A game of bowling with Best Buddies

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For regular shoppers, it may have been just an ordinary afternoon at the mall, but for Vico, 28, it was a special day to spend a few hours enjoying a game of bowling with his friends from Best Buddies Philippines. The group of friends were at the mall, with other pairs of best friends, for a friendly bowling tournament organized by Best Buddies, a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement for one-to-one friendships and inclusive opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Best Buddies’ Vico Cham (2nd from right) with (from left) Akio Kawachi, Ralen Tupaz, Ian Borleo, Ryan Poblete, Sachin Mohnani, Nyssa Uy Kua, Gian Mendoza,April Paligsa and his mother Cathy Cham who joined Best Buddies Bowling Game event at SM Megamall Bowling Center.

Photo by Kayla Paligsa

The activity is one of the many initiatives organized by Best Buddies, in partnership with SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Prime Holdings Inc. During the event, individuals with IDD like Vico, had a fun afternoon hanging out with their Peer Buddies volunteers who committed to spend time, have fun activities, communicate on a regular basis and enrich their lives through friendships with individuals like Vico. 

Catherine Cham, mother of Vico, said that events like the Best Buddies Bowling Game give her son an avenue to socialize and feel he is a regular part of a group. She is very thankful for Best Buddies which she said helped her find a best buddy for Vico.

“His peer buddy is Buboy Palomares. They’ve been friends for 4 years. They used to jog regularly twice a month or watch a movie. They also engage in group activities. With Buboy, Vico was able to find a friend whom he would text regularly. It is really important for parents because it’s really not easy to entrust your child to somebody.” 

“We are very thankful for the support that we have received from our volunteers and sponsors,” exclaims Michelle Aventajado, executive director of Best Buddies Philippines. “Events like these strengthen the friendship between volunteers and individuals with IDD. It’s a great opportunity to promote inclusion, have fun, and enrich the lives of everyone involved in the Best Buddies program.” 

For SM Cares, the event is another opportunity to support and give back to the community. “At SM, we believe that establishing good relations can positively affect and inspire those with special needs. We strive to make every SM Mall, a mall for all, and by supporting activities such as this, everyone can enjoy the same fun and leisure in SM, as anyone would do,” said Engr. Bien Mateo, program director of SM Cares Program on PWDs. 

Best Buddies Philippines is looking into partnering with private entities like SM who can support them in their advocacy and their other programs. It also aims to widen its scope in the next 5 years by establishing Friendship Chapters in more schools nationwide.

To know more about Best Buddies Philippines you may visit www.bestbuddiesphilippines.com, https://www.facebook.com/BestBuddiesPhilippines/, or send an e-mail to bestbuddiesmanila@gmail.com.

To know more about SM Cares, you may visit www.smcares.com.ph, www.facebook.com/OfficialSMCares, or send an e-mail to smcares@smsupermalls.com.

OPPO Officially Opens the Biggest OPPO Experience Store in SM City General Santos

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NOVEMBER 2019, GENERAL SANTOS, PHILIPPINES - OPPO is officially opening a new OPPO Experience store in SM City General Santos on November 16. The said store will be the biggest OPPO Experience Store in the country to date and is also the first premium store of the brand in Visayas and Mindanao. 

“This new OPPO Experience Store in SM General Santos City is just one of our many efforts to help push our commitment in providing the best brand experience to the Filipinos. As we upgrade our smartphone offerings, we are also expanding and enhancing our store operations in order to provide the best consumer experience wherever you are from the Philippines. We have a strong following in the Southern region so we think that it’s only fitting that we also put up one of our key experience centers in the south,” says Raymond Xia, Marketing Director of OPPO Philippines. 

Through the first OPPO Experience Store in SM General Santos, OPPO customers in the south will now be able to enjoy a more sleek and modern store interiors which was adapted from the global store design concept. Additionally, consumers can also expect upgraded customer relations services and product experience with a bigger support team and product immersion areas available for display and trial.

The new OPPO Experience Store is located on the 3rd floor of SM General Santos in SM Cyberzone. In addition to this, OPPO is slated to open and upgrade more stores in order to reach out and provide better service to more consumers. 

To know more about the new store openings and the stores near you, visit OPPO’s official website at www.oppo.com.ph or through the official Facebook page at OPPO Philippines.

Typhoon Kammuri affects 14 million children; World Vision stands ready to support

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Typhoon Kammuri made its first landfall in Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon at around 11PM on December 2.

Kammuri intensified just before it hit the landmass with a maximum sustained winds of 165km/h near its center and 230km/h gustiness. 

"I wasn't able to sleep well last night not because the strong winds and rain bothered me but because I was worried about the families in evacuation centers and their deserted homes made of light wooden materials," shares Rey Montimor, World Vision Program Manager of Albay and Sorsogon. 

