Experts: Understanding Branding and Leveraging Social Media are Two Key Essentials for MSMEs to Thrive in E-Commerce

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Shopee successfully wraps up its second Shopee University Summit with more than 35,000 online viewers

As consumer behavior shifts, brands and retailers turn to online platforms to support and promote their businesses. Because of the transition, many new online sellers need the proper guidance and e-commerce knowledge to maximize the industry’s potential. Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, successfully concluded its second Shopee University Summit, with the support of Vivo, PULUZ, CameraHaus, Human Nature Manila Branch, WM Shop, and Design Center of the Philippines. During the event, participants learned about developing the correct business branding, product photography skills, and leveraging Shopee tools and social media platforms to promote their businesses.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “Shopee is proud of its successful second Shopee University Summit that aims to equip entrepreneurs with the right tools and knowledge to thrive in the e-commerce industry. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, Shopee ensures that sellers and entrepreneurs alike are ready to face the challenges and overcome them with confidence.”

A majority of brands and micro, small, and medium enterprises adapt to the current retail landscape challenges. Shopee and brands like Human Nature and PULUZ shared the best e-commerce marketing practices to support small businesses to recover and thrive in the competitive digital space.

Jillian Co, Branch Operator at Human Nature Manila Branch, said, “With Shopee, we overcame challenges to remain open for business. Being on Shopee also opened many growth opportunities and enabled us to continue to thrive. Its user-friendly platform and available marketing tools were convenient for the business to promote and sell our products. As the e-commerce industry rapidly expands and attracts many consumers, its impact will have a long-lasting mark and will change the industry.”

Carmella Peña, Brand Manager at PULUZ Philippines, said, “With our partnership with Shopee, we grew the business through their support and different tools in the Marketing Center such as Shopee Feed and Shopee Live. We can promote our products to attract more buyers. Shopee helped us reach a wider audience to share about our brand; we achieved almost 30,000 views on live stream in a month, something we couldn’t have achieved before on our own. We will continue to maximize the positive changes in the e-commerce landscape as we step up our business.”

Robenson T. Ong Lo, Vice President at CameraHaus, said, “Shopee helped us fulfill our goal to ‘be a friend to all Filipino photographers’ by bridging us to photographers in different parts of the country. With Shopee, we ensure photographers buy legitimate and brand new cameras with a warranty included. It also gave us access to widen our market range and reach people through the power of online convenience. Truly we are grateful for this digital platform.”

Missed the second Shopee University Summit? Watch the full video on Shopee’s official Youtube page: https://youtu.be/NYXH0BWUoOM. To learn about the onboarding process or if you’ve decided to start your e-commerce journey with Shopee, sign-up at bit.ly/ShopeeUniOnboarding.

Buy Load, Pay Bills, and Scan to Pay with ShopeePay. Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

J&T Express to honor riders as modern heroes : Bayani sa Makabagong Panahon campaign rewards exemplary delivery frontliners

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This July, new heroes will be in town.

E-commerce delivery giant J&T Express Philippines will be holding J&T Heroes: Bayani sa Makabagong Panahon to recognize the contributions of its delivery riders, on July 2, 2021 via livestream on their official Facebook page.

Vice President of J&T Express Philippines Zoe Chi said the campaign exemplifies the company’s bayanihan spirt by “honoring our own frontliners who continuously support the company and Filipino community through these challenging times. Through this, we hope that everyone will recognize their dedication and personal sacrifices to provide us with safe, fast, and reliable delivery services so that we can continue on with our lives despite the pandemic.”

Out of hundreds of entries nationwide, only one will be named Hero Rider of the Year and will receive a new motorcycle as the grand prize. Criteria for J&T Heroes include exemplary performance with a 95-100% high success delivery rate; company loyalty with tenure since February 2020; a high degree of professionalism; and service satisfaction backed by testimonials from regular customers. 

The virtual event will be livestreamed at 5:00 PM at www.facebook.com/jntexpressphilippines and will be hosted by one of the famoust actors in the industry Mr. Xian Lim, supported with a performance by singer and former Tawag ng Tanghalan contestant Gigi de Lana. The event is supported by J&T’s brand partners HINO, FOTON, Mobile Legends Bang Bang, Realme, Prestone, Clorox, Gcash, and Shopee. Secondary local business sponsors include BELO Intelligent Skincare, Gfoxx International, ELITE Sales, American Authentic Apparel, Tink Custom Print, Seek Shine, Organic Skin, K-Cool, Leupp Watches, Jane Secret, Pocari Sweat and KUMU.

