PLDT undisputed as fastest Internet service provider for five straight years

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PLDT Inc. (PLDT) has achieved a five-peat win at the Ookla® Speedtest Awards™ 2022 -- a first for PLDT, and for the Philippines.  

PLDT President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio leads a toast to their Fastest Internet 5 Years In A Row award with (L-R): PLDT Senior Vice President - Head of Consumer Sales Group Alex O. Caeg, First Vice President - Head of Enterprise and International Business Groups Albert Mitchell L. Locsin, Ookla CTO Luke Deryckx, PLDT Senior Vice President - Head of Home Business Group Jeremiah M. de la Cruz, PLDT and Smart Network Head Roderick Santiago, and Ookla Senior Vice President and Global Head of Sales and Enterprise Services Kuljeet Randhawa.

Global benchmarking company Ookla® announced that PLDT, the country’s largest digital services provider, achieved a top speed score of 86.52 in 2022, affirming the telco’s dominance and consistent performance in delivering the country’s fastest Internet speeds for the fifth consecutive year. 

Leading the Philippines’ digital transformation 

PLDT has consistently dominated the Ookla® Speedtest Awards™ for five consecutive years as a result of the telco giant’s aggressive network expansion and drive to lift the quality of customer experience. 

The PLDT Group has been supporting the country’s digitalization by bringing the benefits of connectivity and other digital services to more areas in the Philippines. In 2022, PLDT recorded a total of 6.08 million fiber-powered ports, covering around 17,700 barangays across the country. 

“PLDT’s commitment is to help build and empower the nation by setting the bar high in providing world-class digital services for Filipinos,” said PLDT President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio. “For the past five years, PLDT has made big strides to elevate our customers’ experience by delivering the best fixed network services. We intend to keep this momentum and to go above and beyond in ensuring that our customers get the best digital experience wherever they need it – at home, school, or the office.”

PLDT remains the only telco in the Philippines that can deliver the fastest fiber-optic speeds of up to 10 Gbps, which was made available to the public as early as 2021. This groundbreaking move has placed the Philippines alongside first-world nations in terms of ultra-fast internet speeds including South Korea, Japan, Norway, Italy, New Zealand, and USA. 

As of end-2022, PLDT achieved an all-time high number of home broadband customers by adding 1.1 million new fiber subscribers, capturing 59% of fiber customer industry growth for 2022. This brought PLDT Home’s total fiber subscribers to 2.9 million.

PLDT Home continues to be the trusted telco provider of Filipinos that delivers the fastest internet and future-ready innovations in their homes. Leading innovations for the home broadband segment in 2022, PLDT Home boosted its efforts to give customers the best digital experience at home by increasing the speeds of all its Fiber plans up to two times faster than previous speeds. 

The PLDT Group, through its ICT subsidiary ePLDT, also provides data center, multi-cloud and cybersecurity solutions that enable the digital transformation of large companies, Micros, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to help drive the country’s inclusive economic growth. Leveraging on PLDT’s advance infrastructure, ePLDT is the country’s leading provider of data center and multi-cloud managed service offerings.

PLDT remains undisputed fastest internet in the Philippines, winning the Ookla Speedtest Awards for five years in a row. In photo are (L-R): PLDT Senior Vice President - Head of Home Business Group Jeremiah M. de la Cruz, Ookla Chief Technology Officer Luke Deryckx, PLDT President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio, PLDT First Vice President - Head of Enterprise and International Business Groups Albert Mitchell L. Locsin, PLDT and Smart Network Head Roderick Santiago and Ookla Senior Vice President and Global Head of Sales and Enterprise Services Kuljeet Randhawa.

The Most Coveted Ookla Speedtest Award

PLDT is the only telco in the Philippines that has ever achieved a five-peat for the highest award from Ookla. According to Ookla, only a handful of internet service providers have won the prestigious award for five consecutive years worldwide. In Southeast Asia, only PLDT as the leading telco in the Philippines has this honor, alongside Singapore’s ViewQWest. 

Ookla’s Chief Technology Officer, Luke Deryckx, affirms PLDT’s superior network performance for the past five years. He says, “With over 18 million consumer-initiated tests taken daily and billions of data points gathered, the Ookla data paints a clear picture of the performance, quality, and availability of virtually every network in the world. We are proud to recognize PLDT’s hard work in providing the fastest Internet experience in the Philippines and celebrate their achievements in superior network performance over the last 5 years.” 

