Life-changing experience
This is a column unlike any other I’ve done because it’s about a personal experience I went through the last two weeks......»»
Life-changing experience
This is a column unlike any other I’ve done because it’s about a personal experience I went through the last two weeks......»»
Kris Bernal embraces pregnancy and changing body
It’s been said that the pregnancy journey is a deeply personal experience. It could be a joyous period for other women, it could also be a challenging or confusing time for others......»»
Thanks to changing this setting my Xiaomi with MIUI 13 I was able to get the phone up and running much sooner
We’re constantly looking for little tips that improve our phone experience. Whether in the present day or in the lesser daily chores, MIUI 13 interface.....»»
JG Summit taps data analytics
Gokongwei-owned JG Summit Holdings Inc. and global measurement company NielsenIQ announced a strategic alliance to help gauge changing consumer behavior and improve customer experience......»»
Globe launches game-changing Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi
Globe keeps on reinventing the world of its customers as it recently launched another game-changer in home prepaid WiFi devices that promises to make the customer online experience a lot better. .....»»
Delivering ultimate video experience with new OPPO Reno5
OPPO is set to introduce OPPO Reno5 4G and Reno5 5G, the ultimate smartphone videography powerhouse, this February 2021. This marks the steady commitment of OPPO in keeping up with the changing times and needs of its young consumers especially in the advent of 5G connectivity. OPPO Reno5’s latest camera technologies will allow you to picture life together better with your family and loved ones......»»
This is what saved me : Drex Zamboanga shares life-changing experience in MMA
"Yung MMA ang nagsalba sakin, kaya ako nalayo sa mga away... Dati akong victim ng bullying, yun yung nag-push sakin na magtrain ng martial arts," said Zamboanga......»»
Philippine Futsal Stories: Putting hold a life-changing move for another life-changing move
Now all Pia Bokingkito hopes is to help provide that life-changing experience not only for herself, but also for Philippine futsal......»»
How fatherhood changed Carlo Aquino
Becoming a parent can be a transformative experience for many people and for actor Carlo Aquino, fatherhood has been life-changing......»»
Swiatek wants sustained success
Paris, France—Iga Swiatek called her French Open title “a life-changing experience” and said her biggest challenge would be to try match the consistency of her hero, 12-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal. .....»»
New dad Billy Crawford shares his first days of parenting
‘These past few days have been the biggest life changing experience I’ve ever had in my entire life!’ The post New dad Billy Crawford shares his first days of parenting appeared first on Manila Bulletin......»»
Now showing
As people adopt new habits apt for the changing times, businesses are also compelled to innovate and deliver new ways for everyone to experience the activities they have always enjoyed. One of these is recapturing the essence and joy of watching a film inside the halls of a cinema......»»
Now showing: Cinema Drive-In
As people adopt new habits apt for the changing times, businesses are also compelled to innovate and deliver new ways for everyone to experience the activities they have always enjoyed. One of these is recapturing the essence and joy of watching a film inside the halls of a cinema. While movie theaters still have yet to open, SM Cinema gives its patrons the perfect opportunity to see upcoming films through its newest out-of-home entertainment experience, the “SM Cinema Drive-in: Movies at Sundown”. A throwback to the good old days of drive-in theaters, SM Cinema relives this experience for a new generation to enjoy, bringing them a fresh avenue for a #SafeAndFunMovieWatching crusade from the comfort of their cars. Opening at SM City Pampanga Amphitheater, SM Cinema’s “Movies at Sundown” allows guests to watch movies on the big screen while observing social distancing rules set by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF). Starting today, Friday, July 31, 2020, it will open to the general public featuring the movies’ “Train to Busan 2: Peninsula” and “My Spy. The “SM Cinema Drive-in: Movies at Sundown” experience A first in the Philippines, SM Cinema’s drive-in theater takes Filipino viewers to a new horizon of movie-watching. Guests will be assigned their own parking spots to be guided by traffic marshalls. Once settled, spectators can see the film of their choice on a 20m x 8m screen raised 3-feet above the ground, and will be asked to tune in to a specific frequency on their car’s FM radio to broadcast the audio straight into their vehicles. Guests can also choose the 6:30PM or 8:50PM schedules from July 31 to August 2. In the succeeding weeks, schedules will be every Thursday to Sundays at 6:45PM. And what’s a drive-in cinema without movie snacks? For a ticket price of only P400 per person, this gives viewers the chance to relish in a new cinematic experience paired with a free Regular Popcorn, Bottled Water, and Beef Franks from SnackTime. A #SafeAndFunMovieWatching for Filipinos Optimizing the best view for all guests, two (2) persons can be inside the car and a maximum of four (4) guests will be allowed. Attendees must also be between the ages 21 and 59, pursuant to the safety guidelines set by the IATF. For added safety, viewers will also be asked to stay inside their vehicles with their masks on and practice social distancing all throughout the duration of the movie. Tickets for SM Cinema’s “Movies at Sundown” must be purchased online in advance at www.smtickets.com to ensure an uninterrupted viewing experience. No tickets will be sold at the venue, and viewers are advised to arrive at least 30 minutes before their scheduled screening. “At SM Cinema, we have always explored new dimensions in film screenings to give our viewers the best movie-watching experience they deserve. Now that new norms have come to us, we do our best to meet our audience where they’re at, all while presenting a safe and innovative movie entertainment setup that’s a first in the country,” said Ruby Ann Reyes, SM Cinema’s Vice President for Marketing. As a household name in film screening, SM Cinema brings back to its audience the joy of seeing movies on screen as they introduce a new way for people to catch their blockbuster favorites. Now available at SM City Pampanga—and soon in five other branches nationwide— catch the next big titles at the “SM Cinema Drive-in: Movies at Sundown” starting today, Friday, July 31, 2020 at SM City Pampanga. Purchase your tickets online via www.smtickets.com. .....»»
