Philippines Portrait Gallery of “Seeing Beyond Labels”

For the Philippine chapter, themed “See Beyond Labels,” Angélica Dass photographed 20 individuals in Manila whose lives intersect with solo motherhood in diverse ways. The gallery honors a powerful truth: behind every societal label is a human life shaped by many roles, deep relationships and personal ambitions, reminding us that no one should be defined by a single societal label or a single title like “solo mom”.

This creative direction is rooted in the realities of Filipino family life. According to publicly available data, the country has an estimated 14 to 15 million solo parents, with women accounting for about 95% of them. An estimated 2.19 million Filipinos worked overseas in 2024, with women making up 57.2% of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW). Behind these figures are individual lives that are far more layered. This is the space the Philippines chapter sets out to explore.

Captured on the CAMON Slim 5G with TECNO Universal Tone, the Philippines chapter of 100 Portraits of Becoming naturally connects with CAMON Slim 5G’s “Make It Lighter” philosophy, using technology to make expressive photography feel more accessible, intuitive and open to more people.

The Stories Behind the Portraits of 20 People

Through their portraits, that broader context becomes personal, revealing very different experiences of work, family, care and becoming.

Angélica Dass taking portrait photos in Manila

Some stories come from working solo mothers themselves. Others are told through the perspectives of adults raised by solo mothers, multi-generation families, Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) caregivers, and media or community advocates who work closely with women and families. These diverse narratives highlight a pervasive challenge: the social tendency to let a single label define an individual's entire life and capability.

To challenge these stereotypes, their discussions addressed core questions surrounding work, family, and identity - How does motherhood intersect with professional ambition? How do grown children raised in solo-parent families reflect on their upbringing? And what structural support, choices and personal wisdom help families navigate everyday life?

Ultimately, these stories reveal a richer, more nuanced picture of modern family life of solo mothers and women in general: women building fulfilling careers while raising children, multi-generational networks sharing caregiving responsibilities, adults drawing strength from the mothers who raised them, and individuals continuously pursuing their own ambitions.

Portraits of 20 people connected to solo motherhood

Portraits of 20 people connected to solo motherhood from the Philippines chapter now are joining the global 100 Portraits of Becoming on TECNO’s official website, where their images and stories can be explored together.

Among the 20 participants is Ely Haig, a solo working mother, breadwinner, advertising professional and competitive amateur padel player.

Ely became a mother just as her career was taking off. For a time, she stepped back from opportunities and focused on taking care of everyone around her. Later, she found a different kind of diskarte: knowing what matters to her, then finding ways to make room for her career, her daughter, side projects and padel.

“Being a good mother shouldn’t mean leaving yourself behind,” said Ely. “I want people to see more than a solo mom. A mother, yes, but also a creative, a career woman, an athlete, still becoming.”

The Portrait of Ely Haig

Twinkle Dimayuga Zamora raised two children as a solo mother before turning her own experience into community support. She later founded MAMA, Mothers Advocating through Ministry and Action, an initiative supporting solo mothers and their children. Her diskarte is simple: ask for help, communicate openly and build a village. “Sometimes the strongest thing a mother can do is say, ‘I need help,’” she said.

The Portrait of Twinkle Dimayuga Zamora

Eunice N. Angeles, a fourth-year nursing student, was raised by a solo mother who later became an OFW in Qatar. Growing up, she watched her mother keep finding opportunities and making difficult choices to create a better future for them both. That confidence became something Eunice feels she inherited. “I want people to see what I grew up with: confidence, determination and the courage to find my own way.”

The Portrait of Eunice N. Angeles

These stories reflect different expressions of their own diskarte: the wisdom, resourcefulness and choices women draw on to navigate life in their own way. More stories from the 20 portraits can be explored in the Philippines gallery of 100 Portraits of Becoming, part of TECNO’s global story archive.

For Angélica Dass, the Philippines chapter is an opportunity to move from a shared social context to the individual lives within it. Across the 20 portraits, she encountered different ambitions, relationships, personalities and ways of navigating everyday life.