With the consistent wins at the Ookla® Speedtest Awards, PLDT also clocked the top speeds in major areas in the Philippines and bested all other major telco providers in 2022 including Pasig City, Cagayan de Oro, Baguio City, amongst others.

All these achievements are powered by PLDT’s widest fiber network in the country which now spans 1.1 million kilometers, extending its reach to 17.2 million homes passed, in 68% of the country’s cities and municipalities. 

For more information about PLDT’s Ookla Speedtest Awards, visit www.pldt.com. 

Disclaimer: 

Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data for (Q1–Q4) 2018, 2019,2020, 2021, 2022. Ookla trademarks used under license and reprinted with permission.

HONOR continues to expand in PH, now in SM City Marilao and Marikina

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Good news for Bulakenyos and Marikenyos! HONOR Philippines has just arrived in SM City Marilao and Marikina

HONOR Philippines Vice President Stephen Cheng, Brand Manager Joepy Libo-on, PR Manager Pao Oga, and Sales Director for Central Luzon Jim Li with SM City Marilao Tenant Relations Officer Rafael Martinez and AVPO North 5 and 6 Anna Datu

The leading smart devices provider, HONOR Philippines, has achieved another milestone with the opening of its third and fourth experience store in SM City Marilao and SM City Marikina.

Officiated by HONOR Philippines Vice President Stephen Cheng, Brand Manager Joepy Libo-on, PR Manager Pao Oga, and Sales Director for Central Luzon Jim Li with SM City Marilao Tenant Relations Officer Rafael Martinez and AVPO North 5 and 6 Anna Datu in SM City Marilao and HONOR Philippines National Sales Officer Jett Hermosura and Regional Retail Manager Jen Rayala with Power Premium Area Supervisor Kiwi Billy Arce and Sales and Retail Operation Consultant Matt Basilan in SM City Marikina, both store openings were another jam-packed success for the tech giant.

HONOR Philippines National Sales Officer Jett Hermosura and Regional Retail Manager Jen Rayala with Power Premium Area Supervisor Kiwi Billy Arce and Sales and Retail Operation Consultant Matt Basilan

“This is such a sweet success for us. Seven months ago, no one would have ever thought that we would grow this early and this fast. We really owe it to our loyal customers, that’s why we are making our services more accessible to more and more Filipinos,” said Stephen Cheng, HONOR Philippines Vice President.

To those who are on the lookout of the next HONOR experience stores to open, here’s the updated list from HONOR Philippines:

Ultra-Tough gets Tougher

The crowd-favorite HONOR X9a 5G that now comes in the new limited-edition Midnight Black color, sports a 120Hz Premium OLED Curved Display bringing users a large screen with an impressive screen-to-body ratio. HONOR X9a 5G has an impressive 64 MP Super Triple Camera and a 2-Day Battery Life.

It was tested yet again during the store opening in SM City Marilao where select fans participated in the viral HONOR smash challenge. Lucky winner got to take home an HONOR smartphone.

Visit your nearest HONOR Experience Store or any partner dealer store now as this HONOR X9a 5G Midnight Black comes in limited stocks only!. It is also now available through your favorite online stores – Shopee (https://bit.ly/3oh9VGt), Lazada (https://bit.ly/3L0VuyT), and TikTok Shop (https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS8WXk7ow/), still priced at P16,990.

You can find the HONOR Experience Store in SM City Marilao at Second Level while the HONOR Experience Store in SM City Marikina is at Cyberzone.

For more announcements, you may visit HONOR’s website www.hihonor.com or social media platforms: Facebook (Facebook.com/HonorPhilippines), Instagram (Instagram.com/honorphilippines/) and TikTok: (Tiktok.com/@honorphilippines). To check out HONOR’s complete list of retail stores, go to https://www.hihonor.com/ph/retailers/.

Collab of the year? Shakey’s Mojos Made Mo’ Fun with flavors from Potato Corner!

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 Is there anything else better than Shakey’s famous Mojos?

Here’s the answer to that. Your favorite Mojos are now Made MO’ Fun with Flavors, thanks to an iconic collaboration between Shakey’s and Potato Corner! Starting May 1, 2023, Shakey’s will be coming out with Flavored Mojos: Shakey’s signature Mojos combined with Potato Corner’s iconic flavors: BBQ, Sour Cream, and Cheese.

BBQ Flavored Mojos is made with Potato Corner’s signature barbecue flavor. This all-time favorite from Potato Corner gives every bite of Shakey’s Mojos a burst of smoky, tangy, and meaty taste.

