Friday, April 29, 2022

Power All Day With Summerific Payday Offers From TECNO Mobile

TECNO Mobile, knows exactly how to make payday weekend even more spectacular, with huge, hotter-than-summer deals on its best-selling mobile phones and accessories at the TECNO Mobile PH Official Store in Shopee Mall. Staying true to its commitment to delivering innovative, high-performing smartphones to emerging markets, these offerings meet both the needs and budgets of TECNO Mobile’s consumers. The brand strives to enable every Filipino to experience advanced mobile technologies that enable them to stop at nothing in their pursuit of excellence, truly making TECNO Mobile the premium smartphone brand for all. 

Visit the TECNO Mobile Shopee store from April 29 to May 1, 2022, and save up to Php 2,000 on select smartphones. Shoppers will also get a free DITO Family Sim Pack (Trio) with each purchase. 

TECNO Mobile’s AIoT devices are the perfect match to any of its smartphones, adding functionality that elevates your lifestyle. Get your TECNO Watches, Buds, and more at up to 10% off until May 31, 2022 at the TECNO Mobile Flagship Store in Lazada. 


Scan To Win With POVA Neo - Extended until May 15!

Win big with TECNO Mobile’s Scan To Win With POVA Neo Promo, which now runs until May 15, 2022. Every purchase of participating TECNO Mobile smartphones entitles a customer to join, for the chance to win fantastic prizes, including Yamaha Mio Gear 125cc Motorcycles, Samsung 50" UHD Smart TVs, the latest smartphones and AIoT devices from TECNO Mobile, and cash rewards. For more details, visit here.

Don’t miss any of the sizzling deals at the TECNO Mobile PH Official Store in Shopee Mall. Stay updated on all the latest promos when you like and follow TECNO Mobile Philippines on Facebook. Visit www.tecno-mobile.com/ph to learn more about your favorite TECNO Mobile smartphones and gadgets. 

Super Payday Sale at SM Malls Online

Payday nanaman, TIPID shopping time!

Dahil sharing is caring, check niyo to.

Up to 85% OFF sa Super Payday Sale ng SM Malls Online mula today, April 28 hanggang May 1! Mula damit/sapatos, gadgets, essentials at pagkain super daming naka-sale!

Aside from the 85% discount, ito pa tipid 😉:

1. May EXTRA P150 OFF w/ code SUPERPAYDAY, min. Spend P400

2. Multiple stores - One delivery fee!

3. Cravings? Meron din 50% OFF when you order from your favorite 2 or more restaurant sa SM Malls Online App from 2pm-6pm, use code PAYDAY2orMORE

Laking tipid db? Sure ka pang legit! ang products!

Download at Install na :

https://smmallsonline.onelink.me/DFqS/SMOSuperPaydaySale 

Thursday, April 28, 2022

Why the Philippines Remains a Top Destination for BPO Firms

The Philippines is a country that has plenty to offer to those that come from near and far. Aside from its warm climate, beautiful tourist destinations, and friendly people, it also attracts plenty of foreign investments, particularly those that have to do with an industry that has emerged in recent years: business process outsourcing. Over the past two decades, the Philippines saw the rise of its information technology and business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) industry primarily due to partnerships forged between the public and private sectors. As the Philippines continues to grow its third-party service offerings and client base, the future of its outsourcing industry will keep getting brighter with more clients seeking high-quality offshore support at agreeable rates.

Tracing its beginnings to the early 1990s, the IT-BPO industry encompasses a range of services, including data entry, contact centers, back-office support, transcription, software development, and even game development and animation. According to an Outsourcing Journal report, the Philippine IT-BPO industry ranks first in voice-related support, accounting for a global market share of 13%. In 2020, the industry generated USD 26.7 billion in revenue, a value that is projected to reach USD 29 billion in 2022 despite the economic downturn driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The country’s IT-BPO sector also employs approximately 1.3 million individuals in more than 1,000 companies. Many of these workers provide customer support in a variety of industries, such as travel, insurance, telehealth, and tech. Related to this is the Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) sub-sector, which focuses on professional, knowledge-based services, including accounting, finance, virtual assistant (VA) support, and creative work.