Renowned photographer Angélica Dass captures portraits using the TECNO CAMON Slim 5G in Manila, Philippines.

“What stayed with me was the realization that ‘solo motherhood’ is only one part of a person's identity. Through the stories shared with me and the moments we created during the portrait sessions, I was reminded that behind every label there is a person with their own ambitions, relationships, choices, and dreams. No single label can tell us everything about who someone is.”

To ground these stories in authenticity, the portraits were photographed on location across Manila in environments directly tied to each participant’s daily life—whether a workplace, a family home, or a familiar community space.

The creative approach echoes the campaign’s core philosophy: leaving space to portray work, ambition, relationships, humour and daily routines — the rich parts of everyday life that extend far beyond a single role or a single label.

From Kenya to the Philippines, and Beyond

All portraits in the Philippines were photographed by Angélica Dass using the TECNO CAMON Slim 5G, supported by TECNO Universal Tone technology.

TECNO Universal Tone was developed to more accurately represent a broad spectrum of human skin tones in mobile photography. Within 100 Portraits of Becoming, that capability supports a wider idea at the heart of the project: seeing people as they are, with greater accuracy and attention to individuality.

“What moved us about the Philippines chapter was seeing how naturally motherhood, work, ambition and personal identity can coexist in the same life,” said Jack Guo, General Manager of TECNO. “We hope technology can play a small part in helping people be seen more fully, and their stories better understood.”

The Philippines marks the second stop of 100 Portraits of Becoming, following the project’s launch in Kenya in July 2026. Over two years, the initiative will bring together 100 portraits across multiple countries, building a story archive of people, stories and possibilities.

In Kenya, the project explored how people move beyond inherited narratives about place and the future. In the Philippines, the lens turns to family, identity and the roles people carry, looking beyond the first label to the person, the people around her, and who she is still becoming.

And with the Philippines now joining the archive, more portraits, more stories and more ways of becoming are still to be unveiled in more countries.

For any related media queries, please contact pr.tecno@tecno-mobile.com.

As a global innovative technology brand with operations in over 70 markets, TECNO has been committed to revolutionizing the digital experience in global emerging markets, relentlessly pushing for the perfect integration of contemporary, aesthetic design with the latest technologies and AI. TECNO offers a wide range of smartphones, smart wearables, laptops and tablets, smart gaming, HiOS operating systems and smart home products. Guided by its brand essence of “Stop At Nothing,” TECNO is committed to unlocking the newest technologies and AI-powered new experiences for forward-looking individuals, inspiring them to never stop pursuing their best selves and their best futures. For more information, please visit TECNO’s official site: www.tecno-mobile.com.

“100 Portraits of Becoming” is a global portrait project created by TECNO together with internationally recognized artist Angélica Dass. Over two years, it will produce one hundred portraits across five countries — Kenya, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Brazil — pairing Dass’s portrait methodology with TECNO’s Universal Tone inclusive imaging technology. Each portrait moves beyond a face to the person behind it: to lives unfolding across different cultures, generations and moments of social change. One hundred portraits become one hundred ways of seeing humanity — and one growing archive of who we are, told by the people living it. To learn more, please visit: https://www.tecno-mobile.com/100portraitsofbecoming/.

Manila, Philippines. October 28, 2026: TechLife officially launches the TechLife Pad Neo SE, a learning companion designed for families. Bringing “See More, Learn More” to life, the tablet pairs a bigger Eye Comfort Display with Smart Parental Control and an all-day battery, so children have more room to explore and learn, and parents have more confidence in how that learning happens.

This everyday tablet features a 10.1-inch Eye Comfort Display, Smart Parental Control with Google Kids Space, and a 6000mAh Massive Battery, supporting homework, reading, online classes, creativity and after-school entertainment in one device. It comes in three colors: Space Grey, Bubble Blue and Aurora Green.

Taken together, the TechLife Pad Neo SE’s value becomes more evident in how each feature supports everyday learning and family moments.

