#TravelAsJuan with Airbnb to the Philippines’ top beach and diving destinations

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Rediscover the country’s top destinations from the 28th World Travel Awards with these beautiful Airbnb Stays hosted by passionate local Superhosts

Known for its pristine beaches and mesmerizing dive spots, the Philippines once again stood out after the 28th World Travel Awards recognized the country as this year’s leading beach and diving destination in Asia.

Following the easing of travel restrictions, some of the country’s top beach destinations including Boracay, Siargao, and El Nido have already reopened to local travellers. Filipinos are already making plans for their next trip to popular hotspots Panglao, Anda, Balicasag, Anilao, Malapascua, Moalboal, and Puerto Galera.

While beaches and diving sites are incredibly popular during summertime – an end-of-year trip might just be what you need to reconnect and recharge with loved ones. For those seeking inspiration for your next trip, Airbnb reveals some of its top Superhost Stays in the Philippines’ best beaches and diving destinations that you can book for that much-awaited getaway!

A vibrant loft perched on a solitary hill in Boracay

Without a doubt, Boracay is one of the most appealing tourist destinations in the country. In fact, trips here always seem to be bitin, because the island doles up the most inimitably chill yet fun vibe. Now that more companies are offering remote work opportunities, it’s a great time to explore living and working elsewhere.

If you have Boracay in mind for a potential workation, Bianca’s Garden Apartments has everything you need for work and play: a dedicated workspace, WiFi, television, balcony and backyard,  a fully furnished kitchen, and a spacious bedroom. It is also tucked away from the crowds of Boracay with incredible views of Bolabog Beach.

An eco-friendly beachside gem in Siargao

Siargao ‘made waves’ after the release of a local film of the same name back in 2017. While well known as a haven for surfers, the island welcomes all groups of visitors.

Hosts Julio and Clydd of Kala’s Cave provide guests with a handy notebook filled with their favorite hidden gems and useful local contacts. But that’s just a bonus as the real star here is their treehouse – an eco-friendly passion project with breathtaking views of the sea and lush palm trees all around, and just minutes away from the famous Cloud 9.

A stylish, luxurious villa in El Nido, Palawan

    

Visiting El Nido, Palawan is akin to walking right into a postcard so impeccably beautiful it’s earned the title of one of the best beaches in the world more than once.

For your next visit to this paradise, you should definitely look for Casa Malaya — a Pinterest dream come true located just by Nacpan Beach. This tropical designer space with unique antiques has everything you need and more — in-home massages, complimentary bicycles to explore the area, free breakfasts delivered to your doorstep plus a private pool for you to bask in the warm midday sun.

A homey bamboo hut in Moalboal, Cebu

 

Moalboal is famous for its underwater paradise, especially when you get to dive into its crystal-clear waters and witness the famous Sardine Run. Island hopping and turtle watching are also popular activities in this town - but what really drives travelers to visit is the countryside charm of this coastal town.

Enjoy laid-back vibes at Tongo Hill Cottages, nestled among palm trees and verdant hills. This Airbnb Stay features rows of bamboo-made huts for the adventurous traveler, and each hut comes with its own small porch with a hammock. Every morning, you will be served hearty breakfasts at the terrace alongside a dose of joy from your companions Simba, Buko, and Lily, the rescue dogs residing in this dreamy abode.

A refreshing homestay in Panglao, Bohol

Divers from all around the world converge in Panglao to explore its underwater wonders and rich marine biodiversity — from schools of jacks and sea turtles to sardine runs, dolphins, whales, and lush coral forests.

Planning a longer vacation to fully explore what Bohol has to offer? You can rent Halamanan Villa for an entire month! This tranquil and tastefully designed Airbnb stay is minutes away from Alona Beach, bountiful dive spots as well as local restaurants and coffee shops.

As more destinations reopen across the Philippines, Filipinos are sharing their homes, stories, and love for their hometowns with fellow Filipinos through hosting with Airbnb.  Hosts have also committed to Airbnb’s 5-step Enhanced Clean process, a set of standards developed in partnership with experts to ensure safety and peace of mind for guests.

For more ideas on where to stay as you #TravelAsJuan to the country’s top beach and diving destinations, visit https://www.airbnb.com/philippines/stays.

 

Notes:

*All stays referenced are intended purely to inspire and illustrate. Airbnb does not recommend or endorse specific stay or experience listings on the Airbnb platform.

*This press release encourages safe and responsible travel. Local and international travel requirements, as well as health guidelines, continue to change quickly. Check local restrictions at home and in your destination before booking a trip on Airbnb.

