COMCO SEA, Century Tuna receive the globally acclaimed Platinum Award from MarCom Awards in the USA

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COMCO Southeast Asia, the New PR and Smart Social agency of the powerhouse and award-winning communications group COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises, and its partner brand, Century Tuna, the leading canned tuna product in the Philippines, has recently received the Platinum Award for Strategic Communications for the “Saving Our Seas” initiative from the globally acclaimed MarCom Awards 2023.

In photo is the COMCO Team for Century Tuna led by COMCO Mundo Group Chief Executive Director and Lead Strategic Communications Counsel / Partner and Co-Founder Ferdinand Bondoy (third from right), Chief of Staff to the Group Chief Executive Director and Senior Executive Initiatives and Communications Manager / Partner Harvey Llamosa (fourth from left), and Senior Executive Initiatives and Communications Officer Paula Sison (third from left) together with the rest of COMCO Mundo Leaders as they present the 2023 MarCom Platinum Award Statuette at the COMCO Mundo Headquarters in Makati City, The Philippines.

Administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), the USA-based MarCom Awards underscores excellence in marketing and communication by recognizing creativity, hard work, and generosity of professionals in the industry.

Century Tuna's “Saving Our Seas” Initiative was launched to address the threat of the growing problem of plastic pollution, protect marine biodiversity, and reinforce the idea of a Plastic Circular Economy.

Globe steers customers to purchase prepaid load via digital channels

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Leading digital solutions platform Globe is shifting its prepaid load top-ups and load selling via digital channels in lieu of the popular call cards. This is in line with its commitment to sustainable business operations and seamless service delivery. 

Users of Globe Prepaid, TM and Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi may load up via the following loading channels, which can be accessed for free:

●       GlobeOne App

●       GCash

●       Globe website

“These digital alternatives make loading up easy and convenient and align with our continuing effort to embed sustainability in our operations. We encourage our customers to embrace this digital shift and join us in this digitization journey,” said Eric Tanbauco, Vice President of Mobile Prepaid Business at Globe.

Load top-ups via electronic reloading in sari-sari stores, convenience stores and malls will remain available.

Retailers with remaining prepaid load cards may continue to sell while supplies last. Customers may still avail of these prepaid load cards and use them until the expiration date indicated.

Here’s how users of Globe Prepaid, TM and Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi can load up:

1. GlobeOne App

GlobeOne app allows customers to track their load and data, pay bills, reload, subscribe to promos and more.

Step 1: Log-in to GlobeOne app and click on the “Buy Load.”

Step 2: Choose an account or type a mobile number.

Step 3: Enter your desired load amount, then tap “Buy Load.”

Step 4: Choose your preferred payment method and pay.

2. Online Loading via Globe’s website

Step 1: Go to the loading page (https://new.globe.com.ph/buy-load?)

Step 2: Enter your Prepaid mobile number.

Step 3: Choose an amount or Prepaid promo to load.

Step 4: Click “Next” and choose your mode of payment (gcash or debit/credit cards)

3. Via GCash

Through GCash, customers can buy load for its own number or send load to others.

            Step 1: Download the GCash app from Google Play or App Store.

            Step 2: Open GCash and select “Load.”

            Step 3: Input the mobile number and press “Next.”

            Step 4: Select the load amount and press “Buy Now.”

Step 5: Confirm the amount of load and press “Pay” to proceed with your transaction.

Globe will continue to expand and provide more ways to top-up and sell loads digitally within the first quarter of this year.

To know more about Globe’s mobile offers, visit globe.com.ph.

Stream Hollywood’s biggest awards shows of 2024 live and on-demand in one subscription

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Viewers from the Philippines can watch the Emmys, Golden Globes, and Critics’ Choice exclusively on Lionsgate Play powered by PLDT Home

The start of a new year means the start of another awards season honoring the best of the best in Hollywood, and 2024 has already hit the ground running. The great thing is screen buffs in the Philippines get a virtual front-row seat to all the ceremonies, thanks to the live broadcasts and on-demand streaming on Lionsgate Play.

Get ready to cheer on big silverscreen hits like Barbie, Oppenheimer, and Killers of the Flower Moon, as well as TV gems such as The Bear, Ted Lasso, Succession, House of the Dragon, and so much more at the 2024 Emmys, Golden Globes, and Critics’ Choice Awards this January.

The 81st Golden Globe Awards, which already aired on January 8, 2024, saw the finest masterpieces from cinema and television score monumental wins. Prestigious director Christopher Nolan’s historical drama Oppenheimer won Best Motion Picture, with its lead actor Cillian Murphy playing the eponymous physicist winning Best Actor, among numerous other awards. Barbie led the show with nine total nominations, taking home the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award. Over on TV, HBO’s Succession won Best Drama, Netflix’s Beef won Best Limited Series, and FX’s The Bear won Best Musical or Comedy. The Golden Globes ceremony is now available to stream on-demand on Lionsgate Play.

