COMCO Mundo Unveils the Much-Awaited “UNMASKED: The COMCO Mundo Write to Ignite Season 3”

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Coming from the success of the first two seasons of its “Write to Ignite”, COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises proudly announces its much-awaited third season this 2023.

COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises is bringing back its Write to Ignite for its third season with the theme “UNMASKED”.

Over the course of two seasons, Write to Ignite has brought together bloggers, content creators and storytellers from all over the Philippines to share their stories, connect to people, and inspire the nation. And for season 3, it is time to tell and unmask the stories of others they have been longing to share.

“UNMASKED: The COMCO Mundo Write to Ignite Season 3” aims to explore how each mask is a person brimming with hope and wonders to share with others, as well as why it is important to tell their inspiring journeys in life.

Once again, Filipino bloggers, content creators and storytellers are invited to join by simply doing their dream interview with people and sharing their inspiring stories that need to be heard. Participants have the freedom on who they interview, from simple people to high profile personalities as long as they agree to be part of the project.

Entrants must share the blog or story on their Facebook account and Facebook page. Include a short caption, tag COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises’ official Facebook page, and use the hashtags #COMCOMundoWriteToIgniteSeason3 #UNMASKED and #MeaningfulStorytelling. Make sure that the post is set to public.

To register, participating bloggers need to e-mail their blog entry to COMCO Mundo at headquarters@comcomundo.com with the following details: full name, e-mail address, mailing address, contact number, link of the Facebook share/ post about the blog, and Title/ URL of the blog entry. Deadline of publishing of the blog post and submission is on July 30, 2023, 11:59PM.

By submitting their entry, the participating bloggers confirm that they already secured permission from their respective interviewee(s) as a featured subject.

Criteria will be based on Writing / Creativity (70%), Use of Media (Photos / Videos / Music / Graphics, 25%), and Engagement (Positive Comments on the Blog, 5%).

Exciting prizes await the winners of “Write to Ignite”. Prizes include:

Grand Champion: PHP 40,000 + 2 International Round Tickets from airasia + Merchandise Items from Sponsors and Participating Brands (PHP 15k donation to chosen NGO accredited by COMCO Mundo)

1st Runner-up: PHP 20,000 + Merchandise Items from Sponsors and Participating Brands (PHP 12k donation to chosen NGO accredited by COMCO Mundo)

2nd Runner-up: PHP 15,000 + Merchandise Items from Sponsors and Participating Brands (PHP 12k donation to chosen NGO accredited by COMCO Mundo)

3rd Runner-up: PHP 12,000 + Merchandise Items from Sponsors and Participating Brands (PHP 10k donation to chosen NGO accredited by COMCO Mundo)

4th Runner-up: PHP 10,000 + Merchandise Items from Sponsors and Participating Brands (PHP 10k donation to chosen NGO accredited by COMCO Mundo)

6th to 10th place: PHP 4,000 + Merchandise Items from Sponsors and Participating Brands

11th to 20th place: PHP 2,000 + Merchandise Items from Sponsors Participating Brands

21st to 40th place: Merchandise Items from Sponsors and Participating Brands

Each of the top 5 winners will also win for a cause as part of their prize is the opportunity to donate to any of the charitable institution or non-government organization (NGO) accredited by COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises. These are Make-A-Wish Foundation, PAWS (Philippine Animal Welfare Society), Philippine Eagle Foundation, Save the Children, and SOS Children's Villages. The top 40 finalists will be announced and will be invited to a special awards night where the top 5 winners will be declared. The top 40 finalists will also receive special prizes from participating brand partners.

This contest is open to all Filipino bloggers age 18 years old and above who reside in the Philippines. The blog should be in existence for at least one year and have a minimum of 20 blog posts. Submitting an entry in the contest signifies permission of the participant for the Organizers to use the submitted materials to promote, communicate and further the cause of the project. Participants also agree that blog entries shall remain published in perpetuity.

Write to Ignite Season 3: Unmasked is made possible by COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises, with airasia, Babyflo and PHILUSA Corporation, Century Tuna, Licealiz and Lamoiyan Corporation, Rémy Martin, and Uratex Monoblock as brand partners.

