Experience Ultra-Fast Internet Instantly: PLDT Home’s Fiber Fest Expands Nationwide in 2025

 PLDT Home’s pioneering broadband festival is back for its second year—with bigger surprises in more areas nationwide. Fiber Fest widens its reach in 2025, bringing same-day fiber installations, ultra-fast broadband, and exclusive digital experiences to more communities across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Bringing Fiber Connectivity, One Barangay at a Time

 

With PLDT Home’s ever-expanding fiber network, more Filipino families can now enjoy next-level connectivity with Wi-Fi 6-ready plans supporting speeds of up to 1 Gbps. Whether for remote work, streaming, gaming, or smart home setups, these high-speed fiber plans ensure seamless performance.

 

“Fiber Fest aims to make reliable internet more accessible to broader communities,” said Patrick Tang, First Vice President and Head of PLDT Home Acquisition Marketing. “By bringing PLDT Home’s broadband and digital services to more barangays across the country, we promote digital transformation, encourage community development, and create growth opportunities.”

 

Building on its success, Fiber Fest is expanding to even morebarangays, accelerating the rollout of PLDT Home’s reliablefiber network—especially in underserved communities. 

 

What to Expect at the Fiber Fest

 

Here’s what Fiber Fest-goers can look forward to:

• Exclusive Deals: Get the best broadband deals and rewards available exclusively at Fiber Fest. Enjoy free speedboostand save up to P3,600 waived installation and activation fees for new subscribers. Switching to PLDT Home Fiber plan?  Then enjoy a 50% off monthly service fees for six months.  Existing PLDT Home subscribers upgrading to Fiber Netflix Plan, Fiber Unli All, or Fiber Unli Plan also get free speedboost and exclusive rewards. 

• Same-day Installation: Customers will enjoy same-day installation of their PLDT Home Fiber plan when they apply at the Fiber Fest. 

• Exciting Rewards: Sign up for Home Rewards program and receive 120 free Rewards Crystals which can be redeemed for bill rebates, discounts, and exclusive treats.

• The Best Digital Offers, All in One Place: PLDT Home has partnered with Smart, Maya, mWell and Next Upgrade to bring exciting promos for the best digital experiences –mobile connectivity, seamless cashless payment, health and wellness services, and smart home solutions.

• Local talent and Interactive Entertainment: Experience an action-packed day of games and entertainment, featuring Netflix-inspired activities and the Barangay Olympics. PLDT Home has also partnered with TikTok to showcasethe best local talents and connect them with wider onlineaudiences with the country’s first-ever TikTok Star Searchat the Fiber Fest.

• Live Celebrity Performances: Enjoy electrifying performances from Eleven11, and special guestappearances from PLDT High Speed Hitters.

 

First Stop: Pasig City 

 

Kicking off in Pasig, Pasigueños enjoyed activities and surprises from PLDT Home. Celebrities and guest performers including Dylan Menor, Eleven11, and PLDT High Speed Hitters including Mika Reyes, Majoy Baron, Jessey de Leon, and Rachel Austero also joined in the fun.

Dylan Menor and Eleven11 at the Fiber Fest in Pasig City

Catch the next runs of Fiber Fest in Batangas, Bulacan, Pasay, Cavite, and more! The full schedule of Barangay Fiber Fest locations and events will be announced soon on PLDT Home’s official pages. 

 

Stay tuned and be part of the country’s biggest fiber festival.

 

 

SM Cares Earth Hour 2025 Unite Communities to Promote Environmental Awareness

 For the 17th consecutive year, SM Supermalls reaffirmed its continued commitment to environmental sustainability by joining the 2025 Earth Hour movement, a global initiative led by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). 

 

On March 22, from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, SM malls across the country participated in the symbolic lights-off event, encouraging customers, tenants, and employees to “Give an Hour for Earth” by taking simple yet impactful actions to protect the planet.

 

SM Seaside City Cebu and the 86 SM Supermalls nationwide give an hour for Earth by turning off non-essential lights during Earth Hour 2025.

SM Mall of Asia participate in the Global Lights Switch Off to raise awareness about climate change.

 

A Collective Effort for a Sustainable Future

SM Supermalls took part in the Global Lights Switch Off, reducing energy consumption and raising awareness about climate change. According to PwC Isla Lipana and Co., the total energy saved during the one-hour switch-off in 87 malls nationwide will be equivalent to 319,759 number of smartphones charged or 1.4 tons of waste recycled.

 

With this year’s Earth Hour theme of “Creating the Biggest Hour for Earth,” beyond turning off non-essential lights, SM Cares encouraged the public to spend their 60 minutes engaging in sustainable activities. From musical performances, arts and craft to fitness activities, shoppersexperienced an hour away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoyed a soulful night with live music, an enhanced well-being after a good run and other eco-friendly events for the environment. 

