SAMSUNG launches the Galaxy A52s 5G “Speed Up Your Awesome” music video featuring #TeamGalaxy Donny Pangilinan

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Donny Pangilinan has finally revealed what gives him an awesome smartphone experience: the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G. The model, actor, and singer start his journey as the Galaxy A Series ambassador with the Galaxy A52s 5G and the launch of the “Speed Up Your Awesome” theme song and music video.

The “Speed Up Your Awesome” theme song, paired with the dance, bring a fun and positive beat perfect in capturing the cheerful personality of the youth. It encourages creators to keep their passions flowing with the help of the Galaxy A52s 5G and its innovative features to enhance their lifestyle and their interests. Experience how the device is able to speed up and turn up the play at Speed Up Your Awesome Official MV.

In the music video, Pangilinan showcases his awesome talents by singing the Galaxy A52s 5G theme song. He highlights some of his favorite features of the device such as its next-generation 5G connectivity for a super smooth and fast experience in all things he loves to do. This is further elevated by the Snapdragon 778G 5G processor perfect for his love of mobile games. These provide life-like graphics, fewer lags, and optimized battery, temperature, and memory.

Pangilinan enjoys capturing awesome moments with his friends using the 64MP OIS Quad Camera of the Galaxy A52s 5G. In the video, he enjoys the device’s enhanced videography since the new Galaxy A Series has a 4K UHD Recording perfect for shooting clear videos of his favorite subjects.

Photos, videos, games, and other content become more immersive with the vibrant colors of the FHD+ Super AMOLED display. The 6.5-inch Infinity-O Display with a 120Hz refresh rate lets Pangilinan navigate through his favorite social media apps at ease. He can even create content, stream movies and series, and play games longer with the device’s 4500mAh battery life.

With the best-in-segment features of the Galaxy A52s 5G, Pangilinan can speed up his passion for gaming and creating content. The newest Galaxy A Series is now available for only PHP 22,990 SRP for the 128GB and PHP 24,990 SRP for the 256GB.

The 256GB variant comes in the Awesome Mint, Awesome Violet, Awesome Black, and the Awesome White as an online-exclusive color. While the 128GB variant is available in Awesome Black and Awesome White, and exclusively online in pastel Awesome Violet and Awesome Mint.

For more information, visit samsung.com/ph.

Safe Samsung Shopping

Health and safety protocols are strictly followed in Samsung Experience Stores to keep consumers and employees safe. Adhering to the guidelines set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Samsung has limited the number of its customers to 50% capacity, implemented the mandatory use of face masks and face shields, and performs frequent sanitation in all stores.

Samsung Experience Stores also has unique QR health declaration codes to promote a safe and contactless contact tracing process. Product demonstrations are done side-by-side instead of face-to-face while keeping the required safe distance of one (1) meter to make sure everyone is socially distanced.

Find the nearest Samsung Experience store via samsung.com/ph/samsung-experience-store/locations/.

Maxicare helps members reignite their businesses amidst COVID-19

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Manila, Philippines — Under the “new normal,” business and healthcare go hand-in-hand as industries recover and adapt to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. To signify its support to the country’s outsourcing sector, Maxicare Healthcare Corporation, the country’s premier healthcare provider, joined the Call Center Association of the Philippines’ (CCAP) Serving the World: Contact Islands ‘21 Virtual Conference on Re-Igniting Growth in the New Business Environment.

During the virtual conference, Maxicare hosted a discussion on how COVID-19 will continue to impact the way businesses operate and how the company has been helping ensure the safety and wellbeing of employees.

Living with the impact of COVID-19

Maxicare invited Dr. Edsel Salvana, Director of Institute of Biology and Biotechnology and member of the Department of Health’s (DOH) Technical Advisory Group on Infectious Diseases, to provide an overview on the COVID-19 situation in the country. During his talk, Dr. Salvana emphasized the need for innovation in ensuring that workplaces are pandemic-resilient and less likely to spread diseases. “There are a lot of innovations that will outlive the pandemic, including working from home. If you don’t need your entire workforce to be in the office, then taking out half of them and allowing them to work from home will be the most effective.”

Dr. Edsel Salvana of the DOH’s Technical Advisory Group on Infectious diseases discussed the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses and workplaces.