““Write to Ignite” is truly one of COMCO’s epic initiatives as it further champions our work’s mission to do #MeaningfulStorytelling. This initiative is born during the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the whole world slowly transitioning to what we call the new normal, it is only apt that we have “Unmasked” as our official theme for Season 3 as it reflects our hopeful state and the need to unravel the stories of others. To our dear Filipino bloggers in different parts of the country, “Write to Ignite” is for you and your readers, and we can’t wait to read the stories you will be sharing with the rest of the world,” said Mr. Ferdinand L. Bondoy, COMCO Mundo’s Group Chief Executive Director and Lead Strategic Communications Counsel / Partner and Co-Founder.

To know more about COMCO Mundo and “Write to Ignite”, visit comcomundo.com. Follow them on social media: facebook.com/comcomundo on Facebook, linkedin.com/company/comcomundo, and @comcomundo on Instagram.

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About COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises

COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises is the parent company and umbrella group for all of COMCO’s existing and upcoming ventures and initiatives, a collective of agencies and programs dedicated to advancing the communications profession and related disciplines such as digital, media, advocacy, training and education, and entrepreneurship, among others; to being a force for social change; to nurturing talent growth and workplace community culture; and to championing borderless collaboration. The COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises is comprised of COMCO Southeast Asia, COMCO Middle East and Africa, TARO AOX Digital + Integrated Communications, SEA Wave Pop Culture Studio, Camp COMCO Mentorship Program and Alumni Society, and Citizen COMCO Advocacy Program.

Android Malware Disguised as ChatGPT Apps Targeting Smartphone Users : Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 Research

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Palo Alto Networks, the global cybersecurity leader, has recently found a surge in Android malware that is pretending to be the popular AI Chatbot ChatGPT. The malware emerged following the release of OpenAI's GPT-3.5 and GPT-4, targeting users interested in using the ChatGPT tool.

A Meterpreter Trojan disguised as a "SuperGPT" app and a "ChatGPT" app are found to send premium-rate text messages, resulting in charges for the victims that are pocketed by threat actors. Considering that Android users can download applications from various sources other than the official Google Play store, there is potential for users to obtain applications that have not been vetted by Google.

Key findings include:

●       Impersonation of ChatGPT: A new android malware has emerged, disguising itself as ChatGPT. This surge coincided with the release of OpenAI's GPT-3.5 and GPT-4, targeting users interested in ChatGPT.

●       Meterpreter Trojan: The malware includes a Meterpreter Trojan disguised as a "SuperGPT" app. It enables remote access to infected Android devices upon successful exploitation.

●       Certificate Attribution: The digital code-signing certificate used in the malware samples is associated with an attacker identified as "Hax4Us." The certificate has been used across multiple malware samples.

●       SMS to Premium-Rate Numbers: A cluster of malware samples, masquerading as ChatGPT-themed apps, sends SMS messages to premium-rate numbers in Thailand. These numbers incur charges for the victims, facilitating scams and fraudulent activities.

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About Palo Alto Networks

Palo Alto Networks is the world’s cybersecurity leader. We innovate to outpace cyberthreats, so organizations can embrace technology with confidence. We provide next-gen cybersecurity to thousands of customers globally, across all sectors. Our best-in-class cybersecurity platforms and services are backed by industry-leading threat intelligence and strengthened by state-of-the-art automation. Whether deploying our products to enable the Zero Trust Enterprise, responding to a security incident, or partnering to deliver better security outcomes through a world-class partner ecosystem, we’re committed to helping ensure each day is safer than the one before. It’s what makes us the cybersecurity partner of choice.

At Palo Alto Networks, we’re committed to bringing together the very best people in service of our mission, so we’re also proud to be the cybersecurity workplace of choice, recognized among Newsweek’s Most Loved Workplaces (2021 and 2022), Comparably Best Companies for Diversity (2021), and HRC Best Places for LGBTQ Equality (2022). For more information, visit www.paloaltonetworks.com.

Gigacover, Generali partner to provide affordable health insurance for freelancers, entrepreneurs

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Insurtech Gigacover and Generali Philippines, a leading player in the insurance industry, have teamed up to further democratize access to insurance in the Philippines.

From left: Grace Gelle, Vice President, Generali, and Amerson Lin, CEO and

 Co-founder, Gigacover

With the partnership, Generali will be able to feature its wide-range of insurance products that are tailor-fit to the needs of Filipino consumers in Gigacover’s platform.

