Life Lessons from Watching UPSTREAM’s A Girl and A Guy

At first glance, it’s easy to mistake A Girl and A Guy as a typical coming-of-age romance film sprinkled with a few risque scenes for good measure. But digging deeper into UPSTREAM’s first original film in partnership with GMovies, important stories about relationships, career, growing up, and navigating life in the middle of a pandemic were also told. Young people (and even those young at heart) can take away plenty of realizations and insights about themselves and their relationships from the film and here are just four of them:

Live at your own pace

As Raf said, “Life is not a race, but a maze.” Oftentimes, the discontent that most people feel about their lives is a result of comparing themselves to others. Just like Fiona, most of us tend to base our success with what our peers have achieved and then feel like we’re not doing enough when we realize we are not at par with what they have.

This kind of mindset is counterproductive and will only lead to insecurities you never knew you had. Instead of dwelling on other’s lives, know who you really are and remind yourself that each one of us has our own pace and timing in life – you just have to continue working hard and growing to be one step closer to your goals.

Make mistakes (and learn from them)

Young people are afraid to make mistakes due to fear of disappointing their parents and worse, themselves. However, we often forget that mistakes usually happen when one chooses to grow and go beyond their comfort zone by meeting new people, pursuing their hearts’ desires, and embracing change. So make mistakes, but remember to always learn from them and use these experiences to build a better you.

Online friends can be for keeps

In the era of social media and dating apps, meeting new people has become as easy as clicking “send” or swiping right. With the pandemic limiting us from interacting with our friends, these platforms have made it convenient to make new ones virtually.

This leads people to think that relationships and friendships formed online are just fleeting and will not withstand time and distance. While that may be true for some cases, there are also many internet friendships that transcends IRL (in real life), so don’t be afraid to make friends online. Just like in any relationship, communication is always the key for lasting connections.

You are what you love, not who loves you

Being young and falling in love is a beautiful thing, but heartbreaks can also be equally messy, especially in this generation. A Girl and A Guy reminds its viewers how their failed relationships do not define them in any way as a lover, and more importantly, as a person. No matter how many exes you have (or lack thereof), it shouldn’t say anything about how you should be viewed by others and how you view yourself.

Society has the tendency to dictate young people how and who to love based on its norms and standards. This film tells us to F with it and love whichever way and whoever person you want to.

 

A Girl and A Guy is a film directed by Erik Matti. Watch it now via upstream.ph and get your tickets through the GMovies app and website. Check out upstream.ph/faqs for more information.

 

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Nestlé Philippines celebrated Pride Month by pursuing workplace diversity and inclusion

Upholding its pursuit of diversity and inclusion by providing equal opportunities for everyone, and building a workplace in which all people are treated with dignity and respect, Nestlé Philippines joined the LGBT+ community’s celebration of Pride Month in June with the determination to foster an even more diverse and inclusive culture within its ranks.

“Nestlé’s values are rooted in respect - for ourselves and for others, for diversity, and for the future.  Diversity and inclusion are a foundation of our strength as an organization,” said Nestlé Philippines Chairman and CEO Kais Marzouki.

Acting on its commitment to give life to diversity and inclusion, Nestlé encourages its employees to “Bring your whole self to work” through education and awareness building, while creating a work environment that cultivates respect through its programs and policies.

Early in 2020, Nestlé Philippines was one of the first markets to launch the implementation of the Nestlé Gender-neutral Parental Support Policy that provides a more supportive and nurturing environment for new parents. The policy enforces gender equality and diversity, recognizing today’s diverse family structures:  biological or adoptive parents, including same-sex partners, single parents, and legal guardians. With the enhanced policy, the company is one of the first to extend paid parental leave to same-sex partners in the country.

Similarly, the company’s medical program for dependents, as well as other family-related benefits, support common-law and same-sex partnerships.

In the Philippines, all of Nestlé leaders have been trained in unconscious bias and sexual harassment prevention.  The company has also launched a mandatory e-learning course, “Diversity and Inclusion at Nestle: the LGBT+ Community,” which focuses on fostering inclusion for the LGBT+ community, and forms part of an expanding diversity and inclusion learning curriculum.

Nestlé Philippines is a member of Philippine Financial & Inter-Industry Pride, a collaborative, voluntary and non-profit community of practice for equal opportunity employers and inclusive business organizations in the country.

As part of Pride Month, Nestlé Philippines held a forum called #TogetherwithPride Inclusion Talk, which tackled awareness of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sexual characteristics (SOGIESC), and allyship, more specifically supporting equality and the rights of the LGBT+ community in the workplace, with Christopher Eugenio of Philippine Financial & Inter-Industry Pride. Inspirational coming out stories were shared by Bem Uychinco, H2R Global Transition Manager of Nestlé Business Services and Johann Ang, Senior HR Business Partner of Nestlé Philippines.

