Enjoying Wonderful World

December 31, 2022

Airbnb reveals 2022 top destinations for Filipinos and next year’s travel trends

● This year, FIlipino travelers sought out Airbnb Stays in Tropical, Amazing Pools and Nature Parks categories

● Looking ahead to 2023, Filipinos are planning trips to domestic spots including Cebu City, El Nido and Baguio; and international destinations including Singapore and Australia

This December, Airbnb is wrapping up the year with a bow by revealing its top destinations and Airbnb Categories of stays in 2022, and providing a sneak peek at what 2023 has in store.

In 2022, Pinoy guests on Airbnb found themselves most enjoying a tropical getaway, or relaxing by the poolside. The Tropical and Amazing Pools Categories of stays ranked top in terms of Filipinos’ most-booked homes, with outdoor categories including National Parks, Golf, Lake Houses, Beachfront and Surfing just close behind.*

2022 saw an unprecedented eagerness to travel, particularly as borders across the world began to reopen. Notably, the Philippines welcomed a significant influx of inbound tourists on Airbnb this year with Singaporeans topping the list. Latest data revealed that the top origin cities of guests visiting the Philippines in 2022 are Singapore, Seoul, Los Angeles, London and Sydney.**

Looking ahead to 2023, Pinoys are definitely hoping to put their passports to good use. According to Airbnb data, the top trending travel spots for international travel in 2023 among Filipino guests are Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, Thailand, South Korea.

Still, domestic destinations also remain top of mind for Filipinos, with top trending domestic destinations in 2023 being Cebu City and Lapu Lapu City in Cebu, El Nido and Coron in Palawan, Baguio in the north, and Pasay and Mandaluyong in Metro Manila.***

As the holiday season rolls around, this presents a unique opportunity for Filipinos to take advantage of the travel surge and earn some additional income, and perhaps even pay for a trip to a trending destination.

Earlier this month, Airbnb made it even easier to Airbnb one’s home through its new Airbnb Setup featuring one-to-one guidance from an Airbnb Superhost, the opportunity to host an experienced guest as one’s first guest, as well as one-tap access to specially-trained Community support agents. Together with even more AirCover for Hosts, with tripled damage protection to USD3 million and expanded guest identity verification, among other top protections for both inside and outside your home, there’s no better time to become an Airbnb Host and share one’s home for the holidays.

All bookings included in this press release are intended to inspire and illustrate. Airbnb does not endorse or promote these listings or any other accommodations or experiences on the platform.

*Top Categories of 2022 (PH) nights booked by PH guests in any destination with check-in dates from May 11, 2022 thru September 30, 2022

**Top origin cities, states and countries, by nights stayed for PH travel by international guest with travel stays between January, 1 2022 thru September 30, 2022

***Top trending travel spots for 2023 travel by Filipinos, based on searches made in Q1-Q3 2022 for future 2023 check-ins

Don't let sickness, emergencies steal your holidays!

Keep your loved ones ready and protected with MediCard’s RxER

The holidays are here! Finally, it is the time of the year to relax, unwind, and enjoy all the festive activities with your family and friends. And perhaps, you are now busy listing all the possible gifts that would spark joy in your loved ones, regardless of whether they have been naughty or nice.

As everyone is eager to celebrate this season, keep in mind that it can be a risky time as well. The holidays frequently attract unwanted guests, such as illnesses and accidents ranging from road accidents to fireworks injuries.

A January 2022 report by the Department of Health (DOH) revealed there were 85 cases of fireworks-related injuries as the country celebrated the 2022 New Year. While the numbers continue to decrease each year, it pays off to be ready always for unforeseen emergencies that can steal your holiday celebrations.

MediCard RxER: The best gift you can give this season

To help you put one of the best gifts under the Christmas tree, MediCard, a leading health maintenance organization (HMO) in the Philippines, brings you MediCard RxER so you can ensure that your loved ones are prepared for any unexpected situations while savoring the joy of the festive season.

The RxER provides a brand-new, specialized healthcare maintenance service that includes emergency, preventative, and outpatient treatment and is created to give members of all ages the maximum value and convenience.

In hospitals recognized by MediCard, the overall cap for patients requiring emergency trauma care is PhP20,000. ER costs, professional fees, and urgent drugs connected to the condition of accidents, burns, animal bites, and accidental chemical poisoning are also included in emergency care charges if it is within six hours from the time of the incident.

Emergency diagnostic procedures and lab tests up to PhP5,000, including MRI, CT scan, and ultrasound, are also covered. Additionally, coverage will be provided for tetanus toxoid, anti-tetanus serum, and current rabies vaccination. Regular casting and splint are also included.

Is it a one-time-use thing? No. Members may use emergency services more than once for the said circumstances if the limit has not yet been reached.

The gift that keeps on giving

Members of the RxER card are also entitled to an annual physical exam in any MediCard free-standing clinic and Uro Industrial Clinic (UROIC). This includes a complete blood count, a chest X-ray, a urinalysis, a fecalysis, and a general check-up for the entire year.

In addition, members get unlimited access to outpatient consultations with primary care physicians, including general practitioners, general surgeons on a clinic-to-clinic basis, obstetricians for non-maternity-related check-ups, pediatricians, family medicine physicians, and medical internists. For other specialists and sub-specialists, on the other hand, the RxER covers a flat rate of PhP350 for consultations.