“Gigacover and Generali share the same vision and strategy of leveraging technology and making insurance more accessible to many people and varied industries. In an ever-changing world, the means to get insured also evolves. We will rely on our core strengths – Generali as a trusted, global insurance provider and Gigacover as a transformative platform – to provide Filipinos a more seamless and innovative approach to insurance,” Gigacover CEO and Co-founder Amerson Lin said.

Gigacover’s Freelancer Health Insurance is a comprehensive and tailored insurance solution designed specifically for the needs of freelancers and self-employed individuals. The insurance plan offers a range of benefits and coverage options to safeguard freelancers’ health and well-being while providing peace of mind in an ever-changing professional landscape.

With over 1,600 accredited hospitals and clinics, and more than 30,000 partner doctors nationwide, coverage options include confinement, doctor consultations, diagnostic tests, emergency care benefits, special procedures, new modalities of treatment, annual physical exams, and dental coverage. All of this is available for a low, annual, one-time payment of Php 11,188.

“We at Generali believe in developing comprehensive insurance products at affordable costs. Our partnership with Gigacover allows us to further democratize access to insurance products, driving insurance interest and acceptance, as a whole, in the Philippines,” Generali Vice President Grace Gelle said.

Data from the Insurance Commission (IC) showed that insurance penetration, which refers to the industry’s contribution to the economy, was at 1.72 percent in 2022, while insurance density, or the average spending of individuals on premiums, was still at P3,388.99.

The government recognizes the need to accelerate the development of the industry with no less than the Insurance Commissioner Reynaldo A. Regalado urging the sector to make insurance more accessible to more Filipinos.

Insurtech companies such as Gigacover are best positioned to develop insurance solutions that cater to the needs of the underserved segments of the economy, especially freelance workers and entrepreneurs.

Gigacover has integrated artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to help insurers analyze big data and identify risks quickly and accurately. As a result, risk assessment and management strategies become smart and impartial.

More than getting more Filipinos insured, Gigacover’s system is able to extract data from claims documents and images, calculate and check against limits, detect potential fraud and also decide if advance claims payouts can be done for specific customer groups. This yields higher client satisfaction and also lower loss ratios for the insurers.

“Our goal is to bring quality and affordable insurance closer to the underserved. Our partnership with Generali is a step toward this goal,” Lin said.

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About Gigacover

Gigacover was founded in 2017 in Singapore to bring fairness and stability to independent workers. These include gig workers, freelancers and self-employed persons, many of whom lack access to right-sized financial services. It launched the region's first income protection insurance to meet the needs of the gig economy and has since gone on to serve caregivers, tutors, real estate agents and delivery riders. Gigacover's product suite has also expanded to include earnings advances and payroll accounts. Through technology and data, Gigacover automates distribution, administration and generates insights for risk management in order to bring flexible, affordable and portable benefits to its users. As of 2021, Gigacover has presence in Singapore and the Philippines and is backed by Vectr Fintech Partners, Quest Venture Partners, Alto Partners, M Venture Partners and Farsight Capital.

For more information, please visit: https://gigacover.com

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About Generali

Generali Life Assurance Philippines Inc. (Generali Philippines), a subsidiary of leading global insurer Assicurazioni Generali, has been providing life insurance solutions to international and local clients in the Philippines since 1999, and has a solid track record particularly in the group insurance and credit life business. Sustainability is deeply integrated into everything we do: from social and green products, digital – based services, Corporate Social Responsibility, DEI programs, responsible investments among others.

To know more about Generali, visit www.generali.com.ph.

Century Park Hotel to participate in Wedding and Debut Expo 2023

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Century Park Hotel (CPH), one of the finest hotels in the City of Manila, is pleased to announce its participation in the upcoming Wedding and Debut 2023 on July 15 and 16 at the SMX Convention Center, MOA Complex, Pasay City.

Expected to attend this much-awaited affair are soon-to-be-wed couples, debutantes and even those manifesting their dream wedding.

The two-day event will bring to life the latest trends and products in the wedding industry. It will showcase the biggest gathering of wedding suppliers and event professionals who are eager to make those milestones come to life. From wedding organizers, cakes, pre-nuptial gimmicks, event venues, jewelries, photo & video coverage, honeymoon packages to bridal gowns and a whole lot more, the Wedding and Debut Expo will be the ultimate haven for those who are on the lookout for great discounts, deals and top-ups.

