Meralco Power Tech Launch: When innovation meets vision

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The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) is known as the country’s largest distribution utility with over a hundred years in service. Meralco has always been discovering means on how to improve not only its services and products to consumers but also new techniques and methods on enhancing the skills of its employees. 

Now visualize this, what if there is a state of the art facility wherein engineers can “work, play and train”? A facility that can really give you an actual feel of the concept or situation you are studying about.

Meralco Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan (2nd from left) and Meralco President & CEO Oscar S. Reyes (3rd from right) lead partners to look at the scale model of PowerTech—the Philippine’s first innovation, R&D, and technical training facility featuring the grid of the future. It will be an incubator for agile and globally competent energy talents capable of supporting advancements in the power and energy ecosystem.

Welcome the Power Tech.

Being one of the most enduring and dynamic enterprises in the Philippines, Meralco once again breaks new ground with the development of the Power Tech. Power Tech will be the country’s first innovation, Research and Development (R&D), and technical training facility that will feature the use of Smart Grid. Gone are the days that the trainings will just be relying on audio visual presentations because Power Tech will act as a simulator. Meralco’s engineers will now have the chance to not only see the lesson but to actually have an “actual feel” of it. This will also serve as a vehicle for bridging the gap between the existing and the evolving technologies. 

Meralco’s Vice President and Head of Networks, Ronnie L. Aperocho said, “The Grid Enterprise will allow you to immerse on emerging technologies under a simulated network even before we apply these to the entire system”. He also added, “The Grid Inspiration will ignite the imagination and expand one’s perspective with insights from industry experts and luminaries”.

The primary objectives of Power Tech are identified into three groups. First, to serve as a facility that will rapidly accelerate competency upgrade of both Meralco engineers and other industry players. Second, to provide a test-bed for Smart Grid and as a testing area for new equipment and devices wherein different suppliers can partake. Lastly, to drive innovation and R&D in the Philippine power industry through partnerships with the academe and other power utilities.

As Meralco President and CEO Oscar Reyes said, “In Meralco, we believe that a true center of excellence is ultimately defined by the interplay of best in class hardware, software and most important, highly competent and innovative professionals.”

Meralco President and CEO Oscar Reyes 

The Power Tech is set to be fully operational early 2017. This will be a 2-storey, green architecture structure which will be occupying a total floor area of 3,139 sqm in Meralco, Ortigas. Power Tech will be powered by renewable energy sources (solar and wind) and will also be utilizing natural lighting and ventilation. This will also feature different state-of-the art facilities such as the following: The Grid Adventure, Endeavor, Pathfinder and Resolution (Training Labs); the Grid Enterprise (Test Area), the Grid Discovery (Innovation Center) and the Grid Inspiration (Auditorium). 

One good thing with the development of Power Tech is that it will strengthen the backbone of knowledge initiatives of Meralco’s engineers. It will be an incubator for agile and globally competent technical professionals who are capable of supporting advancements in the power and energy ecosystem.

Speaking of good things, there are also other benefits of Power Tech to the Academe world, its suppliers and the different power utilities. 

In the Academe world, Power Tech will be the partner of different schools, universities and other centers of excellence in ensuring the development of globally competitive professionals in the power industry, with the University of the Philippines–College of Engineering as one of its primary partners. As for the suppliers, Power Tech will serve as a test-bed for Smart Grid and developing technologies. Also, it will serve as an avenue wherein new equipment and devices will be tested. When it comes to power utilities, Power Tech targets to uphold close relations, synergy and continuous interactions with the existing local and international utilities. These utilities are those whose goals regarding the form of training and education initiatives are the same.

Power Tech is a facility with a vision. This is place where our engineers can further hone their skills. A facility where they can unleash their potentials. Meralco is working hard to make this vision a reality so as to be part of the solution –– because it is always a privilege to be able to contribute to the development and advancement of the power and energy ecosystem.

“The heart and soul of the company is creativity and innovation” – Bob Iger

More iOS Memory in a Flash: Introducing Leef iBRIDGE

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Leef has unveiled its highly anticipated mobile flash drive designed for Apple iOS devices, Leef iBRIDGE. 

Compact and convenient, this is a stylish plug-in memory accessory for iPhones, iPods and iPads. It gives users more storage space without needing to delete treasured photos, videos or music.

While there are many external memory solutions available to people with Android smartphones or tablets, Apple enthusiasts have been seemingly overlooked … until now.

Leef iBRIDGE plugs directly into compatible Apple devices with

Lightning connectors and allows people to:

• Backup their Camera Roll automatically and quickly move photos off their phone 

• Store your entire movie or music library externally to conserve internal memory and then stream media directly without having to worry about mobile data connection issues 

• Capture photos directly to Leef iBRIDGE so you never miss life's most memorable events when your iPhone runs out of memory 

• Share photos, videos and other content with friends or between devices simply and quickly

In terms of style, design and capacity, Leef iBRIDGE is the ultimate user-friendly gadget, trouncing the few other bulky external memory solutions available to Apple users. Available in sizes ranging from 16GB to 64GB, it has a sleek, ergonomic ‘J’ shaped appearance and neatly curves round the back of a device rather than sticking out awkwardly. It plugs securely into your device without forcing the users to remove protective cases or hold their phone awkwardly.

