Donate-A-Book, Share the Joy of Learning at The SM Store

          SM shoppers can continue to share the joys of learning with children who need them most through The SM Store’s Donate a Book campaign, which is now ongoing at select branches nationwide until September 30, 2021.          

Shoppers can share the gift of knowledge with less fortunate children through the Donate-  a-Book campaign now ongoing at selected SM Stores nationwide until September 30.

          

New and gently used pre-loved books in all kinds are all welcome.  Shoppers can also donate and match with Learning is Fun (LIF) books, as well as SM Stationery section’s learning materials, and in exchange, shoppers will receive 100 pesos discount coupon for every donation made.

            While face to face classes still have to resume, schooling certainly extends beyond the campus. And your donations will go a long way as these will be very helpful to distributed to partner public schools and libraries around the country. Here’s how you can share your gift of knowledge:

• Visit the Donate-a-Book booths at participating branches of the SM Store at Metro Manila, North Luzon, South Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
  

• Donate new or pre-loved books. All books are very much welcome, especially storybooks, educational, and hobby books that can help spark a child’s curiosity, imagination, and knowledge. 

• Donate and match with Learning Is Fun (LIF) books that are available at The SM Store. LIF offers a wide range of books from toddlers to adult categories such as activity books, early learning educational books, cookbooks, reference books, storybooks, Inspirational books, and game and toy books. Being the participating partner of the said campaign, the company will donate the same number of books sold   during the program period. 

• School supplies are welcome. You can also donate notebook packs of 6 and school sets that include a backpack, notebooks, rulers, and pens that are available at The SM Stationery section.

Since 2015, The SM Store has collected and distributed over 800,000 books to public schools and libraries through the Donate-A-Book campaign. Pre-pandemic photo shows the turnover of the books and school supplies to the students of Balanga Elementary School in Balanga, Bataan. Here, Elena Almario and Marlyn Gerio of Dep Ed EPS 1, and Balanga Elementary School Principal IV Amelia Inieto receive the books from (from left) SM Foundation Head of School Building Team Juris Soliman, The SM Store North Luzon Zone Head Joseph Rosal, SM Retail SAVP Gilda Maquilan, and The SM Store Olongapo Branch Manager Rosemarie Chua-Labrador.

In exchange, shoppers will receive 100 pesos discount coupon for every donation made.

These girls from Balanga Elementary School happily and excitedly show their brand new sets of school supplies courtesy of The SM Store’s Donate-a-Book campaign.

The Donate-a-Book campaign began in 1998 as one of SM Foundation’s groundbreaking mall-based programs. It has since been part of the SM Store’s community programs since 2015, collecting and distributing almost 800,000 books and learning materials through the generosity of The SM Store customers.

Kids from Balanga Elementary school are very happy to receive books donated by The SM Store during the recent Donate-a-Book campaign turn-over ceremony, held last 2019 in Balanga, Bataan.

            Share the Joy of Learning and visit the Donate-a-Book kiosks at the participating branches of The SM Store nationwide. (SM PR)

YouTube FanFest 2021: A three-day celebration of Filipino talent and diversity

P-pop group SB19 and Andree Bonifacio surprised fans with a powerful collaboration featuring the boy band’s hit singles ‘Mana’ and ‘Bazinga’ during The Finale.

It’s no secret that Filipinos are social beings and now, at a time when forging human connections have never been more important, YouTube returned for the second virtual edition of YouTube FanFest (YTFF) that provided not only entertainment from home but also a celebration of Filipino diversity.

Held over three days from August 27 to 29, YTFF 2021 saw how YouTube continues to be a place where diversity, equity, and inclusion reign. Here are some of the highlights of this year’s YTFF:

Not just one, but three days worth of entertainment

YouTube FanFest is usually a one-day show, but this year, fans were surprised with the three-day episode, namely Island Life, Everyone is Beautiful, and The Finale--each day centered around the wealth of diversity among YouTube creators.