J&T Express strives to empower and prioritize both its customers and employees. Last month, the company released a second tranche of employee “ayuda” in the form of groceries and essentials to augment the daily needs of team members who have been affected by the lockdown. J&T has also extended help through various logistics services for COVID response and immediate disaster relief. The company is also dedicated to helping local online businesses grow by providing quality delivery services. 

J&T Express Philippines currently has 600 branches caters to almost every province in the country 365 days a year even on holidays. Customers can easily track their packages real-time via J&T’s service platforms: mobile application, website, hotline, and social media. To know more about the company’s services, visit https://www.jtexpress.ph/.  

J&T Express recognizes its frontliners who deliver fast and hassle-free shipping, rain or shine, to customers nationwide.

J&T Heroes nominees must share J&T Express’ commitment to become the best e-commerce logistics company in Southeast Asia by having a 95-100% high success delivery rate.

J&T Express offers affordable rates and quality shipping services to help Filipinos and entrepreneurs with their logistics needs especially during the pandemic. 

J&T Express has 600+ branches nationwide that combines the efficiency of technology and customer-orientedness of its delivery riders to provide quality logistics services.

Chef Reggie Aspiras Social Media

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Chef Reggie Aspiras of Philippine Daily Inquirer's Kitchen Rescue is now online! 

Hailed as an Icon of the Industry in 2018 in Yummy Magazine's 10th Anniversary Issue, Chef Reggie Aspiras is one of the country's leading Chefs in Filipino cuisine. She's also a food writer and stylist, a catering consultant, and a specialized instructor in the culinary arts.

Early this year, Chef Reggie also launched the Kitchens of the World, a specialized and curated culinary tour in cities across the world. She also spearheaded Kusination, a food emergy response team of voluntary culinary professionals who set up a kitchen at Villamor Airbase in an effort to help the survivors of Typhoon Yolanda. 

Truly, Chef Reggie is one of the most influential and iconic chefs in the country. 

Find Chef Reggie and discover her kitchen secrets at www.reggieaspiras.com

Follow her on Facebook and Instagram @iamreggieaspiras, and subscribe to her YouTube channel https://bit.ly/ChefReggieYT

“Transport Watch” - a vigilant/watchful eye on transport and mobility issues in the Philippines

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“Transport Watch,” an initiative that gives citizens a platform to air their messages to relevant stakeholders. A multi-sectoral transport consortium “Transport Watch,” was launched last April 4 to create a vigilant and watchful eye on transport and mobility issues and improve the state of transportation in the Philippines.

Transport Watch advocates are committed to push for policy and legislation that promotes better transport alternatives, road safety and education, as well as raise awareness of the Philippines’ transport issues to the media and their communities.

The group will not just focus on transport and mobility issues in Metro Manila, it will also tackle issues in the provinces, such as Cebu, Davao, and other key cities in the country. Several speakers shared their insights during Transport Watch’s launch, including Transport Watch convenor Noemi Dado, transport advocate and co-convenor of Two Wheels, One Nation George Royeca and lawyer and former Ateneo Law School dean Tony La Viña. Department of Transportation (DOTr) Asec. Elvira Medina was on hand to speak on issues related to the local transport sector.

An advocate and blogger, Noemi Dado said, Transport Watch gives citizens a platform to air their messages regarding the country’s transport woes to relevant stakeholders. “Transport Watch advocates are committed to push for policy and legislation that promotes better transport alternatives, road safety and education, as well as raise awareness of the Philippines’ transport issues to the media and their communities,” Dado reveals.

Dado stressed that as the Philippine transport sector continues to be besieged with major challenges, including capacity problems and frequent breakdowns of the metro rail transit, underground transport operators, more commonly known as habal-habal, have been growing in number, even swarming to one of the leading social networking sites: Facebook.

As its first order of business, Transport Watch called out Facebook as the newest “Transport Network Company” since underground habal-habal operators have been offering their services through this social network. Habal-habal operators post specific time schedules and the routes they travel and also indicate their mobile numbers on the social networking site–all under the government radar.

Based on research done by Transport Watch, bookings for underground habal-habals are booming on Facebook.

#TransportWatchPH launch with Ms. Noemi Lardizabal Dado, @momblogger , Convenor of #TransportWatch , George Royeca - Transport Advocate ASEC. Elvira Media of Office of Commuter Affairs, DOTr , Dean Antonio Gabriel La Viña, Dean, of Ateneo School of Government and Transport Advocate, Ms. Amor Maclang of Geisermaclang Company.