 

Curious about deepfake videos? Globe reminds netizens to be more careful online

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More people now use the internet as their primary source of news, but along with it, the danger of being lured with false information. Advanced technologies have made the proliferation of these manipulated content and media more sophisticated.

One of the most widespread types of manipulated content involves deepfake -- videos that have been expertly edited to replace the person in the original material with someone else, usually a public figure. The aim may be to create confusion, deceive the public, cause reputation damage, or spread fake news, among other reasons.

 

Since it is very easy to take presented information at face value, Globe has made the Digital Discernment eModule under its Digital Thumbprint Program (DTP) available via its YouTube channel and Globe Bridging Communities Facebook Page. The Digital Discernment eModule serves as a guide to help netizens be conscious of the content they consume.

 

“The internet provides easy access to information, but not everything is real and verified. It’s important to always be critical of what we see online. As responsible digital citizens, let us do our part to deter these threats by stopping its spread and reporting malicious content,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP for Corporate Communications.

 

To tell if videos are deepfakes, the Digital Discernment eModule lists the following tips:

●        Carefully look at the difference of color whenever the subject speaks or the angle changes

●        Check for blurred spots, especially between the face and the neck

●        See if there are unnatural eye movements, facial expressions, and body movements

●        Observe if the speaker's emotion matches their speech or if lip movements match

 

When in doubt, netizens must research and verify with legitimate news and established entertainment sources if the videos are authentic.

 

Earlier, Globe created two other DTP eModules: Digital Insight, which deals on cybersecurity and safety, and Digital Impact, which is about online responsibility and etiquette.

 

“We have transitioned our highly successful DTP program into eModules to adjust to these changing times. People are online more often, and we want to create a safer digital environment for netizens. These bite-sized eModules present important lessons on digital citizenship in a very approachable fashion,” Crisanto said.

 

DTP is a series of workshops patterned after the Optus Digital Thumbprint in-school program in Australia. Each module aims to increase students’ knowledge of digital citizenship and cybersafety by taking a critical look at their online behavior and helping them develop insights into the influences of the online world and the choices they are making.

 

The company strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG), particularly UN SDG No. 4 on Quality Education and UN SDG No. 9 on Infrastructure, Innovation and Industrialization. Globe is committed to upholding the United Nations Global Compact principles and contributing to 10 UN SDGs.

 

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

From Instapay fees to Instapay FREE real quick : Get your Instapay fee back when you transfer to and from your PayMaya account until December 31!

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Tired of those pesky bank transfer fees? We got you! From now until December 31, 2021, PayMaya is giving you an instant cashback on your transaction fees whenever you cash in to your e-wallet account or transfer funds to other banks via Instapay.

With PayMaya, sending funds to other banks won’t cost you a thing as you automatically get a P15 cashback whenever you transfer via Instapay. Now, there’s no need to worry about unwanted fees when paying your favorite casual seller or sending ambag for your next (socially distanced) barkada get-together.

To start transferring funds to other banks via Instapay, all you have to do is follow these easy steps:

1. On your PayMaya app homepage, click the Bank Transfer button.
2. Choose the bank you’d like to transfer to.
3. Input the bank details of your recipient and click Continue.
4. Review the transfer details and hit send.

Just wait for the text message from PayMaya to confirm your transaction and you’re good to go! You can also choose to save the bank details of your favorite contacts – be it your go-to cookie IG store or your mom for your household bills share – so you can easily transfer funds without having to repeatedly input their account info on the app.

On top of this, you can also get an instant cashback on your Instapay fees* when you cash in to your PayMaya account from your go-to banks like BDO, Metrobank and more. You can enjoy a P20 cashback to cover your transaction fee twice every month until the end of the promo period.

Transferring via Instapay is among the convenient ways to add funds to your PayMaya account. PayMaya has over 90,000 touchpoints that offer FREE cash in, including BPI Online banking, Unionbank via linked account, Ministop, Smart Padala, TrueMoney, Robinsons Supermarket, Shopwise, The Marketplace, Southstar Drug and more. You can also top up your account for free at your go-to establishments like SM Supermarket, The SM Store, Landers, Waltermart, and more for a monthly aggregate amount of up to P10,000.

To enjoy hassle-free Instapay transactions, download the PayMaya app at https://official.paymaya.com/CAK1/425eb133 and register an account to start going cashless today.

PayMaya is the only end-to-end digital payments ecosystem enabler in the Philippines, with platforms and services that cut across consumers, merchants, communities, and government.

