Watsons Philippines has recently garnered multiple awards from different award giving bodies for its sustainability program

Watsons Philippines has recently garnered multiple awards from different award giving bodies for its sustainability program as it takes the lead in the health, wellness and beauty retail sector in spreading the word about the green lifestyle and encouraging its customers to live more sustainably by offering products that allow them to do so.

 

Watsons Personal Care Stores Inc. has received the Sustainability Initiative of the Year – Philippines award from the 17th Retail Asia Awards in recognition of the health, wellness and beauty retailer’s Sustainable Choices campaign.

The award is one of three that Watsons got from Retail Asia Awards, a prestigious and exciting event that gathers the region's best retailers and recognizes the most outstanding retail initiatives. The two other awards that Watsons received are Health & Beauty Retailer of the Year - Philippines and the Omnichannel Strategy of the Year.

 

Watsons Philippines was also recognized in the Green Leadership Category-2021 by the Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards (AREA) for its DOING GOOD Through Sustainable Choices campaign.

 

The Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards (AREA) is an annual awards that recognize and honor Asian businesses that champion sustainable and responsible business practices.

 

Sustainable Choices is the cornerstone of Watsons’ sustainability strategy and Do Good initiative as part of its proposition Look Good Do Good Feel Great. Watsons is the only health, wellness and beauty retailer in the Philippines with over 1,521 sustainable SKUs that consumers can choose from. Sustainable Choice products at Watsons contain no harmful ingredients (Clean Beauty), are made from responsibly sourced palm oil and FSC-certified paper, use better packaging materials and support refilling through refill packs.

 

Watsons has also dedicated spaces in its over 900 stores nationwide for Sustainable Choices products. Highlights within the stores encourage customers to explore and try eco-conscious choices, driving new shopping behaviors.

 

For the campaign, Watsons collaborated with various stakeholders, including non-government organizations, social enterprises like Plastic Bank, its supplier partners, and SM Malls.

 

“We encouraged Watsons suppliers and manufacturers to introduce more environmentally responsible alternatives for customers. We also helped educate customers, empowering them with the knowledge to make eco-conscious purchase decisions and reduce waste. To disseminate all this information, we held sustainability webinars and encouraged our media guests to help cascade whatever was shared to their readers,” said Viki Encarnacion, PR and Sustainability Director at Watsons Philippines.

 

On the home front, Watsons shared its Sustainable Choices initiative across all departments. The Watsons trading and purchasing teams operate under the mandate to actively seek out products that are more sustainable. The marketing teams continue to educate customers and help influence shopper preferences. Meanwhile, stores and staff highlight these alternatives and make sure that shoppers know about the advantages of choosing sustainable products. In addition to that, Watsons also encourages customers to live more sustainably by promoting the use of eco friendly bags as well as advocating recycling.

 

Watsons takes great pride in the awards that it has received and it also serves as an inspiration to the organization to further strengthen its commitment and efforts to DO GOOD for the planet and the community.

 

OPPO celebrates 8.8 Sale with exciting promos and freebies

Time to check out those gadgets you’ve been eyeing and be lucky enough to score huge discounts, awesome freebies, and more this month as global smart device brand OPPO celebrates its 8.8 Sale! Add your dream smartphone and wearables to your Lazada or Shopee carts from August 8 to 12.

 

Spend the whole week shopping for your favorite OPPO smartphones and wearables, with up to 56% off on the bestselling A16 and A55, and the Portrait Experts OPPO Reno5, Reno6, and Reno7 5G, OPPO Band and Enco Buds.

For buyers who want to try their luck on 8.8, OPPO is giving away freebies, like G25 Bluetooth earphones for each smartphone purchase (per order ID) from 12:00-2:00pm only, and A8 Long Speakers for every purchase (per order ID) of A55 from 9:00pm-11:59pm only. If you’re not one of the early bird shoppers, there are still more freebies in store for you! Throughout the five-day sale, you can also take home a 32GB SD card for extra storage of every A16 3GB buys and TG113 Bluetooth Speakers for all A55 purchases. If the Portrait Expert Reno Series is more for you, you can also take home Neon Island Deskpad for all Reno6 orders, and free A8 Long Speakers and Neon Island Deskpad for all Reno7 Series buys. 