Ecotourism in the new normal will mix old methods and strong science
With COVID-19 pandemic changing the landscapes of most industries globally, local and international ecotourism experts recently discussed how they plan on innovating and redesigning the ecotour experience for travelers under the so-called “new normal.”.....»»
Kat Tolentino: How she ended up as a Lady Eagle
Suffering an injury is a dreadful experience for any athlete. What more if it’s a career-threatening one? Kat Tolentino went through three harrowing knee injuries in a span of three years – two of those she suffered while in Canada. But those misfortunes played a big role in convincing Tolentino to fly to the Philippines and eventually become one of the most recognized names in collegiate volleyball. The Ateneo de Manila University volleyball star in an interview on So She Did podcast shared how she ended up in the Lady Eagles' nest. “It was actually a long story but basically, when I was in Grade 11, my brother was out there in the Philippines already, he was playing basketball for Ateneo and I was just visiting him for vacation,” said Kat, sister of former Blue Eagle Vince. The Ateneo volleyball management that time already knew who the 6-foot-2 spiker was and she was invited to train with the then Roger Gorayeb-mentored Lady Eagles. “I actually don’t even have the shoes at that time or any like knee pads,” she recalled. “So I have to borrow from my cousin and then I borrowed knee pads from the men’s team.” She played with the team but it didn’t convince her to follow the footsteps of her brother, living alone in a tropical country that is thousand of miles away from home. “For me I was in Grade 11 at that time and I didn’t really think like, ‘Oh I want to go to the Philippines’. In fact, I was kind of confused why my brother moved there,” said Tolentino, who is currently back in Canada after the cancellation of the UAAP Season 82 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. “I think, it’s just crazy because at that time, I was getting mad at my mom because I was like, ‘Why are you making me move to the Philippines?’ I was only like Grade 11,” she added. Tolentino that time wasn’t ready to get out of her comfort zone. Naturally, she chose to stay in the Great White North. Tolentino was in University of Canada when she suffered her second left anterior cruciate ligament injury in 2014, a year after her first. “I went to University in Canada for one year and I don’t know if you know that I had three ACL injuries. So the second ACL injury, I was in University in Canada but I just decided after I got the second one in Canada, I needed change and I wanted to experience something different,” she said. Tolentino thought a new environment might change her fortune. Luckily, the Lady Eagles’ door remained open. “Ateneo contacted me when they heard I got injured again,” she said. “They said that they’re still willing to help me and wanted to help me with my rehab and therapy and they had a very good surgeon. So yeah, they just called up and I ended up there.” The hype was high for the Fil-Canadian when she finally got the chance to don the blue and white when the then two-time UAAP champion Ateneo joined the now defunct Shakey’s V-League Collegiate Conference in July 2015. But the injury bug followed her to the Philippines and once again bit Tolentino hard. The hitter suffered a right ACL injury while warming up and had to undergo another operation and months of rehabilitation. She was forced to miss UAAP Season 78 and watched helplessly from the sidelines as archrival De La Salle University dethroned the Lady Eagles. After months of therapy, Tolentino finally made her official debut in the UAAP in Season 79 in 2017 – a victorious welcome over University of Sto. Tomas. Ateneo fell short in the Finals that year. The following season, the Lady Eagles missed the championship entirely for the first time in six years. In Season 81, Tolentino helped Ateneo capture its third title. She announced after winning the crown that she’s leaving the team but decided to make a return for a swan song this year. Unfortunately, the league cancelled the tournament after just four playdates. Asked if she’ll be back for another tour of duty if given the chance, Tolentino admitted that she’s still thinking about it. “I think for me it’s not something I can decide now,” she said. “I would be thankful if they would allow me to go back but I can’t say anything right now.” Looking back, Tolentino would like to think that her second ACL injury brought her to Ateneo. It wasn’t the best of situation to be in to make a life-changing decision but it in the end it turned out just fine. --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @fromtheriles.....»»
