Korean superstar Hyun Bin is Smart’s Newest Endorser!

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Smart Communications Inc., introduced its newest campaign along with its new endorser, none other than Korean superstar Hyun Bin.

Smart revealed that due to the on-going health crisis, Hyun Bin’s first TVC for the Filipinos was mostly planned online through intensive coordination with all the entities involved. In spite of the situation, the contract was signed in April, and the launch was basically still on schedule.

Hyun Bin represents the Dynamism of this digital world that we empower, and has a huge following mainly due to the Korean Dramas he took part in. Of course, the smash hit Crash Landing on You being the most recent.

As to whether the Korean superstar is coming to the Philippines, there’s no definite date just yet, but the company confirmed that he is coming to the country.

Hyun Bin Merchandise

While vaguely, Smart confirmed that Hyun Bin-themed merchandise will be up for grabs for those who will be availing of Smart services such as new postpaid applications. Watch out for more details.

Expect More Giga Promos

While they didn’t give a lot of details. Smart also confirmed that they’re set to launch new Giga Promos, including one which involves K-Dramas. Something about being able to use your prepaid load to subscribe to a popular streaming site, Viu. The time frame is June to July.

For now, you may still enjoy Smart’s current Giga offerings – Giga Video, Giga Games, Giga Stories, and Giga Work.

Watch the new TVC here.

Crash Landing On You’s Captain Ri, is definitely landing on the Philippines -#SmartHyunBin

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Get ready to fall head over heels with our newest ambassador #SmartHyunBin

"Hello Philippines, I am Hyun Bin," the Korean actor said in a video where he's seen looking dapper in an all-black ensemble.

The video was posted on Facebook, a day after the telco's CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan confirmed that the Korean actor is the telco's newest endorser.

Hyun Bin's sweet greeting came a day after the telco dropped a teaser video featuring The CLOY star looking cool as he entered a sports car.

Crash Landing On You’s Captain Ri, is definitely landing on the Philippines. An article by Inquirer.net quoted a text message from Bench owner Ben Chan saying, “… hopefully end of this year or early next year when traveling is allowed and when all is relatively back to normal.”

This, after Bench’s Instagram page teased fans and set the internet roaring with OMGs by sharing a simple animation of the words “Your crush, landing soon.” With the caption, “After months of keeping it a secret, the wait is almost over,” a lot can’t possibly contain the energy spike it induced.

Bench is known for being able to sign on Korean stars as its brand ambassadors and eventually invite them to visit the country. Some of these include Lee Min-ho and Park Seo-joon.

It seems that the Korean actor’s ties to the Philippines are quite cemented. Just to add to Bench’s announcement, communication giant Smart also launched Hyun as its endorser, this time setting Twitter on fire with his “Mahal ko kayo.”

Smart Communications posted a nine-seconder ad teaser with the big RiVeal on June 1st.

“Crash Landing on You” is a Korean drama that immediately got the hearts of Filipinos swooning. 

It stars Hyun as Captain Ri, who plays a North Korean army captain and Son Ye-jin, as Se-ri, an heiress in South Korea who accidentally paraglides to the North.

The K-drama’s finale in February this year broke the rating records of the finale of “Goblin” back in January 2017 for broadcasting station TVN, according to Nielsen Korea. It scored a nationwide average rating of 21.683 percent and a peak rating of 24.1 percent.

MVP Group pours in support for COVID-19 Frontliners

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Ethyl alcohol donated to government hospitals

MANILA, Philippines – More efforts to help health workers at the frontlines of the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak have been undertaken by Tulong Kapatid, the consortium of the corporate social responsibility consortium of companies, foundations, and affiliates led by businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan.

Roxas Holdings, Inc., recently turned over 4,000 Liters of 70% ethyl alcohol from Roxol Bionergy Corporation to frontline health workers of key government hospitals, including facilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The alcohol shipment was delivered to the Philippine Navy and the Malacañang Palace through the Manuel L. Quezon University in Quiapo, Manila.

