Korean actress Son Ye Jin is the new face of Smart Signature

 After capturing the hearts of Filipinos with her hit K-dramas, South Korean superstar Son Ye Jin is making her mark as the new face of Smart Signature, the postpaid brand of mobile services provider Smart Communications, Inc.

The big announcement came two months after PLDT's wireless subsidiary launched its ‘Simple, Smart Ako’ campaign, which set off a strong clamor for Smart to bring Son Ye Jin under its fold and closer to her Filipino fans.

Making her own mark

“Son Ye Jin’s appeal is undeniable among Filipinos who have been swept by the Korean wave, and we are thrilled to fulfill their wish. This is one way of supporting the Hallyu passion of our customers, who put their trust in our network so they can binge-watch the latest K-dramas, stream K-Pop hits, and stay updated on their K-idols online,” says Jane J. Basas, Senior Vice President and Head of Consumer Wireless Business at Smart.

“More than this, we know Son Ye Jin embodies the Smart Signature brand as it simplifies the postpaid experience so customers can make their mark in their career or passion,” she adds.

“As an actress, I am always grateful for having a platform to entertain and touch the lives of others through my craft. I thank Smart for giving me a way to specifically reach out to my Filipino fans and inspire them to make a mark in whatever path that they have chosen. I wish to see you all soon,” says Son Ye Jin, who earned the title ‘Queen of Melodramas’ in South Korea for her string of hit series and movies.

“Simple. Smart Ako.”

In Smart’s latest TV ad, Son Ye Jin confidently rides a motorcycle and navigates the city through the fast lane, alluding to the prioritized, worry-free, and elevated lifestyle that Smart Signature provides its customers, powered by the country’s fastest mobile data network. The ad also powerfully ends with Son Ye Jin affirming, “Simple. Smart Ako.”

“’Simple, Smart Ako' gave us a clear guiding principle when it comes to serving our customers – that is, to make amazing experiences and cutting-edge technology simple and accessible to every Filipino. We are embracing this same approach as we commit to simplifying the postpaid experience so our postpaid customers can enjoy a Signature lifestyle,” says Alfredo S. Panlilio, Smart President and CEO and PLDT Chief Revenue Officer.

Prioritized, worry-free, and elevated lifestyle

With Smart Signature, subscribers are prioritized to get first dibs on new technology and mobile innovation as well as the latest digital content. The recent launch of Smart 5G as a commercial service is proof of this as the initial phase covers provision for all Smart Signature customers, who can now enjoy blazing-fast data speeds on Smart 5G-certified devices at select Smart 5G spots in Metro Manila.

With its well-designed plans, Smart Signature also keeps postpaid subscribers worry-free when it comes to connecting with family and friends, or staying online for work, play, or entertainment. Smart Signature caters to different lifestyles by offering SIM-Only or Device Plans that come in S, M, L, and XL. Each plan features generous data inclusions starting at 5 GB for only P999 per month to up to 60 GB for only P2,999 per month, so customers can go from virtual work meetings to streaming the latest K-dramas on their phone with ease.  

Smart Signature also delivers an elevated lifestyle for loyal customers, who can enjoy perks and rewards through points earned via MVP Rewards, among other unique experiences and privileges awaiting subscribers throughout the year.

Country’s fastest mobile data network

Smart Signature is powered by Smart LTE, which has been recognized by third-party analytics firms as the country’s fastest mobile data network.

Ookla, the global leader in internet testing and analysis, cited Smart as The Philippines’ Speedtest Awards Winner for mobile network speed during Q1-Q4 2019. To win this award, Smart achieved a Speed Score™ of 17.40, with average speeds of 19.62 Mbps for download and 9.45 Mbps for upload.

On the other hand, Opensignal, an independent mobile analytics firm, reported in its April 2020 Mobile Network Experience Report for the Philippines that Smart remained ahead of the competition in terms of Video Experience, Upload and Download Speed Experience, Voice App Experience, Games Experience, and 4G Availability.  

Make your mark with Smart Signature now! Learn more about the Smart Signature Plan perfect for your lifestyle at smart.com.ph/signature. Sign up as a new subscriber, or upgrade your current Smart Postpaid Plan at Smart Stores nationwide or the Smart Online Store at store.smart.com.ph. #

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*Opensignal Awards – Philippines: Mobile Network Experience Report April 2020, based on independent analysis of mobile measurements recorded during the period Nov 1 – Jan 29, 2020 © 2020 Opensignal 

All Day taps PayMaya to bring safer and seamless cashless payment options online and in-store

To provide a safer and more convenient experience to its customers nationwide, All Day will provide contactless payment options online and in-store powered by PayMaya.