 

If you’re also in the market for a bundle deal, the OPPO 8.8 sale is your chance to add to cart Enco Buds plus your gadget of choice for a steal! OPPO offers the Band + Enco Buds bundle for only Php 1,999; the A55 + Enco Buds for only Php 9,499; the A94 + Enco Buds for Php 11,999; Reno5 + Enco Buds for Php 15,999; and Reno5 5G + Enco Buds for Php 19,999. 

 

Don’t forget to redeem your free shipping vouchers during the sale period - that’s Php50 off for Shopee and Php55 off for Lazada, with a minimum spend of Php500. Plus, collect store vouchers worth Php200 and Php400, for every minimum spend of Php9,999 and Php14,999 respectively. Lazada shoppers can take home a little extra, as you can also redeem Php50 vouchers for every Php500 spent, and get 10% coins cashback with every purchase.

 

Giving you more ways to try your luck and look forward to 8.8, OPPO will also be hosting livestreams through their Tiktok account, and giving away special flash deals and prizes! Tune in on August 7 from 2:00pm to 9:00pm, August 8 from 11:00am to 9:00pm, August 9 from 11:00am to 7:00pm and August 10 from 11:0am to 7:00pm to fill your cart with exciting freebies and vouchers.

 

Add to cart with OPPO this 8.8 Super Brand Day Sale!

 

Start filling up your carts through OPPO’s official stores on Shopee and Lazada, and catch the 8.8 Livestreams through OPPO Philippines’ Tiktok page. For more updates and detailed promotion mechanics about the sale, visit OPPO’s official website at www.oppo.com/ph or the official Facebook page. 

 

AirAsia offers Php88 one-way base fare to select domestic and international destinations

In its continued commitment in democratizing air travel, AirAsia Philippines offers Php 88 one-way base fare in select domestic and international routes from 01 August to 04 September 2022 for travels until 25 March 2023.

 

With the month long promo, guests flying from AirAsia’s Manila and Cebu hubs may enjoy the upcoming Kadayawan Festival in Davao, Higalaay Festival in Cagayan De Oro, newly opened destinations Dumaguete and Roxas and preferred international destinations such as Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Bangkok.

AirAsia Philippines Spokesperson and Communications & Public Affairs Head Steve Dailisan said, “Truly, 88 is a lucky number that symbolizes good luck and fortune for all AirAsia guests wanting to experience again face to face, the various festivities in the country. We want to reassure our guests that flying to these routes, including must-visit international destinations will remain attainable for everyone.”

Fresh from its BIG Sale last week, AirAsia Philippines recorded a high of 112,434 seats sold both for domestic and international flights.

 

Top destinations booked during the 6-day P1SO Sale include Caticlan (Boracay), Cebu, Iloilo and Tagbilaran for domestic and Seoul (originating Manila and Cebu), Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore for international.

 

“The confidence shown in forward bookings among Filipinos is a testament of a sustained demand for revenge travel especially during BER months. While we look forward to a strong rebound as we exit the pandemic, AirAsia will never stop promoting the culture of safety among our guests. Traveling responsibly is indeed the way forward,” added Dailisan.   

 AirAsia Philippines beefed up its weekly flights for the month of August with Caticlan - 35x, Iloilo - 28x, Tacloban -35x, Puerto Princesa – 28x, Tagbilaran – 21x, Bacolod – 21x, Davao – 28x, Cagayan – 14x, Kalibo – 21x, Cebu – 35x; Cagayan De Oro to Cebu – 4x weekly, Cebu to Caticlan – 3x, Clark to Caticlan 4x weekly; and international destinations – Kuala Lumpur – 2x weekly, Singapore – 4x, Bangkok – 2x, Bali – 2x and Seoul – 5x weekly.

 

The World’s Best Low-Cost Airline which was recently recognized as among 2022’s top 10 safest airlines in the world by Airlineratings.com with 7/7 Safety and COVID-19 star ratings assures its guests of the highest standards in safety compliance in all of its flights.

Judy Ann Santos shares how to have a budget-friendly lifestyle

 

Prices of gas, electricity, water, food and everything else are constantly on the rise nowadays. The thought of it already does not only make a homemaker's wallet feel heavy but also their feelings. 

 

As a hands-on mom to her three kids and a homemaker herself, Filipino actress, entrepreneur, cook and Beko’s brand ambassador, Judy Ann Santos, understands how this feels. “Struggle talaga siya, nachachallenge ka rin kasi kung paano ka magbubudget.” Santos said.

 

Budgeting can be challenging, but so is having a sustainable lifestyle. However, Santos shared that she believes having a sustainable and healthy lifestyle is possible even if you're on a budget.