Coming up on January 15, 8AM Philippine time, is the Critics’ Choice Awards, hosted by comedian Chelsea Handler. Barbie continues to lead the nominations with 18 total, and Apple TV drama The Morning Show leads television with six total. Powerhouses such as Emma Stone starrer Poor Things, recent Asian favorite Past Lives, Disney’s Loki, Netflix’s The Crown, HBO’s The Last of Us, May December, American Fiction, and more are competing for various awards.

Capping off the awards slate in January is none other than the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, celebrating the crème de la crème ontelevision. Succession leads the way with 14 total nominations, while contemporary favorites The Bear, Ted Lasso, Barry, The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, Beef, as well as HBO dark comedy The White Lotus, ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary, AMC’s Breaking Bad spinoff Better Call Saul, Amazon comedy-drama The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel allvying for major awards. The Emmys will air on January 16, 9AM Philippine time, and will be available on-demand afterwards.

For big screen buffs, the kickoff of the 2024 awards season is absolutely can’t-miss. Thanks to its partnership with Lionsgate Play, PLDT Home provides unlimited entertainment as customers get an exclusive rate on a Lionsgate Play subscription at only P79/month. On top of the prestigious awards shows, Lionsgate Play’s full roster of TV and movie offerings are available to stream at any time on the platform, giving Filipinos the ultimate in streaming they want and deserve at home.

Find out more about Lionsgate Play on PLDT Home and subscribe now by visiting https://pldthome.com/lionsgateplay.

Eastern Communications celebrates 145 Years of High-Tech and High-Touch Services to Filipinos

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Eastern Communications' Co-Coordinators Atty. Aileen Regio and Vince Tempongko give their celebratory message at Eastern’s 'Timeless Connections' 145th anniversary celebration

Premier telecommunications company, Eastern Communications, welcomes its 145th year anniversary bringing life-changing innovations from households to businesses as the longstanding connectivity and ICT solutions provider in the country.

Eastern Communications’ Co-Coordinators Atty. Aileen Regio and Vince Tempongko shared that Eastern has been a prevailing telco partner of businesses, organizations, and families since it was founded in 1878. Its 145th milestone anniversary signifies its commitment to uphold its promise to deliver high-tech and high-touch solutions to Filipinos.

“Marking our 145 years of service, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for the unwavering support of our partners and the Ka-Eastern community. This milestone marks our legacy of linking lives—unseen but omnipresent; we experience these links in familial ties, in agreements among businessmen, in the very bond we each have to our country as Filipinos. We are proud to be the link that keeps families and businesses better connected,” said Regio.

"As pioneers of connectivity, we take pride in building the foundations of the Philippine telecommunications industry. Positioned at the forefront of change, we transform today's ideas into tomorrow's realities with our unwavering personalized service. With valued partners, we eagerly anticipate writing the next chapters of Eastern Communications for centuries to come," expressed Tempongko

Pioneering Advancements

Eastern Communications was the pioneering connectivity service provider in the country and was commissioned by the Spanish government to provide the country’s first telegraphic services. With this, Eastern helped bridge communications in the early times and foster innovation for flourishing businesses. It also pioneered the first data center in the country and was the first Philippines telecommunications company to receive the ISO 9001:2015 mark for business operations.

Over a century later, it evolved into a company offering business-grade solutions, including Connectivity, Network, Security, Cloud, Data Center, and Business Applications. These recognitions underscore Eastern's commitment to delivering cutting-edge products and shaping the country's digital transformation.

As Eastern Communications celebrates its rich history, it also looks forward to a promising future in 2024, driven by a commitment to progress and a vision for continued excellence.

Delivering Trailblazing Innovations

Building on its legacy of firsts, Eastern commits to delivering outstanding telco services and has previously expanded its services through the Philippines’ largest submarine cable network—the Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN)—which is a joint infrastructure project with partners Globe Group and Infinivan Inc.

For 2024, Eastern Communications eyes focus on ICT solutions. It will continue to widen its ICT portfolio, including the newly launched CIXA Cybersecurity suite and the DDoS Protection offering in collaboration with Nexusguard (NXG). Additionally, the company supports business operations and remote work through Google Workspace for Enterprise and Education in its latest Business Applications offerings.

Meanwhile, for Eastern’s Cloud and Data offerings, it reinforce its data services by partnering with more data center platforms like Digital Edge, HPE DC Solutions, and ePLDT, to lay the foundation for a more interconnected society.

To mark its achievements and build excitement for its 145th anniversary milestone, Eastern hosted a series of 'Hats Off' appreciation night events with its most loyal customers and partners. These events honored the longstanding commitment of its stakeholders, highlighting the joint success of Eastern and its partners and building anticipation for achieving greater heights ahead.

For more information about Eastern Communications’ world-class services, visit eastern.com.ph.

 

COMCO Mundo announces major promotions on its Epic 7th year

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 Camp COMCO’s top graduates appointed to key positions

To cap off its “Epic 7 Years” celebration, global award-winning and powerhouse communications group COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises announces major promotions for its various business units.

