Category: Feature

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What Is Your Enchanted Story? Enchanted Kingdom celebrates its 28th Anniversary this October.

Enchanted Kingdom (EK), the first and only world-class theme park in the Philippines, officially launched its 28th-anniversary roster of events this October at the Eldar’s Theater in EK, on October 1.  The year-long celebration with the theme What’s Your Enchanted Story? places the spotlight on recreating enchanting stories from the past and creating new magical experiences for every guest.

“Enchanted Kingdom remains to be part of our guests’ personal milestones throughout its 28 years. We are very excited to capture these enchanting stories from our past and present guests, and celebrate these magical experiences with the future generation,” said Nico Mamon, 28th Anniversary Celebration Wizard and the Head of Organization Development and Corporate Planning.

Due to popular demand, the main anniversary highlight will be the Sky Wizardry Fireworks Competition, returning eight years after its last spectacle and happening every Saturday in October. “Apart from entertaining and dazzling the guests’, Enchanted Kingdom has collaborated with Filipino fireworks manufacturers to showcase their products and creativity. As a proud Filipino company, we highlight local artistry with pyrotechnics and music, enchanting Filipinos for the past 28 years,” Mamon shared.

Aside from the fireworks competition, Enchanted Kingdom has so much in store for all types of guests:

  • On October 7th, Enchanted Kingdom recognizes teachers through activities and entertainment with the World Teachers Day Celebration event as part of National Teachers Month.
  • On October 14th, EK will conduct Storytime with Eldar, An Enchanting Kids Event to start the kids’ activities, followed by its own Grand Storybook Characters Parade to introduce other Enchanted Kingdom characters.
  • On October 21st, Eldar’s E-Kreators will host, dance and perform for loyal parkgoers and fans as part of the world-class theme park’s collaboration with social media influencers and content creator partners.

  • Lastly, on October 28th, the Grand Finale of the Sky Wizardry Fireworks Competition will dazzle guests, and the Be Enchanted! Concert will headline Asia’s Soul Supreme KZ Tandingan together with other best local acts to cap off the anniversary month.
  • EK will also re-launch its nostalgic menu items from the past 28 years from its restaurants and the launch of new merchandise to commemorate the 28th anniversary.

During the launch, EK also unveiled their newest offerings and developments at the theme park in line with its 28th year of creating and providing magical experiences and memories that last a lifetime. These include the:

  • EK mobile app which features the park’s interactive map as well as ride and show schedules. Guests can also access the EK online store (EKOS) through the mobile app. Anna Mamon-Aban, EK’s Head of Business Development and digital Transformation, encouraged everyone to download the app for a more seamless and magical guest experience.
  • STARBOOKS, the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) interactive kiosk system and digital library in a box, containing thousands of carefully curated knowledge content. Two units will be installed at the park’s Agila the EKsperience in partnership with DOST.
  • Guests can also expect a new and improved Fun Kart, EK’s 800-meter go-kart racetrack; and
  • The official launch of EK’s new partner tenants: Tater’s, Fortune Bakeshop, and Dash Premium Ice Scramble. EK also launched their own food offerings, Tropical Coolers and Princess Cookies.

Finally, EK’s President and Chairman Mario Mamon teased that the Enchanted Kingdom is working its magic to bring their guests an enhanced dining experience with planned branded dining outlets. Furthermore, EK announced that starting December 17, the theme park will open its gate every day of the week and continuously provide wholesome family leisure and entertainment, especially during the holiday season.

The year-long celebration is made possible by the following sponsors: Coca-Cola, VIVA, Communications Inc. (VIVA One), Dirt Bug Sun Anti-Mosquito Lotion (Unilab), Dayzinc, Jack’nJill, Swiss Miss, Lexus, Good Day, Great Taste, Tony and Jackey, Vitamilk, Chupa Chups, Eurotel, Honey C, Juan Carlo The Caterer, Inc., Gardenia, Philadelphia, Salonpas, Seda Nuvali Hotels, and MPower.

For more information about this celebration and other upcoming events, visit https://www.enchantedkingdom.ph/ and EK’s official social media accounts @enchantedkingdom.ph for Facebook and Tiktok, and @ek_philippines for Twitter and Instagram.

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PLAYING THE GIANT PIANO MAKES SHOPPING MORE FUN AT SM STORE MAKATI

The BER months just got more exciting at SM Store Makati with its newest in-store attraction a giant piano.  The immersive piano, one of the country’s largest, is set to delight kids and kids-at-heart with its interactive features that’ll make shopping at SM Store more fun.

Here are three ways to enjoy the giant piano experience:

1. Play and create melodies on the interactive Giant Piano.

Bring the whole family and enjoy playing the giant piano — who knows, you might create a catchy song. To play, step on the piano keys, and watch the keys light up in different colors.

2. A time for bonding with the family while shopping.

Take a quick break from shopping.  Head over to the 4th floor of SM Store Makati and enjoy playing music with your siblings while waiting for the parents to shop. Or while your companions are busy gift-hunting for the upcoming holidays, entertain yourself with the most fun thing to do in the mall.