As an event partner, Century Park Hotel will give away special packages, offers and tons of freebies for those who will book and confirm their events during the expo.

“Century Park Hotel has been giving valuable service to corporate and non-corporate clients since its establishment. While we already have considerable experience in executing events, we always aim to level up our service to anyone who wishes to have their most important milestone held at the hotel,” said Peter Michael Quieng, CPH’s Director for Sales & Marketing. “The upcoming Wedding and Debut Expo is another venue for us to show the brand of Filipino hospitality and service the hotel is known for to a wider and targeted audience,” he further added.

Visit Century Park Hotel’s Booth (J2) on July 15-16, 2023 from 10:00AM - 8:00PM.

Set the imagination free with new ASUS Vivobook Classic and Creator laptops

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ASUS announces today five new powerful additions to its Vivobook lineup – the ASUS Vivobook 15X OLED (K3504, M3504), ASUS Vivobook Go 15 OLED (E1504), ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED (T3304), and ASUS Vivobook Pro 16X OLED (K6604). These new Vivobook Classic and Creator laptops are designed to match the dynamic and always-on lifestyle of Gen Z, Generation Alpha, and those young at heart, built to entertain with stunning ASUS Lumina OLED displays, and engineered to handle any productivity and creativity tasks with high-end up to 13th Gen Intel Core H processor or AMD Ryzen 7000 series mobile processor. They are also made durably with a Military Grade badge and consciously with ASUS Antimicrobial Guard. Whether a student, young professional, work-from-home parent, or budding digital content creator, there's an ASUS Vivobook laptop that suits various needs.

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Powerful 15" and 16" laptops that can handle any productivity and 

creativity tasks with no limits

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Built to entertain, fueled to perform

The newest addition to the Vivobook Classic lineup provides an incredible visual experience with an ultrafast 120 Hz refresh rate for super-smooth motion visuals. The 15-inch 2.8K 16:9 HDR ASUS Lumina OLED display on ASUS Vivobook 15X OLED emits ultra-vivid images even at low brightness levels. For immersive entertainment, it features a powerful ASUS SonicMaster audio system — tuned in cooperation with the audio expertise of Dirac — that delivers the most immersive, clear, and balanced sound experience ever.

The all-new Vivobook 15X OLED, ideal for young professionals and entrepreneurs, is also equipped with up to the latest AMD Ryzen 7730U mobile processor or a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1255U CPU, up to 16GB of RAM, and an ultrafast 512GB PCIe SSD, making everyday work or entertainment tasks smoother.

This youthfully themed laptop features the classic Vivobook raised logo lid tab and the iconic warning-striped Enter key for a distinctive look. The ASUS Vivobook 15X OLED comes in Indie Black color and retails for a starting price of only PHP 45,995.

Stylish and tough even on the go

The light and compact ASUS Vivobook Go 15 OLED (E1504) features a superior 15-inch 16:9 FHD ASUS Lumina OLED display and robust ASUS SonicMaster sound systems with DTS Audio Processing for immersive entertainment. As ASUS’ most affordable OLED laptop yet, Vivobook Go 15 OLED is best for the modern Filipino family venturing to their first OLED laptop. Its design is stylish and practical, with thoughtful touches that make the user's life easier, such as a 180° lay-flat hinge. Its OLED display also emits 70% less harmful blue light that is safe for kids and adults alike.

Speedy performance for any task is assured by up to AMD Ryzen R5-7520U processors, 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and up to 512 GB PCIe SSD. Excellent privacy is provided by the physical webcam shield, and there's a fingerprint sensor that allows one-touch login with Windows Hello.

The ASUS Vivobook Go 15 series comes in Mixed Black color and retails for a starting price of only PHP 29,995.

Super versatile all-arounder

With its vivacious styling and versatile design, the new-generation ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED (T3304) is a brilliant all-rounder. Its combination of a 13.3-inch OLED with Dolby Vision support Pantone Validated touchscreen and a quad-speaker Dolby Atmos sound system makes it the perfect choice for on-the-go entertainment. Whether in tablet, landscape stand, portrait stand, or laptop mode, users are guaranteed to enjoy everything, everywhere. Vivobook 13 Slate OLED can quickly transform from a parent's productivity device to a child's entertainment hub in a jiffy.