As the group of companies continue to grow, COMCO Mundo announced the promotion of Joyce Yu as Account Operations Director and Business Unit Administrator of COMCO Southeast Asia, the New PR and Smart Social agency of the group.  As a seasoned communications expert, Joyce specializes in Public Relations, Advertising, Events and Activation and Branding. Ms. Yu successfully spearheaded COMCO SEA’s PR campaigns and events the European Higher Education Fair 2022 and 2023, Eastern Communications, Philusa Corporation, Remy Martin, World Vision, Alaxan, Lalamove, Teleperformance, Jobstreet, Skechers, LaLiga, and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), among others.

COMCO Mundo also continues to discover and develop millennial and Gen Z talents through the Camp COMCO Mentorship program, an intensive and comprehensive talent incubation initiative, industry linkage course, and apprenticeship program designed to transform communication, marketing, and multimedia arts students and fresh graduates into revolutionary practitioners of the new disciplines and global practices of New PR and Smart Social. Included in the major promotions this year were the top graduates of the industry-acclaimed Camp COMCO Mentorship Program and Grand Champions of the House Wars pitch competition, the culminating activity and test for Camp COMCO apprentices where they develop strategic communications plans for actual brands and organizations.

Starting with homegrown talent Queenie Resmundo from Camp COMCO Cycle 2’s House Flying Fox, she is now the Agency’s newest Senior Account Operations Manager and Business Unit Administrator Pro Tempore / Partner for COMCO Southeast Asia. Jam Bufi, a graduate of Camp COMCO Mentorship Program Cycle 5, has been promoted to Associate Integrated Communications Manager and Business Unit Administrator Pro Tempore for TARO AOX Inc., the specialist agency for digital, emerging technologies and integrated communications of COMCO Mundo.

Paula Sison from Camp COMCO Cycle 19’s House Flying Fox continues to expand her skills and craft in the PR industry as well as demonstrate her leadership potential as she takes on her new role as COMCO Mundo's Senior Executive Initiatives and Communications Officer. Also qualifying for accelerated promotion are fast-rising young PR practitioners Mabel Villanueva from Camp COMCO Cycle 15’s House Bearcat and Gabbie Marcelo from Camp COMCO Cycle 18’s House Whaleshark who are now Brand Communications Officer and Executive Initiatives and Communications Officer, respectively. With her groundbreaking performance from her apprenticeship to her actual career practice in COMCO, Narah Faigal from Camp COMCO Cycle 15’s House Whaleshark also earned an accelerated promotion to Multimedia Arts Officer.

Demonstrating her exemplary work and leadership potential, Hiacynth Ablanez from Camp COMCO Cycle 17’s House Hawksbill got an early promotion which is ahead of her anniversary. She now holds the position of Senior Digital and Social Associate of TARO AOX Inc. Breakthrough graphics designer Gabby Gonzales from Camp COMCO Cycle 16’s House Bearcat is also promoted to Senior Multimedia Arts Associate.

In addition, with her expertise and experience in Finance and Accounting Management, Mhyles Mercado was given an accelerated promotion and is now COMCO Mundo’s Corporate Services Supervisor.

“As the years passed by, we have witnessed our talents’ commitment, passion and excellence in our craft. We are incredibly proud of them! We can’t wait to see a brighter future for COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises as we continue to mentor and hone these amazing talents who carry out and showcase our unique brand of meaningful storytelling,” said Mr. Ferdinand L. Bondoy, COMCO Mundo’s Group Chief Executive Director and Lead Strategic Communications Counsel / Partner and Co-Founder.

To know more about COMCO Mundo, visit comcomundo.com. Follow them on social media: facebook.com/comcomundo on Facebook, linkedin.com/company/comcomundo, and @comcomundo on Instagram.

PLDT Home makes Christmas more meaningful with exclusive Holideals gifts

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PLDT Home is playing Santa this Christmas with overflowing gifts for families. The PLDT Home Holideals promo is back with a trove of rewards including exclusive deals, treats, and chances to win smart entertainment and appliance packages.

If you haven’t completed shopping for your Christmas gifts yet, PLDT Home’s Holideals got you! PLDT Home enables you to get the most value out of your gift purchases by giving you more rewarding experiences that you can share with the whole family at home this holiday season.

A Rewarding Christmas for loyal subscribers

Of course, gift shopping remains a huge part of the Filipino holidays. It’s ingrained in our culture to shop for gifts for our loved ones even when we’re tightening our belt. Now you don’t have to miss out on the joys of shopping for gifts and groceries for the season. PLDT Home gives away up to P250,000 worth SM gift certificates to lucky subscribers who upgrade their plan or avail any device or entertainment add-ons.

Level up your home entertainment system with these two prizes that the whole family will enjoy beyond the holidays. Five winners will get the Smart Entertainment Set worth P40,000 each. The set comes with a 50" Crystal UHD 4K Samsung Smart TV, Samsung C-Series Soundbar, Philips Hue Play White & Color Smart Light, Google Nest Mini (2 pieces), and a one-year subscription to HBO Go to complete the package.

Five winners will also be chosen for the Smart Home Appliance Set worth P40,000 each. The set will raise your cooking game and enhance your home network as it comes with Instantpot Vortex 4-in-1 Smart Air Fryer, Eufy RoboVac G30, Google Nest Hub Max, and Essenza Mini Nespresso Machine.