The 10.1-inch Eye Comfort Display gives young learners more room for research and online classes, while keeping longer study sessions easier on the eyes. Dual stereo speakers bring lessons, educational videos and shared family viewing to life, and split-screen lets children and parents handle more than one task at a time.

Smart Parental Control and Google Kids Space give parents a guided, child-friendly space. Parents can choose age-appropriate apps, books, videos and learning content, and keep screen time safe and purposeful, so children can learn at their own pace while parents do more with their day.

Powered by a 6000mAh Massive Battery, the TechLife Pad Neo SE is built to stay on through classes, homework, and video lessons. Smooth octa-core performance and up to 8GB* of RAM including memory expansion keep learning apps and everyday multitasking running steadily, while 64GB of storage, expandable up to 1TB, keeps school files, apps and media ready. The Pad Neo SE runs on Android 16, with 5MP front and rear cameras and the Google Gemini AI assistant for everyday help.

The TechLife Pad Neo SE retails at ₱8,999 SRP. Fans can get the tablet for as low as ₱7,099, available on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.

The Pad Neo SE also comes with a FREE Folio Case or a FREE Power Bank R211 5,000mAh depending on availability as part of TechLife’s Peak Season offers, running from October 29, 2026 to January 3, 2027. Starting October 29, fans can also join the Pad Neo SE online giveaway on TechLife’s official social media pages.

For exclusive offers and the latest updates, follow TechLife on its official social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

Disclaimer:

 Vouchers apply to participating online platforms only.

Limited stocks and vouchers only.

Freebies available while supplies last.

On October 30, 2026, OPM rap icon Gloc-9 gives that familiar Filipino invitation a new sound with the worldwide release of “Tara G!”, a collaboration with GameZone inspired by friendship, shared experiences, and the Filipino spirit of samahan.

Known for turning everyday Filipino realities into music, Gloc-9 brings his distinctive storytelling to a phrase heard everywhere - from spontaneous plans with friends to moments shared with family and community.

Throughout his career, Gloc-9 has built a reputation for transforming distinctly Filipino stories and everyday experiences into music. That makes “Tara G!” a natural creative space for the artist: the phrase is instantly familiar, but broad enough to carry many kinds of Filipino moments.

At the center of the song is an invitation that rarely needs explaining. “Tara G!” can signal the start of an impromptu gathering, a shared activity, a game, a meal, or simply an opportunity to reconnect. Through Gloc-9’s storytelling, the expression takes on a musical identity rooted in friendship, community, and participation.

“Tara G!” connects Gloc-9’s distinctly Filipino storytelling with GameZone’s “Tara G! Sama Tayo.” campaign platform.

Filipino card games have long been part of social gatherings where the people, conversations, laughter, and shared moments can matter just as much as the game itself. That familiar social ritual provides the link between GameZone’s “Tara G! Sama Tayo.” campaign and the song.

Through “Tara G!”, GameZone takes the campaign beyond online play and into music, using a culturally familiar expression to connect the brand with wider conversations around Filipino entertainment, friendship, and community.

For Pinoys, the card table has always been a place to play, talk, tease, and belong. This serves as the emotional foundation of GameZone’s brand story and establishes the connection between traditional Filipino card games and the modern online gaming experience.

The collaboration with Gloc-9 brings GameZone’s slogan, “Tara, G! Sama Tayo – Where Pinoys Play Card Games Online,” to life by celebrating the Filipino spirit of togetherness. Through Gloc-9’s signature storytelling rooted in Filipino culture and everyday experiences, the partnership translates the spirit of samahan into music, strengthening GameZone’s cultural relevance and connection with Filipino audiences. It also reinforces GameZone’s commitment to celebrating what brings Filipinos together, both online and beyond the game.

Ava Castillo, GameZone spokesperson, said the collaboration was designed to give the brand’s “Tara G! Sama Tayo.” platform a more meaningful cultural expression through music.

