January 16, 2026

Explore nature up close with vivo X300 Pro

For those who chase wingbeats at dawn and wait patiently for a flower to bloom, distance is often the greatest challenge. Birds keep their secrets high in the canopy. Rare flowers flourish just beyond arm’s reach. After spending time with the vivo X300 Pro, one thing became clear: this is the smartphone made for adventurers and bird watchers who refuse to settle for blurry compromises.

The Philippines: Natural paradise for birds and flowers

The Philippines is a dream destination for bird watchers and outdoor explorers. Its archipelagic geography has given rise to one of the richest concentrations of wildlife on the planet, particularly in avian species.

Maya captured in Albay

There are an estimated 718 to 735 bird species across the country, with approximately 243 to 258 endemic species found nowhere else in the world. This places the Philippines third globally in terms of endemic bird diversity. From forest canopies to coastal wetlands, every island offers the possibility of a rare sighting.

Yellow daisy and a bee captured in a garden

The country’s flora is equally captivating. With over 9,250 native vascular plant species, about one-third are endemic, many of them rare, delicate, and visually striking. Influenced by the Malaysian archipelago, yet distinctly unique, Philippine plant life rewards those who explore patiently and observe closely.

In a place where beauty often reveals itself from afar, having the right imaging tool becomes essential.

Why the vivo X300 Pro is the perfect companion for nature lovers

The vivo X300 Pro is built for moments that cannot be rushed or repeated. At its core is a 200MP ZEISS APO Telephoto Camera, designed to deliver exceptional clarity even at long distances.

What makes it especially powerful for bird watchers and nature lovers is its bird and flower recognition with tracking autofocus. This intelligent system enhances focusing accuracy and efficiency, enabling the camera to maintain a steady lock on your subject even as it moves subtly among branches or petals.


 
 

From afar, feathers appear finely layered and lifelike, while flower stamens remain sharp and refined, all captured with rich, true-to-life color reproduction. Every detail feels intentional, preserving the authenticity of what you see with your own eyes.

Elevating this experience further is the ZEISS Mirotar Telephoto Style Bokeh. It creates a beautifully soft background blur that separates the subject with striking depth. Even in visually cluttered environments like forests, parks, or zoos, birds and flowers stand out with a stunning three-dimensional presence.

 

How to use ZEISS Mirotar Telephoto Style Bokeh

Capturing these images is effortless. Open the camera and zoom between 10x and 30x. When shooting non-flight birds and flowers, the ZEISS Mirotar Telephoto Style Bokeh activates automatically.

There’s no need to adjust complex settings or switch modes. The camera recognizes the subject and applies the effect seamlessly, allowing you to focus on composition and timing. It’s an intuitive experience designed for real-world exploration, not studio conditions.

This makes the feature ideal for zoo visits, park walks, hiking trips, and spontaneous outdoor adventures, where moments appear unexpectedly and disappear just as quickly.

For those who travel light but dream big, the vivo X300 Pro replaces bulky equipment without sacrificing quality. It brings distant birds closer, reveals intricate floral details, and transforms fleeting encounters into lasting images.

If you are passionate about documenting wildlife, exploring the outdoors, or capturing the rare beauty of the Philippines, the vivo X300 Pro is a reliable field companion that sees what you see, even from afar.

Bring the vivo X300 Pro on your next adventure and experience how far mobile photography can truly go. Get it now for Php 77,999 in vivo concept stores or online via the vivo e-store, Lazada, and Shopee.


 

Globe Opens New Store at NAIA Terminal 3 Arrival Section, Elevating Connectivity for Record-Breaking Traveler Volume


As air travel rebounds strongly, Globe is stepping up to meet inbound demand with the opening of its new store at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 arrival section. Positioned right at the arrivals exit area, the store is designed to give international travelers instant access to mobile connectivity as soon as they land.

The airport processed a historic 52.02 million passengers last year in a report disclosed by NAIA on their website, marking the highest‑ever annual volume. That reflects a surge in travel demand and a recovery beyond pre‑pandemic levels.

With thousands of passengers arriving daily, the new store aims to deliver immediate value and convenience, offering physical SIM cards and eSIM activation, prepaid load top-ups, and bills payment, catering to the diverse needs of international travelers.



To commemorate the store opening, Globe is rolling out special launch promotions from December 15, 2025, to January 31, 2026. Travelers who purchase a Globe Traveler SIM get a free gift such as a portable travel neck pillow and a free Grab voucher.