An allocation was also deployed at the Asian Hospital under the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation for distribution to other MPIC hospitals which are also handling COVID-19 cases.

The ethyl alcohol donation was brought to Metro Manila through the assistance of the Metropac Movers, Inc., PLDT-Smart Foundation (PSF) and the Makati Medical Center Foundation.

“This is the initial delivery.  More are coming.  We are exerting all efforts to get supplies of materials and equipment that are badly needed in protecting our health workers but are very difficult to secure.  This is critical in the fight against COVID-19,” said PLDT and MPIC Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan.

Meanwhile, One Meralco Foundation donated 1,000 masks to frontline workers at the Rizal Medical Center in Pasig City. Another 1,000 masks were distributed to the frontline workers at the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City.

Alagang Kapatid Foundation, Inc. of TV5 gave away masks and soap to the frontline health workers at the National Children’s Hospital. The mask and soap donations were provided by Philex Mining Corporation and Beiersdorf Philippines, Inc. (NIVEA Philippines), respectively.

The PSF and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation also deployed ten buses to the Philippine Army. These will be used for ten days to help transport frontline health workers.

In support of ongoing efforts of the PSF, members of MVP Rewards may also convert their rewards to donations via the MVP Rewards app or mvprewards.ph. Donations will be used in the purchase of care packs for frontline health workers, checkpoint officers, emergency response teams and communities in need during the quarantine period. The service is currently available to enrolled MVP Rewards accounts of PLDT Home, Smart, Sun, TNT, Cignal and Maynilad, as well as Delos Santos Medical Center, Makati Medical Center and Easy Trip RFID.

The Metro Pacific Tollways Group will also be distributing relief goods to around 220 barangays along NLEX, SCTEX, and Cavitex.

Meantime, PLDT continued to provide connectivity for government agencies at the frontlines of implementing enhanced quarantine measures.  PLDT installed free WiFi Internet and free landline calls in some areas nationwide, including the Central Command Center in Batangas City. Strategic offices in Lucena, Zamboanga and Davao were also recipients of the free Internet connectivity and free landline calls.

This includes the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Center located in Lucena City Hall, Lucena Diversion; Municipal Command Center and the Provincial Information Office in Zamboanga; and the Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Malagos, Davao City. PLDT also provided free Internet connectivity in transportation areas and health centers in General Santos City, including the Bulaong Bus Terminal and City Health local government unit health center.

PLDT wireless unit, Smart continues to provide communication as aid in the form of Wi-Fi connectivity, SIMs, wireless devices, electronic load, and its Infocast SMS broadcast solution to various LGUs, government agencies and their response teams.

Smart brings you the most exquisite Filipino contemporary art at ALT Philippines 2020

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After a multitude of reimagined experiences it has brought to its customers, Smart Signature now dares consumers to reimagine the way they see local art. Introducing ALT Philippines 2020, a first-of-its-kind collaborative project among 10 galleries in Manila that aims to not only showcase contemporary Filipino art, but also to reframe the notion of the art show itself.

The landmark art event, which will be held at the SMX Convention Center at SM Aura on February 13 to 16, brings together galleries Artinformal, Blanc, Finale Art File, Galleria Duemila, MO_Space, The Drawing Room, Underground, Vinyl on Vinyl, West Gallery, and 1335 Mabini. This epic collaboration will result in a showcase of over 150 leading contemporary Filipino artists, in a groundbreaking and dynamic way that involves the immersion of viewers and the engagement of artists and professionals.

“We are truly excited to be part of this momentous event in the local art scene. This is just one of the many ways we provide meaningful connections by bringing subscribers closer to their passions,” said Smart President Alfred S. Panlilio. “Through this, we enable our subscribers to live the life they want, including the kind of life fueled by art.”