“The underground transport service operators offer no insurance, no protection, nor proper training and accountability. Because of this, passengers’ lives are placed at risk. Yet because public transportation inadequacy and reliability that have long been under question from the general public remain unaddressed, unregulated transport services like habal-habals that can traverse roads not passable by four-wheeled motor vehicles have gained ground,” Dean Tony La Viňa reveals.

The largest Facebook group used by habal-habal operators has a membership of around 200,000. But how do these underground operators actually work? A passenger will post their pick-up and drop-off location, what time they need the ride and how much they want to pay. Drivers will then PM the passenger to agree on a time and compensation. Once an agreement has been set, the driver then proceeds to the pick-up location.

There are documented cases where passengers are duped or even robbed but tracking them down has become nearly impossible due to the fact that many operators do not give their true identities. And although there have been many documented complaints about the underground habal-habal drivers, the Facebook page administrators suppress such complaints by deleting them immediately, leaving the complaints unresolved and passengers unheard.

Photo via Jane Uymatiao

“The problem is that the government cannot regulate Facebook. The government cannot tell Facebook to ban these underground habal-habal services nor to prevent them from posting on their Facebook accounts,” Dado notes.

“So what is the government doing while our poor commuters are forced to ride underground habal-habals while risking their lives and property in the process? The answer seems to be in the regulation of habal-habals, which will make the operators toe the line, professionalize, and make their service legitimate and efficient,” she suggests.

Because of this, Transport Watch is raising the alarm about unregulated operations of motorcycles-for-hire, particularly illegal habal-habal operations that have proliferated on social media platforms like Facebook.

Dado says, “The launch of Transport Watch is a good thing for the country’s transportation situation. It signifies that concerned individuals have realized that vigilance and cooperation can possibly solve problems and lessen dangers to the commuting public. This is just the beginning. Transport Watch will continue to be the commuters’ voice.”

Grupo Agatep President bags 2017 IABC CEO Excel Award

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Grupo Agatep President and Managing Director, Norman Agatep was named by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines as one of the recipients of the 2017 CEO Excel Awards for his contributions to the fields of public relations, advertising, digital marketing. The event was held at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Pasay City last December 4.

After three decades of outstanding work in the fields of advertising, public relations, and digital marketing, Norman Agatep, president and managing director of integrated marketing communication agency Grupo Agatep, was named one of this year's recipients of the CEO Excel Awards.

The distinction, given by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines, aims to recognize innovative leaders from various industries who have utilized strategic communication to positively impact their companies and communities.

Agatep, who was among 15 individuals awarded in a ceremony held at the Marriott Grand Ballroom last December 4, was merited for his skillful management of his company during its transition to becoming a fully-independent agency now known as Grupo Agatep. The CEO Excel Awards also recognized the significant role played by Agatep and his company in helping manage the reputation of their clients. Aside from these, his invaluable contribution to the marketing communication industry as demonstrated by his outstanding leadership of organizations such as the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies-Philippines (4As), Ad Standards Council (ASC), and the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP) was also lauded during the ceremony.

"I am humbled by this honor," Norman Agatep said. "It is not just a recognition of the work put in during the last three decades; this award is a testament to the passion I encountered in the individuals I have had the pleasure to serve with. We made waves, inspired trends, and helped brands manage their reputation because of their commitment. This award is dedicated to each and every one of them."

This is not the first time that an Agatep was given this distinction. In 2006, legendary PR guru Charlie Agatep, Norman's father, also received an IABC CEO Excel Award. Charlie Agatep today serves as Chairman and CEO of Grupo Agatep. Through the drive and dedication of the father and son duo, Grupo Agatep is now the most Anvil-awarded agency in the country with 137 awards under its name. Presented annually by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP), the Anvils is the symbol of excellence in PR. 

Aside from Norman Agatep, this year's IABC CEO Excel awardees are: Belen Lim of Security Bank; Benjamin Ramos of City State Savings Bank and BusinessMirror; Danny Lim of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA); Dante Velasco of Creative Point International, Inc.; Dennis Uy of Udenna Corporation, Inc.; Edwin Hernandez of Jardine Distribution, Inc.; Gregory Banzon of Century Pacific; Kingson Sian of Resorts World Manila; Lina Sarmiento of the Human Rights Victims' Claims Board; Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso of Megaworld Corp.; Manos Koukourakis of Japan Tobacco International Philippines, Inc.; Mark Villar of the Department of Public Works and Highways; and Philip Gioca of JobStreet.