The outsourcing industry has since expanded from large multinational organizations to include small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) seeking transparent pricing, flexible terms, and a vast portfolio of services. And with more businesses embracing hybrid or remote work, there are now more reasons to consider the Philippines as an outsourcing hub. Here are just some of the benefits foreign firms can derive when they choose to invest in the country’s IT BPO sector. 

High English Proficiency and Western Influence

The Philippines shares a long history with the West. Thanks to decades of American rule in the country, there’s barely any language barrier between Filipinos and the English-speaking world. In fact, the EF English Proficiency Index ranks the Philippines at 18 out of 112 economies, with an EF EPI score of 592, enabling it to pass the “high proficiency” standard. The country also ranks second in Asia. Although Filipinos speak and learn a number of native languages as their mother tongue, the majority of schools in the country prefer English as their medium of instruction.

And with American influences ranging from basketball to fast food, it’s no surprise that Filipinos are among the most westernized groups in Asia. 

Adequate Workforce Training

With its largely export-oriented employment culture, the Philippines offers plenty of support to future members of the global workforce. Organizations like the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) even fund training programs designed to train students for BPO jobs. There are also institutions in the country that offer BPO-specific subjects. Every year, around 500,000 Filipino students graduate equipped with in-demand skills such as software programming and app design.

Dedicated Infrastructure

Business districts in the Philippines house a large number of buildings and office spaces dedicated to the IT-BPO sector. According to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), there are around 415 economic zones across the country, with approximately 297 accounting for IT parks and centers as of November 2021. IT-BPO firms under PEZA have also invested PHP 328.6 billion in Philippine ecozones over the last two decades, according to the agency. With more industrial parks shifting out of major urban areas and into the suburbs or provinces, opportunities remain aplenty for businesses large and small to invest in economic estates for their offshore processes.

Reasonable Service Rates 

Because of the Philippines’ low cost of living, foreign employers save labor costs through outsourced staffing solutions. In addition to the wages of Filipino workers being generally lower compared to their Western counterparts, doing business is also affordable due to lower rental rates, taxes, and exchange rates, among others. Companies can boost profits and save operational costs by realigning funds to other investments like staff upskilling and customer service improvement.

Business-Friendly Government Policies

In 1995, foreign investors saw an opportunity to expand their footprint in the Philippines through the Special Economic Zone Act or RA 7916. The law resulted in various capital- and operation-related benefits, including relaxed area development requirements, corporate tax exemptions, duty-free importations, and even permanent residency for investors. Besides instigating more prevalent foreign ownership, the Special Economic Zone Act also led to the establishment of PEZA and opened the doors for the Philippines’ BPO boom. 

In addition to providing incentive packages to attract qualified entities in industrial estates and Special Economic Zones, the Philippine government’s privatization efforts also include integration with the country’s neighbors through the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA). Through these policies, foreign investors can enjoy lower tariff rates and broaden their consumer market in competitive economies.

All the Benefits and No Fuss

Starting a business doesn’t have to be costly, especially for enterprises that are just starting out with limited resources. Combined with strong government support and the excellent work ethic of Filipino workers, choosing to operate in the Philippines will always be a good business decision. 

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Astra Pimentel (#51) Belongs in the Senate

Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t normally get myself involved with politics. It’s just not my thing though I do like to keep myself updated with what is happening. I just don’t share my thoughts and opinions as much because I don’t like dealing with the negativity and toxicity that comes with entangling yourself in politics. 

However, there are certain exceptions that I allow myself and one of them is Astra Pimentel (#51) who is currently running for Senator. I had the chance to meet and interview her over lunch and she won my support, hence, this article on my blog. 

Though Astra comes from the Pimentel political family, she is a different kind of politician. For one, her advocacy is for the indigenous people or what is simply called IP. She would like to advocate and raise awareness about their plight, all 18M of them. 

