NEWS
Miller takes day off to rest muscles
February 4, 2022 7:37 p.m.
YANQING, CHINA—Asa Miller on Friday took a break from training, thanked Olympic weightlifting gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz for her message of motivation and focused on the opening ceremony, where he’ll be carrying the country’s colors in his second straight Winter Olympics.After three straight days of two-hour training sessions—alternating on the giant slalom and slalom of men’s alpine skiing—it was a day to rest his muscles and mindset for the two events he’ll be competing in on February 13 and 16.
“We decided to take today off, some rest for his sore muscles,” Miller’s father Kelly said from the Yanqing Olympic Village before they boarded a bus for the two-hour bus trip to the National Stadium, also called the iconic “The Bird’s Nest,” which also hosted the opening ceremony of the Beijing Summer Olympics 14 years ago.
“Rest days are just as important as training days,” said the 21-year-old Miller, who will be marching ahead of the small Philippine delegation in the parade of nations during the opening ceremony that starts at 8 p.m. and is expected to finish before 10 p.m.
“While skiing comes in short bursts of energy, it’s extremely taxing on muscles and I’m choosing to let my body heal to hopefully alleviate some of the small pains I’m experiencing currently,” said the Economics major at the Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, Chef de Mission Bones Floro, Philippine Ski and Snowboard Federation President Jim Apelar will join Miller in in the parade.
The Philippines walks into the 80,000-seat stadium at No. 69 among 91 participating nations.
“It’s good that we started with the slalom skis,” said Miller, who thanked the Philippine Sports Commission, led by chairman William “Butch” Ramirez for supporting his campaign here. “We’re starting to adjust to the snow and it’s different from where I normally ski, but it’s all good.”
Alpine skiing, one of 15 disciplines on the Games program, will be held at the National Alpine Skiing Centre on the slopes of Xiaohaituo Mountain.
The Millers said they will decide on Saturday morning whether to return to the mountain or strategize on the game plan on Saturday.
“We’ll decide on how Asa feels later,” Kelly Miller said.
It wasn’t immediately known how many fans will be allowed at “The Bird’s Nest” for the opening ceremony, although organizers announced that 150,000 spectators will be invited to attend the events in two of the three clusters of venues in Beijing and Zhangjiakou. The alpine skiing and sliding sports in Yanqing will be held without fans.
Plans to sell tickets to international visitors were also scrapped because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Three-time Academy Award nominee Zhang Yimou is again directing the opening and closing ceremonies of these Winter Olympics as he did in the 2008 Summer Games. He withheld information on the show but said the entire ceremony will be “simple, safe and splendid.”Asa Miller, meanwhile, thanked Diaz for her inspiring message.
“It really means a lot to me,” Miller said of Diaz’s message of motivation and patience. “She’s really an amazing athlete. I am really super motivated after watching her capture the Olympic gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics.”
Diaz advised the Filipino-American from Portland, Oregon, to “just go on and don’t regret anything,” reminding him that “it doesn’t matter how many times he tries as long as he’s very dedicated to the sport he loves.”
NEWS
Atayde bats for moratorium on student loan payments during emergencies, calamities
March 17, 2023 9:00 p.m.
STUDENTS won’t have to worry paying their loans during times of calamities and emergencies, as Quezon City first district Congressman Juan Carlos “Arjo” Atayde has introduced a moratorium on the payment of student loans administered by higher educational institutions (HEIs).
The House Bill 7279, which Atayde filed last Feb. 21, headed into its first reading six days later in the Committee on Higher and Technical Education, chaired by Baguio City Rep. Mark O. Go.
He said the bill — once it turns to a law — will halt the payment of all the fees, charges, and costs relating to student loans and technical-vocational training institutions (TVIs) or by the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UNIFAST) during emergencies.
It will cover all students residing in areas declared to be under a state of calamity or emergency — those who are enrolled in state universities and colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs), private HEIs, and public and private TVIs.
“We have to find a way to help our students and their families, when natural or even these man-made calamities hit them hard. We just have to make everything easy for them including a moratorium on the payment of student loans,” Atayde said. “It is a burden on a student and their family especially in difficult times like aftermath of typhoon, fire and earthquakes, among other disasters.”
“In the order of spending, student loans will be their least priority since spending will go mostly to basic necessities for survival,” Atayde added.
The moratorium shall be effective for the duration of the state of calamity or emergency and for 30 days after its lifting. No penalties shall be collected on the deferred payments.
