ALI GATIE TEAMS WITH ALESSIA CARA FOR HEARTFELT SINGLE “WELCOME BACK"

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September, 2020 (Los Angeles, CA) – Toronto talent Ali Gatie has unveiled the breezy, yet heartfelt “Welcome Back,” his latest song and first-ever collaboration, featuring alt-pop dynamo Alessia Cara. Following up the lovelorn R&B hits “Running on My Mind” and “If I Fall in Love,” this instantly memorable new single proves Ali Gatie is on track for global pop domination.   “Welcome Back” arrives as an optimistic sign of things returning to normalcy as we navigate through a global pandemic and highlights one of the singer/songwriter’s most charming qualities: He finds hope even in heartache. “I’ve been keeping doors unlocked just hoping you would walk back in,” he croons over a brightly reverbed guitar. Cara effortlessly slips right in with her soulful voice repeating his words before their vocals melt together: “Feels like you were never gone; I’m glad you’re back / If it doesn’t last, at least we had that time that we had.” Not only is it a song written to a lover, but Ali wrote it as a song to his former self.   The new song also finds Ali Gatie further refining his blend of intimate pop and heart-on-sleeve R&B — a sound his fans,the LISNERS, have championed from the start. Over the last 18 months, the artist has seen his numbers soar. He’s surpassed 3 billion global streams and even with a sold-out world tour and Coachella slot put on hold, he’s continued to grow a huge following online. All thanks to unassuming, but undeniable smashes like “What If I Told You That I Love You,” which has garnered nearly half a billion streams all on its own since January.   “Welcome Back” is a next step that again shows the R&B-pop singer’s strength as a solo star while proving his potential as a collaborator. It’s also a hint of what’s to come as Gatie begins putting the pieces together for his first full-length album.

 
 

ABOUT ALI GATIE: Raised in Mississauga, Canada, just outside of Toronto, and of Iraqi descent, 23-year-old phenom Ali Gatie has quietly ascended as a singular voice in the culture. Within two years since his first independent release, he’s surpassed 3 billion streams with earworms like “What If I Told You That I Love You,” “Say To You," “It’s You” and “Moonlight.” He’s quickly proving to be one of the year’s most compelling new artists, straddling the line between pop and R&B. In 2019, he released his debut EP, YOU, achieved RIAA platinum status for his breakout smash “It’s You” (which spent 13 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100) and sold out his first six shows in less than 10 minutes. Cultivating a massive international following and global media attention, Gatie has been covered by the likes of Complex, HYPEBEAST, Billboard, Forbes, Genius, NYLON and more. He goes deep on the big subjects that have always consumed great artists: Vulnerability, love, and devotion are concepts that he confronts head-on. The openness in his music is palpable, and his fans, affectionately dubbed the LISNERS, continue to multiply, hanging on to the edge of every one of his words.

 

FOLLOW ALI GATIE: Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

Globe partners with DLSU for world-class STEM education

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Globe has partnered with De La Salle University (DLSU) to enhance the delivery of world class Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)  education to its students. 

The collaboration between the company and one of the country’s premier universities aims to develop modules and specialized courses that will promote more interest to the educational institution’s STEM academic programs. 

“De La Salle University has been working with different industries and academic institutions to foster collaborations and in various fields. The DLSU Intellectual Property Office and the Innovation and Technology Office work to connect DLSU researchers to industry and this is one example of such a role. We believe that STEM education is relevant not only in this time of the pandemic but also in light of the 5th Industrial Revolution. We welcome Globe as a partner in developing STEM education in hopes of serving more people in enriching their skills and advancing their careers. With Globe’s expertise in digital technology, reach, and commitment to innovation, we are confident that this partnership will contribute to the Lasallian mission of being a catalyst for meaningful social transformation,” said Atty. Christopher Cruz, Director of the DLSU Intellectual Property Office.

Globe, on the other hand, believes that strengthening  students' knowledge and skills in STEM will help them nurture innovation that will eventually equip the nation with the workforce of the future, and targets to inspire other schools and colleges to upgrade and prioritize similar courses and programs in the coming years.

“We aim to  develop, modernize  and extend  new courses and class offerings for adoption in the tertiary level, not just for the partner university, but for adoption by other campuses, most especially state universities that are looking to deepen their offerings around STEM. This includes nurturing a mindset that embraces the digital age and values the need to make full use of technology and innovation to drive long term and lasting progress,” Yoly Crisanto, Globe SVP for Corporate Communications and Chief Sustainability Officer said.