Yes, there are 18M IPs and they need all the help that they can get so if we can have a Senator who will advocate for them, then I am all for it. 

Aside from the 18M IPs, Astra also has an 11 Point Agenda for Continuity. 

1. Fight against Corruption.

2. Eradication of Poverty

3. Strengthening Peace and Order

4. Ending the Pandemic 

5. Defeating Communist Terrorism 

6. Economic Recovery 

7. Defense and Foreign Affairs 

8. Employment

9. Education 

10. Decentralization and Local Government 

11. Charter-Change and Federalism 

I love that she has specific plans, especially for the IP community. When asked, these are her plans which I hope will be made into a reality. 

  • Improvement of transportation because SKYLAB is still being used which is a form of Habal-Habal 
  • Scholarship programs for IPs that show promise. It doesn’t necessarily have to be someone super smart but it has to be someone who wants to learn and has a dream. This should also include dormitories, uniform fees, and meal allowance. If there is a set grade that they need to maintain, put it at an average level to have more inclusion. 
  • Awareness about the IP community, beyond being a cultural heritage. 
  • Better infrastructure because without transportation, the products that they have won’t be converted to cash since they live far away from the city. 
  • Include the IP community in the development process of the Philippines and provide special access for them when it comes to schools, employment, and the like. 
Astra Pimentel may be a name that you are not familiar with because she does not boast about her achievements or hold a press conference every time she does something for the people but she is a name that you need to take note of. #51 Astra Pimentel, ipasok natin sa Senado.  

Baby Khali Goes on an Adventure with Unilove

Now that people are starting to go out, we ourselves feel a little more courageous in bringing Khali out. Of course, we still need to take the necessary precautions but we are now able to bring him to hotels, restaurants, and the mall. 

However, when we do, we bring a lot of items that I feel help keep all of us safe, especially Khali. We have alcohol, disinfectant spray, and Unilove Wipes. This one, we have tons of and when I say tons, I mean, A LOT. 

I think we bring about at least 3 packs and I know that's a bit much but you see, we use it for so many things. We use the Uni-love Chubby Wipes to wipe his body when he gets dirty. I love that it has a wide sheet so it covers more area. 

Uni-Love Chubby Baby Wipes are thick in size and thick in quality. It prevents unnecessary leaks and is free from any harsh substances like paraben and alcohol. These extra-thick yet extra soft baby wipes are 100% safe for the baby's face, hand, and body. 

We use the UniLove Baby Wipes Summer Edition when he walks around the village. Uni-Love Baby Wipes contain the natural properties of aloe vera, lanolin, and Vitamin E. It is natural, mild, and effective cleansing for your baby's delicate skin and prevents rashes. It is also proven to have thicker and softer fabric than any ordinary wipes. It is suitable for hands, face, and body and for the nappy area.

I love how I don't need to worry about Khali sweating while playing around because I have things that help me keep Khali safe and comfortable. 

Thankfully, Uni-care lets me conveniently stock up on essentials that keep the baby fresh and clean with the Uni-care Brand Day on Shopee this April 28! Always be summer-ready with Uni-love Summer Festival on April 28 only on Shopee!

Thursday, April 21, 2022

Staycation at F1 Hotel

Sometimes, you just need to get out of your home and stay somewhere nicer. Don't you agree? 

I think we all get that feeling of sometimes just wanting to be out of the house but not really travel far or prepare for an extensive trip that would require booking a flight, reservations, and an itinerary.  Sometimes, all you need is a staycation and this is exactly what we did last Easter. 

We booked a staycation at the F1 Hotel which is located at the heart of BGC, Taguig.


The first thing I really love about F1 is their outdoor dining. As you can see, it just gives you that Manhattan vibe and you can easily imagine yourself sipping some cold drink while looking at the skyline. 

