#FreeFBisBack - Enjoy a wonderful browsing experience with no strings attached! Globe eyes dominance in mobile data business with return of Free Facebook offer

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Free Facebook is Back! You can now enjoy unlimited Free Facebook, no strings attached! The promo runs until November 30, 2014.

Globe Telecom is looking to dominate its mobile data business with a substantial growth of its mobile data user base with the return of its Free Facebook offer, giving its postpaid, prepaid, and TM customers access to Facebook at zero data charges and without Wi-Fi needed.

Globe will progressively roll-out access to the social networking site to its over 43 million mobile customers beginning Friday, October 3, 2014 to Sunday, October 5, 2014, responding to the overwhelming demand for the service which allowed users to enjoy free access to the social networking site and superior browsing experience. 

Free Facebook can be accessed on feature phones and smartphones across all Facebook mobile platforms whether via the Facebook app or Facebook's mobile site m.facebook.com. There are no restrictions on the megabyte (MB) allocation per day to access the site and no maintaining balance is required for prepaid customers. 

With Free Facebook, customers need not purchase any data plan to avail of the promo, and will only be required to register once to enjoy Free Facebook all they want. Those who subscribed to Free Facebook previously and did not opt-out do not need to register to the offer.

“We are excited to announce another wonderful Globe surprise to our over 43 million mobile customers, the return of our much-anticipated Free Facebook offer. With our better and bigger Free Facebook, customers enjoy all-you-want access without any MB cap, no daily registration needed, and no maintaining balance. Globe users can enjoy sharing, liking & posting on Facebook for free. Only from Globe, the network that gives you a wonderful browsing experience and access to your digital lifestyle with no limitations and no strings attached,” says Globe Chief Operating Advisor Peter Bithos. 

To register to the Free Facebook offer, customers can text FREEFB to 8888 for free information and they will receive a text message with a link to open to start accessing Facebook for free. 

All Globe prepaid and postpaid customers to enjoy a wonderful browsing experience with no strings attached.

As the leader in innovation to serve the digital lifestyle of its customers with breakthrough mobile data offers powered by its modernized network now with 100% 3G coverage nationwide, Globe launched its Free Facebook offer in October last year with an aim to seed the habit of mobile browsing on its expanded 3G and 4G networks, doubling the telco’s mobile data user base.

Philippines is Destination of the Year 2014

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The Philippines is awarded the Destination of the Year at the 25th Annual TTG Travel Awards 2014, just a few months before the Department of Tourism (DOT) sets on to raise the country’s international profile with its Visit the Philippines Year 2015 campaign.

Secretary of Tourism Ramon R. Jimenez Jr. accepted the award before Asia’s tourism professionals at the Awarding Ceremony and Gala Dinner held on 2 October 2014 at the Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Center in Thailand.

“We would like to thank TTG for the invaluable support extended to our organization in our marketing and information dissemination efforts. As a trusted travel trade publication, it has been a formidable partner throughout these years in bringing the Philippines closer to our markets,” DOT Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez Jr. said.

The Philippines was chosen as the region’s most outstanding destination in 2014 for distinguishing itself with its proactive steps and initiatives towards the development and promotion of the travel industry. The Destination of the Year falls under the Outstanding Achievement Awards. Other categories include Travel Personality of the Year, Best Travel Entrepreneur, Best Marketing and Relationship Effort, and Best Trade Supporter. The winners are determined by TTG’s editorial team.

Organized annually by the giant TTG Asia Media’s Travel Trade Publishing group, the TTG Travel Awards has been recognizing the best of Asia-Pacific’s travel trade since 1989. The prestigious travel industry event marks an important time for the industry to recognize the exemplary organizations that raise the bar of excellence. The exclusive event honors stellar organizations and individuals in 4 categories: Travel Supplier, Travel Agency, Outstanding Achievement, and Travel Hall of Fame.