An electrifying LED dance performance showing the 60+ Earth Hour symbol lights up SM City Clark, emphasizing a broader commitment to environmental protection.

SM Lanang takes part in the annual global initiative with live music, inspiring for change and adopt sustainable practices.

 

More than 200 cyclists in the Earth Hour: Go & Glow Bike Challenge 2025pedal forward to SM City San Mateo, demonstrating a collective effort topromote energy conservation.

Grooving and glowing, customers in SM City Masinag dance to ignite the community for a greener future.

 

In partnership with UPB Astronomy Society and Baguio Astronomy Enthusiasts, students enjoy a magical cosmic experience in SM City Baguio during Earth Hour 2025.

Customers and advocates from Marikina Run Club take part in a meaningful activity as a symbolic gesture of solidarity and commitment for the planet.

 

Beyond Earth Hour: SM Cares’ Commitment to Sustainability

SM Supermalls’ Earth Hour participation is just one of its many sustainability efforts. Through SM Cares, the company champions programs that encourage responsible waste management and environmental stewardship, such as the Trash to Cash recycling market, Plastic Waste Collection and E-waste Collection initiatives. Mobilizing thousands of volunteers, the International Coastal Cleanup helps keep the Philippine shorelines free from waste pollution. 

 

"Through Earth Hour and our year-round sustainability programs, SM remains committed to inspiring and enabling communities to take meaningful steps toward environmental conservation," said Engr. Liza B. Silerio, SM Supermalls Vice President for Corporate Compliance Group and SM Cares Program Director for Environment and Sustainability.

 

Empowering the Next Generation of Climate Advocates

This year, SM also engaged students from National University and Asia Pacific College in creating a special social media campaign showcasing how they can "Give an Hour for Earth." The video highlights the importance of disconnecting online to reconnect with the environment and the community. Watch the Earth Hour videos via these links:https://bit.ly/SMEarthHour2025-NUxSM and https://bit.ly/SMEarthHour2025-APCxSM.

 

Young volunteers in SM City Butuan spend an hour away from their phones and reconnect with the community.

SM Center Ormoc and Earth Hour Ormoc join hands with students to perform a dance of lights to the song “Liwanag saDilim”, strengthening their commitment to make a difference year-round.

 

SM Supermalls invites everyone to continue practicing sustainability beyond Earth Hour by making small yet impactful choices every day. For more updates on SM Cares’ environmental programs, visit www.smsupermalls.com/smcares or follow @SMCaresOfficial on social media. 

 

Own the Galaxy S25 Series with 0% Installment — Experience Your AI Companion Now

Dreaming of a new flagship phone that’s your true AI companion? Samsung makes it easier to own the Galaxy S25 series with exclusive 0% installment offers for up to 24 months when you purchase at any Samsung Experience Store or authorized retailer using partner credit cards until March 31.

 

Enjoy even more savings with amazing discounts this month! Get up to 10% off, as much as Php 6,000 off, or even your last installment month free—making your upgrade to the smartest Galaxy yet even more rewarding! 

 

Samsung Galaxy S25 series with lighter payments

 

You can enjoy big savings and flexible payment plans on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Series with your credit card! UnionBank, Metrobank, PNB, and BPI offer 5% off while EastWest gives 6% on discounts. Metrobank users can enjoy up to P5,000 cash back or GCash credits, while PNB users can have a free first month installment and HSBC offers 7% off for authorized dealers. These offers can be availed at authorized Samsung stores nationwide for 0% installment for 24 months.

 

When you buy via the Samsung Online Store, you can get a 5% off using your HSBC or BPI credit card on a 0% installment for up to 36 months. Same discount applies for UnionBank and Metrobank (with additional P5,000 cash back or GCash credits for Metrobank), for a 24 month plan. Meanwhile you can also buy the Galaxy S25 series with your BDO credit card via Samsung Online Store on a 0% installment plan–up to 36 months.

 

For those who prefer e-wallet transactions, GCash also makes purchasing the Galaxy S25 Series easier with a 10% discount and a FREE last installment for a 12-month plan via GGives. Buyers can also take advantage of the Maya Personal Loan option, allowing them to save up to P6,000 on their purchase through discounts and cashbacks for 24 months.

 

Meanwhile, other flexible payment options are also available. With Samsung Finance+, customers can enjoy up to P6,000 in savings, and Home Credit provides up to two months FREE, when you choose a 24-month plan.

 

For the full list of flexible payment offers, visit https://www.samsung.com/ph/offer/offline/2025/galaxy-s25-flexi-payments/. 