It was my baby's first time to have a staycation and it was something that my eldest missed because he and I used to do a lot of staycation so this was definitely a welcome respite from all the deadlines of school and work. 




I loved that the room we booked had a king sized bed because we co-sleep with our baby. The living room area was also big enough to accommodate an extra bed without leaving it feeling cramped. Overall, definitely bang for buck for the room rate. 


The kids went swimming and since we went at a dead hour, they had the pool all to themselves which I really loved! 

Khali was able to go around and learned to float. B didn't feel conscious as well because there were no other people.


Khali also had fun during his first Easter Egg hunt. I'm go glad that F1 took little kids into consideration when they did the Easter Egg hunt so they also had a chance to win things.  




Seeing Khali happy made me so happy as well. 

We also enjoyed the food served during the Easter event and breakfast. Now because the room was so cozy and far more spacious than we anticipated, we ended up eating in our hotel room instead of dining out. 



We had a restful sleep and I actually ended up oversleeping. The beds were that comfortable and the aircon wasn't too hot or too cold. 


Overall, I have absolutely no regrets that our first staycation since the pandemic happened at F1 Hotel. Our family enjoyed our stay and that's all that matters. 



If you would like to book a room, you can message them here

Review of Ramenderya in BFRV, Las Pinas

If you know me, you'd know that I am obsessed with ramen. Even during the summer season, I can appreciate a good bowl of steaming, hot ramen. However, it will normally cost around 500 - 800+ for a good bowl of ramen here in the city and sometimes, that's just too heavy on the pocket, especially for someone like me who can never get enough of it. 

Thankfully, I found Ramenderya in BFRV, Las Pinas. 

Ramenderya is an online business that sells Japanese food curated and cooked by a home chef. This is made with love and I can honestly tell you that it is SO GOOD. Like, I wanna order it every day if possible kind of good. 

The soup can stand on its own. The eggs have a flavor on their own. The noodles are firm. The meat is tender and juicy and you'd want to order extras of it. I kid you not, this super affordable ramen can hold its weight if and when pitted against the more popular and resto-created ones.


The serving is also more than enough to fill you up if you're not a voracious eater like me. For me though, I had to eat two servings in one go because it was just too good. 

If you are not a fan of ramen though, no need to fret because they also serve really good gyudon and katsudon. I most loved the fact that it's served with a partition between the viand and the rice so when it gets delivered to your home, everything is still fresh and you don't need to deal with soggy rice. 

This was delicious as well. My son and I had to fight it out but being the Mom, I had to give way and let him have my share though I was sad because the food was really good. 

It was like ordering from a restaurant but paying a lower fee without sacrificing the taste. Best of both worlds. You get to eat in the comfort of your home, pay a lower price, and still experience world-class Japanese food. 

Ugh. Writing about this is making me want to eat tonkatsu and ramen again. Time to order here then!

Monday, April 11, 2022

Terra Mana Essential Oils

Since 2017, I have been a fan of essential oils so when I was asked to attend the launch of Terra Mana Essential Oils, I had to jump at the chance to learn more about it. 


First thing that I learned about Terra Mana Essential Oils is that they are not part of any MLM scheme. This means that you can just buy their starter kit or an individual oil without having to worry about meeting quota or recruiting people. 

They do have an affiliate marketing where people who refer or recommend them can earn. I think this is a really good option for those who may want to earn but not necessarily have to know an entire network of people. 

Second, their price is super competitive against the market. It's way more affordable than the usual price range of essential oils and this is definitely something that oilers all over can rejoice about. 

Third, the Terra Mana Essential Oils are more pure compared to others. I was able to test them myself and I am extremely happy with how undiluted it is and how potent the effect was. Definitely bang for buck. 

Lastly, I love that though it seems oily, it is easily absorbed by the skin and the scent or smell is far stronger than the usual essential oil. 

We had a small workshop where we were taught how to make 4 different oil bottles ranging from immune support, mental support, mood support, and sleep. Here are the 4 different recipes in case someone wants to make their own.

