OBRA
Lush Lips by The Icon Clinic: More than Just lip service
June 22, 2023 1:39 p.m.
There are countless songs and stories written about the desire to turn back the clock. Many people want to slow down the aging process and hold on to their youth for a little while longer.
While signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles, age spots, and thinning lips are inevitable as one advances in age, and while it is impossible to turn back time, experts like the medical team of The Icon Clinic can help reverse various signs of aging safely.
Having fuller lips gives one a more youthful appearance, and if one desires to have that bee-stung look, they can seek the help of medical practitioners to undergo a procedure like Lush Lips by The Icon Clinic wherein lip fillers are injected into the lips to give them more volume.
According to Dr. Eric “Yappy” Yapjuangco and his team of specialists, lip fillers are made up of hyaluronic acid, a sterile, biodegradable, clear and colorless material used widely to enhance volume. Lush Lips, a newly-launched service by The Icon Clinic, is an in-clinic procedure, which usually takes 15 to 30 minutes and the patient may go home after.
While the market is flooded with self-administered hyaluronic pens, Doc Yappy cautions the public against using them.
“Lip fillers should be administered by experienced healthcare practitioners to minimize adverse effects. The hyaluronic acid pens available in the market may not be FDA approved and may not be safe at all to be administered into the lips, let alone be self-administered. I would not advice doing this. It may cause adverse effects like allergic reaction to the product, infection, and may ruin the lips. Also, there are people who are not good candidates for lip fillers like those with oral sores or oral infections,” he said.
Doc Yappy attributes the rising popularity of lip fillers to celebrities and bloggers who have openly admitted to getting them. It is considered by many as a positive thing because it removes the stigma of wanting to enhance one’s appearance through cosmetic procedures.
When asked about the difference between lip fillers and topical lip plumpers, Doc Yappy said, “Lip fillers give volume and shape that lasts for 8 to 12 months (case to case basis). Topical lip plumpers give temporary difference in how the lips would appear, but not as much as having a lip filler. Most lip plumpers will give you that ‘bee stung’ appearance. For longer lasting results, best to have filler injection.”
For people who believe they may have undergone one too many lip filler procedures and are not happy with the results, Doc Yappy assures them that this procedure is reversible as long as what was used was a hyaluronic acid-based filler.
For those who are interested in getting lip fillers, Doc Yappy has this to say, “Look for a clinic that uses FDA-approved products, research on the appearance of the lips that you want to achieve and discuss it with your healthcare provider/injector if this is achievable to manage your expectations.”
For more information about Lush Lips and other procedures offered by The Icon Clinic, please visit www.theiconclinic.com.
Watch the video for Lush Lips: https://fb.watch/lfEoqJkRoi/
OBRA
Where art meets innovation: TCL unveils A400 Series Lifestyle TV for modern Filipino homes
8:11 a.m. June 14, 2026
For those seeking a television that seamlessly complements an artful aesthetic, TCL Electronics has delivered the ultimate solution. As the No. 1 Panel TV brand in the Philippines and a global leader in both televisions and air conditioners, TCL finally introduces the TCL A400 Series.
Designed for modern Filipino homes, this premium lifestyle TV masterfully blends elegant, gallery-like aesthetics with deeply immersive entertainment.
True to its design-centric philosophy, the TCL A400 Series perfectly complements an artful home. Modern televisions are no longer just about entertainment; they are vital to a household’s overall lifestyle and aesthetic. With the A400 Series, TCL completely redefines the role of a television in the modern living space.
“Once again, TCL elevates home entertainment and viewing pleasure with the introduction of the A400 Series. Every detail is meticulously engineered to enhance your home display while delivering an indulgent sensory experience. We know how excited you are for this, so we’re thrilled to finally share it with you!” says Maxi Chen, TCL Senior Product Manager of Brownline.