Dr. Salvana also expressed his optimism that businesses will flourish better towards the end of the year as we learn to better cope with the pandemic. “If we stick to public health standards and increase vaccination while reinforcing the healthcare system, we will be able to manage our severe cases and the economy can remain open as we continue to roll out our vaccines. We are already seeing the numbers go down, we ask that everyone cooperates. Make sure that aside from getting vaccinated, wear your masks and face shields especially indoors and stick to what you have been doing in terms of protecting each other.”

Re-igniting businesses through innovative and responsive healthcare services

Maxicare’s Assistant Vice-President for Wellness and Medical Resource and Research Dr. JC Sevilla also shared how they are helping partner companies reignite growth through the Maxicare HomeCare COVID-19 Management Program.

“We know that early detection is the priority when it comes to COVID-19. Our program, which simulates a hospital admission, provides continuity of care from consultation to treatment with 24/7 telemedicine and telemonitoring. Telemedicine includes consultations with in-house physicians where we also provide electronic prescriptions and lab requests. With telemonitoring, we are able to monitor disease progression. The Maxicare HomeCare program also offers medication including Remdisivir and steroids, as well as ambulance conduction if needed. The program is open for all COVID-19 cases and those qualified cases needing confinement.”

Sylvia Stolk, Chief Digital and Transformation Officer also shared how Maxicare is investing in technology to transform healthcare. “Access to basic health services is very important. We are helping businesses by making sure our members are healthy through protection, care continuity and easy access to healthcare, and understanding our members’ state of health through proactive, preventive, and predictive care.”

“Even before the pandemic, Maxicare already began to strengthen its customer experience vision and principles, where most of the member journey and digital transformation projects are anchored,” said Fiona Victoria SAVP/Group Head of Corporate Sales.

Some of these digital initiatives include the Maxicare Member Gateway platform for applying for Letter of Authorization (LOA) online, Maxicare Videoconsult for 24/7 video consultations with doctors, and the HR Viewpoint and Enroll Me platforms for human resource personnel. During the first months of the pandemic, Maxicare was also at the forefront of ensuring a manageable return to work process with the Re-Entry Assessment and Management Program. They were also one of the first companies to invest in COVID-19 vaccines, making it available to their corporate partners and their members, including dependents.

“Reigniting the growth of our company, Maxicare, means we are prepared to extend excellent patient service on top of medical care. Re-igniting our progress means being able to map our customer’s journey from their onboarding to their post-medical needs,” added Victoria.

To know more about Maxicare and its products and services, call their 24/7 hotline 8582-1900.

Landco Led the Mangrove Restoration in Laiya, Batangas

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In line with its commitment to environmental and community sustainability, upscale real estate developer Landco Pacific Corporation together with Aplaya Laiya Corporation initiated the mangrove reforestation at an estuary in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas through a recent series of planting of about 3,000 saplings.

Spearheading the mangrove reforestation in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas are shown on photo (From left): Neil Bryant Siy, Vice President, Aplaya Laiya Corp.; Ranel Domingo, Kagawad Laiya, Aplaya, Batangas; Noel Pasco, Head of MENRO (Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office); Allan Estillore, Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) - Region IV; and Erickson Manzano, President and CEO, Landco Pacific Corp.

The project was held in collaboration with Laiya’s local community, barangay and municipal officials, representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and volunteers from Landco executives and staff.

The mangrove tree planting is part of the coastal conservation of Landco to benefit the communities near and around its premium leisure developments in Laiya – Playa Laiya, the master-planned exclusive seaside residential community and Club Laiya, Landco’s latest Leisure Tourism Estates.

“Wherever Landco develops premium Leisure Tourism Estates (LTE’s), our impact on the environment is an important concern. Our company helps ensure the restoration and conservation of the environment within the vicinity of our developments to deliver our commitment to build sustainable communities, undertake our socio-economic responsibility, and leave a lasting legacy for future generations,” stated Erickson Y. Manzano, President and CEO, Landco Pacific Corporation.

“Our primary goal is to make Batangas a leading sustainable tourist destination,” he emphasized.

“At Landco, our team strives to create a healthy environment for our residents, guests, investors and the community at large. Our company’s role is to be a catalyst for environmental, social and economic development within and surrounding our properties. The welfare of the local community is one of our top priorities and we do our best to engage them positively and productively through employment and their active participation in environmental conservation,” Manzano added.

Landco President and CEO Erickson Manzano led the mangrove tree planting of about 3,000 saplings at an estuary in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas, as part of the company’s commitment to environmental and community sustainability.