A visit to the Queen City of the South

YouTube creators from Cebu joined FanFest for the first time, kickstarting this year’s show. Medyo Maldito and Snake Princess, Raphiel Shannon, and The Juans serenaded the audience. At the same time, Indai Allyn left viewers craving for mouthwatering dishes like Kinilaw na bariles (Tuna ceviche), Chicken inasal with palapa (Grilled chicken with traditional Maranao spices), and Biko (Sweet rice cake made with coconut milk and brown sugar). G-FORCE closed the episode with a showstopping performance of their original song, “Sumayaw.”

Beaming with Pride

YouTube has always been a space that welcomes everyone regardless of color, ethnicity, orientation, or background. This year’s show was definitely a display of the platform’s inclusivity as we saw more members of the Pride community joining the show including Mikey Bustos as the host, as well as lifestyle and beauty creators AboutRAF, Madam Ely, and Tita Krissy Achino, who took part in a Project Runway-esque challenge.

True to YouTube’s mission of diversity, equity, and inclusion, this year’s FanFest continued to see representation from the Pride community, among which were lifestyle creators About RAF and Madam Ely, who joined beauty creator Raiza Contawi in hosting the second episode, Everyone is Beautiful.  

Redefining entertainment

YouTube FanFest undoubtedly brings forward a variety of song and dance performances. But as we all found various hobbies and channels to binge on over the quarantine periods, YTFF showed that entertainment goes beyond on-stage performances with a series of cooking shows graced by Chef RV Manabat and Chef Tatung of Simpol, along with costume design and makeup challenges.

Powerhouse collaborations

Fans always look forward to the exciting collaborations during the show, and this year is no exception. P-Pop sensation SB19 shared the stage with Andree Bonifacio, performing a powerful rendition of ‘Mana’ and ‘Bazinga’ during The Finale.

A stage for Filipino ingenuity

Local content creators showcased their world-class talents with their hit originals. Lesha performed her latest single, ‘Sun Moon Rising & Karma,’ while Reneé Dominique sang crowd-favorites ’Could I Love You Any More’ and ‘The Rose.’ Raphiel Shannon gave a soothing performance of her songs ‘O’ and ‘Hiling,' and Zack Tabudlo serenaded the audience with ‘Binibini’ and ‘Nangangamba.’ Fans of The Juans were treated to heartwarming performances of 'Hatid,' 'Hindi Tayo Pwede,' 'Umaga', 'Atin Ang Mundo', and 'Dulo'.

It was all about celebrating togetherness

At the end of it all, YouTube FanFest has always been about bringing people together which remains ever crucial at these times. More local creators joined the diverse line-up of the three-day show including lifestyle and beauty creators Hazel Quing, itsclaudineco, Raiza Contawi, and ThatsBella; YTFF regulars Ranz Kyle and Niana Guerrero together with their adorable sibling Natalia Guerrero; as well as Benedict Cua and Team Lyqa!

This year’s YouTube FanFest may have ended, but those who missed the show or just can’t get enough of the three-day fun can head over to the YouTube FanFest channel to discover (or rediscover) what makes YTFF a one-of-a-kind celebration. /PR

COMELEC Voter Registration at SM Supermalls

            The Commission on Elections and SM Supermalls recently launched 76 satellite COMELEC Voter Registration centers at the SM Supermalls to provide voters with more registration venues.

            SM City Mindpro’s COMELEC Satellite Registration Center will commence on September 1 until September 15 which will give the public a safer, more convenient option amidst the prevailing COVID-19 health crisis.

Districts 1 and 2 Election Officers Atty. Stephen Roy Cañete and Atty. Jan Christian Babiera were happy with this partnership and they encouraged fellow Zamboangueños to register from 10AM to 7PM on Mondays to Fridays, and 10AM to 5PM during Saturdays at the Level 2 of SM City Mindpro.

COMELEC Zamboanga City is the latest government agency to partner with SM in bringing basic government services closer to the public. Other in-mall government services available in SM City Mindpro include COVID-19 vaccination and the National ID registration.