Beyond Screen, Beyond Imagination
If the idea of owning a design-forward art TV inspires you, the A400 Series, namely A400M and the A400 Pro, are both built to exceed your highest expectations. Prepare to immerse yourself in an entirely new standard of home entertainment. Both models share the same key selling points, including the Ultra Slim Design, QD-Mini LED technology, Art Gallery Mode, and ONKYO 2.0 Hi-Fi Sound System.
For a true art-gallery feel, the A400 Pro is equipped with an anti-reflection Matte HVA Panel that eliminates distracting glare. In contrast, the A400M features a traditional, high-contrast HVA Panel.
Both TVs double as a digital canvas when not in use. It effortlessly converts any room into a personal gallery, pre-loaded with hundreds of iconic artworks spanning centuries of art history.
The TCL A400 Series has more than 100,000 pre-generated Al artworks from classical style to impressionism. Just tap on the style and theme, and you get to personalize your screen to your style in seconds.
When it comes to color performance, TCL QLED technology utilizes advanced Quantum Dot materials integrated across multiple layers. By incorporating a high light-transmittance film, the system improves optical efficiency and delivers a 10% energy saving for the entire machine. Paired with precision backlighting, this innovation renders more than a billion hues of exceptionally vivid colors. The enhanced brightness illuminates subtle details, offering an immersive, lifelike viewing experience that effortlessly unveils hidden nuances in every frame.
Ready for a truly smart TV? The TCL A400 Series is packed with next-generation AI, built right from the ground up. Powered by TCL’s own quantum supercomputing platform and the advanced Mariana database, this TV actually learns and evolves over time. Thanks to built-in intelligent agents, it automatically optimizes your entertainment across four game-changing pillars: AI picture, AI sound, smart interaction, and AI-driven content creation. It’s not just a screen—it’s a smarter way to watch.
At the heart of the A400 Series is the TSR AiPQ Processor, a highly intelligent chip engineered with powerful AI capabilities. By integrating TCL’s proprietary image-tuning algorithms with advanced intelligent perception, the processor delivers precise, pixel-level optimization for all visuals. Working in tandem with the TCL AI model, it ensures that every frame bursts with vibrant dynamism, layered depth, and natural clarity for true-to-life realism.
For a superior audio experience, the TCL A400 Series features a built-in ONKYO Hi-Fi System. As a global leader in high-end audio with over 80 years of home theater expertise, ONKYO has defined world home theater standards seven times. This premium audio integration ensures the A400 Series delivers an unmatched, deeply immersive acoustic performance for any home setup.
Elevate your living space with the sophisticated elegance of the all-new TCL A400 Series. The latest premium lifestyle television is now available at all authorized TCL dealers nationwide.
The A400M TV with black frame is exclusively available at Abenson with the A400 Pro with a wooden frame is exclusively available at SM Appliances. For more details on the TCL A400 Series, log on to www.tcl.com.
OBRA
Freedom to experience: Redefining what it means to live VIP
9:21 p.m. June 12, 2026
Every June, Filipinos celebrate freedom; not only as a part of our nation’s history, but as a reminder of the opportunities, possibilities, and experiences available to us today.
At BingoPlus VIP Club, freedom means more than just the ability to choose. It means having the opportunity to experience more, explore more, and celebrate life’s milestones in extraordinary ways.
Over the past months, BingoPlus VIP Club has continued to create experiences that go beyond traditional rewards. From exclusive celebrations and luxury travel opportunities to unforgettable events, VIP Club has been focused on delivering moments that members can truly remember.
Recently, the very first BMW winner was recognized during the exclusive BingoPlus Night Gala, marking a major milestone in the VIP Club’s ongoing commitment to rewarding and celebrating its members. It was more than just an awarding of a luxury vehicle; it was a reflection of how experiences can transform ordinary moments into lifelong memories.
This spirit of freedom is also reflected in the VIP Club’s growing portfolio of experiences. Whether it’s a luxury getaway, a private celebration, a premium event, or exclusive access to once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, BingoPlus VIP Club continues to expand what it means to be recognized beyond the game.
