Bo's Coffee brews "Paskong Pinoy" flavors, festive menu for Xmas holidays

CEBU CITY – Bo’s Coffee, a homegrown Filipino brand introduces limited-edition “Paskong Pinoy” festive menu, an array of seasonal delights that includes the perennial favorite Dark Mocha Macadamia Froccino. for the Christmas holidays.

"We wanted a holiday menu that not only delights the taste buds but also resonates with the warmth and joy of a Filipino Christmas.  Our Dark Mocha Macadamia Froccino, a returning favorite, is something our customers eagerly anticipate during this special time of the year," Steve Benitez, the visionary Chief Executive Officer of Bo's Coffee, explained how they came about creating the festive lineup.

Benitez said that this year, Bo’s Coffee introduces the Davao Tableya Series, paying homage to world-class local chocolate with Davao Tableya Mocha Froccino, Davao Tableya Iced Mocha and Davao Tableya Hot Mocha.

The holiday menu is thoughtfully complemented by traditional Paskong Pinoy treats, featuring Mini Bibingka in Original, Cream Cheese, and Ube Cheese variants. Customers will surely enjoy the indulgent Bibingka Cheesecake, made with queso de bola on a graham cracker crust, and the decadent Tableya Chocolate Cake, a moist and rich chocolate delight. 

To kick-off the launch of the “Paskong Pinoy” menu and celebrate a successful year after post-pandemic challenges, Bo's Coffee hosted a Salo-Salo and media thanksgiving at its flagship store in Capitol, Cebu.  The event was attended by CEO Steve Benitez, SVP-Chief Operating Officer Rachel Fallarme, VP-Global Franchise Ivy Benatiro, and the operations and marketing team, led by AVP-Director for Marketing Laine Vallar.

As a brand deeply rooted in Filipino pride, Bo's Coffee consistently showcases Filipino flavors throughout the year. The menu features popular drinks like Iced Creamy Latte, Iced Caramel Latte, and Cold White Brew, all made with world-class Philippine coffee sourced from local farmers.

The brand's commitment to fairtrade supports coffee farmers across the Philippines, from Sagada and Benguet to Mt. Apo, Mt. Kitanglad, and Mt. Matutum.  Benitez emphasized, "Our advocacy has always been putting the spotlight on Philippine Coffee Origins, believing that the taste, flavor, and quality of our coffee beans can compete on the world stage."

Bo's Coffee, founded in Cebu in 1996, has expanded to over 130 branches nationwide and has a growing presence in the global market, particularly in the Middle East. The company, known for its warm Filipino hospitality, has plans to open in two more countries soon.

In addition to its staple coffee offerings, Bo's Coffee has diversified its menu to include not only pastries but also filling meals such as pastas, sandwiches, and cakes. Their coffee shops, designed with a distinct Filipino aesthetic, provide a relaxing ambiance, making them ideal spaces for study sessions and meetings.

Responding to market demand, Bo's Coffee is actively expanding its presence in Metro Manila and NCR through franchising. The brand attributes its staying power to its world-class, high-quality homegrown coffee, served with the warmth of Filipino hospitality.

Bo's Coffee has also embraced the digital era, strengthening its online presence with robust e-commerce portals and partnerships with aggregator platforms. For more information about them and its Paskong Pinoy offerings, visit boscoffee.com and follow the brand on social media at Bo’s Coffee on Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok. (Photos: Bo's Coffee/Samantha Rusuelle  Macariola)

 

 

 

Zonta Club of Cebu II launches 18 Days of Activism vs VAWC at Women’s Summit

CEBU CITY – Zonta Club of Cebu II launches 18 Days of Activism vs VAWC at Women’s Summit to continuously drumbeat the campaign to end violence against women and children (VAWC) in Mandaue City through the joint efforts of the Mandaue City government, the Zonta Club of Cebu II, and other concerned sectors. 

The Women’s Summit highlighted the various concerns on the efforts to stop VAWC and launching the 18 Days of Activism for the elimination of VAWC. Zonta Club of Cebu II, in cooperation with MOVE Mandaue, and the Citizens Lady Lawyers Association Inc. (CELLA) organized the Summit.

