SM Supermalls joins businesses, media groups, for Ingat Angat Bakuna Lahat campaign

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Integrates safe malling efforts, sets up vaccination sites to boost PH’s vaccination drive

SM Supermalls allied with the country’s top businesses and media groups to help build up vaccine confidence during a press conference and launch held via Zoom last Friday, May 14.

SM continues its multi-mall vaccination program in partnership with several LGUs nationwide.

IN PHOTO. Front liners get vaccinated at SM Center Pulilan

Called “Ingat Angat Bakuna Lahat”, the private sector-led multimedia campaign aims to boost the country’s COVID-19 vaccine drive by highlighting the benefits of getting vaccinated. Under the campaign, SM Supermalls, along with its campaign partners, will focus on helping build confidence in the available COVID-19 vaccines, sustain the momentum for vaccine demands, and ensure the completion of doses.

According to SM Supermalls President Steven Tan, over 37 SM malls nationwide are being used as vaccination sites, contributing to over 50,000 Filipinos being vaccinated in its communities. As of this writing, the number of participating SM malls have increased to over 40 with more than 90,000 vaccinated. Numbers continue to grow, with Megamall’s and MandaVaxx opening a 2,000 capacity Mega Vaccination Center at the mall's Mega Trade Hall yesterday.

SM Supermalls president Steven Tan

Only 2 weeks ago, SM also launched the Giga Vaccination Center of Pasay City at the Mall of Asia that can accommodate more than 2,000 persons a day. “We are happy to provide support, a comfortable and safe venue, as well as vital backup generators needed for cold chain storage of the vaccines in case of power outages,” Tan furthered.

SM and Pasay City join hands to open Giga Vaccination Center at the Galeon in MOA Complex as part of its “Vacc to the Future” program that can accommodate 2,000 persons per day.

Senior citizens get vaccinated at the MandaVax Mega Vaccination Center located at Mega trade Hall in SM Megamall.

Tan also affirmed SM’s full commitment to make the campaign a complete success. “This program will benefit our families and loved ones, and will mean the full reopening of our restaurants, shops, and services, and ultimately, the rebounding of MSME partners in particular and our economy, in general,” said Tan.

In addition to this, Jon Jon San Agustin, senior vice president for Marketing at SM Supermalls said that the 76 malls of SM have continued to provide support to the program to help reduce hesitancy and to strengthen willingness amongst Filipinos. He mentioned that the mall chain will integrate the Ingat Angat Bakuna Lahat initiative in its already established #SafeMallingAtSM campaign to further strengthen the need to keep the public aware.

SM Supermalls senior vice president for Marketing Jon Jon San Agustin

“To further educate our people on the vaccines’ facts and benefits and to be able to reach out and encourage everyone to participate, we are glad to share that we have close to 300 digital screens in our malls that will be displaying the various campaign materials. Moreover, we will share the message to our 30 million strong followers on social media and also utilize our 16 million direct marketing assets," Agustin said.

To know more about SM Supermalls’ efforts to combat COVID-19, check out www.smsupermalls.com or, you can visit https://www.ingat-angat.com/ to download COVID-19 vaccine toolkit and other relevant materials which can further drive up vaccine confidence in PH.

Nominations open for the 2021 Women’s Empowerment Principles Awards in the Philippines

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Manila, Philippines – UN Women returns with its annual Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Awards, which honor companies operating in the Philippines for their achievements in advancing gender equality in business. Organized by the UN Women programme WeEmpowerAsia, the WEPs Awards is now accepting nominations from May 31 to July 31. The WeEmpowerAsia programme, funded by the European Union, promotes women’s participation and leadership in the workplace, marketplace, and community.

Nominees will compete in six categories: Leadership Commitment; Gender-inclusive Workplace; Gender-responsive Marketplace; Community Engagement and Partnerships; Transparency and Reporting; and Youth Leadership for Generation Equality. The latter three categories are new to this year’s awards. Also new are three Champion titles for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

“As we now welcome more WEPs signatories than before, we are excited to work with new allies in the private sector,” said UN Women Philippines Programme Manager Ma Rosalyn Mesina. “We found great success with our collaborations with the winner’s pool last year. We look forward to an even more productive 2021 for gender equality!”

“The business case is clear,” according to Boots Garcia, co-chair of the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE), a partner of UN Women in the Philippines. “Embedding these concepts in corporate sustainability and governance, and business strategies will lead to quantifiable and positive results in attracting and sustaining the best talent in the market, increasing shareholder value, and promoting innovation,” Garcia said at the launch event and info session held online on 25 May.

Diverse participation

WeEmpowerAsia received more than 400 nominations from 17 countries for the inaugural WEPs Awards in 2020.