What’s more, Leef iBRIDGE features a standard Hi-Speed USB connector on the other end, meaning users can quickly share content cross platform with Macs or Windows PCs.

Using mobile devices to capture memories through photo and video, listen to music and watch movies, or work while on the move is now away of life for many iOS mobile users. The dreaded 

‘There is not enough available storage’ message has been the cause of frustration for Apple fans, but with Leef iBRIDGE, this no longer has to be the case.

“Leef iBRIDGE is compact, lightweight and complements iPhones, iPods and iPads as a standalone lifestyle accessory,” says Jonny Anderson, Partner and Director at Leef.

“It is ideal for those nervous about storing personal data in cloud applications. Leef iBRIDGE will be popular for Apple users who want to get more from their devices.” 

Leef iBRIDGE is quick and conserves power too, with no need for an internal device battery. For example, backing-up 500 photos to your Leef iBRIDGE uses less than 1% of your iPhone battery life. Leef iBRIDGE comes with a free iOS7/iOS8 Leef iBRIDGE App, available for download on the App Store.

Leef iBRIDGE is available in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB capacities and pricing starts at P3,200. It is now available to purchase from PowerMac Center, Digital Walker, Beyond the Box, AShop, Switch, Mobile One, and Otterbox stores. 

You may also purchase Leef iBRIDGE from www.gearup.com.ph. 

Please visit www.leefco.com for more information.

SM conducts 'Shake Drill' dry run across all malls

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​SM Supermalls, the country's biggest mall network, shows its full support to the July 30 metro-wide earthquake preparedness drill dubbed as the "Metro Manila Shake Drill" by conducting its own simultaneous dry run earthquake and evacuation drill across all participating malls in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The dry run aimed to simulate the coordinated commencing of the drill, test devices and utilities that will be used to train and familiarize all mall personnel; and address concerns that may be encountered on the actual day of the drill.

Valuing the safety and welfare of all SM Supermalls customers and the communities where its malls operate, SM went on a full campaign to raise awareness for the upcoming Metro-wide Shake Drill. In-mall public announcements and mall collateral materials are strategically in place to ensure that the public is made aware and well-prepared for the drill.

An Emergency Response Group has already been activated to ensure the smooth implementation of the dry run across the malls. The importance of disaster preparedness is key across SM’s operations, from its management down to the employees and mall frontliners.

The Metro Manila Shake Drill, scheduled on July 30, is spearheaded by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), in partnership with DOST-PHIVOLCS. It aims to prepare various agencies and the general public for a potential major earthquake scenario. 

The exercise will be held simultaneously from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM across Metro Manila. A separate night time drill will be conducted in the Ortigas Business District in Pasig City from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM.

For more details about SM Supermalls' Shake Drill participation, visit SM Supermalls' official website www.smsupermalls.com.

David & Goliath: The Art of Battling Giants with Open Standards

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David Bennett, AMD WW Commercial Sales, Corporate Vice President

Everyone loves a good underdog story. “Money Ball,” “Forrest Gump,” “Billy Elliot,” “The Lord of the Rings,” and the list goes on. There are many great movies and books to prove that people love stories of an underdog winning and succeeding contrary to popular expectation. 

Why? Because no one likes to witness an obvious story of the big, rich and powerful opponent constantly winning over the weaker side. 

However, it’s no secret that this happens in real life quite often. We see many industries dominated by two or three big players, especially in the technology industry with smartphones, digital books, PCs, tablets and more. It may be because the industry has a high-entry barrier, requires a huge economy of scale, massive R&D costs and complying with strict government regulation to meet even the minimum qualification. It could also be due to the big players that build a fortress to keep the entry barrier high, sometimes abusing its dominant position to their own advantage and not sharing information needed for others to coexist and grow the industry. As a result, the government or an international organization often plays a role to control the monopoly and apply antitrust policy. 

Government applying antitrust policy or consumers requesting fair competition is not an act of hoping to see the big guys lose all the time. Often it’s about protecting the less powerful players. It’s about making the industry healthier and providing more options for consumers to choose whether they want a high-end or entry-level technology or if it’s is a low or high cost product. It all comes down to “having a choice.” But in order to have healthy competition, an attempt to just protect the weaker side doesn’t always make sense or there will be unfair competition to the big player. The underdog has to come up with brilliant solutions to overcome the economy of scale and R&D costs, and most importantly, the solutions must be brilliant enough to be chosen by a consumer.

From a book by Malcom Gladwell titled “David and Goliath,” the author discusses the version of the story that has been told over many centuries and states why almost everything about it is wrong. It isn’t a miracle that David defeated the Goliath, but a very strategically placed battle, with David’s calculated way of dealing with the competition and interpreting the giant in a different way than others. 

