Smart announces postpaid plans for iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c

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Philippine mobile leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) announced it will offer iPhone 5s, the most forward-thinking smartphone in the world, and iPhone 5c, the most colorful iPhone yet, to customers beginning November 15, 2013.

Launching its online reservation and service application page (www.smart.com.ph/iPhone), Smart revealed today that it is offering its widest range of postpaid plans for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c – giving subscribers flexible options to easily own the latest iPhones with the country’s most advanced mobile service network and widest LTE coverage.

“Our subscribers have been keenly anticipating our iPhone plans. The good news is we’re offering a wide range of choices so they can select the plan that will best suit their lifestyle and let them experience the full capabilities of their phone – whether they need fast web browsing, extensive multimedia streaming or frequent use of data-driven applications.” said Kathy Carag, head of Smart’s postpaid business group.

The iPhone 5s (16GB, 32GB, 64GB) and iPhone 5c (16GB, 32GB) will be offered under Smart Postpaid’s Freedom Plan, All-In Plans 500, 800, 1200, 1800 and 2500; iPhone Plans 999 and 2499; and UnliData Plans 1500, 2000 and 3000. Subscribers can enjoy premium perks and services when they avail of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c with Smart Infinity Plans 3500, 5000 and 8000.

Subscribers can get any color of the iPhone 5c (16 GB) for only P1,499 a month with the iPhone Plan 999 (P999 monthly service fee plus P500 device amortization via credit card). iPhone Plan 999 already comes with 40 free call minutes, 100 free SMS and unlimited data connection.

For those who need more free voice and text credits, the iPhone 5c (16 GB) can be availed with an UnliData Plan 1500 with a P2,500 cash-out. The UnliData Plan 1500 comes with unlimited data connection plus 60 free all-net minutes and 120 free all-net SMS.

Meanwhile, those interested in the iPhone 5s can get the 16GB model for only P1,799 a month with the iPhone Plan 999 (P999 monthly service fee plus P800 device amortization via credit card). 

The iPhone 5s (16GB) is also available at UnliData Plan 2000 with a P2,500 cash-out. UnliData Plan 2000 comes with unlimited data connection plus 150 free all-net minutes and 200 free all-net SMS.

For Smart Infinity subscribers, the iPhone 5s (16GB) at Plan 5000 comes with 2 VIP tickets to Wicked or PhP14,000 worth of gift certificates. Plan 8000 subscribers meanwhile get both the iPhone 5s (32GB) and iPhone 5C (16GB).

“We are very excited to offer the most forward-thinking and the most-colorful iPhones to our subscribers. With Smart’s flexible postpaid plan selections and unbeatable LTE-powered network, we’re committed to bringing the best iPhone experience to Filipinos who want superior network service in order to get the most from their devices,” added Carag.

Carag said that exclusive offers await those who will subscribe to Smart’s iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c packages on November 15th. She added that existing Smart Postpaid subscribers who wish to subscribe to an iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c package but are still under contract may opt for Smart’s WipeOut program where they can upgrade to an iPhone without waiting for their active contract to expire.

The complete Smart Prepaid and Smart Postpaid pricing details for the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c are as follows:

Customers can sign-up starting today at www.smart.com.ph/iPhone. For more information please visit www.smart.com.ph. 

For information on iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c packages for Smart Infinity, 

please visit smart.com.ph/infinity. 

For more information on iPhone, please visit: www.apple.com/iphone.

Hostess Entertainment Unlimited partners with Ivory Music & Video

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Originating in Japan, the leading pan-Asian independent music company Hostess Entertainment (Hostess) has upped its game in the Philippines, focusing its pan-Asian operations in Singapore headed up by new Label Manager Nikki Mahmood-Chee and simultaneously beginning a progressive partnership locally with Ivory Music & Video, the exclusive licensee and distributor of Sony Music in the Philippines.

Formed in 2000 in Tokyo, Hostess has quietly grown over the years that followed to be the largest western music label beneath the majors, and since 2011 has been gradually developing its operations across the Asian continent. With a next generation business model that focuses on artists and fans, and the engagement between the 2, Hostess has built a unique reputation as the home of the very best artists and labels from around the world for Japan and Asia. 

From it’s representation of leading labels such as XL, 4AD, Domino, Jagjaguwar / Secretly Canadian, Merge, PIAS, Rough Trade and Matador, handling artists the calibre of Adele, The National, Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, Bon Iver, 2ManyDJs/Soulwax, Mogwai, Belle & Sebastian and Queens of the Stone Age, to it’s pioneering artist direct relationships that see the likes of Radiohead, Beck, Sonic Youth, Atoms for Peace, Four Tet, Travis and Bloc Party release region-wide via Hostess, it is a brand synonymous with quality control and the very best in new music.

