Globe helps you recreate your world right at home with postpaid plans that fit your budget

As a blogger, I've pretty much gotten used to working at home, so it wasnt hard for us to adjust when the enhanced community quarantine took effect last March. 

But that didnt mean we were prepared for the next 100 days of not having a regular income. 

As such we had to reevaluate our priorities and come up with a budget that would work until everything goes back to normal--which judging from the continued increase in COVID-19 case, would take a lot longer.

We only shopped for our food essentials,  got rid of non essential purchases and always checked for great deals. 

 

For those who are trying to improve their home school and office setup  Globe at Home released its updated postpaid plans, bundled with exciting freebies and complimentary services that can help families better adjust to this new normal.

Bring the cinema right at home

With Plan 1899, customers can experience speeds of up to 30 Mbps with unlimited data. The cinema is right at home as new customers get three months free access to iWant and Amazon Prime Video plus a free Android TV box.  The Android TV box transforms any TV into a Smart TV with thousands of videos, movies, and games from the Google Play Store, YouTube, and other apps--making every night a movie night.

Set up the office right at home

With the increasing demand for home connection for the entire family, there’s no better time to upgrade to 100 Mbps speed with unlimited data for only P2899. This plan comes with two TP Link Deco M5 WiFi Mesh devices, which expand the WiFi coverage to more areas at home. With these, users can seamlessly move from room to room with a stable connection. 

Plan 2899 is perfect for big families, especially with parents who need to work and grow their businesses at home. Moreover, they get exclusive access to the VIP Tech Squad hotline, a specialized customer service team that provides end-to-end support for WiFi connectivity and installation of devices such as the TP-Link WiFi mesh system that enables enhanced online security for all users in the family. 

Secure a plan fit with your budget

Families can choose from a wide range of postpaid plans depending on their budget.

Globe at Home’s starter pack is Plan 1299, with speeds of up to 10 Mbps and 500GB of data allocation per month. Unlimited plans start at Plan 1699 and come with varying speeds ranging from up to 15 Mbps to a maximum of up to 1 Gbps with Plan 9499.

New and existing Globe at Home customers can apply for or can upgrade their plans using the Globe at Home app which can be downloaded for FREE via Google Playstore or the App Store. All of these plans come with three months of free access to iWant and Amazon Prime Video, and a free landline unit with unlimited calls to Globe and TM subscribers for 24 months.

Learn more via the official Globe at Home Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/globeathome/ or send a message via the Globe At Home FB messenger.

If you have the SSS mobile app, you can use your PayMaya account to pay for your contributions

This is good news to those paying their SSS contributions and loans. You dont have to go out of your homes and risk your safety. 

You can now pay and transact at the comfort of your homes using Paymaya. 

During the quarantine period, eWallets like PayMaya has helped millions of Filipinos pay for their utility bills right in their homes. But apart from paying for water, electricity, and postpaid plans, PayMaya is also a safe and convenient option to settle your government dues. 

Whether you're planning to pay your PAG-IBIG loan, your passport processing fee to the DFA, or your taxes to the BIR, you can easily settle these with just a few taps on your smartphone. By simply choosing the icon of the government agency you wish to transact with in your PayMaya app, you can conveniently pay your fees with any of them. We have 10 government partners in the Pay Bills page and we are expecting more!

Meanwhile, if you have the SSS mobile app, you can also use your PayMaya account or other credit/debit cards to pay for your contributions.

Landers ties up with ABS-CBN Foundation to help families affected by quarantine

Want to enjoy the best deals from the fastest growing membership shopping establishment and do a good deed at the same time? 

Landers Superstore has signed a tie-up agreement with ABS-CBN Foundation’s “Pantawid ng Pag-Ibig: Isang Daan. Isang Pamilya.” campaign to aid vulnerable families who cannot make a living because of the quarantine. The campaign aims to encourage individuals to donate at least PHP 100 or USD 2 which could feed one family.

Simply sign up for a membership at Landers Superstore and get the option to pay PHP 650 (instead of the usual PHP 600).  The extra PHP 50 from the membership payment will be matched with an equal amount by Landers and will be donated to the Pantawid ng Pag-ibig program.

