It was 4:55 in the morning when my friends and I were done with last-minute packing and routines prior to going to Narita Airport. It was raining hard and the wind blew so cold but it did not stop us arriving at Shinjuku Station and purchased a Narita Express ticket using our Suica Card. By the way, you can check Klook and purchase affordable Suica card or JR pass prices and other Japan activities using your Klook mobile app.

"It's better to give than to receive," said the famous quote. And yes, it is true most especially this season of giving - the Christmas Season! Personally, I am already preparing a list of person close to my heart whom I will be giving Christmas gifts. Of course, I will be buying those presents online tomorrow, 12.12 sale to my fave online stores. The best thing of online shopping is that you can get perks and rewards especially if you are using PayMaya!



This 12.12, take advantage of multiple cashback on top of the already awesome deals offered by your favorite brands both online and in-stores when you shop using your trusted payment buddy, PayMaya.

There are so many sweet deals to help you make the most of your Christmas shopping. To start off, you can enjoy a 1%, 10%, or 100% cashback when you spend at least P500 online or in stores using your PayMaya physical or virtual card. On top of that, you can also get an additional P150 cashback* when you rack up an accumulated spend of P5,000.

Buying from your favorite online stores has its perks too! Skip the traffic and do your Christmas shopping online. Get 30% off at Lazada when you spend at least P500. Enjoy the maximum discount of P150 by redeeming a PayMaya voucher from the Lazada app.



If you’re looking for stylish holiday outfits for yourself, head on to Zalora and enjoy a 25% discount on your purchase, capped at P2,000! Simply use the promo code PYMYONLINEFEVER when you shop and spend at least P1,500.

You can also get the same perks when you #ScanToPay with PayMaya at our partner merchants. If you miss out on the 12.12 deals, don’t fret because you can still enjoy perks during PayMaya’s Double Cashback Weekend. From December 14 to 15, you get two chances of earning up to 100% cashback when you spend a minimum of P100 via PayMaya QR.



#ScanToPay for your gifts to your Kris Kringle or inaanaks at Robinsons Department Store to get a chance to win one of the 11 iPhone 11 units up for grabs! All you have to do is spend a minimum of P100 via PayMaya QR to earn one (1) raffle entry.

With PayMaya, there are so many ways you can receive more perks and rewards, by simply giving more to your loved ones – proving that the holidays is the best season to give to your friends and family. 



If you don’t have your own PayMaya account yet, you still have time to sign up and make the most out of all the sweet deals this 12.12 — just download the PayMaya app for Android or iOS, register for an account, and find out what it’s like to shop with the fastest, safest, and most rewarding to pay for anything online and in-stores. 



Remember, this 12.12 and beyond, don’t pay cash. PayMaya!

To summarize, here’s a quick rundown of all the awesome deals you can take advantage of with PayMaya:

Get up to 100% cashback when you spend at least P500 online and in-store using your PayMaya virtual or physical card
Enjoy an additional P150 cashback* when you accumulate a P5,000 spend with your PayMaya virtual or physical card
Get up to 100% cashback when you #ScanToPay at least P100 via PayMaya QR at your favorite establishments
Rack up to P5,000 worth of accumulated purchase via PayMaya QR to get an additional P150 cashback**
Get two chances of earning up to 100% cashback when you spend at least P100 via PayMaya QR this weekend
Redeem your PayMaya voucher at the Lazada app to enjoy a 30% discount (up to P150), when you spend a minimum of P500
Spend a minimum of P1,500 and get a 25% discount (up to P2,000) on your Zalora purchase when you use the code PYMYONLINEFEVER 

To find out more about all the exclusive deals you can avail of with your PayMaya account, visit www.paymaya.com/deals or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

It was in the year 2011 that I started posting photos of Christmas Trees of Cebu. There's something with Christmas Trees and their lights that make us smile and be grateful for the Yuletide season. Then a couple of years had passed, I started to attend Christmas Lighting from Cebu's amazing hotels and resorts. This kind of tradition has been a venue for Media and Bloggers to talk about nice things and just chill under the bright Christmas Tree. Without further ado, here are the Christmas Trees all-around Cebu this year!

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Let us start with Hotels and Restaurants here in Lapu-Lapu City.