Amongst the anticipated highlights at ALT Philippines 2020, is the digital art wall that will be brought to life by artist Derek Tumala. “Derek’s work in collaboration with Smart is a coming together of art and technology. His “Pure Impermanence” 10-channel video in portrait orientation mirrors how we view images on our mobile phones. It represents the endless cycle of experience and image-making through a network of fleeting connections,” according to a statement released by ALT Philippines 2020.

Reimagine the way you see art

Smart subscribers will have the opportunity to freely reimagine the way they see art, as they can avail of exclusive passes to ALT Philippines 2020 as part of the elevated customer experience that Smart provides its valued customers.

With Smart Signature Plans, subscribers can also enjoy the best postpaid and overall experience. Smart Signature affords for its subscribers the capacity to live the life they want because their passions are supported by Smart Signature's bigger data allocation and Smart LTE, the undisputed fastest mobile network in the country, as awarded by third-party organizations such as Ookla, OpenSignal, Tutela, and P3 in their respective crowdsource-based studies on mobile internet services in the Philippines.

But Smart doesn’t stop with data and network speed that customers deserve. Smart also serves perks and privileges to its subscribers, in this case, the levelled-up Signature lifestyle that allows loyal customers to pursue their love for art by getting free tickets and ticket discounts to ALT 2020 Philippines.

To score tickets and discounts to ALT 2020, Smart Postpaid subscribers may submit their entries by answering the question, “What are you looking forward to the most at ALT 2020?” Just go to the comment’s section of Smart’s ALT 2020 ticket giveaway post on Facebook and include the hashtag #SmartALTPH2020.

For more levelled-up love-for-art experiences, follow Smart on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SmartCommunications or @ReimaginePH on Instagram. Keep tabs on the hashtags #Reimagine and #SmartALTPH2020 for more updates as well as ALT Philippines on social media at Alt Philippines on Facebook and @altphilippines on Instagram.

Click on the link for additional event details: https://www.facebook.com/events/222715622076541.

Smart starts pre-order for Samsung Galaxy S20 Series and Samsung Galaxy Z-Flip with Signature Plans

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Filipinos can finally take the giant leap in mobile innovation as Smart unveiled its offers for the Samsung Galaxy S20 Series and Samsung Galaxy Z-Flip with Signature Plans. Formally launched at the Samsung “Unpacked 2020” event in San Francisco, both devices push the boundaries of mobile technology with their breakthrough display, camera, design, and performance.

New and loyal Smart subscribers may be the first to experience Samsung’s latest devices by pre-ordering at Smart Stores nationwide. Pre-order for the Samsung Galaxy S20 Series will run until Feb. 25, while the pre-order for the Samsung Galaxy Z-Flip will only be until Feb. 20.

Smart offers the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra at Php3,199 per month with a one-time cash out of Php15,020 for the device, and the Galaxy S20+ at Php2,899 per month (with a one-time cash out of Php9,900 for the device. The Galaxy S20, which will be exclusively available to telco operators, goes for Php2,699 per month with a one-time cash out of Php9,700 for the device.

On the other hand, Smart offers the Samsung Galaxy Z-Flip at Php3,499 per month (with a one-time cash out of Php15,310 for the device.

These are all under Signature Plan L, which comes with monthly 15GB data; unlimited texts to all networks; unlimited on-net calls; and 150 minutes of calls to all networks – under a 24-month contract.

As bonus, subscribers with approved pre-orders for Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy S20+ will get FREE Galaxy Buds Plus worth P6,990. Moreover, Smart subscribers who are renewing their postpaid plans also enjoy discounts on their chosen plans.

Take the giant leap forward in innovation

Perfect for multi-hyphenates who juggle work and play – and everything in between – on their device, the Samsung S20 Series features both performance and an immersive display to let users switch from one productivity app to another, browse social media updates, and enjoy a much richer multimedia experience on the go.

Samsung’s new generation of smartphones are also equipped with powerful cameras and features to take passion for photography to a whole new level.