Christmas is all about giving and togetherness. Beyond the overflowing gifts and prizes, PLDT Home, the most reliable broadband internet in the Philippines and Ookla’s Fastest Internet for five consecutive years, is making sure that families and friends stay connected through the holidays, enabling them to strengthen their bonds with loved ones.

To learn more about PLDT Home’s Holideals, visit www.pldthome.com.

The iconic PLDT ad ‘Suportahan Ta Ka’ gets a real-life sequel

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Love communicated is love received. In these times when young adults have so many choices in their careers, a parent’s support means the world to them as they begin to lead their own lives.

Open and loving communication has always been the message of PLDT. Remember the iconic tagline “Suportahan Ta Ka” from the 2000s TV ad? It’s making a comeback on PLDT’s 95th anniversary campaign.

From the Suportahan Ta Ka TV ad produced by Ace Saatchi & Saatchi, actor and model Christian Vasquez played a young medical student who asked for his dad’s permission if he could shift his degree to Fine Arts. As he confessed his plans, his doctor dad said, “Kung saan ka masaya ti, suportahan ta ka [Whatever makes you happy, I’ll support you!].” This one line immediately became a hit in the 2000s.

Twenty-two years since the TV commercial was launched, Christian Vasquez comes back with a true-to-life story that makes a heartwarming sequel for the iconic ad. Christian, now with two children, faces the same circumstances with his eldest son. On PLDT’s 95th anniversary video, Christian shares his own personal story.

The video tells the story of Christian’s real son, Jason (who also stars in the video), who’s due to take the engineering board exam soon and is at the same time working in an IT company. In the video, Jason is shown stressed and tired while reviewing for his board exam. In an online video call, Jason works up the courage to tell his dad Christian about his plan not to take the board exams and wishes to stay in his IT job.

Christian expresses his disbelief and tries to encourage Jason to take the exam as it will open more opportunities for him being an engineer. Just as he’s about to tell his son off, he suddenly remembers the lesson he learned from his own story from 22 years ago — that he must also show support for his son’s dreams.

At the end of the video, Christian emphatically tells his son that he supports his decision. From his dad’s “Suportahan ta ka,” Christian lets out the line “Palangga Ta Ka,” (which means “I love you”) highlighting his unconditional love and support for his son.

Parents may not always agree with their children’s decisions, but in the end, love and meaningful communication conquer doubt. In the video campaign, PLDT highlights its message of enabling meaningful connection through every generation. From grandparents to parents and their own children, PLDT enables people to make meaningful connections even when they are far apart. Or even when the family may not agree with your decisions — love prevails.

On its 95th anniversary celebration, PLDT reminds families of this powerful message and the importance of love, respect, and kindness in connecting with each other.

Watch PLDT’s 95th anniversary video on Facebook and YouTube.

Eastern Communications' clients commend telco for its high-tech and high-touch service at annual lifestyle event

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As Eastern Communications nears its 145th milestone anniversary, a number of valued clients have expressed commendation and confidence in the company for its outstanding service aligned with its ‘high-tech’ and ‘high-touch’ promise at the recently concluded Link VIP Club events.

Eastern Communications held a fun and action-packed movie night and other exclusive loyalty perks for Link VIP Club members.

"As our 145th anniversary draws closer, we celebrate our rich history and the invaluable bond we have forged with our clients through the years. The past years may have brought considerable challenges, which is why our commitment to strengthening genuine connections with our partners is more vital than ever," said Carlo Alzul, Eastern Communications’ Enterprise Sales Head.

From January to June 2023, the company was able to reach an overall customer satisfaction score of 92.83%. Meanwhile, onwards the second half of the year, Eastern has launched the Evolve Your Way Campaign, encouraging its clients to start embracing digital transformation in their business. Eastern asserts itself as a trusted partner in this journey, offering its loyal customers top-tier ICT solutions allowing them to stay connected at all times.

Eastern Communications as the Top Telco Choice

Eastern Communications Link VIP Club Members reiterated their confidence and shared the top reasons why Eastern remains their Telco of choice in the industry.

UnionBank Philippines Vice President and Head of Infrastructure Operations, Collaboration and Security, Chester Velasco, disclosed that Eastern hits all his priorities when it comes to network operations such as unparalleled support, stable connection, and flexibility. Per Chester, businesses looking for stable connectivity, quick response time, and reliable SLA can connect with Eastern.

Meanwhile, Makati Development Corporation C0G1 & C0G4 IT Officer Nick Moratin and Infrastructure Officer Darwin Hutba shared that they highly applaud the fast turnaround period of Eastern Communications. According to Hutba, Eastern is able to deliver required services in three days to one week. Its enterprise-grade services with extensive coverage areas have been a big help in their operations. In addition, Moratin appreciates that they can easily reach out to Eastern unlike other ICT providers reflecting its high-touch promise.

Makati Development Corporation C0G1 & C0G4 IT Officer Nick Moratin and Infrastructure Officer Darwin Hutba

Relatively, AEC Digital Services OPC Treasurer and General Manager, Rozano Santos, shared the benefits and special privileges as an Eastern Link VIP Club member. Per Santos, on top of Eastern’s quality service, he appreciates its strong sense of camaraderie regarding them as long-term colleagues and family members.

