Realizing big dreams must start with small steps. Mateo Guidicelli partners with Sunlife to bring the Sunlife Prosperity Card

Sunlife has been known help people save and invest for the future through their insurance, investment, and financial plans. They have also been known to help out people who want to make it big financially or maintain their financial status. Given this premise, it it no surprise that one of the biggest names in the acting industry, Matteo Guidicelli, has come to endorse Sunlife as his choice for financial investments and instruments. According to him, he wants to be practical in planning his preparations for the future; hence, he has enlisted the help of one of the best financial planners in the country: Sunlife. 

Since he strongly believes in the Sunlife brand, he has decided to endorse it as well. He makes it a point to only adhere to brands that he trusts and believes in; particularly those with a good and established reputation in the respective industries these are in. While he admits that he only has one Sunlife plan for now, he will make it a point to invest more in the future. 

Matteo's new endorsement for Sunlife is in the new Prosperity Card: a reloadable card that grants its owner access to any of Sunlife's financial instruments be it insurance, mutual funds, VUL's, or bond funds. It comes at the starting investment rate of Php 5,000 and is reloadable at anytime from any of Sunlife's Asset Management Offices located in the Metro and the Provinces. This card can be transferrable, hence it can be given as gifts on special occasions such as weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries. Matteo himself admitted that he gave the card as gifts to the members of his athletic foundation. 

According to Sunlife Asset Management President Valerie Pama, the card is an intsrument that can help the youth who want to grow their money by spending for sound investments rather than worthless luxuries. While she acknowledges the fact that the youth are very much interested in investing their money, most of them don't know how to execute it. Hence, enter Sunlife, a company who can guide them in making the right choices for their money.

To cap off the launch of the New Prosperity Card, Sunlife launched a TVC wherein they showed Matto having two personas, one who was a bad boy spender while the other was a good guy investor. The girl was made to choose over these two; and she ended up choosing the frugal Matteo who learned to invest for the right things in life.

Matteo is truly a dedicated and focused careerman who has learned to be cautious when it comes to dealing with the more important parts of his life. Since he knows that he's already getting older, he has made it a point to focus on the right things such as his athletics and his projects. He also puts aside his earnings for his investments, with Sunlife being one of them.

The Story in Pictures:

Matteo with Sunlife's leading executives during the roundtable discussion on the new Sunlife Prosperity Card

Matteo explaining his work ethic and dedication to his craft.

The new Sunlife prosperity card at a starting investment of Phip 5,000.

Photos courtesy of Mr. Ralph Huertas of http://www.uberliciousph.com/

Be a Sunlife Advisor Now! The quintessential guide to achieving your financial freedom!

Last August 17. 2016, Mr. Brian Macasa invited me to witness the launch of Sunlife's Be a Financial Advisor campaign at the famed Aracama restaurant in BGC. This event aimed to tell members of the media and bloggers about the benefits of following your passion while doing something that is also financially rewarding. The organizers presented two of the seasoned advisers from Sunlife who have achieved and seen much in life.

The speakers were composed of Ms. Arianne Serafico and Ms. Agnes Cuaso. Both of them were initially into different fields. Ms. Cuaso was a former commerical model who was in print media and catwalk modelling; while Ms. Serafico was an NGO worker who initially wanted to focus on her passion to help others. Both of them discovered that their occupations were not sustainable enough to help them achieve their dreams. For Arianne, it was getting to fly to the us to attend a class in the prestigious Stanford University about business management. For Agnes, it was about being stable to raise a family. But, with the help of Sunlife, both of them were able to intertwine financial stability and their passions. According to both of them, being with Sunlife gave them the flexibility of time and effort. Through the standardized trainings and mentorships, both of them were able to become better at advising others about the importance of investments and saving for the future. Furthermore, Sunlife has become excellent partners in helping them secure the finances to do the things that were truly important to them. Arianne, on one hand, was able to raise more than 600 thousand pesos from her business with the help of the skills she learned from investing and working with Sunlife. Agnes, on the other hand, was able to take care of her 1 year old son through the flexibility of time granted by work as a financial advisor.

After the program, the hosts gave us bloggers a Q and A about the importance of investment and the different instruments available to their disposal. Also, the hosts told us that Sunlife isn't all about investments. It is also a growing family that a person can share his hopes and dreams with.

Truly, I can say that being a financial advisor with Sunlife is a career opportunity that I would like to tap into someday so that I may learn how to manage my money and investments wisely.

Truly, Sunlife can be a wonderful partner in providing people with opportunities to enrich themselves and help them attain the things that matter most in their lives. With this to take home, I truly hope that other's dreams are reached with the help of Sunlife. Be a Sunlife Advisor now! 

