Ready. Set. To-go! Panda Express Now Available for Delivery

Since April 16, Panda Express is bringing your favorite Orange Chicken right to your doorstep via food delivery apps Foodpanda and GrabFood.

Enjoy your favorite Panda Express food again by ordering the bestsellers like Kung Pao Chicken, Broccoli Beef, and the crowd favorite, Orange Chicken. You can pair these American-Chinese classics with Chow Mein.

“We got a lot of craving requests and quite honestly, we also miss our fans. So while we’ve temporarily closed our store for dine-in, we still want to make our food more accessible, especially during this time of enhanced community quarantine,” said Panda Express Brand Manager Julius Marlon Dela Cruz.

Delivery locations are within Metro Manila only. To know more about Panda Express, you may visit http://www.facebook.com/PandaExpressPH/ (Facebook) and @PandaExpressPH (Instagram)

Our Planet, Our Future: Pledge Your Advocacy to #ActNow

The campaign takes inspiration from the United Nations’ (UN) sustainable development goals in its own #ActNow campaign, which urges individuals to do their own part to address climate change.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), all areas of the country will get warmer, more so during the summer months. As an archipelagic developing country, the Philippines has a lot to lose once the irreversible effects of global warming lands on its shores. Coastal communities are one of the most vulnerable as their entire way of life will be negatively impacted by rising sea levels and the changing climate. Even those living in urban areas will not be able to elude the consequences of global warming as flooding will be a more frequent occurrence and summer droughts will intensify.

A future of inaction is dismal and inhospitable. Fortunately, there is still something to be done for the Earth and its inhabitants. With the #WorldIsOurs campaign, everyone is encouraged to join the movement to preserve the environment by making their own advocacies known and to urge others to be conscious of their actions to attain a sustainable future.

Keeping in mind that people are still encouraged to stay at home in order to prevent further spread of COVID-19, Discovery launches #ActNow@Home to prompt everyone to remain vigilant when fighting for the environment even amidst hard times. After all, one of the lessons we can learn from this pandemic is that the health of both humans and the planet go hand-in-hand, and that taking care of Earth is as much of our job as it is to take care of our health.

Even with strict community quarantine guidelines being implemented throughout Luzon, eco-conscious individuals can still share what they can do and have been doing to help preserve the environment in the safety of their own homes by using the #ActNow@Home hashtag. Earth-saving actions can range from something as simple as bringing your own bags when buying groceries to more elaborate efforts such as planting herbs and fruits.

Eco warrior and 2016 Pearl of the Philippines first runner-up Sade Nicha has made her eco-friendly efforts known with her #ActNow@Home video posted on Discovery Channel Southeast Asia’s Facebook page. Planting her own fruits and herbs are only some of the things she does to live a sustainable life as she believes that it helps in lessening her use of plastics compared to when she buys them from the market.

“We can never reach total zero waste, but that is no reason to create zero action,” Nicha says.

Discovery Channel has also featured Filipino-American social entrepreneur Bryan McClelland and his socio-ecological enterprise, BamBike, that works with community members of Gawad Kalinga workers to build bicycles made of bamboo.

“Bamboo may very well be the most useful plant on the planet,” McClelland says in his video pledge. “It is one of our most important tools to mitigate climate change.”

BamBike has previously garnered interest through its eco tours around Intramuros, Manila that allows tourists to explore the historic city in an eco-conscious way by using handmade bamboo bicycles.

Every action counts, no matter how big or small, in this movement to save our only home planet. You can let the world know about your own efforts and challenge your friends to do the same by posting your own photo or video pledge on your social media accounts with the hashtag #ActNow@Home and #WorldIsOurs.

Check out how others have pledged to #ActNow by following Discovery Channel on Facebook and Instagram.

Making the most out of pantry staples

The kitchen has never been busier now that everyone’s staying at home. The thing is, options have also been limited with the community quarantine in place.  With most of us stocking up on canned and instant food for their long shelf life and convenience, you won’t be alone when finding yourself out of ideas on how else to serve pantry staples.

Here are a couple of ways to jazz up what you most likely have in stock from The Maya Kitchen.

Hotcakes. Maya Hotcakes are great on their own, but there’s always room to introduce new flavors to this menu favorite. It’s easy enough to add in oats, fruits, peanut butter, or anything else you prefer. If you don’t want to go for sweet, here’s a tip: Get some onions and cheese and mix in leftover shredded roasted chicken or chopped square ham bits to your hotcake batter for something savory to start the day.

