Keep nurturing your kids’ sense of wonder and creativity at home with Singapore’s online ‘attractions’

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Singapore has always been known as a child-friendly destination, with a whole gamut of attractions that inspire creativity and a sense of wonder among the little ones. And while the world is on quarantine, Singapore remains accessible for discovery and learning online, to the delight of parents and kids everywhere.

For one, Singapore Tourism Board has released a drawing tutorial of its iconic character Merli. Kids get to create and at the same time learn more about the country’s representative symbol, the Merlion. People have then been sharing their artworks born out of the tutorial, including Vlogger and Radio Host, Andi Manzano-Reyes and her equally admired girls, Olivia and Amelia, drawing their take on the cute Merli.

And this is just one of the many other online activities that Singapore has made available for the entire family to enjoy and take advantage of these days.

Different attractions—museums, works of nature, and more—are opening their doors, virtually at least, for every family’s choosing.

Art, Science, and more!

Keep the momentum going after the Merli drawing tutorial. Expose the young minds to more hands-on arts and crafts, and a museum experience at the same time.

Help your child discover ways to experiment, play and create with every day, recyclable materials easily found at home such as cardboard toilet rolls, and rubber bands. Playeum, a center in Singapore that champions children through play holds a live, guided craft session every week, an ideal choice for  regular play dates for the little ones. One can also give the usual storytime a boost and twist, with some puppet play at home with DIY instructions from the group C!puppets.

Get them to know more about the Indian heritage and culture of Singapore through online jigsaw puzzles and charades, even, provided by the Indian Heritage Center. Or let them marvel in the space where art meets science with ArtScience museum’s limited time online offerings—from virtual tours to workshops, and performances.

Into video games? It may not necessarily be a bad thing. Learning also takes place when kids play, and Sentosa has taken the island adventure in the popular Nintendo Switch game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, so kids can get a glimpse of the exciting experience possible there.

Get around Singapore

If the virtual island experience piques their interest, then let them further explore! Singapore’s famed awe-inspiring green space in the heart of the city, Gardens by the Bay, has launched #StayHomeWithGB, to allow people to still learn about the art of horticulture, along with other edutainment content that are perfect for parents looking for new things to introduce to their kids.

Meanwhile, Google Street View has also made it possible to carry-on sightseeing in the Lion City through the virtual tours of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Mount Faber Park, and MacRitchie Reservoir.

All these fun activities that Singapore makes available online are but a reflection of the many attractions the island nation has to offer. And even while we are in quarantine, there are still opportunities for kids to pursue creative and imaginative activities. In fact, it might be the best opportunity and time to bond and share precious moments together.

Keep checking Visit Singapore PH for more online activities to enjoy!

House Speaker Cayetano files bill giving ABS-CBN provisional franchise until October

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MANILA - House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday filed a bill giving ABS-CBN Corp. provisional franchise until October 2020, citing the need for Congress to focus on addressing the coronavirus crisis before tackling the network's "controversial" application for a fresh 25-year franchise. 

"Through this measure, we hope to strike a balance between the immediate needs of the people amid this crisis and the duty of Congress to ensure accountability to our present laws," read the bill, which cited government's need 

House Bill No. 6732 grants ABS-CBN provisional franchise to operate until October 31, 2020, before Congress deliberates on long-pending bills giving the media giant license to broadcast for another 25 years. 

The interim license will "give both the House of Representatives and the Senate [time] to hear the issues being raised for and against the renewal, and assess, with complete impartiality and fairness, whether or not the network shall be granted a franchise for another 25 years." 

"We cannot, in good conscience, sweep the accusations under the rug," read the bill's explanatory note. 

ABS-CBN earlier answered questions on alleged franchise violations and tax liabilities before the Senate, saying it has not violated any law. 

The bill was co-sponsored by Representatives Neptali Gonzalez, Raneo Abu, Roberto Puno, Dan Fernandez, LRay Villafuerte Jr., Ferdinand Romualdez, and Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado. 

It was brought before the chamber's committee of the whole. 

The House Speaker earlier said starting hearings on ABS-CBN franchise bills would not mean an "automatic" grant of a fresh broadcast license. 

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered ABS-CBN to stop broadcasting on May 5, a day after its franchise expired. 

The directive went against NTC's earlier commitment of giving "provisional authority" for the network to operate beyond its franchise validity. 