The TTG Travel Awards is now reputed as the most coveted and influential awards to be garnered in the region’s travel industry. The signature trophy, a statuette of Hermes (the god of travel and protector of travellers in ancient Greek mythology), is cast in solid pewter and plated in 24K gold. Weighing two kilograms, the Hermes trophy has since then been the icon of the annual awards.

“This award belongs to all Filipinos. It is the Filipino people that have ensured the acceptance of It’s More Fun in the Philippines as a true and accurate description of the participative and active role every Filipino plays in ensuring a successful and enjoyable visit to the Philippines. Again, the determination of the Filipino people, coupled with the support of our President, Benigno S. Aquino III, is our inspiration to build a brighter tourism future for the Philippines—an industry that is more profitable and more inclusive,” Secretary Jimenez concluded.

The DOT is gearing up its efforts to promote Visit the Philippines Year (VPY) 2015 – an invitation for all to experience the enduring promise of more fun in the Philippines. Encouraging nationwide participation, DOT aims to stamp passports of 10 million visitors to the Philippines as the country hosts major events such as the Papal Visit in January and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministerial Meetings and Leaders’ Summit.

itsmorefuninthephilippines.com.ph

DOH extends measles-rubella-polio campaign until October 10

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From the Department of Health:

The Department of Health (DOH) today announced that children who did not receive the supplemental dose of measles, rubella (MR) and oral polio vaccine (OPV) can still go to health centers and vaccination posts until October 10, 2014.

“We are appealing to parents and caregivers who know that children aged 0-5 years old under their care have not received the vaccines to go to the nearest health center to have them immunized,” Secretary Enrique Ona said.

As of September 30, the country’s national coverage status reached 84% (or 9.6M) of the 11 million eligibles for MR and 81% (10.9M) of the 13 million eligibles for OPV.

Among the regions, the top achievers for both MR and OPV vaccinations are Caraga region with 91%, Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) with 90%, Region 11 (Davao) and Region 12 (SOCCKSARGEN) both with 87%, and Region 5 (Bicol) with 86%.

Among the provinces, the local chief executives reported the following achievements for MR: Lanao del Sur – 112%, Agusan del Sur – 100%, Saranggani – 100%, Surigao del Sur – 96%, and Nueva Vizcaya – 96%. For OPV, the provinces reported the following: Lanao del Sur – 110%, Agusan del Sur – 98%, Saranggani – 95%, Surigao del Sur – 94%, and Davao Oriental – 93%.

The top cities, on the other hand, reported that for MR the top performers are: Cebu City – 128%, Dapitan City – 119%, Tandag City – 117%, Calamba City – 107%, and San Fernando City – 103%. For OPV, the top cities are Cebu City – 126%, Tandag City – 117%, Dapitan City – 107%, Lapu-lapu City – 102%, and Calamba City – 101%.

Subsequently, the DOH together with private volunteers, World Health Organization, the US Centers for Disease Control, and the Church of the Latter-Day Saints will be continuing the rapid coverage assessment and door to door surveillance and mop-up activities to verify whether the target of reaching every purok strategy has been reached.

Fifty one percent of those who have not brought their children to vaccination posts claim that the mothers are busy.

“We are appealing to these mothers to give priority to vaccination. Nakamamatay kapag kulang ang bakuna. Magtulungan tayo upang protektahan ang buong sambayanang Pilipino. There are still pockets of areas where there are children who have not yet been vaccinated, therefore, we are urging the mothers and caregivers of these to have them vaccinated at the nearest health center even as we conduct mop up vaccinations,” the health chief concluded.

doh.gov.ph

Get More out of Money, Get More out of Life!

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On Saturday, October 11, 2014, a financial adviser will share tips on how to create your own financial game plan, effectively allowing you to get more out of money, and inevitably, get more out of life.

Salve Duplito, resident financial adviser on ANC’s daily show On the Money and a financial education advocate, will share insights that will equip workshop participants with a springboard towards wise management of their personal finances. 

I met Ms. Salve Dulpito last September 26 at New World Hotel Lounge, Makati, in a  a tea party as I was invited by my friend Giancarlo Viterbo, Digital Marketing Head of Pioneer Insurance and my co-member of PBNetwork.