You can contact Sunlife Financial Philippine through their FB page at https://www.facebook.com/sunlifefinancialadvisorphilippines/?fref=ts

The story in Pictures:

The hosts interviewing the speakers for the night.

A Sunlife promotional folder detailing the joys of investing in Sunlife

The hosts with Ms. Agnes Tuazon and Ms. Arianne Serafico, the speakers and bonafide Sunlife Financial Advisers

A promotional stage for Sunlife

The Sunlife quiz show with the participation of employees from different offices in BGC

The bloggers enjoying the nachos and the quiz night

#WeMakeitRain in Hydro Manila Music Festival 2016 (August 27, 2016 at the MOA Concert Grounds)

Last August 2, 2016, Ms. Jade Dee of Hydro Core Events and Production Corp. invited me to witness the press conference of an upcoming music festival in the Metro called Hydro Manila. This spectacular event will be this year's biggest gathering of the top musical talents of the country. Furthermore, these artists from different genres will be showcasing their top notch talents to a crowd of about 20 thousand vibrant attendees, mostly from the millennial generation. This year's Hydro Manila seeks to usher in repeat of last year's success, but with a bigger, better, and bolder act.

The press conference was held in Urbn QC, a well-known and posh bar and party venue in Timog Avenue, Quezon City. During the course of the entire night, the members of the media were told what to expect in this exhilarating event. I, for one, was excited to see some of the best talents in the country offer their skill and creativity to bring a one-of-a-kind musical feast. 

According to the Executive Director, Mr. Nick Hernandez, the show will be divided into 15 1-hour acts with groups of DJ's, musicians, singers and MC's performing their unique and exhilarating sets. The party will surely be non-stop as 15 hours of fun will await all the lucky attendees. Also, the venue will promote a wet and wild experience as the main hall will be called a wet-zone. There will be lots of water guns, water balloons, and fire hoses for that unique Hydro experience.

I invite you to Hydro Manila 2016 on August 27, 2016. It will start at 1pm onwards and end at about 5am at the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds. 

The entire lineup includes 20+ artists, ranging from OPM, to EDM, to indie. These are:

Ely Buendia

PAROKYA NI EDGAR

Abra

Up Dharma Down

DJ Patty Tiu (Deuce Manila)

DJ Tom Taus

Dj M.O.D. 

DJ Moophs

DJ FUNK AVY (DJ/PRODUCER/REMIXER)

DJ X-FACTOR

DJ Arra Pascual

DJ Mia Fernandez

DJ kidWolf

DJ JOHNNY VERSE

DJ SKRATCHMARK

DCash

DJ Aryan Magat

DJ Ashley Rivera (Petra Mahalimuyak / Ashley Rivera)

DJ Cathy Frey

DJ Franco Zarate

DJ Jennifer Lee

DJ Jet Boado

DJ Katsy Lee

DJ Marc Marasigan

DJ Travis Monsod

DJ NIX DAMN P

DJ Ron Poe

Those Damn Nerds

DJ Mia Ayesa

DJ Ais Nicaution

Joyce Pring

Victor Pring

MC Boo

Mc DZ (Dino Imperial)

MC JAMS

Nathan Jay

MC Roda King

MC Ronthug Madela

Marga On The Mic

KAPPO THE MC

STEVE MILLS

MC Aoh

MC JOLO

Kio Priest

Bea Valera

Julian Estrada

ANOMALY

LEONARD REGIS

MR.POI

CHELSEA RONQUILLO

With special performances by:

Ampalaya Monologues (SPOKEN WORD)

Philippine Allstars

HYDRO SHUFFLE MOB

Luminescence FLOW ARTS GROUP

Microphone Mechanics

Philippine Shuffle Squad

ALTAS PERPSQUAD

And MORE SURPRISE GUESTS!

Buy your tickets now! We repeat, buy your tickets now before they run out! Dance your way now to all SM Tickets Outlets nationwide.

GOLD - PHP 500

VIP - PHP 1500

GOLD (DOOR CHARGE) - PHP 800

The VIP Tables cost:

Cocktail P7500 (4 PAX)

Table P15000 (8 PAX)

Couch P25000 (10 PAX)

For booking contact 09278989511 or email us at MakeItRain@HydroManila.com

*18+ to enter, NO ID NO ENTRY*

Tickets are available through SM Tickets outlets nationwide and via online at www.smtickets.com. Call 470.2222 for inquiries.