Pantawid ng Pag-ibig is ABS-CBN's fund-raising campaign that has collected more than PHP 425 million from cash and in-kind donations. The money is used to buy food and basic necessities, which are then distributed to families in need.

Visit a Landers branch near you to sign up for membership and make your donation, until July 31, 2020. Landers Superstore has branches in Alabang, ArcoVia City, EDSA Balintawak, Otis, and Cebu.

For more details, please visit www.pantawidngpagibig.com or follow @landersph on Facebook and Instagram.

Mekeni launches programs amid pandemic to help micropreneurs, displaced workers

Just like flattening the curve is a collective responsibility, everyone has a role to play when it comes to the revival of the economy. From healthcare institutions, to government agencies, to private organizations, every able sector of society must do its part not only in fighting the pandemic, but also in bringing the economy back on its feet.

Mekeni Food Corporation knows this, which is why the company has been contributing to these efforts in many ways since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Mekeni owes its success to the community, so we always try to help whenever we can,” said Mekeni President Prudencio Garcia. “It’s part of the bayanihan spirit that our employees and even our partners are familiar with.”

Keeping everyone afloat during the lockdown

Like most companies, Mekeni’s day-to-day operations were severely affected when the lockdown was implemented in the whole of Luzon. Being among exempted industries, Mekeni needed to act fast to ensure steady supply of food products in the market.

They had to do this while also facing numerous challenges themselves during the said period, particularly in terms of movement of raw materials, and production and distribution of finished goods. This was attributed to mobility-related issues due to strict travel protocols, and limitations on who and how many can go to work at a time, among other problems. 

Still, Mekeni knew what was needed to be done, and hurdling these challenges was just the first step. Together with the company’s employees and partners, Mekeni continued to provide food supplies to customers while making do with the means that were available to them at that time, especially in terms of manufacturing and distribution.

Plant workers and some office-based workers still showed up at work to ensure business continuity, aided by the company’s free transportation provision that included several pickup points. To ensure that demands were met, Mekeni also hired residents of Barrio Balubad in Porac who were economically displaced by the strict quarantine measures.

Mekeni launched various initiatives to address concerns on accessibility to quality food. Two initiatives were launched recently—the Mekeni Home2Home delivery service and its counterpart community selling called Mobilengke, which provides temporary source of income to jeepney drivers.

Mekeni and select partner-distributors also forged partnerships with non-government organizations, local government units, and private individuals to bring relief goods to the needy. Thousands of families in Luzon benefitted from the partnerships.

A renewed promise to lift others up

For most companies, the hardest period of the pandemic is now over with the lifting of the enhanced community quarantine. But for Mekeni, there is still a lot to be done. In line with this, the company has begun transitioning to the new normal with a renewed focus on uplifting the lives of as many people as possible, a promise that the company made long before the arrival of the current health crisis.

Among the many ways that the company is doing this is through their very own product line of Filipino street food favorites like fish balls, squid balls, siopao, and siomai called Bayani, as well as their Mekeni Home2Home Reseller program that offers profit-enabling incentives not just to internal employees, but also to their external partners.

Both of these programs are financially accessible and are designed to provide viable sources of additional income to enterprising Filipino micropreneurs, especially those whose livelihoods may have been affected by the months-long implementation of the lockdown.

Aside from these two offers, the company is looking at developing more to be introduced in the coming months, all with the same goal of helping others get back on their feet through high-quality food products and innovation.

In the meantime, amid all of the uncertainty that continues to loom all over the world due to the pandemic, the company urged everyone to work together in steering the country’s economy toward its full recovery.

“With the enhanced community quarantine now behind us, it’s time to think of how we can help reignite the economy. Doing so is everyone’s responsibility and the only way we can succeed in this endeavor is by working together,” Garcia said.

METROBANK AND MANILA HEALTHTEK INK PARTNERSHIP TO DISTRIBUTE UP-DEVELOPED COVID-19 PCR KITS

Metrobank and GT Capital Holdings, through Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) and GT Foundation, Inc. (GTFI), donated PhP 5.6 million to Manila HealthTek, Inc., a private research and development company, for the distribution of UP-developed COVID-19 Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) detection kits. A total of 3,800 kits will be donated to the UP National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH), Maria Reyna-Xavier University Hospital in Cagayan de Oro City, and Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center (ITRMC) in San Fernando City, La Union. 

