IN-ANNOUNCE sa mid-year press conference ng online English education platform 51Talk na nagsi-celebrate ng 10th year anniversary, na ang actress/host na si Maine Mendoza ang kanilang newest brand ambassador.

Ibinahagi ng award-winning comedienne na malaki itong karangalan at very rewarding experience na i-represent ang 51Talk.

“I said yes to 51Talk because I felt that the values and ideals that 51Talk stand for appealed to me. I felt that, on a deeper level, nakaka–relate ako because they value genuine connections with people, and they recognize and reward hard work,” sabi ni Maine.

Dagdag pa niya, “I also am very honored to be an instrument to promote 51Talk’s livelihood opportunity to Filipinos, especially now when the country is reeling from the impact of the pandemic.”

Naniniwala siya na ang pagiging online English teacher sa 51Talk ay isang ideal opportunity para sa mga Pinoy na nawalan ng trabaho dahil sa pandemya.

“I hope that my being 51Talk’s ambassador will help reach out to more Filipinos to learn about this opportunity,” tugon pa niya.

Pormal ngang ipinakilala si Maine ng 51Talk Country Head na si Jennifer Que, at ibinahagi kung bakit perfect candidate si Maine na mag-represent sa 30,000 online English teachers ng 51Talk.

Nang maglabas ng teaser ang 51Talk sa identity ng kanilang brand ambassador sa social media agad itong nag-trending sa Twitter ang hashtag na #MaineMendozaFor51Talk.

“When she’s not on screen, Maine juggles other roles as an entrepreneur, advocate, and writer. She understands what it’s like to constantly explore endeavors that don’t just pique one’s interest, but also give room for self-improvement.

“Her lively personality, coupled with her entrepreneurial mindset and go-getter attitude, makes her an ideal embodiment of our 51Talk teachers,” paliwanag pa ni Que.

Ang 51Talk ay ni-launch sa Pilipinas noong 2011, na ngayon ay isa nang leading online English teaching platform na nagko-connect sa libu-libong Filipino teachers sa kanilang foreign students sa pamamagitan ng live and interactive lessons.

Dahil ang mga Pinoy ay naturally cheerful temperament and proficiency in speaking English kaya kino-consider na ideal English language teachers for young foreign learners.

Sabi pa ni Que, “In 2020, 51Talk launched its Third-Party Center Accreditation Program (TPCAP) to establish teaching centers in rural areas. These centers make the 51Talk platform more accessible to aspiring teachers who are otherwise qualified, yet lack the equipment or teaching space in their homes.”

Sa ngayon, meron nang more than 150 TPCAP centers nationwide across 35 provinces, serving 3,000 teachers simula nang i-launch ang programa.

At bilang bahagi ng celebratory activities para I-commemorate ang unang dekada sa industriya in-announce ni Que na may isang planeta na pinangalan sa  51Talk na located sa constellation Vela, na recently certified ng Chinese Star Association.

     “Yes, there’s now officially a planet called ‘51Talk’ out there in the universe,” sabi pa ni Que.

“We believe that by naming a planet 51Talk, we are lighting it up as we help light up everyone’s dream to succeed in life through education.”

    “It has been a fruitful first decade for 51Talk as we have delivered more than 150 million one-on-one English lessons to our learners, which in turn, provided income-generating opportunities to thousands of Filipinos.

“As 51Talk continues to lead the online English education market in China, we are aiming to attract 40,000 more teachers this year to accommodate the rising number of students using the platform,” pagtatapos pa ng country head ng 51Talk.

(ROHN ROMULO)

NILANTAD na ni Max Collins ang balik-alindog ng katawan niya.

Mag-iisang taon na kasi noong sinilang niya ang baby boy nila ni Pancho Magno na si Skye.

Ngayon ay panay ang post ng aktres ng post baby bod niya sa social media.

“If you have no love for yourself or you don’t give to yourself, then you won’t have love to give to other people including your baby. Two things that I used to do before having a child para lang I can be my happy self for Skye,” diin ni Max.

Idinaraan ni Max ang kanyang self-love sa pamamagitan ng workout at pagiging healthy.

“Recently I have been doing a lot of weight training, and then yoga, the boxing. I just love doing workout with friends kasi my friends get tested regularly. So sabay kaming nagwo-workout. I think nakakatulong din yon for me to push myself.”

Kaya balik-trabaho si Max sa lock-in taping ng GMA teleserye na To Have And To Hold with Carla Abellana and Rocco Nacino.