For those looking for a zesty kick to their Mojos, guests can also try the Sour Cream Flavored Mojos. Another Potato Corner favorite, Sour Cream is the perfect blend of flavorful herbs and rich, zingy sour cream.

Cheese Flavored Mojos is for those who can’t get enough of Potato Corner’s finger-licking O.G cheese. This classic, craveable flavor blends perfectly with Shakey’s iconic Mojos slices.

Basket of Flavored Mojos (Php 429) in iconic Potato Corner flavors: BBQ, Cheese, and Sour Cream.

Potato Corner and Shakey’s fans alike can start to get their Flavored Mojos starting May 1, 2023 at Shakey’s stores. Guests can enjoy Flavored Mojos in three sizes: Solo (Php 209), Basket of Flavored Mojos (Php 429), and Flavored Mojos Supreme (Php 579)! Plus, when you order a Flavored Mojos Supreme, you can opt for “Half and Half”, meaning you get two flavors in one bucket!

Shakey’s Flavored Mojos are available in Shakey’s stores for a limited time for dine-in, carry-out, and delivery! To know more, follow @shakeysph on Instagram and Shakey’s Philippines on Facebook.

 

Bring your 2023 Summer Travel goals to life with these six fascinating PH vacation spots

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The long, hot days of summer are finally here and if you’re one of the many who’s up for travel and adventure this season, there are many fascinating tourist and vacation spots around the country you can add to your bucket list.

A recent study by travel and experience platform Klook noted that 87% of Filipinos are raring to travel with many of their destinations of choice within the Philippines as booking for domestic destinations have exceeded pre-pandemic levels in 2022.

Domestic travel, according to the Department of Tourism, is expected to make a full recovery this year with the country’s hotel and resorts association reporting that occupancy has breached 2019 numbers and is largely driven by domestic tourism.

With 2023 being dubbed as the year of Revenge Travel, there’s no better time to plan your trip, pack your bags and head-off for an unforgettable adventure. But before you do, ensure your travels are hassle-free by getting Travel Master Insurance with COVID-19.

“It’s summer and we’re sure that many Filipinos are already picking out the destinations they want to travel to, especially since the Philippines has so many beautiful sites to see–from beautiful beaches to beautiful towns and cities–there’s something for every kind of traveler. Traveling should be fun, stress-free, and hassle-free, this is why we created Travel Master insurance–to provide our travelers the peace of mind and protection from any kind of eventuality so they can make the most out of their trips,” said Mario Berta, Igloo’s Country Manager for the Philippines.

Created in partnership with GCash and Malayan Insurance, Travel Master with COVID-19 provides travelers coverage including for personal accidents, flight delays, lost luggage, emergency medical treatment, hospital cash allowance, travel inconvenience benefits, and COVID-19 protection.

To get the Travel Master coverage, simply access the GInsure page available on your GCash app and select Travel and Travel Master with COVID-19. Fill in the form with your travel details and it will immediately provide you with coverage benefits and the premium contribution and you’re set to go.

Travel Master with COVID-19 is available whether you’re planning to travel locally or internationally–making it a flexible and much-needed travel companion anywhere you go.

So if you’re looking for destinations to add to your vacation bucket list, here are six spots around the Philippines to get you started:

Samal Island Tourism Information Center, Facebook

Island Garden City of Samal

Davao del Norte

Located at the heart of the Davao Gulf, the Island Garden City of Samal is known as the largest resort island in the country– home to more than 30 resorts across a 118-kilometer stretch of coastline.

A mere 15-minute boat ride from Davao City, the resort island is a great stop for those who want to soak in the beautiful landscapes and seascapes of the Philippines. Go snorkeling and bask in the beauty of the 150-hectare Coral Garden and Marine Park that includes the Audanao Fish Sanctuary and the Giant Clam Sanctuary. On land, travelers can enjoy exploring the 11.5-hectare government-owned botanical garden and nature park where they can see diverse flora and fauna.

The resort island is also home to the largest colony of fruit bats in the world and they can be seen in their natural habitat at the Monfort Bat cave.

Alona Beach Guide, Website

Alona Beach

Bohol

The Philippines is home to amazing beaches (it has more than 7,000 islands after all) and if you’re on the hunt for a new beach haunt that has white sand beaches like Boracay, Alona Beach in Panglao, Bohol is a great spot to add to your travel bucket list.