Michelle Yu, Mandaue City gender and development (GAD) focal person, discussed the city’s efforts in addressing gender-based violence. Yu said that the Mandaue City Council approved several milestone legislation on GAD from 2003 to 2023 that included the Safe Spaces Ordinance, Revised Gender and Development Code of Mandaue City, and amendment to the Solo Parent Welfare Ordinance creating the Solo Parent and their Children Task Force, among others.

The other city projects in relation to GAD include the replacement of sodium lamps with LED streetlights as a deterrence of violence against women.

Noemi Truya of the Children’s Legal Bureau shared her efforts in the fight to stop abuse among women and children while Dr. Rhodora Bucoy, former chairwoman of the Philippine Commission on Women talked about her experience as head of the commission.

Bucoy said, the Philippines was recognized as top 10 in mainstreaming VAWC work in the world and Asia from 2008 to 2016. However, the country slid to the top 20 in recent years partly due to other countries stepping up their GAD efforts.

Tisha Ylaya, lead convenor of Cebu Pride, discussed the learnings beyond Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression of the LGBTQI.   Ylaya noted the discrimination suffered by the LGBTQI and noted that a survey on the plight of LGBTQI found several pressing issues they face that include financial insecurity, the absence of affordable housing, the impacts of COVID-19, and the absence of someone taking care of them.

Atty May Aguilar of the Cavada Law office, discussed Back to Basics: A Woman's Perspective on VAWC cases.  She shared Republic Act 9262 or the Anti Violence Against Women and Children Act approved in March 2004 includes various acts such as physical, sexual, psychological, and emotional violence.

She noted that a study published by BBC in 2020 found that 90 percent of people all over the world have a bias against women. According to a gender study covering 75 countries, 50 percent of men think they have more rights to jobs than women.

One-third of men also thinks it’s acceptable to hit your partner while 50 percent of men and women think that men make better political leaders. Also, 40 percent of the world population think men make better business executives and women are less likely to be in senior executive positions. Even women also have a bias against women, Aguilar pointed out.

She then urged women to stand up against abuses from their partners. “A man can hit their partner but women can remain stronger against abuses.”

Fiona Bojos and Magdalena Lepiten focused on the topic of Safe Spaces while Charlene Virlouvet shared her journey and her involvement in addressing gender-based violence while Rain Villagonzalo stressed that transgender women are women.

Dr. Elsa Basubas, chairperson of Abag sa Kahayag, said the collective efforts of Zonta Club of Cebu II, the Mandaue City government, and non-government groups like CELLA have resulted in improvement in the efforts to end VAWC.

Dr. Basubas noted that based on the report of Yu, VAWC cases in Mandaue City have gone down and that their advocacy to promote awareness of abuses against women and children may have contributed to the decline in VAWC cases.

The other activities during the 18 Days of Activism for the Elimination of VAWC are Women in Artvism on November 26, Roll on Reels to be posted on Zonta Club Cebu II’s Facebook page, the Awarding ceremony for Women who moved Mandaue and the Painting Exhibit Competition opening, and Zonta Club Cebu II gift-giving during the jail visit to the Mandaue City jail dorm.

PRA-Cebu, AutoCount MOU to revolutionize the retailer industry in Cebu

​CEBU CITY— The Philippines Retailers Association-Cebu (PRA) and AutoCount, a leading business software solutions provider, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to support the digital transformation of the retailers in Cebu.

“We are excited to partner with the Philippines Retailers Association Cebu to support the digital transformation of retailers in the region. Our business software solutions are designed to help retailers of all sizes streamline their operations, improve customer service, and boost profitability,” Auto Count PH Country Manager, Vanadium Ho said.

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Ho is confident that the collaboration empowers retailers in Cebu to embrace digital transformation and achieve their business goals to greater heights.

The MOU signing ceremony was held during a joint seminar hosted by both parties on November 21 at the Golden Prince Hotel with the theme “Tax Efficiency Strategies for Retailers” with over 100 retailers and featured speakers from P&A Grant Thornton and AutoCount that discussed the importance of digital transformation for retailers, latest developments in BIR, CAS and withholding tax requirements.

“We are delighted to join hands with AutoCount to help our members accelerate their digital transformation journey.  AutoCount’s business software solutions especially accounting and POS software are highly regarded in the industry, and we are confident that our members will benefit greatly from this partnership,” PRA-Cebu president, Christian Paro-an said.