 

"Actually, nakatutulong ang meal prepping pag gusto mong makatipid and have a sustainable lifestyle talaga," Santos shared when asked how one can have a budget-friendly sustainable lifestyle. 

 

Meal prepping allows one to prepare meals and dishes ahead of time.

 

With meal preparation, one also gets to control their food intake. Therefore, this helps one to manage and maximize the nutrients they absorb from their meals. This is why it is a best practice in daily life if one aims to be healthy and sustainable.

 

“So, pag nagmemeal prep ako, I do it nang weekly,” she shared. “Nililista ko na ano yung mga magiging meals namin for a week, tapos dun ko na rin ililista ano ba yung mga ingredients na kakailanganin.” Santos states that this helps her not only to save money but also to save a lot of time and effort.

 

Maximizing what you can buy in groceries is vital in meal prepping. Santos also shared some money-saving tips when it comes to grocery shopping.

 

“Siyempre, pipiliin niyo yung mga fresh ingredients pa. Fresh na gulay, fresh na prutas,” she shared. “Usually meron din yung mga buy one, take one deals sa mga groceries, so actually, maganda rin siya kasi mas nakakatipid ka in buying more.”

 

She also noted that buying ingredients in bulk can also help in saving you time so that you won't have to make constant trips back and forth to the grocery store.

 

The challenging part is when it comes to storing food and its actual preparation. Santos feels at ease with this part as she shared that she is grateful to rely on the appliances of the European appliance brand, Beko, as it is a big help for her meal preps.

 

Santos expressed amazement at Beko's fridge with HarvestFresh technology. HarvestFresh is Beko's unique crisper drawer technology that uses an innovative three-color system to mimic the 24-hour cycle. This lets fruits and vegetables retain their freshness and preserve their vitamins as this technology keeps them in their natural environment after being harvested.

 

“It’s actually a life-saver kasi at least, I won’t have to worry every time I score good deals ng mga fruits sa groceries kasi mas makakatagal na sila in my ref,” said Judy Ann. “Mas nakakatipid rin kasi walang nasasayang talaga.”

 

Beko's fridges also have a ProSmart Inverter Compressor, which consumes less energy and lets you save money on your electricity bills.

 

She is also amazed by Beko's range of cookers and ovens as a cook. Beko's Built-In ovens have Halogen Illumination, which allows one to see the food that's been cooked inside. CookMaster ovens also offer 82L of cooking capacity, which lets one cook lots of food as one can cook on up to five shelves simultaneously.

 

Compared to other cooking appliances, Beko's built-in hobs let you cook faster and use less gas, which allows you to have more efficient cooking. Aside from this, Beko's built-in hobs give you a safe cooking experience as they ensure gas safety. This feature detects when the hob's flame is still running, automatically shutting off the gas supply. 

 

“Sobrang helpful talaga na may magagamit kang cooker na you can rely on,” Santos shared. “Nakakagaan din ng feeling tuwing maiisip mo na nakakatipid ka rin in energy consumption tapos nakakapagprepare din ako ng mas maraming healthy food for my family.” she added.

 

Present in more than 140 countries, Beko has been focusing on healthy living for years, raising awareness and developing products that make healthy living possible and convenient to empower the new generations to live healthier. Beko produces products that inspire a healthy lifestyle, from nutrient-saving kitchen appliances, to refrigerators that preserve food better for longer.

 

For more information about Beko in the Philippines, go to http://beko.ph or visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/bekoph.

 

Binibining Pilipinas crowned new beautiful, brilliant, and elegant Filipinas during the 58th Grand Coronation Night

Nicole Borromeo from Cebu took home the Bb. Pilipinas International title, Gabrielle Basiano from Eastern Samar earned the Bb. Pilipinas Intercontinental crown, Chelsea Fernandez from Tacloban City bagged the title of Bb. Pilipinas Globe, and Roberta Angela Tamondong from San Pablo, Laguna won Bb. Pilipinas Grand International. Nicole Budol from Rizal and Stacey Daniella Gabriel from Cainta, Rizal were named Bb. Pilipinas 2022 1st Runner-up and 2nd Runner-up, respectively.

“We are all beaming with pride for all of our winners tonight,” Irene Jose, Bb. Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BPCI) Executive Committee member, said. “These women have exemplified perseverance, sophistication and intellect, and we are proud because all their hard work has finally paid off. We are all so excited to see them flourish in the next stage of their journey, and we will always be here to support them.”