Fan experience to change profoundly amid COVID-19 pandemic
By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Dayton Moore remembers so clearly the vast sections of empty seats inside Kauffman Stadium when he took over as general manager of the Kansas City Royals, and he remembers just as vividly — nearly a decade later — how those seats filled and fans roared as the long-suffering club won the World Series. Those dueling memories make the thought of playing games in empty stadiums hard for Moore to fathom. “I know how much strength all players draw from the fans and environment,” he said, when asked about plans to play a shortened season without crowds, “and you need that support to get through an entire Major League Baseball schedule.” As lockdowns are lifted and restrictions eased, sports are finally starting to emerge in the coronavirus pandemic. But in virtually every situation, fans are not yet being allowed to attend and the only consensus for now is that there could be a long period of empty or nearly empty seating. Some U.S. universities are modeling for 25% capacity for the upcoming football season or maybe half-full arenas for the ensuing basketball season. “I think for most sports, a reduced crowd wouldn't negatively impact the overall experience, especially in a situation like baseball or even the NFL,” said Katy Lucy, a digital marketing agent from Atlanta whose fandom is split between all things Georgia Bulldogs and the Washington Capitals. “But it would be different for sure for those who attend in person." Count her family among those who would pause before heading to the ballpark. “For me personally, I’m not sure I would feel comfortable attending a live sporting event until there is a known treatment or widely available vaccine,” Lucy said. “I trust the institutions to put the proper measures in place; however, making sure that they are enforced is another matter.” Many college and pro sports teams already were dealing with declining ticket sales. Watching at home or streaming games are factors, as is the changing social makeup of fan bases. Dynamic pricing, increases in parking and concession prices, and a push toward luxury seating have exacerbated the problem. Major League Baseball attendance has declined six of the past seven seasons. In college football, 13 of the 130 schools that played in the Football Bowl Subdivision reported average crowd sizes of 50% or less last season. Even the NFL has seen an increase in empty seats despite its generally rock-solid popularity. So as coronavirus concerns linger, how are teams going to lure fans back when stadiums do reopen? Loyalty and engagement apps, widespread around the major leagues and colleges even before the pandemic, will become even more common and interactive as teams try to recapture lost revenue. There also will be more behind-the-scenes content and enhancements available via smartphones that will only be available to those in the stadium or arena, offering fans something unique over fans watching at home. “Fans want that experience to be top-notch, period. That's why teams are thinking about this,” said Britton Stackhouse Miller, senior vice president at Fortress U.S., a developer of engagement and integration systems with clients in European soccer, baseball, the NBA, NFL and NHL. Temperature checks, hand sanitizer distribution stations and touchless vending will become the norm for a while. Even concessions will change, though one big difference — gulp — could lead to a lot of grumbling. “If you don't sell beer the number of visits to the bathroom drops dramatically,” said Marc Ganis, the director of sports consulting firm Sportscorp. “So for a time we may have to think about not selling beer.” It won't just be the vast oceans of bench seats left open, either. Many experts believe those hardy fans will be the first to return. It's the corporate suites from which many colleges and pro franchises derive so much of their gameday revenue that may end up being empty until long after games have resumed. Economic woes may last for some time. For fans who stay home, leagues are looking for ways to keep them engaged, too. When Germany's top soccer league returned without fans, broadcaster Sky knew it had a problem with silence coming through the TV. Engineers created “carpet audio” from previous games between the same teams, then teased out roars for specific events such as goals and red cards, giving those watching at home the option of a more realistic experience. “This was the only idea that we thought could be most respectful to the fans,” said Alessandro Reitano, vice president of sports production for Sky Deutschland. “To be honest, it's a major success.” Old crowd noise is a bit like an old game, though. It lacks a certain authenticity. So along came ChampTrack, which created an app that utilizes the microphones of fans. It captures their every roar and groan and sends the audio to its server, which then aggregates the noise into a single stream. That stream is then returned to the viewer using proprietary algorithms to provide the broadcast with real-time sound, which is then immediately erased to ensure personal privacy. “Once they press play on our web app, they can hear what everyone else is cheering about and their own cheer,” said ChampTrack chief executive Elias Anderson, adding the system could soon handle as many as 150,000 fans for each game. Sound is one element of the fan experience. Optics is another. “When it was clear there would be no audience this season, the fans had the idea of bringing their images to the stadium,” said Lubbo Popken, deputy press secretary for German soccer club Borussia Monchengladbach, which affixed fan likenesses to their seats. “We were surprised how many people wanted to be part of this idea and have their images in the stadium. It really changed the atmosphere in the empty stadium.” Of course, none of that is the same as having real fans creating real noise......»»
