LG G4 the Great now available and FREE with SMART Surf Plus Plan 1999

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Keep your online and offline life alive with the LG G4 when you apply for a SMART Postpaid Surf Plus 1999 Plan with NO cash out.

People can now enjoy the most ambitious smartphone to date because it is finally available for FREE through SMART’s Postpaid Surf Plus Plan 1999.

“We want everyone to enjoy our latest innovation and we believe that this can be maximized through our partnership with Smart Communications,” LG Mobile Philippines Vice-President Jay Won said. “For a smartphone, the LG G4 opens a lot of possibilities to see and feel greatness. We believe that partnering with Smart makes these possibilities endless.”

- SMART subscribers can now enjoy the enhanced camera features of the LG G4 for FREE with Surf Plus Plan 1999. 

- Feel like a professional photographer with the LG G4’s 16-megapixel rear camera and 8-megapixel front camera resolution. 

- Possibilities are endless when taking photos with the LG G4. 

- Running on the latest Android Lollipop OS, the LG G4 lets you be on the go with its powerful 3 GB RAM, 3,000 mAh removable battery, and 32 GB internal memory which is expandable up to 128 GB.

By getting the LG G4 from the leader in mobile, users will be able to live the ‘Smart Life’ and experience entertainment everywhere they go, powered by the huge 9GB of data volume allowance included in the package. With that much data at their disposal, users will be able to watch streaming movies on iflix, witness live sporting events and other FOX channels via the Viewstream Android app,

What’s more is subscribers who avail of the LG G4 with any Smart Postpaid Plan (Plan 799 and up) from July 15 until August 31, 2015 get an Entertainment Bundle worth P299 which gives them 30 days of exclusive access to streaming on iflix and FOX, plus a whole range of other amazing apps.

Smart’s Surf Plus Plans also come with free calls and texts to all networks plus one freebie app that’s interchangeable per month, so users will be able to choose a FREE app depending on their mobile lifestyle: 

- YouTube access or SPINNR music streaming for the Stream-Savvy; 

- Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook access for the Socially Active; 

- LINE, Viber, Whatsapp, or Facebook Messenger for the Chatterbox; 

- Gmail and Yahoo! Mail access for the Work Junkie; 

- Waze navigation for the Street Smart.

SMART users can choose from two LG G4 variants available: brown leather variant and shiny gold metallic variant.

For more details on LG G4’s availability with SMART Postpaid Plans click here: http://store.smart.com.ph/handset/item/1483/

To learn more about LG G4 the Great, visit www.lg.com/ph; like LG Philippines’ Facebook page; or follow @LGPhilippines on Twitter and Instagram.

AirAsia and Nikon launch Best Travel Photographer Contest

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Four Filipino contenders to travel around Asia with award-winning photographers; 

Over 200,000 AirAsia BIG Points are up for grabs!

An executive assistant, a front desk agent, a car salesman, and a barista will be stepping out of their comfort zones, and out of the country, as they face the challenges of becoming the first AirAsia Travel Photographer for 2015. Each contestant will be accompanied on his or her one week travel to an assigned destination in Asia by an award-winning photographer and a member of the press.

The #IamAirAsiaTravelPhotographer contest is jointly organized by AirAsia and ThinkDharma Inc. (exclusive distributor of Nikon Digital Cameras) in partnership with AirAsia’s global loyalty programme, BIG which will award winners with over 200,000 BIG Points or its equivalent free flights to any of AirAsia Group’s 100 destinations.

The contestants are Velvet Lagman (executive assistant), Sarah Garcia (front desk agent), Antonio Nepomuceno III (car salesman), and Paul Delfin (barista). The Nikon Pros, who will also serve as photography coaches, are Adam Lee, George Tapan, Raymond Cruz, and Parc Cruz.

(3rd from L-R) AirAsia Photojournalist Adam Lee, contender Velvet Lagman-Macasaet, contender Sarah Garcia, Nikon pro and master photographer George Tapan, Business Unit head of ThinkDharma Paolo Salazar, AirAsia Philippines Chairperson Maan Hontiveros, Startegic Partnership Head of AirAsia BIG Jenny Au, Senior Marketing Manager of AirAsia BIG Caroline Wong, Nikon pro and photographer Raymond Cruz, contenders TJ Nepomuceno III and Paul Delfin with AirAsia cabin crew in their iconic red uniform at the recent launching of #IamAirAsiaTravelerPhotographer contest in Taguig, Manila.

The four mentors and coaches of the contest, namely:

George Tapan – a self-taught photographer, Tapan served as director of photography of Philippine Airlines Mabuhay Magazine for eight years, won the ASEAN Tourism Association Award in 1999, won the gold prize for Pacific Asia Tourism Association twice, and first place in the Places Category for the National Geographic Photo Contest in 2011.

Christian Raymond Cruz – a graphic designer and one of the pioneers of landscape photography in the Philippines, also a self-taught photographer who spent the last seven years traveling the country and the world to capture the best nature scenery, and spends time sharing his knowledge and experience under the Redefining Vision Landscape Photography Workshops.