3. Experience a new kind of fun– the SM Store Makati way.

SM Store Makati has always been the go-to of many Filipino shoppers. With its extensive selection of merchandise and services, it’s definitely a one-stop shop all loved to visit.

SM Store Makati is packed with exciting things for its customers. With the addition of the giant piano, it aims to provide more fun and excitement to every shopper. Come and experience SM Store Makati’s giant piano on the 4th floor and make your visit to the mall more exciting and interactive.

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Painting Life with Data for A Better Tomorrow

Life colored by data

We live in the data age where life is painted by information. Our society is powered and inspired by data sets that propel economies, explore possibilities, and change lives. And all of this happens both onscreen and off-screen. Data is king, and it brings new and contemporary delights and advancements with it. The most significant of its gifts is helping bridge the knowledge of ages ago to enrich our modern lives. Literally painting life-powered by data with the brushstrokes of masters past.

Art by the numbers

The Wisdom of Da Vinci: An Immersive AI Experience is one such gift brought to life by information. The immersive art experience merges the power of data processing and the masterworks of Leonardo Da Vinci and other iconic artists into an audio-visual display.

The result is an enthralling and singular experience, where the attendees become canvasses themselves as they step into the projections of data-painted art. The exhibit can be visited at One Bonifacio High Street until October.

This convergence of hard data and art is what drew the attention of EastWest Ageas. The exhibit’s imagery was sourced from paintings, books, traditional CSV files, and even statistics to create art that evokes the deepest of emotions and imaginations.

 A business of the heart and data

“We decided to sponsor this exhibition because our business is about data and emotions,” shares Sjoerd Smeets, President and CEO of EastWest Ageas. The business of ensuring the people’s future and assets has a bedrock built on data and information. This makes sure that all the decisions regarding the customers are founded on facts and rational thinking.

“But in the end, we are here to serve our customers at difficult moments,” Sjoerd says. “Our business has a clear purpose: protect families during their most vulnerable moments and bring them comfort and security.” And this requires emotional intelligence, a feat that no data set can muster.

EastWest Ageas believes that it is the union of the human capacity to empathize and the clear-sightedness of data that can elevate the industry to the next level of service.

Joub Miradora, EastWest Ageas’ Chief Customer Officer succinctly summarizes this.

“For true service, we want to provide a customer-centric service that gives clear solutions fueled by data and delivered with a human heart.”

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#PWDeSaSM Creating Inclusive Spaces Through SM’s Sensitivity Training

When people are accepted, they become empowered and feel appreciated and recognized.

In celebration of the International Day of Sign Language, SM Cares of the SM Group continues its mission to provide inclusive spaces as a mall for all through its yearly sensitivity training for its frontline employees. The training equips them with skills to better serve customers with different needs or persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Engr. Bien Mateo, Senior Vice President for Mall Operations and Program Director of SM Cares Disability Affairs noted the company’s dedication to creating positive impacts within its communities.

“Genuine inclusion starts with us,” he said. “One of the integral steps in line with this effort is by conducting sensitivity training for our employees.”  

A PWD-friendly mall for all

Apart from SM Supermalls’ facilities, SM Prime Holdings, Inc.’s shopping malls promote inclusive spaces through features such as ramps, handlebars in comfort rooms, and Braille-labeled elevator buttons. The efforts to promote inclusivity within the malls also rely on equipping its workers with the knowledge and best practices for assisting PWDs.

Jay Jess Aquino, a security personnel in SM Mall of Asia for 15 years shared how helpful the annual sensitivity training is in learning how to respectfully assist customers who have different needs.

With daily interactions from different PWD communities, he shared how a simple act of acknowledging guests on the autism spectrum or persons with Down syndrome every time they playfully salute them goes a long way.

SM Mall of Asia (MOA) security personnel Jay Jess Aquino and Rebecca Flores pose with their sensitivity training manuals on how to care for patrons with different needs.

“Pagpasok po nila sa mall, sumalaudo po sila sa amin mga guards, he said. “Natutuwa rin po kami kasi kahit sa simpleng pag-acknowledge po namin, eh napapangiti na po namin sila.”

(They salute us guards as they enter the mall. We are also pleased because even with simple acknowledgement, we can make them smile.)

As SM front liners, they must be quick to recognize guests with mobility issues to provide alternative solutions such as wheelchairs and even drive them via golf karts when available. The mall’s administration office is also open to serve as a safe and quiet space for guests who may be sensitive to several sensory inputs. 

His colleague and fellow security staff Rebecca Flores in Mall of Asia expressed how the sensitivity training has made her more confident to assist patrons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) over her nine-year experience in SM.

She emphasized the importance of maintaining open communication and building rapport with customers on the spectrum before they enter. This approach helps dismiss any notion that security guards are intimidating.

