LBC Express Returns to Profit in First Half of 2025

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LBC Express Holdings Inc. (LBC) posted a net income of ₱181.3 million in the first half of 2025, marking a turnaround from the ₱190.9 million net loss recorded in the same period last year. The results reflect the company’s steady progress in strengthening operations and adapting to market conditions as it marks its 75th year of service.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange, LBC said service revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2025, reached ₱6.98 billion, compared with ₱7.13 billion in the same period of 2024. Despite the slight dip, gross profit climbed 6 percent to ₱1.63 billion, driven by a 4-percent reduction in service costs and sustained demand across its logistics and money service lines.

Operating income improved 19 percent year-on-year to ₱393.8 million, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) rose 3 percent to ₱562.4 million. Operating expenses grew modestly by 3 percent to ₱1.24 billion.

For the second quarter , LBC booked ₱132.6 million in net income, reversing a ₱131.4 million loss in the same period last year. Quarterly revenues reached ₱3.58 billion, with gross profit rising to ₱683.5 million from ₱663.1 million.

Logistics continued to anchor LBC’s performance, delivering 97 percent of first-half revenues, or ₱6.75 billion. Retail services contributed 67 percent, while corporate solution accounted for 30 percent. Money services generated the remaining 3 percent, or ₱232 million. On a geographic basis, domestic operations brought in 61 percent of revenues, with the remaining 39 percent coming from LBC’s international network.

“We are on track and delivering even better results,” the company said. “Over nearly 75 years in business, we have faced our share of challenges, but each one has made us stronger. This recovery shows that our strategy is working, and we’re ready to build on this momentum for the years ahead,” said Enrique V. Rey Jr., LBC’s Chief Finance Officer.

Founded in 1950, LBC has grown from a small courier service in Manila to one of the country’s largest logistics, freight, and remittance networks. The company said it will continue to invest in technology, expand its reach, and strengthen its service portfolio as part of its vision to serve communities worldwide for decades to come.

Coca-Cola opens new beverage kiosks at LRT stations

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New Coca-Cola Refresh Stations open in Baclaran, EDSA, Blumentritt, Fernando Poe Jr., and Balintawak stations along LRT Line 1, ready to serve thousands of commuters daily.

Coca-Cola Europacific Aboitiz Philippines (CCEAP) is making every day commutes more refreshing with the launch of new Coca-Cola Refresh Stations in Baclaran, EDSA, Blumentritt, Fernando Poe Jr., and Balintawak stations along LRT Line 1, bringing ice-cold Coca-Cola beverages to key transit hubs.

The new LRT-1 Coca-Cola Refresh Stations offer commuters a wide range of iconic beverages—including Coca-Cola, Royal, Sprite, Wilkins, Minute Maid, Fuze Tea, and Nutriboost—and provide a convenient way to grab a quick refreshment during long rides and rush-hour commutes.

“We have always been committed to refreshing Filipinos with our beverages, ensuring our products are accessible wherever they may be. At CCEAP, we innovate with our consumers in mind, adapting to their diverse needs to make everyday life more enjoyable. By expanding across major travel hubs and high-traffic areas, we’re able to deliver refreshing moments to more people every day,” says CCEAP Commercial Vice President Chris Pesigan.

Since its launch in 2023, the Coca-Cola Refresh Station has aimed to expand in more areas, serving Filipinos anytime, anywhere with ice-cold beverages offered at suggested retail prices (SRP).

Beyond providing refreshment, the program also supports local employment through meaningful partnerships with its network of micro-retailers who help manage and maintain the kiosks.

“Our Refresh Station partners play a key role in bringing Coca-Cola closer to busy commuters. As we open in more areas, we remain committed to creating livelihood opportunities for our trade partners who share our mission to refresh Filipinos from all walks of life,” adds General Trade Director Benjie Caberto.

As Coca-Cola Refresh Stations continue to open across the country, more Filipinos can now enjoy cooler, more refreshing journeys. Whether you’re heading out or heading home, you can quench your thirst with your favorite Coca-Cola beverages.

Visit a Refresh Station near you today, and Grab, Refresh, and Go!

