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AIA Ascend will help you adult like a pro

Go YOLO while still saving for the future

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If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably spent the last few years juggling the joys of being young and wild with the very real pressures of adulting.

Spoiler alert: it’s hard. Saving for tomorrow while living your best life today? That feels like trying to balance a beach ball on a needle.

But AIA Philippines, formerly Philam Life, might have cracked the code with their latest offering, AIA Ascend.

So, what exactly is AIA Ascend?

Think of it as your financial BFF. This new plan isn’t just about saving for retirement (although it’s really good at that); it’s about helping you fund all your dreams—big and small—without forcing you to choose between YOLO-ing now and securing your future.

Melissa Henson, AIA Philippines’ Chief Marketing Officer, sums it up perfectly: “Millennials, who not too long ago were figuring out how to adult, are now leveling up in life. We’ve learned that many value thriving today while building for tomorrow. AIA Ascend ensures they don’t have to pick one over the other.”

Why you’ll love it

Whether you’re dreaming of traveling the world, building your dream home, or saving for your kid’s future (or maybe even all three), AIA Ascend is designed to adapt to your goals. Here’s the tea:

  • Cash payouts to keep you going: Starting in the fifth or sixth year (depending on your payment plan), you’ll get a yearly cash payout equivalent to 5% of your policy’s face amount. Perfect for a much-needed “me time” vacay or splurging on that passion project.
  • Big goals, big payoff: At age 65, you’ll receive a guaranteed lump sum worth 200% of your policy’s face amount. Translation? That’s your dream retirement home calling.
  • Life insurance coverage: Life’s unpredictable (ugh), but this plan ensures your loved ones are taken care of with a death benefit of up to 200% of the face amount.
  • Bonus dividends: Not guaranteed, but when they roll in, they’re a sweet extra to boost your funds.
  • Optional protection riders: Add-ons like Total and Permanent Disability or Enhanced Waiver of Premium give you the flexibility to customize your plan for even more peace of mind.

How it fits your life

Here’s the fun part: AIA Ascend doesn’t box you into a boring “one-size-fits-all” solution. Want to upgrade your home? Check. Eyeing that second degree after retirement? Double-check. With 5- or 10-year payment options, you can tailor the plan to fit your current budget and future plans.

It’s basically the adulting hack we’ve all been waiting for. Because adulting doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your dreams today for security tomorrow.

With AIA Ascend, you get to live your best life now while building the future you’ve always imagined. And honestly, isn’t that the goal?

For more deets, visit aia.com.ph or call their customer hotline at (632) 8528 2000.

Her GadgetMatch

What your smartphone color choice reveals about you

Eight colors, eight personalities. Here’s how to pick.

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Your phone color says more than you think. With the Pixel 11 series, Google’s giving you eight ways to make that statement, and there’s genuinely one for every kind of person.

Hibiscus

You’re never the quiet one in the room. Hibiscus doesn’t ask for attention; it just takes it, and if that sounds like you, you’re probably not planning to start hiding now. This is the pick for anyone who’d rather stand out than blend in.

Pistachio

You’re the one who remembers everyone’s coffee order. Pistachio is soft and easy; the one whom people gravitate toward without quite knowing why. It doesn’t try hard to be liked. It just is.

Frost

You like things a little too organized. Frost means clean lines and a clear head, the color equivalent of a camera roll with zero mess in it. If your notes app has color-coded folders, this one’s calling your name.

Obsidian

You let the work speak for itself. No flash needed, because when you show up, the room adjusts anyway. Obsidian is the classic choice, the one that’s never trying too hard because it doesn’t have to.

Canyon

You’re the one who suggests the sunset drive. Canyon is warm and a little restless, always chasing golden hour whether or not anyone else is up for it. Available on the Pro and Pro XL, it’s built for people who treat every evening like it might be a good one.

Olive

You’re outdoorsy, but you’ll still show up looking put together. Olive is low-key and grounded, the one who doesn’t try too hard because it’s already comfortable in its own skin. Another Pro and Pro XL exclusive.

Fog

You’re hard to read, and you like it that way. Fog is understated on purpose, a Pro and Pro XL colorway for anyone who’d rather keep people guessing.

So, which one’s you?

Eight colors, three phones, one very personal decision. Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, and Pixel 11 Pro XL goes on sale starting August 20 — with Pistachio, Hibiscus, Frost, and Obsidian on the base model; and Canyon, Fog, Olive, and Obsidian on the Pro line.