“We wanted ‘Tara G! Sama Tayo.’ to be more than a campaign line. Music gives us a way to bring that invitation into Filipino culture in a form people can hear, share, and make their own. Gloc-9 was a natural collaborator because his storytelling has always been rooted in real Filipino experiences.”

Listen to “Tara G!”

“Tara G!” by Gloc-9 in collaboration with GameZone is available worldwide beginning October 30, 2026, on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Deezer.

GameZone is where Pinoys play card games online, a PAGCOR-licensed online gaming platform in the Philippines delivering secure and competitive Player vs. Player gaming experiences. Through GameZone Tour, it is pioneering table game tournaments in the country, specializing in popular Filipino card games such as Tongits and Pusoy, while also featuring globally recognized card games like Poker - elevating traditional and international gameplay into modern competitive tournaments. With real-time online gameplay, high-stakes competitions, and a library of more than 1,500 premium games, GameZone is building the country’s premier platform for skill-based online gaming and digital competition. For more information, visit www.gzone.ph and follow @taragamezone and @gamezonetour on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Tara G! Sama Tayo.

From left: Karlo Evangelista, Corporate Sustainability Manager at Megaworld Global Hotels & Resorts; Joe Xavier Fijardo, General Manager of Grand Westside Manila Bay; Ruth T. Aguilar, Master Teacher at Tambo Elementary School – Main Campus and Rodolfo Bazar II, Area Director of PMD at Grand Westside Manila Bay.

Growing Together: Grand Westside Manila Bay General Manager Joe Xavier Fijardo leads hotel associates in planting 45 Sampaguita plants alongside teachers, parents and students of Tambo Elementary School in Parañaque City. The activity supports Megaworld Hotels & Resorts' MEGreen sustainability programme and its advocacy for preserving Filipino heritage.

A haunted refrigerator, a creature lurking in the bathroom, and a terrifying train ride. For generations of Filipinos, Shake, Rattle & Roll made even the most ordinary places frightening, leaving behind horror stories that became part of childhood memories and Filipino pop culture.

More than four decades later, those familiar scares are finding another home as Regal Entertainment and BingoPlus bring the beloved horror franchise into interactive digital gaming.

The partnership brings together Regal’s legacy in Filipino filmmaking and BingoPlus’ digital entertainment platform, introducing five original games inspired by the franchise: Manananggal, Reyna Ahas, Triple Terror, LRT Monster, and Aswang.

First released in 1984, Shake, Rattle & Roll has spent decades entertaining and frightening Filipino audiences through stories inspired by local folklore, Philippine mythology, and unforgettable fictional characters. Its familiar monsters have remained part of conversations long after audiences left the cinema.

For Regal Entertainment, bringing the franchise into gaming is an opportunity to introduce these stories to another generation without losing what made them distinctly Filipino.

“For more than four decades, Shake, Rattle & Roll has remained part of Philippine popular culture through stories that are distinctly Filipino,” said Roselle Monteverde, President of Regal Entertainment.

“Our collaboration with DigiPlus opens a new chapter for the franchise, bringing its creative legacy into digital entertainment while preserving the storytelling and cultural identity that have made it enduring.”

The collaboration also reflects how two homegrown entertainment brands can bring different strengths to the same story. Regal contributes the characters and creative legacy that audiences have known for years, while BingoPlus, under DigiPlus Interactive Corp., provides a platform where these familiar horror properties can be experienced through gaming.

Beyond the games themselves, the partnership celebrates Filipino creativity and the lasting appeal of local storytelling. It shows how stories rooted in the country’s culture can continue to connect with audiences even as the ways people enjoy entertainment change.

“Our goal is to give our players premium entertainment. This partnership is also an example of how we work: we put our customers first. We listen to what our players enjoy, and we keep working to give them something fresh, engaging, and made for them. The Shake, Rattle & Roll games are part of that commitment,” said DigiPlus Chairman Eusebio Tanco

He added, “Our goal is to give our players premium entertainment. That means high-quality games, thoughtful design, and worthy experiences. Partnering with Regal, one of the country's most respected names in storytelling, helps us deliver that.”