IMMUNE SUPPORT 

Defender 

Frankincense Essential Oil

Tea Tree Essential Oil


Mental Support 



SLEEP 

Frankincense


MOOD SUPPORT 

Frankincense


I loved their Defender Essential Oil the most because it helps fight off viruses. I hope they make this available soon. 


Look of pure concentration while making my own oils. 


 If you are interested in getting your own kits or bottles, simply click on the links in the post. Don't forget to use CODE KATHYBALMORES on checkout so you can get 10% OFF. 

You can also watch my unboxing and first impressions here

Website - https://www.terramana.co/mskathykenny 10% DISCOUNT CODE - KATHYBALMORES

Sunday, April 10, 2022

How to Keep the Love Alive When You are Parents

I have been with M for almost 5 years now. To be honest, this is the longest relationship I have ever had, and sometimes, I worry if we still have a bit of romance left in us. After all, raising a teenage boy and a toddler can be quite draining. Sometimes, you just don't have it in you anymore to make an effort. 

However, this should not be the case. So, I would like to share with you some simple ways that M and I keep the love alive. 

1. Always give each other a kiss good morning, good night, or before one of you leaves. ALWAYS. 

2. Hug when you want to or when you feel like you need it. Hugs are actually one of the most intimate things you can share with your partner. 

3. Spend time with each other, even an hour a week makes a difference. Make sure that when you spend time with each other, you spend time WITH each other and not just sitting beside each other but glued to your phones. 

4. Go out. It doesn't have to be anything extravagant but go out and eat out. If budget is limited, cook pansit canton at home and have a date night at home. 

M and I took advantage of his swapped day off and spent an entire day together. We had breakfast at Army Navy and then had lunch at Cabalen. After, we watched Batman and were lucky enough to have the entire cinema all to ourselves.


It was such a blast having an entire theater all to ourselves because there were no noisy people or anyone to disrupt the movie. 

Lastly, we had dinner at Tenya where I enjoyed downing this tempura bowl. Seriously, it was so good. 


We talked, we laughed, and we had a great time just being us again. M and I. We were not parents for a day and it felt great. Of course, at the end of it, we had to go home but we went home recharged and excited to see these little ones once more.


And this is how you keep the love alive when you are parents. 

Friday, April 8, 2022

Review of WOW MOM PINAS in Moonwalk, Las Pinas

Have you ever had Mediterranean food? I can't say that it's a staple in the food that I eat so it was with delight that I was able to try this out when I discovered WOW MOM PINAS based in Moonwalk, Las Pinas.  


I super loved their samosa. I could have eaten the entire plate on my own but I had to share.  It was comfort food, something that you can eat and eat the whole afternoon while watching Kdrama or reading a good book. 


It's that kind of food. 

The other one that I wanted to have as a staple in our meal plans would be the mango kani rolls. It's healthy, it's delicious, and it has greens. Perfect in aiding us in our quest to eat healthily. 

They also had three kinds of pasta and as always, we had different favorites in the family. I personally liked the Charlie Chan pasta. In fact, I ate 3/4 of it. My brother preferred the pesto pasta that had spicy sardines on it because anything that comes with a zing is a plus in his book. M and Khali finished off the creamy spinach chicken pasta


The Falafel Sandwich was a first for me. It felt like eating an enlarged panini. It was definitely an experience because it was also very healthy. I think that was the one thing that I felt eating the food of WOW MOM PINAS


The Pita Bread, falafel, and hummus were also new discoveries for our family. Since we've never been exposed to Mediterranean food, this was definitely a first for us. To be honest, it wasn't bad at all. It was definitely surprising in the beginning but it was in a good way. I'd definitely want to explore more of this cuisine.

I would definitely recommend WOW MOM PINAS to anyone who wants something different for their lunch, dinner, or celebration. I think that it's important to discover new dishes and learn about the culture of other people through their food. 

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

So, Who Blocked Me on Twitter?

My name is Kathy, and I’m a reformed Twitter addict. 