Through the partnership, All Day Supermarket will accept cashless payments including PayMaya QR, using the One by PayMaya terminals in their 76 convenience store branches nationwide.

Additionally, grocery shoppers who wish to buy their day-to-day essentials at home can use any debit or credit card as well as their PayMaya accounts to shop via the All Day Market website (https://www.alldaymarket.com/) powered by PayMaya Checkout.

“Our current situation has changed the way Filipinos shop for groceries and we continue to adapt to their changing needs, particularly during this time. As we begin building towards recovery, we are grateful to partner with PayMaya in providing payment convenience and safety to our customers as well our cashiers because it allows faster transactions that also eliminates the problems of handling cash,” said Jacqueline Cano, All Day Business Unit Head.

All Day, supermarket, mini-mart and convenience store chain, aims to provide a refreshed grocery shopping experience through its uniquely-designed store and world-class grocery selections.

During the community quarantine, it continued to expand and innovate their services as it recently opened two new stores in Cavite, launched a personal shopper service for customers, and started the All Day Market e-commerce website to cater to customers who are unable to go out.

“We are excited to enable All Day Supermarket with cashless payments solutions from PayMaya as they blaze the trail in this shift towards digital. Safety and convenience is a topmost priority for All Day and we're happy to provide our end-to-end digital payments solutions, especially as we all move towards the New Normal,” said PayMaya Philippines President Shailesh Baidwan.

Aside from All Day grocery in-store and online, PayMaya will also be deploying One by PayMaya to 18 AllHome branches nationwide.

As part of its goal of building a cashless ecosystem for the New Normal, PayMaya has been empowering businesses such as groceries and supermarkets with cashless payment options that give their customers a safer and more convenient way to pay.

PayMaya is the only end-to-end digital payments ecosystem enabler in the Philippines with platforms and services that cut across consumers, merchants, and government. Aside from providing payments acceptance for the largest e-Commerce, food, retail and gas merchants in the Philippines, PayMaya enables national and social services agencies as well as local government units with digital payments and disbursement services.

Through its app and wallet, PayMaya  provides millions of Filipinos with the fastest way to own a financial account with over 40,000 Add Money touchpoints nationwide, more than double the total number of traditional bank branches in the Philippines combined. Its Smart Padala by PayMaya network of over 30,000 partner touchpoints nationwide serves as last mile digital financial hubs in communities, providing the unbanked and underserved with access to services. To know more about PayMaya's products and services, visit www.PayMaya.com or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Alfamart expands GCash payment coverage to all stores

The ease-of-access to cashless payment methods, and the contactless culture brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, has made cashless transactions pretty much the norm. In response to this shift in customer behavior, Alfamart, the first and only Super Minimart chain in the Philippines, will be accepting GCash for all its stores by the end of August.

Currently, there are over 20 million registered GCash users in the Philippines and it is continually growing because some cities used the cashless portal to give aid to those affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

According to Alfamart COO Harvey Ong, expanding the acceptance of GCash payments to other branches is in line with Alfamart’s goal of making shopping convenient and safe for all its customers. “In a post-pandemic society, there is more need for contactless payment options,” Ong said. “We hope to encourage the communities that we serve to use and get used to these cashless options to minimize the need for paper money and coins to exchange hands and limiting physical contact.” Ong further explained.

To date, there are close to 900 Alfamart stores serving Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and South Luzon. Each store is strategically located to cover subdivisions, neighborhoods, and communities so people will have a safe, comfortable, and convenient place to get their everyday needs at supermarket prices.

This TikTok Creator Shares Tips On Becoming A Lawyer

 More and more creators have been posting their knowledge and know-how on TikTok. Through this, the browsing experiences of followers around the world are both improved and enriched. As educational content on the platform continues to flourish, there is a good chance that you will find someone on TikTok who shares information about topics that you would like to learn and understand.

Anyone who is interested in becoming a lawyer, for example, can gain valuable insight about this from Atty. Cher Alcantara. A practicing lawyer, whose expertise is in criminal and civil law, Atty. Cher educates others about this profession through her TikTok videos. These range from tips for taking the bar exams, stories about being in law school, and other important things you need to know about practicing law.

Are you curious to see what you can really learn from this awesome TikTok lawyer? We give you a sneak peek through this quick roundup of videos.