A virtual ceremonial signing of the Deed of Donation with Manila HealthTek, Inc. and beneficiary institutions was held on July 9 through the presence of HealthTek CEO Dr. Raul Destura, UP-NIH executive director and 2019 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Dr. Eva Maria Cutiongco-de La Paz, Xavier University president Fr. Roberto Yap, Maria Reyna-Xavier University Hospital OIC Director Sr. Evelyn Aguilar, and ITRMC Molecular Biology Laboratory section head Dr. Jimmy Rosales. It was Dr. Destura who led the team from UP-NIH and the Philippine Genome Center in the development of these low-cost kits.

“We have been working hard in supporting various initiatives to address and combat the effects of the pandemic since the start of the lockdown. Given the need for a gold standard in testing, we are privileged to support the very first Philippine developed testing kits for COVID19,” said MBFI president Aniceto Sobrepena. “We commend and admire the works of our local experts led by Dr. Destura and his team, together with the UP-NIH in the development, testing and production of these kits,” he added. 

The donation is part of over a PhP220 million contribution by Metrobank and GT Capital Holdings Group to fund and support efforts to combat the pandemic and help those in need. The amount was allocated for the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPEs) to benefit healthcare and security frontliners; “Project Ugnayan” led by the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation; distribution of meals and food packs to underprivileged families; construction and equipping of molecular laboratories for the testing of cases in partnership with the Department of Health, Philippine Red Cross, and Ayala Group; and Go Negosyo’s Project ARK (Antibody Rapid test Kits) of the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship Foundation. Just recently, Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation donated 30 units of Toyota Vios to DOH for the mobility of healthcare frontliners and local government hospitals. 

Cebu Pacific will resume passenger flights to and from Dubai beginning July 12, 2020

Cebu Pacific Advisory 

Manila-Dubai-Manila Flights

As of July 10, 2020; 6pm

Cebu Pacific will resume passenger flights to and from Dubai beginning July 12, 2020 with the following schedule: 

Passengers travelling to Dubai are required to obtain travel and health insurance coverage before arrival, as required by the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority. Guests without valid health insurance may be denied check-in or boarding. 

Passengers on cancelled Manila-Dubai-Manila flights may rebook online through the “Manage Booking” portal in the Cebu Pacific website (http://bit.ly/CEBmanageflight).

Government quarantine and travel regulations will apply for all passengers flying between Manila and Dubai. Passengers confirmed on these flights are urged to follow Contact Flights guidelines, including the wearing of masks, online check-in, being at the airport 3 hours before the flight, counter closure of 1 hour before flight, maximum one hand-carry per person, contactless boarding procedures, and physical distancing.

All other Cebu Pacific international flights remain cancelled from July 11 to 31, 2020. 

We encourage passengers on cancelled flights to avail of any of the flexible options by managing their bookings online via our website, bit.ly/CEBmanageflight, free of charge. They may rebook their flight for travel within the next three (3) months; avail of a full refund; or place the full cost of the ticket in a Travel Fund valid for one (1) year. 

Domestic flight schedules

Cebu Pacific and Cebgo are operating a limited number of domestic flights, as aligned with regulations issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), as well as limitations and restrictions set by the concerned local government agencies/units. An updated list is found in the Cebu Pacific website, https://bit.ly/CEBGradualRestartSchedule. All other previously scheduled domestic flights that are not in the updated list are cancelled. 

Passengers on cancelled flights may rebook to any of the above-mentioned flights online via bit.ly/CEBmanageflight. Guests are STRONGLY URGED to select destinations that are closest to their residences, to be able to comply with directives from local authorities. Passengers may be asked to provide their complete addresses prior to travel date. Providing inaccurate information may result in denied boarding of the flight. 

Guests must check guidelines for the required travel documents.

Check flight status before going to the airport

Real-time Flight Status can be checked on our website https://bit.ly/CEBFlightStatusCheck. Do not go to the airport unless you have verified and confirmed your flight schedule. 