AEC Digital Services OPC Treasurer and General Manager, Rozano Santos

To honor its valued Link VIP Club members, Eastern Communications held a series of activities as part of its annual lifestyle events. Among these was the exclusive block screening of "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One" during the “Link Up: Movie Night” held at the Bonifacio High Street Cinema in Bonifacio Global City (BGC). This was followed by another recent "Link Up: Bowling Tournament" event held at Studio 300, Pasig City.

For years, the Eastern Link VIP Club has offered loyal customers exclusive lifestyle and entertainment events including bowling nights, parties, and private movie screenings. These events to unwind and bond with other partners provide an avenue for opportunities and create stronger ties.

Inspiring Entrepreneurs to Evolve

To inspire other entrepreneurs, Eastern Communications has also released the "Evolving Entrepreneurs" video series, sharing the journey of startups and emerging business owners with Eastern. The success stories of these entrepreneurs reveal how Eastern Communications provided tailored solutions empowering them to adapt and thrive in their business.

Among them is DigitalPH Asia Corporation Operations Supervisor David Gonzales saying that learning never stops in a tech-driven world and Eastern has been instrumental in allowing them to keep up with the latest trends and deliver nothing but the best for their clients.

DigitalPH Asia Corporation Operations Supervisor David Gonzales

Meanwhile, HQElleven Design Lab Inc. Founding Partner Marco Abelardo disclosed how high-tech solutions helped boost their business. Per Abelardo, technology is an edge and provided them a playing field where they can compete with bigger agencies through the accessibility of apps. Through cloud-based technology, they were able to share everything and foster collaboration.

HQElleven Design Lab Inc. Founding Partner Marco Abelardo

On another note, President of OBANANA
Francis Calumba gave strong advice on managing risks and failure. Per Calumba, not everything will go as planned so we need to view them as an opportunity to learn and grow.

President of OBANANA
Francis Calumba

As Eastern Communications approaches its 145th anniversary, it continues to emphasize the importance of personalized customer service. Its award-winning “Link VIP Club” and "Evolving Entrepreneurs" series are examples of how Eastern Communications continues to go above and beyond to cater to its clients' needs.

For those in search of more than just an ICT solutions and internet service provider, Eastern Communications can be your dedicated partner on the path to success. To join and learn more about Eastern's Link VIP Club and exclusive perks, connect with an Eastern Account Manager at 5300-7000 now or message @easterncommph on Facebook.

To view Eastern Communications’ wide array of products and services, visit www.eastern.com.ph

Lucky OFW wins life changing P5 million in PLDT Home Rewards Grand Giveaway Promo

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There are about 490,000 Filipino seafarers working on ships around the world, ensuring the safety and enjoyment of passengers on cruise ships, and helping make sure that cargo arrives safely to their destinations.

(From L to R) Cheryl Maxine P. Loyola, AVP and Head, PLDT Home Marketing PR, 5-Million PLDT Home Rewards 2022 Grand Giveaway Promo Winner, Partner of 5-Million PLDT Home Rewards 2022 Grand Giveaway Promo Winner, Jason Ignacio, AVP and Head, PLDT Home Loyalty and Planning

One seafarer who has been away from his family for most of the past 12 years—missing Christmases, New Year celebrations, his son’s first steps and birthdays—says he can now be with them full time, thanks to the PLDT Home Rewards Grand Giveaway Promo’s P5 million prize! From the simple desire to earn rewards and discounts from their PLDT Home subscription via the PLDT Home Rewards program, the 36-year-old OFW won the ultimate cash prize in the second year of PLDT Home Reward’s Grand Giveaway promo.

The Grand Giveaway Promo simply requires PLDT Home subscribers to join the PLDT Home Rewards program for free. In addition to the various perks and discounts available from partner merchants, all PLDT Home Home Rewards members are automatically signed up and eligible to win the many raffle prizes of the Grand Giveaway Promo that are up for grabs.

They plan to use part of the prize to pay for their house. “Aside from that we will set aside some of the prize money as savings because we have a four-year-old son, so it’s going toward his schooling. We also plan to use the prize as seed money to start a business,” they said as they collected the check from the PLDT head office in Makati.

A fortunate switch to PLDT Home

The winner’s partner, who works from home for a BPO company, agrees with him on starting a business. She was actually instrumental in their winning because it was she who signed them up to the PLDT Home Rewards program while her huband was away at sea.

“We actually switched to PLDT Home,” she says. “When we were living with my parents, their internet connection was PLDT Home. When we bought our own house, we tried to have it transferred, but at the time there were few households in the area and there was no available line yet. So, we used another service provider, pero sobrang mahal. In 2017, we switched back to PLDT Home.”

During the pandemic, her BPO company sent their employees to work from home but with a required minimum internet speed. She then upgraded their plan to P1,669, which came with a discount of P200.

“We are very happy with the internet speed and the consistency of service, like when they’re doing maintenance, we always get a notification ahead of schedule,” she says. “We also got the FamCam promo so that while he was on the ship, he could monitor our son and see what we’re doing when we’re home. That was really important to us because our son was growing up and we wanted him to feel close to his dad even when he wasn’t beside us.”