Landco’s mangrove tree planting in Batangas was participated by Laiya’s local community, barangay and municipal officials, representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and volunteers from Landco executives and staff.

The launch of the mangrove tree planting was led by Manzano, along with Aplaya Laiya Corp Vice President Neil Bryant Siy; Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) - Region IV Officer In-Charge Allan Estillore; Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) Head Noel Pasco; Laiya Aplaya Kagawad Ranel Domingo representing Barangay Chairman Wivin Llana. Present during the activity were volunteers from Landco, Aplaya Laiya Corporation, and the local community.

Some of the volunteers from the Laiya’s local community and volunteers from Landco team are shown participating in the mangrove tree planting in an estuary in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas.

Within the framework of its long-term sustainability program, Landco’s latest Leisure Tourism Estates -- CaSoBe and Club Laiya are both LEED-registered. Its affiliate Millennial Resorts Corporation is Edge-registered. Over-all, its developments implement practical strategies and solutions focused on sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, waste segregation, marketing campaign on sustainability and ethical consumption, and local communities’ livelihood program on recycling materials, and opportunities for socio-economic growth.

Landco’s sustainability initiatives including its mangrove tree planting are in line with Metro Pacific Investment Corporation’s commitment to help achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable; and strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

For more information about Landco visit https://www.landco.ph/ or FB page: https://www.facebook.com/LandcoPacificCorporation.

Airbnb encourages Pinoys to #TravelAsJuan, as travel searches surge for beachside and nature destinations near Metro Manila

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●     New Airbnb data shows spike in domestic demand for stays after recent easing of travel restrictions; trending destinations include Zambales, Batangas and Tagaytay

●     More Filipinos are searching for getaways lasting a week or longer, at family-friendly villas
and bed and breakfasts

Manila, Philippines,  October 2021 - Airbnb launched its new #TravelAsJuan campaign that aims to energize the Philippines’s tourism recovery throughout the remainder of 2021 and beyond. As part of the campaign, the company is encouraging Filipinos to rediscover their country with their loved ones, while celebrating unique stays and hidden gems across the nation. The #TravelAsJuan campaign also aligns with the Department of Tourism’s 2022 plan to rebuild a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive domestic tourism industry

Responding to the Department of Tourism’s call for Filipinos to become “Ambassadors of Fun”, Airbnb’s #TravelAsJuan will work closely with its community of #AirbnbJuanderers including Filipino Hosts and local content creators. They will shine a light on the country’s off-the-beaten-path destinations, from lesser-known beaches to mountainous getaways and farms, as well as tips for safer travel. The campaign will kickstart by highlighting destinations where intra- and inter-state travel are currently allowed and expand to cover more destinations as more cities and provinces reopen.

 Airbnb is already seeing surging interest in domestic stays as Filipinos look forward to traveling with the platform once more, following the recent easing of travel restrictions. In September, searches for Airbnb Stays in Zambales spiked by over 100% month-over-month* after the government announced travel rules allowing Metro Manila residents to travel to areas under more relaxed quarantine rules. In the same period, searches for Airbnb Stays in Batangas and Tagaytay also almost doubled month-over-month*.

Beachside and nature destinations, especially locations within driving distance of Metro Manila, remain popular among Filipinos. Zambales and Batangas, both popular for their beaches and coves, along with nature-based destinations Tagaytay, Pampanga, and Baguio, are currently the top five trending destinations among Filipino guests on Airbnb. This follows key findings from a YouGov survey conducted earlier in the year, which found that Filipinos want to travel to nature retreats and places within driving distance once they can get back on the road.

The easing of travel restrictions has spurred Filipinos to quickly plan for upcoming trips with their family and loved ones. While Filipino guests on Airbnb are largely searching for Stays with a duration of 1-6 nights, there is a growing trend towards longer domestic getaways of one week and longer, to make up for the past year spent at home. Larger family-friendly Stays are also increasing in popularity, as Filipino guest searches for villas and bed-and-breakfasts spiked by more than 50% month-over-month*. 

As Filipinos eagerly make their travel plans, Gen Zs and Millennials who make up 68% of Airbnb’s community of new Hosts who came onboard the platform in the first half of this year are looking forward to welcoming fellow Pinoys into their homes**.