Katrina Chan, Executive Director of QBO Innovation Hub in the Philippines, which won in the Youth Leadership category last year, said: “The Awards was an amazing opportunity for QBO, a young startup, to network with established organizations that share our vision. Attaining this recognition raises our profile around the efforts to ensure equal gender representation in tech becomes the norm.”

“We wanted to push ourselves to do more and to inspire others to do the same. It makes business sense to empower women on all levels and all fronts,” added Jonah De Lumen-Pernia, Director for Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability of Coca-Cola Philippines, winner of the Community and Industry Engagement category.

This year’s awards are supported by Investing in Women (IW), an initiative of the Australian Government, together with PBCWE and the Indonesia Business Coalition for Women’s Empowerment (IBCWE). IW aims to create enabling environments for women’s economic empowerment towards a more gender-equal world. The IW-supported PBCWE and IBCWE work with leading companies in the Philippines and Indonesia to introduce gender equality strategies and tools, enabling a more diverse workforce and the associated benefits to companies, employees, and wider society.

 

Save the date

The national WEPs Awards ceremony in the Philippines will be hosted by WeEmpowerAsia on 15 October 2021. All nominees will be eligible for the regional awards to be announced on 18 November 2021.

Nominations for the 2021 WEPs Awards are being accepted until Bangkok midnight on 31 July 2021

Nominate your business now! www.asiapacificwepsawards.org

 

Stay safe at home with GCash! Your new super life app that keeps you connected, even with essentials

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Pay bills, manage expenses and shop for essentials using super life app GCash

We’re not going to lie but working and staying at home as far as it's been has definitely got its own ups and downs. One of which is the struggle to successfully stay safe at home while making sure your essentials are fully stocked and ready. We’ve been told many times to avoid crowded spaces, and try ordering food in through delivery apps, but sometimes even the latter gets a little confusing - with so many apps to juggle and run through, we’re glad that GCash provides us with the option to have one super life app to pay your bills, manage your expenses and now shop for all your essentials in just one touch with GLife!

1. Delicious food. Fast food or fine dining? 

From Italian pasta to burgers and fries, all these and more can be delivered to your home through GLife. Craving for your favorite pasta? Click on Mama Lou’s Italian cuisine or if you need something fast and filling, select McDonald’s. For desserts, go for Goldilocks then cap off your meal with coffee from Bo’s Coffee or Gong Cha milk tea.

2. Hygiene kits. 

Good hygiene is our first line of defense. Keep your home and loved ones safe by purchasing alcohol, soap, sanitizers, disinfectant sprays and more at PureGo on GLife and have it safely delivered to you on the same day.

3. Pantry needs. PureGo, also offers affordable grocery items. 

They have all your pantry needs like fruits and vegetables, snacks, dairy products, and more. Chingolo Deli can even provide your fresh meat needs. Also, be sure to catch the exclusive promos and discounts for online shoppers on GLife.

4. Ready-to-eat homecooked meals. 

If you’re craving for food that tastes like mom prepared it for you, you can just order that too. GLife’s partner store, Kitchen City, offers rice meals with your favorite ulam. No hassle ─ just reheat and eat!

5. Fab hair care. Healthy hair is an indication that our body is healthy, too. 

Make your quarantine hair as fabulous as ever for non-stop online meetings and huddle. With HairMNL’s exclusive packages and discounts on hair care products, your crowning glory will be surely healthy and beautiful!

6. Books galore. Books can keep you entertained during these times of isolation. 

Reading books can be your way to escape the problems and stress of life and this pandemic. Not to mention, they’re a great way to learn new things to advance your career or improve your personal life. Grab the best books from Fully Booked with GLife.

7. Comfy active wear. 

The pandemic isn’t an excuse to skip your workouts. If anything, now it’s more important than ever to keep your body healthy and active. Motivate yourself to exercise with great activewear from Recess.

8. Exciting games. 

Reward your hard work by purchasing the latest games with exclusive deals via GLife’s exclusive partner, Datablitz, Goama Games and GameOne. On GLife, you can conveniently order online games that you have been eyeing for a while. Pre-orders are also accepted for the newest games.

9. Cocktails. 

Missing those Friday nights out with your friends? Send them these Boozy drinks and get that online party started! Boozy is a 90-minute liquor delivery process within Metro Manila available on GLife.

10. Latest gadgets. 

Get an exclusive pass on discounted Cherry gadgets via GLife’s Cherry Shop. From mobile devices to tablets to even air fryers, these can all be purchased through GLife. Check out the hot deals on GLife’s Cherry Shop.

Not yet on GCash? Download the GCash app for free on Google Play for Android, Apple Store for iPhone and iPad users, or Huawei Gallery and shop all your essentials conveniently and safely on GLife.

How 4G LTE saved tourism and online learning in Donsol, Sorsogon

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Just like any coastal town in the county, most people in Donsol, Sorsogon rely on the sea for their livelihood. The sea gives them fish and the magnificent butandings or whale sharks to earn their keep. These gentle giants were responsible for giving Donsol monikers and accolades such as the Best Animal Interaction in Asia and Whale Shark Capital of the World.