This is a developing situation and our operations may change as quarantine conditions evolve across our network. While we aim to gradually build-up frequency, we may reduce or add flights depending on market demand, quarantine restrictions and government regulations. 

We endeavor to inform our passengers regarding their flight status in a timely manner through the email addresses and contact numbers provided upon booking. Passengers who booked through travel agencies or any other third party are strongly urged to check with them for information regarding their flights before their travel dates. Please also check our website and official social media accounts for updates. 

For more information, FAQs may be found here: http://bit.ly/CEBRestartFAQs  

Pizza Hut is uniting pizza and beer lovers with its latest innovation, the Beer Pan Pizza!

Whether it’s a night out with friends, a class reunion, or just some well-deserved bonding time with your family, every social gathering for us Filipinos almost inevitably comes with a bottle or two of beer. But enjoying a pint might be hard when you need to get some work done, especially now that many of us are working or studying at home. But what if we told you that you can enjoy beer without the alcohol or a hangover? Sounds impossible, right? 

Well, not anymore! Pizza Hut is uniting pizza and beer lovers with its latest innovation, the Beer Pan Pizza!

This one-of-a-kind take on the pizza and beer paring will be available starting July 14 for dine-in delivery, and take-out and it truly is an experience to be had!

When you open a box of Beer Pan Pizza, you will be welcomed by the familiar aroma of beer. From there, your eyes will be drawn to a perfectly baked pizza made with sweet BeerBBQ sauce, caramelized onions, and chicken chunks on Pizza Hut’s signature pan pizza. And if that wasn’t enough, the Beer Pan Pizza completes the entire inumansession as the pizza is topped with the ultimate pulutan, crispy chicken skin! It also comes with beer sprinkles to amp up that beer taste.

“This is pizza and beer like you’ve never tasted before,” Pizza Hut Marketing Manager, Lorent Adrias said. “This is practically a party in pizza form, where you have the beer and the pulutan in one neat package! It’s perfect to be enjoyed alone or with friends and family!”

The Beer Pan Pizza can be purchased for ₱339 for a Regular Pan Pizza or ₱519 for a Large Pan Pizza. You can also have an alcohol-free e-numan session by having the pizza delivered to you and your friends! All you have to do is call the Pizza Hut Hotline by dialing 8911-11-11 for Metro Manila or #11111 for provincial orders. You may also have the Beer Pan Pizza delivered by coursing your order through the Pizza Hut website at www.pizzahut.com.ph. 

Worry-free take-out options are also available such as, Walk-in Take Away; Click and Collect for orders made through the website and to be claimed in-store; and Car Pick-up where customers can order in advance using the hotline and then claim it curbside from their nearest Pizza Hut branch.

To know the updated list of open Pizza Hut stores nationwide, please visit https://www.pizzahut.com.ph/store-lock-down. To know more about the latest Pizza Hut products and promos, like and follow Pizza Hut on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

PLDT Home launches FREE virtual benefit concert for students and teachers

PLDT Home launches a FREE virtual concert on July 14, 2020 themed “At Home with PLDT: No Learner Left Behind” for the benefit of students, teachers, and schools in partnership with PLDT-Smart Foundation. Top billed by the country’s music icons and artists, the initiative aims to raise funds to address the needs and challenges of Filipinos as they face the new normal in digital learning. 

The virtual concert gathers Filipino musical artists led by National Artist for Music Maestro Ryan Cayabyabtogether with OPM icons Regine Velasquez-Alcasid alongside husband, Ogie, Martin Nievera, and Pops Fernandez. The concert will be hosted by comedian and theater actor Jon Santos and directed by the award-winning concert director Paolo Valenciano. Also joining the initiative are musical theater artists including 8 Taal Ensemble, Sheila Valderama, Yanah Laurel, Lara Maigue, Gabriela Pangilinan, Gian Magdangal, Arman Ferrer, Flord Tena, and David Ezra. 

Surely, music unites people as PLDT Home’s free online concert brings Filipinos together in helping students, teachers and schools overcome the challenges they are facing in digital learning. 