The new partnership with Ivory Music kicks off with the recently released Travis album "Where You Stand", and follows that up quickly with releases from the likes of Four Tet, DARKSIDE whilst also making available many of the finest recent albums by the likes of The National, Vampire Weekend, Atoms for Peace, Savages, Kurt Vile, Daughter, Youth Lagoon, Sigur Ros, The xx and many many more.

It is anticipated that the unique live series "Hostess Club Weekender" which for the past 2 years has become a permanent and hugely popular fixture in the Japanese live calendar, presenting a smorgasbord of Hostess artists every 4 months will, as part of the gradual regional expansion, land in the Philippines next year as well. The series, which presents artists big and small, in a refreshingly simple music-heavy format has been quietly growing into countries outside Japan over the past year and with previous HCW programs featuring artists of the calibre of Vampire Weekend, Dirty Projectors, Travis, Bloc Party, Hot Chip, Spiritualized, Dinosaur Jr as well as introducing the likes of Toro Y Moi, Youth Lagoon, Anna Calvi, Deap Valley, Villagers, Fidlar and Perfume Genius to Asian fans for the first time, it plays a crucial role in the process of connecting fans to the music.

"I’m very happy we’ve been able to upgrade both our own presence in Asia with Nikki’s experience, knowledge and overall right vibe the perfect way forward for us in the region, whilst also upgrading our local partnership to Ivory Music. Steven has a great team around him and an unrivalled track record in the Philippine music business as an innovative and positive force that can only help Hostess deliver on its commitment to bring artists and fans closer together in the country. As fans of the very artists and music we present, everyone involved in this process really understands what we need to do, and I’m very excited to see how far we can go." Andrew Lazonby, Hostess Founder & CEO

"As we all know, music has been an integral part of the Filipino culture and we, at Ivory Music & Video, have been witness to it. We are more than excited to work with Hostess in delivering an extraordinary music experience to their Filipino fans.” Steven L. Tan, Ivory Music & Video President

"I'm thrilled to be part of the Hostess team after being a fan for such a long time, and can't wait to get stuck in the process of introducing as well as connecting music fans to our artists and their music!" Nikki Mahmood-Chee, Hostess Label Manager, Asia

On the game show that trended worldwide… BABIES FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY PLAY ON ‘BET ON YOUR BABY’

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It’s time for babies from simple families from all over the country to join in on the fun in ABS-CBN’s cutest game show, “Bet On Your Baby,” as it opens the doors of the baby dome to all regular contestants this Saturday (Nov 9). 

The game show trended on Twitter for three weeks straight. Aside from its success on social media, “Bet On Your Baby” also won in the TV ratings game, garnering 27.6% as opposed to its rival program on GMA 7, which accumulated 15.5%, according to data from Kantar Media. 

In the upcoming episode of “Bet On Your Baby,” taking part in the three game rounds are Baby Tino Magallano with his parents Luther and Cristina from Quezon City;

Baby Tino

Baby Pipo Praxedes whose mother sells homemade hamburgers, 

Baby Pipo

and Baby Jia Navales with her parents who are in the business of sound systems. 

Baby Jia

Also having recently started is “Bet On Your Baby’s” “Selfie Ni Baby Photo Contest” on the show’s Facebook page, wherein Kapamilya parents or guardians can attach cute photos of their babies along with messages, including their names and addresses. 

Don’t miss out on “Bet On Your Baby” on Saturdays after “TV Patrol Weekend” on ABS-CBN.

For updates, visit and like “Bet On Your Baby” on Facebook ( www.facebook.com/betonyourbabyph ) 

and follow @betonyourbabyph on Twitter or betonyourbabyphilippines on Instagram. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #BetOnYourBabyPH.

Kat de Castro: A mother vigilant against dengue

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Broadcast journalist Kat de Castro as a host of the long-running travel show Trip na Trip where she was able to explore the most scenic and remotest part of the Philippines, she had sampled an array of insect repellent lotions to protect her from insect bites each time she was roughing it up in the mountains or having an adventure by the sea. 

Kat de Castro rushed daughter Khloe to the hospital upon a suspicion of dengue, which actually proved true. Now, the broadcast journalist, aware that dengue has four strains, is taking all actions to free her surroundings from potential mosquito breeding grounds and consistently applies an insect repellent lotion like Green Cross.

Kat noticed that her nine-year-old daughter Khloe—an exuberant, active and outdoor-loving child—was falling ill and burning with fever, she immediately rushed her to the hospital. The doctors diagnosed the illness dengue in its early stage. “It’s a good thing naagapan kaagad,” Kat says. “We found out that she contracted it from her school. That was the time I decided that she should wear an insect repellent even when just going to school.”