SnippetMEdia launches #SNIPPETX app, the "X" space for bloggers

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Social Media encompasses the platforms of media and as social networking, with social components and public communication channels.

In the last five years, we have seen the dramatic rise of the influence of social media and blogging all over the world. From training their sights solely on celebrities, brands have shifted their attention to influencers and bloggers to market their brand and their products.

Apart from being a medium of creative self-expression for many Filipinos, here in the country, blogging has become an effective tool in communicating—from promoting the Philippines and what the country has to offer, to influencing and shaping opinions about particular issues and society in general.

With this in mind, Filipino technology company SnippetMEdia, creator of the mobile app SnippetMEdia, has decided to take blogging a step further by creating a new platform to cater exclusively to bloggers and independent content creators—SnippetX.

SnippetMedia launch SnippetX an exclusive space for online content creators last August 10, 2017 held at the Yes Please, Uptown, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. 

Oliver Bayani

SnippetX is a new platform in SnippetMEdia that brings a whole new dimension to news aggregation by providing unique access to stories written by local and international content creators on topics users are most interested in.

“Whether it’s about travel, fashion, food or technology, Filipinos will now have access to a multitude of stories written by Pinoy bloggers all in one click,” Kitson Kho, founder and chairman of SnippetMEdia said.

So how does SnippetX work?

Kho likens SnippetX to a hub, where content from bloggers and freelance writers can be accessed by readers through the app. With SnippetX, online content creators can maximize the impact of their stories and keep readers engaged with the stories they want to see and follow.

“People are on their smartphones for a good number of hours every day. Being in a mobile app opens opportunities to reach a more captive and responsive audience through targeting and better recommended stories,” he explains.

“SnippetMEdia makes reading and discovering online content easier by saving the users the time and effort in finding what they want to read among a multitude of sources,” stresses Kho. “And now with SnippetX, SnippetMEdia brings a whole new dimension to news aggregation by providing unique access to stories written by Filipino online content creators on topics users are most interested in,” he adds.

About SnippetMEdia

Launched in 2016, SnippetMEdia is a state-of-the-art mobile app that gives users easy access to the world’s most trusted sources of information. The app gathers online content from more than a thousand local and international sources—such as ABS-CBN, GMA7, Inquirer, PhilStar, CNN, BBC and the Telegraph. What sets the app apart from other news aggregators is its ability to curate stories using Artificial Intelligence or AI that learns from user’s interaction with the app. 

SnippetMEdia is available on the Apple Store and Google Play Store.

Read more about us on www.snippetmedia.com and facebook.com/SnippetMEdiaApp/

and you can now download  http://snppt.io/Download-App-Now

Bianca Gonzalez bonds with Social Media

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TV host and model Bianca Gonzalez is really an influencer. She opinionates. She endorses. She tells stories.

Bianca is adept at using social media and is one of the most followed and watched in the online world in the Philippines. She has also put the power of social media to good use.

On social media, she bills herself as a storyteller. Bianca currently has 6.3 million followers on Twitter, 1.8 million followers on Instagram, and 2.7 million followers on her Facebook page. 

Is Bianca a millennial mom? Millennials, also known as Generation Y following Generation X. These present times, young and old peeps, as they call themselves, millenials always talk on anything under the sun. 

But for whatever, whenever, her feed shows a mix of her family life, her thoughts for the day, her home and travel tips, her observations on topics big and small. 

Married to basketball player JC Intal, Bianca is now at the "toddler stage" of her parenting journey. Bianca admits she still 21-month old daughter Lucia.

Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla, Toni Gonzaga - Soriano, Bianca Gonzalez - Intal

According to Bianca, with her best friends in showbiz, Toni Gonzaga - Soriano and Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla, talks always now about family matters, parenting and taking care of their babies. 

"Technology has changed the way parents raise their children. With the internet, parenting information is just a swipe away. And social media has made moms more connected than ever," says Bianca.

Social media definitely adds to the pressure moms feel, shared by Bianca. “Whenever I see posts it’s always the happy, beautiful, smiling, ‘this is the best thing ever’ side of motherhood. But on the first three months -- di ka pa naliligo, di ka kumakain on time. So I try to be more realistic about my posts kasi may culture shock, medyo may trauma talaga. I didn’t know what to expect,” she shared.