Nestlé Philippines engages in continuous efforts to make the workplace more inclusive by reviewing its policies and practices in its entire value chain, and fulfilling its role in influencing and inspiring society to be more inclusive.

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What Modern Relationships Look Like According to A Girl and A Guy

ICYMI, UPSTREAM’s first original A Girl and A Guy is now available for streaming on upstream.ph in partnership with GMovies! This coming-of-age film directed by Erik Matti explores and exposes the good, the bad, and the ugly of modern relationships through the eyes of millennials and gen Zs.

The story follows Fiona (Alexa Miro), an ambitious and confident advertising production assistant who dreams of becoming a renowned filmmaker and Raf (Rob Gomez), a creative and laid back marketing associate who has the right amount of charm to wow just about every woman he meets.

As they work to find who they are and what they want to be, they get entangled with each other’s lives as well as with a handful of other people who, just like them, are young and have their own fair share of baggage. A Girl and A Guy made sure to depict modern relationships the closest it can to reality and represent the diversity of young adults through its colorful characters.

Growing up and out of love

From the onset, the film shows how adulting can muddle even the most stable of relationships. With the challenge of juggling adult responsibilities wit
h everything else that is going on, sometimes relationships don’t survive. Holding on too long to a relationship that isn’t making you happy anymore for the sake of pinagsamahan or the years that you have been together can just often lead to messy situations. Who wants that, anyway?

Keeping it casual

The pressures and expectations that come with a committed and exclusive romantic relationship are some of the reasons why millennials and gen Zs have become more keen towards casual dating. After all, it’s a great and fun way to meet new people, enjoy their company, and find out more about yourself and your preferences with less of the stress.

Hook-up culture

Casual dating has also paved the way for hook-up culture where individuals engage in one-night stands or FUBU/FWB set-ups to satisfy their sexual needs without the need for any emotional intimacy or commitment. Nowadays, people are more comfortable having sex than actually talking to each other, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But what comes after that is what the film is asking.

Finding relationships online

Casual and convenient are two words that can perfectly describe online dating. Undeniably, this concept is changing the landscape of relationships and romance among young adults especially now with the pandemic at hand. It starts with simply creating an account on a dating app you prefer, then you just swipe away among the hundreds of girls and guys on your feed, and wait for a match or matches if you’re lucky!

At the end of the day, modern romance, as complex as it may seem, is also about building genuine friendships and lasting relationships. A Girl and A Guy reminds us that no matter how different their ways can be, the younger generation is still seeking love, understanding, and fulfillment whether it’s from a romantic partner, their family and peers, their career, or even their own self.

 

A Girl and A Guy is now available for streaming on UPSTREAM. To buy your tickets, just go to GMovies. You can also check out upstream.ph/faqs for more information.

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Nestlé Philippines supports Pilipinas Kontra Gutom Movement

Nestlé agronomist conducting training for farmers under the Nescafé Plan.

Hunger and malnutrition are among the most urgent concerns of Filipinos, heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey by the Social Weather Stations found that 20.9 percent or 5.2 million Filipinos experienced hunger from May to July 2020, the highest recorded since September 2014.

In addressing this challenge, Task Force Zero Hunger (TFZH) has initiated Pilipinas Kontra Gutom (PKG), a national and multi-sectoral movement against hunger composed of government agencies, non-profit organizations, and private companies from different industries. The program aims to reach one million Filipinos by 2022 and end hunger in 2030 by implementing the following work streams: ensuring food availability and accessibility, securing nutrition adequacy, and providing assistance for farmers and fisherfolk.

Nestlé Philippines is the private sector co-lead of work stream #1 – food availability and accessibility – through its NESCAFÉ Plan, with the vision to elevate farming as a dignified, sustainable profession.  Government partners for work stream #1 are the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Agrarian Reform, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Department of Trade and Industry.

Within PKG, Nestlé Philippines through its NESCAFÉ Plan will provide mentorship in agricultural technology and training to farmers, with the NESCAFÉ Better Farming Practices helping them improve the quality and quantity of their coffee yields using more sustainable and profitable methods.

The NESCAFÉ Plan is a global initiative that helps ensure a sustainable supply of quality green coffee. Through it, coffee farmers are provided access to superior quality plantlets, technology transfer via training, a support network of agronomists, and strategically located buying stations close to coffee areas so farmers can sell directly to Nestlé.

“Nestlé Philippines is proud to support the Pilipinas Kontra Gutom Movement. In line with one of PKG’s thrusts focusing on farming assistance, we want to make coffee farming a sustainable livelihood for our local farmers in the economic, environmental and social aspects.  With the NESCAFÉ Plan, they can learn about the best available technologies and techniques that seek to elevate coffee farming from subsistence to agripreneurship, enhancing their quality of life,” said Nestlé Philippines Chairman and CEO Kais Marzouki.