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Jpark Island Resort & Waterpark. Cebu



Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort




Shangri-La's Mactan Resort and Spa




TMX Philippines Inc.

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Bai Hotel Cebu






Maayo Hotel Mandaue

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It was last January, right after the Hong Kong trip, I promised to visit my dream Asian Country, Japan. I then knew that two of my officemates loved to go too, so as they said, "the more, the merrier" and indeed, it was a 9-day full of happiness and joy in Japan. And this is my arrival story.

Me feeling chill at the Backpackers Hotel Toyo, Osaka, Japan

Originally, we were scheduled to depart by October 12, Saturday, but Typhoon Hagibis was very strong that time that Cebu Pacific Air advised canceling our Flight and of course, they were so accommodating that we were able to reschedule by October 14. So, yeah, that Monday was the most exciting of all Mondays ever!

Boarding  in a Shinkansen Train going to Osaka

Our flight was on time and we arrived at Narita International Airport by 6 plus in the evening. First on our mind was to exchange our JR Pass at the JR East Travel Service Center where you can also by Suica Card in case you just want to roam around Tokyo. IMPORTANT TIP: During JR Pass exchange, do not forget to ask the personnel on duty to reserve you a seat on the shinkansen train most especially if you are traveling directly from Tokyo to Osaka coz it's 4-6 hours of the trip.

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What is JR Pass? For those who travel to Japan and wish to explore the country in 7 days or more, make sure to get or purchase JR Pass in Klook.  JR Pass or Japan Rail Pass is a rail pass specially design to boost tourism and travel throughout the country. JR Pass can only be used by Visitors or Tourists visiting Japan. It is available for 7, 14 or 21 day passes. The unlimited rides include Shinkansen or Bullet Train, JR Buses and if we are going to the famous Itsukushima Shrine, then we can ride free Miyajima Ferry. It has two types - ordinary and green car classes which are worth PHP 13,861 and PHP 18,686 respectively. For me, they are both the same except for Green Cars have spacious leg rooms and less crowded. But, being with people is part of the travel, right? So, I recommend getting the Ordinary Car for your trip. Nothing beats JR Pass as we'll experience riding one of the fastest bullet trains in Asia, the Shinkansen!

Flaunting my JR Pass card while Shinkansen train was approaching

Do you know why JR Pass is important if you are planning to visit a number of tourist destinations in Japan?

1. It is affordable. In just less than PHP 15K from Klook, you can already travel as far as Hiroshima if you are staying from #Tokyo or #Osaka in 7 days' validity. (Note: Tokyo - Hiroshima costs JPY 18380 one way ( PHP 10,211))
2. A lot of local trains are also part of the JR Service.
3. Easy to navigate within the station as they have large JR signs especially made for Tourists.
4. They have a special mobile app called NAVI TIME which you can check every time your planning to visit one of Japan's Travel spots. It works like Google Maps but much better for Japan Transportation.
5. They have a special lane for JR Pass users, thus, getting away from human traffic in the ticket lane.

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A Ramen I bought from Family Mart near our hostel. It was good too.

After the acquisition of JR Pass, we then headed directly to the Shinkansen train as we needed to arrive in our Hostel early for check-in. I designed our Itinerary and we decided to explore first the southern prefectures of Japan so that we can maximize our JR Pass.

Backpackers Hotel Toyo in Osaka

Me feeling chill at the Backpackers Hotel Toyo, Osaka, Japan

Where to stay in Osaka? This is not a sponsored post because we paid fully the hostel but their service and accommodation are definitely one of Japan's best. We stayed at Backpackers Toyo Hostel which is situated at the center of Osaka. The hostel is very near to Don Quijote and some establishments not to mention my personal fave ramen place - Ramen Goku. Promise, it's the best!

A cute map posted in the waiting area of the hostel. It was very helpful in our search for good food.

I did not edit this food shot in Ramen Goku coz I want to show you the real photo. It was really really good.

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So, basically, our first day is all about arrival to Japan and travel from Narita to Osaka. It was a busy day but it was full of jaFUN!!!

This week is a tough journey of Miss Universe Philippines Gazini Ganados as she determines to get the crown of this year's Miss Universe Pageant. This Cebuana beauty is already in Atlanta, Georgia to grace this prestigious competition. Filipinos are all eyes and ears and of course, supporting Gazini all the way to her journey to the crown as the Philippines wanted a back to back triumph with Catriona Gray as the winner last year.

