Gracee's Lifestyle Journal

PIXEL Academy, the anticipated workshop series for content creators headed by local fintech company Eplayment, recently launched its first class with Dani Rogacion, CEO of Overdrive Studios, at the forefront of the session. Her class titled Designing for Impact, highlighted the importance of content visuals in content creation and branding.  The four-hour workshop provided a comprehensive experience for all participants, blending insightful learning sessions with valuable opportunities for connecting with other like-minded creators. PIXEL Academy aims to go beyond upskilling as it also opens up an avenue for creators to share ideas with fellow creatives and collaborate with equally passionate individuals.  Let Perez, Director for Creator Connect Dani Rogacion, PIXEL Academy guest speaker Karlos Naidas, Eplayment CEO Rogacion, with her expertise, helped PIXEL creators lay down the foundations of their content and branding through mood board creation. This hands-on activity enab...

Ms. Nanette Medved-Po and Mr. Steven Tan assemble puzzle pieces at the Generation HOPE launch, symbolizing SM’s support in building classrooms for Filipino students. SM Supermalls is proud to partner with HOPE and the Department of Education for Generation Hope—a collaborative campaign that transforms everyday consumer purchases into tangible support for Filipino students by helping build classrooms across the country.   Launched on May 26, 2025, at Samsung Hall in SM Aura, the initiative brings together a coalition of brands, including SM Supermalls, BDO, Aivee, Carmen’s Best, Grab, Penshoppe, and Sunnies, united in a shared goal: to bridge the country’s classroom gap.   In addition to SM Foundation’s long-standing efforts—having built 110 school buildings with 374 classrooms—SM Supermalls is further extending its commitment to education by supporting Generation HOPE’s Build a Classroom Project, which aims to construct 10 new public school classrooms, funded in part through t...

The Philippines has almost 87 million individuals who use the internet according to a 2024 report by digital solutions provider Meltwater. Digital adoption continues to grow across all ages in the country, with even older Filipinos exploring the online world to connect with loved ones, access information and services, and enjoy entertainment.  However, unlike younger generations who grew up in the Information Age, cybersecurity doesn’t always come naturally to many of our elders. This knowledge becomes even more crucial when it comes to online banking. Terms like “phishing” or “malware” can be confusing – but protecting oneself online doesn’t always have to be complicated. To help your titos, titas, and even lolos and lolas feel more confident and secure while using the latest that technology has to offer, here are some simple but sometimes overlooked online banking tips from CIMB Bank Philippines, hailed the Best Digital Bank in the Philippines by The Asian Banker: Enable biometri...

Network senior executive  Nessa Valdellon , a veteran in Philippine television and film production,  has been selected to serve as a juror for the prestigious 2025 International Emmy® Awards Competition. A seasoned industry leader, Valdellon's expertise is frequently sought after. She has also served as a grand jury member for the New York Festivals for six consecutive years and has been a juror for the Asian Academy Creative Awards since 2018.  Valdellon’s career at GMA Network spans over two decades, where her visionary leadership has profoundly impacted content creation.  She is the driving force behind GMA Public Affairs as Senior Vice President, where she shaped the division into a multifaceted content powerhouse.  In her concurrent role as Executive Vice President for GMA Pictures, Valdellon was instrumental in the production of back to back Best Picture winners at the Metro Manila Film Festival: Firefly and Green Bones. Valdellon’s appointment as juror fo...

Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, managing and growing a business is not easy.  From overseeing payroll to ensuring bills, suppliers, and client payments are settled on time, managing these responsibilities can quickly become overwhelming. Without the right tools or support, it’s easy to fall into operational pitfalls that slow your business down. To help you stay on top of your game, here are three ways to optimize your business operations with help of the right banking partner like PSBank.  1. Simplify Payroll: Manage It Online, Not Manually No matter the size of your workforce, manually processing payroll twice a month can be both time-consuming and prone to errors. It’s a critical responsibility that adds to the already demanding load business owners carry. With PSBank, payroll doesn’t have to be a hassle. Opening a Corporate Account gives you free access to Business Online Buddy (BOB), a platform designed to simplify business transactions for bu...

Generation HOPE is a partnership between HOPE, the Department of Education, and beloved Filipino brands BDO, Carmen’s Best, Grab, Penshoppe, Aivee Clinic, SM Supermalls, and Sunnies. In the photo are (from left) Grab Philippines Country Head Ronald Roda, BDO Unibank Senior Executive Vice President and Head of the Consumer Banking Group Rolando Tanchanco, Sunnies Studios Co-founder and Head of Product Development Bea Soriano-Dee, SM Investments Corporation Vice Chairwoman Teresita Sy-Coson, Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara, HOPE Founder Nanette Medved-Po, HOPE Board Member Tootsy Angara, SM Supermalls President Steven Tan, The Aivee Group Founder and President Aivee Teo, Golden ABC President and Chief Executive Officer Alice Liu, and Metro Pacific Agro Ventures Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Jovy Hernandez. HOPE, the Philippines’ first certified B Corp and a pioneering impact organization, launches Generation HOPE—a partnership with the country’s most beloved b...