Amanpreet Bajaj, General Manager for India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, Airbnb shares: “Filipinos are eagerly anticipating the return of domestic travel, and search trends on Airbnb indicate a strong, positive uptick in travel sentiment as restrictions ease. With our wide variety of unique stays hosted by locals across the Philippines, Airbnb offers something for everyone through our #TravelasJuan campaign, which highlights the wonderful places, experiences and communities that make the Philippines such an incredible place to experience for both locals and visitors alike. Airbnb is committed to being a good partner to the government to rejuvenate the country’s tourism sector; and help drive travel that is more diverse, resilient, and empowering for more people and communities than ever before.”

Safety remains a priority

Health and safety remain a top priority for travelers as they search for upcoming travel accommodation. To that end, Airbnb introduced the Enhanced Clean protocol in June last year, the first overarching standardized guidelines for cleaning and sanitization in the home-sharing industry. Endorsed by the World Travel and Tourism Council, the protocol helps guide Hosts across the Philippines to provide safer and cleaner accommodation for guests.

Airbnb also recently announced a partnership with global provider Sherpa, an online tool that provides travelers with real-time travel information on their destinations. Travelers can access information on COVID-19 related requirements including testing, quarantining and social distancing guidelines. This will help guests plan their trips more effectively as they continue to navigate the ever-changing landscape of COVID-19 regulations.

Note:

*Based on internal Airbnb guest search data in September 2021, as compared to August 2021.

**Based on internal Airbnb data from January to June 2021.

 

Styler: Complete Clothing Care, The LG Way

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Coming into the second year of the pandemic, cleanliness and safety is still the number one priority for families. Even as vaccinations are slowly rolled out, nothing beats preparedness in keeping sickness at bay. Worldwide innovators, such as LG, have been hard at work to provide tools to help in the new normal. Its newest product, the LG Styler, is designed to keep clothes fresh and clean without needing to launder it excessively.

L-R: Jun Lee, LGEPH product director for Home Appliances, Stephanie Zubiri, LG brand ambassador, Sungjae Kim, LGEPH managing director

In a recent online event, LG introduced the Styler to the local market. Hosted by LG Brand Ambassador Stephanie Zubiri, the event showcased the different uses the LG Styler has for individuals from all walks of life. LG envisions the Styler as the future of wardrobe management, especially with the Philippines’ unpredictable weather. Normal clothes are easy to wash, but some, such as outerwear like jackets, or dresses with fragile fabric, are a different story. This is where the LG Styler comes in.

With the Styler, all you need to do is put your clothes inside and it’s good as new in minutes - no fuss and definitely, no damage. You can also do this to shake off wrinkles and odors. You can take care of suits, dresses, sweaters and more with the touch of a button, so you and your clothes will always look at your best. Shake off odors, leaving your clothes fresh and clean. You don’t have to worry about special fabrics. The LG Styler prevents shrinkage and damage courtesy of its Heat-Pump Technology. Gently dry clothes that require special care without worrying about shrinkage or damage. No more dampness or accidental damage - only fresh, clean clothes as they were meant to be.

During the event, event host Stephanie, who’s a mom and a journalist, shared how she loves using Styler to sanitize her kid’s stuffed animal toys. She interviewed Victor Basa and Dra. Vicki Belo who both shared their unique perspective on how the Styler helps them at home and at work. 

Victor, actor and fashion blogger, appreciates great clothing and the transformative power they possess. “I have these prized menswear pieces that really make you feel good wearing, a custom suit, Italian bespoke trousers, heirloom barong, and they all deserve the proper care and longevity. The LG Styler is definitely a game-changer. I often have to bring out my seldom used clothes like my barong out of the closet for my hosting gigs and so I don't need to get out for dry cleaning! It’s like having your own valet or gentleman’s gentleman at home, specifically responsible for my clothes. It also looks great in my interior because of the reflective mirror finish and sleek design.”

While Dra. Vicki Belo, founder and medical director of Belo Medical Group, the pioneer and number one medical aesthetic clinic in the country, was elated with her new home dream machine and all it’s amazing features. “I’m obsessed! Thanks to LG Philippines for bringing it here. I saw it in Milan around 3 years ago. The first thing I loved about it is the ease of use! I’m not that techie so this one I can easily operate after unboxing. I also like the fact that you can practically use it every day. We wear PPEs as doctors in Belo clinics so as soon as I remove it, pasok agad in the Styler. It feels as if I have a whole new wardrobe in my walk-in closet because I have a lot of delicate items that I wouldn’t wear as often, like the couture dresses, so now I can freshen them all up. Also, lahat na we wanna put inside the LG Styler, and not just the clothing, even the stuffed toys of Scarlett.” The one-of-a-kind appliance can effectively prolong the life of not only clothes but a whole variety of household items.