Which one’s calling your name?

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TECNO and Angélica Dass team up for a global portrait project

Dass aims to photograph 100 people across five countries using the TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra

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TECNO has partnered with Brazilian photographer Angélica Dass in launching 100 Portraits of Becoming.”

It is a two-year global initiative that explores identity, representation, and how AI sees people.

The project officially kicked off in Nairobi, Kenya — where Dass began photographing participants using the latest TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra.

Who’s Angélica Dass?

Angélica Dass is best known for exploring identity and self-expression through portrait photography.

Her award-winning “Humanæ” project challenged conventional ideas of race and skin color by highlighting the diversity of human skin tones.

ICYMI, Dass and her project gained much recognition from:

  • TED
  • World Economic Forum
  • UNESCO
  • American Museum of Natural History
  • Vogue
  • National Geographic

Portraits beyond appearances

With this portrait project, Dass teams up with TECNO to photograph 100 people across five countries.

Rather than simply documenting faces, 100 Portraits of Becoming aims to tell the stories behind each participant. Every portrait is paired with a personal narrative about growth, identity, and life experiences. Creating what TECNO calls a “Living Archive.”

Participants are photographed in natural light, without filters, and while wearing clothing of their own choice to better reflect their authentic selves.

The collaboration also explores how AI can go beyond simply recognizing faces. Asking instead how technology can better reflect the complexity of human identity and give people more control over how they choose to be seen.

Powered by TECNO’s Universal Tone imaging

All portraits are shot using the TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra, which features the company’s Universal Tone imaging technology.

Introduced in 2023, Universal Tone is designed to improve how smartphone cameras capture different skin tones. According to TECNO, the system is built on a database covering hundreds of skin tone samples, allowing photos to produce more natural and accurate results across a wider range of complexions.

The company says the technology aligns with the project’s goal of promoting more authentic and inclusive representation in photography, especially as AI-powered imaging becomes increasingly common nowadays.

From Kenya to the world

As previously mentioned, Kenya serves as the project’s first stop. With TECNO citing the country’s growing technology ecosystem and young population as reasons for beginning there.

Over the next two years, the initiative will travel to the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Brazil. The first collection of portraits and stories expected to go live online in August.

As of writing, TECNO is currently accepting participants from the Philippines where Dass is expected to take part from August 16 until August 22, 2026.

Through 100 Portraits of Becoming, TECNO hopes to spark conversations around identity, diversity, and how technology can better reflect the people it captures—not just visually, but through their stories as well.

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Dyson’s viral portable fan arrives in the Philippines

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Dyson HushJet Mini

If there is one Dyson launch that has generated unusual levels of anticipation this year, it is the Dyson HushJet Mini Portable Fan.

The compact cooling device quickly gained a following after its international release, reportedly selling out within a day in several markets. Now, just in time for the hottest and most humid months of the year (no thanks to climate change), it is finally arriving in the Philippines.

With temperatures continuing to climb, the timing feels almost inevitable. Lightweight and designed for use on the move, the HushJet™ Mini brings Dyson’s airflow technology into a portable format that fits easily into everyday life—whether commuting through the city, attending outdoor events, traveling, or spending long days under the sun.

Its appeal extends beyond functionality. Finished in Dyson’s Stone/Blush colorway, the device combines cooling performance with a sleek aesthetic that feels at home alongside the accessories people already carry daily.

The new Dyson HushJet Mini is your new companion against heat and humidity.

The launch also marks one of the most accessible entry points into the Dyson ecosystem. Priced at PhP6,499, the HushJet Mini offers consumers a practical way to experience the brand’s engineering and design in a product built for everyday use.

Given the strong demand seen overseas, interest is expected to be high when the fan officially launches in the Philippines.

Where, when, and how to get your own Dyson HushJet

The Dyson HushJet Mini Portable Fan in Stone/Blush will be available beginning June 25, 2026 at 3 p.m. at participating Dyson stores, including Mall of Asia, Podium, Greenbelt 5, and One Bonifacio High Street.

For those hoping to get their hands on one, it may be worth keeping a close eye on Dyson Philippines’ official social media channels and Dyson.ph. If international demand is any indication, this could be one of the season’s most sought-after releases.

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