She is also known to post about issues that affect all of us: traffic, climate change, education, government, even food, beauty and or parenting. Sometimes she gets into a testy twitter exchange with netizens like when a twitter user tweeted: "So what if there is martial law"? An irked Bianca shared a video of martial law survivors who recounted their experiences on the regime. She admonished netizens not to joke about it, but also educated them on the difference of martial law then, and martial law now, under the 1987 Constitution. This, among many other topics she gets into, and sometimes gets into trouble with, all to share what she believes in.

She previously worked with different organizations for her advocacies, such as UNICEF for her work with children and early childhood education, and the Climate Change Commission to help spread awareness on environmental issues.

Bianca is media savvy. Beyond social media, she also writes a column for the Lifestyle section of the Philippine Star, and is the best-selling author of the book Paano Ba ‘To?! How To Survive Growing Up, which was released in 2014, but is still being posted about and sold in select stores today.

It is in this sphere of influence that Bianca is a favorite, a respected figure among advertisers who seek her endorsement for their products. 

Visa, for one. Bianca is the first Philippine endorser of Visa. Recently the multinational company partnered with Bianca to tell stories of how cashless transactions benefit a consumer. She was also recently launched as the first ever brand endorser of Sanicare, a mega brand that has been around for over two decades. She is also the face of Globe Telecom, Samsung Digital Appliances and Samsung TV (with husband JC Intal and Lucia), EQ Diaper and Johnson & Johnson (both with Lucia), and Glade. As one of the country's most seasoned hosts, she currently is at the helm of the entertainment news program Cinema News on Cinema One, which has been running for 9 years now, and the lifestyle show Modern Living on ANC, which is starting its 8th season this September.

A few weeks ago, she was a speaker at the #ThinkPH forum organized by Rappler where Bianca shared some thoughts on the use of social media: "You have to ask yourself: what is the effect on you of the people you follow? When it feels overwhelming, take a step back and log off for a bit." She also underscored the need for accountability and etiquette of social media users.

A lot of beautiful things are happening in Bianca's life—from family life to career—and she is just extremely thankful.

Bianca Gonzalez is managed by Asian Artists Agency.

For inquiries email info@asianartistsagency.com or call tel: (02) 405 4423 or (02) 855 4765

TV5's #WattpadPresents is back to capture our hearts this summer!

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TV5 presents a whole new level of kilig as it brings back a much better and kilig-filled “Wattpad Presents”.

TV5 has always been crafting different sets of entertaining television programs based on the audience’s interest. It can be attested in the wide range of genres that is being offered on TV5. There are seat-grabbing action series, enjoyable animated shows, amusing tagalized films or series.

Romantic, sweet, dreamy love stories are one of the major genres that people enjoy. May it be because of its heart-wrenching plot twists, unforgettable soundtracks, true to life lines or may it simply be because of its power to make people experience that electrifying feeling, best known and expressed as kilig. But you don’t always get to watch new romantic films on a daily basis, right? Well that’s about to change because TV5 will make your romantic wishes come true with the return of Wattpad Presents.

As the show returns to your television screens, be prepared for an all new exciting set of stories that everyone – especially millennials can surely relate to! May it be falling in love with a best friend, a love story with a dark twist or a love triangle, you name it, Wattpad Presents will have it. 

To make sure that every scene is created with the highest production value, episodes will be produced by production houses known for quality films and commercials – Unitel and Firestarter, to name a few. The comeback of Wattpad Presents will also feature more popular titles and authors from varied genres like rom-com, romance with a bit of action, and even romantic horror stories. 

To give you a glimpse of what’s in store for your Saturday Night Kilig Sesh sa Wattpad, here are the first four stories that will be featured: 

Ben Isaac, Kate Alejandrino and Sarah Carlos

(1) “Destined” written by Blue Maiden, which has reads of 22.4 M and the Wattys 2015 winner. The story involves a love triangle that will also leave a question to viewers “Who do you choose? The one you love or the one who loves?” 

Recently, during "WattpadPresents media conference,  TV5 introduced the the stars for the premiere episode, which promises to give everyone a “kilig” experience. The former theater actress Sarah Carlos as Kayla; Ben Isaac, who was dubbed as one of Chalk Magazine’s Hottest Male Celebs, as Kean; indie actress Kate Alejandrino as Krystal, and Candy Cutie Raphael Robes as Dwayne. 