Special titles were also awarded during the Grand Coronation Night of Bb. Pilipinas. The Best in National Costume is Graciella Lehmann from Oriental Mindoro, while Gabrielle Basiano from Eastern Samar won Best in Swimsuit and Best in Evening Gown. Ma. Isabela David was named Best Talent, Ylla Marie Aduana from Laguna was awarded Face of Binibini, Eiffel Janell Rosalita from Catanduanes is Bb. Friendship, and Roberta Angela Tamondong of San Pablo, Laguna is Bb. Philippine Airlines. Other special titles are Bb. Moist Diane Shampoo which was given to Karen Laurrie Mendoza from Iloilo City, while Chelsea Fernandez from Tacloban City is Bb. Ever Bilena.

Meanwhile, Nicole Budol from Rizal bagged seven special awards: Bb. Shein, Bb. Pizza Hut, Bb. Kumu, Jag Queen, Bb. Silka, Bb. World Balance and the Manila Bulletin Readers’ Choice Award.

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and Miss Grand International 2016 1st Runner-Up Nicole Cordoves returned to host the much-anticipated event, making this year the second year in a row that an all-female pair hosted the Bb. Pilipinas Grand Coronation Night. 

The event was judged by Hellenic Republic Ambassador Ioannis Pediotis, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry President George Barcelon, Founder and Model Director of Slay Model Management Cecilio ‘Cece’ Asuncion, Miss Globe 2015 Ann Colis, Miss International First Runner-Up Ahtisa Manalo, actress Jane De Leon, actor Joshua Garcia, Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual, and members of the BPCI Executive Committee. 

Pinoy-pop (PPOP) group SB19, the artists for this year’s Binibining Pilipinas theme song, performed during the opening of the pageant as well as before the new queens were named as winners. Actress Maymay Entrata also gave a dazzling performance of her hit single AMAKABOGERA during the swimsuit round, where the candidates sizzled in designs by veteran stylist and official swimwear provider Justine Aliman.

“Through the years, Bb. Pilipinas has always been about empowering Filipinas to strive for something greater. And in the past two years, our Binibinis also helped inspire our nation to work together through the most difficult challenges. And now as we see glimmers of hope that a return to normalcy is finally upon us, our queens will continue to uplift our people. This year, we celebrate #BinibiniSisterhood and its power to overcome any challenge that we face,” Jose said.

This year’s Grand Coronation Night was the second year that the pageant was broadcasted live through various platforms both on TV and online, and it also marked the return of a live audience since 2019. This follows after the Bb. Pilipinas pageants were put on hold due to restrictions brought by the devastating COVID-19 pandemic.

The Binibining Pilipinas 58th Grand Coronation Night was broadcasted live on channels TV5, A2Z, The Kapamilya Channel and the Metro Channel, and was streamed online through iWantTFC and the Binibining Pilipinas official YouTube Channel.

For more information about Binibining Pilipinas, visit the new and improved https://www.bbpilipinas.com/. You can also download the new Bb. Pilipinas mobile app, it’s available for both Android and iOS users. You may also like and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can also subscribe to Bb. Pilipinas on YouTube.  

 

Takeda Healthcare Philippines was recognized as a Great Place to Work in 2022

 

Biopharmaceutical leader Takeda Healthcare Philippines was recognized as a Great Place to Work with 100% of its employees saying that the company is a great place to work for compared to 53% of employees at a typical global company. 

The Great Place to Work Certification surveys employees with their Trust Index, a research-backed employee survey. The survey aims to see whether employees trust the people that they work for, have pride in their work, and experience camaraderie with their fellow colleagues. Those companies who have attained at least 65% in the survey are fit to obtain the certification.

 

“More than a testament of our company’s culture and our employees’ unwavering dedication in creating an exceptional people experience during these challenging times, this is also a reflection of our organization’s Commitment to Excellence—a commitment that is fully aligned with Takeda’s Employer Brand and Value Proposition,” said Takeda Philippines’ country manager Loreann Villanueva.

 

She added, “This recognition communicates to employees and future employees that we are an organization that continues to improve our People strategies and processes to create a truly pleasant place to work.” 

Takeda Healthcare Philippines not only focuses on improving patients’ access to medicines and quality treatment, but they are also committed in creating a diverse and inclusive organization where their employees can thrive, grow, and realize their own potential while enabling the company’s purpose. The company is devoted to providing honest and ethical business management practices in their workplace. 

