7-Eleven is gearing up for this year’s 7-Eleven Day with a 6-day promo-filled party

The most-awaited annual 7-Eleven SALE-bration is coming! 7-Eleven is gearing up for this year’s 7-Eleven Day with a 6-day promo-filled party from July 8 to 13 in all stores nationwide. 7-Eleven is treating customers to up to 50% OFF on over 200 items including its signature food items from Big Bite, City Cafe, and Crunch Time Chicken. 

 

Office workers, students, loyal customers, and those residing near 7-Eleven stores, better take note! Crunch Time Chicken will start its P10 OFF promo on its 1pc. Chicken with Rice on July 6, in time for National Fried Chicken Day, until July 11.

Get up to 50% discount on over 200  snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, personal hygiene products for the face, body, and hair, and other grocery essentials during the 7-Eleven Day celebration on July 8 to 13. 

 

Come 7-Eleven Day on July 11, the small size of the crowd-favorite City Cafe coffee blend is offered at half the price. This applies to all available blends: Brewed Coffee, French Vanilla, Mochaccino, Salted Caramel, and Hot Chocolate. Small Prima Americano is also available at half off. The customers’ go-to 7-Eleven snack, Big Bite Hotdog, is also at 50% off on this day. Should anyone need a quick bite or baon, then this is where to get the bang for that buck — and a delicious one at that!

 

From July 8 to 13, the convenience store will offer a huge price drop of up to 50% discount on snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, personal hygiene products for the face, body, and hair, and other grocery essentials. 

 

While #711Day merits its own grand party, what makes this year’s celebration even more special is that everyone is finally able to celebrate together, in person after spending the past two years in quarantine. 

 

All time favorite 7-Eleven snacks such as Big Bite, City Cafe, and Crunch Time Chicken will be offered at a discounted price during the #711Day celebration.

Now that everyone is going back to work, back to school, and back to regular daily routines, 7-Eleven is also urging Filipinos to come back to their stores to regain the experience of shopping at their favorite neighborhood convenience store. Take this as an invitation to get back all the things and people we missed — because with 7-Eleven’s #711Day, it’s a celebration like no other! 

 

Contactless payments through the CLiQQ app and GCash are available. Don’t miss out on 7-Eleven’s six-day celebration! Visit here for the list of the complete sale items available from July 8 to 13. 

 

 

The Asia-Pacific Predator League 2022 Grand Finals returns in-person and will take place in Japan!

The Asia-Pacific Predator League 2022 Grand Finals returns in-person and will take place from November 11-13 in Japan. Qualified teams across 15 countries and territories will participate in this grand finals spectacular. 

“After two years of lockdown and travel restrictions, we are so excited to meet the esports teams in-person again. ‘Become One’ is the theme for Predator League 2022, emphasizing the need to reconnect with fellow gamers and demonstrating Acer’s commitment to the gaming community,” said Andrew Hou, President of Acer Pan Asia Pacific Regional Operations. 

The Asia Pacific Predator League Grand Finals will be held in-person with all its intensity and passion, as the teams are expected to deliver the ultimate play for fans across the region. This year, the competition will be divided into two tournaments: Dota 2 and PUBG:BATTLEGROUNDS. 

The total prize pool for the qualifiers and winners of the two tournaments is US$400,000; winners of each tournament will also be given the coveted APAC Predator League Shield and Predator gaming products from Acer.

The stories behind the teams from each region will serve to elevate the drama, highlighting the exciting return of the tournament. Fans can visit the official Predator League web site to find more about the league. 

For more information regarding tournament schedules and programs, follow Acer’s social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

 

 

HOW CEB OFFERS A SAFE SPACE FOR LGBTQ+ FILIPINOS

 

First Officer Lorenz Montinola always dreamed of becoming a pilot, but was hesitant because of how people might treat him due to his sexual orientation. Still, he persevered to reach his goal – and in 2020, he started working at Cebu Pacific.

 

“At first I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “But then as I progressed, I felt really blessed that I was given the chance to work with Cebu Pacific.”