AMD is a chip maker and has been an underdog in the semiconductor industry throughout its 45 years of history. Our competition has been our great competitor and the likeness Gladwell’s interpretation of “David & Goliath” begins here. To strive and win in the market, AMD is focused on developing, and partnering to develop, complementary and differentiated technologies that will allow the unique features of our processors to be truly optimized. To remain competitive, companies need to compete collectively by maintaining a sustainable ecosystem of partners and an open standards policy. 

A great example of AMD’s open ecosystem is the Heterogeneous System Architecture (HSA) Foundation. A strong group of industry leaders, including ARM®, MediaTek, Texas Instruments, Samsung Electronics, Qualcomm and Oracle, are all committed to developing an innovative computing architecture that is optimized for power efficiency and performance. Some of these companies may be competitors but have joined forces with a common goal in mind. The HSA vision for enabling heterogeneous computing across a wide range of devices requires the collaboration of device manufacturers, developers and semiconductor manufacturers to develop a robust HSA architecture that is open, spurring future innovations for years to come in the PC, mobile, server, HPC and cloud computing markets. Ultimately, building on open standards enables the best choice for consumers for any bottom line.

For example, AMD delivers virtualization, security and manageability solutions built on industry-leading open standards. Security and virtualization features are designed into every AMD PRO A-Series Accelerated Processing Unit (APU), and these features work within existing environments to enable freedom of choice without locked-in, proprietary solutions or costs. Because AMD PRO-based systems are based on industry-leading DASH (Desktop and Mobile Architecture for System Hardware) standards, they are compatible with a broad range of software and technology on commercial desktops and laptops. DASH-based implementations enable greater management flexibility in a multivendor commercial PC environment, at business-friendly price. 

By nurturing multiple aspects of an open ecosystem and understanding the pressures our partners are under, we’re continuing to stay ahead of the game in order to deliver on our commitments and continue fostering innovation and success. This helps all of us build better products to further meet market demands and increase the potential for market success.

As Malcom Gladwell stated in his book, the fact of being an underdog can change people in ways that we often fail to appreciate: it can open doors, create opportunities, educate and enlighten, and make possible what might otherwise have seemed unthinkable. 

This is truly the way for us, as the perceived underdogs, to survive and win in the industry with a differentiated approach. For AMD, this approach revolves around building a healthy ecosystem with an open standards policy, and EVERYONE is welcome to join.

First Philippine Hospital on U.S. Soil Opens in Guam

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Guam Regional Medical City (GRMC), the first Filipino-owned hospital in United States soil, held its official grand opening on Monday, July 20, 1015. Majority owned and operated by premier health institution The Medical City (TMC), GRMC is the latest addition to TMC’s growing network of hospitals and clinics.

TMC President & CEO Dr. Alfredo R.A. Bengzon, GRMC CEO Margaret A. Bengzon, Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo and Guam Governor Eddie Calvo with other GRMC officials and special guests during the Ribbon-cutting ceremony

More than 600 guests from Guam, across Micronesia and from the Philippines turned out to celebrate the opening of the first private hospital in Guam.

The 130-bed acute care facility represents an investment of $240 million by the Philippine-based TMC.

TMC President and CEO Dr. Alfredo R.A. Bengzon and other members of TMC’s senior management graced the opening ceremony. Also present were Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo and Guam Governor Eddie Calvo.

GRMC CEO Margaret A. Bengzon

During his speech, Dr. Bengzon spoke about the perseverance and faith it took them to overcome the obstacles and realize their dream to build the hospital located in Dededo, Guam. He likewise emphasized the commitment it represents to the people of Guam.

“GRMC is a gift of The Medical City and the Filipino people to the people of Guam. I encourage the residents of Guam to embrace TMC’s service philosophy of Patient Partnership, one that moved the patient from the periphery to center stage, defining for him a role as equal and empowered patient in the pursuit of his health,” said Dr. Bengzon.

For her part, GRMC CEO Margaret Bengzon welcomed the guests and thanked all the people who worked hard to make the event possible. 

TMC President & CEO Dr. Alfredo R.A. Bengzon, Surgeon and GRMC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael W. Cruz, and Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo

“We must now look ahead and we need to get started on the real work, providing quality health care for the people of Guam,” she said.

Bordallo, on the other hand, underscored the importance of having a new hospital in Guam that will save both the financial and emotional burden of having to seek off island medical care. 

In 2010, TMC announced that it would be part owner and full operator of the first private hospital in Guam. GRMC’s services will be aligned with TMC’s centers of excellence and the Region’s specific health profile, featuring wellness, cardiology, medical oncology, endocrinology, pulmonology, neurology and other medical and surgical subspecialties. TMC’s unique value proposition of patient empowerment and partnership will enliven all programs and services.

Even before the formal opening of the hospital, Guam residents have begun to experience TMC’s brand of healthcare. GRMC physicians have been seeing patients at the GRMC Specialty Care Center since September 2014.

Dr. Bengzon and Governor Calvo capped the ceremony with an impromptu rendition of "The Impossible Dream,” signifying that with GRMC now in full operations, they have reached the unreachable star.