At the core of Styler is the patented LG TrueSteam™ technology, which eliminates over 99.9 percent of the germs and bacteria found in clothing and toys and is approved as asthma and allergy friendly® by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). Clothes placed on the moving hangers shake out wrinkles and unpleasant odors while the Gentle Dry cycle removes moisture quickly and thoroughly. Heat Pump Drying reduces energy consumption by recycling heat from the hot, moist air inside Styler, and Pants Crease Care creates a crisp crease-line without an iron.

In addition, style icon and fashion+travel blogger Laureen Uy with 1M followers on Instagram posted about how amazing is her new LG Styler. Representing a new way to care for her designer clothes and other accessories, the Styler boasts many practical uses and thoughtful features including a mirror-like finish that fits her snazzy space and chic personality.

Aside from being functional, it’s sleek, stylish, and blends well with any interior. Whether you’re living by yourself or with a family, the LG Styler is a key piece in anyone’s wardrobe. With it, you can refresh clothes in the comfort of your home. From unpleasant smells, harmful pollutants, dripping wet, wrinkles, seasonal clothes and even difficult to clean items - effortlessly remove them quickly and effectively at your home.

LG also remains committed in providing smart solutions for its appliances. The Styler can be controlled using your smartphone. ThinQ™ app lets you operate or monitor precious garments from anywhere, anytime. You can use Cycle Download to add newly developed care cycles.

L-R: Sungjae Kim, LGEPH managing director, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, Young Park, LGEPH product director for Air Solutions

Knowing the need to efficiently eliminate harmful bacteria and viruses in the community, LG recently donated Styler and Wearable Air Purifiers and more than 2000 hygiene kits to the local government of Pasig City through Mayor Vico Sotto. LG has always been a long and ardent supporter of the LGU where the LGEPH headquarters is located. Over the past months, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, LG also donated washing machines, refrigerators and digital signage displays to help out city frontliners and its constituents.

Seungjae Kim, LG Philippines’ Managing Director, shares his piece on how the LG Styler can benefit Filipino families and the community. “The LG Styler provides a fast and easy way of disinfecting your clothes, which is crucial in the time of COVID. It helps keep you and your family safe. It is also a perfect addition to any household, whether you’re living alone or with a family. We also believe that the CSR initiatives we have done, including the recent Styler donation will make a difference in helping out Pasig City’s civil servants.”

Read more about the LG Styler and its features on https://www.lg.com/ph/clothes-styler/lg-s3mfc or visit LG’s official social media channels. The LG Styler is available through authorized dealers and in LG flagship online stores at Lazada and Shopee.

Mark Zuckerberg : Facebook changes its name to Meta

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Facebook changes its name to Meta

The newly-rebranded name of Facebook’s parent company has been announced to be Meta on Oct. 29. The company said the change would bring together its different apps and technologies under one new brand.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg, speaking at the company’s live-streamed virtual and augmented reality conference, said the new name reflected its focus on building the metaverse.

The name change was announced at the Facebook Connect augmented and virtual reality conference. The new name reflects the company’s growing ambitions beyond social media. 

Facebook, now known as Meta, has adopted the new moniker, based on the sci-fi term metaverse, to describe its vision for working and playing in a virtual world.

“Today we are seen as a social media company, but in our DNA we are a company that builds technology to connect people, and the metaverse is the next frontier just like social networking was when we got started,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said.

The metaverse, a term first coined in a dystopian novel three decades ago and now attracting buzz in Silicon Valley, refers broadly to the idea of a shared virtual environment which can be accessed by people using different devices.

In addition to reflecting their vision to be seen as a metaverse, Zuckerberg wants the new name to anchor their work and identity on what they are building towards.

”Meta” was chosen as it means “beyond” and alludes to the social technologies they are building beyond pre-existing digital connections. Accompanying the new company brand is a new logo and color.

The company also said in announcing the new name that it will change its stock ticker from FB to MVRS, effective Dec. 1.

Are you ready for this? The Witcher Season 2 premieres December 17 on Netflix

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During a panel, today at the Lucca Comics & Games Convention in Italy, The Witcher showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, cast members Joey Batey (Jaskier) and Kim Bodnia (Vesemir), Production Designer Andrew Laws, and Costume Designer Lucinda Wright delighted fans with a surprise drop of the highly anticipated main trailer and key art for The Witcher Season 2.