Para hindi raw siya nangungulila kay Skye habang nasa taping siya, nagdala si Max ng ilang gamit ng baby niya na inaamoy-amoy at nayayakap-yakap niya.

“Mas lalo ko tuloy nami-miss si Skye. Pero I’m doing this for his future. Tsaka malapit na rin kaming magkita. Bilang ina, you have to do these sacrifices.”

***

EXCITED na ang pop-folk group na Ben&Ben sa posibleng collaboration nila with acclaimed Filipino-American R&B artist H.E.R. 

Si H.E.R. mismo ang nag-propose ng collab ng music nila dahil nagagalingan siya sa Ben&Ben.

“We were simply over the moon about it. Seeing someone so successful being so open and proud about his or her roots really inspires all of us. And for H.E.R. to express interest in working with us, inspires us even more to work harder and keep creating music. We admire her for how she stays true to herself and her message, and, of course, for the sheer excellence and skills she puts into all of her songs,” sey ng Ben&Ben.

Hindi raw malayong mangyari ang collab dahil ang recording labels ni H.E.R. (RCA Records) at Ben&Ben (Sony Music Philippines) ay kapwa nasa iisang kumpanya ng Sony Music Entertainment.

Sey pa ng Ben&Ben: “We would definitely want to work on a song that’s closer to having an R&B and soul vibe. It’s a genre that all of us in the group really love. And we feel we can pull that off with the help of H.E.R.’s immaculately cool vocals.”

***

SINILANG na ni Meghan Markle and second baby nila ni

Prince Harry na si Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

Nickname niya ay Lili. June 4 at 11:40 AM nang isilang si Baby Lili sa Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California.

Ayon sa statement ng Buckingham Palace: “The Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been informed and are delighted with the news of the birth of a daughter for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”

Sa Instagram account nina Prince William at Kate Middleton, binati nila ang Duke and Duchess of Sussex sa new member ng pamilya nila: “We are all delighted by the happy news of the arrival of baby Lili. Congratulations to Harry, Meghan and Archie.”

(RUEL J. MENDOZA)

PASOK pa rin sa Top 5 si Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray sa most followed Pinay celebrities on Instagram na ngayon ay umabot na sa 12 million.

Nangunguna pa rin si Anne Curtis na may 16.8M, kasunod sina Liza Soberano – 15.8M, Kathryn Bernardo – 15M at Pia Wurtzbach – 12.3M.

Kaya naman ganun na lang ang pasasalamat ni Queen Cat sa lahat ng nagpa-follow sa kanyang IG account.

Sa IG post, “12 Million? That’s crazyyyy thanks for following along with this adventure called life. Grateful for all of you!

“Glow @fentyskin #HYDRAVIZOR @fentybeauty #EAZEDROP @jellyeugenio @paulnebreshair @justine.aliman19 captured by @altaniameen video @paulnebreshair.”

Samantala, for the first time sa beauty pageant history, parehong babae ang magiging hosts sa Binibining Pilipinas 2021 Coronation Night ngayong July 11 na gaganapin sa Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Makakasama nga ni Catriona si Miss Grand International 2016 1st Runner-up Nicole Cordoves, na kung saan pinost niya ang kanilang photo sa IG at caption ito ng, “Pageantry Redefined. @binibiningnicolecordoves and I are your first all-female hosting tandem in herstory for #BinibiningPilipinas2021 @bbpilipinasofficial.

“Witness history this July 11, 2021, 9:45PM at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Watch on A2Z or the @bbpilipinasofficial YouTube channel.

“Photography @bjpascual | beauty @jellyeugenio @paulnebreshair | styling (cat) @perrytabora (nicole) @bonitapenaranda.”

Sa naturang beauty pageant magmumula ang mananalong Miss International, Miss Grand International, Miss Intercontinental at Miss Globe na ipadadala ng Pilipinas para mag-compete sa sa iba’t-ibang bansa.

Nag-react nga ang celebrity friends ni Cat at isa nga rito si Megan Young at nag-comment ng, “Love!!!!”

Sabi naman ng netizens, kailan naman kaya magkakasamang mag-host sina Catriona at Megan, na marami pala ang nag-aabang, pati na rin ang photoshoot collab nila.

Comment nila, “who knows one di ba? They’re both MWP after all. Pero very very slim chance lang cause Cat loyalty is always with Madam Stella unless I take over ulit ni Madam Cory ang MWP Org at I-invite si Cat.”

“Who knows one day. They are two of the most well-loved beauty queens in the Philippines kaya… My top two faves!”

(ROHN ROMULO)