It provides more than 38 million Filipinos access to financial services through its consumer platforms. Customers can conveniently pay, add money, cash out or remit through its over 300,000 digital touchpoints nationwide. Its Smart Padala by PayMaya network of over 55,000 partner agent touchpoints serves as last-mile digital financial hubs in communities, providing the unbanked and underserved access to digital services. Through its enterprise business, it is the largest digital payments processor for key industries in the country, including "every day" merchants such as the largest retail, food, gas, and eCommerce merchants, as well as government agencies and units.

*Applicable only to banks that haven't waived their Instapay fees for fund transfers

Pepsi pledges 10,000 meals in online campaign by BBDO Guerrero

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Pepsi Philippines partnered with Rise Against Hunger Philippines (RAH) to provide meals for families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The 10,000 meal pledge was made at a live “online handaan(celebration)” virtual event created by BBDO Guerrero which drew a combined audience of over 1.3 million.

Rise Against Hunger is an international and non-profit hunger-relief organization. It is the first established foodbank in the Philippines and part of the Global Foodbanking Network. The event was hosted by DJ Suzy and Turs Daza and by leading stars from showbiz and entertainment including Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, SB19, Mimiyuuuh, Ricci Rivero, Alyssa Valdez, Pam Swing, and Jayda.

Dom Layugan, CSD Brand Manager said “In the face of the Covid-19 crisis, Pepsi and Rise Against Hunger, are working together to find ways to support affected Filipino families and children. These meals will be distributed for an entire month in the communities that need it the most.”

Jomar Flores, Executive Director, Rise Against Hunger said “The meals will go a long away in helping communities that have been drastically by the Covid-19 pandemic. This Christmas time, these meals that will be donated will mean a big thing to these families.”

David Guerrero, Creative Chair of BBDO Guerrero, said “It is great to be a part of a campaign that brings the community together. And we are happy to be a part of Pepsi’s partnership with Rise Against Hunger to help draw attention to this cause at this time of year.”

New Brand Ambassador Ken Chan for Eye Mo Daily Care: The eye care must-have during and beyond pandemic

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Hygiene is part of our daily life. We wash our face, hair, and teeth daily, and we wash our hand multiple times a day. But, sometimes we forget about one part of our body that very important to take care of: our eyes.

Covid-19 has recently become a global pandemic. The virus is thought to primarily spread via person-to-person through droplets produced when an infected patient coughs or sneezes. It also could be spread if people touch an object or surface with the virus present, and then touch their mouth, nose or eyes. “At this time, even the habit of rubbing our eyes puts us at risk of contracting the virus” says top ophthalmologist and glaucoma specialist Dr. Maika Malgapu-Uy.

Common routes of community transmission occur through respiratory droplets, but the virus can also spread through the eyes, prompting medical professionals to advocate daily eye care and protection to keep us and our loved ones safe.

“There’s an oddly satisfying feeling when we rub our eyes to relieve itchiness, but it’s a very dangerous habit that can, most of the time, lead to eye infection or in some cases, virus transmission. We really have to be careful,” she adds.

This is why she advises eye drops for irrigation to wash away the irritant, instead of introducing more irritants into the eye through rubbing. Now more than ever, we should be wary of mindlessly rubbing our eyes or washing it with water when itchy. “Touching or rubbing eyes must be avoided, even when your eyes are itchy due to dust or minor irritants, it’s better to use eye drops to cleanse your eyes” said Dr. Maika Malgapu-Uy.

Eye Mo

Eye Mo, a trusted global brand of eye drops, recently launched its Eye Care Everyday advocacy with the introduction of Eye Mo Daily Care. Eye Mo takes pride in educating consumers on the importance of taking care of their eyes, Eye Mo Daily Care cleanses our eyes, getting rid of dust and other irritants, gently and effectively.

Eye Mo, a household brand in the Philippines for more than 50 years, recently launched Eye Mo Daily Care, that can cleans eyes from irritants such as smoke, pollution, dirt, and unseen particles, and at the same time relieves itchiness. Eye Mo Daily Care can also be a solution for itchy eyes due to prolonged contact lens usage.

“As we transition to the new normal, it is important for us to form new habits that will help us navigate life in a pandemic.” says Mr. Weitarsa Hendarto, Sr. Vice President for Marketing & International Operations of Combiphar.

“We are pleased to announce the relaunch of Eye Mo Daily Care for the Philippines consumers. As a market leader, Eye Mo takes pride in educating consumers on the importance of taking care of their eyes. Daily hygiene of our eyes is very important especially during the time of Pandemic. Eye Mo Daily Care will help Filipinos to clean their eyes every day and remove itchiness.