 

Takeda Philippines offers its employees a healthy and holistic working environment through efforts like monthly TGIF engagement sessions, quarterly care packages, weekly prayer and exercise sessions, and coffee catch ups with the team. The company provides talent development initiatives for the career growth of their employees such as mentoring programs, lunch and learn sessions, online training programs and both internal and external workshops to nurture employees’ development and growth. The company has likewise initiated a number of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Workshops to deepen the understanding and appreciation of the employees and reinforce behaviors that uphold the DE&I principles.

 

Besides taking care of their employees’ welfare, Takeda Philippines also involves its people in socially relevant activities to extend their support to the community by participating in initiatives that are beneficial to the community. In February, they launched their “Spot Lymphoma, Stop Lymphoma,” campaign which aims to increase awareness about the disease and improve medical access to lymphoma patients. It served as Takeda Philippines’ answer to the call of the government’s National Integrated Cancer Control Act for medical stakeholders to come together and work towards a cancer-free Philippines.

Takeda Healthcare Philippines offers its employees a healthy and holistic working environment with various development programs for their employees' career growth and development.

 

“We are amazed to see the positive feedback from our employees. This just shows that we are an employer of choice with a great workplace through the culture that we are creating,” said Igor Gomes, Takeda Cluster Head of Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines & Singapore.

Earlier this year, Takeda Philippines was also re-certified as a Top Employer in the country for the sixth consecutive year by Top Employers Institute. Takeda also bagged the Global Top Employer award for the fifth year in a row for its achievements in the areas of ethics and integrity, values, business strategy, organization and change, and employer branding across the globe. This made them one of only 11 global companies to achieve global Top Employer Certification for 2022. 

Takeda Healthcare Philippines is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, a global R&D-driven biopharmaceutical company. Its headquarters in Makati City is home to its employees who all share the same passion, drive, and commitment towards delivering life-transforming treatments, and sustainable patient access programs.

 

To know more about Takeda and its initiatives, visit www.takeda.com

Google’s Digiskarteng Pinay is holding a free online training workshop for Filipina content creators

As part of its mission to upskill and create livelihood opportunities for women, Google’s Digiskarteng Pinay is holding a free online training workshop for Filipina content creators based in the country. 

 

To be streamed live on the YouTube channel of Google Philippines, the event will take place on August 11, 2022 at 3:00 PM and can be accessed by the public at no cost. The workshop is designed for Filipina creators currently based in the Philippines with at least 1,000 subscribers and must register here to attend the event. The first 100 to sign up will receive swags and training kits from YouTube. 

 

“Since we launched Digiskarteng Pinay in 2019, we've seen how Filipinas have used YouTube to upskill themselves and provide livelihood for their families," shared Bernadette Nacario, Google Philippines Country Director. "YouTube content creators play a critical role in the success of Digiskarteng Pinay and through the training workshop, we hope that we can further equip them with the knowledge and tools so they can further thrive on the platform. The more women content creators we support, the more Filipinas can benefit from the best of YouTube.” 

 

The workshop will feature best practices and knowledge sharing from YouTube creators Joyce Pring, Team Lyqa, Team Tarah, and Vern & Verniece Enciso who will discuss YouTube growth strategies, production techniques, alternative monetizations and building one’s YouTube business among others. 

 

The Digiskarteng Pinay program aims to provide a destination for women to learn various skills along the lines of beauty and fashion, arts and crafts, family nutrition, technical skills, financial literacy, STEM, coding skills, and mindset skills among others. YouTube creators help fuel the content of the  Digiskarteng Pinay playlist. 

 

Join the Digiskarteng Pinay workshop for Filipina creators on August 11, 3:00 PM, live on the YouTube channel of Google Philippines. Filipina creators currently based in the Philippines with at least 1,000 subscribers must register here to attend the event. The first 100 to sign up will receive swags and training kits from YouTube. 

 

Get the vivo T1 Series smartphones for a lesser price with exclusive freebies!

Exclusively on vivo’s Brand Spotlight on Shopee this August 5, 2022, get the vivo T1 Series smartphones for a lesser price with exclusive freebies!

 

The vivo T1 Series is vivo’s fastest 5G midrange smartphone lineup that offers turbo-driven performance that delights gamers with heavy gaming needs and supports social media savvy users for entertainment needs. 