Demand for STEM-related occupations is among the highest and best-paid jobs in the 21st century. Unfortunately, students from low-income families are substantially underrepresented in STEM, which in reality, holds so many employment opportunities as an industry. Globally, participation of low-income students in STEM programs are at a much lower rate than their high-income counterparts. One main problem is lack of access of families to resources that help enable STEM education. Many low-income families cannot afford high quality gadgets or stable internet connection which has considerable impact on a child’s exposure and early proficiency in technology, as well as limits their ability to pursue their interests and undertake independent learning, putting them at a disadvantage. 

In addition, children from low-income families are usually enrolled in schools with limited STEM educational resources. This in turn, lowers the quality of STEM education often resulting in the rote memory approach, which is a memorization technique for students without really knowing what they are trying to learn, and with very little time allotted for enriching hands-on experiences. All these have consequences on widening the STEM gap in terms of interest, aptitude, and mastery of fundamental concepts that serve as a prerequisite for higher level studies in the field. 

“With our partnership with DLSU, we hope to be able to deliver new and innovative learning modules catering to more students especially those who are underprivileged. We hope that this partnership will spark stronger collaboration with the academe to improve the quality of education as well as make it more accessible to all,” Crisanto added.

The scope of the partnership between Globe and DLSU includes joint development of educational programs, which can extend to various strands such as articulated degree programs, non-degree programs, certification programs, and or training programs, particularly STEM; sharing and creation of materials and resources; joint conduct of technical and business development activities, such as field testing, prototype development, proof-of-concept testing, customer discovery, and market studies for DLSU Innovations; joint conduct of research projects in particular fields of study, and other related subject matters.

Globe is a strong advocate of quality education and is committed to 10 UN Sustainable Development Goals in order to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.  

To learn more about Globe’s sustainability efforts, visit https://www.globe.com.ph/about-us/sustainability.html  

GCash, Ministop partner to increase cash-in locations nationwide

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Committed to making fintech more accessible for all, GCash, the undisputed leader and preferred mobile wallet of the Philippines, has partnered with leading convenience store chain Ministop to enable Filipinos across the country to add money to their mobile wallets with ease.

Through the strategic partnership, all Ministop stores across the Philippines will be able to offer GCash cash in services to its customers. There are over 500 Ministop stores nationwide, spread in key areas of Metro Manila, South Luzon, Cebu, Bacolod, Dumaguete, Roxas, and Boracay. By the end of the month, more than 400 branches will be available for cash in while the activation of remaining stores will be completed by the end of September 2020.

“We are increasing our cash-in touchpoints to afford our customers a means to adapt into the new normal. Because of the great number of Ministop branches nationwide, we think that tapping into that resource is a good way of achieving our goal of promoting finance for all,”  GCash President Martha Sazon said.

Sazon also explained that it is strategic and highly important to partner with convenience stores such as Ministop, because they provide 24/7 access to customers and are classified as essential businesses which means that they stay open despite the level of quarantine imposed in a particular area.

At present, GCash has bumped up the number of cash-in locations in the Philippines to more than 33,000 and has partnered with over 40 banks for seamless conversion of hard cash into GCash.

More than just an e-wallet, GCash provides a variety of financial services which have significantly made Filipinos’ lives easier and safer amid the pandemic by enabling them to practice contactless transactions both digitally and physically. GCash users may use their e-wallets to transact with over 75,000 merchants, pay bills to more than 400 billers, and transfer money to over 40 banks in the Philippines.

GCash has also made insurance accessible to customers through GCash Insurance; empowers them to start saving through the Save Money Feature in the app, offering the highest interest rates in the industry; and even provides users the option to avail a reasonably-priced credit line through GCredit.

These services complement the on-going campaign of the government to integrate cashless transactions into the new normal, as health protocols on physical distancing and limited human interaction continue to be in place despite the gradual lifting of lockdown restrictions in most areas of the Philippines.

“GCash has a unique way of innovating conventional financial services and condensing it all in one app. And this feat wouldn’t mean anything if the greater number of Filipinos have no access to it. This is what drives us to continue on expanding and making groundbreaking partnerships with key business partners such as Ministop,” Sazon added.

Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. (Mynt), which operates GCash, is part of the portfolio companies of 917Ventures, the largest corporate incubator in the Philippines wholly-owned by Globe Telecom Inc.

GCash is available for download on the App Store and Google Play. For more information, kindly visit https://www.gcash.com/.