 

The local airline has a long-established policy of embracing the diversity and uniqueness of its employees. “We understand, accept, and value differences in race, culture, age, religion, marital status, abilities, gender identities and gender expression,” Cebu Pacific’s policy statement reads.

 

While Cebu Pacific has a non-discriminatory hiring policy, all applicants must pass a stringent set of qualifications to make it onboard. Every year, the airline receives thousands of applications and only the best of the best make the cut.

 

Crew members like Mikee Vitug, one of the first trans woman flight attendants in Cebu Pacific, go through training, difficult exams, and learn how to provide excellent customer service for months before joining the team.

 

Mikee said she had reservations about applying as a flight attendant after experiencing discrimination in another workplace firsthand. But she was relieved when Cebu Pacific accepted her application.

 

“From the initial screening and interviews, the staff, the employees, and almost everyone in the company have been very welcoming. They regarded me as ‘Miss’ and treated me as a woman. This is a very big deal for a trans woman like me. They gave me the freedom and liberty to be the woman that I am,” she said. Mikee was accepted in the Cebgo cabin crew in November 2019.

 

A culture of empowerment and inclusivity

Cebu Pacific prides itself on being a diverse and multicultural company. It’s a staunch ally of the LGBTQ+ community, ensuring that the company is a safe space for everyone to express their authentic selves.

 

“I believe that Cebu Pacific walks the talk. They make us feel that we are supported and celebrated. Their care and support for our community is genuine and as an employee I can really feel that. They celebrate Pride month yearly and that for me is already an important thing. In terms of employees, we’re seeing more diversity too,” Lorenz said.

 

First Officer Chezka Carandang, who identifies as lesbian, shared that the company “[organizes] campaigns that highlight what their employees in the [LGBTQ+] community believe in, like in the recently concluded shoot that we filmed.” Chezka and Lorenz were featured in Cebu Pacific’s “Fly High With Pride” and “Story of Pride” videos, respectively.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLU_8TMybpc

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oL9f7DMpyM

 

Mikee emphasized that Cebu Pacific treats every employee equally and doesn’t give them special treatment. “They treat and respect me equally as the others. Even though I am working in a professional environment, I feel like I belong in a big, loving family.”

 

Likewise, the LGBTQ+ crew does their part in promoting inclusivity, educating the people around them about SOGIE and treating them with respect. During flights, they ensure that everyone – from cabin crew to passengers – feels safe to express themselves.

 

“At this day and age, more and more people are becoming aware of our existence and our contribution to society. It is important for me to educate people about the difference and the significance of SOGIE to inspire them to create an LBGTQ+-inclusive workplace,” Mikee said.

 

“As part of the Cebu Pacific family, my goal is just to simply be my authentic self, so I can inspire others beyond the walls of our company to do the same and celebrate who they are,” Chezka added.

 

Growing with Cebu Pacific

Lorenz shared that one of his goals is to become a captain in the future. Meanwhile, Mikee is interested in enrolling in cadet pilot training. These opportunities are open to anyone who wants to work and grow with Cebu Pacific.

 

“In Cebu Pacific, we believe in the ability of our crew to provide excellent service to every Juan and the hard work that they put in, regardless of their SOGIE. More than anything, we want everyone, especially our LGBTQ+ crew, to live their truth while pursuing their dreams with us. That way, they will be able to work confidently, serve wholeheartedly, and inspire their peers,” said Candince Iyog, Vice President for Marketing and Customer Experience.

 

While workplace discrimination is still a valid concern for many LGBTQ+ people, especially the youth, Mikee’s advice is to just go for it. “You will never know unless you try. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and your dreams. You may fall and falter, but never forget to stand up and fight back harder.”

 

“Do not look down on yourself just because you feel that you are different. You matter. We all matter. If I can do it, so can you.” 

Xiaomi reaffirms commitment to protect customer data during its annual Security and Privacy Awareness Month

Xiaomi, the world's leading consumer electronics and smart manufacturing company, recommitted itself to protecting customer data during its annual Security and Privacy Awareness Month completed today. It held employee training events and expert seminars at the Xiaomi Technology Park in Beijing, China and at Xiaomi's Technology Operation Center in Singapore.