Shown during the launch at the SM Mall of Asia are COMELEC Commissioner Aimee Ferolino (center) joined by (from left to right) COMELEC Director IV for Election and Barangay Affairs Department Atty. Divine E. Blas-Perez, COMELEC Director IV for Education and Information James Jimenez, SM Supermalls President Steven Tan and SM Supermalls SVP for Operations Bien Mateo.

            SM Supermalls is providing free space and waived charges to essential conveniences so they can efficiently operate the registration centers.

             For more updates and guidelines, visit and follow @smcitymindpro on Facebook. (SM PR)

Bests of Mindanao at SM City Mindpro

Feel the vibe and explore homegrown BESTS at SM City Mindpro this month of August and September!

Snag local crafts or bring home palatable homemade delicacies and fresh produce—all are featured at the Festive Zamboanga, Best of Mindanao Pop-up Fair in SM City Mindpro’s Ground Level Activity Area from August 25 to September 8.

This pop-up fair showcases specialty and artisan products from different enterprises based in the city.

 

Best Eats. Take a break and savor Alavar’s best-known curacha with special Alavar sauce and halal Tausug delicacies from Tutup Homemade Delicacies by Dennis Coffee Garden. If you are looking for satisfying snacks and a guilt-free indulgence, baulu and lukut-lukut from Ola Food Products are for grabs. More food options are readily available and await you at the fair!

 

Best Crafts. Upgrade your crib and make your space aesthetic with these homegrown finds like the creative and colorful upcycled dolls made of paper from Gab Creation Handicrafts. Now, if you want to look stylish, Yakan Fashion Corner and ZamSulu Artworks showcases their best yakan-made clothes, bags, and accessories, along with the Mascota Filipiniana-inspired dress display.

Best Produce. Bring home fresh fruits and vegetables from Mindpro Supermarket! Their display of fresh produce will surely be enticing.

Aside from these amazing foods and finds at the fair, SM also highlights homegrown brands which give the best tastes and gastronomic delight to Zamboangueños – Casa Velyn, Turkish Grille Plus, and Arya’s Coffee and Tea, to name a few.

For more information on other activities, visit and follow SM City Mindpro on Facebook. (SM PR)

Virtual YouTube FanFest Philippines returns on August 27-29

The virtual edition of YouTube FanFest (YTFF) returns for its second year in the Philippines, presented by Globe and All Things Hair PH by Unilever.

The online event will be divided into three episodes streaming live from August 27 to 29 at 6:00 PM PHT on the YouTube FanFest channel, featuring creators from Cebu and more!

YTFF went virtual for the first time last year in line with the pandemic to provide uplifting content to Filipinos wherever they are and bring everyone together in spirit despite being apart. Aside from this, the online event will continue to celebrate diversity and inclusion through its 2021 show.

True to its mission of inclusion, YTFF is putting a spotlight on creators from Cebu who will open the three-day virtual event. The first episode, dubbed as “Island Life,” features Cebuano creators Medyo Maldito, Raphiel Shannon, and Snake Princess who will take fans on an adventure on the beautiful island of Cebu. Indai Allyn, G-FORCE and The Juans will join them, while Mikey Bustos will be present across the three episodes.

The beauty of diversity shines through on the second day named “Everyone is Beautiful” as lifestyle and beauty creators About RAF, Andree Bonifacio, Hazel Quing, itsclaudineco, Lesha, Madam Ely, Raiza Contawi, ThatsBella, and Tita Krissy Achino will take on a series of exciting challenges and collaborations that will surely make fans smile.

For “The Finale,” some creators from the first and second days will come together with Benedict Cua, Chef RV Manabat, Natalia Guerrero, Niana Guerrero, Ranz Kyle, Reneé Dominique, Simpol, SB19, Team Lyqa, and Zack Tabudlo to celebrate diversity, togetherness, and further surprise fans on YouTube in a special entertainment experience.