Jaime Habac Jr.

Jaime Habac Jr., director of “Im drunk, I Love You”, will direct the premiere episode.

(2) “Just the Benefits” written by Beeyotch, which reached 28.9M reads. The story is about a power couple who still find themselves still drawn to each other after breaking up, so they’ve decided to keep it casual and just enjoy the benefits without any labels. 

(3) “Unlucky I’m in love with my Bestfriend” written by Stupidlyinlove, with 38.1 M reads and was published by Summit Pop Fiction. The story is about BFFs Zandra and Zendrick. As time goes by, Zandra finds herself falling in love with her bestfriend. 

(4) “Special Section” written by Onneechan, with 17.5 M reads. This is a story about a very controversial high school “Special Section” wherein strange series of events occurred with a romantic mix. 

Now go and get your Saturday Night Kilig Sesh fix as the all-new Wattpad Presents premieres on April 29, 9:00 PM only on TV5!

PCOO holds a milestone all media gathering on Social Media

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MANILA, Feb. 21 - The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) will be holding a milestone gathering of the country's influential media, communications, and public relations personalities on Thursday, February 23, at the Bahay ng Alumni, the University of the Philippines - Diliman in Quezon City.

The PCOO-initiated event, dubbed #AllMediaPH, aims to acknowledge the power of social media and present the draft Social Media Policy before various interest groups and industry stakeholders, which include the academe, students, bloggers, mainstream media, and those in the legal profession.

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, who will deliver the keynote address, is receptive to the idea of allowing social media practitioners, i.e., bloggers, to cover the Palace's activities.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte earlier granted the request of some bloggers and social media supporters to cover Palace events during their meeting with the Chief Executive in Malacanan.

Andanar acknowledged the role these bloggers played in disseminating information to the public.

"The bloggers come in because there is an evolution of the media and the bloggers always tell me about Article III, Section 4 of the Constitution," Secretary Andanar said, referring to the Bill of Rights on the freedom of speech and of expression.

This same Article, the PCO Chief said, has become his basis to consider giving bloggers media accreditation to cover the Palace's events.

Social media platforms have given their users a similar power of spreading information and forming public opinion, making it imperative for the government to consider social media and its platforms, alongside traditional media channels, in developing its communications strategy and communicating directly with the people.

Nonetheless, Andanar, being a former media personality, is aware of the difference between the mainstream media and the bloggers. "I'm from the media. We are accountable to our editors, accountable to our bosses, and that's the difference. And also the discipline," he said.

Andanar also underscored the fact that since bloggers work independently, they have different sets of standards.

"We're in interesting times wherein we are seeing bloggers with names become bigger than anyone... It's a phenomenon that we have to embrace, at the same time we also have to control," he said, pointing out that social media is a new way of disseminating information.

Hence, it is important, the PCO Chief said, that bloggers must have a personality, not anonymous so that they can be held accountable if they write something libelous.

Andanar is looking forward to talking and consult with resource persons and representatives of various sectors during the event in a bid to come up with a social media framework that is acceptable to all concerned.

Some of the event's important highlights include the presentation of draft Social Media Policy, knowing the stand and opinions of resource persons, and a plenary discussion. (PCOO)

Vivo and SM Supermalls Announce Christmas Season Treats for Consumers

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SM Supermalls and Vivo Philippines representatives during the Partnership Media launch event held at the SM Megamall on October 24, 2016. 

Vivo and SM Supermalls recently announce Christmas Season Treats for consumers! 

Starting November 4, mall-goers can expect great deals and fun activities from Vivo whenever they visit their nearest SM mall.

SM Supermalls and Vivo Philippines representatives during the Partnership Media launch event held at the SM Megamall on October 24, 2016. 

"We at Vivo recognize how deeply ingrained the Christmas season is in the Filipino culture, so much so that Filipinos start preparing for the festivities as early as September. This is why we chose to partner with SM Supermalls, which is an equally huge part of the Filipino tradition when it comes to the holidays. This will help us give mall-goers a more enjoyable experience in the coming months, and provide them with more avenues to get everything they need in their Christmas shopping list," said Vivo Brand Director Annie Lim.

Signing of contract for the partnership between Vivo and SM Supermalls

Vivo and retail giant SM Supermalls partnership and collaboration for the holiday season aims to provide consumers with an enhanced mall experience every time they visit SM malls through Christmas-themed displays from SM Supermalls and Vivo. 