Through the partnership with the Shake, Rattle, & Roll franchise, BingoPlus is bringing an iconic piece of Filipino pop culture into a new digital entertainment experience. The brand remains committed to responsible gaming, while maintaining a trustworthy and personal platform that makes sure entertainment stays fun and balanced.

The five Shake, Rattle & Roll-inspired games are live on the BingoPlus app, with a phased rollout planned for ArenaPlus and GameZone, bringing the collection to more of DigiPlus’ digital entertainment platforms. The brand remains committed to responsible gaming, while maintaining a trustworthy and personal platform that makes sure entertainment stays fun and balanced.

For Regal and BingoPlus, this offers another way for Filipino stories to remain part of everyday entertainment, connecting memories of cinema scares with a different kind of experience.

After all, the monsters may be familiar, but there are still new ways to encounter them.

BingoPlus is the Philippines' leading and most comprehensive digital entertainment platform. It has redefined digital gaming in the country. Launched in January 2022, it introduced the first-ever interactive, live-streaming digital bingo platform. BingoPlus is an affiliate of DigiPlus Interactive Corp. and is an advocate for responsible gaming. BingoPlus is licensed by PAGCOR. For more information, visit www.bingoplus.com 

A trick-or-treat ballroom for the kids and a gold-versus-crimson night at Canary, both on October 31 — from Php 1,600 net for an afternoon of trick-or-treating, Php 1,429 net for two rounds of cocktails at the bar, and Php 7,488 net for the weekend staycation

TAGUIG CITY, Philippines — October 2026. Halloween at F1 Hotel Manila BGC comes with a choice of sides. On October 31, the hotel runs two parties under one roof: The Naughty & The Nice, a trick-or-treat afternoon in the ballroom built for children, and The Wicked & The Divine, a late-night takeover of Canary where guests pick angel or devil at the door. Both sit inside Heritage Holidays at F1 Hotel Manila: Homeward for the Holidays, the season's campaign running through November 1 across the hotel's rooms, restaurants, bar and function spaces.

Children choose a side at the door — a gold halo headband for the Nice list, red felt horns for the Naughty — then work through six trick-or-treat stations set around the ballroom, including a Nice list station handing out gingerbread parol cookies from The Patisserie. A Halo & Horns photo booth, a face-painting corner, a magic show, inflatables, a bubble show and a Nice List signing wall run alongside, and each session closes with a costume parade crowning Best Little Angel, Best Little Rascal and Best Family. 

Every child ends up on the Nice list.

Php 2,188 net takes a child through all six stations, the photo booth, the face painting and the costume parade, with the food stations open throughout. The Php 1,422 net rate on Hot Deals has sold out; the rate now stands at Php 1,600 net. The same booking brings 20% off the Weekend Lunch Buffet and 10% off at The Patisserie that day.

At 10 PM, the party moves to Canary, where the October edition of the hotel's monthly DJ night splits the room in two. Guests take a gold wristband for the Divine or a crimson one for the Wicked, and the night plays out as a war between them: Ascension opens in ethereal melodic house and gold light, Temptation lets the red creep in, and at midnight The Fall splits the lights gold and crimson for the costume contest — Best Angel, Best Devil — before Judgment runs both worlds at once until 2 AM. DJ Tom Taus headlines with DJ Nico Yabut and DJ Francie.

At Php 15,000 net, a table for eight comes with two premium bottles, a bar bites platter and two rounds of cocktails for Php 9,000 on Hot Deals. A table for six is Php 8,000 net, or Php 5,600 on Hot Deals, with a premium bottle and a round of cocktails. At Php 2,199 net, or Php 1,429 on Hot Deals, guests come in for two rounds of cocktails. Dress code is glamour, not gore.