A True AI Companion

 

The Galaxy S25 series is the true AI companion that is optimized to give you a more elevated lifestyle, allowing you to stay present by doing the work for you.

 

Boost productivity with AI-powered tools such as the Now Brief, for instant updates with a single click from your lock screen, Gemini Live, for seamless interaction across your apps, AI Select, for quick actions like calendar updates and GIF creation, and Circle to Search with Google which now comes with the new Music Search.

 

For photography, travel and concert enthusiasts, the Audio Eraserlets you mute or lower background noise in videos, while the enhanced Portrait Studio and Filters makes personalized post-editing of photos a breeze. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is also now equipped with a new 50MP ultrawide camera sensor upgraded from the previous 12MP, so you can take clearer pictures wherever you are. All three models feature the Snapdragon® 8 Elite for Galaxy for top-tier performance while the Galaxy S25 Ultra has the Corning® Gorilla® Armor 2 for superior durability.

 

To stay up to date on Samsung’s latest innovations, visit them at facebook.com/SamsungPH or samsung.com/ph/smartphones/galaxy-s25-ultra/buy.

 

Terms and conditions apply. DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-211702 Series of 2025.

 

What Netflix’s ‘The Electric State’ Teaches Us About Family, Friendship, and Survival

 What we learned about family, friendships, and life from Netflix’s latest sci-fi action ‘The Electric State’

Stream the Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt-starrer and more with PLDT Home Fiber Netflix 1599 – value-packed with lag-free internet speeds and bundled with a Netflix subscription!

What would you do if you had the chance to find your long-lost brother, sister, or friend after they’ve been away? What lengths would you go to help a loved one in need? Should you instantly aid someone who’s got a big problem?

 

These are the moral questions that Michelle Greene (Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things, Enola Holmes) grapples with,in Netflix’s new sci-fi comedy-drama epic The Electric State. The streaming platform’s hottest show is based on the popular 2018 illustrated novel by Swedish artist and author Simon Stålenhag.

 

(Warning: Spoilers ahead)

 

In this adaptation, Michelle must travel across an alternate-timeline and war-torn United States to find her missing brother Christopher (Woody Norman, The White Princess, Troy: Fall of a City), who she thought was dead after a car accident also claimed the lives of their parents. She must navigate the perils of a USA that’s full of tension, thanks to a destructive war between humans and sentient robots, which recently concluded.

Along her journey, Greene learns a few important lessons about family, friendship, and sacrifice. Here are the three takeaways that many Filipinos who care most about family and friends may strong pick up:

 

When it comes to family, you’ve got to hold on to hope.

At the start of the film, Michelle is living a lonely life without her family. But when a rogue robot finds her and declares that it is her missing brother in a different form, Michelle goes out on a limb to try and search for Christopher – despite the slim chances and the ridiculousness of the story.

 

When family or any loved one is involved, we’ve got to give them the benefit of the doubt and hold on to any little hope for something good, no matter how bad the odds are. It’s just the right thing to do, and when we’re the ones who might need help, we’d want our loved ones to do everything they could for us, too.

 

You’ve got to fight for your friends.

Family is not all that we have in our lives – we also meet many people and make many friends along the way. And our friends also have their own battles they may be fighting; it’s on us to support them when they’re fighting for the right things.

 

In the movie, Michelle and Keats (Chris Pratt, Guardians of the Galaxy) encounter a group of sentient and peaceful robots who simply want the right to live without being oppressed by humans. After understanding their plight, recognizing their right to live, and seeing that they are also capable of feelings, thoughts, and emotions, the human protagonists also take up their cause and fight back against the people who want to destroy them.

 

If we extended that same understanding and bravery to other people, many lives could become better, especially during challenging times.

Sometimes, we have to make huge sacrifices for our loved ones.

At the climax of the film, Michelle is faced with a truly difficult decision, one that would require the ultimate sacrifice for Christopher. Although it’s a decision that’s extremely sad and heart-wrenching, it’s one that she must make for his well-being.

 

Sometimes, the reality is that the most important shows of support for our loved ones – family or friends – are those that could cause us great personal pain. But that’s the way life is: you’ve got to let go of something for someone else’s sake. Accepting that it will be good for them – even when it’s the opposite to you.

 

Stream Netflix’s trending sci-fi adventure film The Electric State and more unli entertainment with PLDT Home Fiber Netflix 1599 – the leading digital service provider’s most value-packed internet and home entertainment plan. Subscribe to the plan to enjoy 150 Mbps internet bundled with a Netflix Basic Subscription. Apply now until June 30, 2025 to enjoy a free 300 Mbps speedboost for a much more seamless streaming experience at home!

 

For more info on PLDT Home Fiber Netflix Plan 1599, visit pldthome.com/fiber-netflix.