The white sand beach stretches a good 1.5 kilometers and is in full view of the blue, blue waters of the sea of Bohol. Nature lovers and adventure seekers may also immerse themselves in the rich marine biodiversity of Balicasag Island–a few minutes boat ride from Panglao island. Here you can snorkel and view its 400-meter coral garden and marine sanctuary.

Meanwhile, those who want to get the most out of their vacation and explore more of Bohol can also visit the famous Chocolate Hills, the Mahogany Forest, or take a slow, leisurely ride and a beautiful lunch along the Loboc River with the Loboc River Cruise.

Lacson Ruins, Facebook

The Ruins

Bacolod

Often called the “Taj Mahal of the Philippines,” The Ruins or the Lacson Ruins was the ancestral home of local sugar baron Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson built in the early 1900s in Talisay, Bacolod City. Inspired by Italian architecture, the Ruins was built in the memory of Don Mariano’s wife Maria, who died giving birth to their 8th child.

During the Second World War, the mansion was burned by Philippine guerillas to prevent it from being used by the Japanese. The mansion burned for three days straight but left behind its beautiful foundation. The Ruins has now become a popular tourist and event spot, especially for weddings because of its romantic history.

For those who want to experience more of the old-age architecture of the Philippines, they can–after visiting the Ruins–take a day trip to the neighboring city of Silay and visit its large collection of perfectly-preserved heritage houses including the Golez Heritage House and the Balay Negrense heritage house and museum.

Museo Orlina, Facebook

Museo Orlina

Tagaytay City

For those who want a more leisurely adventure in cooler climes, Museo Orlina in Tagaytay City, is the perfect place for you.

Located at Hollywood St. Hollywood Subdivision in Tagaytay City, the museum houses the many glass sculptures of famed Filipino visual artist Ramon Orlina. Spend an hour or two exploring the four-floor exhibit area including the Reflections Gallery where Mr. Orlina exhibits videos, images, and documents charting his art journey; and the Naesa Gallery which features an ever-changing exhibition featuring up-and-coming Filipino artists.

If you fancy viewing his work alongside nature, take a walk at the Sculpture Garden and Amphitheater, and cap off the visit with a spectacular view of Taal Lake at the roof deck.

Tam-awan Village, Website

Bell Church, Website

Tam-awan Village and Bell Church

As the Summer Capital of the Philippines, many vacationers travel to Baguio in search for respite from the hot weather. The cooler climate alongside the beautiful nature makes it a must-go destination for anyone regardless of their preference for adventure.

Those who’ve been to Baguio several times would undoubtedly know of its most famous landmarks including Wright Park, Burnham Park, Camp John Hay, and more. But for those who want to discover more of the city and its culture, there’s no better place to visit than the Tam-awan Village and the Bell Church.

Tam-awan Village located in Pinsao Proper, Baguio City is perfect for those interested in art and history. The village features indigenous craftsmanship and Ifugao architecture alongside art pieces made by local artists set within a sprawling and beautiful mountainside forest.

Bell Church, meanwhile, is a 63-year-old Taoist temple located in La Trinidad, Benguet. Here visitors can enjoy the beautiful architecture and the quaint lotus pond and even have their fortunes read by the monks of the temple.

Whether your summer plans are for adventure or relaxation, domestic or international, make your travels all fun and worry-free withTravel Master Insurance with COVID-19 available at the GCash’s GInsure marketplace.

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About Igloo:

Igloo is the first full-stack insurtech firm to emerge from Singapore. It has offices in Singapore, Indonesia,  Thailand,  The  Philippines,  Vietnam  and  Malaysia  and  tech  centers in China and India.  With a mission of making insurance accessible for all, the firm leverages big data, real-time risk assessment, and end-to-end automated claims management to create B2B2C insurance solutions for platform companies and insurance companies. Igloo’s insurance solutions enable companies  to  eliminate  their  exposure  to operational  risk,  create  new  revenue  streams,  and optimize  and  enhance  existing  products  and  services.  Igloo  has  partnered  with  over  55  well-known   brand   names   across   the   markets   in   various   verticals,   including   insurance, telecommunications, e-commerce, hospitality, health tech and financial services.

For more information, please visit https://www.iglooinsure.com/.

Lalamove Collaborates with Toys R Us, MemoExpress, and Unioil to Deliver Care for its partner drivers and their kids

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Lalamove, the leading on-demand delivery platform, partnered with Toys R Us, MemoExpress, and Unioil in the Philippines to Deliver Care for Lalamove Bossings through Lalamove’s Deliver Care program.