As the Club prepares for an exciting new chapter this July, members can look forward to a refreshed experience built around a simple but powerful belief:
Freedom is not simply about where you can go.
It’s about how far you can elevate.
This Independence Day, we celebrate the freedom to experience more, connect more, and create unforgettable moments together.
Because true luxury isn’t just about what you have.
It’s about the experiences that stay with you long after the moment has passed.
Welcome to the journey.
Welcome to the future of VIP.
Welcome to the New Nobility.
OBRA
How one man’s fight for survival shaped Asia’s largest dialysis network
5:12 p.m. May 31, 2026
Behind Asia’s largest dialysis network lies not a conventional corporate blueprint, but a deeply human advocacy born from a young man’s fight for survival.
NephroPlus, which continues to expand its footprint across the Philippines, is driven by a simple yet powerful belief: people on dialysis deserve to lead long, happy, productive lives – with dialysis remaining just a small part of their journey.
At the heart of this multi-national mission is Kamal D. Shah, co-founder of NephroPlus and a patient since the age of 21. For Kamal, the business of healthcare is deeply personal – he has been a dialysis patient himself for nearly three decades.
A Dream Interrupted
In 1997, Shah’s life was unfolding precisely as he envisioned. Having just secured a student visa to pursue a master’s degree in the United States, he felt the world opening its doors to his ambitions.
But on the cusp of departure, a sudden medical emergency derailed his plans. Doctors diagnosed him with Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS) – a rare, life-threatening genetic disease affecting only two to three million people worldwide.
“How could a young man preparing for graduate school in America suddenly be fighting for survival?” Kamal recalled, describing his harrowing first dialysis session. “Fear overtook me as my blood circulated through the machine.”
What followed was exhausting medical interventions: regular hemodialysis, plasma exchanges, steroid treatments, and blood transfusions. A temporary recovery was cut short by a severe lung infection, forcing his family to briefly explore alternative therapies in sheer desperation.
In November 1998, a kidney transplant using his mother as a donor offered a beacon of hope. However, fate intervened again when -his primary disease recurred in the transplanted kidney as well, sending him back to square one.
The Refusal to be Passive
Faced with a lifetime of treatment, Shah made a pivotal choice: “I have the will to win.”
He refused to remain a passive bystander in his own healthcare.
In 1999, he discovered Peritoneal Dialysis (PD), a home-based treatment option that was exceptionally rare in India at the time. Under the care of a supportive nephrologist, the transition allowed him to regain his energy, put on weight, and successfully return to the workforce as a young professional.
Years later, while on a beach vacation with colleagues in 2004, Kamal survived a devastating tsunami that flooded his room to neck level. While he escaped with his life, the seawater severely infected his PD catheter site, forcing a grueling return to hospital-based hemodialysis.
The physical and mental drain of standard hospital rotations led Shah to look for alternative solutions. He searched medical reports, watched international demonstrations, and worked closely with clinical staff to pioneer daily home hemodialysis, demanding a life lived with dignity, choice, and knowledge.
Redefining Kidney Care in the Philippines
Through his dual lens as a patient and an acute observer of clinical gaps, Shah realized that renal care needed a global overhaul. Patients deserved more than clinical routine; they deserved better holistic outcomes, stringent quality controls, and empathy.
This conviction laid the cornerstone for NephroPlus.
“We want our guests to get their lives back,” says Shah. “People on dialysis can live normal, long lives, provided they receive good-quality care.”
Today, NephroPlus has evolved into Asia’s largest dialysis network, partnering with local communities to bring world-class, empathetic dialysisl care directly to Filipino patients. At the heart of this mission is a shift from treating patients to welcoming guests. This philosophy honors the lived experience of its co-founder, proving that chronic illness does not mean a life on hold – and championing a better quality of life across geographies.
Gregorio: Hosting international meets catalyst for local grassroots sports programs
NephroPlus Philippines strengthens nationwide presence with 50 clinics
San Ildefonso, Ilocos Sur forms task force against illicit cigarette trade