“Global traveler volume at NAIA has surged to record highs, and we’re making sure every visitor begins their Philippine journey with reliable connectivity,” said Givielle Florida, Head of Globe Prepaid. “Our new NAIA store ensures our brand delivers beyond network services. We enable seamless access to community, mobility and information the moment travelers arrive.”

As Globe Prepaid is the preferred mobile partner for inbound tourists, Globe reinforces its role as a catalyst for effortless connectivity and tourism‑ready service.





Make 2026 Yours: Claim the Year of New Possibilities with Galaxy AI

It is time to make 2026 yours and step into the New You. Leave behind the endless scrolls, information overload, and distractions that weighed you down, Galaxy devices powered by Galaxy AI help you reclaim focus, creativity, and time. AI curates the content that matters most, boosts your productivity, and frees up space for what truly counts—your goals, passions, wellness, and loved ones.

Discover how Galaxy devices powered by Galaxy AI personalize your 2026, helping you step purposefully into the new you and be mindful in 2026.

Unfold Your Potential. Flip Into the New You with Galaxy Z Series

Own 2026 with style, creativity, and confidence. With Galaxy AI at its core, every fold and flip helps you start to live your most empowered year yet.

The Galaxy Z Fold7, Samsung’s lightest and thinnest Galaxy Fold yet, features a large main display that makes multitasking effortless, letting you run apps side by side like a portable workstation. The Galaxy Z Flip7, with its long-lasting 4,300mAh battery, keeps you moving all day, thoughtfully supported by personalized information from the Now Brief app, which shares essential updates such as weather and health, and the innovative Now Bar, which keeps you informed about the apps and tools you use most. Together, they let you take on every challenge with confidence, style, and flexibility.

Powered by Galaxy AI, both devices feature multimodal AI that understands what you see, say, and do. Seamlessly type or speak contextual questions to get instant answers, or use screen or camera sharing on Gemini Live to show what is in front of you and get insights in real time—a faster, smarter way to learn, create, and explore more opportunities this year.

Compact yet powerful, the Galaxy Z Flip7 FE features a 6.7-inch immersive display for streaming, creating, and connecting. With Galaxy AI guiding every interaction, it helps you flip into your most productive, creative, and confident self in 2026, turning every moment into a chance to grow, achieve, and shine.

Elevate Every Day with the Galaxy S Series

Turn every moment into an opportunity to create, connect, and shine. With Galaxy AI at its core, the Galaxy S Series elevates how you create, communicate, and get things done, helping you start the year smarter, faster, and more inspired in your “New Year, New Me” journey.

Make every bit of 2026 glow with the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Featuring a 200 MP camera powered by Galaxy AI’s ProVisual Engine, it captures every detail, vibrant color, and rich texture, giving you a sharp and vivid glimpse of the new you. Along the way, discover more with Circle to Search with Google: just draw a circle around any object or text and get instant results in a floating view.

More than just a powerful processor and optimized battery, the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus help you capture vibrant photos and videos with enhanced Nightography, leveraging an advanced Spatio-Temporal Filter that analyzes pixel data across multiple frames. It separates the subject from the background, perfect for your new adventures and experiences.

There is no obstacle to improving your creativity with the Galaxy S25 FE. Featuring a refined Galaxy AI model and advanced prompt processing like Generative Edit, it allows you to remove unwanted objects and related elements, adjust angles, and naturally fill in backgrounds, resulting in polished, professional-quality photos. Just like you, it is ready to explore, conquer, and grow this year, turning every memory into a standout.

Blast Off into 2026: Elevate Your Galaxy Experience

2026 is your year to claim, create, and elevate. With Samsung Galaxy AI powering the Z and S Series, every device is your partner in making smarter choices because with Galaxy, the new you begins now.

Celebrate the new year with up to P10,000 in savings with the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Flip7, and P4,000 off the Galaxy Flip7 FE until February 28, 2026.  Be in style and power with the Galaxy S25 series and enjoy up to P3,000 off until February 28, 2026 and with flexible payment options for up to 36 months, starting at P866/month for Galaxy S25 FE.

You can also get up to 30% off Galaxy Watch and Buds worth up to P12,000, perfect for staying connected, active, and fully immersed in your Galaxy-powered year and have additional discounts with trade-in until January 31, 2026.

 

DTI Permit Nos. FTEB -245565, 245575, 245573, and 243999

 



GCash represents PH at Mastercard Global Financial Health Coalition, showcases fintech expertise in international arena

Leading finance super app GCash is bringing its financial technology expertise as the sole Philippine founding partner in the Mastercard Global Financial Health Coalition, an international network of industry innovators focused on advancing financial health and resilience.