Philip Anthonie (Parc) Cruz – started as a hobbyist photographer in 2005, Cruz spent a lot of time tagging along with other photographers until he found his niche – portraits and cinematic shots. He is a privileged part of Nikon’s pool of endorsers and has since traveled around the Philippines and the world while imparting and encouraging other photo hobbyists to develop their creativity through visual images.

Adam Lee – an award-winning portrait and travel photographer who was trained in Los Angeles, he spent the last seven years assisting organizations to use photography as a means to tell stories and build communities. Lee is AirAsia’s resident photographer who contributes a large portion of his work to the airline’s in-flight magazine, marketing and communications, social media and brand management. Lee has won three silver awards and two honorable mentions in the Prix de la Photographie Paris 2014 competition and awarded the 27th ASEANTA Award of Excellence for Best Asean Tourism Photo in 2013.

The selected for the contest , newbie photographers who will partner with the four photography masters are:

Marie Velvet Lagman-Macasaet – Marie is 36-year old an Executive Assistant to the SVP and Country Manager of VXI Global Solutions and mom to a 5-year old boy named Paco. She recently finished a half-marathon and bathing in an onsen (Japanese hot spring) while backpacking in Tokyo. She enjoys hiking, trekking and scuba diving. She is partnered with Coach Adam Lee.

Sarah T. Garcia – Sarah is a Front Office Agent at the Lancaster Hotel n Madaluyong City and loves to eat, love everything extraordinary and loves art. She is partnered with Coach George Tapan.

Paul Vincent Delfin – Paul is a Barista of Starbucks at the Greenbelt 3 branch. He’s into Indie music, loves football and loves long trips. He is an eager photography enthusiast as a form of art. He is partnered with Coach Parc Cruz.

Antonio Nepomuceno III – a marketing professional of Toyota in Taytay, Rizal, he is definitely a car enthusiast who is outgoing and loves the company of people, a necessity for his type of job. He is partnered with Coach Raymond Cruz.

Lucky bloggers will also be traveling with the contestants and photographers for the #IamAirAsiaTravelPhotographer contest among them are  Mae Ilagan from WheninManila who will be traveling to Yogyakarta, Indonesia with Velvet and Adam, Mervin Marasigan of Pinoy Adventurista with team Sarah and George are going to Malaysia, Edel Santiago of Viva Manilena with team TJ and Raymond are going to Bangkok and Winslow Co of Yugatech with team Paul and Parc ( are going to Hong Kong.)

Each team will be traveling around some exotic places in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand to help everyone capture their best entries in categories that include landscape, food, portrait, architecture and travel. Winners will be awarded with over 200,000 BIG Points, AirAsia’s global loyalty program, or its equivalent free flights to any of AirAsia’s 100 destinations.

Online voting via www.airasiatravelphotographer.com will be open to the public starting August 20, 2015 with Nikon cameras and BIG Points to be given away to lucky voters. 

The Grand Winner of the Best Travel Photographer Contest will be announced on September 11, 2015.

Netiquette 101

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 5 rules of proper ‘netiquette’

Netiquette 101: Keeping the internet safe and secure is a shared responsibility

The internet is filled with opportunities to explore, create and collaborate. But to make the most of these opportunities, it’s important to keep the web safe and secure. This task is a shared responsibility among every netizen.

Learning internet etiquette or ‘netiquette’ is the first step in helping promote a safe and friendly online environment. When you keep yourself safe and secure online, you minimize the power of cybercrime, which includes identity theft, information theft, and even cyber-bullying.

Here are five key things to remember when navigating the world wide web:

1. Download with caution.

One of the most wonderful things about the internet is the vast amount of content it offers; we can find just about anything online if we look hard enough. While some of the things we come across are so awesome that we want to be able to access them while we’re offline, we have to be cautious when it comes to downloading. Only download from credible and trusted sources.

Sometimes it’s not the things that we find that we have to be careful about, but the things that come to us. Be wary of opening or downloading email attachments even if it’s from someone you know, and especially if it isn’t something you expect to be receiving. Double check that the email address is from the reputable source it may claim to be from and that the content does not look suspicious.

2. Safeguard delicate information. 

There are so many ways our over-sharing can leave us vulnerable to identity or information theft. Aside from creating strong passwords, keep usernames, account numbers, and any sort of information that could be used to verify your identity, safe. Think before you tweet your dog’s name if it’s a security question on any of your accounts—or better yet, opt for more reliable methods of authentication, such as 2-step verification codes or back-up email addresses.

3. Don’t contribute to spreading false or hurtful information. 

We’ve all fallen victim to believing—or at least coming close to believing—a viral hoax. Just as gossip or juicy stories spread like wildfire offline, it can do so at an even greater scale online. And it doesn’t have to be hurtful to be harmful, either. Employ a healthy skepticism with anything you hear or see online, and do some fact checking before you share.