The Story in Pictures:

The producers of Hydro Manila orienting the press about the event

The invite

The map of the venue

Deuce Manila with other assorted acts

The legendary Ely Buendia with some of the country's best DJ's

The entire lineup

Photos courtesy of https://walkwithmisspiggy.blogspot.com

Special thanks to Ms. Jade Dee 

A cooking tour of Manila Culinary and Hospitality Academy (San Juan, Metro Manila)

Last month, I was invited by the magnanimous Aldous Calubad to an exciting event: a cooking tour in Manila Culinary and Hospitality Academy, a newly-established learning institution in the heart of San Juan, Metro Manila. While it has been operating for less than 5 years, the school has earned its reputation as one of the premier culinary academies in Metro Manila. The school is part owned by renowned chef Boy Logro, a mainstay in GMA7 as a renowned cooking show host. 

To date, every batch in the school has up to 25 students. Most of their graduates are employed immediately in different sectors of the culinary industry from cruise ships to hotels and restaurants.

Our demo tour was headed by the warm and cheerful Chef Fats Palma, a veteran in the cooking industry. She gave us a 1 hour lecture where she explained the different styles of cooking and the different kinds of food according to their classification. I had a particularly interesting experience after I learned about these facts. I had no prior experience with cooking, and I was particularly interested in learning more about the craft as a life skill that I could use later on in life. 

After the lecture, our group was escorted to the demo kitchen within the school. The kitchen was full of different condiments, cutlery, ingredients, and industrial cooking equipment fit for a top-notch learning institution. I'd say that the facilities were adequate for bringing out the best in culinary instruction and practical exercises. The kitchen itself was air-conditioned and superbly clean. 

We then had an exciting experience in preparing a popular restaurant dish: cordon bleu with boiled potatoes and steamed vegetables. According to the chef, cordon bleu is pretty easy. But for a newbie like me, it seemed pretty laborious. The bloggers were divided into 4 groups. One was to make the cordon bleu, the other one made the sauce, my group made the potatoes, and the last one made the steamed vegetables. 

The Cordon bleu was actually a chicken breast with a ham and cheese filling rolled, breaded, then fried to golden brown perfection. It was dipped in egg yolks before being fried to ensure the crispiness of the dish. The team that made the dish was actually pretty good when it came to handling the ingredients. As to making the rolls, Chef Palma explained that the cheese and ham filling were to be place on the chicken. The chiken was also pressed before rolling to ensure that the dish would easily fit the ham and cheese fillings. Of course, they were assisted by the astute students of Chef Palma. 

As for our group, I made sure that the potatoes were cut and boiled well. We then fried them to perfection after adding a butter and pepper seasoning. I was a bit challenged with coring potatoes to achieve that round small potato aesthetics that will be used to decorate the dish

The white sauce that accompanied the crisp cordon bleu was boiled and topped with butter and onions for that tangy taste. I commend the group who made it due to the balanced and creamy flavor.

Chef Palma then taught us how to chop vegetables the 5 star hotel way. According to her, the presentation of the food determines the price it will fetch in a fancy restaurant or hotel, even if the ingredients are common. That being said, I learned something about food presentation. 

After cooking, we got to sample our creations. I can say that our concerted efforts brought out the best in our cooking skills. I truly appreciate the fact that cooking is a very rewarding enterprise after this experience.

Truly, MCHA has taught me a bit about cooking. I truly appreciate their efforts to inculcate something about the craft. Later on in my life, I'd really consider enrolling in their school to improve and important life skill.

Manila Culinary and Hospitality Academy is located in 663 J. Wright Street, Brgy. Batis, San Juan, Metro Manila. (MCHA) Their FB page is https://www.facebook.com/MCHAcademy/

The story in pictures:

Chef Fats Palma introducing herself

The enrollment package

Chef explaining the recipes

Some of the most common cooking methods

Chef Palma lecturing us on cooking methods

The eager crowd listening attentively

The utensils section

The industrial stoves

The vegetables and utensils on display

The kitchen itself 

The utensils on display

A huge stove 

The refrigerated chicken breasts

Chef Palma with her students

The bloggers eagerly awaiting instructions

An explanation on chopping vegetables

How to chop carrots

The potatoes

The bloggers eagerly reading the recipes

A demo on vegetable chopping

The chicken breasts being prepared

The ham and cheese filling

Chef Palma explaining how to press the chicken breasts

Pressing the chicken breasts

A pinch of salt to taste

The egg yolks and bread crumbs

The pressed chicken breasts

Boiling potatoes in salt water

The finished product: chicken cordon bleu

The white sauce

Chicken Cordon bleu being fried