Canned sardines. A popular pantry regular, it’s a good source of protein and a versatile ingredient. Add eggs to make torta, grab some spaghetti to whip up a quick pasta dish, or throw in misua or sotanghon for a hearty noodle soup. Cook with leftover rice for another take on your favorite  sinangag, or sauté canned sardines with your preferred seasonings to serve on top of a steaming bowl of rice.

Hot dogs. A top pick for kids, hot dogs have long since established their place in our fridge. Saute with onions and banana ketchup (you can choose a spicy version for extra kick), or try a twist on lumpiang shanghai by swapping your usual giniling with hot dogs and lots of gooey cheddar cheese. Add canned or bottled corn, beans, salsa, and peppers for a Tex-Mex-inspired hot dog dish, or serve as corn dog bites for a fun, tasty snack.Tinned tuna. Budget-friendly and good for you, canned tuna presents many possibilities for everyday meals. Turn it into a  spread  to go  with  your  breakfast  toast  or  as  the star  of  your  salad.  Make quick  patties by adding breadcrumbs and onions, or get all the #avors you love about  sisig  by substituting canned tuna for an equally delicious dish without the cholesterol. 

Tip: Whip up a creamy tuna bake with Spanish-style canned tuna, fettucine noodles, condensed cream of mushroom soup, and frozen mix vegetables. Top with saltine crackers and grated cheese, and pop in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Instant noodles.  Instant noodles are convenient and tasty, but there’s really nothing stopping you from going beyond what it says in the packaging. One of the easiest ways to upgrade instant noodles is to use it with other ingredients or infuse it with different flavors. Enjoy your own ramen by adding pork slices, eggs, nori, and miso paste to your instant noodles, or do a Thai-inspired stir fry by using peanut butter for your sauce. For a dish that’scloser to home, use your instant noodles to make bulalo or as the base to pancit canton. 

Discover   many   other   tips   and   recipes   you   can   try   while   keeping   safe   and   healthy   at  home  atwww.themayakitchen.com. Like   and   follow   Maya   Kitchen   on   Facebook   and  Instagram   @TheMayaKitchen1   and   follow   us   on   Twitter@TheMayaKitchen.

BPI extends public service, relief in the time of COVID-19

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) has stepped up efforts to provide service and relief to Filipinos to ease difficulties brought by the COVID-19 situation, while at the same time ensuring the safety of clients and its employees.

“As a bank, we have to help ensure that the financial system continues to operate efficiently, no matter how trying the circumstances. We have to do our part to minimize the chances that a health crisis becomes an economic crisis. And we have to do this in a way that minimizes the health risks to the people that we have deployed,” said Cezar Consing, BPI President and CEO.

Some of the Bank’s initiatives that are currently being rolled out include:

1. Branch network. Select BPI branches as well as those of its subsidiaries BPI Family Savings Bank and BanKo remain open to attend to clients basic banking needs with all Over-the-counter (OTC) fees temporarily waived. For its skeleton staffing, BPI is providing special food and transportation allowances, and arranging carpooling or transportation to help employees get to their workplace assignments. Soon, all branches will have acrylic screens, which are currently being delivered to the first batch of branches, to help protect clients and employees.

2. 90-day grace period. Front liners--such as those in the medical field including doctors and nurses, as well as policemen and soldiers who are on duty or called on by the government to deliver service during the enhanced community quarantine period-- are given the option to avail of a 90-day deferral in their existing auto and housing loan payments, interest-free.

3. 30-day grace period. BPI clients can avail of a 30-day grace period payment option applicable to personal loans, home loans, auto loans, SME loans, and microfinance loans. All are subject to certain terms and conditions. Credit card holders also have the option to defer payment for 30 days without incurring late payment charges.

4. Waived fees. Transfer fees to other banks using InstaPay and PESONet are waived, as well as transfer fees to other BPI accounts using its mobile app for the duration of the enhanced community quarantine period. BPI’s remittance partners also either waived fees or offered discounts for overseas Filipinos: Kookmin (discounted fees until December 31, 2020), i-Remit (waived fees from March 21-22, 2020), and Remitly (waived fees and higher FX rates from March 25 to June 30, 2020).