Paro-an added that PRA-Cebu looks forward to working closely with AutoCount to provide its members with the support and resources they need to succeed in the digital age. The seminar discussions highlighted AutoCount’s software solutions as pivotal tools for retailers to achieve business and operational efficiencies.

MOU salient points

The collaboration between AutoCount and the PRA Cebu formalizes a strategic initiative that enables retailers, particularly members of the Philippines Retailers Association Cebu, to speed up the members’ digital transformation journey with AutoCount Solutions.

Under this MOU, AutoCount and the Philippines Retailers Association Cebu will collaborate on several fronts that include; Knowledge Sharing, support and resources and members special discounts.

On Knowledge Sharing, both parties will actively engage in sharing knowledge with members of the PRA-Cebu about the benefits of embracing relevant business software solutions to kickstart their digital transformation efforts.

On Support and Resources, AutoCount is committed to providing comprehensive support and resources to assist the members of the Philippines Retailers Association Cebu in the seamless implementation and utilization of AutoCount’s software to enhance operational efficiency.

On Members Special Discounts, Members of the Philippines Retailers Association Cebu will have access to special discounts on AutoCount’s software solutions, making the path to digital transformation even more accessible and affordable.

Ho and Paro-an agreed that the collaboration will revolutionize the retail sector in Cebu, facilitating the digital transformation of retailers and equipping them for a more prosperous business ventures. 

Auto Count is a leading provider of accounting software and business applications with over 27 years of experience.  A wholly owned subsidiary of Autocount Dotcom Berhad, listed on the Ace market of Bursa Malaysia since May 9, 2023.

Its comprehensive product suite includes AutoCount Accounting, Point of Sale, Cloud Accounting, Cloud Payroll, and OneSales, which have been trusted by over 210,000 businesses and companies across diverse industries. (Photos: MBCNewman)

#LightTheWorld Giving Machines collects over US$22M in donations since 2018

CEBU CITY -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint has hosted the #LightTheWorld Giving Machine every Christmas Season since 2018 in the Philippines and has collected over US$22M in donations since then for beneficiaries across the globe.

The Church’s #LightTheWorld initiative invites all people to follow the loving example of the Savior Jesus Christ, the Light of The World, by caring for individuals one by one and the Church hopes to inspire people to find unique ways to love, share, and invite one another to light the world

This year’s Christmas season, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints invites everyone to celebrate the birth and life of Jesus Christ and they are excited to bring back the #LightTheWorld Giving Machines to the Philippines, especially in Manila and Cebu.

These unique "giving-focused" vending machines add a fun and spiritual dimension to the shopping and gift-giving season. Unlike regular vending machines, the Giving Machines dispense valuable and affordable product cards that facilitate acts of service for fellow Filipinos in need, allowing the public to instantly participate in the joy of caring.

With the generosity of its location partners, a Giving Machine will be hosted by Ayala Malls TriNoma in Quezon City, launched on November 9 while in Cebu, it is located at Level 3, between Casa Verde and Dessert Factory and was launched on November 16, and all Giving Machines are available during mall hours until January 1, 2024.

This year's items available through the Giving Machines include food packs, hygiene kits, educational materials, student financial aid, emergency and repair kits, multivitamins, eyeglasses and eye-care packages, medical kits, water kits, crutches, wheelchairs, immunization packages, and psychosocial support, among others.

Unlike previous years, donors now have the option to contribute via cash or e-payment alternatives, including GCash and AliPay, making cashless donations easier.

The Church covers all operational costs for every donated item made through the Giving Machines, ensuring that 100 percent of every donation goes to the recipients identified by our participating nonprofit organizations, including Caritas Manila, Caritas Cebu, Feed The Children, Inc., HERO Foundation, Inc., Mabuhay Deseret Foundation, and UNICEF.

As a special gift for select donors this year, some product cards inside the Manila Giving Machines contain unique Tabernacle Choir stickers. Donors can trade these stickers for special tickets for the upcoming February 2024 concert of the Choir in the Philippines.

The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square is a world-renowned choir established in 1847 that has performed at many prestigious events, including US Presidential inaugurations. Currently, the Choir is on its first-ever world tour, with the Philippines as its second stop after Mexico. (Photos: Lilu Advertising & Marketing Solutions)