 

This was the third consecutive year that it held special classes for its engineers and other employees and led discussions with industry executives, IT security experts, and the public about the importance of data security and user privacy protection. Xiaomi also released updated white papers on security and privacy along with its annual transparency report detailing its data security activities.

  

The purpose of the month-long series of events was to bolster its user security and privacy protection practices and to build trust in Xiaomi’s products through transparency and accountability.

Xiaomi has built a comprehensive governance structure to protect data security and user privacy. This involves cooperation between cybersecurity experts, smartphone operating system engineers, lawyers, and legal compliance experts. Overseeing these specialists is a Security and Privacy Committee led by senior executives.  

 

Cui Baoqiu, Xiaomi Vice President and Chairman of the Xiaomi Security and Privacy Committee, called data security and user privacy protection a key to the long-term, sustainable development of the company's global business. "Protecting the data security and privacy of our users is the top priority,” he said. “Our customers care about this issue more than any other. Xiaomi is committed to offering safe and reliable Android smartphones and IoT products."

 

Eugene Liderman, Director of Android Security Strategy of Google, highlighted Xiaomi's contribution to the Android system. "One of Android's biggest strengths is the diverse ecosystem of partners. Xiaomi is a great example of this and it's great to see their continued investment in cyber security hygiene across their product portfolio", he added.

 

Professor Liu Yang, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, said, "As the security challenge is becoming the focus of many technology discussions, industry stakeholders attach more importance to the urgency of managing vulnerabilities at hardware, software and even in the massive open-source space. Xiaomi has made tremendous effort to address the issue, safeguarding users with technology expertise, and continuously exploring new methods for better data protection."

 

With the world's largest consumer IoT platform, Xiaomi is constantly working to improve IoT security and privacy protections. Xiaomi held its fifth annual IoT security summit on June 29 and 30 in Beijing. Industry executives and experts discussed a wide range of issues from data security governance frameworks and cross-border data transfers to the security of internet-connected electric vehicles and solutions for software supply chain security threats. 

 

During the June event, Xiaomi announced that its Electric Scooter 4 Pro obtained IoT Security Rating Gold level certification from Underwriter Laboratories Inc, an international safety research institute based in the U.S. This designation made Electric Scooter 4 Pro the world's first electric scooter with such a high-level safety rating. The certificate also indicated that the security baseline of Xiaomi's IoT product development is in line with international standards. 

 

Xiaomi created its Security and Privacy Committee in 2014. In 2016, Xiaomi became the first Chinese company to receive certification from TrustArc. Xiaomi adopted the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of European Union compliance assessment in 2018. In 2019, Xiaomi security and privacy practices were certificated on ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 27018. Last year, Xiaomi published its first transparency report, making it the first Android smartphone brand to do so. Xiaomi this year obtained the certificate of registration of NIST CSF (National Institute of Standards and Technology, Cybersecurity Framework), further strengthening its data security protection capabilities. 

 

 

For the white papers and reports mentioned above, please use the Xiaomi Trust Center at https://trust.mi.com/

UnionBank discusses how Open Banking will drive the digital economy

 

Open banking and open finance are two models that are now slowly taking over the financial sector, with the promise of revolutionizing banking and financial services like never before and acting as "a catalyst for the new wave in financial innovation."

This was the main point of discussion during the 14th edition of Union Bank of the Philippines' (UnionBank) virtual roundtable series E-TalkTales, which took place last June 28 via Zoom. The event was led by UnionBank's Fintech Business Group Head Erika Dizon as its main speaker. 

In her presentation, Dizon explained that while open banking and open finance may differ slightly from each other—the former promotes data sharing on banking services, while the latter promotes data and capability sharing across the financial sector—the goal is the same, which is the creation of an open ecosystem.

An open ecosystem, she said, provides numerous benefits, including seamless data access and sharing, more opportunities for cooperation and collaboration, and most importantly, unprecedented customer-centricity. All of these point to the potential of the movement to completely change the way people see banking and finance.

