brent O’Connor, Ryosuke Saegusa, Yuma Terada, Kat Samick.
The cast is led by Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Benito A Martínez Ocasio.
In Philippine cinemas August 2022, Bullet Train is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Connect with the hashtag #BulletTrainMovie
POCO, a popular technology brand among the world’s young techies, announced the global launch of the POCO F4 and POCO X4 GT, the latest devices with best-in-class chipsets that deliver powerful performance while remaining budget-friendly.
POCO F4 offers all the strengths of a flagship smartphone with extremely efficient power consumption. Powered by the Snapdragon® 870 flagship processor, POCO F4 brings to the table the brand’s highest frequency prime core yet.
Meanwhile, the POCO X4 GT is an affordable performance speedster optimized for efficient and smoother performance in all aspects of gaming and entertainment. It is equipped with the MediaTek Dimensity 8100 chipset, giving users best-in-class power efficiency while reaching new heights in flagship processor performance.
“POCO’s flagship products have always required best-in-class performance on all fronts, and as we present the POCO F4 and POCO X4 GT, we’re confident that we’ve achieved just that. We are excited to venture forward with the Snapdragon® 870 and MediaTek Dimensity 8100 chipsets,” said Angus Ng, Head of Product Marketing at POCO Global. “Meeting the highest standards for top-quality entertainment while maintaining competitive affordability, this is the approach that embodies the POCO flagship experience.”
POCO F4
POCO F4: Extremely Powerful with All the Strengths
POCO F4 is equipped with the Snapdragon® 870 flagship chipset and features an 7nm processor with 5G support [1]. The device has POCO’s highest frequency prime core running at 3.2GHz. Its processing power offers shortened app loading times, supporting high-graphic games and smooth scrolling experience on web pages and apps. High-level performance is sustained with its 3,112mm² super big vapor chamber by upgrading to LiquidCool Technology 2.0. POCO F4’s flagship-level LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 ROM enable faster data access, great for multitasking between demanding applications.
POCO F4 is the thinnest model in the POCO lineup to date. The device boasts a 6.67″ E4 AMOLED screen and an ultra-tiny 2.76mm DotDisplay, one of the tiniest in the industry. The flagship-level display features 120Hz refresh rate and 360Hz touch sampling rate for lower response latency. With screen peak brightness of 1,300 nits, POCO F4 ensures every moment is displayed at its ideal values for detail and contrast. Dual speakers, verified with Dolby Atmos, add to the immersive experience by delivering dynamic and crystal-clear sound. Its immersive user experience and high-performance functionality make it the most cost-effective device in terms of offering across-the-board strength in the flagship segment.
POCO F4’s triple rear camera setup features the first-ever addition of optical image stabilization (OIS) on the device’s 64MP main camera. This delivers clear and sharp photos even in low light, for near-perfect digital replicas of the moments captured. Accompanying the 64MP main camera is an 8MP ultra-wide camera and 2MP macro camera. Together, this triple array captures even the finest details. POCO F4’s 4K-equipped camera setup comes with tons of fun and convenient features, including Panoramic Selfie Mode, Night Mode, AI Skyscaping 4.0 and AI Erase 2.0.
POCO F4 comes with a 4,500mAh (typ) battery and 67W turbo charging, taking only 38 minutes to charge up to 100% [2]. With a fully charged battery, it offers strength in duration with up to 10 hours of gaming, 21 hours of video playback and 119 hours of music playback [3]. The device utilizes Middle Middle Tab (MMT) technology, a method of fast charging that circuits electric currents into two split directions for improved charging speed and stability, sustaining highest level performance stretched over longer periods of time.
POCO X4 GT
POCO X4 GT: High Performance Gaming and Entertainment Speedster
POCO X4 GT carries the MediaTek Dimensity 8100 chipset and advanced TSMC 5nm processor, giving users fast performance while maintaining low power consumption and barely overheating. POCO X4 GT offers flagship-level LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 ROM, making this device one of POCO’s fastest for RAM and storage, and extremely adept in supporting high-frame-rate gaming. The LiquidCool Technology 2.0 cooling system can keep the SoC cool and maintain smooth performance, allowing users to push the device to the limit.
Introduced for the first time on a POCO device is POCO X4 GT’s innovative 20.5:9 LCD display ratio, making the device comfortable to grip and easy to hold. Aiming to offer the best LCD on the market, it comes with POCO’s first LCD True Display. The display color temperature adjustment is contingent upon external environmental light conditions, allowing comfortable viewing. To provide a comfortable viewing experience, POCO X4 GT enables hardware-level harmful blue light reduction by up to 30% [4]. POCO X4 GT brings one billion colors and supports DCI-P3 wide color gamut for sharper contrasts and richer details on-screen.