“Opo. Sa entrance pa lang talaga hina-hi (saying hi/hello) na namin sila,” Ms Flores said. “Nagrerespond sila. Bumati ka sa kanila para di sila matakot sa guard. Para kahit mawala sila, di sila matatakot lumapit sa guard. Kasi maalala nila ay ito yung bumati sa akin.”

(We see to it that we give them a lively greeting as they enter the mall because they remember you. Even in the unfortunate event of being lost in the mall, they won’t hesitate to approach you to find their way since they will recall the friendly face who said hi to them.)

Ms. Flores even recalled to her initial experience when a child on the autism spectrum playfully kicked her. She remembered how shocked she was during the exchange. And although the child’s parent immediately explained the situation, Ms. Flores recalled in jest how the child tried to get her again on the way out.

“Di ako nagalit. Mas nagpasalamat ako sa training kasi may kaalaman kami,” she said.

(I didn’t get mad. I’m thankful because the training imparted learnings on this.)

SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls and a division of SM Foundation, Inc. ensures a barrier-free and disability-inclusive environment for PWDs in all of its malls nationwide.

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SM Targets Biggest Haul On International Coastal Cleanup Day With More Malls Nationwide

SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls, together with SM Prime Holdings, Inc., is gearing up to gather the biggest haul of trash and marine debris at this year’s International Coastal Cleanup Day on September 16, 2023, at SM By the BAY and at multiple SM Malls across the country.

SM’s expanded participation – 15 SM malls in 12 locations in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao – will enable more volunteers and employees to join the cleanup drive to help safeguard the marine environment and its resources in the communities it serves.

SM Prime calls on communities to sign up and join clean-up drives with designated SM malls.

Since 2015, SM has been committed to supporting International Coastal Cleanup Day every September and mounting several cleanup drives throughout the year. The recent cleanup last June to celebrate World Environment Day and World Oceans Day generated 29,272 kilograms of trash across 5 SM malls nationwide. In addition, SM By the BAY, SM Mall of Asia, and SM Offices regularly conduct cleanup drives twice a month at the

Over 11,000 volunteers are expected to gather at SM malls in support of International Coastal Clean Up Day.

The coastal cleanup drive is one of the many projects mounted by SM Cares and leading real estate developer, SM Prime Holdings Inc., to support the marine environment and ocean conservation efforts of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).

To know more about SM’s International Coastal Cleanup Day activities, follow the SM Cares Official Facebook page. Volunteers may participate in designated clean-up sites through the following malls and sign up via:

  1. Metro Manila – SM by the BAY
  2. Tuguegarao – SM City Tuguegarao, together with SM Center Tuguegarao Downtown
  3. Bataan – SM City Bataan
  4. Olongapo – SM City Olongapo Central, together with SM City Olongapo Downtown
  5. Sorsogon – SM City Sorsogon
  6. Legazpi – SM City Legazpi
  7. Daet – SM City Daet
  8. Puerto Princesa – SM City Puerto Princesa
  9. Capiz – SM City Roxas
  10. Cebu – SM Seaside City Cebu, together with SM City Cebu
  11. Zamboanga – SM City Mindoro
  12. General Santos – SM City General Santos

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PHILIPPINES FINEST BUSINESS AWARDS Celebrating Excellence

Philippine Finest Business Awards and Outstanding Achievers 2023. Honoring Exceptional Individuals, Companies, and Achievements.

Last September 8, 2023 at The Hexagon Events Place in Quezon City the stage was set for an extraordinary celebration of excellence as the prestigious “Philippine Finest Business Awards and Outstanding Achievers 2023” gear up to recognize and honor exceptional individuals, companies, and achievements that have made a significant impact on the business landscape. Organized by La Visual Corporation and SIRBISU Channel, the “Philippine Finest Business Awards and Outstanding Achievers 2023” is a testament to the pursuit of excellence, innovation, and dedication to outstanding business practices. The awards ceremony aims to honor businesses and individuals who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to consumer welfare, product quality, and outstanding customer service. With categories ranging from “Business Excellence” to “Outstanding Individual Achievements,” the event seeks to highlight and applaud a diverse array of accomplishments across various industries.

 “We are thrilled to bring together exceptional individuals, companies, and achievers under one roof to celebrate their remarkable contributions to the business world,” at La Visual Corporation. “This event is not just about awards; it’s a platform to inspire others to strive for excellence and foster a stronger business community.”

91.5 Win Radio Manila received the Most Empowered FM Radio Station Award, Thoney S. Pascual Advertising Account Manager with Nirro De Leon Marcelo Chairman, Awards Committee

 The “Philippine Finest Business Awards and Outstanding Achievers 2023” gave an evening filled with excitement, inspiration, and the celebration of exceptional success stories.

La Visual Corporation is a prominent name in event management, known for its expertise in organizing exceptional events that celebrate excellence, innovation, and success. Furthermore, SIRBISU Channel is a trusted media company dedicated to providing quality content that informs, educates, and entertains its viewers.