Creativity is a cinch with the handy ASUS Pen 2.0, an MPP 2.0-compliant stylus with 4096 pressure levels, four swappable tips, and convenient one-click Bluetooth functions via a shortcut button.

A speedy new eight-core Intel Core i3-N300 processor is faster, delivers better battery life than its predecessor, and is backed by a 256 GB PCIe SSD and up to 8 GB of fast LPDDR5 memory. The magnetically-attached ErgoSense keyboard, large touchpad, and cover stand make it endlessly adaptable to any situation. Users can enjoy easy connectivity via the dual USB-C ports, audio jack, and microSD card reader.

The ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED comes in 0° Black color and retails for only PHP 49,995.

Ultimate creative experience

Set that imagination free with the newest addition to the ASUS Creator series – ASUS Vivobook Pro 16X OLED. Perfect for young creators, this laptop redefines the standard for creator laptops, with a desktop-grade of up to 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13980HX processor, a studio-grade NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, supplemented by its world's leading 16-inch 3.2K 16:10 120 Hz ASUS Lumina OLED display with Dolby Vision support. Creations on the Vivobook Pro 16X OLED are bound to look sharper as the OLED display is made more accurate with industry-standard Pantone Validated color rendering showing a wide range of colors with exceptional detail, more adaptive, giving users the liberty to customize their visual experience according to their preference, and more reliable with TÜV Rheinland low blue-light certification for eye protection during long viewing sessions and ASUS OLED Care for burn-in prevention.

This powerful creator-focused laptop has 32GB of fast DDR5 4800 MHz RAM, two upgradable SO-DIMM slots, and 1TB of ultrafast PCIe SSD storage to handle heavy work files and software without compromising efficiency. The Vivobook Pro 16X OLED also features a MUX Switch for an on-demand gaming performance boost and an upgraded solid ASUS IceCool Pro cooling system that allow the laptop to stay cool even when running multiple apps and safely unleash the full 150-watt CPU and GPU thermal design power.

The intuitive ASUS DialPad on the Vivobook Pro 16X OLED enhances how creators work during every part of their editing process. Create nonstop with its customizable macro controls for OS and third-party creative applications such as Adobe Apps.

The ASUS Vivobook Pro 16X OLED comes in 0° Black, with free three months Adobe Creative Cloud subscription for every purchase, and has an SRP of only PHP 179,995. Its 15-inch brother, ASUS Vivobook Pro 15 OLED, is also available in Quiet Blue and has a starting price of only PHP 54,995.

Designed for sustainability

ASUS' commitment to protecting the earth while delivering the best products to its users is reflected in the design of the new Vivobook models. The devices use 30% PCR plastics, and the packaging is now 100% recyclable. The energy consumption has been reduced to outperform the ENERGY STAR power-efficiency standard, and the devices meet the EPEAT Silver eco-label standard. In addition, the user's hygiene is protected by ASUS Antimicrobial Guard , which inhibits the growth of bacteria and viruses by 99% .

A longer laptop lifespan also reduces long-term waste, so the laptops are strictly tested to ensure their durability, using the latest MIL-STD-810H US military-grade standard, with up to 12 test methods and 26 individual tests — the industry's most stringent testing regime. These laptops also have two years ASUS International Warranty with Platinum Protection Warranty for the first year. Users can extend their warranty coverage with ASUS Premium Care and feel secure with ASUS' nine-step exclusive preventive maintenance program.

Where to buy

Now is the best time to grab an ASUS Vivobook laptop with ASUS Cool for School promo and get back-to-school bundles, like a Canon PIXMA printer and ASUS sustainable merch, to name a few. Catch the ASUS Cool for School Back-to-School Livestream on July 13, 2023, at 6 pm on ASUS Philippines and ASUS Republic of Gamers Facebook pages, and get a chance to win an ROG Phone 6 and more exciting prizes.

These new Vivobook laptops come with a free lifetime license to Office 2021 Home & Student. They are also available through ASUS' newest e-shop at www.asus.com/ph/store or ASUS Concept Stores and authorized resellers. Already got an ASUS Vivobook laptop? Share a review and get rewarded with PHP 200 GCash Credits through Your Voice Matters Campaign.