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra – the most advanced in the series – offers a variety of perspectives in capturing precious moments on the fly with its powerful combination of cameras, including a 12MP Ultra Wide Lens, 108MP Wide Lens, 48MP Telephoto Lens and ToF Quad Camera with 100x Space Zoom at the back, and a 40MP front camera.

Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy S20 and Samsung Galaxy S20+ come with powerful triple and quad rear cameras, respectively, and a 10MP front camera – perfect for capturing stunning and share-worthy shots anytime and anywhere.

Level up with form and function in a flip

On the other hand, the sleek Samsung Galaxy Z-Flip is perfect for those who want a feature-packed foldable phone with a stylish, compact design.

It features an ultra-thin glass technology for its premium look and feel, and a revolutionary fold experience with its free-stop hinge, which allows users to conveniently take photos and videos hands-free.

Moreover, it offers a fluid and immersive viewing experience with its 6.7” Dynamic AMOLED Infinity Flex-O Display, and gives users a seamless experience on their favorite apps while flipping from the cover to the main display.

On top of all these groundbreaking features, all Samsung Galaxy S20 Series and Galaxy Z-Flip users also enjoy Samsung Concierge, which offers a dedicated hotline, service express lane, pre-appointment booking, and remote assistance for any device concerns.

Experience the country’s fastest LTE network

The best Samsung devices deserve the best network experience with Smart, the country’s undisputed fastest LTE network, as certified by Ookla, the global leader in internet testing and analysis.

Opensignal, another third-party network analytics firm, also recently cited Smart for providing the Best Video Experience, Download Speed Experience, Upload Speed Experience, Latency Experience, and 4G/LTE availability across the country.

Get hold of Samsung’s latest flagship smartphones by pre-ordering at Smart Stores now. For a firsthand experience of Samsung’s latest devices including the breakthrough Galaxy Fold, head to the Smart Stores in Rockwell Power Plant, SM Megamall, SM North Annex, Smart Tower in Makati, and Shangri-La Plaza.

To know more about Samsung Galaxy S20 series and the Samsung Galaxy Z-Flip, visit www.smart.com.ph/galaxys20 and www.smart.com.ph/galaxyzflip respectively.

Get a chance to travel to Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan with Smart Padala by PayMaya’s ‘Padalibreng Bakasyon’ Promo!

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Your padala is now your ticket to an all-expense paid vacation for your family! Smart Padala by PayMaya sukis are in for a treat as the country’s widest domestic remittance network gives six (6) lucky customers a chance to fly to Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan as it launches its Padalibreng Bakasyon Promo.

From November 11, 2019 to January 15, 2020, customers who will send or receive money via Smart Padala can get a chance to win an all-expense-paid vacation for four (4) complete with roundtrip tickets, accommodations, meals, and even private tours, so they can take a a well-deserved break with their friends or family.

To join the promo, all you have to do is send or claim your remittance via Smart Padala. With a transaction worth P100-P1,000, you automatically get two (2) raffle entries, while transactions worth P1,001 and above will get you one (1) raffle entry.

“We’re excited to offer this promo to our Smart Padala by PayMaya suki, as a way of giving back for the trust they continue to give us when it comes to moving their hard-earned money. We know that each padala is a product of their hardwork and this Padalibreng Bakasyon is a well-deserved reward,” said Kenneth Palacios, Head of Wallets Business at PayMaya.

Six lucky winners will be chosen randomly on January 30, 2020, who will then be eligible to take their pick at their family’s chosen adventure. Two families have the chance to get ultimate k-pop and k-drama inspired tour in Korea; two families will be able to witness the lively city life at Singapore, while the other two can enjoy a fun food trip and milk tea-all-you-can experience in Taiwan.

Apart from these exciting rewards, Smart Padala by PayMaya also offers a convenient experience to its customers. With its over 27,000 agents nationwide, you are assured that there is always a Smart Padala agent near you where you can easily send or receive money, so you no longer have to travel far in order to send emergency money for your loved ones or to simply claim your allowance from your parents back home.