Accompanying the trailer, Netflix also released a new set of first look unit images from the series, which premieres globally on Netflix on Friday, December 17th.

About THE WITCHER

Based on the best-selling fantasy series of books, THE WITCHER is an epic tale of fate and family. The story of the intertwined destinies of three individuals in the vast world of The Continent, where humans, elves, witches, gnomes, and monsters battle to survive and thrive, and where good and evil is not easily identified.

Season 2 Logline

Convinced Yennefer’s life was lost at the Battle of Sodden, Geralt of Rivia brings Princess Cirilla to the safest place he knows, his childhood home of Kaer Morhen. While the Continent’s kings, elves, humans, and demons strive for supremacy outside its walls, he must protect the girl from something far more dangerous: the mysterious power she possesses inside.

Visit : 

Youtube @witchernetflix

Instagram @witchernetflix

Twitter @witchernetflix

Facebook @witchernetflix

Watch the trailer here

Follow these Self-Care Tips to Keep Yourself Happy and Healthy During the Busiest Time of the Year

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Treat yourself to wellness items at Shopee’s Oct 30 Payday Sale and enjoy free shipping with no minimum spend, 30% bills cashback, and 30% off vouchers

The holidays bring us joy, but the season also marks one of the busiest and most demanding times of the year. While we look forward to our loved ones’ company, there are still plenty of tasks at hand: virtual parties to plan, a holiday shopping list to organize, and work to wrap up before we go on vacation.

If you want to maximize the holiday festivities, take some time to focus on your well-being. This is supposed to be the happiest time of the year, after all! Take it slow, decide which tasks to prioritize, and ask for help if you’re struggling with all the responsibilities on your plate.

Here are a few other tips to help you take it easy during the holidays:

Get enough sleep

A good night’s sleep equips you with enough energy to face the day. Wake up to better mornings by indulging in a luxurious at-home massage with Rest Easy Massager, which comes with an advanced heating function. Then snuggle in bed and relax any tense muscles with the ergonomic Hosh Memory Foam Pillow. Lastly, improve the air quality and add a relaxing ambiance to your room with the Fresh Air Wooden Humidifier. 

Get your mind off work

It’s difficult to relax when your phone keeps pinging. If you can, disable notifications after working hours and try out new hobbies to take your mind off work. For instance, spend more time outdoors and try gardening. Ace Hardware Garden Tool Set, which includes a trowel, transplanter, and pruning shear, is perfect for budding green thumbs. If you’ve always wanted to explore the art of baking, Oster 6-Speed Hand Mixer will make each culinary experiment easier with its powerful 250-watt motor and chrome-plated beaters and dough hooks. Meanwhile, those interested in dabbling in photography should invest in Paperang Portable Thermal Printer for high-quality instant photos

Build a self-care routine

Each day, take the time to pamper yourself and melt the stress away with personal care products. With glowing, hydrated skin, you’ve got one less thing to worry about! Start your skincare routine with the Garnier Cleanse Glow Trio. This serum, micellar water, and day cream set contains a concentrated Vitamin C formula to help even out your skin tone. Don’t forget to treat your legs and arms to some loving too. Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion protects dry skin with natural colloidal oatmeal blended with rich emollients.

Indulge in guilt-free me-time

Sometimes all you need to destress is leisurely me-time. Take a much-needed breather and release your pent-up stress using Nintendo Switch Console V2. Its new system features a vibrant seven-inch OLED screen, wide adjustable stand, dock with a wired LAN port, 64 GB of internal storage, and enhanced audio. Or sit back and binge-watch your favorite K-dramas on Avision Smart Digital LED TV, which features a 1366x786 display resolution. For quality audio, you can’t go wrong with Xiaomi 11T Pro. With its Dolby Atmos dual speakers, you can unwind while listening to your relaxation playlist. 

Self-care means getting the best bang for your buck, too! To enjoy more deals at Shopee’s Oct 30 Payday Sale, check out with ShopeePay for safe and cashless payments. Get free shipping vouchers with no minimum spend, 30% off discounts, and 30% cashback on your self-care purchases, exclusively with ShopeePay.