Fuse Financing Inc. president and CEO Tony Isidro represented GCash during the Mastercard ASEAN Inclusive Growth Summit in Malaysia, highlighting the importance of enabling credit access to MSMEs to support their growth.


Represented by GCash lending arm Fuse Financing Inc., its president and CEO, Tony Isidro, is sharing his knowledge on how to further financial inclusion on a larger scale through technology.

This perspective sets the stage for the participation of GCash in the Coalition, which aims to strengthen financial resilience in emerging markets by connecting people to the right tools — harnessing technology for protection and empowering long-term financial habits. Other members of the Coalition include DANA, TrueMoney, MTN Group Fintech, Airtel Africa, MOCO, Axian, Daviplata, and The Center for Financial Inclusion.

“GCash has transformed how millions of Filipinos manage their money—bringing secure, digital financial services into everyday life. Through its lending arm, Fuse Financing Inc., it has democratized lending in the Philippines, making credit fair and more accessible to millions, especially the unbanked and underserved segments, “ Isidro said.

“By joining this coalition, we aim to extend that impact beyond our borders, sharing our mobile-first innovation and insights to help strengthen financial resilience across emerging markets,” he added.

More than account openings

For Isidro, the industry must confront a hard truth: opening an account is not enough to improve financial well-being. Real progress depends on whether people trust financial tools, understand them and use them regularly. Technology is central to building these behaviors. It strengthens security, simplifies transactions and enables users to take control of their financial decisions.

According to Isidro, however, many Filipinos remain outside the formal financial system despite the rapid expansion of digital adoption in the country. This gap is evident in a study by Mastercard showing that 49.8% of adults still do not have a formal financial account. This limits access to savings, credit, and insurance that are key to long-term financial stability.

Fuse Financing addressed this gap by offering credit products that are simple, secure and accessible through the GCash app. This accessibility led to a growth in lending activities, reflecting a shift in behavior as more users integrate borrowing into their daily financial routines. This pattern aligns with Mastercard’s findings that deeper usage of financial tools is closely associated with financial progression.

The Philippines illustrates how fintech platforms can reach communities that traditional banking has not fully served. Mastercard’s analysis also shows that when digital and physical tools complement each other, people are more likely to build consistent financial habits. This reinforces the role of technology as a driver of trust and adoption.

Isidro, as such said, the coalition strengthens the opportunity to bring this approach to more markets.

“We look forward to learning from fellow coalition members whose diverse experiences and best practices can help us further elevate our solutions. Together, we can accelerate progress toward a truly inclusive digital economy,” he said.

As the Coalition moves forward, the experience and expertise of GCash in driving adoption and responsible borrowing will contribute to a broader, regional effort to improve financial health. The goal is to build a digital economy where more people have the tools and confidence to advance financially.

For more information, please visit www.gcash.com.

IR Impact Awards recognize SM for good reporting practice

SM Investments Corporation (SM Investments), the parent company of the SM Group, was cited for Best Annual Report at the IR Impact Awards – Southeast Asia, held in December 2025, in recognition of its commitment to high standards of reporting and disclosure.
The award acknowledged SM Investments’ integrated report for its clear articulation of strategy, performance, governance, and long-term value creation for shareholders and other stakeholders.

“This recognition reflects our continued commitment to high standards of transparency, disclosure, and engagement with our shareholders,” said Frederic C. DyBuncio, President and Chief Executive Officer of SM Investments.

The recognition adds to SM Investments’ earlier honors from the same organization, including Best IR Website, among others.

Formerly known as IR Magazine, IR Impact is a London-based business media organization and an independent source of information for the global investor relations community. Established in 1988 under the IR Media Group, IR Impact provides data-driven insights and benchmarking that help shape best practices in investor relations.







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About SM Investments Corporation

SM Investments Corporation is one of the leading Philippine companies that is invested in market-leading businesses in retail, banking, and property. It also invests in ventures that capture high growth opportunities in the emerging Philippine economy.

SM’s retail operations are the country’s largest and most diversified, consisting of grocery stores, department stores and specialty retail stores. SM’s property arm, SM Prime Holdings, Inc., is the largest integrated property developer in the Philippines with interests in malls, residences, offices, hotels, and convention centers as well as tourism-related property developments. SM’s interests in banking are in BDO Unibank, Inc., the country’s largest bank, and China Banking Corporation, the fourth largest private domestic bank.

For more information, please visit www.sminvestments.com

For inquiries, please contact: smic_corpcomm@sminvestments.com

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