“With the launch of Eye Mo Daily Care, Eye Mo completes its current variants that include Eye Mo Red Eyes to relieve red eyes irritation and Eye Mo Moist to relieve dry and tired eyes.”, he added.

Ken Chan

Ken Chan is the newest endorser of Eye Mo Daily Care. The partnership aims to promote the importance of eye care every day with Eye Mo’s newest variant.

Eye Mo also introduces its first endorser, trusted and respected young actor Ken Chan, whose advocacy on daily eye care aligns with the brand’s thrust of providing accessible eye care solutions. Ken has been a long-time Eye Mo user, keeping Eye Mo Daily Care at a ready on shoots, lock-in tapings, and even on ordinary activities such as running or doing sports. The multi-awarded actor uses Eye Mo Daily Care twice a day as part of his daily self-care routine.

“Our eyes offer a glimpse into our emotions as actors, this is why I make sure that my eyes are always in tip-top shape. Daily eye care is important to me not just for good hygiene, but also for good eye health and better eye protection in this pandemic. I always make sure that I pamper my eyes and give them the care they deserve.”

For this reason, Ken encourages daily eye care as we go about our day-to-day activities. “Even something as ordinary as commuting, or meeting new people could be a precursor to possible contamination. Touching our face or eyes is almost second nature to us. It’s always best to have an eye drop handy for good measure.”

Daily eye care for overall eye health

As part of Eye Mo’s commitment to providing accessible eye care, the brand also shares tips on how to take care of your eyes :

1. When your eyes are itchy, don’t rub them. Washing with water is not enough. You can use an eye drop that can cleans your eyes and relieve itchiness e.g Eye Mo Daily Care

2. Put together an eye care travel kit. When you don’t have access to soap and water for handwashing, having sanitary supplies on-hand is a great backup in the event you need to touch your eyes. Eye Mo Daily Care can be a good way to proactively manage potential eye irritation, therefore helping limit the need to touch or rub your eyes throughout the day

Make Eye Mo Daily Care as part of your Covid-19 prevention must-haves and even after pandemic ends, it’s important that we take care of our eyes. Eye Mo Daily Care is available at leading drugstores, convenience stores and supermarkets nationwide.

Visit www.eyemoph.com for more information about Eye Mo. Click link to go to Eye Mo’s Youtube channel and view the latest TVC.

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About Eye Mo

Eye Mo is a trusted global brand and award-winning eye drop that has been in the market for more than 50 years. Currently, Eye Mo is marketed in the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Cambodia, and Brunei Darussalam. Eye Mo has 3 variants, Eye Mo Red Eyes, Eye Mo Moist, and Eye Mo Daily Care. Eye Mo Red Eyes contain Tetrahydrozoline to relieve eye redness, Eye Mo Moist contain HPMC to relieve dry and tired eyes, and Eye Mo Daily Care contain Boric Acid to clean and relieve itchy eyes.

For further information, please visit www.eyemoph.com, Facebook EyeMo PH, IG @eyemophofficial,

About Combiphar

Combiphar was established in Indonesia in 1971 as a pharmaceutical company producing curative medicines, with OBH Combi cough syrup as the leading brand in Indonesia. Since it was first established, Combiphar has been transforming into a leading healthcare company in Indonesia, focusing not only in curative products but also in preventive segment, aligned with the Company’s purpose ‘Championing a Healthy Tomorrow’ – meaning, a healthy future starts now.

Presently, Combiphar produces and markets over 90 high quality and affordable OTC and ethical products, including renowned brands such as OBH Combi, Insto eye drops, Eye Mo (both are leaders in their respective category), Hezandra (hepatoprotector supplement), and many more. To expand their portfolio in the preventive segment, Combiphar acquired legendary herbal brand Jamu Air Mancur in 2019 and Simba healthy cereal in 2021.

Headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia with 1800 employees across Indonesia and presence in a large number of primary and secondary cities, Combiphar has 8 factories in 6 sites.

Currently Combiphar is already present in Asia i.e Philippine, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Brunei Darussalam, Macau, Taiwan, Vietnam, China, Fiji Islands, and South Korea. We are also present in UAE, Oman, Maldives, Kenya, Somalia, and Niger. In the future, Combiphar will continue to expand into the international market. Combiphar is also a trusted partner of international pharmaceutical companies through licensing, joint venture and contract manufacturing.

For further information, please visit www.combiphar.com, IG @combiphar, Facebook Combiphar Indonesia, Twitter @CombipharID and LinkedIn Combiphar.