“YouTube aims to be helpful by providing uplifting content to Filipinos who are staying safe indoors and to our frontline heroes wherever they are. We strive to do this while celebrating diversity and inclusion, bringing together people from several walks of life including creators from our beautiful Pride community and from regions beyond Metro Manila,” said Gabby Roxas, Marketing Head of Google Philippines.

Roxas added, “We hope this special edition YouTube FanFest will create moments of optimism and bring about a sense of unity online that we all need during this time.”

Some creators will have virtual meet and greet moments in September after the FanFest event. Stay tuned to their social media accounts.

Catch the YouTube FanFest on August 27 to 29 at 6:00 PM PHT on www.youtube.com/fanfest. For more information, visit http://www.youtubefanfest.com.

Twitter: twitter.com/YouTubeFanFest
Instagram: instagram.com/youtubefanfest
Facebook: facebook.com/YouTubeFanFest 

Follow the hashtag: #YTFFPH2021

About YouTube:
Launched in May 2005, YouTube’s mission is to give everyone a voice and show them the world. We believe that everyone deserves to have a voice and that the world is a better place when we listen, share and build community through our stories. YouTube is a Google company.

SHARE THE HAPPINESS WITH MINISO X COCA-COLA

            The collaboration between Japanese fashion brand Miniso with Coca-Cola brings a double dose of happiness, giving a new vitality to shopping with the fusion of young and classic brands.

           

Miniso X Coca-Cola Collection gives a double the happiness for a fashionable lifestyle.

Share the gift of happiness with this Coca-Cola shopping bag. Available in three designs.

            Miniso is positioned as a lifestyle product retailer that young people want to visit, and the brand tone of Coca-Cola is happy and simple. Significantly, both have red and white logos: Coca-Cola with its “Spencerian” script that has captured the heart of generations of consumers; while Miniso’s red and graphic logo that advocates “Life is for fun” and aims to deliver well-made and highly-designed goods at a reasonable price for shoppers to better enjoy a quality of life on a budget.

           

Have a cool cola with this Coca-Cola Insulated Tumbler with Stainless Steel Straw.

Take your refreshment on the go with this Coca-Cola Water Bottle.

Coca-Cola Keychain Pendant with Bottle Opener.

         

            With this, the Miniso X Coca Cola Collection comes in classic red and white, with designs that are vintage, fashionable, and creative yet functional items. These include mugs and tumblers, tote bags, keychain with bottle opener, cosmetic pouch, lunch bags and other novelty pieces.

Coca-Cola Square Bento bag

Stay Classy and vintage with this Coca-Cola’s iconic red tote bag and cosmetic pouch.

Shop at the nearest Miniso stores and get this Coca-Cola tote bag.

 

   Conveniently shop for your favorite Miniso X Coca Cola items in-store or online via shop.minisoph.com. For more updates, follow MinisoPhilippines in Facebook and Miniso PH in Instagram. (SM PR)

It is time to turn that TRASH TO CASH at SM City Mindpro

With the threat of COVID-19, most of our time now is spent doing our daily routines and activities within the corners of our homes resulting to trashes which accumulate easily. Here's more reason to declutter your home: You can earn from the SM’s Trash-To-Cash recycling market! This is the perfect time to turn the trash lying around your home into cash!

 

Trash-to-Cash is SM’s long-running environmental initiative aimed at educating the community to recycle, dispose of their trash properly, and earn in the process. Launched in 2007, the program is part of the company’s efforts in compliance with Republic Act No. 9003, also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Program.

 

SM City Mindpro’s recycling market successfully launched its first run of the program and will continue every first Friday and Saturday of the month. The next schedule of this activity will be on September 3-4, 2021 at 10:00AM to 02:00 PM located in the tricycle bay area at the ground level carpark building. The accepted wastes include plastic and PET bottles, newspapers, cardboards, metal, tin and aluminum, as well as cookware and kitchen items.

 

Under the program, SM also involves its partner affiliates and tenants. Part of this is the buyout of their used cooking oil, which also complies with government policies on the responsible disposal of hazardous waste, as well as encouraging them to dispose of their unusable or broken light bulbs through the program, to name a few.