 

The vivo T1 5G boasts a powerful 5G processor, flagship cooling standard, large 6.44-inch AMOLED display, and powerful 64MP Main Camera. It also has a 4700mAh battery that comes with a 66W FlashCharge that can charge up to 50% in just 18 minutes, and a large storage capacity of 8GB+4GB Extended RAM and 128GB ROM. 

While the vivo T1x is powered by Snapdragon 680 and has a 6.58-inch LCD display, 50MP Main Camera, 5000mAh battery with 18W FlashCharge, and a large storage capacity of 4GB+1GB Extended RAM and 64GB ROM. 

From 16,999, the vivo T1 5G will be available for only PHP 16,997 in premium colorways - Turbo Black, Turbo Cyan with limited-time freebies HAVIT smartwatch 1113A, and FOOMEE Powerbank RZ20. 

 

And from PHP 8,999, the more affordable vivo T1x which comes in vibrant colors - Space Blue and Gravity Black, will be available for only PHP 8,997 with free Baseus Encok TWS W3 during the brand spotlight sale on Shopee. 

 

Other than vivo T1 Series, vivo is also offering discounts on other select Y Series, T Series, V Series, and X Series models and accessories. Check out these special deals on https://bit.ly/vivo-Brandspotlight-SHP.

Prime Video announces first local Amazon Original Comedy Island: Philippines

Prime Video announces first local Amazon Original Comedy Island: Philippines in cooperation with Base Entertainment, which will launch in 2023, and underlines its commitment to the local creative community. 

 

Viewers will be able to enjoy more local exclusive titles such as Big Night, How To Love Mr. Heartless and Whether the Weather Is Fine, in addition to a selection of popular Korean titles such as Nothing Serious and Toy Soldiers: Fake Men 2 The Complete, anime hits such as Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen 0, Ron Howard’s new movie Thirteen Lives, Hollywood blockbuster No Time to Die, global Amazon Originals like The Boys, The Terminal List, licensed US hit shows such as The Good Doctor S1-5, and the highly anticipated The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

 

The increased support of local production companies comes as Prime Video launches its first local marketing, created with Filipino producers and featuring Anne Curtis

 

Global video streaming service Prime Video today announced it will be increasing its investment for customers in the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia. Beginning today, customers will find a localized content slate and user experience (in local language) on Prime Video and the Prime Video app. The streaming service also underlined its commitment to the local creative community by revealing the first local Original Comedy Island: Philippines and exclusive licensing deals for local, Korean, and anime titles.  The news comes as Prime Video launches its first local marketing campaign featuring superstar Anne Curtis in the country. 

 

Now for an introductory offer of 149 PHP per month*, after a seven-day free trial, viewers in the Philippines can sign up for a Prime Video membership and enjoy a great selection of entertainment, from Original productions created by local production companies, local licensed top titles, Korean content, global Amazon Original movies and TV series, and popular Hollywood titles. Prime Video members can stream, download, and watch anytime, anywhere through the Prime Video app on compatible mobile devices, tablets, Smart TVs, or online at PrimeVideo.com. 
*Promotional price from 1st August 2022 to 31 December 2023. T&Cs Apply. Learn more at primevideo.com.

 

“We’re delighted to be increasing our investment in Prime Video for customers in Southeast Asia, making it a truly localized experience—from local content specifically sourced for our customers,  to a localized user experience, and the first full-scale local marketing campaign,” said Josh McIvor, director of International Expansion, Prime Video.“Our support of local production companies in Southeast Asia is a significant step towards our broader international expansion plans and our ambition to become the most local of global streaming services.”

Increasing investment in local Original content and licensed content  

The first local Amazon Original Comedy Island: Philippines is a unique, off-the-wall situational improvisation comedy challenge show. In Comedy Island: Philippines, the mysterious island of Tawa-Tawa reappears after 100 years to commence the so-called ‘centennial games’ starring the best 8 players, consisting of comedians and celebrities. Only one will emerge as winner and will receive an essential gift that humanity needs. Comedy Island: Philippineswill be will be produced by Base Entertainment and launch on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories around the world in 2023. 