Golf makes a conservative return with an eye on the long run
By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan went from wondering if any golf would be played this year to a schedule that resumes next week with a calendar filled through Thanksgiving. What hasn't changed is his belief that the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic isn't over just because golf is back. “I don't think it's over," Monahan said Friday in a telephone interview. “I'm really confident in the plan. But you spend a lot of your time, given the uncertainty, thinking through scenarios that could play out. That's what we'll continue to do. We won't be comfortable until we're told we can be comfortable. That will be when we have a vaccine and there's no risk.” Golf is the second major sports league to return behind NASCAR, which began racing three weeks ago and ran nine national series races in a span of 14 days. The Charles Schwab Challenge next week in Fort Worth, Texas, has one of the strongest fields in Colonial's rich history, starting with the top five players from the world ranking. There will be no spectators for at least a month, even though Texas Gov. Greg Abbott this week moved the state to Phase III in the recovery that allows outdoor events at 50% capacity. “We've developed a safety plan that doesn't include spectators. That's what we stand by,” Monahan said. “We want to have a sustained return. If you think about a run to go through the FedEx Cup, we want to make sure week to week we're not taking on unnecessary risk.” Monahan said he is “not the arbiter of confidence,” rather it comes from guidance of health experts at all levels and a plan that involves testing players, caddies and essential personnel as much as twice a week — trying to create a bubble for the traveling circus that is golf. Players were mailed a test kit and were recommended to use it before they travel. They will be tested when they arrive at tournaments and before they leave if they're on charter flights the tour has arranged, and then the process is repeated at the next tournament. Thermal readings and health surveys are required daily, along with sanitizing and social distancing. “It's the only manner we could return,” he said. The tour added another layer this week in a deal with South Dakota-based Sanford Health to have mobile labs at every tournament, with capacity to get results in a matter of hours without taking away resources from the markets where they play. Monahan said CBS Sports is creating its own bubble for the telecast, with Jim Nantz the only person in the booth and other analysts working remotely. Ninety days will have passed from the opening round of The Players Championship, which was canceled the next day, until the first tee shot at Colonial. “We all went home dealing with the same questions,” he said. “How do I get a complete understanding of where we are with the virus and all the elements? How do we recognize that we're turning off (canceling) 11 events? How do you think about resumption and at the same time develop a safety and testing program, not our area of expertise?" The reset began with the majors picking new dates — the British Open was canceled — with the PGA Championship in San Francisco moving to Aug. 6-9, the U.S. Open in New York on Sept. 17-20, and the Masters on Nov. 12-15. “At that time it was very unclear where we would be with safety and testing,” Monahan said. “It could have been earlier than we are, it could have been through points of next year. Information was changing by the minute.” Now that golf is returning, Monahan couldn't predict when spectators would return. He said the tour has worked with tournaments the last several years on building a reserve fund for a crisis such as this. “If you’re not selling tickets, and there’s not hospitality, you don’t have the pro-am experience or the honorary observer program for the sponsor ... that’s a significant financial impact on those tournaments, and the impact on the way tournaments connect with their communities,” he said. Tournaments and their title sponsors still have managed to raise money for their local charities. The Zurich Classic matched last year's donation of $1.5 million to a children's services foundation. The John Deere Classic expects $10 million in donations, even though it canceled its July event. The pandemic is not the only talking point as golf tries to get back on track. The tour on Friday posted Monahan's letter to staff and players on the nation's civil unrest, which the AP first reported on Tuesday. He had a 10-minute video conversation with Harold Varner III, one of three PGA Tour members of black heritage, who wrote passionately on social media on George Floyd, killed when a white police officer held a knee to the back of Floyd's neck while the black man was handcuffed. The conversation was scheduled before the protests began, and Varner was chosen because he's on the Player Advisory Council and golf was ready to resume. “We'll be talking about COVID and civil and social unrest for some time,” Monahan said. “Next week will not be an exception on that front.”.....»»
Quezon City to honor ‘hero’ traffic enforcer
A traffic enforcer of the Quezon City government is being hailed as a hero after he sacrificed his life to save a bicycle rider from a wayward truck on Wednesday......»»
Tigers force rubber
Defending champion Davao Occidental-Cocolife got back at Pampanga Royce Hotel, scoring an 82-77 victory last Wednesday night to forge a knockout match in their quarterfinals duel in the Manila Bankers Life-Pilipinas Super League Pro Division Second Conference Dumper Cup at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga. Former PBA player John Wilson unleashed 20 points, grabbed six rebounds, and issued two assists for the Tigers, while Keith Agovida added 13 points......»»
Bad banking (5)
Responding to my recent columns, a dear friend and a social worker, Maribel Ongpin, related her experience with Land Bank. Excerpts:.....»»