POCO X4 GT charges its 5,080mAh (typ) high-density battery quickly and safely with 67W turbo charging, powering up to a 100% charge in just 46 minutes [5]. In a 6-min wash-up, it can be charged up to 25%, and after a 30-min workout it will juice you up to 85% [6]. Aided by Middle Middle Tab (MMT) technology, it enables you to game for more than 90 minutes with just 10 minutes of charging [7].
Sporting a versatile triple rear camera setup and Dolby Atmos® stereo speakers, POCO X4 GT doubles as a 4K camera with convenient and cool features that help users reach their creative potential. Featuring a 64MP main camera, 8MP ultra-wide camera, and 2MP macro camera, photos capture every detail, near or far. And for high-quality selfies, the 16MP front camera has users well-covered. Coming with 19 stellar vlog templates pre-installed, as well as the Drafts function, users will be able to film and edit quality content from the get go.
True to their nature as devices with all the strengths, POCO adds one more service to both POCO F4 and POCO X4 GT. Users can enjoy the premium after-sales service, which offers one-time free screen repair service during the first 6 months after purchase.
Product Availability
POCO F4 will come in three colors: Night Black, Moonlight Silver, Nebula Green. It will also be available in two variants: 6GB+128GB and 8GB+256GB.
· 6GB+128GB: Recommended retail price at 20,990 via Lazada.
· 8GB+256GB: Recommended retail price at P22,990 via Lazada.
POCO F4 will be available for purchase at an early bird price of P16,990, and P18,990 respectively via leading e-commerce platforms*
POCO X4 GT will come in three colors: Silver, Black, Blue. It will also be available in two variants: 8GB+128GB and 8GB+256GB.
· 8GB+128GB: Recommended retail price at P18,990 via Shopee.
· 8GB+256GB: Recommended retail price at P19,990 via Shopee.
POCO X4 GT will be available for purchase at an early bird price of P15,990, and P17,990 respectively via leading e-commerce platforms* *Price and availability vary between markets and sales channels. Please refer to po.co for product availability and detailed sales information in your region.
Disclaimer [1] 5G connectivity may vary based on region availability and local operator support. [2] 4,500mAh is the typical value. Based on test results from Internal Labs. Actual battery life may vary. [3] Data is based on internal testing. Actual results may vary. [4] Data is refer to the ratio of 415-455nm in 400-500nm blue light amount and calculated by comparing with POCO X3 GT in internal lab, and actual result may vary. [5] 5,080mAh is the typical value. Based on test results from Internal Labs. Actual battery life may vary. [6] Data is based on internal testing. Actual results may vary. [7] Data is based on internal testing. Actual results may vary.
It seems a lot of listeners find themselves coming back to Parokya Ni Edgar’s gem of a track “Your Song” because right now, it just surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify and still continues to rack up more streams.
The song, which was off the band’s 2003 record Bigotilyo is PNE’s first song to ever hit the said Spotify milestone. Time and time again, the band has been very thankful for all the love this simple love song of theirs has been getting over the years.
What’s also surprising is the fact that “Your Song” was never released as an official single by the band during their Bigotilyo era. The song, clocking in at less than three minutes and was written and sung by guitarist Gab Chee Kee organically rose to popularity during the mid-2000s. Since the song gained massive mainstream popularity, Parokya Ni Edgar decided to include “Your Song” on their Inuman Sessions Vol. 2 setlist back in 2012. (WATCH HERE)
Continue to show your love and listen to Parokya Ni Edgar’s “Your Song” on your favorite digital streaming platforms under Universal Records.
The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack of Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 film, ELVIS is set to arrive on all digital music platforms this June 24, 2022 (Friday) via RCA Records/Sony Music.
Aside from the classic Presley cuts originally recorded by the rock superstar, the compilation will also feature previously released tracks by Doja Cat, Eminem, and Måneskin, as well as reimagined versions by Tame Impala, Jazmine Sullivan, Swae Lee & Diplo, Kacey Musgraves, and more.
Austin Butler, the American actor who plays the titular role, contributes four tracks in the soundtrack, including “Trouble,” a remake of Presley’s bluesy 1958 smash.
Other prominent songs highlighted in the OST include Måneskin’s version of Elvis Presley ’s “If I Can Dream,” Eminem and CeeLo Green’s collaborative track “The King and I,” Swae Lee and Diplo’s recently dropped tune “Tupelo Shuffle,” and Doja Cat’s Billboard Hot 100 hit “Vegas,” whose extravagant and colorful visualsearned widespread acclaim from critics and fans.