Paying bills and reloading your mobile prepaid account is also easier as you can do it for free with the help of your trusted Padala agent. All you have to do is head to a Smart Padala by PayMaya center near you and begin your transaction – no need to commute and line up at a payment center.

Smart Padala is the country's leading mobile remittance service under PayMaya Philippines, the digital financial services arm of Voyager Innovations backed by KKR, Tencent, and PLDT. To know more about Smart Padala or to sign up as an agent, visit www.smartpadala.ph or follow @SmartPadalaPH on Facebook.

11 reasons to upgrade to the new iPhone 11

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Still on the fence about getting a brand-new iPhone 11 in time for Christmas? Here are 11 reasons that might help you decide if Apple’s latest flagship smartphone is worth your hard-earned 13th-month pay and bonus to serve as the perfect gift for yourself or a loved one!

1. The dual-lens camera setup. The iPhone 11 marks the first time the iPhone gets an upgrade from its single-camera setup. The base model now has a standard wide-angle lens plus an ultra-wide lens that captures four times more scene in images, resulting in better picture quality. The new ultra-wide camera also makes for better low-light night shots, a first for the iPhone series. Ultimately, this means it will be easier than ever to take IG-ready photos at your Christmas parties and holiday getaways!

2. The triple-lens camera set-up on the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max. The Pro and Pro Max models of the iPhone 11 take things to a whole new level with the addition of a telephoto lens, which gives you an optical zoom of up to 4x, so you can level up your creativity in capturing your precious moments.

3. A new 12MP front camera. The front-facing TrueDepth camera works better this time around, especially for Face ID. The front camera is now also able to take 120 fps slow-motion video or the “slofie” for cooler and leveled-up selfies.

4. Clearer, crisper videos. The iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max’s camera set-up lets you take smooth and great-looking 60 fps 4K video, plus an audio zoom feature that matches the audio to whatever you’re shooting for better sound. Not to mention, the iPhone 11’s video editing tools are both easier and more powerful for anyone to use – handy for creating riveting content.

5. More colors to match your style. That’s right— the iPhone 11 comes in a glass body with various color options available so you’re free to express your personality and style by choosing from purple, yellow, green, and (Product) Red, along with the standard black and white. On the other hand, the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max come in sophisticated colors to suit your taste - Silver, Space Gray, Gold, and Midnight Green.

6. Durable, water-resistant body. The iPhone 11 comes with what’s being called the toughest glass ever to be used on a smartphone, making it the most durable phone you’ll ever have. It also has IP68 water resistance, so you won’t have to worry so much about the occasional spills, or the impromptu outdoor adventures with friends and loved ones.

7. Immersive sound. The iPhone 11’s spatial audio and Dolby Atmos support bring you a better surround sound experience. This is especially great if you’re an audiophile who want to get lost in your favorite tunes from time to time, or just listen to your daily dose of podcasts and playlists to unwind.

8. Longer battery life. The new iPhone lasts longer than old models. You’ll get up to 17 hours of video, 10 hours of streaming video, and 65 hours of audio with the iPhone 11, and you can get even more with the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max! The new iPhones also now support both fast and wireless charging, so you’ve now got more options to stay connected all the time.

9. The fastest phone you’ll ever have. It also comes with an A13 Bionic chip and a third-generation Neural Engine that allows the iPhone 11 to be faster than ever. Now you’ve got a phone that can keep up with your lifestyle.

10. Apple Direct Carrier Billing. You can now pay for online purchases from the App Store, Apple Music and other Apple services with your Smart Postpaid bill through the Apple Direct Carrier Billing. This is a safe, secure, and convenient payment method that enables Smart Postpaid subscribers to easily charge all Apple purchases to their mobile phone bill – eliminating the need for a credit card. To activate this, just sign in with your Apple ID and Password, tap payment information, tap “Mobile Phone” and follow instructions to verify your registration.