The House franchise panel last Monday ordered NTC to justify its cease and desist order against ABS-CBN, calling the telecoms regulatory body's halt directive an "undue interference on and disobedience to the exercise of the power of the House of Representatives."

Solicitor General Jose Calida was also accused of pressuring NTC to order the shutdown of ABS-CBN, based on a document obtained by ABS-CBN News.

ABS-CBN's halt in broadcast last week was the first time it was forced to sign off since the Marcos dictatorship. The shutdown imperils an estimated 11,000 jobs. 

It has asked the Supreme Court to stop the NTC shutdown order.

The network, which reached millions of Filipinos through its television, radio and online platforms, said it did not violate the law in its 65 years of service.

Differences on ECQ, MECQ and GCQ

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MANILA - Metro Manila, Cebu City and Laguna will be under a modified enhanced community quarantine or MECQ until May 31.

Other areas were either placed under GCQ or general community quarantine while quarantines were lifted others, without sacrificing health measures. 

Modified ECQ Versus GCQ: Why ECQ in NCR, Laguna, Cebu City Cannot Be Lifted

The government has to consider recommendations to lift the enhanced community quarantine gradually or in a phased manner to avoid resurgence of the coronavirus disease 2019.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque had said that some parts of Metro Manila could be eased into a general community quarantine (GCQ) due to indications that the coronavirus disease 2019 curve was flattening, it was announced on Tuesday, May 12 that a modified enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) would be imposed over the National Capital Region, Laguna and Cebu City until May 31.

According to the Department of Health (DOH), the case doubling time for COVID-19 and the “critical care utilization” were among the health factors taken into consideration by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) sub-Technical Working Group on Data Analytics in making the recommendation.

In a virtual press briefing, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that aside from health, the IATF also looked into security, social and economic aspects when they made the decision concerning the ECQ.

The IATF also said it considered the recommendations of the World Health Organization to lift the ECQ gradually or in a phased manner to avoid resurgence of the disease.

Here are the differences between ECQ, MECQ and GCQ:

Enhanced Community Quarantine:

No movement regardless of age and health status

No economic activity except utility services, food, water and other essential sectors

No public transport

No physical classes

Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine:

Limited movement of people to get essential services and to go to work

Gradual reopening of the economy with select manufacturing and processing plants allowed to open up to a maximum of 50 percent capacity

Limited transportation services for essential goods and services

Limited transportation for those going to work and for essential services

Classes are still suspended in all levels

General Community Quarantine: 

Limited movements but government and almost all industries will be allowed to operate up to 75 percent except amusement and those with mass gatherings

Limited transport services with social distancing

Flexible learning will be allowed but without face-to-face learning

Shopee identifies 4 of the biggest e-commerce trends in 2020

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Consumers shop more often on weekdays and show an increased preference for cashless payments, while brands and sellers expand their online presence

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, identifies four major e-commerce trends in 2020. The retail landscape in the Philippines has been transformed due to increased social distancing efforts, such as the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine as the nation combats the spread of Covid-19. As a result, brands and sellers are venturing online in search of growth, while consumers turn to e-commerce to meet their shopping needs.

Ruoshan Tao, Head of Marketing at Shopee Philippines said, “The year 2020 has changed the way we live, work, and shop. Brands and sellers across the region are stepping up their digitization efforts, with e-commerce becoming a key channel for them to sustain and grow their businesses. At the same time, consumers are increasingly going online to fulfill their everyday needs, in areas ranging from groceries to home appliances. As e-commerce takes on greater importance in people’s lives, Shopee will continue to make shopping even more social, engaging, and easy for everyone.”

In the Philippines, Shopee has identified 4 key trends for e-commerce in recent months:

1. Brands and sellers are growing their e-commerce presence

Brands and sellers are venturing online to boost their online presence while exploring new strategies to reach and engage consumers.

• Robust growth for Filipino sellers: As people shop for their home and essential needs online, brands, and sellers in the Gaming and Pet Care categories are seeing strong growth. In addition, Brands and sellers offering pet essentials and home appliances & accessories saw 40 times and 15 times more orders respectively than the same period last year.
• Reaching customers with live streaming: Brands and sellers are actively exploring new ways to reach consumers. Shopee has observed that the number of Shopee Live streams from brands and sellers increased by 40 times. Homegrown SMEs have successfully boosted online visibility with Shopee Live. For example, Sirods Stuffed Toys has recorded a robust number of views for its streams by showcasing popular toys and collectibles to users in real-time, enabling it to engage customers more effectively.