#itstartsonTikTok continues to celebrate creators and culture trends with “Creators’ Talk” online event

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The celebration continues for TikTok with stories featuring creators, trends, and meaningful campaigns that all began on the world’s leading short-form video platform. Since the local launch of the campaign #itstartsonTikTok last September 11, 2020,

it was followed by an online event on September 17, 2020 titled Creators’ Talk: TikTok’s Impact on Filipino Culture and the Creative Economy with TikTok content creators Zendee, Lyqa Maravilla and Yanyan de Jesus sharing their experiences about how they started on TikTok. A trending TikTok content creator himself, Mark Averilla, aka Macoy Dubs and Auntie Julie, hosted the online event.

TikTok Phillipines’ User Content Content and Operations Manager John Castro officially opened the event with a message that truly explained the essence of the campaign.

“With ‘it starts on TikTok,’ we want to celebrate the community. We want to make sure that we thank our community for making TikTok an integral part of our lives and providing an endless amount of entertainment, joy, and positive vibes. The impact of the trends that TikTok and the community made, now just transcends content - it goes from art to beauty and everything else in between,” said Castro.

John attributed TikTok’s impact on culture to the creators, users, and fans who are continuously inspired to create more content and explore their individuality. TikTok enables people from all walks of life to express themselves one way or another. From a Gen Z dominant app in its early years, the platform now appeals towards the professionals and senior citizens which has helped create a solid diverse culture. With tons of local content within the platform, every user can have a lot of different perspectives.

TikTok as an empowering platform for creation

Prior to Zendee’s popularity, she already participated in numerous singing competitions and was once featured in the Ellen De Generes show. But for her, success became sweeter when she found the empowering culture and community that is on TikTok.

“I initially created comedy on TikTok. Users are already familiar with my chipmunk’s voice delivering “patama’ lines. At that time, I was worried that my followers would only want me to create comedy. Posting a cover, I was shocked with the community’s supportive reactions. Requests started to come in from the comments and that’s how my following grew,” shared Zendee.

This talented creator was able to gain 5.7 million followers in just 7 months. One video that she attributed to her TikTok success is her parody of then viral Sarah Geronimo’s Tala, titled Gala. It was a funny yet hopeful song about how Filipinos look forward to being able to travel again once the community quarantine is over.

During her portion, Zendee enumerated her favorite trends which include the musical challenge  #popcornduet. She also liked how #BinibiningMarikit delivers an empowering theme for  Filipinas to feel confidently beautiful about themselves.

Before ending the interview,  Zendee imparted an message to her fellow content creators:

“TikTok is a big family who’ll support your craft. You can showcase your talent on TikTok. Collaborate with different creators so that we grow together. Let’s support each other, especially to the starting content creators!” 

TikTok as an enabler for learning

“It made me a better educator outside of TikTok,” shared educational content creator Lyqa Maravilla looking back through her 4 months of experience in the platform. Aiming to democratize education in the Philippines, Lyqa started mid-May of 2020 when discussion of virtual learning for students started.

“My concern at that time was student’s fear and anxiety from learning online. Joining TikTok was me being compelled to convince the young ones that learning is possible even from short-form content. I am so happy that the learning audience took to it. This time we get to convince them that: yes, kaya nilang matuto, sa loob ng isang minuto,” shared Coach Lyqa. Her account @teamlyqa actually grew to a million subscribers in six weeks since she started -- a testament that the Filipino youth really love to learn. For a fact, the education-focused local campaign #TikTokU became a top content with 1.8 billion views as of writing. 

Given the young generation’s short attention span, educators are challenged to be creative in their content. Lyqa shared how simple and easy it is to create a video and edit in the app. Ending her interview, she encouraged teachers and co-educators to utilize TikTok as a learning platform, “if you think you have something you know that can help others, share it on TikTok. It is really a good place to start.”

TikTok embraces the unique, creative and weird you

Yanyan de Jesus is now one of the country’s most followed TikTok content creators at 9.7 million. He is the Grand Champion for Talent in the region-wide competition TikTok All-Star Southeast Asia  2019.

“What if one day I become one of them?,” was Yanyan’s question 3 years ago. He shared that gaining 10 followers back then was already a happy moment. He shared that he was a victim of bullying and did not have many friends because he was weird. Little did he know at that time that there’s a huge community out there waiting for this star to realize his greatness.

Yanyan shared that he started on TikTok by creating videos for his own entertainment. One positive video at a time, he continuously explored his individuality and expressed his creative self. Yanyan’s feed today is diversity itself. He can wow you with his moves, make you laugh, and give you all the feels. Asie from doing these things for expression, he also wants to infect his audience with joy, “in my videos, even if I can’t interact personally, I want to make you happy.”