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Reasons To Not Miss UPSTREAM’s ‘A Girl and A Guy’

Looking for something new to watch this week? UPSTREAM’s first original, A Girl and A Guy, is now available for streaming on upstream.ph, in partnership with GMovies! A brazen take on modern relationships and intimacy, the film will give its viewers an in-depth look at the dynamics at play in the oftentimes messy and complicated arena of young love and modern dating from the perspective of gen Zs and millennials.

If you aren’t intrigued yet, here are more reasons why A Girl and A Guy is definitely a must-watch for everyone.

No holds barred storytelling

Based on its trailer, it’s apparent that A Girl and A Guy isn’t afraid to show a little more skin than what most are used to, especially in a local film, but that is just the tip of the iceberg according to its director Erik Matti. During the film’s grand mediacon, Direk Erik shared that for the longest time, he wanted the local movie industry to become more casual about incorporating elements of nudity in films.

“I think we need to let go of the stigma of people taking off their clothes. This movie, A Girl and A Guy, liberated me in a way, not just because I felt there were no rules in making the movie. If it's needed in the story, why can’t we show anything?” he said in the film’s mediacon last June 18.

More than the steamy and raunchy scenes, viewers can expect an unfiltered glimpse into the reality of relationships and intimacy in today’s generation where technology has become a big factor in establishing connections with other people. Casual relationships, one night stands, hook-up culture – what really goes on in modern dating? You just have to watch and find out.

New, fresh faces

Another exciting thing to look forward to in the film is its cast composed of up and coming  talented actors who are ready to make their own mark in the industry. This was purposely done by Direk Erik to make the characters seem more like real people that will allow the audience to identify themselves better with them versus when casting already established and renowned names.

The ensemble is led by Alexa Miro and Rob Gomez who play the roles of Fiona, an ambitious advertising production staff who has big dreams in the field of filmmaking, and Raf, a charming and laid-back marketing associate who has no plans for his future, respectively. They are joined by a bunch of exciting new stars who all came from esteemed and diverse backgrounds including Pau Benitez, Candice Ramos, Rosh Barman, Sarah Holmes, Carlo Tarobal, Emilio Francisco, Chloe Reyes, Roeder Camanag, Donna Cariaga, Marina Benipayo, and Shaun Salvador.

It’s your story, one way or another

More than just characters, Fiona, Raf, and the people they meet along the way tell the stories and struggles of real individuals – a strong woman who knows what she wants, a man who is afraid of commitment, individuals who cheat with their partners, unhappy couples, creatives who have lost passion in their craft, and so much more.

Despite its main theme that revolves around gen Zs and millennials, viewers from the older generation can still relate to A Girl and A Guy because we all have been young once and being young also means falling in love, making mistakes, and learning from them, 3 things that you’ll definitely see in the movie.

A Girl and A Guy is now available for streaming on UPSTREAM. To buy your tickets, just go to GMovies. You can also check out upstream.ph/faqs for more information.

 

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EU Whiz Youth champions awarded by the EU Delegation

EU Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Véron and First Counsellor Rafael de Bustamante with the EU Whiz Finalists

After a fun and exciting competition run, Philippine Normal University-Manila (PNU), University of the Cordilleras (UC-BCF), and Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU) emerged as the top winners in the EU Whiz Online Competition, the “My Space, My Rights” video competition, and the “Green ECO I See” digital art competition respectively at the recently concluded EU Whiz: Filipino Youth of the FEUture.

A total of 1,132 students from 146 colleges and universities all over the Philippines participated in the three main competition categories--the biggest turnout in the history of the EU Whiz since its inception in 2006. 

PNU composed of Robert Stephen A. Co, Daniel C. Ortañez and Louis Vincent R. Bautista outlasted 175 teams in a grand display of knowledge on the EU and EU-Philippines Relations during the EU Whiz Online Competition. Joining the podium finishers are Gizelle Amour T. Tagabi, Rodel C. Pacit and John Patrick B. Magbato of West Visayas State University (WVSU) in second place; and Ronica Raine B. Babsa-ay, Sharilyn B. Rufino and Miriam Agnes A. Dampilag of Benguet State University in third place.

On the other hand, UC-BCF students Jan Millescent G. Blanco and Nyssa Bianka E. Tagapulot were awarded the Grand Prize for the “Green ECO I See” digital art competition with their entry “Meeting Grounds of Intersectional Environmentalism”. Their piece highlights the mutual connection between culture and environmentalism. Rounding out the category are first runner-up winners Nicole Anne Argañosa, Mesfin Bram Diosina and Elisha Gabrielle R. Briones from iAcademy with their entry “Colors of Nature”; and second runner-up winners New Era University Students Meryll Joyce T. Dirain, Krizle Lorenz P. Policarpio and Mark William A. Fabro with their entry “Beam of Hope”.