But when the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged most countries in the world, Donsol also felt its impact not only on the safety of its residents but also on their major source of income.

With quarantine protocols, physical distancing and travel restrictions in effect for more than a year now, tourists who came by boatloads before became so few and eventually stopped coming to Donsol. The town’s tourism suffered.

Elmer Quizon, a tourist guide for whale watchers for the last 18 years, was among those who lost his main source of income.

“Talagang bagsak ang turismo dito, halos walang turistang pumupunta. Mabuti ang isang araw may lumabas na isang bangka. Biruin mo dati-rati 30 boats at a time, ngayon kadalasan no boat,” he said.

Quizon, however, found an alternative opportunity to help his family survive the economic difficulties brought upon by the pandemic: digital tourism. He found out that there is a large market for video footage and pictures of whale sharks. Clips of butandings gracefully swimming of Donsol waters are very popular to vloggers, editing houses and even ordinary people who can’t get enough of butanding materials.

There is just one problem though for Quizon.

“In demand talaga ngayon ang digital tourism kaya na-engganyo ako ngayon na bumili ng camera, taking videos and pictures of butanding. Ang problema lang ngayon, napakahina ng internet dito,” he explained.

Using an old 3G network, even teachers like Christopher Bakunawa found it hard to respond properly to his students.

“Kaya namin gawin lahat para sa mga estudyante para matuto sila. Kaya namin ituro lahat. Ready kami parati sa mga modules, sa lahat ng ituturo namin. Yun nga lang dahil sa kahinaan ng signal, hirap na hirap kaming ibigay yun sa kanila,” he lamented.

Things changed when Globe completed its upgrade of eight sites in Barangay Ogod, Poso Poblacion and Dancalan The upgrade ushered in a new standard in mobile data, 4G LTE in Donsol which improved internet speed in the town by at least 300% compared to April last year.

With the latest technology, Globe customers in Donsol now have access to high-speed internet, clearer calls and a stable mobile network. These things give so much hope to Quizon, Bakunawa and all residents of the town.

“Dati-rati ang signal dito 3G lang, ngayon 4G na. Kikita na ako ng maganda ngayon at the same time baka maging vlogger pa,” said Quizon.

In order to fully enjoy the benefits of the 4G LTE, Globe customers in Donsol were asked to replace their old 3G SIM cards with the 5G-ready 4G LTE SIMs and their mobile devices to 4G LTE capable ones.

“Kumpara sa 3G, itong 4G sobrang laki ng benefits na ibinibigay sa aming mga teachers kasi nagagawa namin lahat ng kailangang gawin sa pagtuturo at naibibigay namin yung lessons nang maayos sa aming mga estudyante, na naiintindihan ng mga estudyante. Kumpara dun sa 3G na sobrang bagal, sobrang nagba-buffer, at sobrang delayed na naibibigay ang information sa aming mga estudyante. Salamat 4G sa malaking tulong na naibigay lalo na sa online teaching at pagtuturo sa ating mga estudyante,” Bakunawa added.

The improved customer experiences in Donsol has prompted other parts of Sorsogon to call for more installations and network expansion.

In Casiguran town, Mayor Edwin Jamor says better connectivity and technology will enable his constituents to continue to earn and for young people to learn even if they are at home.

“Nabago ang buhay ng mga tao dahil sa teknolohiya. Bumilis ang takbo kaya lang may mga portion dito sa Sorsogon na hindi na kinaya o inabot ng mga teknolohiya na magagamit sana nila. Malaking bagay na lahat ng komunikasyon ay ma-improve,” he said.

Globe will do just that as the telco eyes to expand its network not only in Sorsogon but in the rest of the Bicol region this year. The company has completed site expansion in 23 locations all over the province this year alone.

“We are making the pivot to bring connectivity to where it is needed the most, to areas and locations where a strong, reliable, and accessible internet will make the difference between the survival or further hardships to our kababayans. These are our primary aspirations and we will deliver them. We must because we know how challenging the new normal is and we care,” said Joel Agustin, Globe Senior Vice President for Program Delivery, Network Technical Group.

To enjoy these improved services, customers all over the country who are still using 3G SIM cards must change to the 5G-ready 4G LTE SIMs now. Globe assures customers who will switch to the new standard of mobile data that their numbers will remain unchanged when they do so. If quarantine protocols in their respective areas allow, customers can go to the nearest Globe Store to change their SIM cards for FREE. 

For more information, please go to https://www.globe.com.ph/help/mobile-internet/lte/faqs.html. Customers are also encouraged to update their handsets to 4G LTE devices for better mobile data experience.