Dizon listed down a few examples of how the open finance movement can positively impact different sectors of society. For service providers, it can inspire innovation and create new revenue streams. For businesses, it can promote increased transparency and operational efficiency. For customers, it can help enable better personalization, and in turn more meaningful experiences. 

Dizon also named several pillars supporting open banking, namely, (1) regulatory push for frameworks built on principles of consent, interoperability, and collaboration; (2) heightened expectations coming from the digital and modern social experiences that are redefining banking and finance; (3) competition especially with the emergence of non-traditional players; and (4) infrastructure, which is increasingly becoming more reliant on application programming interfaces.

"All of these factors are coming in to play and have triggered the open banking and open finance movement and the beginning of the unbundling of the traditional banking models," Dizon said.

After her presentation, Dizon participated in a fireside chat with the event’s moderator, veteran journalist Rico Hizon. One of the questions that she answered was on data privacy, which is currently one of the biggest concerns related to open banking and open finance. She reiterated that, at the core of open banking, there should be customer consent, where end users can have the choice to share their data or not, and limit how much of their data is used.

Another topic discussed during the chat was balancing competition with collaboration, especially since open ecosystems require the latter for them to truly serve their purpose. She said that for UnionBank, rather than competing, the focus is more on “coopetition,” adding that there is a place for different industry players to benefit from a win-win-win model.

“We understand that some financial institutions, some fintechs, some third parties have specific products and services that we don’t, and we believe that for us to be able to better serve our customers, we should be able to integrate those specific products and services into our own,” Dizon said.

“Open banking and open finance are only as good as the number of players that cooperate within that ecosystem, and that’s, I think, one of the biggest things that we have to consider.”

On the topic of how open banking and open finance can create more value for UnionBank, she said that these allow the Bank to identify new potential business models, and with these, generate more income streams and revenue models.

“More importantly, it adds value to our customers and how they do their financial transactions, and that is what’s really important to us,” Dizon said. “Of course, as a bank, there is a bottom line that we need to think of, but we believe that there is a space for both to co-exist, for the customers to be served appropriately and for the Bank to be able to have new business models.”

 

OPPO & Mineski Phillippines crowned their new OPPO Game On Cup Champion

The first ever OPPO Game On Cup tournament ended with power! After beating more than 100 contenders, the top four teams squared off at SM Mall of Asia, Central Atrium last June 26,2022 with AP 2.0 emerging on top. Crowds cheered as they witnessed just how skilled Filipino mobile gamers are with El Ganador Knights, the second placer, not giving up until the very end of best of 5 series. 

The exhilaration was non-stop with Blacklist International, world-renowned mobile gaming champions, greeting the audience in between match-ups and giving them firsthand tips on how to power up in every battle. The audience was also treated to a surprise as Blacklist International went against Blacklist International! Half of the world-renowned team coached AP 2.0 and the other half mentored El Ganador Knights LIVE during the event. What a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity indeed!

 

"The OPPO Game On Cup was such a fun tournament to see just how skilled and powerful Filipinos are at mobile gaming,” shares Coach Bon. “It’s great to see the future of esports in the country and how we can keep pushing the limits on the virtual battlefield!”

 

The whole playoffs day was a show of power moves where third and fourth placers, K Signs Gaming and Click ESports, gave solid defense and the battles went back and forth in best of 3 games.

 

The four teams bagged a cash prize pool amounting to P100,000. Each of the champion players took home an OPPO A96, a smartphone Designed to be Powerful, and the rest of the players were awarded OPPO Enco Air2 earbuds.   

 

The tournament was hosted by avid gamer Vince Velasco and broadcasted live on OPPO Philippines Facebook page where it attracted tens of thousands of viewers. The power casters INGANation, Burger Kim and Prof B sustained their energy all throughout the hours-long event. 

 

Do you think you are #DesignedToBePowerful? Stay up to date with the latest OPPO Game On activities and tournaments, join the OPPO Game On Facebook group.

UNIQLO Launches JOIN: THE POWER OF CLOTHING

Global apparel retailer UNIQLO today announces the launch of JOIN: THE POWER OF CLOTHING, a global campaign to support activities for a better world. The campaign will start from Japan on Friday, July 1.