11. Optimize it with Smart Signature Plans. Make the most of the new iPhone 11 with Smart Signature, the reimagined postpaid experience that prioritizes you on Smart's award-winning network, provides you with worry-free connections and puts you in control of your digital lifestyle. The new iPhones are best experienced with Smart Signature Device Plan L, which comes with monthly 15GB data, Unli AnyNet Texts, Unli On-Net Calls and 150 minutes AnyNet Calls.

Yours at Php2,499 per month

Under Smart Signature Device Plan L, Smart offers the iPhone 11 (64GB) for Php2,499 per month for 24 months with a one-time cash-out of Php7,000. With the same plan, Smart also offers the iPhone 11 Pro (64GB) for Php3,099 per month for 24 months with a one-time cash-out of Php11,500 and the iPhone 11 Pro Max (64GB) for Php3,299 per month for 24 months with a one-time cash-out of Php12,910.

Smart also makes it a lot easier to get hold of the new iPhones with affordable cash amortization options under Smart Signature Plan M, which comes with monthly 10GB data, Unli AnyNet Texts, Unli On-Net Calls and 100 minutes AnyNet Calls.

With Smart, subscribers can make the most of their digital lifestyle on their iPhone 11, as well, because of the power of Smart LTE, the country’s undisputed fastest mobile network, as awarded by third-party organizations such as Ookla, Opensignal, Tutela, and P3 in their respective crowdsource-based studies on mobile internet services in the Philippines.

Enjoy the new iPhones powered by Smart, the country’s fastest mobile network as certified by third-party studies of world-renowned network analytics firms including Opensignal, Ookla, Tutela, and P3.

Get the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, or iPhone 11 Pro Max with Smart Signature at Smart Stores nationwide! For more details on Smart pricing and data plans, visit www.smart.com.ph/Postpaid/iPhone11 and www.smart.com.ph/Postpaid/iPhone11Pro.

Meralco, PLDT, Smart, Pag-IBIG and other bills? Don't pay cash, PayMaya!

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Paying for your bills now gets more convenient and ultra rewarding when you use PayMaya. Instead of spending time to line up at a payments center, just use your PayMaya app and get up to P300 cashback plus a chance to have PayMaya cover your bills next month!  

Worried about how to pay for your Meralco, PLDT, Smart and other utility bills as well as your payments for government services? PayMaya has your back with its convenient Bills Pay feature. To make it even better, pay for your bills via PayMaya every Friday and Saturday throughout the month of September and get a P100 cashback on your first three transactions. Don’t forget that your bills worth a minimum of P1,000 each should be paid in full and on time.  

And if you pay at least three unique bills within the month worth P5,000 and above until September 30, you also get the chance to win your next month’s worth of bill payments! One hundred (100) lucky raffle winners will take home P10,000 each, which they can use to pay for the next bill or for other purposes.  

The best part of all this? You can enjoy all these deals and rewards, by simply paying for your bill within the comforts of your own home! All you will ever need is your PayMaya app in your smartphone.  

Paying bills is a breeze with PayMaya!  

To start paying for your bills, just follow these simple steps: 

1. Open the PayMaya app and select Pay Bills.  
2. Choose your desired biller.  
3. Enter the account number from your bill.  
4. Enter the amount of your payment.  
5. Confirm your payment.  
6. You will be notified in-app and via SMS that your payment was successful!  

It's that easy to pay for your bills with PayMaya. Instead of wasting time on long lines and hours of traffic, now you can spend more time working on your passion project or doing the things you love with your family and friends.  

Don't have a PayMaya account yet? Download the app now for your Android or iOS phone and register to pay for your bills, shop online, send money, and even buy prepaid load, in the most convenient way.  

 

PayMaya, the digital financial services arm of Voyager Innovations, is the only FinTech company in the Philippines offering integrated consumer and merchant payment solutions with the widest on-ground branch network. It is the first to give millions of Filipinos an e-wallet that allows them to pay cashless transactions at any time of the day, anywhere in the world, and from any device.    

To know more how you can maximize your PayMaya account, visit www.paymaya.com/deals