Meanwhile, BPSU dominated the “My Space, My Rights” video competition—bagging both Grand Prize and first runner-up spots with Abegail P. Casabuena, Gerryline D. Maceda and Aira Joyce E. Gonzales’ entry “Lens of Hope” and Shaina Rey R. Pisigan, Michael Angelo A. Cervantes and Marvyn Jules C. Casimero’s entry “Salimpusa” respectively. UC-BCF clinched the second runner-up spot with Jillian Olivia M. Ramos, Ella Marie V. Bie and Thea Marie S. Lomboy’s entry “Empowered through Time”.

“I have made the engagement with youth one of my priorities. I am confident that all the EU Whizers will become ambassadors of our partnership and friendship. Kudos to the winners and we are looking forward to engaging further with you,” said EU Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Véron.

 

“Conducting this year’s EU Whiz on the digital platform has allowed us to broaden our reach and discover more skillful and talented young Filipinos than ever before. Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, these Filipino youth were able to utilize their inherent knowledge and creativity to advocate for key issues such as the need for green economy and youth rights. All these showcased the relentless spirit of the Filipino youth.”

 

Apart from the annual conduct of the inter-collegiate competition, the Delegation looks to build a community of EU Whizers who will continue to use their talents and skills to promote a better understanding of the shared EU and Philippine values.

“This is exactly what we at the EU strive for—to offer a platform for the youth who inspire positive change in the world. We hope to create a community of passionate young individuals and nurture them to become advocates and champions of tomorrow.”

Ambassador Véron and First Counsellor Rafael de Bustamante announced the winners in the EU Whiz grand competition, digital art and video creation competitions. Atty. Lily Freida Milla, Officer-in-Charge Executive Director, Commission on   Higher Education provided an inspirational message for the EU Whizers.

 

The panel of jurors for the digital art and video competitions were composed of well-known and accomplished creative professionals including Mr. Dan Matutina, Ms. Anina Rubio, Mr. Elvert Bañares, and Ms. Sandra Aguinaldo. 

The EU Whiz Online Competition was also supported by the Commission on Higher Education, the Philippine-Italian Association, and the Embassies of the Czech Republic and Hungary in the Philippines.

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Nestlé PH supports Plastic 3R Hacks PH in search for innovations to tackle plastic pollution

Industry experts from the private, public and NGO organizations came together as the judges to review the proposals during the final round of the Plastics Hackathon – Team STP, upper left, was declared the winning team

Nowadays, the younger generation is actively doing its part to save the planet by championing advocacies to combat climate change and plastic waste, supporting sustainable brands and their causes, and promoting the importance of a more environmentally conscious lifestyle. With the help of technology, they are developing practical and effective solutions that haven’t been tried before to address pressing environmental problems.

Recently, young minds harnessed fresh and unique ideas to solve plastic pollution through a nationwide virtual hackathon called Plastic 3R Hacks PH, organized by Redwizard Events Technology in collaboration with the Healthy Oceans and Clean Cities Initiative.

More than 150 participants representing cities and universities across the country registered for the competition and underwent a series of virtual activities to develop their projects. After preliminary judging, ten teams were selected, advancing to the final stage in which they pitched their projects to a board of judges composed of industry experts and representatives from UN-Habitat Philippines and the Government of Japan.

In the end, Team STP from Manila was declared the winner for its project that combined urban farming, data science, and IoT to decrease household generated waste and increase the recovery rate of plastic waste. The team received a cash prize of Php 50,000, which will help it to further develop its project.

With the vision that none of its packaging, including plastics, ends up in landfills and the environment, Nestlé Philippines fully supports initiatives like the Plastic 3R Hacks PH that drive awareness and discourse on the plastic waste crisis. During the program, Misha Rabat, Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs and Sustainability of Nestlé Philippines, shared the company’s initiatives to achieve its ambition of making 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025 while reducing virgin plastic consumption by 1/3.

“At our research centers in Switzerland and around Asia, we are looking at alternatives to plastics. In the Philippines, one of our recent milestones is the shift from plastic to paper straws for our ready-to-drink products We’re also reducing plastics in our operations and testing refilling stations to distribute our products.”

“One of the things we are doing to avoid our waste ending up in nature is sustaining plastic neutrality. This means we are recovering the equivalent amount of plastic that we put out in the market. Since August last year, we‘ve collected over 18,000 MT of plastic that are repurposed through our cement partners.”

Nestlé Philippines also supports infrastructure for the collection, sorting, and recycling of plastic waste, and has developed school modules, and guide materials for parents and teens on solid waste management endorsed by the National Solid Waste Management Commission.

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