4. Act courteously, even in anonymity. 

Remember, the Golden Rule or the universal ethical code to ‘treat others as you would like to be treated’ also applies on the Internet. Be kind and courteous. The use of tormenting, harassing or humiliating language are as real and as damaging online as they are face-to-face. Appropriate language is not only necessary in formal letters, but also in day-to-day chatsa on social media.

5. Flag or report inappropriate content. 

Online communities often rely on users to generate content and flag ones that violate community guidelines. In the case of YouTube—with more than 300 hours of videos being uploaded every minute—flagging or reporting questionable content is invaluable to preserving it as a safe and enjoyable resource, just as in most online communities. If you come across content that you think shouldn’t be there, report it.

These are only the basics of proper netiquette. The Internet is always evolving, so it’s important to maintain an up-to-date understanding of how to stay safe and secure online. Share these five rules of netiquette with your friends and family to help promote an enjoyable and useful Internet for all.

If you are interested in taking a more active role as a positive force online, look up Google’s Web Rangers program on https://www.webrangers.ph.

Education starts at home

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Children lack access to decent education when they lack access to decent home.

Access to proper education has recently been hampered due to various socio-economic factors, such as lack of proper healthcare, job opportunities for parents and notably, adequate housing. 

In the Philippines, more than four million families live in unsafe, unsanitary and unhealthy places which they call ‘home’, hindering the learning environment of the children living in these conditions.

The Urban Institute (2012) states, “High-quality, affordable housing, located in safe neighbourhoods can go beyond providing basic shelter and stability, and can help provide a stable environment where children access high-performing schools, learn, and succeed academically.”

According to Rothstein (2013), a child who lives in inadequate housing, has limited ability to enrich themselves, stunting their growth and development in their crucial formative years. It takes a direct toll on the child’s capacity to develop and fully realize the skill sets and potential they possess.

Consequently, these children are more likely to become exposed to violence, crime and drug abuse, further postponing their development (Urban Institute, 2012). 

The case of youth offenders has increased and continues to as the Philippine National Police found an 18% increase in juvenile crimes reported, in 2008.

“Children have the right to have a healthy home and neighbourhood which provides them a sound learning environment – where learning is easy, and cherished. If we focus on giving children the decent homes they not only deserve, but have the right to, our future will be prosperous,” says Charlie Ayco, Managing Director and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Philippines.

School provides our children the knowledge to equip the next generation, but without the environment to foster that knowledge, they are unable to apply these lessons to their lives.

A home is more than just four walls and a roof. It is where children develop into the best versions of themselves. 

“Together, let’s build a world where every child has a decent place to live, and study,” says Ayco.

The Back-To-School campaign’s aim is to help generate funds in order for Habitat for Humanity Philippines to provide adequate means of living such as a home for families. Children of these families have every right to study in a conducive environment to be able to reach for their hopes and dreams. Give millions of children the opportunity to improve their lives and support Habitat’s Back-To-School campaign.

Kindly link the “Donate Now” button to this link: http://bit.ly/DonateToHabitat

SM Mega Fashion Hall sweeps top accolades at Philippine Property Awards

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Receiving the awards in behalf of the company were (from L-R) Mr. Christian V. Mathay, AVP for Operations, SM Supermalls; Ms. Anna Maria S. Garcia, President, SM Supermalls; Arch. Fides G. Hsu, Vice-President of Engineering, Design & Development (EDD) Design; Mr. Timothy Albert Go, Regional Manager of EDD Design; and Mr. Luis Enrique T. Manosing, CEO of Metro Development Management, Inc.

The Mega Fashion Hall of SM Megamall led the SM Group for excellence in the shopping and retail industry, bagging two key awards during the 2015 Philippine Property Awards held recently at Fairmont Hotel in Makati City. The global lifestyle hub received the Best Retail Development and Best Retail Architectural Design awards, with SM Prime Holdings getting the top honor as the Best Developer Award.

Launched only in January last year, the SM Mega Fashion Hall brought to the Philippines imported brands from all over the globe, housing them in a sleek and modern building to complete a world-class shopping experience. The five-storey shopping center boasts of a wide selection global brands that found its way to Philippine shores.

Home to the flagship stores of the world’s most popular fashion brands, H&M, Zara, Uniqlo and the furniture power house, Crate & Barrel.

Mega fashion Hall brings together exciting dining concepts, HongKong’s Michelin-star dimsum restaurant, Tim Ho Wan, the first St. Marc Café of Tokyo, gyoza specialist Osaka Ohsho and the most awaited ramen restaurant, Ippudo.

SM Group affiliates likewise garnered several commendations that include Best Landscape Architectural Design and Best Affordable Condo Development for Metro Manila for SMDC; and Best Office Development, Best Architectural Design, and Best Commercial Development for BDO.

The Philippine Property Awards is part of the Asia Property Awards series, which recognizes the best of Asia’s real estate, and has become a respected standard in the industry.