Miss Universe Philippines Winners

Of course, it is not about competition all the time. These beautiful ladies also share the same sentiment and goals in their lives. Thus, some of them became friends and sisters. Ganados took the time to share the five Miss Universe candidates she loves to bond with after following their videos and social media content online. The lucky ladies are:

Frederika Cull

1. Frederika Cull, Miss Indonesia (@frederikacull)

Miss Indonesia Frederika Cull has a special place in Ganados’ heart after the former immediately congratulated her when she was crowned Miss Universe Philippines, but she wants to get to know her better after finding her online. “I looked at her Instagram and I saw how beautiful and sophisticated this lady is,” said Ganados. She also compliments the work Cull puts into working out and getting her body competition-ready, as well as the fact that she’s also a dog lover.

Zozibini Tunzi, Miss South Africa

2. Zozibini Tunzi, Miss South Africa (@zozitunzi)

Ganados admits she chose Zozibini Tunzi as one of the people she’d like to meet because of their similar names. “The moment she won, all the pageant fans went crazy and started tagging me in her photos,” she shares. “I like her name—it’s so sassy, but so smooth at the same time.” She also admires Tunzi for her advocacies in women’s rights and equality, as well as her work in fashion.

Fahsai Paweensuda Drouin, Miss Thailand

3. Fahsai Paweensuda Drouin, Miss Thailand (@paweensuda)

Miss Thailand Fahsai Paweensuda Drouin and Ganados go back to when the former joined Miss Earth in 2017, and the latter rooted for her to win Miss Universe Thailand. “I’m so happy she’s going to be one of my sisters in this competition,” she says. “I’m pretty sure she will rock the universe.” Ganados compliments Drouin’s fierceness, elegance, natural looks, and her charity work.

Julia Horta, Miss Brazil

4. Julia Horta, Miss Brazil (@juliahorta)

Ganados is excited to meet Julia Horta of Brazil because of her smiling and approachable demeanor. “I want to be her friend if she’s always smiling and bubbly,” she says. She also praises Horta for being into muay thai, which she also does, sports, as well as her fashion sense.

Gabriela Tafur, Miss Colombia

5. Gabriela Tafur, Miss Colombia (@gabrielatafur)

Colombia’s Gabriela Tafur struck a chord immediately with Ganados the moment she saw her on Instagram. “The first thing that I noticed when I checked out her Instagram was her abs when she was on the beach,” she says, and shares that Tafur’s similarities to a friend is what personally makes her interesting. On a related note, Ganados is also in awe of Colombia for the beautiful ladies the country always sends to international competitions.

Find out more about Gazini’s top Miss Universe candidates and click this link to watch the full video: Binibining Pilipinas (Official Page).

Like Ganados did, you too can check out and follow her fellow Miss Universe candidates online, which is now a better experience with PLDT Home Fibr’s Speedboost, to find out the caliber of women she’ll be up against, and also leave good luck messages on her online page as she competes at the Miss Universe pageant on December 9!

Find out how you can enjoy PLDT Home Fibr’s Speedboost and get 2x the speeds of your current subscription by visiting www.pldt.com.ph/speedboost.

[28 NOVEMBER 2019] As the Christmas season goes into full swing, the shopping lists of Filipinos everywhere are also steadily growing—gifts for family and friends, treats for yourself, and groceries for your feast at home. Add to that the much-needed gas for the holiday traffic rush and for travel to parties and out-of-town trips. What if there was a way to make your holiday shopping more convenient and more rewarding?



Beginning this holiday season, PayMaya is the preferred payment option at your favorite supermarkets, retail stores, fast-food restaurants, gas stations, and pharmacies—offering PayMaya Preferred exclusive promos and discounts that will definitely give you better value for your money than cash or credit card.

By simply using PayMaya QR to #ScanToPay for your purchases at select PayMaya Preferred partner merchant locations, you get amazing offers that are available exclusively to PayMaya QR users. You can enjoy this on top of your cashback promos from PayMaya and other deals from your favorite establishment.