With the theme “At Home with PLDT: No Learner Left Behind,” PLDT Home partners with PLDT-Smart Foundation to aid schools and communities in providing “education for ALL” as they adapt to learning and teaching in the “new normal.” In support of the PLDT-Smart Foundation, PLDT Home banners the “No Learner Left Behind” movement – which has also been enacted as a “No Filipino Child Left Behind Act of 2010” – that will make education accessible to more students and teachers nationwide by making digital technology available and integrated in their learning activities. 

For over 12 years, PLDT-Smart Foundation has been helping “build the nation, one teacher at a time” through its Gabay Guro education program that is anchored on the following core pillars: scholarship grants, teachers’ training, livelihood projects, teachers’ tribute, housing, broadbanding, computerization, and innovation. 

Watch the FREE livestream benefit concert on PLDT Home’s Facebook and YouTube pages on July 14, 2020, Tuesday, at 6:00 PM. For those who would like to contribute to the cause can donate through the PLDT-Smart Foundation, Inc.’s Paymaya and bank accounts, or Text DONATE<Space><Amount> and send to 3456.

A truly immersive wireless experience with the OPPO Enco W31 Headphones

OPPO, the global smartphone brand, introduces top-of-the-line Enco W31 Wireless Headphones, offering a truly immersive audio experience, coupled with an outstanding and comfortable design, to level up your daily routines. With a sleek design featuring a metal texture and geometric patterns, the OPPO Enco W31 Headphones unleash the power of sound for all your needs, from helping you complete your tasks to giving your favorite modes of entertainment a much-needed boost.

To help you stay connected and work seamlessly in the new normal, the OPPO Enco W31 Headphones makes calling ultra clear with its dual microphone Environment Noise Cancellation feature, so noisy surroundings can no longer compete with your busy schedule. With stable Bluetooth connection and performance for smooth pairing, the headphones also boast of an automatic play and pause feature using infrared optical sensors to detect when you’re wearing them, so you don’t need to take out your smartphone to take control.

So you can fully immerse yourself in music, the OPPO Enco W31 Headphones feature a bass and balance mode which give you high-definition sound quality and a rhythmic bass for lifelike audio detail that conveys the full story. Its smooth connection between headphones allows audio to be transmitted to both ears simultaneously for an undisrupted listening experience. Once you have the headphones on, simply use intelligent touch controls and tap the designated earpiece to change the audio mode, skip to the next song and even activate the voice assistant.

For all-day carefree listening of your personal soundtrack, the OPPO Enco W31 Headphones give you up to 15 hours of music playback and up to 12 hours of call time with its charging case, while only needing up to 2.5 hours to fully charge. Equipped with IP54 dust and water resistance, you can be assured your earphones will be protected wherever you are.

With its powerful features to enhance your everyday audio experience, the OPPO Enco W31 Wireless Headphones are all you need to stay connected and entertained. 

The OPPO Enco W31 Wireless Headphones is available for Php2,990 SRP through all open OPPO concept and online stores, official dealers and e-commerce partners including Shopee and Lazada. 

To know more about the latest Enco W31 Wireless Headphones, visit OPPO at www.oppo.com/ph or OPPO’s official Facebook page at OPPO Philippines. 

Forever 21 is now on Shopee!

In need of some #OOTDs but still afraid to go shopping? Now you don't have to go out of your homes and risk your safety to get your favorites from #Forever21

Attention, Shopee fashionistas, Forever 21 is now on Shopee! From July 13 to 15, users can expect offers such as free shipping nationwide (for a minimum purchase price of ₱1,000) and a “buy 2, get 10% off on regular items” promo from July 15 to 17. 

 If you’re thinking of revamping your wardrobe, here are amazing items you can definitely add to your Shopee cart: 

1. Forever 21 Women's Sequin Mini Skater Skirt

2. Forever 21 Plus Size Floral Ruffle Mini Dress

3. Forever 21 Women's Lace-up Heels

4. Forever 21 Women's Printed Denim Pants (Black)

5. Forever 21 Women's Rose Floral Faux Shearling Jacket - 

6. Forever 21 Plus Size Off-the-Shoulder Jumpsuit

Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.