Play, Win, Collect: CHERRY Philippines brings the adorable Sanrio characters to Spatio, Opus Mall!!

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Get ready for a week of cuteness overload! CHERRY Philippines is thrilled to invite you to the Sanrio Characters Pop-up at the Ground Floor Events Area, Spatio, Opus Mall — happening from August 18 to 24, 2025. This much-awaited collaboration, first announced nationwide in May, is finally here to bring a magical mix of adorable characters and innovative CHERRY products right to your shopping day.

Here’s what’s in store for you:

• FREE Engraving – Add a special touch to select CHERRY and Sanrio characters’ items by having your name or a loved one’s engraved on the spot.
• FREE Claw Machine Play – Spend at least ₱1,000 in a single receipt and try your luck at winning chocolates, candies, cute Sanrio characters merch, or CHERRY goodies!

Whether you’re hunting for charming collectibles, upgrading your gadgets, or finding the perfect gift, this pop-up is where charm meets convenience. Come shop, play, and personalize your finds — and let the Sanrio magic brighten your week.

Play, win, and collect from August 18 to 24, 2025 at Opus Mall for a shopping experience you’ll never forget!

For more information, visit:

CHERRY Shop: www.cherryshop.com.ph

Shopee: https://bit.ly/CherryPhShopee

Lazada: https://bit.ly/CherryPhLazada

 

 

 

The OPPO Reno14 Series: Fusing Fashion and Cutting-Edge Craftsmanship in the Iridescent Mermaid Design

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The OPPO Reno series has always represented more than just technology; it embodies the lifestyle of young people, serving as a companion that inspires you to discover life's beauty and make your moment. Continuing its legacy of design innovation, the all-new Reno14 Series draws its inspiration from the fashion industry, embracing the popular “Mermaidcore” trend to create a device that is a true testament to OPPO's relentless pursuit of style and craftsmanship.

Inspired by the fantasy of mermaids and the serene beauty of the ocean, this aesthetic has swept through global culture as a symbol of freedom, joy, and self-expression. With the Reno14 Series, OPPO captures the shifting shimmer for the first time on a smartphone, pioneering the revolutionary “Iridescent Mermaid Design.”

To bring this vision to life, OPPO has pushed the boundaries of smartphone engineering by innovating across color, material, and finish.

Iridescent Glow Process: Painting with Light and Color

The mesmerizing shimmer of the Iridescent Mermaid Design is achieved through the industry-first Iridescent Glow Process, pioneered by OPPO.

The process involves meticulously stacking twelve different layers—twice the number used in the previous generation. Every layer is engineered to stack perfectly, creating a delicate, colorful, and prismatic finish that truly stands out.

But the innovation goes beyond simply adding layers; the finish undergoes five rounds of precision polishing at a microscopic level. It creates textures as narrow as 20 microns—less than one-third the thickness of a human hair—producing a dazzling spectrum of colors that shift with movement.

Complementing the stunning back cover, the Reno14 Series also debuts the Gradient Aura Design on its camera module. This vibrant, flowing aura softens the visual presence of the camera, resulting in a look that is both harmonious and delightfully light in spirit.

The Iridescent Mermaid Design and Gradient Aura Design are available on the Opal White version of the Reno14 5G and Reno14 Pro 5G, as well as the Opal Blue version of the Reno14 F 5G.

One-piece Sculpted Glass: Seamless Form, Resilient Function

The back of the Reno14 and Reno14 Pro is a marvel of material engineering. Crafted from a single, solid piece of One-piece Sculpted Glass, the body flows seamlessly from the back cover into the camera module with no joints or breaks. The unibody design is the result of a meticulous 65-step process that takes twice as long to complete as conventional methods.

The journey begins with a thick piece of glass, carefully carved down by a high-precision CNC machine to shape the slim back cover while leaving the camera housing as an integral part of the structure. The camera housing is then polished for a seamless transition before the entire piece undergoes a series of crucial transformations—including etching, grinding, and chemical strengthening—to produce the finished, durable unibody glass.