ELVIS is an epic, big-screen spectacle from visionary filmmaker Baz Luhrmann that explores the life and music of Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks).
The soundtrack features Elvis’s extraordinary body of work spanning the 1950s, `60s and `70s, while also celebrating his diverse musical influences and enduring impact on popular artists today.
Complete track list:
1. Suspicious Minds (Vocal Intro) – Elvis Presley
2. Also Sprach Zarathustra/American Trilogy – Elvis Presley
3. Vegas – Doja Cat
4. The King and I – Eminem & CeeLo Green
5. Tupelo Shuffle – Swae Lee & Diplo
6. I Got A Feelin’ In My Body – Elvis Presley and Stuart Price
12. Cotton Candy Land – Stevie Nicks & Chris Isaak
13. Baby, Let’s Play House – Austin Butler
14. I’m Coming Home (Film Mix) – Elvis Presley
15. Hound Dog – Shonka Dukureh
16. Tutti Frutti – Les Greene
17. Strange Things Are Happening Every Day – Yola
18. Hound Dog – Austin Butler
19. Let It All Hang Out – Denzel Curry
20. Trouble – Austin Butler
21. I Got A Feelin’ In My Body – Lenesha Randolph
22. Edge of Reality (Tame Impala Remix) – Elvis Presley & Tame Impala
23. Summer Kisses/In My Body – Elvis Presley
24. ’68 Comeback Special (Medley) – Elvis Presley
25. Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child – Jazmine Sullivan
26. If I Can Dream – Elvis Presley
27. Any Day Now – Elvis Presley
28. Power of My Love – Elvis Presley & Jack White
29. Vegas Rehearsal/That’s All Right – Austin Butler & Elvis Presley
30. Suspicious Minds – Elvis Presley
31. Polk Salad Annie (Film Mix) – Elvis Presley
32. Burning Love (Film Mix) – Elvis Presley
33. It’s Only Love – Elvis Presley
34. Suspicious Minds – Paravi
35. In the Ghetto (World Turns Remix) – Elvis Presley & Nardo Wick
36. Unchained Melody – Elvis Presley
The ELVIS biopic recently opened in Philippine cinemas last June 22, 2022.
To promote Baz Luhrmann’s “ELVIS” movie and the “ELVIS (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” to the Filipino audience, Sony Music Philippines, in partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures and Ayala Malls, will be holding a mall show at the Activity Center of Ayala Malls Fairview Terraces on June 26 (Sunday). Dubbed ELVIS: Celebrating His Life Through Music and More, the music event will feature songs from the movie itself, as well as performances from some of the country’s top music acts: EJ De Perio, Jarlo Base, Mars Mango, and Nobody’s Home.
In the third edition of the annual Pride Conversations event, Google powered a live social media discussion on how tech is making a difference in the lives of the LGBTQ+ community by celebrating their inspiring stories, promoting allyship, and building safe spaces.
Tech as a catalyst for cultural change
Among the panelists is Cebuana trans pinay beauty queen and model Maki Gingoyon, co-founder of MyTransgenderDate.com, a dating site for transgender women. According to Maki, creating a safe dating space for trans women is what inspired her to bring the dating site to life.
(L-R, from first row) Google’s Jolly Estaris, First Circle’s Cristina del Rosario, PageUp’s Mark Lacsamana, Ticket2Me’s Darwin Mariano, MyTransgenderDate.com’s Maki Gingoyon, XSplit’s Samantha Rose Cruz, and Miss Trans Global 2020 Mela Habijan gather and share inspiring stories for the third installment of Google’s Pride Conversations.
“Trans women venture on online dating sites hoping to find a partner who could accept us for who we are, who could love us for who we are. However, the sad reality of transgender dating sites back then was very, very discouraging–transwomen were presented as merely sexual objects,” she said.
Maki also believes that through this platform, she and her co-founder can stop the stigma on transgender relationships and promote accepting love in all its forms.
In the same light, telling stories with hopeful endings is what Darwin Mariano brings to the table as a producer and founder of ticket solutions platform Ticket2Me. Together with director Jade Castro and writer Danice Mae Sison, they created the popular Boys Love series, Boys Lockdown(2020), a story about two boys who connect while living under strict lockdowns due to the pandemic.
“Many of the LGBTQ+ stories told during my time were dark–they died of AIDS, heartbroken, or abused. That’s why we created Boys Lockdown–we want to make stories where young [LGBTQ+] people can see that they can have their own kilig love stories,” Darwin said.
Darwin also saw how platforms like YouTube are invaluable in telling those stories to the world.