Years ago, I was so into Twitter that I tweeted over 15,000 times in just one year. Sounds crazy, right, but this was the story of my life back in 2015.




Due to this addiction, I met the Twitter police multiple times. The Twitter police appear when you tweet over 100 times in an hour. This was how addicted I was, and this was also how I ended up having to check who blocked me on Twitter because it happened a lot of times to me. 


Twitter is the social media platform where most people are vocal about their thoughts. Called the dumping ground of ideas you usually wouldn’t post on other social media platforms, Twitter can be a breath of fresh air from all the curated feeds that you see online. However, this can also lead to many fights that had me checking who has blocked me on Twitter?


When someone blocks you on Twitter, you don’t get a notification. There’s no fancy mail saying, “You’ve been blocked!” However, there are three ways you can check who blocked you on Twitter. One is to visit a person’s profile, the second is to try tagging their handle on a tweet, or the third is to send them a direct message. 


If you are can see their profile, it shows that you can not see their tweets or message them if you cannot tag them on a tweet, and if you cannot send them a direct message no matter how much you try, you can say that this person belongs to the group of people who have blocked me on Twitter. 


You also won’t be able to see their tweets, comments, replies, quotes, retweets, or any form of activity on Twitter. You also won’t get any kind of notification regarding their account. In short, they don’t exist in your Twitterverse, and you don’t live in theirs. 


If you are curious about who may have blocked you or how many people have blocked you, you can also check the website Blolook. It will show you how many profiles have put your Twitter handle on their block list. You can also check if someone you blocked has blocked you by checking on the mutuals. 


It can be pretty hurtful when this happens. A Twitter block can feel like a digital punishment or being shunned by someone. It can also make you think, why would someone block me for no reason? 


I learned that the people who blocked me on the Twitter app did it because I tweeted too much. I drowned their feed, and every time they checked Twitter, it was me, me, me. Instead of being appreciated for my thoughts and opinions, I became a nuisance and an obnoxious person on Twitter. 


I realized how much of a pain I was with my over-the-top thoughts and Tweets. I realized that just because I could tweet as many times as I wanted did not mean I should tweet incessantly. Sometimes, fewer tweets could command more attention than an entire barrage of tweets being sent out in such a short period. 


Finding out who blocked me on Twitter has been refreshing because it taught me that less is more, especially when it comes to my words. I learned to be more careful of what I put out there and what I share with the world. 


I’m still active on Twitter, but now, I no longer have to worry about who blocked me on the app because I finally learned that even if Twitter is a dumping ground of thoughts, it doesn’t mean that I should dump my thoughts in one go. Tweet tweet.  

Sunday, April 3, 2022

Review of Egg-yo 애교 in Moonwalk, Las Pinas

Egg Drop sandwiches have invaded Las Pinas. 

The hottest snack to hit in recent times, egg drop sandwiches have been making the social media rounds which means that I want to have a taste of it. Luckily, we had one here in Las Pinas and so I made my way to  Egg-yo 애교 which is located in Moonwalk, Las Pinas. 


They have 9 choices to choose from which can be quite overwhelming if you're new to the whole thing. 

My super favorites were OMO which was samgyupsal in a sandwich. I mean, what's not to love? It definitely made me go OMO OMO! 

I also loved the Cream Cheese Chicken aptly named AH-SSA! For beef lovers, I recommend JJANG because it's beef bulgogi in a sandwich. 

I loved that they used premium ingredients and it did not feel like they scrimped at all. 


For those who may be not too adventurous and want to go for something safe, they also offer JAGIYA which is premium ham and cheese as well as YEOBO which is bacon and cheese. 

If you're a spicy lover, then there's AIGOO which is a spicy tuna melt. 

They also offer this in a box of 6 which I feel is the best way to go and give it a try. You get 6 flavors in one box and you can have a really filling merienda while discovering which EGG-YO is for you. 


Whatever your craving or preference is, there's definitely something for everyone at EGG-YO.