The structure is reinforced with an aerospace-grade aluminum frame, providing exceptional resilience with IP66, IP68, and IP69 ratings. Whether facing a casual spill, a dunk in water, or exposure to high-pressure, high-temperature water, both models are engineered to withstand real-life challenges with confidence. The durable build also enables unique features like Underwater Photography, allowing users to capture photos and 4K videos underwater without needing an additional waterproof case.

Velvet Glass: Redefining the Sensation of Touch

Completing the sensory experience, OPPO introduces its latest breakthrough in glass finishing: Velvet Glass. Defying the cold, hard feel typically associated with glass, OPPO’s Velvet Glass offers a warm, soft, and silky texture that feels almost like fine velvet fabric.

The incredible tactile sensation is achieved by etching over 10 million micro-crystals—each only about 15 micrometers in size—onto the glass surface. A customized chemical polishing process then etches the crystal boundaries to create a unique, coral-like structure. It’s this intricate pattern that gives the glass its signature soft, skin-friendly, and fingerprint-resistant touch.

Perfecting the finish was a monumental task, requiring over 100 days of relentless optimization. The process involved refining the chemical formula 10 times and optimizing application parameters through more than 30 rounds of testing.

The result is a finish, featured on the Opal White models of both the Reno14 5G and Reno14 Pro 5G, that transforms every interaction into a moment of subtle comfort and happiness.

A Symphony of Style and Strength

By combining the shimmering colors of the Iridescent Glow Process, the seamless transition of One-piece Sculpted Glass, and the silky touch of Velvet Glass, the OPPO Reno14 Series with Iridescent Mermaid Design sets a new standard for smartphone aesthetics, delivering a device that is both an extension of personal style and a celebration of life's most vibrant moments.

HUAWEI Stays Undefeated on DXOMARK Ranking as HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra Scores Highest-Ever 175 Rating

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HUAWEI maintains its position on top of the global imaging podium as the newly launched HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra earns DXOMARK’s highest-ever overall score of 175, a commanding 6 points ahead of the second-ranked device. This triumph is anchored by three historic achievements: a highest-record 180 Photo Score, a record-tying 166 Video Score, and the best-rated telephoto capabilities in DXOMARK's testing.

This milestone affirms HUAWEI’s pursuit of photographic excellence, transforming "exceptional" into "unmatched". Since its global release last July, the HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra has resonated with professional photographers and photography enthusiasts worldwide thanks to its pioneering technologies that bridge laboratory innovation and real-world artistry. As the flagship of HUAWEI’s imaging legacy, HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra redefines the possibilities of smartphone photography.

Redefining Photography with Top-Scoring Excellence

DXOMARK is an established image authority that scores and ranks cameras and camera equipment. Widely trusted by experts, its tests are backed by millions of scientific measurements and perceptual analyses. Earning the highest Photo Score of 180 from DXOMARK reflects HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra’s mastery of light and detail. The 1-inch Ultra Lighting HDR Camera achieves an industry-leading 16EV dynamic range, transforming challenging lighting into captivating narratives. This lets you capture bonfire dancers framed by translucent flames glowing with golden warmth; their shadowed faces retaining intricate, eyelash-sharp detail in a single exposure. Shooting dusk portraits is made effortless, as subjects shine with natural clarity against skies blending into watercolour gradients enabled by intelligent multi-zone exposure mapping.

This 180-score brilliance also excels in portrait photography. Advanced AI segmentation ensures pinpoint precision, rendering stray hair strands, delicate earrings, and intricate accessories with flawless clarity against creamy bokeh backgrounds. Even in candlelit settings, facial textures maintain lifelike dimensionality, and skin tones glow with natural warmth. The variable aperture (f/1.6–f/4.0) offers creative flexibility: for group shots, it intelligently narrows to keep everyone in sharp focus from foreground to background, delivering professional-grade results.

HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra redefines long-range photography with the industry’s first Switchable Dual Telephoto Camera, which earned DXOMARK’s highest telephoto score. By merging 3.7x medium and 9.4x super-telephoto lenses into a single optical unit, it delivers unmatched versatility. Architectural carvings half a kilometre away emerge with DSLR-grade crispness; performers’ sweat-beaded intensity crystallizes from stadium back rows. At 10x+ magnification, where competitors often falter, the HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra captures the Himalayan snowcaps with wind-carved ridges or leopard eyeshine through twilight gloom, still maintaining exceptional color and exposure consistency through advanced optical design and algorithms.