Atty. Cher can help you gain a better understanding of legal terms with her Legal Language series. In this particular post, she defines and discusses adultery, concubinage, and bigamy.

https://www.tiktok.com/@attorneycher/video/6846947095023340801

 She also gives you a glimpse of life in law school through videos and monologues depicting various scenes and situations that could happen in real life.

https://www.tiktok.com/@attorneycher/video/6846583109010410754

 Questions from followers are also answered in Atty. Cher’s posts. Her replies contain words of advice and encouragement, all based on her personal experiences as a lawyer and a student of law.

https://www.tiktok.com/@attorneycher/video/6846913184469667074

There is so much more that you can learn when you follow educational creators like @attorneycher on TikTok. If you have your own informative videos to share, you can do so using the hashtag #TikTokU. Download the app on your iOS and Android devices to get started.

Why You Should Use a Shower Filter

 Taking a shower is one of the ways we practice cleanliness and good hygiene. The quality of water we absorb in our bodies during a shower, however, may put us at risks instead as rapid growth in population, urbanization and industrialization degrades our water. 

In the Philippines, up to 58 percent of groundwater sampled is contaminated with coliform and needs treatment,[1]rendering it harmful to the skin. With our body absorbing three times as much water through the skin when showering than when drinking water, clean bathing water is essential. 

A shower filter helps keep water for bathing clean and safe to use. What’s more, it can reduce harmful substances in the water, which in turn helps prevent skin rashes and other health problems.

Here are the other benefits of using a shower filter:

1.              Makes skin feel softer and healthier

Contaminants in water such as lead and chlorine can cause skin dryness with too much exposure. A shower filter removes these harmful substances from the water, contributing to softer and healthier skin.

2.              Reduces the risk of some cancers

Exposure to chlorinated water may pose dangers to the body.[2] Continuous absorption of chlorine through the skin may increase the risk of some cancers. Showering with filtered water can help reduce this risk.

3.              Prevents contamination of the air inside homes

Contaminants suspended in the air can mix with the air inside your rooms after you open the bathroom door. Installing a shower filter can help prevent this from happening by keeping the air inside your bathroom clean. 

4.               Reduces fatigue and improves energy

The chlorine present in water can aggravate the skin and lungs, potentially causing fatigue. Filtered water without contaminants can help improve energy levels.

5.              Reduces excessive product buildup in bathrooms

Shower filters lessen the buildup of chlorine and salt in the nozzles of the shower head and corners of the bathroom. This means fewer areas of concern when cleaning the bathroom. 

Kohler Exhale Shower Filter filters water and takes out chemical residue for a cleaner and healthier shower.

Developed with balanced design, usability and ergonomics in mind, the Kohler Exhale Shower Filter features a contemporary aesthetic at the same time highlights ease of use and benefits. It eliminates residual chlorine, heavy metal and other harmful substances from the shower water to produce water that’s safe for the skin. 

The contemporary design, which won the iF World Design Award in 2016, complements the modern bathroom, with the crystal-clear outer shell symbolic of nature’s cleanest water. The polished chrome finish is resistant to corrosion and tarnishing.

The Kohler Exhale Shower Filter is easy to install and replace, with no need for tools. It also features an intuitive replacement reminder and easy change filter.

A refreshing and safe shower is vital to one’s health, and a shower that helps rid the bathroom and the rest of the house of contaminants ensures the health of the family. Kohler offers bathroom essentials that can help you achieve the highest standard of hygiene. For more information, please visit www.kohler.ph. 

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[1] http://www.wepa-db.net/policies/state/philippines/overview.htm

[2] https://www.criticalcactus.com/chlorine-tap-water-safe/

LRMC Advisory on LRT-1 Operations in line with MECQ

Update on #LRT1 Operations during Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila

To better prepare for this transition and allow our Operations personnel to travel home safely, commercial operations for LRT-1 will be adjusted for AUGUST 3, 2020 (MONDAY). 

The last trip leaving Baclaran Station is at 9:30 PM, while the last train leaving Roosevelt Station is at 9:45 PM.

Ingat po kayo!

— sharing a COVID-19 Update.

Ionair Purifier: Helps you breathe clean air wherever you go

Even before the pandemic, I always have a sanitizer and wet wipes ready inside my bag wherever I go.  My friends even tease me for being super OC, but I guess its become a habit of mine to spray alcohol whenever I hold a door handle, touch those atm keypads, or even after exchanging money. 

Maybe its because I've worked in a hospital for a long time that I know how important it is to make sure that the surfaces I touch are clean-- I'll spray the elevator keypads, the chair where I am sitting inside the doctor's office when waiting for my name to be called. I've actually become paranoid that  I only use my own ballpen. Because who knows if the people that touched those before you are sick.  Those things  are ticking bombs  ready to infect everyone with some virus. 

I lost count spraying my hands with alcohol,  even if they've become dry and itchy. 

