Last Sunday was one of the best quarantine moments I had! Despite this sad pandemic, some of our artists and people who are working in the Entertainment Industry made an extra effort to bring happiness to all our homes. Thanks to Asia's Songbird, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, who stunned all online viewers with her amazing voice performances at the Freedom Digital Concert. It was 4 out of 5 stars for me!!!

Presented by PLDT, and produced by ABS-CBN Events and IME, Freedom Concert was streamed worldwide via KTX.PH, iWantTFC, TFC IPTV, and SKYcable PPV. Our Songbird  performed her versions of   Billie Eilish’s “When The Party Is Over,” TWICE’s “Heart Shaker,” Elton John’s “Brooklyn Yellow Brick Road,” and Britney Spears “Hit Me Baby One More Time”.  She also sang some OPM Hits like The Juans’ “Istorya” and Ben&Ben’s “Leaves” and of own songs ‘”Bukas Sana” and “Tanging Mahal.” Pinoy Rock icon, Bamboo showed as the surprise guest and together with Regine, they belted the "Himala" song. In addition, Regine perrformed Madonna’s “Crazy For You,” and “Make You Feel My Love” featuring the voice of her son Nate.

We thank PLDT Home for a good and uninterrupted internet connection as my family enjoyed their first online concert. Woooah!

My new LSS, “Pag-ibig ang Piliin,” by Moira Dela Torre is officially streaming on Spotify. Collaborated with PLDT Home, this song with the official hashtag #ChooseToLove is composed and arranged by award-winning songwriter Jonathan Manalo. You may click this Pag-ibig ang Piliin Spotify Link for the song or check this Pag-Ibig ang Piliin For Lyrics and Video.

Official Music Video of Moira Dela Torre Pagibig Ang Piliin

Bohol is one of my favorite "go-to" destinations in the Philippines. I've been on the island so many times not just because of their pristine water and white sands beaches but so with their sumptuous and healthy dishes and local "pasalubongs" and delicacies. If you say Bohol, aside from the famous Chocolate Hills and Tarsier, you would definitely crave for "Calamay" paired with "tableya" or hot chocolate. I have a lot to say about Bohol but let's talk about the big discounts (to as much as 70%) that our favorite Resorts, Hotels, and Tourist Destinations are offering which will run from February 21 to March 14. Now is the best time to plan our travel to BOHOL!

Before I proceed, please contact the below details to avail of this HUGE DISCOUNT and Experience Bohol in a new normal tourism way. Let's Enjoy!

Bohol Online Sale, you may contact Ms. Margie Munsayac at margie.munsayac@bluewater.com.ph or BOOK ONLINE by Visiting Traveloco PH.

Please click the images below for the full details of the contact information of your favorite Resorts and Destinations.

The Balik sa Bohol: Bohol Online Sale

“Balik sa Bohol” is an original Boholano composition often sung by local musicians aboard a floating restaurant or at the departure area of ports enticing visitors to return. The catchy lyrics and upbeat rhythm usually linger in the mind even after tourists have left Bohol. Today, it is the anthem to beckon the gradual return of tourism activities.

In order lure tourists back, massive price drops (to as much as 70%) in rooms, food, tours and related services will be offered by resorts, hotels, and tour operators during the Balik sa Bohol: Bohol Online Sale, organized by the private sector and fully supported by the DOT, TPB, and the Provincial Government of Bohol.

Participating brands are Amarela Resort, Amorita Resort, Be Grand Resort Bohol, Bohol Bee Farm, The Bellevue Resort, Best Western Plus The Ivywall Panglao Resort, Bluewater Panglao Beach Resort, Bohol Beach Club,  Chocolate Hills Adventure Park, The Acacia Glamping, Donatela Resort and Sanctuary, Loboc River Resort, Mithi Resort and Spa, South Palms Resorts Panglao, Angels’ Wings Tours and Travel, Baclayon Travel & Tours, Bohol Holidays Travel & Tours Inc., Coordinates Tours and Travel, and Travel Village while the platform is powered by Atlantis and is co-sponsored by Cebu Pacific Air.

Synergizing for Tourism Recovery 

The readiness to handle tourists in the new norm was tried and tested after successfully hosting the country’s biggest government-organized travel trade event and first hybrid Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) in September, 2020. Three months after, the Philippine Tourism Destination Inventory and MICE+E Bohol Familiarization Trip was also held in Bohol.

The two events, which attracted national and even international attention under the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector, were organized by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) and the Department of Tourism (DOT). Prior inspections were done on accommodation establishments, food and beverage facilities, transport, travel and tour operators as well as sites and attractions to assess their readiness and to ensure compliance with various protocols; thereby, regain tourists’ confidence to return to Bohol.