 

The new local Originals are supported by local licensing deals as well as popular exclusive Korean titles and anime hits. Local highlights include Big Night (streaming today), a dramedy starring Christian Bables and directed by Jun Lana, How To Love Mr. Heartless (launching August 15), a romance starring Sue Ramirez, and Award-winning surreal drama Whether The Weather Is Fine (launching October 10) starring Daniel Padilla. Viewers in the Philippines will also be able to enjoy popular Korean titles such as Nothing Serious (streaming today), a romantic film featuring Jeon Jong-seo, Son Seok-gu and Gong Min-jung, and Toy Soldiers: Fake Men 2 The Completefeaturing Julien Kang which will launch on Prime Video in August. The slate is complemented by exclusive anime hits such as Demon Slayer (streaming today) and Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (launching December 21),  the number one title in Japanese theatres in 2021. All this is on top of Hollywood Blockbusters such as No Time to Die (streaming today), global Amazon Originals like The Boys, The Terminal List, licensed US hit shows such as The Good Doctor S1-5, and the highly anticipated The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (launching September 2). On August 5, Prime Video will premiere the new Ron Howard movie Thirteen Lives starring Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell. Thirteen Lives premieres on August 5, and recounts the incredible true story of the tremendous global effort to rescue a Thai soccer team who became trapped in the Tham Luang cave during an unexpected rainstorm.   

 

“Southeast Asia is a tapestry of cultures, languages, and histories, and there has truly never been a better time to be a content creator or a content consumer in this part of the world. We are thrilled to be bringing our first local Amazon Original featuring Filipino talent, the hilarious world of Comedy Island, to customers around the world. This will complement our growing selection of local and Korean series and movies, alongside our amazing global content on Prime Video,” said Erika North, head of Asia-Pacific Originals, Prime Video. “We are committed to supporting the local TV and film industry and working with the most innovative creative talent in the region to bring the very best, most authentic and local storytelling to life, for our customers not only in the region but also Prime Video members around the world. This is just the start.” 

First local marketing campaign featuring superstar Anne Curtis

Prime Video today also launched its first marketing campaign created in cooperation with local producers. Featuring local superstar Anne Curtis, the campaign introduces Prime Video to local audiences as a premium video streaming service that entertains, delights and engages.  The first campaign plays with the stereotype that the Pinoy’s are always late – and self-ironically claims that Prime Video is no different.  Prime Video is indeed late to the region, but it definitely was worth the wait just like all things fabulous. The campaign highlights the different content pillars that will make Prime Video the home of entertainment: strong local content, the most loved regional content featuring Korean and Anime titles, and US hits. 

 

RCBC Bankard is offering its cardholders up to P10,000 cashback for local and international flights

 

RCBC Bankard is offering its cardholders up to P10,000 cashback for local and international flights booked using any RCBC-issued credit cards. 

 

On top of this, RCBC Bankard will give up to P5,000 cashback on accommodation and dining spend on Saturdays and Sundays, per local and international destination. 

 

RCBC Bankard, the credit card arm of the Yuchengco-led bank, recently launched back-to-back Airfare and Weekend Local & International Destination promotions across its different credit card products. The offers will run until the 3^rd quarter of this year.

“We know that a lot of Filipinos need to get a well-deserved vacation and we’d like to make the experience even more delightful and rewarding for them through their RCBC Bankard,” said Ma. Angela C. Mirasol, RCBC Bankard First Vice President and Marketing Group Head.

 

In this campaign, cardholders of RCBC Bankard Mastercard, RCBC Bankard Visa credit card, and JCB Platinum can get up to P10,000 cashback for a minimum spend of P25,000 airline transactions. The promo applies to both local and international destinations and will run until September 30, 2022.

 

Meanwhile, RCBC Bankard cardholders can also earn up to P5,000 cashback for accommodation and dining spend on all Saturdays and Sundays until Sept. 25, 2022 for international destinations and until Aug. 28, 2022 for local destinations 

 

The promo applies to transactions spent on international destinations, including the United States, Canada, Singapore, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Australia, South Korea, and Japan.

 

For local destinations, featured areas include Boracay, Bohol, Palawan, Tagaytay, Batangas, Baguio, Bataan, Albay, Iloilo, Cebu, and Davao

 

“We want to make our cardholders' lives better.  On top of the back-to-back cashback and rebates, our cardholders can also experience comfort and peace of mind since they have access to airport lounges and are also eligible for free travel insurance and purchase protection,” Mirasol further said. 

 

RCBC Bankard has been the recipient of various international accolades and has been awarded Best Credit Card initiative in the recent Retail Banker International Asia Trailblazer Awards 2022.  

 

For details on the promotion, visit the RCBC Bankard website.