Salve Duplito 

Finding Salve a very positive person, a jolly one and with adventurous spirit. As I listened when she talks about her long walks of life, I could not find any trace of bitterness. She showed her strength during those trying times.

Salve’s story reveals her passion towards her advocacy – having grown up poor, this UP Diliman scholar learned how to manage her money the hard way.

 Her experiences, those trying hard moments, will  come up with entrepreneurial inspirations.

Her epiphany about money happened when she and her husband lost the investment they made in an education plan. She thought, “If only people knew they can save and invest on their own, they won’t buy products like these anymore.” This turning point was the start of a new career for her. 

A Tea party with Ms. Salve Dulpito, September 26 at New World Hotel Lounge, Makati

“This is why financial education has become an advocacy for me, because I was also a victim.” It’s an advocacy shared by Pioneer Life Inc., the company that has made the Get More Out of Money, Get More Out of Life workshop possible.

In this 4-hours workshop, Salve will first guide participants towards an awareness of how their values, and what they value, are interconnected with their behavior towards money. The activities that follow share skills necessary in the framing of an individual financial game plan. At the end of the workshop, financial coaches will be on stand by for one-on-one sessions with participants. 

Want to get more out of money, and more out of life? Then spend just 4 hours with Salve. The minutes will tick by fast, but what you’ll learn may just alter the face of your personal financial landscape forever. 

Get More out of Money, Get More out of Life ! on Saturday, October 11, 2014 , 9 am- 12nn at The Ascott Makati, Glorietta, Makati city. 

Interested participants can take advantage of a P1,800 early bird rate, discounted from the regular P3,500 rate by going to ADeals. Or they can email beamargarita.lobaton@pioneer.com.ph


(Photos by Giancarlo Viterbo and Rafael Pecson III.)

Metrobank honors teachers through World Teachers’ Day celebration

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To culminate the 2014 National Teachers’ Month (NTM) celebration, the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI), in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the National Teachers’ Month Coordinating Council (NTMCC) spearheaded the advanced Philippine celebration of World Teachers’ Day at the Victorias Sports and Amusement Center in Victorias City, Negros Occidental.

This was the first time the celebration staged in the Visayas to especially honor the teachers who went beyond the call of duty in the wake of the magnitude 7.2 Bohol-Cebu earthquake and the onslaught of super typhoon Yolanda, both of which are nearing their anniversaries.

Department of Education Press conference , Natures Village Hotel and Resorts , October 3, 2014 

“We made it a point to be in the Visayas for this year’s World Teacher’s Day celebration as a show of solidarity and support. Through this effort, we want to concretize our message to our Visayan teachers that we are committed to uplifting their morale and in rebuilding their lives following the calamities,” said MBFI president Aniceto Sobrepena, who co-chairs the NTMCC together with Education Secretary Armin Luistro.

A motorcade preceded the program, which coincided with a teachers’ fair outside the venue. The Metrobank Group and the Metrobank Purple Hearts Club Sugarlandia chapter have a booth at the teachers’ fair and participated in the program.

“The NTM makes the Philippines the only nation in the world to celebrate teachers for one whole month and serves as a profound expression of gratitude to our teachers who shape minds and touch hearts, for learning cannot take place without professional and well-supported teachers within our midst,” Sobrepena added.

The participation of the Metrobank Group in this year’s NTM also included the 6th Doña V. Tytana Memorial Lecture Series, with the theme “Let’s Build Healthy Schools,” last Oct. 2 at the GT-Toyota Asian Cultural Center at the University of the Philippines-Diliman, Quezon City organized by the GT-Metro Foundation (GTMF).

The lecture series was the Metrobank Group’s tribute to teachers whose hands have not only made schools as places for learning and growth, but also painted a bright, healthy future for our children. 2000 Metrobank Foundation Network of Outstanding Teachers and Educators president and UP College of Nursing professor Dr. Josefina Tuazon delivered the main lecture targeted at getting schools into the healthy lifestyle mindset.