“To provide adequate relief and protection to our students in times of calamities and emergencies, this measure shall allow the deferral of student loan collections for a reasonable period during and after the onset of disasters.”
The Quezon City lawmaker cited also the availability of the moratorium, which shall not adversely affect the status of the students concerned with regard to their eligibility for re-enrollment on the succeeding semesters or terms, or their eligibility for graduation.
“The proposed legislation doesn’t prevent public and private HEIs from implementing more favorable forms of payment relief or assistance to students affected by disasters, prohibiting students from voluntarily waiving the moratorium on student loan payments, or availing subsidies and assistance from the government,” Atayde concluded.
NEWS
ShopeePay now available as a payment method for App Store, other Apple services in PH
March 16, 2023 1:59 p.m.
Beginning today, ShopeePay, Shopee’s integrated mobile wallet, is now available as a payment method for Apple services in the Philippines. Customers can use their ShopeePay account to pay for App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV app, and iTunes Store purchases, iCloud storage and more.
The addition of ShopeePay as an Apple ID payment method offers a new way to pay for Apple services without needing a credit card and still allows for easy, secure one-tap purchasing from Apple products including iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Customers can manage their Apple ID payment information in Settings on iPhone and iPad, or on their Mac or PC.
Agatha Soh, Director at ShopeePay commented, “ShopeePay is committed to meeting the needs of users who are increasingly expecting seamless payments across all platforms. We are excited to offer ShopeePay as a convenient payment option for our customers, and expand access to digital payments, benefitting more users.”
For more information on how to add ShopeePay as a payment method, please visit https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201266 or https://shopee.ph/m/ShopeePay-Apple-ID-PH.
NEWS
Be bolder, braver, more confident at SM Supermalls’ Women’s Month celebration!
March 8, 2023, 8:30 p.m.
Ladies, take center stage as SM celebrates Women Power throughout the month of March. Lots of activities both online and on-ground are in store to empower women and girls all over the country.
Join the Future of Women Global Summit
SM Supermalls will be joining UN Women in kicking off the IWD 2023 celebration through a women’s summit on March 8, at the SM Aura Premier Samsung Hall. Focusing on the future of women in ICT, the two-part event will gather young women, country leaders, policy makers, and advocates together to share perspectives and affirm their commitment to supporting digital equality for women and girls.
Photo courtesy of SM City Lucena
Photo courtesy of SM City San Jose del Monte
Support your local Womenpreneurs
Great finds for ladies are on sale at the SM Womenpreneur Market! This pop-up of small and medium businesses owned by women for women will give you everything you need from food and beauty to wellness and fashion!
Wednesdays are for women!
Shopping on Wednesdays has become even more tempting because the Women’s Wednesday Sale is back! Achieve the glow-up you deserve with special discounts, deals, and promos on fashion, beauty, and fitness exclusively for women every Wednesday of March. So don’t hold back on your shopping; you deserve all these and more!
A beautiful treat of wellness all for you
Forda glow-up and pampering sesh tayo this month because lots of self-care deals are available at the Women’s Wellness Sale. Avail of great deals from wellness salons on facials, hair and body treatments, nail care, and massage from March 1 to March 31.
And more deals online!
Special deals are up for women via the SM Malls Online app. Get the best brand offerings every Wednesday from shoes and beauty and wellness to home and hobbies. Use the code WOMEN and get an extra 10% off, capped at 250. What’s great is that there’s no minimum purchase required!
Also, a collection of brand vouchers will be sent to all women SM Malls Online shoppers valid all month. Wait for your Beauty Pass and give yourself the retail therapy you deserve with tons of discounts, GWP deals, samplers, in-store pick up bonuses, and mystery boxes!
Plus, the SM Malls Online app will be hosting self-care sessions online. Follow SM Supermalls on social media to get a dose of starter packages, Get-Ready-With-Me routines, and beauty products that your favorite beauty experts swear by.
Photo courtesy of SM City East Ortigas
Photo courtesy of SM City Manila
Celebrate Women Power on IG!
Capture the beauty and power of women at the beautiful spots and installations all over SM. Be free to express your own uniqueness and creativity in the specially-designed selfie spaces in partnership with Selfie Studio. Don’t forget to tag us on IG!
We don’t know about you but exciting days await every SM woman. So be bolder, braver, and more confident! With these activities, you can confidently step forward in fashion, beauty, wellness, and express yourselves to make a positive impact.
Stay updated on all things women this IWD 2023 by visiting www.smsupermalls.com and following @smsupermalls on social media.
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ShopeePay now available as a payment method for App Store, other Apple services in PH
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