You can also use ShopeePay to buy load, pay bills, and scan to pay at thousands of merchants nationwide. Get up to 50% discount on load for all networks. Pay your bills with ShopeePay to avail of the special 30% cashback this Oct 30 Payday Sale. You can use it to pay Meralco, Maynilad, PLDT, BPI, and a growing list of partner billers. Lastly, buy ShopeePay ₱1 Deals on the app and enjoy exclusive discounts when you pay via ShopeePay QR at Puregold, Potato Corner, Bonchon, Fruitas, and other partner merchants. Make sure to activate your ShopeePay wallet and cash in through online banking, debit card, and over-the-counter partners to enjoy these exclusive perks.

For more deals this payday, visit https://shopee.ph/m/payday-sale.

Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

10 steps to get your online store ready for the 2021 year-end shopping season

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Historically, the last quarter of the year is when most Filipino online sellers make the most sales. By now, most Pinoys are already in a Christmas-y mood, so you better make sure you’re there when shopping activity starts to pick up. With more and more Filipinos shopping online, you can be sure the season is going to be crazy.

Preparing for the holiday rush? To end the year strong, here are some tips from Ninja Van!

1. Prepare your storefront

Ensure that your product descriptions are accurate and detailed enough for customers to make an informed decision - this will save you the trouble of needing to answer potential questions. On top of this, double-check your inventory and item availability, and make sure you’re using high-quality photos, and that they showcase your products’ best features.

If you’re selling through your own website, make sure it works properly and looks good. Don’t forget to test and ensure that your website can handle a surge in traffic! Do a stress test using load testing tools.

It's also important to plan your product prices. You can do this with the help of a spreadsheet. By listing down your cost, usual product price, and sale price, you’ll be better able to track your profit margins per product. You can also include space for dates so you can stay on top of sale period start and end dates, discount codes, and campaign types.

2. Stock up on your best-selling products

If you plan to sell your in-demand products at discounted rates, let your customers and social media followers know early. This way, you’ll get a head start on competitors and avoid drowning in the marketing clutter in the days leading up to major sale events.

#NinjaTip: You could retarget customers who previously bought these products, viewed the products on your website but didn’t actually make a purchase or have these items sitting in their Lazada or Shopee carts.

3. Use data to understand sales trends

To get a better understanding of which products will sell and which won’t, use data analytics. Check out tools like Google Trends or Better Lemonade Stand’s Instant Product Evaluator Tool. You could also tap analytics to reveal your top sales channels

4. Cyberstalk the competition

Stalking doesn’t need to be creepy. It pays to check what your competitors are selling, what their pricing looks like, and how they’re engaging with their customers. Visit their website and ecommerce shops incognito. On your computer’s browser, go into incognito mode or open a private browsing session. On Shopee or Lazada. Visit their social media pages, too. This will give you a better idea of what you’re up against and will allow you to adjust accordingly.

Better yet, become their customer. Buy something from them and see what the experience is like.

#NinjaTip: Try to keep your pricing within the range of similar stores’ prices to stay competitive.

5. Supercharge your promotions

Announce discounts and promos early to give your customers something to look forward to. As they say, “Daig ng maagap ang masipag (being early beats working hard).”

6. Make the most of social media

About 65% of internet users in the Philippines go on social media to research brands, so it should go without saying that having an active social media presence is so important for sellers. Post quality content regularly on your platforms of choice and talk to your followers. Maybe even explore TikTok if that’s where your customers hang out. Create attractive graphics with simple and free tools, like Canva.

But don’t just focus on your own social media channels; be visible on others’ pages, too. Consider engaging with influencers who are a good fit for your brand, and foster relevant, mutually beneficial brand partnerships.

7. Proactively engage your customers

44% of Filipino shoppers chat with sellers before making a purchase. As such, it’s important to leave a good impression. Answer their questions thoroughly and respond promptly, politely and cheerfully.

#NinjaTip: Consider deploying chatbots or hiring customer service agents to help ensure quality customer service throughout the shopping season. Don’t be scared of automation: turns out 55% of Pinoy shoppers surveyed are comfortable with talking to a bot for online store transactions.

8. Offer free shipping

Offering free shipping is one way to win customers and stand out in a sea of sellers. It could also prevent “abandoned carts”—sometimes, customers intend to buy something but change their minds after seeing how much the shipping will cost.

9. Pack your items properly

Seal everything and pack items tightly to prevent damage during transit. A good rule of thumb is to have three layers of packaging: the primary or innermost layer; the secondary layer, which is typically sturdier than the primary layer and helps protect the package from damage during delivery; and the outermost layer, which has details about the package to help logistics providers sort items.