Setting New Benchmarks for Video Mastery

The HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra conquers dynamic extremes with masterful video capabilities that earned a 166 Video Score, a 10-point improvement over its predecessor and ties with the industry’s top score. Its 16EV Ultra Lighting HDR Camera delivers "layered imaging with accurate light and shadow restoration,” transforming backlit portraits into balanced compositions where subjects glow against perfectly graded skies. Bonfire scenes render transparent flame layers alongside detailed shadows, creating immersive visuals. With advanced stabilization that anticipates motion like a cinematic guide, creators can capture everything from stage performances to urban storytelling and produce lifelike visuals while shooting entirely handheld.

The dual-telephoto system extends its excellence to video. An impressive 9.4 magnification and advanced stabilization allows wildlife documentarians to track eagles in flight, capturing every feather’s tremor without handheld shake. Concert videographers isolate drummers’ stick-work from arena back rows, with AI motion tracking maintaining focus through spotlights and pyrotechnic effects. This cinematic versatility ensures vibrant, professional-grade footage across scenarios.

The exceptional photo and video performance owes much to the Ultra Chroma XMAGE camera, which leverages 1.5 million multi-spectral channels for near-perfect color accuracy. Skin tones radiate natural warmth against neon-lit streets or golden-hour horizons, while environmental hues retain atmospheric richness. This unparalleled color science underpins the historic Photography and Video Scores, rendering emerald forests, crimson silks, and azure skies exactly as the human eye perceives them. Complex lighting scenarios yield to its intelligence, ensuring authentic reproduction in every frame.

Redefining Possibilities with Fashion-Next, Durable Design

Beyond imaging supremacy, the HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra honors HUAWEI’s tradition of daring aesthetics. The evolved Forward Symbol Design, now adorned with sunburst motifs and golden accents, radiates horological luxury in two striking finishes: Prestige Gold and Prestige Black. Practical elegance shines through with the Second-Gen Crystal Armor Kunlun Glass, offering 25x greater drop resistance than conventional glass. The AI Smart Controls Button transforms the device into an extension of the creator’s intuition, while EMUI 15’s interactive themes add delightful touches, like lockscreen emojis tumbling playfully under fingertips.

Since its debut, the HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra has seen much enthusiasm across global markets. Both professional photographers and photography hobbyists, who demand uncompromised imaging excellence, have swiftly adopted the device as part of their photography device lineup. Gizmochina Picks from Gizmochina even hailed the device as a "Camera Master.” More than a tool, the HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra has become the ultimate creative companion. This global resonance amplifies HUAWEI’s core philosophy that technology should liberate creativity, never constrain it.

Through deep hardware-software integration and comprehensive imaging evolution, HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra demonstrates HUAWEI’s profound technical heritage while delivering unprecedented all-scenario imaging experiences. By elevating every strength, from telephoto versatility and colour science, to light mastery, it has expanded photography’s frontier for everyone who dreams in frames.

Read more about DXOMARK’s review of the HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra HERE.

Capture Excellence with the HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra

Get your hands on the HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra, now available for pre-order on Shopee, Lazada, TikTok, HUAWEI Online Store, and HUAWEI Experience Stores nationwide. Available in Prestige Gold and Golden Black, the HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra retails for PHP 89,999 and comes with premium care services, including including free 1-Year 1-Time Accidental Damage Protection and 1-Year Battery Renewal Service from HUAWEI Care+, official APAC Region warranty coverage, Priority Maintenance Service, as well as a free door-to-door Collection and Delivery for repairs.

Pre-Order the HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra and get an exclusive freebie bundle, which includes HUAWEI WATCH GT 5, HUAWEI FreeBuds 5, a 1-Year 1-Time Accidental Damage Protection and Battery Swap Service from HUAWEI Care.

To learn more about the HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra, visit Huawei’s official website or social media accounts (Facebook | Instagram).