The aim of the JOIN：THE POWER OF CLOTHING campaign is to encourage UNIQLO customers to be a part of the environmental sustainability activities that UNIQLO has conducted up to now. The two main initiatives, conducted at UNIQLO stores and the uniqlo.com online store, are Buy and JOIN and Learn and JOIN. The program aims to raise awareness of global problems such as ocean pollution among customers, and to inspire action that makes the world a better place.

 

In addition, UNIQLO will sell products made with 100% recycled fibers (plush toys, pocketable bags, T-shirts), featuring designs with Doraemon Sustainability Mode, the UNIQLO Global Sustainability Ambassador. 

 

During the campaign, when customers purchase UNIQLO products made with recycled materials, or Blue Cycle Jeans, they will be contributing to a better world in more ways than one. UNIQLO parent company, Fast Retailing, will donate up to US$1 million (approximately 130 million yen) to the Nippon Foundation to support activities that reduce ocean waste, by donating the profits of sales of these campaign items. 

The JOIN：THE POWER OF CLOTHING campaign gives customers two ways to participate.

 

1.  Buy and JOIN - Support donations with purchases

When customers purchase products incorporating recycled material, such as items made from 100% recycled polyester recovered from plastic bottles and featuring the Doraemon Sustainability Mode motif, or environmentally-friendly Blue Cycle Jeans, Fast Retailing will donate up to US$1 million (approximately 130 million yen) from the profits of campaign item sales to the Nippon Foundation to support activities to reduce ocean waste

Doraemon Sustainability Mode  Pocketable Bag

Doraemon Sustainability Mode Toy

Doraemon Sustainability Mode T-shirt

Doraemon Sustainability Mode KIDS T-shirt

Launch date    July 1, 2022 (Friday) 

Items        Doraemon Sustainability Mode Toy, Php 990.00

(100% recycled polyester, approx. 14 plastic bottles)

 Doraemon Sustainability Mode Pocketable Bag, Php 590.00
(100% recycled polyester, approx. 5 plastic bottles)

             Doraemon Sustainability Mode T-shirt, Php 790.00 (one design)
(100% recycled polyester, approx. 24 plastic bottles)

             Doraemon Sustainability Mode KIDS T-shirt, Php 790.00 (one design)
(100% recycled polyester, approx. 13 plastic bottles)

Availability      All UNIQLO stores in the Philippines, and through the UNIQLO.com online store

Per DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-145968 Series of 2022

 

JOIN Campaign Products

 

ドライEXクルーネックT 1500円

Recycled Materials Items that use recycled polyester recovered from plastic bottles.

DRY EX Crew Neck T-shirt Php 790.00

Blue Cycle Jeans Jeans that use up to 99% less water* in the finishing process compared to conventional methods. Vintage and other types of processing are done with lasers, significantly lessening the manual labor required.

Slim Flared Jeans (new item available in July) Php 1990.00

* Results obtained in a comparison of 2017 MENS regular fit jeans with 2018 model of same style, using the Blue Cycle process. Water reduction levels vary slightly by product.

 

2.  Learn and Join - Find out more about ocean pollution through special content

UNIQLO will open a special website on Wednesday, June 29, where visitors can learn about environmental issues and take action. The site includes messages from UNIQLO Global Brand Ambassadors calling for participation in the campaign, and a video with LifeWear Special Ambassador Haruka Ayase outlining some of the sustainability focus areas at UNIQLO. There is also a wide range of special content to learn about ocean-related issues, including an interview with a biological oceanographer, Ryota Nakajima, a talk with Ms. Yoko Koga on reducing the use of plastics in everyday life, and an interview with environmental specialist Dr. Keith Alverson.

 

 

Special website: https://www.uniqlo.com/ph/en/contents/sustainability/jointpoc/

 

Scan the QR code to visit the special website with more information on Doraemon Sustainability Mode items.

 

 

©Fujiko-Pro

 

 

 

Related links for reference:

 

UNIQLO Sustainability

www.uniqlo.com/jp/en/contents/sustainability/

 

Fast Retailing Sustainability Report

www.fastretailing.com/eng/sustainability/report/new.html