2. Shoppers turn to e-commerce for everyday needs

At the same time, Filipinos are relying on e-commerce to meet their everyday needs as people live, work, and play from home.

• Consumers search and shop online for a wider variety of needs: Shopee has observed an increase in search and shopping activity in the past 3 months, especially for health and fashion products. This reflects an increasing reliance on e-commerce, which provides Filipinos with one-stop access to essentials, health products, and more.
• Top searched keywords: Face masks, Dresses, Power banks, Undergarments
• Top products: Mosquito incense, Vitamins, and supplements, cell phone cases

3. Shopping preferences evolve as consumers seek convenience on e-commerce

Shopping preferences are also changing in the Philippines as consumers look for convenience in e-commerce during this period.

• Increased shopping activity on weekdays: Online shopping activity has peaked on Tuesdays in recent months, showcasing the preference among Filipinos to shop earlier in the week. Shopping activity is also the highest at 12PM and 1PM as Filipinos shop more often during lunchtime.
• Preference for cashless payments: Adoption of cashless payments is growing as consumers value speed and reduce physical interactions. Shopee has observed that users are increasingly using cashless options such as ShopeePay to pay for purchases in recent months.

4. Increased social interaction and engagement among online shoppers

E-commerce has now evolved into something more than just a way to shop - it’s also become a place where people come together to interact, read content, and connect with others. Shopee has seen greater use of its in-app engagement features in the past three months as Filipinos seek to stay connected online:

• Shopee Live Chat: Shopee has seen an increase in social interactions on its platform. Over 1 million messages were sent daily on average as brands, sellers, and consumers interact with each other across the shopping journey.
• In-app games: Shopee recorded 200 million plays for its in-app games over the past three months. This is driven by users logging in daily to earn rewards and try out new in-app games such as Shopee Farm and Shopee Throw.

Tao closed, “We want to make online shopping safe and convenient while staying true to our vision of delivering a social and engaging experience to our users. At the same time, we will continue to help both our sellers and buyers by providing them a seamless online shopping experience, especially during this COVID-19 crisis.

Download Shopee for free through the App Store or Google Play.

Make Mother’s Day truly special with Taco Bell and Dairy Queen

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Mother’s Day is just around the corner and now’s the perfect time to start planning a sweet and memorable surprise for the most special women in our lives. Good thing Taco Bell and Dairy Queen have new offerings that will surely make Mother’s Day unforgettable at home! 

Share a sumptuous Mexican-inspired meal with Taco Bell’s Mother’s Day bundles that can be delivered straight to your home through Grabfood or Foodpanda.

Taco Bell’s Grabfood bundle is perfect for families of four with its four Gordita Supreme, one Cheese Quesadilla, two Nacho Sprinkles, and four 16oz. Soda. For families of three, order our Foodpanda bundle that comes with three Gordita Supreme, one Cheese Quesadilla, two Nacho Sprinkles, and three 16oz. Soda. Taco Bell’s Mother’s Day bundles start at ₱599. This promo is valid until May 31 and deliveries are limited to areas near Taco Bell Cyberpark Tower 1 in Araneta City.

To complete your Mother’s Day surprise, order a Sunflower Blizzard Cake from Dairy Queen! This 8-inch, 100% ice cream cake comes with a limited-edition sunflower design that will surely brighten Mama's special day.

The Sunflower Blizzard Cake is available for delivery through Grabfood and Foodpanda. For take-out orders, you may visit the following Dairy Queen branches: Alphaland Makati, Cherry Congressional, Cyberpark Tower 1, Portal, Robinsons Lipa, SM Baguio, SM East Ortigas, SM Light, SM Manila, SM Novaliches, SM Sangandaan, SM Sucat, SM Valenzuela, and Waltermart Muñoz. 

The Sunflower Blizzard Cake will be available until May 17. 

For more exciting news and updates from Taco Bell Philippines, visit their official website (https://www.tacobell.com.ph/) and follow them on Facebook (https://web.facebook.com/tacobellPHL) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tacobellphl/).

For more exciting news and updates from Dairy Queen Philippines, visit their official website (https://www.dairyqueen.com.ph/) and follow them on Facebook (https://web.facebook.com/dairyqueenphilippines) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/dairyqueenphils/).