When PLDT Home announced its bigger and better rewards program, she signed them up, not knowing that the simple act of joining and earning Crystals automatically entered them into the PLDT Home Rewards Grand Giveaway raffle promo.

“We’ve never won a raffle in our life,” she says. “I got a notification with a link from PLDT Home last May. At first, we thought it might be one of those scams but we verified that it came from PLDT Home, and then we got a phone call that changed our lives.”

5-Million PLDT Home Rewards 2022 Grand Giveaway Promo Winner

A well-deserved rest at home

P5 million is an enormous windfall for anyone, but for the 36-year-old OFW, it is a gift that allows him to become a full-time partner and father. Seafaring contracts in the Philippines are usually for a period of several months to a year maximum and Filipino seafarers often sign back-to back-contracts to ensure that their income is continuous and they’re able to support their families back home, especially when they are working toward goals like a house, car, business or their children’s schooling.

Now, they can enjoy the fruits of his labor and all his sacrifices as an OFW: simply being with his family in a house they bought several years ago. He is now a full-time dad to his son, and is right beside him to guide him in his early years and watch him grow up.

“Rest muna sa seafaring and hopefully I never have to go back. That’s very possible if we choose the right business to invest in,” he says with relief in his voice, seemingly remembering all those years when he was abroad, lonely and missing his young family.

These days, the couple is always on the lookout for even more benefits of being a loyal PLDT Home subscriber. “We’re looking at the PLDT Home Rewards program more closely and what we can exchange for our points,” she says with a smile.

This new millionaire couple’s advice to people is to switch to PLDT Home because it’s faster, more reliable and generous to loyal subscribers. “If you’re already a subscriber, sign up for the PLDT Home Rewards. As long as you pay on time, you earn points that you can exchange for rewards,” she says.

PLDT Home Rewards ​​lets you enjoy various perks and benefits, such as vouchers for a wide variety of partner brands and merchants, as well as entry into recurring, all by paying bills and earning Home Rewards Crystals. PLDT Home customers can sign up for the Home Rewards program by visiting the PLDT Home Rewards .

TNT's viral SIM Registration video wins Best TV Ad in world's biggest ad website

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After racking up millions of views and drawing praises from netizens for its wit and creativity, the viral video of mobile brand TNT entitled “Tattoo” has been recognized as Best TV material by Bestads, the world's best global ad industry website.

Bestads selects the best advertisements in every medium each week from submissions all over the world, as judged by a top creative director or team.

The first Filipino video to top the Bestads list within the past three years, “Tattoo,” is part of TNT’s "Mag-SIM Reg Para Hindi SIM Dead" campaign and is one of three videos aimed at encouraging subscribers to register their SIMs to avoid permanent SIM deactivation and all its hassles.

Reminder of how good it feels to laugh

“Tattoo” was handpicked by guest judge Maria Devereux, Head of Innovation and Executive Creative Director at Accenture Song, North America.

“This film reminded me how good it feels to laugh,” noted the multi-awarded Los Angeles-based creative. “A simple idea that touched on a relatable pain point for anyone who hates the complexity of life admin, which as far as I can tell, is pretty much everyone,” she added.

"We are honored with this recognition from Bestads, which proves the power of creative storytelling to touch people and move them to action - while eliciting a good laugh,” said Francis E. Flores, SVP and Head of Consumer Wireless Business – Individual at Smart.

“This is a result of all the creativity, hard work, and the collaboration among the TNT and Smart teams as well as our partner agency, who are all committed to inform our subscribers about the importance of SIM Registration,” he added.

Over 40 million views across channels

In the clever and creative film, TNT sticks to its brand promise of delivering 'saya' or fun - even in a public service reminder that shows the universal pain points of dealing with administrative processes.

The video features a man visiting a remittance center to claim his cash but fails to provide his One-Time Password (OTP) for lack of a registered SIM. To prove his identity, he resorts to showing his graduation photo, driver's license, SSS ID, and birth certificate—all tattooed on his body! Watch the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6tCbApNWvA.

The video has garnered over 40 million views across social media channels like YouTube, Facebook and TikTok, with netizens praising it for being “unique,” “funny,” and “unskippable, effectively urging them to finally register their SIM.

Leader in SIM Registration

As of May 8, Smart and TNT continue to lead SIM Registration in the country with 44.9 million registered subscribers, which is 67.75 percent of their declared subscriber base.

With the recent announcement of the deadline extension of the SIM Registration Act, Smart continues to encourage subscribers to register their SIMs before July 25, 2023.

To register, TNT and Smart Prepaid subscribers can visit the https://simreg.smart.com.ph/ portal, while Smart Bro subscribers can refer to http://www.smart.com.ph/viewbroadbandsms for instructions on getting their OTP. Smart Postpaid users, on the other hand, are already considered registered based on the latest advice of DICT.

TNT is powered by Smart, the Philippines’ Fastest and Best Mobile Network according to Ookla, the global leader in mobile and broadband network intelligence. 

To learn more about SIM Registration, visit https://tntph.com/Pages/sim-reg.