Information from the Department of Education’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS) shows that 14 million learners are affected due to class suspensions across more than 26,000 schools in 12 regions. Meanwhile, UNOCHA’s Joint Analysis of Disaster Exposure data says that there are at least nine million people in the affected areas - Camarines Sur, Albay, Quezon, Catanduanes, and Camarines Norte, 300,000 children of whom are living in places with possible widespread damage.

“As a child-focused organization, our focus is to complement the government’s efforts in ensuring that these children are safe and protected. World Vision is present in Pio Duran in Albay, Bulan in Sorsogon, Jose Panganiban in Camarines Norte and Lagonoy in Camarines Sur. Our team on the ground is set to conduct rapid assessment as soon as it is safe to do so,” says World Vision’s Executive Director Rommel V. Fuerte. 

He also lauded the preparedness initiatives of all stakeholders. In the past, World Vision’s disaster risk reduction projects helped strengthen the communities’ preparedness through provision of early warning equipment like rain gauge and public address system and community and school-based disaster preparedness trainings.

“If needed, World Vision is ready to deploy its prepositioned relief items from its warehouses in Clark and Cebu which can cater to 2000 families,” says Fuerte.

For news and updates, visit www.worldvision.org.ph.

About World Vision

World Vision is a global Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

KHALID BRINGS HIS HEADLINE ‘FREE SPIRIT WORLD TOUR 2020’ TO MANILA

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International multi platinum-selling artist Khalid has today announced nine Asia dates as part of his headline ‘Khalid Free Spirit World Tour’. 

His highly anticipated new album ‘Free Spirit’ is out now via Right Hand Music Group / RCA Records and Sony Music Entertainment.

The six-time Grammy Award nominee and four-time American Music Award winner is set to bring his much-awaited tour to Manila on April 2, 2020 at the Mall of Asia Arena. The Asia Tour 2020 includes stops in Bangkok, Singapore, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Seoul, Mumbai and Bangalore. One more city to be announced soon.

Since releasing his debut hit single ‘Location’ in 2016, which went on to go quadruple platinum, Khalid has continued to cement his global status as one of music’s most promising breakout stars. Already accumulating a stellar array of awards and wins from the likes of MTV, Billboard and BET, his Asia tour offers his legion of loyal fans a chance to experience his latest musical offering.

Tickets to ‘Khalid Free Spirit World Tour’ in Manila go on-sale starting Saturday, December 14 at 10AM via SMTickets.com, SM Ticket outlets or Call 8470-2222. 

Presented by AEG Presents Asia, Wilbros Live and Midas Promotions.

#KhalidManila2020

#KhalidFreeSpiritWorldTour

Facebook, Twitter and Instragram: @WilbrosLive

GCash backs BSP in providing digital payments solutions to grassroots merchants

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MANILA, PHILIPPINES -- GCash, the leading mobile wallet in the Philippines, is making strides in fulfilling the country’s goal of developing e-payments at the grassroots level, as it empowers micro-entrepreneurs and small enterprises to transact with customers through their mobile phones. 

Aside from huge mall establishments, quick-service restaurants, and supermarkets, GCash has also empowered the simple sari-sari store and tricycles to make digital transactions via GCash’s QR. 

This initiative, seen to revolutionize and transform the way Filipinos transact every day, is supportive of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) goal of creating a more inclusive society through a cashless revolution. 

“We are one with the BSP in concretizing our shared vision of spurring cashless transactions in the Philippines to make it easier for merchants and consumers to transact with one another. We are committed to continuously elevate this by developing more products and services that are fit for the needs of our valued partners,” GCash President Anthony Thomas said. 

GCash QR uses the best-in-class technologies that provide merchants with a fast, reliable, secure, and convenient way of accepting payments. By transacting through mobile phones, GCash QR removes the need for point-of-sale terminals, maintenance, and manual cash sweeping. 

Aside from benefiting largely from the huge customer base of GCash, merchants can also set up their business QR payments facility for free. GCash also provides business partners with periodic reports to oversee the performance of their stores. 

Today, there are about 34,000 micro-entrepreneurs onboard the GCash QR technology, and 1,800 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) using the GCash as a mode of payment. 

These merchants include the vendors of the Marikina Public Market, the tricycle drivers of Boracay Island, and the sari-sari stores of Semirara Island, among others. 

Just recently, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said the central bank is envisioning a future where digital payments through transaction accounts will be part of the Filipino consumer culture. 

Going cashless, he said, benefits both merchants and consumers, as it removes the need for bringing cash, reducing the risk of theft, improving cash handling processes, and provide lower administrative and overhead costs. 

Diokno also said the central bank is now targeting to increase the share of non-cash transactions to 30 percent from the original 20-percent goal by 2020. 

“Our support for the government’s initiative for a more cashless Philippines remains steadfast, and we at GCash are committed to taking this a step further by creating more innovative financial solutions that will ultimately bring us closer to our goal of providing finance for all,” Thomas said.