“As more Filipinos use PayMaya for all their payment needs, especially during the holiday season, we’re ramping up our efforts to give our customers an even more rewarding experience at our PayMaya Preferred partner merchants. With these awesome exclusive deals offered by our partners whenever you use PayMaya QR, PayMaya is enabling a shopping experience that is truly better than what cash can give them this holiday season and beyond,” said Raymund Villanueva, Head of Growth and Brand Marketing at PayMaya.

Get P100 more for groceries for your Christmas feasts  

Grocery shopping for your Christmas party spread? Let PayMaya help you cook up a better feast for your loved ones. Shop at Robinsons Supermarket, Easy Mart, and Selections to enjoy P100 cashback once a week when you spend a minimum of P500 via PayMaya QR. To add to that, you can also get a chance to be among the 14 lucky winners of a 1-minute shopping spree worth P10,000.

Landers also offers PayMaya customers a 5% cashback of up to P2,500 every month on no minimum spend when you #ScanToPay via PayMaya QR for your purchases. Meanwhile, PayMaya users who will get an SMS containing a unique voucher code from Landers can get their free membership until December 31.   

A “BETTER THAN CASH” PAYMENT EXPERIENCE WITH PAYMAYA QR. PayMaya account holders can enjoy a better than cash payment experience at select PayMaya Preferred partner merchants this holiday season when they shop, dine, or fill up their gas tanks and pay using PayMaya QR. Shown in photo are some of the initial PayMaya Preferred partner merchants as announced recently by PayMaya Head of Wallets Business Kenneth Palacios (left) and PayMaya Head of Growth and Brand Marketing Raymund Villanueva (right).

Enjoy more perks when you dine out   

Enjoy more perks when you dine out with family and friends by using PayMaya QR at BonChon. Get a P100 voucher for a minimum spend of P200 when you #ScanToPay via PayMaya QR. You can enjoy this deal twice a month and even stand a chance to win one year’s worth of BonChon chicken for your K-food cravings.

Drive-up better rewards for your trips  

Paying for gas, especially for all the trips you will be taking this season, does not have to be painful anymore because PayMaya QR drives up better rewards for you. #ScanToPay at Total, Metro Oil, and Marz Fuel to get P5 cashback for every liter*, up to P1,000 a month, until Feb 2020.

More perks to help you live better

Live well to live better with the help of PayMaya. When purchasing your medicines or vitamins, keep in mind that paying via PayMaya QR is preferred at Mercury Drug as you can get P100 cashback once a week for a P500 minimum spend until February 2020.

Unwrap the best holiday shopping deals

This Christmas season, unwrap better PayMaya Preferred deals when you start your holiday gift-shopping at Robinsons Department Store and Toys ‘R Us.

EXPECT A “BETTER THAN CASH” EXPERIENCE AT PAYMAYA PREFERRED MERCHANTS. PayMaya Head of Growth and Brand Marketing Raymund Villanueva reveals that Filipinos can expect a “better than cash” experience with even better rewards as he announces the initial lineup of PayMaya Preferred merchant partners, where account holders can get awesome cashback and discount deals whenever they use PayMaya QR beginning this holiday season.

Better than cash deals beyond the Holiday season

More exciting deals from KFC, Rustans Supermarket, Shopwise, Wellcome, and Powerfill are also waiting for you in December!

You can enjoy your better than cash perks at PayMaya Preferred partners even beyond the holiday season, as PayMaya is looking to work with more partner merchants to offer the best deals and rewards for all.

For customers, this means a more rewarding experience at your favorite merchants through exclusive deals on top of PayMaya’s ongoing promos. For PayMaya Preferred merchants, on the other hand, this means driving more business to their stores and branches, as they offer a better payment experience to their customers. 

“We are thrilled to roll out more PayMaya Preferred promos in the coming months and work with merchant partners in offering customers an easier, more convenient, and more rewarding way to pay—taking us a step closer to a more digital and cashless society,” Villanueva added. 

To start getting more out of your holiday shopping and purchases, #ScanToPay with the PayMaya app now. If you don’t have your own PayMaya account yet, it’s never too late to go cashless. Download the PayMaya app for free on iOS or Android now and avail of great deals, promos, and offers. For more information on exclusive deals and offers available to users, visit www.paymaya.com/deals or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.


*via cashback or voucher. At least P5 cashback is based on a minimum P40/liter fuel price.