5. Corporate citizenship. BPI, together with the Ayala Corporation and Globe Telecom, donated PhP 5M to Philippine Red Cross for the procurement and distribution of 50,000 face masks and 2,000 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) to medical front liners who are in critical need of protection in hospitals, local government units, and airports.

As the need for social distancing becomes more critical, BPI is also advocating online banking to minimize the need for branch visits during this time. BPI clients are encouraged to do their everyday banking with BPI Online and Mobile App, conveniently and securely at the comfort of their homes.

UNICEF Appeals for Support

UNICEF urgently needs $42.3 million to scale up its response to the Covid-19 virus outbreak and support global efforts to contain it.

“This is a race against time,” said UNICEF Executive Director, Henrietta Fore. “The immediate focus is to reduce human to human transmission but also to help children in areas where their access to essential services has been disrupted.”

The preliminary funds will support UNICEF’s work to reduce the transmission of the virus including by strengthening risk communication and tackling misinformation so that children, pregnant women and their families know how to prevent Covid-19 spread and where to seek assistance.

UNICEF’s current response focuses on supporting the Government of China and the broader East Asia and Pacific region countries where most of the cases have so far been reported. Since 29 January, UNICEF has flown in 13 tons of supplies, including protective suits, masks, goggles and gloves for use by health workers. Additional shipments are in the pipeline and UNICEF is pre-positioning supplies in key locations.

Given the unpredictable nature of the virus and the continued spread, UNICEF is also liaising with Governments, World Health Organization counterparts and other partners in developing contingency plans in other regions, especially in countries with weaker health systems and limited capacity to deal with major disease outbreaks.

“We are hoping for the best, but must prepare for the worst,” Fore said.

Dessert Dreams with the Queens of Buttercream

Having a sweet tooth and three kids, with sweet tooth as well, it is important for a dad like me to learn about baking. In this aspect I get the help of The Maya Kitchen every now and then. And last week I learned flower piping from no other than The world-renowned duo of Queen of Hearts Couture Cakes - Valeri Valeriano and Christina Ong!

Valerie and Christina, with the photo of the first ever cupcakes they decorated.

The Maya Kitchen brings in the popular Filipino founders and owners of the London-based Queen of Hearts Couture Cakes shop, for the special Dessert Dreams with the Queens of Buttercream workshop. The session included a cake decorating demo using local and easy to find ingredients like MAYA products and a hands-on exercise where we got expert guidance on frosting a cupcake. 

Valeri and Christina’s sweet success started with a tiny oven (that can only bake six cupcakes at a time!) in their tiny kitchen in London in 2011 while taking odd jobs to survive. Since they had zero baking experience, they equipped themselves with YouTube videos, basic baking tools and improvised piping bags to give friends a unique handmade Mother’s Day gift. They made their first sunflower cupcake and unlocked a passion for baking and buttercream art. 

The books the  Queens of Buttercream published are available in popular bookstores

Soon, Valeri and Christina started their own cake business and pioneered innovative techniques and intricate designs that won them medals in cake decorating competitions in London. Now known as Queens of Buttercream, they have since been invited to conduct workshops at jam-packed venues all around the world. They have also authored best-selling books The Contemporary Buttercream Bible (2014), 100 Buttercream Flowers (2015), Buttercream One-Tier Wonders (2016), and Buttercream Flowers for all Seasons (2018), which have been translated into different languages.

Despite the success and their busy calendar, Valeri and Christina still make time to travel to Manila at least once a year. Their passion for baking and sharing their knowledge have also led them to organize the first Cake Fiesta Manila, the first-ever ultimate cake show in the Philippines, in 2019. Supported by Maya, the event is considered as the biggest baking and cake decorating expo in the country, with a second run slated on November 13-15, 2020 at the SMX Convention Center Pasay. 

The beautiful cupcakes we've decorated!

Learn great recipes at www.themayakitchen.com. Like and follow The Maya Kitchen on Facebook and Instagram @TheMayaKitchen1 and follow us on Twitter @TheMayaKitchen. e-mail  contact @themayakitchen.com, or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8F Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City or call 8892-1185 or 8892-5011 local 108 or +63929 679 6102.