Customers will also be able to join fun promos and activities in Vivo booths, including a contest where they can take a "Selfie with Santa" in selected SM malls and post them in Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter using the hashtag #VivoSantaSelfie for a chance to win 1 out of 20 Vivo smartphones this Christmas season.

Consumers can also avail of exclusive deals and freebies with every purchase of Vivo's latest smartphones in the booths throughout the holiday season.

This includes the Vivo V3Max, Vivo V3, and the Vivo Y51, as well as the recently-launched Vivo Y55 smartphone.

"We at SM Supermalls recognize the tradition of Filipino consumers who visit our malls during the holiday season to pick out well thought-of presents for their loved ones for Christmas. Our partnership with Vivo during the SM Cybermonth celebration has shown strong success and interest among mall-goers, and we're optimistic that our Christmas season partnership will provide consumers with a more meaningful celebration this year," said Shopping Center Management Corporation (SM Corp.) Senior Vice President, Jonjon San Agustin. 

More activities will be held in the coming weeks designed to provide consumers with great experiences whenever they visit an SM mall with their family. 

About Vivo

Vivo is a leading global smartphone brand focused on introducing products with professional-grade audio, extraordinary appearance, and a fast and smooth user experience. The company is committed to developing dynamic and stylish products for energetic and passionate young people. The company has retained its position as a top 5 global smartphone brand in the IDC Q2 2016 report.

For more tech and lifestyle news and updates please follow us on Facebook Enjoy Wonderful World .

“Change.Move.Achieve: Moving forward through Social Media” - AFP all geared up for 3rd Social Media Summit on July 15

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The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is all set to hold its 3rd Social Media Summit on July 15, 2016 at the AFP Theater in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

Spearheaded by Media and Civil Affairs Group (MCAG) and Civil-Military Operations School (CMO School) of the Civil Relations Service of the AFP (CRSAFP), the conference now on its 3rd year is scheduled to tackle current social media trends and issues as a tool to further enhance online engagement within the Armed Forces and key partner organizations.

With this year’s theme: “Change.Move.Achieve: Moving forward through Social Media”, the Summit is aimed at boosting and synergizing AFP’s online initiatives and strengthening nationalism and public service awareness through social media networks.

This one-day conference will cover issues on getting the most out of social media networks and its capabilities in nation building and how to utilize its potential and its relevance to the Philippine society in stewarding and synergizing online reputation management and strengthening nationalism and public service awareness through online presence.

One of the main topics that will be discussed is how did social media shape and affect the 2016 Philippine National Elections.

LTC MICHAEL T AQUINO (INF) PA, MCAG Commander, CRSAFP said: “We have been feeling the power of Social Media in recent years. We saw how Social Media technology has created an impact on the lives of many Filipinos even in the 2016 Philippine National Elections. With its fast-paced advancements and developments, it is high time for all of us, not only the AFP, to move forward through Social Media and utilize its power to achieve our personal and organizational goals.”

More than 1,200 participants (30% AFP, 20% PNP/BJMP/BFP, 30% from the public audience which includes students, working public, and academe, and 20% from other government agencies) are expected to attend this conference.

The event is co-presented by Smart Communications and HAIER Philippines. These organizations share the same value on the importance of social media in promoting the goals of their organizations.

“We have been part of the AFP’s social media summit since the beginning.  Not only because we are a partner of the AFP, but more importantly we share the AFP’s strategy of a connecting and engaging our stakeholders.  As more and more Filipinos connect to the Internet and with a new Administration in place, the 3rd AFP Social Media Summit could potentially be a powerful tool for developing the value of nationalism,” said Wo Rosete, Head of Public Affairs at Smart Communications. 

Invited participants in the conference include information officers from various units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Department of National Defense, the Philippine National Police, academic institutions and other government organizations and agencies. Non-government and civil-society organizations will also be invited.

BGEN RHODERICK M PARAYNO AFP, COMMANDER, CRSAFP said: “With about 50% of Filipinos actively engaging in Social Media networks and the enormous number of people around the world, the Internet has become not just an efficient tool for disseminating information but it has also become the most important venue for connecting to those we in the AFP serve. The 3rd AFP Social Media Summit will tackle how we can optimize the power of Social Media to connect for change while we actively move forward to achieve the AFP’s organizational goals related to public service.”