Kat found an ally in Green Cross Insect Repellent Lotion Gentle Protect, which is clinically proven to be safe for a child’s skin and offers protection against insect bites (specifically against the dreaded dengue-lamok) for up to eight hours. 

“Green Cross is a brand that we have known for generations already,” she says. “Even my mom and my dad use it. When I found out that the company has an insect repellent lotion, hindi ka na magdadalawang-isip eh. You are assured that you are protected at walang magiging problema kasi trusted brand.”

Broadcast journalist and adventure-seeker Kat de Castro discovered Green Cross Insect Repellent Lotion Active Protect which, she says, is “hiyang” to her. In her travels around the country, she carries a bottle so she can be protected from insect bites, especially those of dengue-lamok for up to 10 hours.

“With the other insect repellants I’ve tried, what I noticed was I became allergic mismo doon sa product,” she says. “So far, Green Cross is very hiyang to me and hiyang to my daughter’s skin considering na our skin is sensitive. Green Cross is the one na pinaka-OK and something that I can recommend to other travelers or trippers as well.”

Kat also likes the fact that both the Gentle Protect and Active Protect variants of Green Cross Insect Repellent Lotion have a clean, fresh smell. “When you put an insect repellent, ang gusto mo lang ma-repel eh yung insect at hindi ikaw o ibang tao,” she says. “You still want to smell mabango and not amoy gamot.” 

Another draw of the product for Kat is that it’s long-lasting. Active Protect offers up to 10 hours of protection, which is perfect for her line of work, where she has to be outdoors very often. Gentle Protect, on the other hand, boasts up to 8 hours of light and non-greasy protection. With twice-a-day application, Gentle Protect essentially provides round-the-clock assurance against bites from dengue-lamok.

Aware that dengue has four viral strains and that having it doesn’t immunize oneself from contracting it again, Kat has become more vigilant than ever—both for her and her daughter’s health. She regularly removes all sources of stagnant water, checks vases for kiti-kiti and has her house fumigated.

With mom and dad having used Green Cross products for many years, Kat de Castro says that she has peace of mind when applying Green Cross Insect Repellent Lotion Gentle Protect on her nine-year-old daughter Khloe. Now, mother and daughter enjoy the tender protection of Green Cross Insect Repellent Lotion.

While she has taken extra precautionary measures against dengue, Kat says she still allows Khloe to have the full benefit of being outside in the sun and the elements. “She’s outdoorsy,” Kat says of her daughter. “She loves the beach. She can stay in the beach for three days and she won’t get bored. She’s not much into toys and she can live without gadgets. I make her a nature-lover as much as possible.

The only difference now is that she always keeps a bottle of Green Cross Insect Repellent Lotion Gentle Protect handy. “You have to choose the best insect repellent for your kid, something that won’t harm their skin, and Green Cross can do that,” she advises fellow mothers. “Be knowledgeable and vigilant about dengue and use the best product for your family.”

DepEd: All systems go for ASEAN schools golf tourney

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It is all systems go for the ASEAN Schools Games (ASG) Golf Championship to be hosted by the Philippines in November. This activity aims to further “cement the bond of sportsmanship and cultural exchange among student-athletes in South East Asia.” 

Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro FSC said that all the necessary preparations and logistic support to ensure the smooth conduct of the annual ASG are in place. 

“We are confident that we can successfully host this event with the full support of our partners from the government and the private sector.”

 

DepEd, the Philippine agency overseeing the ASEAN sports meet, has recently inked an agreement with the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Foundation to co-manage the staging of the golf leg of the region-wide sporting event.

The ASG Golf Championship will be held on November 25 to 29 at the Splendido Taal Golf Club. The governing council of the ASG has recently held a Chef-de-Mission meeting at the venue to check the on-going preparations and clarify any concerns.

This early, the delegation from Thailand has expressed appreciation for the preparations being put in place.” The golf venue is beautiful, the food, the hotel and hospitality are all very good.”

Another Thai delegate said: “The golf course has strong winds unlike in my country that is why I believe this is going to be an exciting tournament.”

Education Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali, who is directly in charge of tournament preparations, said that DepEd is ready to host the event and is looking forward to hosting the full ASG next year, “This ASG golf tournament will serve as a practice run for the full ASEAN Schools Games, which the Philippines will be hosting next year.”

      

The Philippines, through DepEd, is an active member of the ASEAN Schools Sports Council, which conducts the annual ASG. It aims to enhance friendship among students around the ASEAN region and provide opportunities for school athletes to engage in sports and cultural exchange.