PLDT undisputed as fastest Internet service provider for five straight years

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PLDT Inc. (PLDT) has achieved a five-peat win at the Ookla® Speedtest Awards™ 2022 -- a first for PLDT, and for the Philippines.  

PLDT President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio leads a toast to their Fastest Internet 5 Years In A Row award with (L-R): PLDT Senior Vice President - Head of Consumer Sales Group Alex O. Caeg, First Vice President - Head of Enterprise and International Business Groups Albert Mitchell L. Locsin, Ookla CTO Luke Deryckx, PLDT Senior Vice President - Head of Home Business Group Jeremiah M. de la Cruz, PLDT and Smart Network Head Roderick Santiago, and Ookla Senior Vice President and Global Head of Sales and Enterprise Services Kuljeet Randhawa.

Global benchmarking company Ookla® announced that PLDT, the country’s largest digital services provider, achieved a top speed score of 86.52 in 2022, affirming the telco’s dominance and consistent performance in delivering the country’s fastest Internet speeds for the fifth consecutive year. 

Leading the Philippines’ digital transformation 

PLDT has consistently dominated the Ookla® Speedtest Awards™ for five consecutive years as a result of the telco giant’s aggressive network expansion and drive to lift the quality of customer experience. 

The PLDT Group has been supporting the country’s digitalization by bringing the benefits of connectivity and other digital services to more areas in the Philippines. In 2022, PLDT recorded a total of 6.08 million fiber-powered ports, covering around 17,700 barangays across the country. 

“PLDT’s commitment is to help build and empower the nation by setting the bar high in providing world-class digital services for Filipinos,” said PLDT President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio. “For the past five years, PLDT has made big strides to elevate our customers’ experience by delivering the best fixed network services. We intend to keep this momentum and to go above and beyond in ensuring that our customers get the best digital experience wherever they need it – at home, school, or the office.”

PLDT remains the only telco in the Philippines that can deliver the fastest fiber-optic speeds of up to 10 Gbps, which was made available to the public as early as 2021. This groundbreaking move has placed the Philippines alongside first-world nations in terms of ultra-fast internet speeds including South Korea, Japan, Norway, Italy, New Zealand, and USA. 

As of end-2022, PLDT achieved an all-time high number of home broadband customers by adding 1.1 million new fiber subscribers, capturing 59% of fiber customer industry growth for 2022. This brought PLDT Home’s total fiber subscribers to 2.9 million.

PLDT Home continues to be the trusted telco provider of Filipinos that delivers the fastest internet and future-ready innovations in their homes. Leading innovations for the home broadband segment in 2022, PLDT Home boosted its efforts to give customers the best digital experience at home by increasing the speeds of all its Fiber plans up to two times faster than previous speeds. 

The PLDT Group, through its ICT subsidiary ePLDT, also provides data center, multi-cloud and cybersecurity solutions that enable the digital transformation of large companies, Micros, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to help drive the country’s inclusive economic growth. Leveraging on PLDT’s advance infrastructure, ePLDT is the country’s leading provider of data center and multi-cloud managed service offerings.

PLDT remains undisputed fastest internet in the Philippines, winning the Ookla Speedtest Awards for five years in a row. In photo are (L-R): PLDT Senior Vice President - Head of Home Business Group Jeremiah M. de la Cruz, Ookla Chief Technology Officer Luke Deryckx, PLDT President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio, PLDT First Vice President - Head of Enterprise and International Business Groups Albert Mitchell L. Locsin, PLDT and Smart Network Head Roderick Santiago and Ookla Senior Vice President and Global Head of Sales and Enterprise Services Kuljeet Randhawa.

The Most Coveted Ookla Speedtest Award

PLDT is the only telco in the Philippines that has ever achieved a five-peat for the highest award from Ookla. According to Ookla, only a handful of internet service providers have won the prestigious award for five consecutive years worldwide. In Southeast Asia, only PLDT as the leading telco in the Philippines has this honor, alongside Singapore’s ViewQWest. 

Ookla’s Chief Technology Officer, Luke Deryckx, affirms PLDT’s superior network performance for the past five years. He says, “With over 18 million consumer-initiated tests taken daily and billions of data points gathered, the Ookla data paints a clear picture of the performance, quality, and availability of virtually every network in the world. We are proud to recognize PLDT’s hard work in providing the fastest Internet experience in the Philippines and celebrate their achievements in superior network performance over the last 5 years.” 

With the consistent wins at the Ookla® Speedtest Awards, PLDT also clocked the top speeds in major areas in the Philippines and bested all other major telco providers in 2022 including Pasig City, Cagayan de Oro, Baguio City, amongst others.

All these achievements are powered by PLDT’s widest fiber network in the country which now spans 1.1 million kilometers, extending its reach to 17.2 million homes passed, in 68% of the country’s cities and municipalities. 

For more information about PLDT’s Ookla Speedtest Awards, visit www.pldt.com. 

Disclaimer: 

Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data for (Q1–Q4) 2018, 2019,2020, 2021, 2022. Ookla trademarks used under license and reprinted with permission.