When asked what’s the secret formula for creating viral videos, Yanyan revealed that what matters on TikTok is expressing one’s truth and individuality. Originality is what people will love about you. 

Yanyan invites everyone to start creating their content today, “TikTok has a support system among content creators. We support each other. Be in your comfort zone, then explore. Try new things. Diversify your content.”

 

it starts on TikTok - bringing infectious joy and viral content

For all these reasons, #itstartsonTikTok campaign is a love letter to these local creators and a proper acknowledgement of the campaigns and trends that brought joy to the community.

For every content creator that starts on TikTok, a new story unfolds. One positive content on TikTok is a message of hope and inspiration to multitude of users from many parts of the globe. For every video upload, culture and experiences are shared, amplified, and celebrated in a tic of a sec. These small acts of positivity and goodness collectively shaped the culture trends that we have today.

TikTok welcomes you for who you are. Now’s the best time to start your creative journey. Download TikTok today on your iOS and Android devices and start your TikTok moment with #itstartsonTikTok and #TikTokPhilippines.

PHINLA: Empowering Waste Workers and Their Communities at the time of COVID-19

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Chris Macas has been a waste collector since 2018. While he is proud of his contributions to the cleanliness of his community, he has been hoping for changes.

With only gloves to protect him, he would worry about his health and also his family's. There were days, he said, when he couldn't report for work for a week because he'd often get sick.

The situation of Chris is not new in the Philippines. Although the country has several laws related to solid waste management, strict implementation remains a problem, causing adverse impact not just to the environment but also to waste workers' welfare.  A compliance audit on 178 local government units (LGUs) showed that from 2011-2017, 27.53% did not comply with regulations for segregation at source while 23.03% did not comply with regulations on segregated collection.

The PPEs are now a necessity for the safety of waste workers like Chris who collects and segregates waste to help keep communities clean.

PHINLA

Recognizing these challenges and the vulnerability of waste workers like Chris, World Vision and Ecowaste Coalition, with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Global Development (BMZ) are implementing the PHINLA Project. PHINLA, coined from the name countries the project is being implemented in (the Philippines, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka) seeks to empower waste workers and communities affected by poor waste management by using waste as a resource to create meaningful employment and to earn income, while tackling health and environmental issues associated with waste management. 

In Barangay Cugman, Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao, where Chris comes from, one of the project's main initiatives, to date, involved organizing the waste workers association and training them to create a better collection system and MRF for the community.  People from the village, mostly volunteers who identify themselves as eco warriors, do daily house to house waste collection using the 17 pedicabs and 5 motorbikes that the PHINLA project provided. To further help them earn income in this phase of the project, the village created an incentives-based system depending on the weight of the recyclables collected to encourage the practice of proper waste segregation. 

On the next phase of the project, PHINLA will help the village establish the waste collectors’ association as a business enterprise, functioning and earning income on its own to provide salary for waste workers. 

Chris Macas, Waste Worker from Brgy Cugman, CDO, receiving PPE and motorcab from PHINLA Project through a turn over ceremony officiated by barangay officials. Photo courtesy of: Brgy. Cugman Facebook page

A relief

Since the group of waste workers was officially organized on the first week of August 2020, Chris has seen significant changes.

The community used to collect garbage using just one garbage truck. It would take them at least 4-5 hours for collection alone. With 17 pedicabs, they can now collect simultaneously, saving them time and delivery to the MRF situated on top of the mountains is made easier with the use of the motorbikes.

"We are also frontliners. I can't even imagine the damage it would cost me and my family if I get the virus while doing my work because I did not have protective gears. I am extremely grateful to PHINLA for this support,” said Chris Macas, one of the recipients of the PHINLA project.

The PHINLA project through World Vision and Ecowaste Coalition continue its work, not only in CDO, but also in Quezon City and Davao, providing training and equipment necessary to help the community and its waste workers.  

“Through our Global Program that intends to develop livelihood opportunities for poverty affected population through a multi-sectoral established and monitored waste management system, we have already seen important achievements in all three countries of implementation from program inception in September 2019 till now. Still, more work needs to be done in ensuring its sustainability, including engaging more  and more vulnerable groups in income generating activities at Waste Collection/Recycling Centers, increasing awareness of general public in waste reduction/recycling/reuse matters and adherence of households to the different waste segregation practices and laws in the country," shares Giorgi Devidze, PHINLA Global Program Director. 

To know more about World Vision and its programs in the Philippines, you may visit www.worldvision.org.ph.