“As producers, we really want to tell these stories but the challenge is monetizing and supporting these content with a business model that keeps you producing. This is where a platform like Google’s YouTube is important–it allows us to extend the life of the content when we upload it to our YouTube channel,” he added.
Building safe spaces in tech
There may be safe spaces in tech but the reality is that it took–and takes–a lot of effort to get there.
For Jolly Estaris, Video and Media Sales Lead at Google Philippines, creating safe spaces within their companies is important to give more visibility to the LGBTQ+ community in tech–this is why in 2018 he set up a group called Pride@Tech that includes Pride members & allies from the local tech community. He is also proud of how Google celebrates LGBTQ+ at the workplace through its long-term programs, policies, and benefits.
“Within Google, there are a number of helpful resources and SOGIE101 training that help educate Googlers about the LGBTQ+ community and allyship,” shared Jolly. “We are also empowered to set our preferred pronouns in our work profiles which is important to foster respect among each other. Small things like that really help in creating a more inclusive work environment.”
Similarly, Samantha Rose Cruz agrees that It’s in simple things like respecting one’s preferred pronouns and gender identity that we can move towards LGBTQ+ equality, and this is something that she is working on as a product designer for live streaming platform XSplit.
“Being part of the community has helped me develop empathy and see my work through other people’s eyes and address the diverse needs of our users and build a product for everyone,” she said.
Some of the ways she is doing that is by designing forms that do away with referring to other gender orientations as “others”. Instead, she consciously puts a text box where people can write their gender identity.
Being people who have often been discriminated against, this has led the community to be more emphatic and understanding not only in addressing the needs of their members but also people from all walks of life.
“For the LGBTQ+ people who are working in tech, we are actually the ones sitting there and understanding what can be dangerous for people because that’s the reality we have to face: which of the things we make can create great things and which ones can cause harm. We’re searchlights, we can see in the dark, that’s our superpower,” Mark Lacsamana, UI Design Lead at PageUp, an enterprise talent management platform.
The same is true for Cristina del Rosario, Head of Design at the fintech company First Circle, who ensures that all of her designs are universal and usable for other communities often overlooked in tech and design.
“How can I design a product that works wonderfully? For everybody, including people who might be colorblind or people with low literacy or people who have never used a smartphone before? And so being part of the LGBTQ+ community, helps me understand other communities and pushes me to design better products,” she explained.
Miss Mela Habijan, the first ever Miss Trans Global 2020 and now a beacon of light for LGBTQ+, also shared how tech has helped find her space and voice when the world once told her that she is “not enough” just because she was born biologically male.
“Sabi ng mundo, kapag LGBTQIA+ ka, wala kang karapatan mangarap. Kaya akala ko, wala akong puwang sa mundo para lumago, maging buo, lalong higit maging ako. Little did I know, I would meet three fairy godmothers along the way: social media, digital world, and tech,” shared Mela.
“Ninang tech became my space of freedom and empowerment, while Ninang digital world was an open-minded platform which did not judge me as different. Instead, Ninang digital world saw my being trans and my being LGBTQIA+ as a leverage of potential. And finally, Ninang social media–she is a democratic arena that allowed me to seize opportunities for me to believe in myself: that I can be my best, that I can be talented.”
To know more about their stories, watch the full live stream of the event on Google Philippines’ YouTube and Facebook pages.
Spotify has launched a site dedicated to all things K-Pop, bringing fans closer to the music they love and the artists who create it.K-Pop ON! Trackwill provide anyone from the K-Pop curious to bonafide K-pop Stans a home base for all of Spotify’s K-Pop news, as well as exclusive artist interviews, happenings within the industry, up-and-coming trends and more.
Curated to complement the streaming experience, K-Pop ON! Track is chock-full of content that will take fans deeper into the K-Pop universe. From breaking down the wide world of Kpop terminology to step-by-step guides on creating a Spotify Blend playlist with BTS, from a series dedicated to who ‘We Stan’ (kicking off with NCT127) to sit-downs with Spotify’s K-pop music experts, the site celebrates the talent behind the tracks and the fans at the forefront of K-Pop.
The launch of K-Pop ON! Track comes as Spotify continues to see momentum of K-Pop streams around the globe. The newly named K-Pop flagship playlist K-Pop ON! (온) has racked up billions of streams for the genre since it first launched in 2014. With K-Pop dominating the charts and touching lives across the world, K-Pop ON! (온) has more than 3.9 million followers as of May 2022, with the USA, Indonesia and the Philippines topping the ranks for countries that stream the playlist most. With K-Pop being more than a music genre, but a cultural hub for fandoms, superstars, fashion moments, and more, K-Pop ON! Track will be a playground for fans to immerse themselves even further in the worldwide phenomenon.