Other benefits of RxER include a 30% discount on outpatient laboratory and diagnostic tests, outpatient surgeries and other services, and procedures at the Skin & Body Clinic. It also gives its members dental services, such as one-time oral prophylaxis, dental consultations, and a 30% discount on dental procedures.

All these may be availed of at any MediCard free-standing clinic in key cities nationwide https://fsc.medicardphils.com/Home/Contact.

There is no time to lose! Gift your loved ones these wonderful benefits now for only PhP1,998 with no age limit and no medical check-up required, available on MediCard’s website, Shopee, Lazada, Medicard free-standing clinics, Maria Health, and more.

MediCard is a leading HMO founded and managed by doctors. Over the years, it has provided the most comprehensive and innovative healthcare programs and fitness activities to help people achieve healthier lives.

To learn more about MediCard Philippines, visit its website at https://www.medicardphils.com/.

December 30, 2022

BENCH Techs-up with UnionBank: Digital payments enhanced in 800+ stores across the nation

Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) has partnered with Suyen Corporation (BENCH Group) to help the leading clothing and lifestyle brand digitize payments in its more than 800 brick-and-mortar and affiliate stores all over the country, for easier and more convenient transactions for its customers.

The contract signing ceremony between UnionBank and BENCH took place last November 14 at the UnionBank Plaza in Pasig City.

To help BENCH digitize its transactions, UnionBank will be generating in-store QRPH codes that will serve as additional payment channels for shoppers. This will allow them to quickly pay for their purchases without worrying about loose change. They also won't need to use their on-hand cash or fall in line to withdraw cash at ATMs, saving them time.

Because the partnership leverages QRPH's wide range of accepted payment providers through partner banks and popular digital wallets, shoppers can pay for their purchases digitally without worrying about using services or apps they are not familiar with, and simply opt for those that they are already using.

"We believe that the use of QRPH in our offline stores should bring many benefits and convenience to our customers. We want to thank UnionBank for this initiative in tapping us as a partner," said Vice President for Business Development Group of BENCH Bryan Lim.

"This great milestone promises to trailblaze the way we do our business in our respective fields and keep up with the changing needs of our customers," said UnionBank Merchant Acquiring and Payment Gateway Head Gerry Austria. "This is a valuable opportunity to ensure that our customers will have a more enjoyable way of shopping."

#PHDigicon2022: “When I think about BOUNDLESS, I think that’s Magic Johnson!”

Philippine Digital Convention 2022 headline speaker Earvin “Magic” Johnson talked about his journey from being an NBA Hall of Famer to philanthropist and businessman

PLDT Group’s Cathy Y. Yang talked to PH Digicon 2022 headline speaker,

Earvin “Magic” Johnson, about his life and legacy

After two years of holding the country’s most prestigious and one of the most sought-after thought leadership events in the Asia-Pacific Region virtually, PLDT Enterprise held the Philippine Digital Convention (PH Digicon) last October 27-28, 2022, face-to-face at the Marriott Grand Ballroom with a simultaneous broadcast online.

Highlighting the 2-day convention was the live interview with the legendary basketball icon Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson who strongly relates to the PH Digicon 2022 theme of BOUNDLESS. Hosted by PLDT Group Corporate Communications Head, Cathy Yap-Yang, Johnson fondly shares, “When I think about Boundless, I think that’s Magic Johnson!”

Raising awareness

In 1991, Johnson officially retired from his basketball career following the announcement of his diagnosis with HIV. In the same year, he founded the Magic Johnson Foundation, one of the most recognizable philanthropic organizations around the world today, which serves as a single-disease organization that works to raise funds for community-based organizations dealing with HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs.

Looking back, Johnson recalls the stigma and discrimination that used to rule the disease and how people talked in “hushed voices”. Now, people can openly talk about and discuss HIV/AIDS–all in the name of raising awareness of the disease.

Johnson’s ‘retirement’ didn’t hold him back to do what he loves most when he came back to play in the 1992 All-Star Game and won the All-Star MVP Award. He was also a part of the ‘Dream Team’ that won the Olympic gold medal in Barcelona during the 1992 Olympics.

“When I look at our team and our achievements, we changed the world when it comes to the NBA and when it came to basketball,” he says. “What we were able to accomplish in Barcelona, the way that the world accepted us, we’ve never seen anything like it. We won the gold medal, but we changed the game of basketball around the world forever. And I am happy to be part of that.”

Raising the next generation of entrepreneurs

Johnson is also the founder and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises, a global empire with a wide range of business endeavors that range from sports ownership, food service, to media and entertainment. He may have come a long way from bringing coffee shops and cinemas into Urban America, but he remains committed to his mission of creating jobs and opportunities for minorities and women-owned firms. When asked about retirement, the NBA Hall of Famer laughingly replied, “I am not built to slow down. I am a worker; I love to work, [and I bring] passion to my job every day.”

To prepare the next generation of dreamers and entrepreneurs, the NBA Hall of Famer, businessman, and philanthropist advised them about having a positive attitude despite setbacks, the importance of believing in one’s self, and having mentors–a role that he continues to play for many businesses, athletes, and his fans.

“My life is boundless. When I think of my journey, that’s the word I would use. I did everything that was not supposed to be done. When I think about boundless, I think that’s Magic Johnson! I was the first to go through a lot of doors, a man of color. Trust me, you can do it. Everybody out there, you can do it, you can have it, you can go do it, it’s all up to you.”

30 years later, after countless successful ventures, he shared, “Today, Magic’s court is the business world.”

For more information, visit https://pldtenterprise.com/.