Customers who wish to upgrade their mobile devices can also check all Globe stores to see the affordable and available 5G-ready 4G/LTE capable mobile devices.

Globe strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) particularly UN SDG No. 9 that highlights the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development.

To know more about Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph.

Win Over ₱15 Million Worth of Prizes and Catch Rising K-Pop Act Treasure at Shopee’s 6.6-7.7 Mid-Year Sale TV Special

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Meanwhile, shoppers can enjoy free shipping, daily ₱1 deals, and 20% cashback at the 6.6-7.7 Mid-Year Salle

MANILA, JUNE 2, 2021 - Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, invites everyone to enjoy exciting deals, prizes, and performances at the Shopee 6.6-7.7 Mid-Year Sale TV Special, Shopee’s biggest TV Show to date. Filipinos can watch the fiesta themed-celebration, broadcast live from Araneta Coliseum, by tuning in to GMA-7 and Shopee Live on June 6, 2:00-3:30 PM. Until July 7, users can also enjoy free shipping, daily ₱1 deals, up to 20% cashback, and more at Shopee’s 6.6-7.7 Mid-Year Sale.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “Shopee welcomes the second half of the year with a bang as we launch the Shopee 6.6-7.7 Mid-Year Sale. We’re proud of all the milestones we’ve achieved in the first half of the year, and starting with this campaign, we look forward to reaching new ones. With our supersized 6.6-7.7 Mid-Year Sale and TV Special, Shopee aims to spread joy to Filipinos, cater to their needs, and remain a valued partner to our brands and sellers.”

Here are the highlights of the Shopee 6.6-7.7 Mid-Year Sale TV Special:

●       Over ₱15 million worth of prizes

During the TV Special, viewers can catch three Shopee Shake sessions, where they can win either ₱300,000 and a Chery Tiggo 2; ₱500,000 and a Chery Tiggo 2; or a BMW X3. One lucky Shopee Milyonaryo winner can also claim the ₱1,000,000 jackpot prize, plus a house and lot sponsored by Frontrow. Aside from cash prizes and giveaways, viewers can claim over ₱7,000,000 worth of vouchers from Shopee.

●       Exciting appearances from local and international celebrities

K-Pop fans can tune in to the star-studded TV Special to watch Korea’s hottest rising boy group, Treasure, as they perform hits such as “I Love You,” “MMM,” and “My Treasure.” Viewers can also catch local celebrities such as Shopee brand ambassador Willie Revillame, who will also be hosting the show; Jennylyn Mercado; Rhian Ramos; Michele Gumabao; Glaiza de Castro; Mikael Daez; Mark Herras; Gloc-9; Sef Cadayona; Skusta Clee; Flow G; Mark Maglasang; and finally John Lloyd Cruz, who is set to make his TV comeback since his hiatus in 2017.

●       Big promotions from leading brands

Shoppers should stay tuned during the show to enjoy exclusive flash deals from go-to household, food, and tech brands such as Huawei, Reckitt, GSK, Pampers, Domino's, Bonchon, Century, SC Johnson, OPPO, Potato Corner, Globe, Smart, and Moonleaf.

 

Shopee 6.6-7.7 Mid-Year Sale

Users can enjoy free shipping with no minimum spend, daily ₱1 deals, and 20% cashback on several categories at Shopee 6.6-7.7 Mid-Year Sale, which runs until July 7.

Shoppers can look forward to discounts up to 90% off on brands such as:

●       P&G Beauty

●       Olay

●       NIVEA Philippines

●       Abbott Philippines

●       Equal Philippines

●       Maybelline

●       Akari Lighting Philippines

●       Del Monte

●       Mentos and Chupa Chups

●       Colgate-Palmolive

●       Havaianas Philippines

●       Unilever Beauty

●       OPPO

●       vivo

●       Enfagrow

●       GSK

●       Deerma Official Store

●       Eufy

●       Soundcore

●       Tough Mama Appliances

●       INSPI

●       Shigetsu

●       Mikana

●       Organic Skin

●       Silver Kingdom

●       Lucky Silver

●       Crown Jewelry

●       Colourette

●       Revlon

●       Kleenfant

●       INSPI Kids

●       Organic

●       Crown

●       The SM Store

●       Ida Wallpaper

●       Nestle

●       Xiaomi

Shoppers can also easily top up their ShopeePay wallets through their debit cards and other convenient channels to enjoy more promotions such as:

●       A chance to win ₱20,000 by topping up a minimum of ₱300 on June 5

●       Free shipping with no minimum spend and up to 66% coins cashback on June 6

●       ₱10 worth of data for only ₱1 on June 6

●       Up to 25% cashback on bills payment

●       ₱1 Deals from brands such as McDonald’s, Jollibee, Chowking, and more

For more information on the Shopee 6.6-7.7 Mid-Year Sale, visit https://shopee.ph/m/6-6.