So when COVID-19 came I became even extra careful about  touching everything. We never went out during the ECQ except to buy food and I've never rode a public transpo since the pandemic, and I dont think I ever will unless there's a cure or vaccine.  I've even become more particular about the face masks I'm wearing, and when I do use a cloth mask I make sure to tuck in a surgical mask beneath it.

And when I saw people posting about one of those air purifier's around their necks, I  started researching about its benefits and came across the  Ionair Purifier. 

It was a friend who actually suggested IonAir to me and explained why she got one as well.  

IonAir is a necklace air purifier & negative ion generator. It weighs only 26g so its very light to wear everywhere and have clean air wherever you go.

If you dont want to use it as a necklace, you can also just place it on your work table or bedside when you are sleeping. You can attach it on baby strollers or side bags. Hang around your pets' tags. 

HOW IONAIR WORKS: 

When IonAir starts emitting negative ions, it will constantly remove the pollutants away from the breathing zone. it's an anion, and the anion that's released is going to combine with the dust in the air, and it's going to release 5 million per centimeter cubed. When the indication light turns green in the device, it means it's

cleaning the air and purifies many harmful substances in the air.

PRODUCT BENEFITS:

• Kills viruses and bacteria
  
• Increases immunity
  
• Improves breathing
  
• Reduces stress
  
• Lowers Blood pressure
• Regulates sleep patterns and mood

I've been using IonAir for about a week now. I hanged it in my bed frame and I slept 8 hours straight. I woke up each morning feeling revitalized. I used it everyday when I am doing my 30 minutes exercise. It helps me energized. 

Its available for only P2499. 

For more info you may visit Facebook @Ionair Purifier and Instagram @Ionair PH 

Paint the town Yellow! August is realme Fan Fest Month

It’s all about realme and the squad this whole month of August as the lifestyle companion of the youth launches the realme Fan Fest. With all the fun activities, amazing promos and several prizes that realme Philippines has in store for its fans, August is going to be in bright yellow for the fastest-growing smartphone brand and the realme squad.  

On the back of the successful launch of seven new smartphones and a stronger AIoT and accessory line-up in the first half of the year, realme Philippines is keen on expressing its gratitude to its fans through a month-long series of festivities. realme Philippines also sees this as an opportunity to boost optimism and reinforce empowerment among its squad members amid the current quarantine protocols and social limitations.

“In just over a year and a half, realme Philippines was able to soar because of the overwhelming support it receives from the realme Squad. We are very grateful for the confidence our fans give our products. This fuels us to offer more devices that elevate the tech-lifestyle experience of Filipinos. As gratitude, we hope we get to spread joy this August through the realme Fan Fest!” shares realme Philippines VP for Marketing Austine Huang.

Among the main activities lined up in the realme Fan Fest are the Forever 21 Fashion Challenge, 8.8 online sale, realme Mobile Legends Cup Season 3, and the realme Music Fan Fest.

Forever 21 Fashion Challenge

True to its commitment to being a trendsetter not just in terms of technology but also aesthetic, realme has maintained its core of contemporary design across all its products. Concretizing this further is its partnership with international street fashion giant Forever 21. From August 6 until August 26, fans can join the Forever 21 Fashion Challenge by showing off their fashion style in a TikTok transition video. Official entries must have the hashtags #realmeForever21 and #realFashion. A realme device and several F21 accessories would be given away during the announcement of winners on August 26.

8.8 Online Sale

On August 8, realme will be participating at the highly anticipated 8.8 sale events of online shopping apps Lazada and Shopee. Fans will be enjoying discounts as high as 30 percent and some other great deals on realme’s smartphone and AIoT lineups. This includes even the latest devices it has recently launched such as the flagship star-shooter realme X3 SuperZoom.

realme Mobile Legends Cup

realme smartphones are among the most powerful in the mobile gaming market. Cementing its position in this industry is realme’s strong partnership with Mobile Legends developer Moonton. Capitalizing on this partnership and aiming to foster camaraderie among its gaming fans, realme will be officially launching the third season of its inter-community tournament, the realme Mobile Legends Cup, on August 12.

realme Music Fan Fest

To cap off the month-long celebration with a bang, realme will be gathering top musical artists in the country in an online music party! The realme Music Fan Fest is a free virtual concert happening on August 28. More details about this will soon be announced.

It is truly a downpour of fun, excitement and camaraderie this August with all the activities lined up for realme Fans – but lots more are yet to be revealed. Maybe new tech-lifestyle partners? More online challenges and prizes? FOMO no more by staying updated on all things realme! Be sure to follow the official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts of realme Philippines.