Gawad Madiskarte returns, over P1 million worth of prizes at stake!

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Madiskarte Moms PH (MMPH) brings back Gawad Madiskarte, a tribute to outstanding women entrepreneurs, with over P1 million worth of prizes. Nine moms from all over the Philippines have the chance to win cash prizes, gadgets, PLDT Home Fiber line for 12 months, mentorship program, and more!

A Facebook community launched in the thick of the pandemic, Madiskarte Moms PH encourages entrepreneurship among moms wanting to earn from home through online businesses while still enjoying quality time with their families. The community has more than 154,000 members who regularly share ideas, and offer each other advice, encouragement, and inspiration.

The mompreneur group also empowers their fellow women and the people around them. They have the ability to draw strength from their life experiences, challenges, and hardships. And most especially, this community helps women turn their startups into scalable businesses that can financially support their families and fuel their dreams.

Honoring the Madiskarteng Pinays

Gawad Madiskarte was first launched to honor the mompreneurs who overcame challenges and flourished at the height of the pandemic. In a report by the ADB, it was found that “more women than men have left their paid jobs to provide essential services to their families,” and that 64% of women had no personal income, compared to 39% of men. Another study found that more Filipino women than men began to run home microenterprises on ecommerce platforms during the pandemic.

Gawad Madiskarte was born from the insight that the one thing Filipino moms needed to cope with the pandemic was a sense of optimism, confidence, and sheer determination. By celebrating women's achievements and showcasing women's support for each other in a community through this annual award program, MMPH aimed to build that confidence. This year, Gawad Madiskarte is back to do just that.

Major categories for this year include Diskarteng Angat (Fastest-Growing Business), Diskarteng Digital (Best Multi-Channel Business) and Diskarteng May Puso (Best Social Enterprise). Two major winners per category will be chosen from the Startup Division and Scale Up Division. The former are home or online businesses that recently started and show great potential while the latter are businesses that have been running for at least 13 months and are registered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) or the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Special awards will also be given to three deserving finalists. These awards are Diskarteng Malikhain (Most Creative Business Branding), Diskarteng Pasulong (Most Innovative Product) and Diskarteng Home Biz (Mompreneurs’ Choice Award).

Last March, PLDT Home’s Madiskarte Moms PH (MMPH) won, not only the Gold Anvil Award, but also the prestigious Grand Anvil – the highest honors at the 58th Anvil Awards, considered the Oscars of local PR, awarded by the Public Relations of the Philippines (PRSP). MMPH was also given the Silver Award from the Asia Pacific Stevie Awards last year. Gawad Madiskarte 2022 was also honored at this year’s Anvil Awards with the Gold Anvil under the PR tools category.

To join this year’s awards, applicants should be part of the Madiskarte Moms PH Facebook community and fill out the Google Form posted on the announcement tab of the group. Interested applicants can enter this year’s Gawad Madiskarte Awards until May 15, 2023.

To know more about this year’s Gawad Madiskarte and details on how to enter, join https://pldthome.info/GawadMadiskarteAwards2023.

Mas Pinadali at Mas Pinabilis ang SIM Registration DITO!

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DITOZens, mas pinadali na at mas pinabilis ang SIM card registration! DITO Telecommunity is providing more reasons for its millions of subscribers to register their SIM cards before the April 26 deadline with improvements on its DITO App aimed to further simplify and enhance users’ registration process.

As the telco fully supports the government’s strengthened efforts to stomp out the proliferation of text scams and other mobile phone-aided criminal activities, DITO Telecommunity has introduced new features in the DITO App that will enable customers to register their SIM cards more conveniently.

Here are DITO App’s top enhancements for new and existing users:

● Countdown Timer--A pop-up window appears when logging in with a countdown for the registration. This is to remind customers of the deadline for SIM registration, which is set on April 26 of this year.

● Time-saving – The DITO App is now equipped with OCR (Optical Character Recognition) which helps save time by automating the process of personal data entry. Instead of manually entering data, OCR can quickly scan and convert users’ personal details – such as name and date of birth  into digital form, allowing for faster processing of information

● Easy Information – Users can easily check their registration status through DITO Number Quick Status and get access to downloadable success information page.

● Up to five DITO numbers can be processed in one registration

“Introducing updates in DITO App is part of our commitment to facilitating a seamless and hassle-free SIM registration experience for our subscribers. With this, we hope that our more than 15 million users will finish their registration before the deadline in April,” said Ms. Evelyn Jimenez, DITO Telecommunity Chief Commercial Officer.

Registering their SIM cards is not only easy and convenient but also rewarding as DITO subscribers will get 2GB bonus data immediately after completing the process, allowing them to experience high-quality streaming and gaming, as well as clearer video calls.

As of March 27, DITO Telecommunity has already logged more than 4M registrations.

“Making the registration process as smooth as possible is part of DITO Telecommunity’s promise of empowering Filipinos across the country with reliable mobile services. We encourage our subscribers to register their SIM cards now to avoid deactivation,” Jimenez said. 

The DITO App can be downloaded from Google Play and App Store.

For more details about DITO Telecommunity’s SIM registration process, please visit https://dito.ph/sim-registration.