Halos & Horns Weekend turns October 30 to 31 into a one-weekend staycation built around the two parties. Couples take a Deluxe Room at Php 7,988 net with in-room breakfast, the Weekend Lunch Buffet, a one-hour massage for two, late check-out until 4 PM and a place for two at The Wicked & The Divine. Families take a City Suite for three at Php 11,988 net with breakfast, the buffet, a reserved Enigma Art Session slot, and a take-home box of Classic Cheesy Ensaymada, plus entry to The Naughty & The Nice. A Hot Deals rate of Php 7,488 net is open to couples. Promo code HALOSHORNS26.

For the rest of the season, First Nights of Christmas opens a Deluxe Room or City Suite for two at 20% off when booked directly with code FIRSTNIGHTS26, through November 1. A welcome tray of hot tsokolate and bibingka bites waits on arrival, gingerbread parol cookies appear at turndown, check-out stretches to 2 PM, and every stay earns a Php 1,000 voucher for December. Feast & Stay folds the whole weekend into one booking with code FEASTSTAY26, from Php 7,988 net for couples and Php 11,988 net for families of three. Midweek, the Bed & Breakfast Escape opens a Deluxe Room at 30% off the best available rate with breakfast for two, with code SLOWMORNINGS26.

The Weekend Lunch Buffet at F All Day Dining runs every Saturday and Sunday through November 1 at Php 2,299 net, or Php 1,379 on Hot Deals. A carver works the hamon station beside a wheel of queso de bola, lechon belly and four Noche Buena dishes join the line, and the merienda corner does what December does: puto bumbong, bibingka, leche flan, and hot tsokolate poured to order. The Christmas Craft Corner art session keeps the children busy while the adults go back for seconds, with a Halloween-themed edition on October 31. Children booked into The Naughty & The Nice take 20% off the buffet that day, and children under 6 in costume eat free.

At The Patisserie, the Bibingka Cheesecake and Classic Cheesy Ensaymada are joined this month by the Vigan Ensaymada and a new line of Almond Praline Chocolates in Belgian milk, white and caramel, from Php 78 a piece and Php 828 for the Trio Box of twelve. The Heritage Gift Box pairs a whole Bibingka Cheesecake or a box of six ensaymada with a Praline Trio Box and a gift card, with corporate pre-orders delivering November 15 to December 23.

Grill & Glow pairs unlimited Korean barbecue with pool access at Php 1,488 net, or Php 899 on Hot Deals, with hamon-glazed samgyupsal and queso de bola corn cheese under the pool-deck Christmas lights. Glow Nights run Friday and Saturday, and barkada groups of eight to ten get a complimentary Christmas sangria pitcher. The First Sip of Ber line-up leads with the Starlight Spritz on buy-one-take-one every Friday from 5 PM to 8 PM — including October 30, when the Halloween Eve preview brings out Fallen Angel and Original Sin a night early.

Paskong F1 Early Bird rewards Christmas party bookings confirmed by October 15 for dates from November 15 to December 30: a complimentary one-hour extension, free-flowing iced tea, and a complimentary Deluxe Room with breakfast for two on the day itself. Packages for 60 guests come down to Php 102,000 net from Php 175,000 net, with a live bibingka and puto bumbong dessert corner available as an upgrade. Blackout dates apply from December 1 to 13. Meeting, social, and weekend function packages start at Php 650 net per person.

The Naughty & The Nice and The Wicked & The Divine both run on October 31 and are sold exclusively through the hotel's Hot Deals page, on sale until October 30 or until sold out. Children are booked into a specific ballroom session. Heritage Holidays offers run through November 1, 2026, with selected offers until October 30. Room offers are bookable on the F1 Hotel Manila BGC website. Hot Deals rates and banquet packages are exclusive to the hotel's Hot Deals page. Dining and bar experiences require prior reservation. All rates are net and cannot be combined with other promotions. Terms and conditions apply.

Reservations: (02) 8928-9888 · Viber 0919 912 4803

About F1 Hotel Manila — F1 Hotel Manila is a hotel on 32nd Street in the heart of Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, minutes from Bonifacio High Street, Market! Market! and the BGC office towers. The Home of Happy Experiences.

"Revival King" Jojo Mendrez and Mark Herras during the 42nd Star Awards for Movies