 

“This is the perfect time to remember our collective responsibility to the environment. Being eco-responsible is the best gift that we can ever give to Mother Nature, which is why we urge everyone to look at sustainable ways to get rid of their solid waste, such as our Trash-to-Cash market,” said Engr. Liza B. Silerio, SM’s Vice President on Corporate Compliance and Head of SM Sustainability and Environment Program.

 

SM Cares is the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls, which spearheads programs focusing on social inclusion and care for the environment. In addition to its eco-centric programs, SM Cares’ advocacies include programs on women and breastfeeding mothers, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, children and youth, and the creation of bike-friendly SM Malls across the country.

 

For more information on guidelines and other activities, visit and follow @smcitymindpro on Facebook. (SM PR)

#YOUTHink | A Cebuano Magazine to Help Fight Misinformation

Philippines - This National Language Month (Buwan ng Wika), @google & @canvasph.art launched the Cebuano version of #YOUTHink magazine to highlight the importance of local language diversity in battling misinformation. 

#YOUTHink is a local youth-oriented magazine that aims to address misinformation through media and information literacy. The 42-page publication comes in a fun and creative zine-style format to engage young readers. It covers several topics such as the types of misinformation and their negative effects, why context matters, how to identify a fact from an opinion, and how to avoid falling for fake information. The magazine was translated into Cebuano by teachers and translators Hannah Arans and Xi Zuq.

Similar to the first edition published in January 2021, Google provided funding support for Cebuano magazine's development, design, and publication. 

Initially, 5,000 copies will be distributed for free to schools, communities, and NGOs outside the National Capital Region.

This magazine includes letters and essays from the likes of former Comelec commissioner Atty. Luie Guia, infectious diseases specialist Dr Edsel Salvana, scientist and radio and TV speaker, Dr Reina Reyes, Ateneo de Manila University assistant professor of Philosophy, Dr Jacklyn Cleofas, and University of the Philippines professor Dr Clarissa David.  

A PDF copy of the magazine can be accessed here (printing or sharing for selling purposes is strictly prohibited). For more information, visit: www.canvas.ph.  /PR

About Google

Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. Through products and platforms like Search, Maps, Gmail, Android, Google Play, Chrome and YouTube, Google plays a meaningful role in the daily lives of billions of people and has become one of the most widely-known companies in the world. Google is a subsidiary of Alphabet, Inc.

About CANVAS

CANVAS is a non-profit that strives to promote children’s literacy, strengthen national identity, and broaden public awareness for Philippine art, culture, and the environment. It runs the One Million Books for One Million Filipino Children Campaign and donates Filipino-produced books to underprivileged children nationwide in the hope of inspiring them to love reading. Many of the children who receive the books are the first they ever get to call their own. To date, the Campaign has given away 400,000 books.

August is Cyber Month at SM City Mindpro

Everyone can agree by now that technology plays a bigger role in our lives. In a span of just one year, mobile devices, smartphones, and gadgets have fully evolved from a revered luxury to an essential necessity. In recent months, our homes have become a multifunctional space that allow us to rest, do our work, exercise, and bond with our family. So who can blame us if we’re constantly looking for ways to transform it into a smart home? These days, you can just say “Alexa, turn on the TV” and voila, your TV comes to life! Thanks to smart gadgets, our home life can become so much easier and more convenient!

 

“In more ways than one, technology helped us overcome last year’s challenges. This realization pushes Cyberzone to do more and do better by continuously offering the best devices that will improve the lives of every Filipino and guide them towards the future.” – said JonJon San Agustin, SM Supermalls Senior Vice President for Marketing.

 

 

This Cyber Month, SM City Mindpro is offering great deals on a dizzying array of handy gadgets and nifty tools at SM Cyberzone and leading tech stores to make our homes safer and smarter, and consequently, our downtime or work hours more enjoyable and productive. It also focuses on empowering Zamboangueños by enabling them to discover new tech innovations through #TechAssured devices.