Obra Maestra 2020 At The Shang

This February, discover more of Philippine fashion as Shang celebrates the timeless appeal of the iconic Filipiniana dress. Nothing can better showcase the beautiful iterations of this quintessential Filipino look than a night of fashion history  with  some of  the  biggest  names  in  Philippine  design  and  fashion. 

#ObraMaestraAtTheShang   bringsSpectacular   Cultural   Fashion   Show   &   Exhibition:   The  Evolution   of   Filipiniana   Fashion  featuring   modern interpretations of the Filipiniana at the  Grand Atrium.   Participating designers include  Oskar Peralta,  ReneeSalud, Ditta Sandico, Richard Papa, Roland Lirio, Steve De Leon, Delby Bragais, Peri Diaz, Albert Figueras,Peter   Lim,  Ricci  Lizaso,  Glenn  Lopez,  Edgar   Madamba,  Jontie   Martinez,  Jerome   Navarro,  Joyce  Penas-Pilarsky, Lito Perez, Edgar San Diego, Gerry Sunga, Philip Torres, Edwin Uy, and the late Bad Boy of Philippine Fashion, Eddie Baddeo. 

This dazzling display is scored  by celebrated  kundiman  musicians, tenor Sherwin Sozon and soprano Tonton Pascual of the Lyric Opera of the Philippines, Mike Austria, Al Gatmaitan, Homer Mendoza, Vince Conrad, and Kathy Hipolito Mas. The fashion show complements the unveiling of the upcoming publications of fashion and arts impresario Zardo Ayangco-Austria, who conceptualized and directed Obra Maestra at the Shang. 

The first  one is  the  landmark  Obra Maestra:  A   Portrait  of  Excellence  in  Philippine Fashion  and  Culture,  a retrospective of vintage fashion photography, culled from bibliophile Mario Feir’s exclusive Filipiniana collection. The coffee table book will also feature narratives on Filipino arts, customs, and traditions from the pre-colonial and colonial periods to the post-war and contemporary times. 

The other publication is NOBLE IDEAS. To Aspire and Inspire, a full-color magazine with almost 200 pages of inspiring work and articles from some of the country’s talented and artistic designers from various fields. 

Obra Maestra has also put together a special exhibition of the evolution of the Filipiniana from pre-colonial times to the 1970s at the Luxury Lane, East Wing until February 29. Included in this showcase are pieces from Feir’s exclusive   Filipiniana   collection   and   the   masterworks   of  Ramon  Valera,  Pitoy  Moreno,  Aureo   Alonzo,  Ben Farrales, R.T. Paras, and Pacita Longos. Proceeds of the Obra Maestra benefit the construction of the Benedictine Sisters Reparatrices of the Sacred Heart’s new monastery and chapel in Mexico, Pampanga. These also raise funds for the Duyog Marawi Project, spearheaded by Bishop Edwin dela Peña, and the victims of the recent Taal Volcano eruption.

 #FeelTheShangVibe and pay #HomageToHeritage as Shangri-La Plaza turns into a mecca of arts and fashion, open to anyone who wants to appreciate the best in Filipino culture. For inquiries, call 8-370-2597/98 or visit www.facebook.com/shangrilaplazaoffcial.

Solmux Advance

Unilab, the leading pharmaceutical company in the Philippines, is once again in the limelight for making the first medicine in the world to combine carbocisteine with zinc, addressing one's cough while strengthening immunity.

Solmux Advance is a significant addition to Unilab’s impressive portfolio of products, which include trusted brands Enervon, Biogesic, Neozep, and Ceelin.

Solmux Advance is a medicine used for the relief of cough characterized by excessive or sticky sputum or phlegm to help treat respiratory tract disorders such as acute or chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). They are also used in the treatment of otitis media with effusion and glue ear.

About Unilab:

Unilab is the leading pharmaceutical company in the Philippines, a position it has consistently maintained over six decades. Its portfolio includes some of the biggest prescription and over-the-counter brands in the country.

Established in 1945, Unilab is the realization of the vision of its founders, Jose Y. Campos and Mariano K. Tan. It is a strong industry leader distinguished by its corporate philosophy that places the people at the center of everything—Bayanihan. Work revolves around trust, reciprocity, and the sharing of fruits and burdens.

Unilab’s key management officers are Chairman Jocelyn Campos Hess, President and Chief Executive Officer Clinton Andrew Campos Hess, Vice Chairman Mariano John Tan and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Benjamin Yap.