Pru Life UK Assistant Manager for Community Investments and Sustainability Partnerships  Hannah Aman accepted the awards during a banquet dinner in Seoul, South Korea Pru Life UK was recognised at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Stevie® Awards with Gold and Silver distinctions for its outstanding thought leadership and innovative corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives supporting underserved Filipinos and promoting youth financial education. ​The Asia-Pacific Stevie® Awards recognise business innovation across 29 countries, honouring organisations and individuals for excellence in thought leadership, business development, and CSR. Pru Life UK received the Gold Stevie® for Thought Leadership Campaign of the Year for its Takaful Journey–a holistic approach to Islamic Finance through stakeholder and community engagement, capacity building workshops, and educational efforts. The initiative made Pru Life UK the first insurer in the Philippines to receive a Takaful license and is set to ...

In celebration of World Oceans Day 2025, SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls, will once again mobilize thousands of volunteers across the country for its annual Coastal Cleanup Drive, set for June 7, 2025. This year’s theme, “WONDER: Sustaining What Sustains Us,” serves as a powerful reminder of the oceans’ role in supporting life—and our shared responsibility to protect them.   Held simultaneously in multiple coastal locations nationwide, the initiative is organized in partnership with local government units, environmental organizations, NGOs, community groups, SM employees, security and janitorial personnel, and affiliates. It is part of SM’s broader environmental commitment through the #SMWasteFreeFuture campaign, which also includes year-round plastic waste reduction efforts, recycling markets, and e-waste disposal drives.   In addition to the weekly cleanups already taking place at SM by the Bay, the World Oceans Day event marks one of three...

Following months of electrifying qualifier rounds in Davao, Manila, and Cebu, it all came to a head as the Queen City of the South hosted the Red Bull Dance Your Style Philippines National Final for the very first time. Last May 24, the country’s fiercest dancers came together for an explosive dance showdown at Ayala Center, Cebu. Historic Dance Showdown in Cebu Top dancers from across the country battled for the crown during the National Final in Cebu, electrifying the crowd with a mix of styles, from hip-hop to house, waacking to locking, and even voguing. The energy was unmatched, with each dancer’s fate resting on the crowd’s hands. Ultimately, Sam Rivera, known in battles as ‘Nemesis,’ was crowned the 2025 Red Bull Dance Your Style Philippines National Champion.  “It was an amazing journey,” said Nemesis of her Red Bull Dance Your Style journey. “This was my third time to join Red Bull Dance Your Style. I’m so happy that I won the championship title in my hometown, Cebu. It’s ...

Kathleen Villegas-Driz, Chief Operations Officer of AXA Philippines, receives the 2025 Outstanding Digital Customer Experience Award – Bancassurance for Emma by AXA PH app at the Digital CX Awards   AXA Philippines, one of the largest and fastest-growing insurance companies in the country, clinched the 2025 Outstanding Digital Customer Experience Award – Bancassurance for its Emma by AXA PH app at the Digital CX Awards. The innovative platform is designed to empower customers in managing their policies conveniently, and was recognized for its seamless self-service features, real-time claims tracking, and personalized wellness and financial tools.  With a nearly 70% adoption rate and a customer satisfaction score of close to 90% in 2024, Emma continues to redefine digital innovation in insurance—helping customers believe in a future where they know they can take control of their protection and well-being.   The Digital CX Awards honors the world’s leading and groundbreakin...

Mental health and well-being organization MindNation reports a significant rise in mental health challenges based on its 2024 WellBeing Survey, compared to data from 2022. This signals an urgent need for action as we navigate further into 2025. With insights from over 13,000 respondents, the data shows a growing number of Filipino employees facing heightened levels of stress, worry, and sadness. Compared to 2022, the percentage of individuals reporting stress rose from 57% to 72% in 2024. Reports of worry surged even higher, with a 21-point jump from 47% to 68%. Feelings of sadness also increased from 34% to 50% – a clear sign that emotional fatigue and mental burnout are becoming everyday experiences for many.   Financial strain continues to be the leading source of mental health challenges, cited by 54% of respondents. This is exacerbated by pressure to perform at work (34%), physical health issues (26%), family-related problems (24%), difficulties of juggling both work and famil...

Leading global technology brand HONOR Philippines made a strong and exciting presence at Guanzon Festival 2025 , held today at the Activity Hall of Guanzon in Calasiao , Pangasinan. The crowd was treated to an unforgettable afternoon of innovation, entertainment, and hands-on challenges headlined by the viral and ultra-tough HONOR X9c 5G .     “ We’re excited to bring the HONOR experience closer to the local community through our partnership with Guanzon . This year’s Guanzon Festival gave us the perfect platform to showcase our most durable smartphone yet , the HONOR X9c 5G through real-life, on ground tests.” Said Stephen Cheng , Vice President of HONOR Philippines.     The Ultimate Durability Test: HONOR X9c 5G in Action   At the heart of the event was The Ultimate Durability Test , an interactive game where participants battled it out in a three-stage challenge using the HONOR X9c 5G , proving the phone’s All-Angle Ultra-Tough OLED Display and Triple ...