The above-mentioned events have also proven that synergy among stakeholders is the key towards recovery.  Since tourism is one of the key economic drivers in the province, the evolving crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic had impacted heavily on the sector, with revenue losses amounting to PHP15 billion and adversely affecting 211,000 Boholanos.  

“The Mi 11 is our interpretation of a perfect premium flagship smartphone. It continues the Mi series legacy of packing revolutionary features in a device with exceptional design and quality. We are excited that Mi 11 has set an important milestone for mobile photography and videography, to bring users a true ‘Movie Magic’ experience. The Mi 11 is definitely one of the key highlight releases within Xiaomi’s product universe this year, and we continue to challenge ourselves to deliver even more innovative products in the near future,” says Mr. K. M. Leong, Regional Head of Southeast Asia, Xiaomi.

Unleash your creative potential with a 108MP triple camera and a slew of advanced AI movie modes.

With remarkable new features for photography and videography, Mi 11 boasts the world’s highest resolution 108MP wide-angle camera sensor for its primary shooter, a 13MP ultra-wide angle camera and 5MP telemacro. On the front, a 20MP punch-hole front camera minimizes bezels on the home screen while still ensuring users look their best when snapping a selfie or video chatting with friends. Mi 11 also comes with improved night mode capabilities and offers photo night mode on three of its cameras: primary, ultra-wide, and front. Mi 11’s cutting-edge video night mode technology completely redefines industry standards with its RAW-level noise reduction for brighter night shooting.

Mi 11 features six one-click AI cinema features that make artsy shooting a breeze, from Parallel World to Freeze Frame Video and the Magic Zoom mode for real film buffs. On top of that, Mi 11 now offers studio-level shooting control with its HDR10+ recording and new Pro Time-lapse mode, capable of adjusting shutter speed, ISO, aperture and EV to handle even the most challenging lighting situations. Studio-level control also extends to editing with advanced AI features, including AI Erase 2.0 which allows users to remove unwanted objects or lines from images with one simple click.

See and hear every detail with striking 120Hz 6.81’’ AMOLED DotDisplay and SOUND BY Harman Kardon

Mi 11 features a premium 120Hz 6.81” AMOLED DotDisplay, offering one of the best screens on the market that has received an A+ rating as well as a best display award from DisplayMate. Xiaomi’s most advanced display shines with its WQHD+ ultra-high resolution, and 10-bit color technology allows for clearer and smoother color transitions. Mi 11 comes with Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus™ which safeguards against costly damage from falls and drops, and embraces an advanced dual anti-glare frosted finish that catches light, not fingerprints.

Simplicity meets convenience with its Super Resolution technology, which upgrades low resolution videos to WQHD+ quality without the worry of increased data consumption. Furthermore, Mi 11 delivers supreme cinematic audio, touting Harmon Kardon professionally tuned dual speakers.

Stay one step ahead with the world’s most advanced performance

Mi 11 was the first phone to feature the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 888, redefining flagship performance with the world’s most advanced mobile platform. The Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 888 completely redefines premium processing standards with its Adreno™ 660 GPU, 6th generation Qualcomm® AI engine and X60 modem – blending AI technology with lightning fast 5G connectivity.

Featuring cutting-edge 5nm process technology, Mi 11 is faster, more powerful and more efficient than its predecessor. The device not only supports 2K/120fps/HDR gaming, but also sports an octa-core design, and ultra-large core Arm Cortex-X1 which ramps up performance dramatically. All that while its 3,200MHz LPDDR5 ensures incredible data transfer speed that has increased from 5,500Mbps to 6,400Mbps.

Equipped with the latest LiquidCool heat dissipation system, the device effortlessly deals with extreme gaming and other high-capacity operations while staying cool. At the same time, its 4600mAh (typ), the staggering triple combination of 55W wired, 50W wireless and 10W reverse charging and the compact but powerful 55W GaN charger included in the box, ensure that Mi 11 stays powered up for any adventure life throws your way.

Price and availability

Mi 11 comes in 8GB+256GB variant with enhanced LPDDR5 3200MHz RAM + UFS 3.1 storage. It will retail at PHP 36,990 starting from March 13, and will be available at Xiaomi official stores on Lazada and Shopee, and offline at Authorized Mi Stores and other official retailers in Philippines. Mi 11 will come in two color options: Midnight Gray and Horizon Blue.

Pre-order of the device starts on March 5 with the Open Sale starting on March 13. Customers who pre-order the Mi 11 on participating stores from March 5 will stand a chance of receiving a free Mi Desktop Monitor worth PHP 5,990 while those who order on Mi Stores during the Open Sale will get a free Mi Smart Speaker worth PHP 1,990. Mi 11 owners can avail of After Sales Premium Service worth Php 15,000 covering 2 years extended warranty and a 1-time free screen replacement within 1 year for their new Mi 11.