Four Lalamove partner drivers and kids enjoyed a day of bonding activity by Lalamove to show appreciation to these Lalamove Bossings, in line with The Day of Valor for being heroes on the road. They were brought to an amusement area where they played different games and had fun. It was followed by a sumptuous meal that they shared together. The event was capped off with goodies for the participants through Lalamove’s generous partners.

“Lalamove recognizes that the core of the business are its partner drivers. These hardworking Bossings–our heroes on the road need a break too and so we sought to treat them for a bonding day with their kids–letting them spend more time with people they care about them most,” said Djon Nacario, Managing Director at Lalamove Philippines Managing Director.

With their parents being one of the country’s modern-day heroes, Lalamove Bossings kids’ were asked why they think their parents are their superheroes, and these are what they had to say:

A Strong Solo Parent Bossing

Jovylyn Kabingue is the epitome of a strong woman in life and career. “Pinalaki niya ‘ko ng maayos (She raised me well).” This is what James, her 11-year-old son, tearfully answered when asked why he considers his mom a superhero.

This Lalamove “Lady Bossing” is a solo parent braving the road to provide for her and her son’s needs. Being able to go places allows her to get to know herself more, which is empowering for her.

She remarked that it gives her pride whenever her clients would praise her for being a Lalamove partner driver. “Whatever it is that men can do, women can do, too,” she shared, adding that being a lady partner driver knows no boundaries.

A Tough Mommy Lady Bossing on the road

Catwoman is Althea Jalandoni’s favorite superhero. The 14-year-old daughter of Lalamove Lady Bossing Joy Bell Jalandoni associates her mother with Catwoman for her toughness and beauty. “My mom is my superhero because she can do a man’s job like being a delivery partner driver,” she explained.

Joy Bell is one proud Lalamove Bossing and thankful to the on-demand delivery platform for its inclusivity, allowing anyone to be a partner driver. “Lalamove is a game-changer to our family. My earnings in Lalamove help me in augmenting our budget at home,” she shared.

A Dedicated Daddy Bossing from Pampanga

Al Paguio, a Kapampangan Lalamove partner driver, used to work full-time. But when parenting duty called to take care of his kids, he decided to work part-time. Similar to his eight-year-old son Karl’s favorite superhero Spiderman, Al embodies the famous saying from the comics, “With great power comes great responsibility”. For Karl, his father is a good provider and a hands-on dad.

For Al, Lalamove allows him to be his own businessman. He can address the needs of his children while providing for them at his own time and pace. “Thank you, Lalamove, for coming up with an event like this. Seeing how my son enjoyed playing and bonding with me today – that’s priceless,” he added.

An All-around Daddy Bossing for the family

Renz, Lalamove Bossing Julio Fabian’s 12-year-old son considers his father to have the qualities of Batman – someone who is not afraid of anything. “Papa is my superhero because he helps and provides for our family,” explained Renz.

Since 2020, Julio Fabian has been a Partner Driver, delivering various items anywhere in the Metro and its nearby provinces. And just like Batman, he serves the community by helping businesses fulfill their orders one delivery at a time.

Julio reminds aspiring partner drivers, “Those who want to be part of the growing community of Lalamove Bossings, remember to enjoy what you’re doing and you’ll be surprised by the various places you’ll reach. Most importantly, always be patient with and kind to customers.”

For Nacario, it’s important to give back to the passionate community of Lalamove Bossings through activities like this.

“More than our heroes on the road that help keep business running, our Lalamove Bossings play a much bigger role in their homes and families. That’s why we continue to aid our partner drivers to uplift their lives through a flexible source of income, Panalomove Benefits and hold activities like this that stamp a smile on their faces,” he shared.

Searching for part-time or full-time delivery rider jobs? Lalamove is hiring! Be a Lalamove partner driver by downloading the app at https://www.lalamove.com/en-ph/driver. Get the latest updates on Lalamove by following it on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

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ABOUT LALAMOVE

Founded in Hong Kong in 2013, Lalamove is an on-demand delivery platform born with a mission to empower communities by making delivery fast, simple and affordable. At the click of a button, individuals, small businesses and corporations can access a wide fleet of delivery vehicles operated by professional driver partners. Powered by technology, Lalamove seamlessly connects people, vehicles, freights and roads, moving things matter and bringing benefits to local communities in 11 markets across Asia and Latin America.