#NinjaTip: Reinforce your branding in the primary packaging by adding your shop name, logo, and other relevant brand elements.

10. Ship orders out on time

Customers hate late deliveries and will make sure to let you know in their reviews. Make sure to hand over your parcels to your logistics providers on time. Actively managing customers' expectations is key. Because sale season is going to be super busy, shipping will definitely be delayed.

#NinjaTip: Try adding 3 more working days to the expected delivery date. If it arrives earlier, great! If it arrives later, then it's not as bad.

For reliable service, partner with trusted names in last-mile delivery, like Ninja Van!

Navigating the online business world with the Ninja Van blog

Get a head start and make the most of the year-end shopping frenzy by preparing early. By offering great products and a stellar customer experience, you’ll be helping your customers end the year with their hearts—and their carts—full. Visit the Ninja Van blog to know more useful tips and tricks for your online business!

Enjoy free cash in plus up to P450 cashback on your purchases! Robinsons Supermarket group offer more ways to cash in to PayMaya for FREE

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There are now more ways to cash in to your PayMaya account for FREE as PayMaya and Robinsons Retail team up to allow free cash in at your go-to grocery stores, convenience stores, and drug stores under the Robinsons Supermarket group.

Going cashless is so much more convenient and hassle-free because you can easily cash in to your PayMaya account without additional charges at your go-to stores like Robinsons Supermarket, Robinsons Easymart, Shopwise, The Marketplace, No Brand, and Southstar Drug branches.

These establishments are the latest addition to the over 90,000 touchpoints that allow users to cash in to their PayMaya accounts for FREE. These cash in channels include BPI and Unionbank online banking via linked account, Ministop, Smart Padala agents, TrueMoney and now, hundreds of  Robinsons group supermarkets, convenience stores, and drug stores nationwide. You can also receive a P20 cashback covering your transfer fee when you cash in to PayMaya via Instapay.

Cashing in at Robinsons Supermarket is easy – all you have to do is follow these simple steps:

1. On your PayMaya app, select the "Cash In" icon on the home screen.
2. Select the Robinsons Supermarket via Cashier icon
3. Enter the desired amount then select "Continue"
4. Go to a Robinsons Supermarket branch and inform the cashier that you want to cash in to your PayMaya.
5. Present the generated barcode along with your payment to the cashier.
6. Wait for an SMS confirmation before leaving the store.

Once you already have funds in your PayMaya account, you can now enjoy safe and convenient contactless transactions for your everyday needs – including purchasing your essentials in these Robinsons establishments where payment via PayMaya QR is accepted.

As an added treat, Robinsons Supermarket is also giving you an exclusive reward of P150 when you cash in at least P2,000 to your PayMaya account and #ScanToPay for your groceries worth at least P2,000 until December 31, 2021. You can enjoy this added perk once a month during the promo period to get up to P450, in total! Now, cashing in and shopping with your PayMaya is not only safe and convenient, it's also made even more rewarding with this added perk!

“Our latest initiative with the Robinsons group is part of our continuing mission to make cashless payments even more accessible for Filipinos. With more free cash in channels available for our PayMaya users, we’re making it easier for people to use digital payments in their everyday transactions, especially for their daily needs,” said Pepe Torres, Chief Marketing Officer at PayMaya Philippines.

"Contactless payments is essential in providing our customers a safe and hygienic environment whenever they shop in our stores. We're glad to work with PayMaya in promoting contactless transactions in our establishments with our free cash in channels and exclusive rewards for PayMaya users," said Stanley Co, Managing Director of Robinson’s Supermarket Corporation.

Now that cashing in and paying with your PayMaya account is this easy and hassle-free, it’s time to get in on cashless payments! 

Download the PayMaya app at https://official.paymaya.com/CAK1/425eb133 and register an account to start enjoying safe and convenient payments today. 

PayMaya is the only end-to-end digital payments ecosystem enabler in the Philippines, with platforms and services that cut across consumers, merchants, communities, and government.    

It provides more than 38 million Filipinos access to financial services through its consumer platforms. Customers can conveniently pay, add money, cash out or remit through its over 300,000 digital touchpoints nationwide. Its Smart Padala by PayMaya network of over 55,000 partner agent touchpoints serves as last-mile digital financial hubs in communities, providing the unbanked and underserved access to digital services. Through its enterprise business, it is the largest digital payments processor for key industries in the country, including "every day" merchants such as the largest retail, food, gas, and eCommerce merchants, as well as government agencies and units.