The 3rd AFP Social Media Summit will provide participants the opportunity to get insights on:

• Content Marketing and Social Media Benchmarks
• Organizing and Mobilizing Online Community
• Going Viral: Lessons for Creating Stories with Impact
• Bridging Generation Gaps and Social Media
• Shaping National Issues through Social Media
• Social Media and Countering Violent Extremism

The summit is open to all interested parties who want to know more about trends, developments and issues in Social Media, the effect of Social Media in organizations, and best practices in utilizing Social Media in spreading useful information to intended audience, among others. Interested parties may contact: 09265540787.

Event partners include Ardent Communications, DWDD Katropa Radio 1134 kHz, AFP General Insurance, AFP Theater, ACDI Multipurpose Cooperative, and PNP Police Community Relations Group.

Media partners include Philippine Bloggers Network, Llamadista TV, StyleList, Inquire.net, Newsbytes.ph, techTV.ph, TechBeat.ph, DigitalFilipina.com, and Spice.ph.

More information about the 3rd AFP Social Media Summit can be accessed at http://AFPSocialMediaSummit.dwdd.com.ph/.

Connect with AFP Social Media Summit on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/afpsms.

SMART announces free mobile live streaming of the inauguration of PH's first 'Social Media President’ via freenet

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Filipinos will be able to watch the livestreaming of the June 30 inauguration of Rodrigo Duterte as the 16th President of the Republic of the Philippines, on mobile and for free.

Smart, TNT and Sun subscribers nationwide will be able to do this using freenet, the free data platform of Voyager Innovations, the digital innovations unit of PLDT and Smart Communications (Smart), in cooperation with Cignal TV.

Subscribers only need to download the freenet mobile app from the Google Play Store or the SafeZone app from the Apple App Store to view the free mobile livestream of Duterte’s inauguration on June 30 and take part in the historic event no matter where they may be in the country.

The occasion also marks the launch of the new freenet brand for Voyager’s sponsored data platform, previously called SafeZone. Through freenet, users will continue to be able to access select apps and websites for free by downloading the freenet app on their phones and never worry about unintended data charges. About 70 brands and enterprises are already using the freenet platform to allow their users to access their sites and apps for free.

“Just a few weeks ago, we told our subscribers to ‘Welcome Change’. In the coming days, we’ll all be witness to the coming of that change as we welcome the new leader of our country. Smart is proud to enable Filipinos to digitally participate in this occasion using their mobile devices for FREE, through freenet,” said Ariel P. Fermin, executive vice president and head of consumer business at Smart and PLDT.

“At Voyager we see a future with no digital divide, with each and every Filipino able to take part in the emerging digital economy. Giving them free livestream access to the next President’s inauguration is a step in our pursuit toward digitally enabling our citizens from today and beyond, through game-changing digital initiatives such as the newly rebranded freenet” added Orlando B. Vea, President and CEO at Voyager Innovations.

‘Social Media President’

Widely dubbed as the country’s first-ever “Social Media President” for having fully utilized the power of social media during the elections, president-elect Duterte is expected to break tradition as he assumes the highest post in the land inside the Rizal Hall of Malacañang, instead of the usual bigger location at the Quirino Grandstand.

But despite having a more intimate venue, the incoming administration has vowed to let as many Filipinos witness the pivotal event with the aid of the same technology that helped Duterte get elected into office – social media.

With almost half of the country having access to the Internet via their mobile phones, millions of Filipinos are expected to tune in as the country welcomes a new President.

#TayoPH

Aside from Duterte’s inauguration, June 30 likewise marks “Social Media Day” all around the world. In the Philippines, the occasion will be marked with a community event led by TweetUp Manila at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura Premier in Taguig City, a celebration supported by Smart, Voyager Innovations and PayMaya Philippines.

With the theme “#TayoPH,” the event sets forth a reminder that social media can be used to bridge, to give a voice and to empower citizens--the way it did during the last elections.

“With the most digitally engaged elections we have witnessed so far, we have seen people use social media to advance their causes but also, sadly, to put down others with a different point of view,” added Voyager Innovations Chief Operating Officer Benjie Fernandez. “As we witness the coming of change promised by the new President, let us also remember the critical role of social media and digital innovations for social good and the socio-economic development of our fellow Filipinos.”

Through game-changing digital platforms such as freenet, Fernandez said Voyager Innovations aids in the digital and financial inclusions of Filipinos with the help of technology. Among the areas of digital life that its platforms and services are enabling include financial technology, digital commerce, rich mobile marketing, digital payments and next-generation communications.