 

Thanks to the wide array of authentic tech options at SM, buying gadgets to make your life easier and stay wired should be a breeze.

 

If you are looking for #TechAssured gadgets to help get you #InTheZone for this year’s Cyber Month, just head on over to SM City Mindpro and #CheckCyberzone or go to www.smcyberzone.com. For more information on guidelines and other activities, visit and follow SM City Mindpro on Facebook. (SM PR)

WATSONS IS RETAIL ASIA’S HEALTH AND BEAUTY RETAILER OF THE YEAR

Watsons Philippines won the Health & Beauty Retailer of the Year – Philippines at the prestigious Retail Asia Awards 2021.

Watsons Philippines was recently named Retail Asia’s Health and Beauty Retailer of the Year – Philippines at the recently concluded virtual 16th Retail Asia Awards 2021. The one-stop source for retail intelligence for Asia, Retail Asia gathers and recognizes the region’s most outstanding retail initiatives in its annual prestigious and exciting awards event.

During the same ceremony, it won the Marketing Initiative of the Year award for its “Stay Strong and Beautiful” campaign. Featuring 300 influencers using the hash tag #staystrongstaybeautiful and to date, the campaign has already reached over 31 million unique users from Facebook, Instagram and Google.  Watson’s e-catalogue, which offers various promos, has also reached 18.7 million users.

The year 2020 was a challenging year for everyone due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the imposed mobility restrictions. Customers had a shift in their mindset and started to prioritize their family’s health and safety at all times. 

 

Watsons staff happily complies with health safety protocols to keep a safe shopping experience for their customers.

Watsons, through their campaign, responded to this shift by highlighting the importance of both health and beauty in navigating difficult challenges. They also provided alternative shopping experiences to ease the worries of their customers through watsons.com.ph and call the delivery service which covers around 100 store hubs servicing nearby areas.

Since the start of the pandemic, Watsons started to highlight the importance of health and wellness by promoting products like vitamins, supplements, hygiene and personal care products both in store and in their shared content online to spread messages of self-care, DIY personal care and protection.

Watsons also opened a total of 67 physical stores and launched new Watsons Generics products like rubbing alcohol, effervescent, generic vitamins, and supplements to continuously meet the demands of their customers especially during these challenging times. (SM PR)

Go ToTEAlly Crazy at SM City Mindpro Milk Tea Fest

We’re spilling the tea! Did you know that milk tea is one of the world’s top five most-consumed beverage? In the Philippines alone, Filipinos are so crazy about milk tea that they drink an average of at least five cups per month!

 

This month of July, SM City Mindpro will be holding something special for all milk tea lovers, with a Milk Tea Fest from July 19 to 31! With #SafeMallingAtSM protocols, you can be sure that your Milk Tea Fest experience will be safe and fun.

 

Here are the exciting things you can find at SM’s Milk Tea Fest:

 

ThirsTEA for new and unique milk tea flavors? You’re in luck, because all cuTEAS get to sample new concoctions whipped up by your favorite milk tea brands at the Milk Tea Battle! Drop by and have taste of the latest creations from Macao Imperial Milk Tea, Chatime, and Gong Cha, to name a few!

 

TEArrific Treats! Score the best deals at the festival with exclusive deals from your favorite milk tea brands! Gather your besTEAS and slurp away, because Chatime is offering buy-one-get-one deals. Macao Imperial Tea is offering buy-one-get-one specialTEAS as well for vaccinated individuals.

 

SelfTea at The Sweet Spot! This will be selfTEAS you and your friends won’t forget! Drop by the festival’s The Sweet Spot, which will be bursting with cuteness adorable Instagrammable installations! Take a selfTEA at the photo spot and post it on Facebook and Instagram with the #MilkTeaFestAtSM.

 

Whether you’re going bonkers over boba and looking to satisfy your milk tea cravings, or you just want to have something fun and exciting to do, don’t miss out on the parTEA and visit the Milk Tea Fest at SM!

 

For latest updates, please visit and follow SM City Mindpro on Facebook. (SM PR)